Texas Tech Basketball

 College Basketball Talk’s Travis Hines has a look at the Big 12 Conference after all of the players have committed to the NBA or stayed in school and there’s not really any mention of Texas Tech, but Hines does think that Texas Tech finishes 5th next year:

5. Texas Tech: Chris Beard may have been two overtime losses and two one-possession defeats in February away from getting the Red Raiders into the NCAA tournament last year. He’ll lose Anthony Livingston, but otherwise returns a solid core. Florida transfer Brandone Francis and DePaul transfer Tommy Hamilton IV might be the difference makers for Beard.

The only thing to caution everyone about is that Chris Level mentioned the other day that right now, Texas Tech is one player over and Shadell Millinghaus sent out a tweet disparaging coaches, which makes you think that he may not be long for the roster. Level also mentioned that Texas Tech is still recruiting and there’s a chance that if another player is signed Brandone Francis or Niem Stevenson might not return either, which would get the roster down to 13, which is where it has to be by the start of the fall semester. It’s likely that the roster continues to churn a bit.

Texas Tech Football

I mentioned earlier this week the need to consider other quarterbacks for the 2018 class and Tanner Mordecai did commit to Oklahoma yesterday which means that the post about 2018 quarterback options becomes just a bit more relevant.

ESPN’s Jake Trotter has his strong and weak aspects of the team, the strong is the receivers and the weak is the defensive line:

The front line of the nation’s worst statistical defense surrendered a Big 12-high 5.73 yards per carry last year and a whopping 37 rushing touchdowns. Then during the offseason, the Red Raiders lost two-year starter and former ESPN 300 signee Breiden Fehoko to transfer (also to LSU).

His departure has left end Kolin Hill as the only returning Tech defensive lineman who recorded more than three tackles for loss last year. And the only one to notch more than 15 tackles.

The Red Raiders are going to have to make strides up front in order to finally turn a corner defensively. With so many inexperienced and unproven pieces, that won’t be easy.

Red Raider Sports’ Matt Clare has a Q&A with 2017 signee John Davis and here’s just a part:

What made you decide to sign with Texas Tech?

I signed with Tech, due to how comfortable I was on my visits and Coach Scott, he’s like a God Father to me.

Remember when yesterday that Corey Sutton, the receiver for Kansas State was criticizing Bill Snyder for not releasing him and denying each and every one of the 35 schools that Sutton wanted to transfer to, including Division II schools? Well, Snyder doubled-down yesterday and he also revealed that Sutton has failed two drug tests, which I think is illegal. I wonder if Sutton can go to a JUCO without restriction?

Bill Snyder goes on a dissertation about the decision to deny Corey Sutton the opportunity to transfer. @KCTV5 #KState #KstateFB pic.twitter.com/qTUkfnb7bO

— Andrew Carter (@Andrew__Carter) June 2, 2017