Transfer Portal Triumphs: Texas Tech Football’s New Identity

By Christian Dailey, chrdaile@ttu.edu

When Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire tweeted a Ric Flair dance GIF on December 19, 2024, celebrating yet another transfer portal commitment, it wasn’t just flair but a signal. 

The Red Raiders, fresh off an 8-5 season, had just locked in their 17th transfer, cementing the nation’s No. 3 transfer class, according to 247 Sports. 

With stars like USC running back Quinten Joyner and Miami (Ohio) wide receiver Reggie Virgil joining the roster, Texas Tech is betting big on portal talent to redefine its identity in the Big 12.

 But can this strategy fueled by the Matador Club’s donor muscle turn a good season for the Red Raiders' into their first Big 12 championship? 

The transfer portal, which began in 2019, is still fairly new. With the addition of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness), donors are able to contribute much more to the success of a university's athletic department. 

Of the top ten universities in the 2024 transfer portal, seven schools improved the following season while only three declined. None had the exact same record as the year prior, and Florida State was a true outlier, dropping from a 13-1 record to a 2-10 record. 

According to 247 Sports, Texas Tech ranks third in the 2025 transfer portal with a big splash of cash from billionaire donor and alumnus, Cody Campbell. The Red Raiders will welcome 17 new transfers for the 2025 season. 

Texas Tech’s 2024 transfer haul isn’t just about numbers; it’s about impact. The Red Raiders secured seven players ranked among the top 100 portal prospects by 247 Sports, targeting key positions like offensive line, defensive line, and skill players.

This follows a pattern: last year’s transfer class of 16 helped push Tech to its first eight-win regular season since 2009. But Tech ranked 36th in last year’s portal rankings, according to 247 Sports. 

In addition to Tech’s big leap, Red Raiders General Manager James Blanchard, who turned down the GM job at Notre Dame to stay at Tech, has spent months scouting these targets, committing to what Tech calls “The Brand.”

Will it work? 

The 2024 season showed progress, but losses to Baylor and TCU exposed gaps. With the roster limit dropping to 105 in 2025, Tech’s 17 transfer additions – as of February 2025 –  mean cuts are coming. More than 20 players could be on the bubble. 

If Virgil replicates Kelly’s breakout and Joyner powers the run game, Texas Tech could crack the Top 25. If not, this high-stakes gamble might just be another flashy GIF in a season of what-ifs.