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1. Notebook | The LAJ starts off with the news that freshman S Jalen Barnes is out for the year with shoulder surgery. From a depth perspective, this may hurt and Co-DC Matt Wallerstedt had talked up Barnes during the spring recruiting period. I think there are plenty of options at safety, so I'm not too bothered by this. Also in the notebook is the detail that FB Omar Ontiveros may not receive as many opportunities because the coaching staff doesn't want to take RB DeAndre Washington and RB Kenny Williams off the field:
"Omar’s done a great job of working back from the injury," Jinks said. "We have some short-yardage sets and things of that nature that Omar will be involved in. But really, being honest with you, we want to keep Dre and Kenny on the field as much as we can. Those two guys are truly special. They’re big-time players."
If that's the case, then Ontiveros should be a leader on the special teams if he's healthy.
2. HS Coach on Mayfield | ESPN has a bit from QB Baker Mayfield's high school coach about Mayfield's prospects and what to expect:
"I think it’s a pretty neat story. I hope Baker goes in there and he’s able to show and give them confidence that he can get it done," Carter said. "We have all the confidence in the world in him. He’s a great kid, such a smart and tough competitor. That would be the thing I’d say about Baker. He welcomes the underdog role and he always has."
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3. Allen Bit | Over the weekend, LB Dakota Allen committed to Texas Tech and there is a short article on him in a Houston paper and there was really nothing new here, but I did find it interesting that 2015 ATH DeUnte Chatman is spotting Allen in the photograph that accompanies the story is wearing a Texas Tech shirt so that's good.
4. Stadium Renovation Photos | Totally Texas Tech has some more photos from the stadium renovation and it seems like things are happening so quickly.
5. A Preseason Bowl We Might Like to See | I don't know if this is a bit, or just the way things happened, the National Football Post predicts that Texas Tech and Cincinnati would play in some bowl game. Heh.
6. Dykes on Cal | Cal head football coach did a quick Q&A with CBSSports said this:
On why he didn't look into the job at Texas Tech -- where his dad, Spike, coached for more than a decade – once Tommy Tuberville left: "I didn't think the timing or circumstances were right. Honestly you didn't even think it was right to consider. (Cal and TT) are incredibly different. That was a big part of it, honestly. It's good to go home, but sometimes it's good not to go home."
I do think that the timing was off, just a bit and sometimes trying to follow in your beloved father's footsteps can be difficult. Sometimes it is better to blaze your own path, so I get that.
7. Kingsbury on SiriusXM College Sports | It took me a bit of time to find this, so I'm updating this post after initially posting it. I think it's Bruce Feldman for sure, but not sure about the other guy.