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Recapping Texas Tech’s Big 12 Media Day

Photo via Garrett Heath @ Flickr
Football
Seth C

Recapping Texas Tech’s Big 12 Media Day

Our beloved head coach Kliff Kingsbury hit the stage at the Big 12 Media Days (this is a link to the full transcript). There is no opening statement for Kingsbury, much to the rejoice of the media covering the event. In addition to Kingsbury QB Patrick Mahomes, OL Baylen Brown and CB Justis Nelson attended.

• Kingsbury mentioned that Patrick Mahomes has worked on just the small things in how Mahomes has improved from last year to this year. Noting that it’s the first time Mahomes has had a full offseason where he hasn’t played another sport and Mahomes wants to make the ordinary plays on a consistent basis and be more refined.

• Kingsbury also said that with the addition of Kolin Hill and Ondre Pipkins, that with Gary Moore, Zach Barnes and Breiden Fehoko, that’s a pretty veteran group on the defensive line.

• Kingsbury also confirmed that Texas Tech voted in favor of the rule change for walk-ons and then there was also this:

Kingsbury was also asked about Mayfield and as you might expect, he doesn’t wish ill on Mayfield, except for one game out of the year:

It appears so. I like both of those young men a lot. I know has loss has come from Baker’s side, but loved coaching him, loved the chip on his shoulder, cheered for him in every game except one, and it’s been fun to see the success he has had. Patrick has stepped in for year three and was poised for a very good year, and I think that’s where Baker wanted to be and it’s worked out for him there and he’s had a tremendous run. I know Patrick wanted to be at Texas Tech and both guys have had a tremendous run and the [best] is yet to come.

• Kingsbury was sked about the leaders on defense and it looks more and more like Luke Stice is going to start this year:

Yeah, I think we have some veteran secondary guys, Keenon Ward has now played for three years. Justis Nelson has played for four years and we will have a couple of senior corner backs. And linebackerwise, D’Vonta Hinton who played as a true freshman last year made some good strides at that position. We have a transfer from Houston, Luke Stice, Malik Jenkins. It’s a group that has played a lot. They’ve grown up, taken their lumps and it’s made them mentally tougher and I saw that this spring. So I hope that carries over into training camp and into the season.

• Also imperative is how Kingsbury intends on replace IR Jakeem Grant and RB DeAndre Washington. I’ve thought that I’m going to miss typing their names over the course of this year. Gonna miss those guys.

You don’t replace two guys like that. Jakeem was our all-time leading receiver at Texas Tech and DeAndre had a thousand yards. So they will be playing on Sundays. That’s where I think we’re going to be strong at wide receiver is on our outside. We have Dylan Cantrell coming back who redshirted last year. Reggie Davis had nine touchdowns. On the other side Devin Lauderdale will be a senior. Derrick Willies is a big-time transfer, junior college wide receiver. They’re grown men out there, and from what I saw in the spring that will be our strength in the outside receiver position.

So I think the ball will go more there and at running back, Justin Stockton had limited touches because of DeAndre, but he’s as explosive of a back as I’ve seen around and I expect him to have a big impact this year.

• RRS’s Will McKay tweeted out the depth chart and I can you I appreciate that.

Interestingly, Jack Reichel is your starting left guard. He was the very late signee from the JUCO ranks. Previously starting there was Madison Akamnonu and I could still see Akamnonu getting plenty of time . . . the receivers are all -or- and I think that’s more of a motivation thing that anything else . . . as of right now, Devin Lauderdale is outside at the X-receiver spot along with Derrick Willies and I think that may be the most fun position battle in camp . . . on the defense Luke Stice is your starting weakside linebacker and I could see that happening so you best get ready for that . . . at end it is now Zach Barnes and Kolin Hill with new weights, 240 for Barnes and 250 for Hill . . . although I very much like Talor Nunez and his story, I cannot envision him getting a ton of snaps at tackle, plus, Breiden Fehoko tweeted this:

. . . also, Jordyn Brooks already getting behind Stice confirms that the staff thinks that Brooks is at least ready physically for college football . . .

• Baylen Brown ripped his pants, but the hotel fixed them and he wore jeans while waiting. This is a nice story, but got way too much play and he did get his pants fixed.

• DMN’s Adam Grosbard transcribed some of Mahomes’ quotes and Mahomes was asked about the Baylor scandal and I thought he answered it very well:

“It’s a really, really hard subject to deal with. My mom basically raised me by herself. Coach (Kliff) Kingsbury’s always about respecting women. He said that the first day I got to college is, ‘Respect women.’ Being raised by a single mom it’s one thing, I’ve always respected women. I know some guys on the team that are really good guys. I know it’s a really bad situation of what has happened. I just feel for the women that it happened to and I’m sure they will fix it the best way they possibly can.”

• And now I’m going to follow that up with this:

• You can check out the photo gallery from the day. It’s better than the gallery than before, but they also now wordmark texastech.com across all of the photos, which sorta stinks if you ever wanted to use one for your desktop or phone.

• Luckily, the incredibly talented Chris Ard, also known as Texas Tech Edits, has got you covered.

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