Leading Off

If you’re in the Houston area, please take note.

Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury will speak to the Touchdown Club of Houston at noon, Wednesday, May 30th, at the JW Marriott. Kingsbury to discuss spring drills and what to expect in Lubbock this fall.

Tickets for the event are $50.00 each and can be purchased through PayPal on the Touchdown Club’s website. Tables are 10 seats. Tables cost $500 (regular table), $750 (bronze table), $1,000 (silver table), $1,500 (gold table) and $2,500 (platinum table). For more information, call the Touchdown Club’s Neal Farmer at 713-849-9860 or email nfarmer07@att.net

The Touchdown Club is the Houston chapter of the NFF. Founded in 1947 the non-profit organization dedicated to sharing fellowship through football. They contribute to the community through supporting weight room refurbishing programs to schools in need, through scholarships and through their Senior Showcase.

The Texas Tech track and field teams will participate in the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in Waco this weekend (official site).

The softball team is participating in the Big 12 Softball Championship starting today, a double-header against Baylor and then Oklahoma State in the second game (official site).

The ladies tennis team hosts the NCAA Lubbock Regional, first match is against Army and will start at 1:00 p.m. (official site). If they win, then they’ll play the winner of Illinois and Princeton at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow.

Wishing the best for all of these programs competing for Big 12 Championships, huge deal for these players and programs to get where they are. Wreck’Em.

Texas Tech Basketball

Don’t forget that Isaac Likekeke will be making his college decision today and is down to Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and UTEP (TWitter).

Chris Level confirmed that the Duke vs. Texas Tech game will be on December 20th, so book your tickets (Twitter).

Texas Tech Football

This was tweeted out yesterday, the head football coach at Mount St. Mary Catholic High school, Derick Perkins, said that he would be joining the staff at Texas Tech (official site). I wasn’t able to find very much on Perkins except for this NewsOK article from 2016 about Perkins being a very young head coach at the prep level. Perkins graduated from Midland and played at Midland Christian where he helped lead them to a state championship.

A-J Media’s Don Williams has more information and I think we need another bullet pointed list:

• There was maybe some confusion on my part, but maybe this provides some light on the situation. This article starts with stating that there are only 5 linebackers on the roster (Dakota Allen, Jordyn Brooks, Riko Jeffers, Christian Taylor, and Kevin Moore) because Brayden Stringer and Jamile Johnson decided to transfer. Kingsbury said that he didn’t see the Stringer transfer coming and that they are looking to sign someone late or bring in a graduate transfer. I think this is where the commitment of TVCC linebacker Ja’Quay Pough who I think was actually a 2018 commit and not a 2019 commit, so Pough will be on campus in the summer along with Patrick Curley.
• This makes me think that there are some defensive backs just begging to be converted to linebacker.
• Lonzell Gilmore is being moved to the strongside defensive end and Kingsbury said that Gilmore is up to 280 or 285 (just like I predicted) and just looking at him from the sideline during the spring, he doesn’t look overweight all, he looks pretty terrific.
• Don confirms the addition of Derick Perkins as an offensive graduate assistant taking the place of Zach Kittley and former lineman Jajuan Dulaney is also a student assistant.

UPDATE: I forgot to include this, but I think it’s significant, Kingsbury has offered Permian quarterback Peyton Powell (6-2/175) (Twitter). I think Powell played for Midland Christian last year and this year, he’ll play for Permian (I think?). This almost seems like Kingsbury is telling the quarterbacks, “first to commit gets the spot, but I’m not waiting on anyone.” You can check out Hudl highlights and he’s a really mobile quarterback. Powell has been offered by Baylor, Tulsa, Virginia, Arkansas, etc. Good offers. And his 24/7 profile lists him at wide receiver, but it would sure seem like a waste not to play him at quarterback.