another week, another brutal conference loss...three (3) more regular season games left on the schedule
it is Friday, let's Flare...
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WEEKLY CLICKS
...a quick list of links from the various stories posted on RRS this week
Texas Tech Baseball: Red & Black Report
Breaking Down Duggan, Johnston, & the high-flying Frogs offense
Staff Predictions: Will Red Raiders Prevail in Ft. Worth?
Texas Tech's Adams looking for development against Northwestern State
Morton ruled out remainder of TCU game
2024 Iowa TE Jacob Simpson recaps unofficial visit to Lubbock
Red Raiders fall to no. 7 Horned Frogs 34-24
Soliz: Questionable plays, officiating doom Texas Tech against TCU
McGuire gives latest on Morton's status, disucsses loss to TCU and more
Five Things Liked & Disliked From Texas Tech Against TCU
Texas Tech basketball set to open season against Northwestern State
Grading the Red Raiders: Tough day for both sides of the ball @TCU
Texas Tech's Joey McGuire rules out QB Behren Morton
DeRuyter, Kittley break down Bean, Jayhawks
Mailbag: Your Questions on Texas Tech Basketball 2022-23
Notebook: Batcho recaps double-double, Tyson debut & win over Demons
Adams pleased with season-opening win, Batcho's double-double performance
Mid-South Spotlight: Biggest remaining 2023 storylines
Texas Tech left in another QB competition late in the season
Texas Tech's defense preparing for motion-filled Kansas offense
Week 11 Big 12 Power Rankings: Baylor surges, Oklahoma State falls far
Texas Tech commits and targets tracker: Week Eleven
Tracking Red Raiders: McIvor & McNeil's continued success
A duo of 2023 commits will be signing today for National Signing Day
Red Raiders set to host Texas Southern in second game of 2022-2023 season
Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant chats about Kansas ahead of Saturday's matchup
RRS TV: Coach Evan Hearn
Red Raiders return home to welcome Kansas Jayhawks
Texas Tech rolls over Texas Southern, 78-54
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TTU RECRUITING THIS WEEK
no new commitments this week, a decommitment in the 2023 class and a new 2024 offer in the DFW area...
Sachse 2024 outside linebacker
Cheta Ofili announced an offer from the Red Raiders earlier this week, his first Power Five offer. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound prospect also holds an offer from SFA.
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After completing and posting the Friday Flare last week, the Red Raiders suffered a decommitment in
the 2023 class when Frisco Reedy wide receiver and longtime Texas Tech commitment
Kaleb Smith announced his intentions to reopen his recruitment.
Shortly afterwards, Smith announced a new offer - his second overall offer - from Notre Dame. The three-star standout took an official visit to South Bend last weekend and watched the Fighting Irish beat Clemson under the lights.
This one stings simply because the Red Raiders were Smith's one and only offer for the entirety of his recruitment. There is still an outside chance Smith rejoins the class and, as of this post, he plans to visit Lubbock for the game against Oklahoma in a few weeks.
That being said, it is rare to see a recruit decommit and recommit to the same program. It does happen, but it is not common.
Without Smith's commitment, the Red Raiders still have four (4) wide receiver commitments - Tyrone West, Demarion Crest, Kelby Valsin and Chris Palfreeman. The last name mentioned had some legal issues earlier this Fall and has been in the proverbial doghouse for months...that being said, the coaches have not dropped Palfreeman from the class, but that remains a possibility going into the early signing period.
the coaches have been chasing
Jaylen Lloyd, a dual-sport speedster out of Nebraska for months and he visited for the Baylor game a few weeks ago
do the coaches reach back out to Hirischi wide receiver and SMU commitment
Jamarion Carroll or Lovejoy wide receiver and SMU commitment
Jaxson Lavender?
this time of year there will be plenty of options, especially at a position like wide receiver...overall, the coaches want to retain both Kaleb Smith and add a commitment from Jaylen Lloyd, that is Plan A.
if Smith ends up with Notre Dame, then the coaches want to secure a commitment from Lloyd and regroup when/if a decision is made on Palfreeman's future.
and I would be foolish to not mention the portal, the 'hold the spot' approach and identify a contributor at the position via the portal...
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HOW DOES THE 2023 CLASS SHAKE OUT?
The coaches hold 25 total commitments in the 2023 recruiting class, currently ranked as the No. 18 overall class in the country.
There will be 10 of these commitments that sign and enroll early next January.
With the loss of Kaleb Smith and another potential spot opening with the Palfreeman situation, the coaches could have a few spots to work with and any program can manipulate the scholarship numbers to take additional commitments with the new NCAA rules on signing class size.
a few of the most recent offers that are 'takes' for the coaching staff...
WR Jaylen Lloyd
ATH/DB
Miles Thompson
there are a handful of prospects the coaches continue to communicate with and this list will continue to grow as more late-bloomer type prospects emerge...
