Texas Tech is picked 8th in the Big 12 media preseason poll, while former Michigan defensive lineman Ondre Pipkins visits Lubbock. Plus, Shawntrez Davis does not qualify for Tubby Smith.

Photo via Charles Henry @ Flickr.

Basketball

Davis Does Not Qualify. WreckEm 24/7’s Daniel Paulling writes that Texas Tech signee Shawntrez Davis does not qualify and will attend a junior college. This pretty much stinks and it still wouldn’t surprise me to see Texas Tech still try to add someone, some sort of frontcourt player. I have no idea who that would be, but I keep hearing whispers of maybe some sort of Euro. Plus, don’t forget that Texas Tech added Isaiah Manderson in August, so there’s always a chance to add someone late.

Football

Texas Tech Picked 8th. The Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll was released and your Red Raiders was picked 8th overall, and a good distance away from 7th place, over 40 points. TCU was picked first, behind Baylor and then Oklahoma.

1. TCU (32) 408
2. Baylor (10) 384
3. Oklahoma 312
4. Oklahoma State 289
5. Texas 245
6. West Virginia 204
7. K-State 201
8. Texas Tech 139
9. Iowa State 83
10. Kansas 45

I’ll echo Land Grant Gauntlet’s Chris Ross who is surprised to see Texas in the top half of the list, while FOX Sports’ David Ubben lays out how he voted for the Big 12 award and the preseason poll.

Zach Kittley is the son of famed track and field coach Wes Kittley and is current a grad assistant for the quarterbacks:

Fuel. https://t.co/Utz7dPV5tu

— Zach Kittley🌵 (@ZKittley) July 16, 2015

Pipkins Visits Texas Tech. Via WreckEm 24/7’s Daniel Paulling writes that former 5-star Michigan defensive lineman Ondre Pipkins visited Lubbock yesterday. Pipkins would have to sit out a year if he transferred and he would have one year to play. Texas Tech just so happens to have some scholarships available and could take on Pipkins. Pipkins was dismissed (not sure if this is the right word, maybe “asked to leave”) Michigan after suffering some injuries and told ESPN that he was pressured to sign documents to end his career. Having a full year off would be good to get Pipkins healthy.

Most Improved Big 12 Team. Here’s part two of The Student Section roundtable and the question was who is the most improved team in the Big 12 and I didn’t pick Texas Tech, but another team to the north and rhymes with “dowboys”. There’s lots of Texas Tech love from some of the writers, but I do think that OSU is going to be pretty good.

Washington Named to Doak Walker Watch List. RB DeAndre Washington was named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List for the nation’s best running back!

Stadium Renovations.

Miscellaneous. LAJ’s Nicholas Talbot has his top ten offensive linemen in the Big 12 . . . via DallasCowboys’ Nick Eatman takes a look at Rashaad Fortenberry and what he could add to the Cowboys . . . ESPN’s Max Olson continues ESPN’s weekly predictions and predicts week 13 as Texas Tech hosts Texas and ends the season at 6-6 . . . DMN’s Michael DuPont has five things to watch heading into the Big 12 media days, which starts next week . . .