On the Court

Christian Anderson is going to be a problem for the rest of the Big 12. Just catching highlights from the Eurobasket U18 and he’s been spectacular.

Christian Anderson leads 🇩🇪 to the Final! 🔥

The @DBB_Basketball Point-Guard dropped an impressive 25 PTS in the Semi-Final against 🇸🇮.

Can he lead Germany to #U18EuroBasket glory tomorrow? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/qRxGDwBQtP

— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) August 3, 2024

The official site with a profile on center Maya Peat (6’6″) who has an incredibly athletic family:

Each member of the Peat family is used to playing sports at a high level, including her parents. Her father, Todd Sr., is a former NFL offensive lineman and her mother, Jana, was a high school standout in basketball. Growing up in such an athletic family, one could only imagine how competitive things were in the Peat household. However, Maya’s parents and siblings didn’t let things get out of hand when it came to competitions among one another.

“I feel like we did a really good job separating the competitiveness with actual family time. So, it wasn’t always so competitive like you would think it would be, since we were so serious about ourselves and about sports. But I feel like when we were at home, it was just that space where it was a lot of love and a lot of fun,” Maya said.

On the Gridiron

Episode 1 of The Brand was released on Friday on TexasTech+ and by Saturday it was released on YouTube and X/Twitter.

This is a bit dated (because I just forgot to link it), from Red Raider Sports’ Matt Clare on Texas Tech quarterback commit Lloyd Jones, III and there’s a few questions and answers and the one I wanted to focus on was that TCU recently lost their quarterback commit and then reached out to Jones:

Other schools reaching out?: “The TCU coaches reached out when they lost their quarterback commitment earlier this month, but I basically said thank you for the interest and that I’m solid with Texas Tech. I know that some other schools have reached out as well, but most of that communication goes through my head coach and my Dad.”

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams writes about Tahj Brooks and why he returned to Texas Tech:

Brooks didn’t think he would be returning near the end of last season. After the final regular-season home game, he said he’d probably played his last game at Jones AT&T Stadium and said he’d “left a good legacy here.” A month later, he decided otherwise. Brooks said Thursday the feedback he received from an NFL pre-draft evaluation graded him in the range of fifth round to undrafted.

“I kind of (took) that as really … not disrespect, but just looking over things, the guys we have on our staff, I feel like I can come back and be a better Tahj Brooks than I was last year,” he said.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams writes about returner and receiver Drae McCray and he’s the first option at kick returner, but that Jordan Brown, Coy Eakin, Josh Kelly, and Micah Hudson might figure into returner status:

“We’ll rotate them Game 1,” McGuire recently told the Avalanche-Journal, “but we would love for Drae McCray to be the guy. Jordan Brown, Coy Eakin, Josh Kelly and Micah Hudson are the (others) that we’re trying to figure out who the guy is. It’d be great if Drae became the guy. He’s so strong whenever it comes to returning.”

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Nathan Giese writes about some of the early injuries on the offensive line to start preseason practice, Davion Carter with an ankle injury, Maurice Rodriques with stomach issues, and Sterling Porcher with a hamstring. None of these seem season-ending, but still not good to get the offensive line rolling together.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams on cornerback Bralyn Lux being the #1 cornerback:

“With these guys, it’s more like left and right,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said, referring to Lux, Maurion Horn and Jalon Peoples. “They’re really similar-sized bodies, they can all really run, so it (their deployment) would be a game-plan situation.

“If we were playing a really good outside receiver — he’s the guy — probably Lux would be wherever he (is). If he has a spot that he lines up on, Lux would go with him. We feel like Lux is our best cover guy, but Horn had a really, really good spring.”

Someone suggested that I use AI to summarize videos and so I did the google and this was the summary:

Summary
The video covers a coach’s thoughts after a practice session for a sports team’s training camp. The coach expresses satisfaction with the team’s effort and focus during practice, despite the challenging heat conditions. The coach highlights the positive attitude and dedication of the younger players, who are following the lead of the veteran players. The coach also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high level of intensity and effort during practice, regardless of whether the team is in full pads or not.
Highlights
00:00:08Coach’s Overall Assessment of Practice
The coach expresses satisfaction with how the team handled the practice session after having a day off. Despite concerns about potential sluggishness after a break, the coach felt the players did a good job, and the team has had some really good practices overall. The coach commends the team’s love for practicing during this time of year, which is unique due to the heat and the transition from the summer break.
00:00:39Standout Players and Leadership
The coach acknowledges the leadership and contributions of the veteran players like JRod, Taj, Caleb, Baron, and Bryce. However, the coach is particularly impressed with the younger players, who are doing what they are supposed to do and following the lead of the older players. The coach notes that this team has more depth than any team in the past three years, and the coach is glad to see the younger players listening and following the example set by the veterans.
00:01:13Importance of Full Pads Practice
As the team gets closer to full pads practice, the coach emphasizes that the players should not be waiting for that day to let loose and give their full effort. The coach expects the players to practice hard regardless of whether they are in full pads or not. While some players may perform better in full pads, the coach is looking for players who give their all during every practice, even when not in full pads.