we are officially a week away from Texas Tech football, wooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
it's Friday, let's Flare...
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WEEKLY LINKS
Rewind: Texas Tech's 2015 recruiting class
Some scheme & personnel notes on the Wyoming defense
Tech football history favorable against four latest Big 12 additions
2025 Spring (TX) WR Ahran Ogbar picks up offer from TTU
2023 Red Raiders in the NFL: Preseason Week Two
Visitors list for Tech/Oregon on September 9
In less than two years, McGuire has nearly flipped the roster
Linton sacks, leading rushers and other bold 2023 TTU predictions
Hocutt echoes excitment on expansion, playoffs & construction plans
Yormark speaks on realignment, conference plans and CFB bids
Tech's offensive line growing up in second year under McGuire
Veteran presence, young stars booming in Tech DL room
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TTU RECRUITING THIS WEEK
there were a few new offers made, the TTU graphics department is ready for week one of high school football and some current commitments were able to get onto the field for scrimmages this week...
new offers
the Texas Tech coaches offered a preferred walk-on spot to San Antonio Brandeis offensive tackle and Army verbal commitment Tyler Murray this week. the 6-foot-5, 281-pound prospect holds offers from Army, Northwestern State and Weber State. Murray is an all-district offensive lineman and with the Matador Club offering real money to Texas Tech walk-on players, could the Red Raiders persuade Murray to join the good guys?
the Texas Tech coaches offered Cedar Hill 2025 defensive end Isaiah Coleman this week. the 6-foot-1, 280-pound junior now holds two (2) early offers from your Red Raiders and UTSA. the standout underclassman shared plans to visit Lubbock for the Texas Tech vs. Oregon game in a few weeks.
coaches set for big recruiting weekend against Oregon
we covered this graphic in last week's Flare, then last Friday a ton more prospects shared the same graphic and Mr. @B. Golan put together a list of the confirmed visitors for the week two matchup against Oregon
there are over 30 prospects listed here with the majority of the prospects already holding an offer from the Red Raiders
the coaches are riding a wave of momentum going into the season and the plan is to clearly capitalize on this out of conference matchup, night home game against the No. 15 Ducks
we will continue to refine the list, and with the game being only two (2) weeks from tomorrow, I'm certain there will be more names added to this list over the next few weeks
high school football starts around the state, TTU graphics shared 'fly high' recruiting graphic
dozens of prospects shared this 'fly high' graphic from the Texas Tech coaches yesterday, a 'good luck' to start the season...which kicked off last night and will continue throughout the weekend
the momentum for 2025 recruiting is not overly evident, but between the Oregon game visitor graphics and the coaches allowed to officially reach out to 2025 prospects to begin the month of August, the coaches are clearly targeting a group of junior prospects for the 2025 class
a few of the prospects to share this graphic...
DB Micah Strickland
ATH Jaquise Martin
ATH Kelshaun Johnson
WR Jalen Cooper
DB Nathan Tilmon
ATH Lloyd Jones
ATH Kobi Foreman
WR Terrence Lewis
WR Leyton Stone
a few 2024 commit highlights
scrimmages and games started around the state, wanted to highlight a few current commitments...
South Oak Cliff tight end and Texas Tech commitment Trey Jackson is going to be a load to cover this season...at 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, the SOC quarterbacks simply find Jackson in a one-on-one situation on the outside and throw it up where the little kids cannot reach. Jackson, a varsity basketball player, uses his body to create space and high points the ball with his lengthy frame.
this looks like a redzone play we will see a lot from the Golden Bears this season
Bryan wide receiver and Texas Tech commitment Tyson Turner was showing off his speed in a scrimmage this past week. A play-action pass into double coverage, no problem. At 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, Turner possesses elite speed and he hits nearly 20mph after catching the contested pass for the score.
if you are into following on social media, this VNN Sports profile seems cool - they clip the play and overlay the max speed reading for players across the country
but back to Turner, these coaches preach speed and 66-yard touchdowns from a wide receiver running 20mph away from multiple defenders is going work every time
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the Transfer Portal Top 100
the Athletic's Max Olsen, friend of RRS, posted his transfer portal top 100 going into the season
Syracuse transfer, EDGE Steve Linton and Fresno State transfer, defensive back Bralyn Lux both made the list...which is significant when you consider how many transfers occur every offseason (around 1,500 total) and that every program - even Georgia - adds impact transfers
from the article...
16. OLB Steve Linton, Syracuse → Texas Tech
Texas Tech’s recruiting staff believed they found a hidden gem in Linton, and now the secret is getting out. The 6-foot-4 senior spent four years at Syracuse and recorded six TFLs and 3.5 sacks last season as a 4i defensive end playing at just 219 pounds. He’s now up to 235 pounds and looks like an ideal fit to play more of a standup edge role in Tim DeRuyter’s scheme. Coaches say Linton is a twitchy athlete with long 34 1/2-inch arms and tons of pass rush ability. After Tyree Wilson became a top-10 pick under this staff, NFL scouts are going to be watching Linton closely. He’s the No. 8 senior edge rusher in Brugler’s preseason rankings.
