Texas Tech Football Notebook: Stephen F. Austin Gameday Links

Midland Reporter Telegram | LEROY: Texas Tech looks to clean up some things against SFA

The Red Raiders hope to clean up some of those things on Saturday against SFA. The Lumberjacks are coached by former West Texas A&M head coach and Friona native Colby Carthel and are coming off a 20-10 victory over Tarleton State.

After watching several FCS teams give some of the Big 12 programs trouble, Wells knows better than to sleep on SFA.

“They have our full attention, I promise you that,” Wells said. “The respect that I have for Coach Carthel and that staff and how they’ve played and how he turned that program around, they absolutely have our attention. All you have to do is look at the scores from last weekend around the country and you look at five or six near upsets and they were all FCS teams.”

Dallas Morning News | Life after UT and OU: Breaking down Big 12 expansion and how new schools fit in the conference

What’s the timetable? BYU announced that all of its athletic teams will join the Big 12 for the 2023-24 season. Bowlsby said that Cincinnati, Houston and UCF would join by 2024, although he didn’t rule out the three beginning Big 12 play by 2023.

The three are members of the American Athletic, which requires 27 months’ notice and a $10 million exit fee.

If Texas and Oklahoma are unable to negotiate an exit to the SEC before 2025, the Big 12 could have an unusual look for a year or two. Just remember that conference moves usually happen sooner than expected.

Big 12 Conference | Big 12 Conference Adds Four New Members

“The Big 12 Presidents and Chancellors entered this process with the singular focus to strengthen and stabilize the Conference,” noted Lawrence Schovanec, Chair of the Big 12 Board of Directors, and President of Texas Tech University. “With the addition of these four tradition-rich institutions we have set the Big 12 on a continued path of success. We look forward to having BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston under the Big 12 banner, both athletically and academically.”

Today’s actions were in accordance with Big 12 Conference Bylaw 1.5.2.b.3 requiring an affirmative vote of a supermajority of directors, and was approved unanimously by the eight continuing members.

“Today’s vote solidifies the long-term trajectory of the Big 12 Conference,” stated Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. “I applaud the efforts of our presidents, chancellors and athletics directors of our continuing members to expeditiously consider and take this action. The addition of these four fine institutions ensures the continued success of the Big 12 at the highest levels of intercollegiate athletics competition.”

Don Williams via Twitter

For subscribers: Kirby Hocutt says Tech and Texas have discussed a 20- to 25-year commitment to play annually in all sports after UT leaves for SEC and that UT has “pledged to work that out with us.”
@ChrisLevel first on this.

ESPN | What is the impact of the Big 12 moves on college basketball?

How does the announced addition of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF impact the Big 12 in men’s basketball? When coupled with the planned departure of Texas and Oklahoma, where does that leave the Big 12 in terms of national strength?
The Big 12 reinforced its basketball status with the four additions. Since 2014, the league has been ranked No. 1 by KenPom six times and No. 2 twice. Losing Texas and Oklahoma does mean two top-25 programs are no longer in the fold, but Houston has been one of the most consistent programs in the country under Kelvin Sampson and just made a Final Four last spring.

BYU has won at least 20 games in 15 of the last 16 seasons and now has a better chance of keeping Mark Pope as its head coach for several more years. Cincinnati was an NCAA tournament staple under Mick Cronin and is hoping to return to form after the hire of Wes Miller. UCF has had its moments, but the school’s athletic focus is on football and its status as a “sleeping giant” in basketball has waned.

RedRaiderSports | What’s on their mind? Five minutes with Reggie Pearson Jr.

Pearson on the biggest difference from the first half to the second half against Houston:

“The mentality, execution, just making sure we execute our jobs and do what we have to do. To make sure everybody is in the right spot, so we don’t give up blown coverages or have miscommunications.”

“We kept them to under 40 yards in the second half, so it definitely made a statement and set a bar for us. That’s a level we’re trying to maintain and overreach. There’s more to come, more to see.”

RedRaiderSports | What’s on their mind? Five minutes with Tahj Brooks

Brooks on the keys to his two touchdown runs and what allows him to have that big play ability:

“On both of my runs, I’d say the keys were just going through my running reads that coach (DeAndre Smith) teaches me. Just reading the last down lineman on the line of scrimmage and filling where the holes are.”

“Our running back room is full of talented guys, and we can all make explosive plays. So, me making those plays was very humbling. I’m actually like the slowest of the (running back) group.” Brooks mentioned that Xavier White, Chadarius Townsend, and SaRodorick Thompson are some of the fastest guys on the team.

“I’m just trying to keep up with those guys and have some explosive runs. That’s what I’ve been working on in the offseason and it’s just now coming into play.”

Tweets! I really enjoyed the first one with Keith Patterson doing the nicknames.

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