Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 33-10vs Abilene Christian | 10 | 43 | 4.3 | 1 | 14 | Season-high 43 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 35-24@ Oregon State | 5 | 25 | 5.0 | 0 | 16 | |
| Total | 15 | 68 | 4.7 | 1 | 16 |
QJ
Quinten Joyner
Senior running back for Texas Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 220 lb · Austin, TX · Manor
CFB Index 51 · #120 of 310 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Texas Tech for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
68
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 4.5 per carry
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 43 rush yds, 1 TD, vs Abilene Christian
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 running back for Texas Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to USC in 2023.
- Transferred from USC to Texas Tech in 2025.
Quinten Joyner
Hits the crease and outruns the angle. Quinten Joyner has played for two head coaches across three seasons and two programs. One game to point at: 43 rush yds, 1 rush TD against Abilene Christian — Week 1, 2026.
68 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 15 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20235 games
- Signed with USC4-star out of Manor
2025
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2024
Texas Tech
2026
Texas Tech
Played his entire career under Joey McGuire.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023USC8-5HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning, slow tempo
2024USC7-6HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning
2026Texas Tech2-0HC: Joey McGuire · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 34.0 YDS/g, 4.7 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Joey McGuire
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas Tech | 15 | 68 | 4.5 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | USC | 63 | 478 | 7.6 | 3 | -- |
| 2023 | USC | 18 | 125 | 6.9 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 96 | 671 | 7.0 | 5 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas Tech | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | USC | 12 | 89 | 7.4 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | USC | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 13 | 96 | 7.4 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 33–10
43 rush yds (10 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 23-point win at home against Abilene Christian.
With W. Hammond — 298 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · 11 rush yds (2 car) · J. Williams — 71 rush yds (13 car) · 1 TD
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Abilene Christian · 2&6 · Q1 · EPA +2.61Quinten Joyner run for 14 yds, for a TD (S. Harrington KICK)
- Week 2 · Oregon State · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.75(07:02) Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush right for 1 yard gain to the TTU45 (#8 S.Vadrawale III)
- Week 1 · Abilene Christian · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.70(04:03) No Huddle-Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush right for 4 yards loss to the ACU22 (#13 G.Brown)
- Week 1 · Abilene Christian · 3&2 · Q3 · EPA +0.64(09:37) No Huddle-Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush middle for 7 yards gain to the ACU24 (#12 D.Ponder), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Abilene Christian · 2&7 · Q2 · EPA -0.61(09:09) No Huddle-Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush right for 2 yards gain to the TTU44 (#90 T.Allen; #3 D.Williams)
- Week 2 · Oregon State · 3&5 · Q3 · EPA -0.55(04:06) Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush left for 1 yard gain to the TTU42 (#2 A.Sullivan)
- Week 1 · Abilene Christian · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.53(02:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush middle for 3 yards loss to the TTU10 (#18 J.Gibbs)
- Week 1 · Abilene Christian · 2&4 · Q3 · EPA -0.44(10:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush middle for 2 yards gain to the ACU31 (#0 D.Moore)
- Week 2 · Oregon State · 2&1 · Q1 · EPA -0.32(07:30) No Huddle-Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush middle for 2 yards gain to the TTU44 (#18 J.Comer; #97 T.Bailey), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Oregon State · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.28(04:43) Shotgun #0 Q.Joyner rush left for 16 yards gain to the OSU09 (#28 B.Thompson), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Cuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Texas Tech
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Running back · Texas Tech
Returning around him
- 53% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- 9 Texas Tech players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (23 in / 21 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Texas Tech · Last season: 12-2 (AP #4) · Talent rank #29 · 2026 recruiting class #18
DNA match
Player DNA
Speed Merchant
Cuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line.
RB
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Shane Porter’s 2024 season.
66%match
Matches Shane on
Weight
Yards / carry
Yards / reception
Differs from Shane on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Jay Haynes's sophomore season at Clemson (2024).
67%match
Matches Jay on
Yards / carry
Differs from Jay on
Recruiting rating (higher)
Yards / reception (higher)
Rush TD rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Quinten Joyner
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #168
Peaked at #168 this season.
Background
CAREER HONORS Doak Walker Award Watch List (2025, So.) Shrine Bowl 1000 (2025, So.) Preseason Phil Steele All-Big 12 third team (2025, So.) Preseason Athlon Sports All-Big 12 third team (2025, So.) 2025 SEASON (SOPHOMORE) Arrived with high expectations before suffering a season-ending knee injury...
The backfield · Texas Tech
- #8Cameron Dickey1,138 rushing yards · 2025
- #20J'Koby Williams866 rushing yards · 2025
- #35Michael Henderson III-2 rushing yards · 2025
- #33Loic Tshibanguno box-score line yet
- Quinten Joyner2 games · 2026
2 more on the roster · Texas Tech team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology