Leading Off

Well, this is huge, Texas Tech Chancellor Robert Duncan announced his retirement after four years as Texas Tech’s Chancellor. You can take your pick of news source, TexasTribune or the AvalanceJournal.

“As we approach the start of a new school year, I look back with pride on the tremendous strides we have made in recent years,” reads a message Duncan sent to the system on Monday. “But I have also reflected on my life, my decades of public service, and realize that, at 65, it’s time to retire, move on and begin to tackle new challenges.”

I wish Duncan the absolute best moving forward. I hardly noticed Duncan, but that probably means he is doing his job behind the scenes (apparently raising over $585 million and increasing the endowment to $1.3 billion), seen but not heard. I am a bit concerned in not having Duncan’s politicking acumen as Texas Tech is still hoping to open the vet school. God speed.

Texas Tech Soccer

IT’S HERE!

Check out our official home match schedule poster! You can get your hands on one on Friday at our home opener against New Mexico!#WreckEm pic.twitter.com/tGSvaPcd9n

— Texas Tech Soccer (@TexasTechSoccer) August 13, 2018

Texas Tech Football

A-J Media’s Don Williams has a notebook from yesterday’s media session. Before we get to that, it has been frustrating that the official site hasn’t posted any of the press conferences to YouTube. There used to be more player interaction and more interactions with Kingsbury. It hasn’t really happened at all, maybe 2 or 3 times, and that’s disappointing.

In any event, head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that cornerback Octavious Morgan wasn’t necessarily out for the season and said that they would know more today. Additionally, safety Jah’Shawn Johnson and receiver Antoine Wesley are both returning full speed from their injury. Kingsbury was asked about the freshman receivers and said that freshman Caden Leggett (6-1/185) was turning head:

“He had great stats in high school, he’s a big, physical presence and a hard-working young man,” Kingsbury said. “We had a connection: His grandfather is here in town, and it kind of worked out that he wanted to be a Red Raider, wanted to play in this offense. Having (Danny) Amendola and (Wes) Welker and those guys before him, (Dylan) Cantrell, it kind of inspired him to be a Red Raider, but he should’ve had a Division I scholarship somewhere.”

You can check out Leggett’s highlights from his senior year here:

Kingsbury was also asked about the quarterback situation and said that he’d flip a coin in terms of what quarterback he would choose and from what the media saw, McLane Carter was running with the first team and Alan Bowman with the second unit (again, this is just what the media saw, which usually isn’t a huge amount of practice).

“We have three weeks from today to figure out who the guy is,” Kingsbury said. “They’re doing some good things, still making some mistakes we can’t make, and I think they understand they’ve got to take care of the football first and foremost and that’s an area we’ve got to improve in.

“But they’re studying hard, working hard, have improved dramatically from the spring, and I think we’re on track for having a guy that can step up and play well.”

Texas Tech also received the commitment from Australian punter Jordy Sandy (5-10/190). This happened pretty early in the morning, so it was posted in the comments and you all were all over it.

Stoked to announce I have accepted a scholarship to Texas Tech University to study and play college football! Massive thanks to @prokickaustralia and @JohnnyPKA as well as @TTUKingsbury and @CoachScheier for the opportunity! #GunsUp #WreckEm @TexasTechFB @TechAthletics pic.twitter.com/LUjp53X4ba

— Jordy Sandy (@JordanSandy13) August 13, 2018

You can check out his highlights here.

And in a bit of not so great recruiting news, Texas Tech quarterback commit Maverick McIvor was offered by USC yesterday.