Over the weekend, three players announced they would would return:

• Safety Marquis “Muddy” Waters (6-1/215) announced on Saturday that he would return to Texas Tech. Waters’ season was cut short because of a season ending injury, but he had 9 tackles, 1 interception returned for a touchdown, and a tackle for a loss in just 4 games.
• Safety and cornerback Adrian Frye (6-0/195) also announced shortly thereafter that he would return. Frye returned punts, 13 total, this past year, had 20 tackles, 1 interception, 2 tackles for a loss, and a pass broken up.
• Linebacker Krishon Merriweather (6-0/240) announced on Sunday that he would return, finishing 2021 with 52 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, and 4 quarterback hurries.

It is interesting and good that 3 defenders return as the defense needs to take another step in a positive direction.

Thus far this offseason, only inside receiver Sterling Galban and quarterback Henry Colombi have announced that they would move on to other teams. Colombi announced that he would not be with the team at the bowl game while Galban announced his intention to transfer a day or so ago. Galban has never gotten on the field, seemed often injured, and then Myles Price passed him up last year. I’d also add that the offense going from two smaller inside receivers to just one with a tight end made playing time a premium.

From a housekeeping standpoint, I finished al of the player profiles for the current 5-member 2023 recruiting class. I haven’t built the dedicated page with a map, but the profiles are done and I’ll work on the recruiting page this week.

I hope everyone’s holiday and New Year were fantastic. Mine was good and steadily spent it catching up with the 2022 class, which I did finish, and then, as stated above, started the 2023 class and got that caught up here for the site. Here’s to an awesome 2022!