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Bowl Prediction time
this is becoming a Brett McMurphy fanpage blog of late, but young Brett is high on your Red Raiders and this week has them playing LSU in the Cotton Bowl after the season
I'm no expert, but believe this would be the highest rated Big 12 team, per McMurphy's other rankings and bowl game projections...but either way, a Cotton Bowl / late December big bowl game matchup in year two of Joey McGuire...sign me up
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Brett Yormark in Lubbock this week
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark was in Lubbock this week for the Red Raider Kickoff Luncheon, and our @J. Ramirez had the event covered at RRS...but the big story turned into Yormark's comments to the crowd regarding Texas & Oklahoma leaving the conference + his vote of confidence for the Red Raiders to end the regular season against Texas in Austin
when I say that Texas and Oklahoma fans - mostly Texas fans - were triggered, that is an understatement
not even fans, even this quote was shared by the Texas media...a group of people offended by a luncheon comment made to a room full of Red Raiders in Lubbock, Texas - I mean, the man was playing the hits and ultimately did not say anything derogatory about either Texas or Oklahoma
but boy oh boy, did the internet accuse the conference commission of being 'unprofessional' and warned of the Big 12 refs being 'unfairly' biased towards Texas & Oklahoma because they are leaving the conference
Texas had a bad season because of the refs not being fair
Oklahoma had a bad season, worst in years of the program, because of the refs not being fair
look, I'm obviously a Yormark fan and what he has done with a revived Big 12 conference is impressive...that cannot be disputed, even by Longhorns and Sooners
I really do struggle with the mentality of a Texas Longhorn fan though...it is a have your cake and eat it too mentality, god forbid the commissioner supports the Red Raiders at a fan luncheon in Lubbock (lol)
media members, newscasters and others rushed to the defense of the Longhorns to call out Yormark's comments as 'uncalled for' and 'classless' and a host of other adjectives that may or may not even fit
Texas and Oklahoma chose to leave everyone and go to the SEC conference...I suggest they relish the attention now, because their new league does not care about their history or feelings...if Texas cannot compete in the Big 12 conference, then they have zero hope in the SEC and if Oklahoma cannot turn things around under Venebles, then they will not like the future in the SEC
I truly believe that uncertain future and the reality of said future has both on edge, maybe moreso the Longhorns...but stuff like this should be expected when you are bailing on a conference
conspiracy theories on the quality of refs is hilarious, people who most likely never attended Texas calling Brett Yormark a classless, biased loser is...well it is a beautiful thing
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TTU players practice on new field turf
the new turf inside Jones Stadium is complete and the team had their first practice on the new surface this week
week three (3) jerseys reveiled
these all red jerseys with double T accents are pretty cool, but I'm sure there will be a heated debate about whether they suck or not
SaRodorick doing his thing in the NFL Preseason
another week of former TTU running back SaRodorick Thompson making the most of his opportunity in the NFL Preseason
the former Red Raider standout might not be a burner on the field, but he is elusive and did a great job gaining chunks of yards - sometimes without the best blocking
Rivals / RedRaiderSports Kickoff Sale
if you are reading this, then you are a great and very smart RRS subscriber...and I'm guessing you have great and very smart friends that maybe attended Texas Tech and share a love of all things Red Raiders
please share the kickoff sale our team is running to anyone that might be interested, they can follow this link and use the code 'kickoff2023' for 60% off an annual subscription
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Recruiting - Around the Big 12
we look around the new-look conference this week after more new commitments were made, the rankings are now updated and have shifted the Sooners to the top class in the conference...
*listed in current Big 12 rankings order, new programs now officially added to the Rivals rankings list - plus a new 'look' or design from the Rivals team on these lists/pages
Oklahoma - 21 total commitments, No. 13 class in the nation
the Sooners added two (2) new commitments this week...
DB Eli Bowen
ATH Andy Bass
Texas - 16 total commitments, No. 19 class in the nation
the Longhorns did not add a new commitment this week...
UCF - 17 total commitments, No. 24 class in the nation
the Golden Knights did not add a new commitment this week...
Texas Tech - 18 total commitments, No. 30 class in the nation
the Red Raiders did not add a new commitment this week...
West Virginia - 20 total commitments, No. 41 class in the nation
the Mountaineers did not add a new commitment this week...
Cincinnati - 20 total commitments, No. 42 class in the nation
the Bearcats did not add a new commitment this week...
TCU - 16 total commitments, No. 44 class in the nation
the Horned Frogs did not add a new commitment this week...
Kansas - 15 total commitments, No. 50 class in the nation
the Jayhawks did not add a new commitment this week...
Iowa State - 16 total commitments, No. 52 class in the nation
the Cyclones did not add a new commitment this week...
Baylor - 14 total commitments, No. 57 class in the nation
the Bears did not add a new commitment this week...
Oklahoma State - 13 total commitments, No. 60 class in the nation
the Cowboys did not add a new commitment this week...
BYU - 13 total commitments, No. 76 class in the nation
the Cougars added one (1) new commitment this week...
OL David Clifford
Houston - eight (8) total commitments, No. 88 class in the nation
the Cougars did not add a new commitment this week...
Kansas State - seven (7) total commitments, No. 92 class in the nation
the Wildcats did not add a new commitment this week...
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have a great weekend everyone!
