Notebook: Nunez at Rush End. LAJ’s Don Williams notes that defensive end Talor Nunez jump up the depth chart, apparently leaping Gary Moore and Andre Ross. Here’s defensive line coach Mike Smith:

“The thing about Talor, he’s just a technician,” Smith said. “He does everything exactly right every single day. He goes out there and does exactly what I teach you to do. This whole camp, he led the group in sacks. Right now, he’s playing the best out of all of them and he’ll go with the twos.”

Here are also some additional notes:

• Mike Smith discusses a pass rush group, which would include Pete Robertson, Branden Jackson, Andre Ross, Zach Barnes and Demetrious Alston, with Smith mentioning that Alston has been much improved this spring.
• Williams writes about how SHSU offensive coordinator Phil Longo has visited Texas Tech during the summer to trade ideas.
• Lonzell Gilmore’s season is over after he suffered a torn labrum.

As always, there’s always more there at the link, including quotes, so make sure and go check it out.

Williams on the Bethel Twitter Situation. LAJ’s Don Williams takes on the Nigel Bethel twitter situation, which is that over the weekend Bethel tweeted “free agent” and so everyone freaked out. Williams thinks that Bethel and all student-athletes should be on social media, or at least doesn’t have a problem with it, and maybe an explanation would have been beneficial before Monday.

Jennie Bailey Be Brave Scholarship Endowment. Texas Tech announced yesterday that they have created the Jennie Bailey “Be Brave” Scholarship Endowment, which will benefit a football student-athlete each year. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury:

“Mrs. Bailey was an incredible woman who left behind a legacy that will never be forgotten,” Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “Her greatest contribution to this program was her motherly influence over each of the coaches, student-athletes and student-workers she touched. This endowment will be a small representation of her tremendous impact on the lives of nearly three decades of Red Raiders.”

The article notes that Texas Tech has already received $50,000 in donations, including $30,000 in donations from the coaching staff and two $10,000 donations.

Additionally, Texas Tech equipment tweeted out that the team would be wearing a decal on the helmets this year.

We will be placing a special decal on our helmets for the 2015 season. Just our way of saying Thank You. pic.twitter.com/pgDTpuUEte

— TexasTechEquipment (@TTU_EQUIPMENT) September 1, 2015

Names to Know. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg writes about a handful of names to know on the defensive side of the ball and that includes David Gibbs:

David Gibbs, defensive coordinator, Texas Tech: Gibbs brings an extensive résumé to Lubbock after orchestrating a Houston defense that led the nation in takeaways (43) in 2013 and trimmed its points allowed total by more than two touchdowns from the previous season. The Cougars were one of only eight teams to finish in the top 20 nationally in points allowed in each of the past two years. Houston also finished in the top 25 nationally in points per possession allowed in both seasons.

Bold Predictions. The ESPN Big 12 Blog Bros have their bold predictions and Brandon Chatmon thinks Texas Tech finishes in the top three in forced turnovers.

Martin Contacted at Midnight. The SAEN has a short article on how Cibolo Steele QB Xavier Martin was contacted at midnight by Kliff Kingsbury, the first moment that coaches could DM 2017 recruits:

Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury sent the Red Raider pledge a message on Twitter exactly at midnight, sparking the beginning of recruitment’s evaluation period. Tuesday was the first day Class of 2017 recruits like Martin can receive recruiting materials or electronic correspondence from interested schools.

“I didn’t even realize it was today,” Martin said Tuesday. “I was just laying in bed and I randomly got messages from coach Kingsbury.”

Miscellaneous. The Dallas Observer (of all things) has a look back at realignment as well as a look forward, with quotes from Chip Brown and Clay Travis, so it’s obviously well-researched . . . Grantland’s Chris Brown takes a look at the TCU defense . . . via SI’s Andy Staples Dan Beebe created a group to help create a better environment for student-athletes, administration and coaches . . . ESPN’s Max Olson looks at the Air Raid offense that was inspired by Mike Leach . . . ESPN’s Max Olson and Brandon Chatmon debate whether or not to name a starting quarterback or not . . . LAJ’s Don Williams with a look at the history of the Masked Rider . . . via DMN, former Red Raider footballer and current New York Jet, TE Jace Amaro, is out for the year with a torn labrum . . . SAEN’s Tim Griffin ranks the Big 12 quarterbacks and believe it or not, Patrick Mahomes was #4 and Davis Webb was #9 . . .