DB
A.J. Newberry - the three-star Colorado commitment visited for the TTU spring game and the coaches have remained in contact, could be a late target
DB
Jalen Gilbert - the three-star prospect reopened his recruitment this week, the one-time Washington State commitment holds offers from Vanderbilt and West Virginia with several other programs beginning to show interest...the communication with Texas Tech is new, so we will see where things go
I could come up with a few more names here, but it is flip season and the early signing period is now four (4) weeks away...so it is crunch time
one thing this coaching staff does very well is setting themselves up with options or targets at each position...if this happens, then we go this way...and more importantly, they trust their evaluations and it isn't about who else offered or how a certain prospect is perceived by the recruiting industry or rankings industry at the time
that being said, this could pay dividends having a guy like McGuire and guys like Blanchard & Nance leading the recruiting charge in this transfer portal era
not only do they all have years of experience recruiting the state of Texas, but consider a guy like Calvin Simpson-Hunt - a one-time Texas Tech commitment, gets a ton of offers and blows up, flips to a program like Ohio State and remains in contact with McGuire/Blanchard/Nance
does he flip and sign with Texas Tech? no, I doubt that...feels like that ship has sailed. BUT...have the coaches set themselves up to be there waiting if Columbus, Ohio isn't the right fit for young Calvin in 1-2 years? absolutely yes, 100-percent.
some will not like to hear that or will see that as a thing the loser says, but it is just a reality in college football now.
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HAPPY ONE-YEAR COACH MCGUIRE
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It all happened very fast this time last year, Wells fired with a 'winning' record and a new coach hired with a handful of games left in the season.
Sometimes a year flys by and you are left wondering where the time went, but then sometimes a year can feel like an eternity...with Joey McGuire and the pace he operates at, I'm going with the 'fly by' approach to year one.
McGuire and his staff have three (3) games left in the season to capture a winning record, become bowl eligible...but considering what they inherited and everything that has happened this season, it is hard to not be excited about the future of the program under Joey McGuire.
only months into the job, McGuire built a tremendous coaching staff and brought in some established recruiting personnel...in the span of a month, they flipped several prospects and signed the No. 39 overall ranked recruiting class in the nation - flipping commitments from TCU, USC, Kansas, Arizona State, Oregon and winning battles against Oklahoma State, Baylor and others down the stretch.
that 'new coach' momentum never stopped on the recruiting trail, the coaches were landing 2023 commitments at the same time and eventually ended the summer with 24 total commitments before the season even started.
on the field, everyone would like to see more wins...that is every season and will continue until the end of time, regardless of the head coach man in charge
that being said, with a first year head coach and coaching staff, there are a few key things like give fans hope for the years to come...
-the TTU defense is improved, you can see the scheme changes working and this unit has kept the Red Raiders in several games
-the QB position, although a wild situation...Morton gets a shot, shows why he can be 'the guy' at QB and gets hurt...another full off-season with Kittley, get healthy and he can win the job going into next Fall
-as mentioned earlier, 10 early enrollees for the 2023 recruiting class...McGuire and his staff will continue to build the culture, flip the roster and add a few transfers into the mix going into spring football
-the program already has three (3)
2024 commitments, which would have seemed like banana-land under previous coaching staffs at TTU
there are a lot of words and opinions to share, but overall the program under Joey McGuire simply feels different...the direction of the program, the way this team competes every game, the way the coaches are recruiting, the social media and overall 'hype' of the program, etc.
Dave Aranda won two (2) games in his first year as a head coach, and that was after inheriting an established, winning program (11-3) from the previous year...I'm sure the Bears were wondering
'hey what are we doing here?' at the time, but now they have another conference title and are well on their way to another winning season this year.
Tech football has been down for over a decade, so one (1) year is not enough time for a complete turnaround, that is the main point here...with Joey McGuire, it just feels like the Red Raiders are headed in the right direction
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BIG 12 POWER RANKINGS
1. TCU
The now No. 4 ranked Horned Frogs remain the top team in the Big 12 conference going into the weekend after beating your Red Raiders 34-24 last weekend. This TCU team has several come from behind wins in the second half this season and they continued a somewhat odd trend of knocking out the opposing team's quarterback, forcing the backup quarterback to play. The great Herm Edwards once said, "you play to win the game", so comebacks and injured quarterbacks aside...undefeated is undefeated, so credit to Sonny Dykes and the TCU program. All of that being said, there is never time to celebrate or get comfortable with the Big 12 schedule and now TCU travels to Austin for a night game against the No. 18 Longhorns with College Gameday in town. They will finish the season with games @Baylor and Iowa State.
