Could Texas football WR Tarique Milton breakout vs. Texas Tech?

Texas football travels to Lubbock on Saturday looking for their seventh consecutive road win against Texas Tech. It is the first time the Steve Sarkisian-led Longhorns will travel to Lubbock after dismantling them 70-35 last season in Austin.

With the looming potential of the return of quarterback Quinn Ewers, I believe it is important to look at the Longhorns’ skill players and what they can bring to the table against Tech. Whoever is the quarterback on Saturday, multiple skill players must step up in order for Texas to see success against a stingy Red Raider defense.

The Texas offense has used a good amount of 12 and 21 personnel to start their season. With Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, and Ja’Tavion Sanders as three of the most dynamic weapons in this offense, it makes sense why Sarkisian tends to roll with heavy running back and tight end sets.

With that said, questions still must be answered when it comes to the wide receivers, specifically those behind Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington.

Casey Cain has been the clear No. 3 when it comes to snap-count share, but could this matchup against Texas Tech call for the skill package that Tarique Milton brings to the table?

Could Iowa State grad transfer Iowa State Tarique Milton have a breakout game on Saturday for Texas football?

Milton has been on the field for just 19 of the Longhorns’ 193 snaps this season (9.8 percent), though, that is the fourth highest snap-count share in the Texas receiver room. Milton has struggled to see the field because of the aforementioned overload of 12 and 21 personal Steve Sarkisian has deployed to start the season.

This Saturday I fully expect Sark and the Texas offense to once again use a good amount of running back and tight end variation. With that said, the way this Tech defense is built gives the speedy Milton a great chance to find a few holes over the top.

On this week’s edition of the Hook’Em Horns Football Show, site expert Andrew Miller noted the one-high safety look this Red Raider defense tends to show. He also pointed out that both of Tech’s starting cornerbacks are 6-foot-3. They are big, physical corners that bully receivers at the point of attack.

Texas is going to struggle if they try and methodically move the ball through the air. Short and intermediate route concepts will not get it done against this Tech defense. The Texas offense must take advantage of the physicality and size of the Red Raider cornerbacks by beating them over the top with speed. Besides the aforementioned Worthy, Milton may have the best skillset to achieve this.

Milton proved to be a big-play threat during his time in Ames

During his four seasons at Iowa State, Tarique Milton was used as a guy who could take the top off of the defense. He has great straight-line speed and has been clocked running a 4.38 40-yard-dash.

Milton had 15 catches and four touchdowns on receptions over 20 yards in his career as a Cyclone. He made a habit of getting behind the defense and sparking big plays for the Iowa State offense.

Although Milton has yet to record a reception this season, him clearly being the No. 4 receiver proves to me he has earned the trust of the coaches.

On paper, the 5-foot-10 Milton does not match up well with the big-bodied Texas Tech secondary. With that said, if schemed correctly, I believe he could be a perfect complement across from Xavier Worthy if and when Coach Sarkisian decides to attack this defense vertically.

Milton possesses the speed and experience to come up with a few game-changing receptions this Saturday in Lubbock.