In The Morning Stake: Baseball splits series with Oral Roberts; Texas Tech football may be a Cinderella in 2015; Blayne Beal resigns yesterday and so much more.

Roundtable with The Student Section. I’m pretty thankful that I’ve been asked to participate in roundtables (I’m actually doing one with SB Nation for the NCAA Tournament) and The Student Section asked which returning starter at quarterback will show the most improvement. You’re not going to believe this, but I picked Patrick Mahomes. If asked anything on defense, I’m pretty sure I won’t be picking someone from Texas Tech, but Mahomes was a natural fit for me because I think that Mahomes was good, but he can grow so much as a quarterback. Anyway, go check it out.

Baseball Comes Back to Win Game 2. Texas Tech got back on the winning track, beating Oral Roberts 7-4 on Tuesday night. I’ve updated the open thread with the recap and box score.

Biggest Issues DMN’s Tommy Magelssen writes about the biggest issues facing Texas Tech this spring and key position battles. Here’s a bit on the emergence of new defensive personnel:

4. Emergence of new defensive personnel. A new defensive coordinator isn’t the only immediate help the Red Raiders got on defense this spring. Touted early enrollee Breiden Fehoko is expected to get every chance to prove he can make in impact right away on the defensive line, and former five-star linebacker Mike Mitchell has already impressed coaches for a year while he sat out per NCAA transfer rules. Where Mitchell will line up, though, is still up for debate.

Recruiting Costs. The Des Moines Register writes about the the costs of recruiting and the biggest surprise? Over the past five years, Texas Tech out-spent the next program by $350,000. Texas Tech spent $3,010,655 over the past five years and Oklahoma was second, spending $2,657,991.

Texas Tech a Cinderella. Bleacher Report has the top Cinderella teams for the 2015 season and Texas Tech makes the list:

As far as personnel goes, the Red Raiders add inside linebacker Mike Mitchell, the No. 58 overall recruit in 2013, who transferred from Ohio State last offseason and took a redshirt in 2014. They also add defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko, the No. 50 overall recruit in 2015 and one of the strongest high schoolers we’ve ever seen. If that doesn’t shore up the middle of the defense, it’s unclear if anything will.

Webb on the Spot. ESPN’s Jake Trotter is doing a series about Big 12 players having to prove themselves or in a position battle and up first is Davis Webb:

It will be interesting to see how much Webb will be able to do this spring with the shoulder still healing. But with Mahomes also playing baseball this spring, Webb has a prime opportunity to close the gap in the quarterback competition before the summer.

“I think he may have been forcing some things [last season] and trying to make everything happen instead of letting the game come to him at times,” Kingsbury said. “But he puts in the work, works as hard as anybody I’ve ever been around, and good things happen to those type of players.”

Beal Resigns. LAJ’s Don Williams writes that Texas Tech’s lead athletic department spokesman Blayne Beal resigned effective as of Wednesday morning citing wanting to spend more time with his family and an opportunity to work in the private sector. Will Beal well.

Former Red Raider Basketballers Playing Pro. The official site has an absolutely terrific break-down of all of the former Texas Tech players playing basketball professionally. Really good to take a step back and read some of those names. Here’s a bit on Mike Singletary, but there is a ton more:

Mike Singletary | 08,09,10,11 | HUMBLE, TEXAS – A 2015 Italian LNP All-Star, Singletary may have found a home in Italy, where he is averaging 15.5 points, 8.8 rebound, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game for Acmar Revenna. He has recorded 10 double-doubles and a second place showing in the Italian A2 Silver League. If the season ended today, Singletary would face former Red Raider Jaye Crockett in the first round on the playoffs. Singletary, Crockett and Alan Voskuil all participated in the 2015 All-Star game