Kosi Eldridge will take part in senior night on Saturday and assume it’s his last home game as a Texas Tech football player until someone tells him otherwise.
There’s a chance for an otherwise.
Whether the Red Raiders linebacker can have a year of eligibility restored for his aborted 2018 season at Kilgore College is being explored. His biography on the Texas Tech athletics website says Eldridge played in six games that year, the information gleaned from stats on the NJCAA website, a Tech media relations spokesperson said. Eldridge says he played in four games and then had season-ending knee surgery.
Eldridge said the thought of pursuing a medical hardship waiver came up only by chance when inside linebackers coach Josh Bookbinder asked him earlier this season about his year at Kilgore and Eldridge told Bookbinder how few games he’d played.
He said this week he has no idea whether obtaining a waiver is possible.
“I’m not going to stress about it too much,” he said, “because it wasn’t ever a thought until that conversation happened. I’ve been focusing, really, just trying to have a good year this year. Right now my mindset is to finish the year strong and prepare for pro day.”
The fifth-year senior from Denton Ryan became a full-time starter this season after three years as a special-teams and sub-package player for the Red Raiders. He’s started every game at boundary linebacker and is Tech’s second-leading tackler with 62 stops, including 2 1/2 tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks. He also intercepted a pass in the Red Raiders’ most recent home game, a 43-28 win against Kansas.
Were it to work out for Eldridge to return in 2023, he won’t complain.
“One more year in the box would be good for me,” he said. “One more year playing linebacker full time would be really good for me.”
Crabtree to be honored
Former Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who’s part of the 2022 class for the College Football Hall of Fame, will receive his on-campus salute from the Tech and the National Football Foundation during Tech’s regular-season finale Saturday against Oklahoma.
The recognition will be between the first and second quarters.
The 2022 Hall of Fame class will be inducted during the annual NFF awards dinner scheduled for Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Thomas Hall semifinalist
Former Texas Tech linebacker Zach Thomas is a semifinalist for the fifth time in the annual selection process for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Seven of the semifinalists have made it that far at least four times. In 13 NFL seasons, Thomas was a five-time first-team All-Pro, a two-time second-team All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
The 28 semifinalists will be cut to 15 finalists before the final voting process in January. The class of 2023 will be announced on Feb. 9 during NFL Honors, the prime-time awards show.
Four finalists previously announced are Don Coryell in the coaching category, and Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko and Ken Riley in the senior category.
Patterson wins WAC honors
Former Texas Tech defensive coordinator Keith Patterson, in his first season as a college head coach at Abilene Christian University, has been named the Western Athletic Conference coach of the year.
ACU finished 7-4 and 3-1 in the WAC, good for second place in the conference.
Patterson is one of 16 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, which goes to the top head coach in the FCS. ACU’s quarterback, former Tech QB Maverick McIvor, threw for 2,212 yards and 16 touchdowns. ACU running back Jermiah Dobbins from Estacado is the WAC’s third-leading rusher with 741 yards and seven TDs and was a first-team all-WAC honoree.
Broncos sign Allen
The Denver Broncos this week announced they’ve signed former Tech linebacker Dakota Allen off the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad.
Allen has played in 36 career games and been in on 30 tackles. He played in four games for the Browns this season. He previously played for the Jaguars and the Raiders.
College football
Who: Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Jones AT&T Stadium
TV: Fox Sports 1
Records: Oklahoma 6-5, 3-5 in the Big 12; Texas Tech 6-5, 4-4
Rankings (CFP/AP/coaches poll): Both teams unranked in all.
line: Oklahoma by 2
Last game: Oklahoma 28, Oklahoma State 13; Texas Tech 14, Iowa State 10
Last meeting: Oklahoma 52, Texas Tech 21 last year in Norman, Oklahoma
Fast facts: Oklahoma has won 10 games in a row in the series.