On the Hardwood

Texas Tech basketball and head coach Grant McCasland have added Arizona assistant Rem Bakamus as an assistant and Duncan Bacon as Associate Director of Operations. Bakamus is a former Gonzaga walk-on who was also previously at Baylor while Bacon was at Texas Tech the year before last, but had gone to SFA as Director of Operations and now returns. Welcome (and welcome back)!

On the Gridiron

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Don Williams on linebacker John Curry, who is now backing up Jacob Rodriguez rather than Ben Roberts:

“He has had a tremendous off-season,” Wood said. “I’ve been really impressed with his ability to cover, to run. He’s a 230-pound guy, and he looks like he’s skinny as a rail. Not really, but he’s a tall, long guy, and he doesn’t even look that big.

He’s 230 pounds, and he can run. He can cover. He can change directions, stop and start, and he’s a very smart football player in terms of understanding fits and responsibilities.”

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s Nathan Giese on stories to watch as camp opens.

ESPN’s Heather Dinich on the 32 teams who can make the playoff and at No. 32 is . . .

Agree or disagree with ESPN Analytics: Disagree. The Red Raiders are a CFP sleeper team, but not as far from a shot as the computers indicate. The program spent more than $10 million to sign 17 new players, including seven on the offensive and defensive lines. The defense has been under construction after allowing at least 35 points in each of its five losses last year, but with improvement and the return of quarterback Behren Morton, Texas Tech can contend for the Big 12 title — and in turn a spot in the CFP.

Toughest test: Oct. 18 at Arizona State. ESPN’s FPI gives the Sun Devils a 61.2% chance to win. The defending Big 12 champs return 79% of their total production from last season, according to ESPN’s Bill Connelly.