On my news feed.
Texas Tech will be one of the first schools up on Monday to begin the Big 12 football media days, a two-day get-together at the Omni Hotel in Dallas.
In advance of that, Tech sent out its media guide on Saturday with the preseason roster and depth chart.
Some notes and observations:
— Defensive tackle Donte Phillips is no longer on the roster. Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said during the spring that Phillips faced a decision on his career after undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury that ended his 2014 season.
— Junior Kris Williams started spring practice as a rush end, but might have found a home at weak-side linebacker. He and Ohio State transfer Mike Mitchell are listed as co-first-teamers at that position.
— At strong-side linebacker, junior Malik Jenkins and senior Sam Atoe also are listed as co-first-team, so the outside linebacker positions could provide some of the best competition during preseason practice.
— Jah’Shawn Johnson is listed as a starter at one safety spot. That seems to be a promising endorsement for Johnson for two reasons: He missed the last eight games of his 2014 freshman year for season-ending shoulder surgery. And the other safety spot has two players with extensive starting experience in Keenon Ward and J.J. Gaines, the latter also coming off shoulder surgery.
— Johnson and Payton Hendrix are listed at free safety, Ward and Gaines at strong safety, though it remains to be seen if that will be the actual game-day deployment. Defensive coordinator David Gibbs said before spring he will play a left-safety/right-safety setup — and a left-side/right-side alignment at some other positions, too — to limit the need for his players flipflopping sides pre-snap.
— Jersey number changes: Defensive tackle Rika Levi from No. 99 to No. 33. Defensive lineman Demetrius Alston from No. 51 to No. 43. Cornerback D.J. Polite-Bray from No. 7 to No. 45. Safety Jah’Shawn Johnson from No. 14 to No. 7. Wide receiver Ja’Deion High from No. 38 to No. 88. Inside receiver Zach Austin from No. 84 to No. 19. Wide receiver Hunter Rittimann from No. 15 to No. 34. Offensive lineman Robert Castaneda from No. 72 to No. 70.
— This isn’t new information, but the two-deep on the offensive line underscores a harsh reality: None of the backups has lettered before, and two are walk-ons. Listed second string are Ethan Smith, Ben Kittley, Tony Morales, Robert Castaneda and Poet Thomas.
— Tony Morales is the top backup to center Jared Kaster and looked good in the spring, according to offensive line coach Lee Hays. A senior who was once a blue-chip recruit, Morales has never played because of a series of injuries.
— Tech coaches noted on national signing day that highly regarded recruit Conner Dyer from Mesquite Horn would need to gain good weight to help his chances of playing early. Dyer’s the lightest of the team’s offensive line signees, listed at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds.
Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury has said the freshmen have a chance to help the depth-short offensive line. Cody Wheeler (6-4, 297), Trace Ellison (6-4, 294), Terence Steele (6-6, 285) and Madison Akamnonu (6-5, 282) are the others in that group.
— Defensive tackle Rika Levi is listed at 6-2 and 330 pounds. Defensive line coach Mike Smith wanted Levi to slim down after he reported last year at 367 and played during the season at 348. It’s been long road for Levi, who’s said he reached 400 during his days at the College of San Mateo (Calif).
The heights and weights on the latest roster were taken from physical examinations during Tech’s first summer session.
— Redshirt freshman Michael Coley is now listed as a wide receiver, though not in the two-deep. Coley moved from cornerback to safety before spring practice.
— Sophomore Jalen Barnes isn’t listed in the two-deep, though he made 17 tackles in 10 games last season as a frequently used backup. Barnes suffered a knee injury during the team’s Midland scrimmage and the Red Raiders have a boatload of young safety-outside linebacker types fighting for those spots.
— Kicker is another spot still to be contested during August practice. Redshirt freshmen Michael Barden and Clayton Hatfield are listed as co-first team.
