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Texas Tech Unsung Heroes: Brad Pearson

By Shelby McCollum

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It’s not an easy life for a walk-on in a Division 1 football program — Brad Pearson can tell you that. But the local Lubbock kid who didn’t play football until his senior year in high school has gone from a self-described “pee-on” to a scholarship receiver with multiple catches recorded in NCAA games.

Pearson went to a private high school (that didn’t have a football program) until he was a senior. His dad had played football for Texas Tech and urged Pearson to apply his athletic ability to football, so Pearson transferred to Lubbock Monterrey. And although he only played one season, Pearson shined. So much so that he received district honors and a few Division 2 scholarship offers. He turned the scholarship offers away, however, and took a spot as a preferred walk-on for the Texas Tech Red Raiders under Coach Tommy Tuberville.

Pearson started camp at Texas Tech in August of 2011. He spent his red shirt season working out and preparing for the seasons to come. Pearson said Joe Walker, the strength and conditioning coach at the time, had extremely difficult workouts, but the biggest thing that made them stick out wasn’t necessarily how physically taxing they were – and they were that – but how much the workouts tested the players mentally. Pearson said you knew you would throw up with every workout. But the hard work was not without reward; thanks to his effort during his red shirt year, Pearson earned a spot on the travel team as a walk-on for the 2012 season.

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That year wasn’t without its fair share of challenges, though. Pearson played on the kick-off and kick-off return special teams in 2012, but struggled and found himself on the bench until the Oklahoma State game. He recorded a tackle during his first game back on the field. He played right next to fellow walk-on Summitt Hogue during the Baylor game. Things were looking good again. Then he found himself right in the middle of one of the most difficult things a college player can deal with – a coaching change.

Pearson said everyone was blindsided when Tuberville left. He never had a full team meeting. Then Neal Brown left. The situation left the first bowl game Pearson was able to play in coached by assistants Chris Thomsen and Sonnie Cumbie, who acted as the head coach and the offensive coordinator. And although it was a weird experience, he said the team bonded.

Spring 2013. Enter: Kliff Kingsbury. The energy surrounding the program started building. The workouts changed from tough workouts just for the sake of being tough to meaningful workouts. Pearson said that the walk-ons had always felt like pee-ons under Tuberville, but the new coaching staff made them feel appreciated. Kingsbury actually gives walk-ons a chance. That’s part of the reason Pearson says everyone in the program really enjoys this staff.

Pearson had started to do better in the summer of 2013, but injured his back that July. He put in some extra effort and tried to get better by camp, and he was rewarded with a scholarship right before school started. “It was the greatest news I’ve ever heard,” Pearson said.

With Jace Amaro sidelined for the first half of the Red Raiders’ first game, Pearson and Jordan Davis were able to play receiver and special teams against SMU. Pearson got his first NCAA reception against the Mustangs. He added three more to that record against Stephen F. Austin. During the second half of the SFA game, he fumbled on the two yard line. He described the feeling as disheartening, and said he lost the upper hand. He said it was the beginning of the decline.

He got his second concussion at practice during the bye week, which caused him to miss three weeks. He fell off the depth chart. Pearson thought he was “just pissing away” the opportunity to play. He barely played the rest of the year and didn’t get on the field during the bowl game against Arizona State. He didn’t give up, though.

Pearson has worked hard since then and said he had a really motivated spring. He was out the first week of spring ball due to a high ankle sprain courtesy of a rec basketball game, but it was just a minor setback. Pearson had a good showing at the spring game, but isn’t with the team this summer. No worries, he’s still on the team, he’s just taking some time to prepare for his future.

Pearson is taking the summer to intern with Noble Energy in Colorado. He said it was a tough call between football and a job this summer, but with the hopes of having a career in the oil and gas industry, the internship was more beneficial to his future. The coaches trust him to work hard while he’s away, so it’s a win for all parties involved.

Pearson has shown tremendous dedication to the Texas Tech football program over the past few years. His hard work has made him a success story, and another unsung hero at Walk-On U.

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