Texas Tech football honors seniors before regular-season home finale. Here's who walked
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The Texas Tech football program recognized 28 seniors before the Red Raiders‘ final regular-season home game on Saturday, Nov. 15, against Central Florida.
Offensive players honored in the pregame ceremony at Jones AT&T Stadium were quarterback Behren Morton, receivers Reggie Virgil, Caleb Douglas and Haydon Wiginton, tight ends Johncarlos Miller and Jack Esparza and linemen Davion Carter, Jurrien Loftin, Vinny Sciury and Will Jados.
Defensive players honored were edge defenders David Bailey, Romello Height, Charles Esters III and Terrell Tilmon, tackles Skyler Gill-Howard, Lee Hunter, Dooda Banks and Tanner Allen, linebackers Jacob Rodriguez, Bryce Ramirez, Trent Low and Gage Elder and defensive backs A.J. McCarty, Dontae Balfour, Cole Wisniewski, Chief Collins and Luke Dillingham.
Also recognized was punter Jack Burgess.
Tech coach Joey McGuire and his wife, Debbi, greeted each player as he came out of the tunnel before the players joined their families on the field.
Rodriguez wore his trademark cowboy hat as he came out and received one of the loudest ovations from the sellout crowd. After he greeted the McGuires, Rodriguez took off his hat and held it aloft for several seconds, looking around and acknowledging the crowd.
Rodriguez’s wife, Emma, rang the Saddle Tramps bell before the game.
The NCAA recently announced that it will maintain current eligibility lengths through the 2026-27 academic year, allowing athletes to have four years of eligibility plus a redshirt year. McGuire has said that he thinks there’s a chance that could be challenged and changed this off-season as a push by coaches continues to allow players five full seasons of eligibility. Should the latter scenario unfold, McGuire said this week, he thinks Virgil and Gill-Howard could return next season.
There’s a realistic chance Texas Tech will play another home game this season. The Red Raiders are No. 6 in this week’s College Football Playoff ranking. Teams seeded 5 through 8 after conference championship games will host teams seeded 9 through 12 in the first round of the playoff. Those games will be played on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football honors seniors before regular-season home finale
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