Texas Tech Softball
PREVIEW | Red Raiders Open Big 12 Home Slate This Weekend Against Kansas
📰: https://t.co/FOIUMQE5ML#WreckEm #TIHWR pic.twitter.com/8R9rVwdVqa— Texas Tech Softball (@TexasTechSB) April 7, 2017
Texas Tech Tennis
🎥 | Women’s Tennis prepares for Big 12 home finale this weekend at the McLeod Tennis Center. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/cRa25S5Vft
— Texas Tech Tennis (@TexasTechTennis) April 6, 2017
Red Raiders ready for @big12conference opening weekend at home
📰: https://t.co/tZQK93H1Q0 #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/rvXgPYVnkj— Texas Tech Tennis (@TexasTechTennis) April 6, 2017
Lady Raider Basketball
 LAJ’s Nicholas Talbot writes that the Lady Raiders have the building blocks in rebuilding the program and Candi Whitaker hopes that Erin Degrate, who sat out last year as a transfer from Louisville, and Brittany Brewer add to and evolve:
“Add Erin Degrate to the mix and our inside game can be a big strength of ours, where we didn’t get a ton of points there because it was the first time for our kids,” Whitaker said. “Working out Erin out and watching her against our team she is extremely difficult to guard on the low block. Her biggest challenge is getting in shape and we you can see what what (Baylor’s) Kalani Brown did just by getting in shape.
“With her size and her reach and you can’t guard her.”
With Terry and the addition of Degrate on the low block that could mean a lot of playing time for Brewer at power forward, along with stretch 4s Dayo Olabode and Zuri Sanders.
“You will see (Brewer) evolve into more of a true-4 and she has to be really good from 15 and she has shown signs she can be,” Whitaker said. “She is 100 percent committed to doing whatever her team needs here to do to win and you can use her in both situations. They are all different post players because of their God-given size and abilities.”
Texas Tech Basketball
LAJ’s Carolos Silva, Jr. writes that Garland Lakeview Centennial’s Zhaire Smith (6-5/180) will be visiting Texas Tech this weekend and with the departure Jordan Brangers, Texas Tech could use some backcourt help.
Texas Tech Football
LAJ’s Don Williams recaps a handful of topics, including Payne Sullins looking to be back-up quarterback, the success of walk-on safety Justus Parker, Zach Austin’s progress and missing the Frisco scrimmage at his sister’s wedding (with Kingsbury’s blessing), Noah Jones has been out with a slight injury and attending a funeral, and Zach Barnes being a versatile defensive lineman that will line up anywhere. Here’s the bit about Parker:
“He’s done a good job this spring. I talked about him today,” defensive coordinator David Gibbs said. “He had like 15 reps in the first three practices — 15 total reps. And Tuesday he had 53 in practice. He’s earned his practice reps and he’s getting better every day, so we’ll keep working him in there.”
Parker’s from La Vernia, hometown of former Tech linebacker Bryan Gerlich. He played for a Class 4A team that went 12-2 and 10-2 his junior and senior years, 2013 and 2014. The coach was former Texas defensive end Bo Robinson, uncle of former Tech safety John White.
. . .
“He’s big. He’s physical,” Gibbs said. “He’s got a multiple skill set that can play multiple positions and he’s finally learning how to play defense.”
RRS’s Will McKay recaps the media availability (there was no video) of defensive coordinator David Gibbs. Here’s Gibbs answering if he is finally consistency from the defense:
“It’s one of those things where if you have a plan and you stick with the plan and know what you’re doing, recruit the right guys, eventually you’re going to figure it out. But, it’s April and we’ve got a long way to go until September. Hopefully I can answer this question in maybe November, but yeah, there is consistency. There are guys who know what to do without having to – you just make a call and they know what to do. We don’t have to teach them from scratch, which every time you change defenses you have to teach from scratch. It’s been a lot smoother spring as far as installation and those things.”