— The Red Raiders’ reporting date is Aug. 4 with the first practice scheduled for Aug. 5.
don.williams@lubbockonline.com
• 766-8734
Follow Don on Twitter:
@AJ_DonWilliams
TEXAS TECH DEPTH CHART
Offense
SE (6) Devin Lauderdale 5-10 180 Jr-1L
(88) Ja’Deion High 5-11 182 So-Sq
IR (12) Ian Sadler 5-11 200 So-1L
(83) Brad Pearson 6-2 213 Sr-3L
LT (62) Le’Raven Clark 6-6 307 Sr-3L
(64) Ethan Smith 6-6 278 Fr-RS
LG (56) Alfredo Morales 6-4 316 Sr-3L
(66) Ben Kittley 6-1 314 Sr-Tr
C (75) Jared Kaster 6-3 287 Sr-3L
(51) Tony Morales 6-3 290 Sr-Sq
RG (65) Baylen Brown 6-5 312 Jr-2L
(70) Robert Castaneda 6-4 301 Fr-RS
RT (73) Justin Murphy 6-6 297 Fr-RS
(79) Poet Thomas 6-6 330 So-Sq
IR (11) Jakeem Grant 5-7 170 Sr-3L
(80) Cameron Batson 5-9 170 So-1L
FL (2) Reginald Davis 6-0 184 Jr-2L
or (14) Dylan Cantrell 6-3 213 Jr-2L
QB (7) Davis Webb 6-5 226 Jr-2L
or (5) Patrick Mahomes 6-3 219 So-1L
RB (21) DeAndre Washington 5-8 182 Sr-3L
(4) Justin Stockton 5-10 193 So-1L
Defense
DE (9) Branden Jackson 6-4 272 Sr-3L
(5) Gary Moore 6-5 220 So-1L
NT (33) Rika Levi 6-2 330 Sr-1L
(58) Josh Outlaw 6-4 309 So-1L
DT (90) Keland McElrath 6-4 307 Sr-1L
(4) Breiden Fehoko 6-3 293 Fr-HS
DE (10) Pete Robertson 6-3 243 Sr-3L
(12) Zach Barnes 6-3 222 So-1L
WLB (6) Kris Williams 6-1 230 Jr-1L
or (52) Mike Mitchell 6-3 226 So-Sq
MLB (18) Micah Awe 6-0 221 Sr-3L
(40) Dakota Allen 6-2 235 Fr-RS
SLB (41) Malik Jenkins 6-1 220 Jr-2L
or (25) Sam Atoe 5-11 231 Sr-1L
CB (31) Justis Nelson 6-2 177 Jr-2L
or (20) Tevin Madison 5-10 163 So-1L
FS (7) Jah’Shawn Johnson 5-10 179 Fr-RS
(24) Payton Hendrix 6-2 203 Fr-RS
SS (15) Keenon Ward 5-9 205 Jr-2L
or (3) J.J. Gaines 6-0 180 Sr-3L
CB (1) Nigel Bethel II 5-9 188 So-1L
(45) D.J. Polite-Bray 6-0 185 Jr-2L
Special teams
PK (49) Michael Barden 5-10 176 Fr-RS
or (96) Clayton Hatfield 5-10 177 Fr-RS
P (42) Taylor Symmank 6-3 194 Sr-2L
(49) Michael Barden 5-10 176 Fr-Rs
DS (46) David Brenner 6-0 224 Sr-2L
(53) Kyle Heffron 5-11 227 So-Sq
KO (42) Taylor Symmank 6-3 194 Sr-2L
(96) Clayton Hatfield 5-10 177 Fr-RS
H(80) Cameron Batson 5-9 170 So-1L
(12) Ian Sadler 5-11 200 So-1L
KR (11) Jakeem Grant 5-7 170 Sr-3L
(4) Justin Stockton 5-10 193 So-1L
PR (80) Cameron Batson 5-9 170 So-1L
(11) Jakeem Grant 5-7 170 Sr-3L
Texas Tech will be one of the first schools up on Monday to begin the Big 12 football media days, a two-day get-together at the Omni Hotel in Dallas.
