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Texas Tech Football Adds RB And Safety To Roster On Saturday

By Matthew Conner

Sep 12, 2015; Lubbock, TX, USA; A general overview of Jones AT&T Stadium during the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the University of Texas at El Paso Miners. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2015; Lubbock, TX, USA; A general overview of Jones AT&T Stadium during the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the University of Texas at El Paso Miners. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Texas Tech football team continued to add depth to the 2017 roster on Saturday with the addition of two players that will compete for playing time this fall.

It has been three months since national signing day for the 2017 recruiting class but Kliff Kingsbury and company continue to add players to the roster. Running back Derrick Mitchell Jr. and safety Thomas Leggett both announced on Saturday their intentions to join the Texas Tech football team for the 2017 season.

Mitchell is a graduate transfer from Iowa where he was once teammates with Texas Tech quarterback Nick Shimonek and wide receiver Derrick Willies.  Leggett had just 48 touches for 339 yards in his three years with the Hawkeyes.

He is not expected to be the feature back in the Texas Tech offense.  However, he will provide depth at a position where the Red Raiders struggled in 2016 due to inexperience and injuries.

Tech averaged just 3.2 yards per carry last season while the running backs amassed a meager nine rushing touchdowns.  The depth at the position is a concern given the injury status of senior Justin Stockton who missed part of the spring after suffering a concussion suffering a concussion.

It is conceivable that Stockton could decide to step away from football as has been the case with so many recent players that have had concussions.  No word on Stockton’s status has been given but this possibility made adding another running back a priority for Kingsbury.

Mitchell’s presence also provides a bit of a security blanket in case Da’Leon Ward or Demarcus Felton should miss time with an injury as both did last year.  JUCO signee Tyrone Nisby will also figure into the mix at running back, likely as the power back in short-yardage situations.

Speaking of JUCO players, Thomas Leggett is the fourth such player added to the Texas Tech defensive backfield this offseason.  The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Californian committed to Tech Saturday afternoon.

Graduation and transfers left the Red Raider secondary woefully thin after last season.  Defensive coordinator David Gibbs and his coaches now have plenty of new faces on campus to reinforce the back end of the defense.

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The key will be figuring out what role each will fill.  Leggett, who has three years of eligibility remaining, faces an uphill climb if he wishes to crack the starting lineup.

One starting safety is guaranteed to be Jah’Shawn Johnson who was second on the team in tackles a year ago.  But the other safety spot will be an open competition.

Kiesean Allen likely enters the summer with the advantage.  He saw significant playing time last year starting the final nine games of the season racking up 43 tackles.

Leggett will have to adjust quickly if he hopes to contribute this fall.  The other JUCO signees and contenders for the starting secondary spots have the benefit of going through spring practices this year while Leggett was finishing up at Allan Hancock College.

Next: TTU Football Adds 2018 WR Corey Fulcher

Neither Mitchell nor Leggett are additions that will make national news or get the Texas Tech football fan base fired up.  However, the Red Raiders have struggled in recent years when injuries have hit the running backs and the secondary.  Should that arise again in 2017, Red Raider fans may be happy to have both of these players on the roster.

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