On the Pitch

Texas Tech soccer downed Denver, 1-0 in an exhibition game. Here’s the lone goal.

Sam Courtwright 🤝 Banger goals #WreckEm | @sam_courtwright pic.twitter.com/AlWaJE8fEc

— Texas Tech Soccer (@TexasTechSoccer) August 9, 2024

On the Court

NBA Draft on SI’s Jordan Monaco talked to Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams. This is lengthy, so if you have 10 minutes or so, this is worth the read. Here’s a small bit:

“Just confidence. Knowing the team needs me. My mindset was never going to games and thinking I needed to score as much as possible. Knew rebounding was key. I was in a good rhythm working out a lot, spent a lot of time with our assistant coaches and graduate assistants. Putting in the work and staying in the gym consistently. Even after the 30 point game against Kansas, I was happy with it of course but wasn’t satisfied. It was just one game and I went back to the lab the next day. I didn’t take any days off no matter how good or bad I played, and just took it one day at a time.”

On the Gridiron

If you like Big 12 news, John Kurtz has a Big 12 newsletter that I enjoy and if you enjoy Big 12 news, then you might enjoy this as well.

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Nathan Giese on the mix of receivers (see the non-transcript below for more):

On the surface, Johnson said there’s plenty of fire power on hand for the 2024 season. Looking to replace three of the team’s top four receivers from a year ago, the Red Raiders brought in several weapons on the outside. So many, in fact, it’s hard to Johnson to separate anybody in particular through seven practices.

“I think we got a few guys that it doesn’t really matter,” Johnson said. “We can flip a coin who’s going to start here, flip a coin who’s going to start here. … whoever’s playing the best that day, that week. We got a lot, a lot of guys that have now kind of played some football. We got sprinkled in a few older guys.”

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Nathan Giese also writes about redshirt freshman Jayden Cofield who has stood out at defensive tackle.

Cofield is one of nine interior linemen on the defense looking to establish more playing time with the departures of Tony Bradford and Jaylon Hutchings. Elder statesmen like Quincy Ledet Jr. and De’Braylon Carroll, who transferred from Rice, are names McGuire has floated as potential leaders before camp.

Since camp opened a week ago, though, it’s been Cofield that’s made the biggest impression.

Cofield appeared in three games last season to maintain his redshirt status, one of which was the Independence Bowl game against Cal.

“I think him being a mid-year, him really coming on at the end of the year, being able to play in the bowl game, and he had a great spring,” McGuire said. “I think he’s doing a really good job.”

I did the non-transcript for wide receivers coach Justin Johnson, but let AI do it for Micah Hudson. A couple of things to address, which is why I even do non-transcripts. For me, I was never able to watch or listen to videos at work. I could basically read a non-transcript in 3 to 4 minutes where a video would take 20 minutes for me to watch. So it was a public service, a time-saver for you and to help you get the idea of what the head coach was saying. Also, I didn’t have time to do the players, but they are embedded below.

Justin Johnson

• [Difference from last year to this year] Biggest things is try not to compare and contrast. Mentality is “what’s next” learn from the past, but not comparing this year to last year. Kids are working day-in and day-out. Setting the culture of the unit with in the confines of the team.
• [Micah Hudson’s best trait] Growth. Micah has a strong willingness to learn. Behren will get after him, I’ll get after him. He has a hunger to learn. Also recognize he’s in practice 6 or 7 and didn’t have the spring to mess up in the spring. We understand that. Coach him through those things and he’s continued to improve.
• [Young player] Chandlin Myers has come in and worked his tail off, the room is pretty deep and I think that anyone that’s out there has an opportunity to make a play. Happy about the depth of the room.
• Josh Kelly sees some of his younger self in Micah and already recognizes those pitfalls and coaches him through those things. Very mature kid and played a lot of football. josh has been a leader to those guys. All of those older guys have done a great job.
• I think the biggest thing is we have a lot of playmakers on the team and getting the screen game is important and getting it to the playmakers and let them use the gifts. Just blocking on the perimeter and setting the screens up. Old school Crabtree. Asked these guys to understand the history from Crab to Wes and those guys and I think they understand and are hungry for that.
• The depth of of the top to middle tier areas. We have a few guys where it doesn’t matter where someone starts. We have a lot of guys that have played some football, still have guys that haven’t played football but are talented. I think overall depth, biggest growth.
• [Young players who have clicked] Young players, Kelby [Valsin] and TJ [West] have done a really good job, they get it. They understand expectations. We have older guys where it is clicking. Tyson Turner is a high level turner, 100% on go-balls and came early and can see he is growing.
• [On if Kelly is better inside or outside] Don’t know if there is a spot that makes him better, has high football IQ and spatial awareness and will find hole in defense. Is savvy enough to move a defender off on man-to-man. Has everything in his bag. Can line up inside. He’ll play in and out.
• [Guys the media is not talking about enough] These guys are all humble, everyone gets it and our room is really close. Been a lot of talk about a lot of guys. Have an older guy like Brady Boyd who is high IQ and cn task him on how to correct. Coy is on point and always correct and blocks his tail off. Jordan Brown can play multiple spots.
• I talk to them about high level competition and they are brothers and there’s not guys jockeying for this or that. If I get an opportunity I have to take advantage or another guy is going to take advantage of that opportunity. Just have this meeting or this rep as being important. There is a sense of urgency to take advantage of the opportunity.

Michah Hudson

Behren Morton

Jordan Brown

Brady Boyd