In advance of that, Tech sent out its media guide on Saturday with the preseason roster and depth chart.
Some notes and observations:
— Defensive tackle Donte Phillips is no longer on the roster. Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said during the spring that Phillips faced a decision on his career after undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury that ended his 2014 season.
— Junior Kris Williams started spring practice as a rush end, but might have found a home at weak-side linebacker. He and Ohio State transfer Mike Mitchell are listed as co-first-teamers at that position.
— At strong-side linebacker, junior Malik Jenkins and senior Sam Atoe also are listed as co-first-team, so the outside linebacker positions could provide some of the best competition during preseason practice.
— Jah’Shawn Johnson is listed as a starter at one safety spot. That seems to be a promising endorsement for Johnson for two reasons: He missed the last eight games of his 2014 freshman year for season-ending shoulder surgery. And the other safety spot has two players with extensive starting experience in Keenon Ward and J.J. Gaines, the latter also coming off shoulder surgery.
— Johnson and Payton Hendrix are listed at free safety, Ward and Gaines at strong safety, though it remains to be seen if that will be the actual game-day deployment. Defensive coordinator David Gibbs said before spring he will play a left-safety/right-safety setup — and a left-side/right-side alignment at some other positions, too — to limit the need for his players flipflopping sides pre-snap.
— Jersey number changes: Defensive tackle Rika Levi from No. 99 to No. 33. Defensive lineman Demetrius Alston from No. 51 to No. 43. Cornerback D.J. Polite-Bray from No. 7 to No. 45. Safety Jah’Shawn Johnson from No. 14 to No. 7. Wide receiver Ja’Deion High from No. 38 to No. 88. Inside receiver Zach Austin from No. 84 to No. 19. Wide receiver Hunter Rittimann from No. 15 to No. 34. Offensive lineman Robert Castaneda from No. 72 to No. 70.
— This isn’t new information, but the two-deep on the offensive line underscores a harsh reality: None of the backups has lettered before, and two are walk-ons. Listed second string are Ethan Smith, Ben Kittley, Tony Morales, Robert Castaneda and Poet Thomas.
— Tony Morales is the top backup to center Jared Kaster and looked good in the spring, according to offensive line coach Lee Hays. A senior who was once a blue-chip recruit, Morales has never played because of a series of injuries.
— Tech coaches noted on national signing day that highly regarded recruit Conner Dyer from Mesquite Horn would need to gain good weight to help his chances of playing early. Dyer’s the lightest of the team’s offensive line signees, listed at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds.
Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury has said the freshmen have a chance to help the depth-short offensive line. Cody Wheeler (6-4, 297), Trace Ellison (6-4, 294), Terence Steele (6-6, 285) and Madison Akamnonu (6-5, 282) are the others in that group.
— Defensive tackle Rika Levi is listed at 6-2 and 330 pounds. Defensive line coach Mike Smith wanted Levi to slim down after he reported last year at 367 and played during the season at 348. It’s been long road for Levi, who’s said he reached 400 during his days at the College of San Mateo (Calif).
The heights and weights on the latest roster were taken from physical examinations during Tech’s first summer session.
— Redshirt freshman Michael Coley is now listed as a wide receiver, though not in the two-deep. Coley moved from cornerback to safety before spring practice.
— Sophomore Jalen Barnes isn’t listed in the two-deep, though he made 17 tackles in 10 games last season as a frequently used backup. Barnes suffered a knee injury during the team’s Midland scrimmage and the Red Raiders have a boatload of young safety-outside linebacker types fighting for those spots.
— Kicker is another spot still to be contested during August practice. Redshirt freshmen Michael Barden and Clayton Hatfield are listed as co-first team.
