Texas Tech Softball

Help us welcome our newest addition, infielder Myamie Thompson of Lancaster, CA!

📰: https://t.co/0MNgu9qZqB #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/tN8dGmGzyP

— Texas Tech Softball (@TexasTechSB) July 31, 2017

Texas Tech Basketball

Start your week the right way as our Red Raider Basketball team continues to prepare to hit the hardwood this November #WreckEm #4to1 pic.twitter.com/iqFEEnhGve

— TexasTech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) July 31, 2017

 FanRag Sports Jon Rothstein reports that Norense Odiase is set to return to practices, but he cannot do five-on-five play until mid-August, which is right around the corner.

Texas Tech Football

First practice is underway in the new Sports Performance Center. #WreckEm #Construction pic.twitter.com/m2VEEDLGAZ

— Michael Strong (@stillstrongttu) July 31, 2017

 Heartland College Sports’ Matthew Postins talked with Jah’Shawn Johnson at the Big 12 Media Days and how the defense can be better:

Jah’Shawn Johnson says the scheme is there. And now the attitude seems to be following right into fall workouts. “I think in the past everyone was trying to do everyone else’s jobs, independent of people to make plays,” Johnson said. “Everyone wants to be the one to make that play now. We get jealous if someone makes a solo tackle. It means not enough people are getting to the ball.”

 A-J Media’s Don Williams editorializes about the return of Jett Duffey, which should be August 12th. Williams mentions that there are fans that are expecting Duffey to surpass Nic Shimonek and that’s really not anything I’ve thought (or really seen much online). Here’s Williams:

Don’t ask for too much too soon. Yeah, I know there are Tech fans who are expecting Superman or at least a quick ascent by Duffey to the starting job, which fails to recognize Shimonek’s ability, years of preparation and leadership and fails to grasp the mountain in front of Duffey.

We’re talking here about a redshirt freshman quarterback who will have gone nearly a year without practicing with the team. No spring football. No summer workouts getting timing down with receivers. And he wasn’t working out with the Red Raiders for most of last season either.

That’s important time invested. Not the kind of thing any quarterback, let alone a young quarterback, can make up in a week’s time. Kingsbury, being a quarterback himself and a quarterbacks coach, knows all that.

 Miscellaneous . . . The Open Man’s Wendell Barnhouse previews the Big 12 (but there’s no mention of Texas Tech) . . . AthlonSports has their top 250 overall fantasy rankings and Texas Tech has a few players mentioned, including Nic Shimonek at #27, Keke Coutee at #102, Derrick Willies at #146 and Da’Leon Ward at #229 . . .