2. Texas
The now No. 18 ranked Longhorns went on the road and handled business against a Kansas State team that seemingly had momentum. Have the Longhorns figured things out this season? Like most teams this season, Texas experienced some injury issues at the quarterback position, but Quinn Ewers has been back and is becoming more and more comfortable in conference play each week. After an up and down season, the Longhorns find themsleves at 6-3 on the season and 4-2 in conference play with a huge matchup at home against No. 4 TCU tomorrow night. A win against TCU would vault the Longhorns into a likely spot in the Big 12 championship game and serious momentum going into the end of this season. They will finish the season with games @Kansas and Baylor.
3. Baylor
The Bears went on the road and beat the new-look Oklahoma Sooners last weekend to move to 6-3 on the season and 4-2 in Big 12 conference play. They will host No. 19 Kansas State this weekend, not an easy win by any means, but a win that could place Baylor squarely in the Big 12 conference title conversation for the second season in a row. They will finish the season with games against TCU and @Texas, so no easy task for Dave Aranda and the Bears.
4. Kansas State
These rankings are very correct, as of this Friday morning, but these top four teams all play one another this weekend...so expect changes. The No. 19 Wildcats ran a ranked Oklahoma State team off the field with a backup quarterback 48-0 only two (2) weeks ago, then K-State got completely whooped in the first half last weekend against Texas. They were coming back and making it a game in the second half, but ultimately lost to the Longhorns 34-27 and the game was never really in question. The fun doesn't stop for the Wildcats this weekend, as they travel to Waco for a night game against a surging Baylor program. Both teams have been up and down this season and whoever wins this game is squarely in the mix for a spot in the Big 12 championship game. They will finish the season with games @West Virginia and Kansas.
5. Kansas
The Jayhawks handled Oklahoma State last weekend at home, winning 37-16 and becoming bowl eligible in the process. At 3-3 in conference play, they are a longshot to compete for the conference title this season, but this season is already a success even after a white hot start to the season and suffering an injury to their QB1. Kansas heads to Lubbock for a night game matchup against your Red Raiders, a place where they have not won a game since 2001. Jason Bean will play quarterback for the Jayhawks and will need to score points to win on the road against Texas Tech. They will finish the season with games against Texas and @Kansas State.
6. Oklahoma State
The Cowboys are down bad and No. 6 in this week's rankings seems generous after another loss. Mike Gundy's team is on a two-game losing streak, losing 48-0 on the road against Kansas State and 37-16 on the road to Kansas. The good news for this Oklahoma State team is that Iowa State is coming to Stillwater this weekend, a game the Cowboys should be able to win...key word, should. A team that sat a top these rankings for weeks earlier this season has now stopped scoring points. The Cyclones do not score a ton on offense, but they are capable of shutting down the opposing offense and keeping the score low. They will finish the season with games @Oklahoma and West Virginia.
7. Oklahoma
The Sooners dropped a close game at home to Baylor last weekend, losing 38-35. They are now 5-4 on the season and 2-4 in Big 12 conference play. Oklahoma hits the road this weekend, traveling to Morgantown for an 11am kickoff against the Mountaineers. In theory, this is a game the Sooners should win and would make them bowl eligible on the year. But let's face it, Oklahoma fans do not care about being bowl eligible and this season has probably been a huge reality check for many Sooner fans used to 10-win seasons and college football playoff consideration year after year. They will finish the season with games against Oklahoma State and @Texas Tech.
8. Texas Tech
The Red Raiders lost to TCU in Fort Worth last weekend, 34-24. Texas Tech is now 4-5 on the season and 2-4 in Big 12 conference play. They will face Kansas in a night game at home this weekend inside The Jones. They will do so with either Tyler Shough or Donovan Smith at quarterback, most likely both. Behren Morton suffered another injury setback in the game against TCU and will not play this weekend. Of the games remaining, this appears to be a 'must win' situation for the Red Raiders after playing well at home this season and needing a win to get back to .500 on the season. They will finish the season with games @Iowa State and Oklahoma.
9. Iowa State
The Cyclones won at home against West Virginia this past weekend, 31-14. This was the most points Iowa State has scored in several weeks and a much needed win for Matt Campbell's program. They are now 4-5 on the season, 1-5 in Big 12 conference play. They travel to Stillwater this weekend for a 2:30pm game against Oklahoma State, a team coming off two (2) straight losses and a team struggling to score points. These teams should be evenly matched coming into the weekend, but I'm still giving the edge to the Cowboys at home. They will finish the season with games against Texas Tech and @TCU.
10. West Virginia
The Mountaineers lost on the road to Iowa State last weekend, 31-14. Neil Brown's team is struggling this season, 3-6 overall and 1-5 in Big 12 conference play. Things do not get any easier with Oklahoma coming to town for an 11am kickoff this weekend. While the Mountaineers have struggled on the season, they have played well at home and could give the Sooners a trap game tomorrow morning, but it will take a high-scoring game from the Mountaineers offense. They will finish the season with games against Kansas State and @Oklahoma State.
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have a great weekend everyone!