— The Red Raiders’ reporting date is Aug. 4 with the first practice scheduled for Aug. 5.
don.williams@lubbockonline.com
• 766-8734
Follow Don on Twitter:
@AJ_DonWilliams
TEXAS TECH DEPTH CHART
Offense
SE (6) Devin Lauderdale 5-10 180 Jr-1L
(88) Ja’Deion High 5-11 182 So-Sq
IR (12) Ian Sadler 5-11 200 So-1L
(83) Brad Pearson 6-2 213 Sr-3L
LT (62) Le’Raven Clark 6-6 307 Sr-3L
(64) Ethan Smith 6-6 278 Fr-RS
LG (56) Alfredo Morales 6-4 316 Sr-3L
(66) Ben Kittley 6-1 314 Sr-Tr
C (75) Jared Kaster 6-3 287 Sr-3L
(51) Tony Morales 6-3 290 Sr-Sq
RG (65) Baylen Brown 6-5 312 Jr-2L
(70) Robert Castaneda 6-4 301 Fr-RS
RT (73) Justin Murphy 6-6 297 Fr-RS
(79) Poet Thomas 6-6 330 So-Sq
IR (11) Jakeem Grant 5-7 170 Sr-3L
(80) Cameron Batson 5-9 170 So-1L
FL (2) Reginald Davis 6-0 184 Jr-2L
or (14) Dylan Cantrell 6-3 213 Jr-2L
QB (7) Davis Webb 6-5 226 Jr-2L
or (5) Patrick Mahomes 6-3 219 So-1L
RB (21) DeAndre Washington 5-8 182 Sr-3L
(4) Justin Stockton 5-10 193 So-1L
Defense
DE (9) Branden Jackson 6-4 272 Sr-3L
(5) Gary Moore 6-5 220 So-1L
NT (33) Rika Levi 6-2 330 Sr-1L
(58) Josh Outlaw 6-4 309 So-1L
DT (90) Keland McElrath 6-4 307 Sr-1L
(4) Breiden Fehoko 6-3 293 Fr-HS
DE (10) Pete Robertson 6-3 243 Sr-3L
(12) Zach Barnes 6-3 222 So-1L
WLB (6) Kris Williams 6-1 230 Jr-1L
or (52) Mike Mitchell 6-3 226 So-Sq
MLB (18) Micah Awe 6-0 221 Sr-3L
(40) Dakota Allen 6-2 235 Fr-RS
SLB (41) Malik Jenkins 6-1 220 Jr-2L
or (25) Sam Atoe 5-11 231 Sr-1L
CB (31) Justis Nelson 6-2 177 Jr-2L
or (20) Tevin Madison 5-10 163 So-1L
FS (7) Jah’Shawn Johnson 5-10 179 Fr-RS
(24) Payton Hendrix 6-2 203 Fr-RS
SS (15) Keenon Ward 5-9 205 Jr-2L
or (3) J.J. Gaines 6-0 180 Sr-3L
CB (1) Nigel Bethel II 5-9 188 So-1L
(45) D.J. Polite-Bray 6-0 185 Jr-2L
Special teams
PK (49) Michael Barden 5-10 176 Fr-RS
or (96) Clayton Hatfield 5-10 177 Fr-RS
P (42) Taylor Symmank 6-3 194 Sr-2L
(49) Michael Barden 5-10 176 Fr-Rs
DS (46) David Brenner 6-0 224 Sr-2L
(53) Kyle Heffron 5-11 227 So-Sq
KO (42) Taylor Symmank 6-3 194 Sr-2L
(96) Clayton Hatfield 5-10 177 Fr-RS
H(80) Cameron Batson 5-9 170 So-1L
(12) Ian Sadler 5-11 200 So-1L
KR (11) Jakeem Grant 5-7 170 Sr-3L
(4) Justin Stockton 5-10 193 So-1L
PR (80) Cameron Batson 5-9 170 So-1L
(11) Jakeem Grant 5-7 170 Sr-3L
