Texas Tech Football fans approaching season with cautious optimism

Sep 10, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Kliff Kingsbury against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first quarter at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Kliff Kingsbury against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first quarter at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

In Year Five of the Kingsbury Era, Texas Tech Football fans are approaching the upcoming season with cautious optimism–and with good reason.

Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury began his career back in 2013, finishing the season at 8-5 overall, and 4-5 in the Big 12, for 6th place. In 2016, the Red Raiders finished at 5-7 overall, 3-6 in the conference, and tied for 6th place.

To say the roller coaster cycle of seasonal wins and losses are starting to affect the fan base would be an understatement. The exhausted sentiments have been heard and felt since Tech’s bowl game hopes came down to the Texas game last season. Tech had every opportunity and advantage to win that game, but failed–even with a future Top 10 NFL Draft pick–which Jon Gruden acknowledged on QB Camp by saying, “Let’s not abuse the talent.”

For a coach who, in 2013, became the first head coach in Big 12 history to have seven straight wins, perhaps the bar was set too high, too early on.

We could argue that; however, we could also argue that Kingsbury’s lack of success following 2013 has largely been due to a list of reasons that requires an article on its own. But we’re not here to argue that.

Texas Tech has seen a recent recruiting surge for the 2018 class that few expected. Why are recruits so excited to commit to a program that has its coaching staff on shaky ground? I think we can chalk that up to the belief within the program, that the culture is finally changing, and many believe Kingsbury and Co. will live to see 2018.

I asked the question on Twitter, “#TexasTech: What do y’all think about this weekend’s recruiting push? Is the #GunsBlazin18 class showing optimism for this season?”

About a week ago, Texas Tech had just three verbal commits for the 2018 class, and all three were wide receivers. This led many to believe that Tech had prematurely tucked tail, and that recruiters were just sitting back and watching the cat and mouse game between Texas and Oklahoma.

That wasn’t the actual case, and after a monster week of commits, Tech now has thirteen commits, eight of which came during Father’s Day week/weekend.

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With three offensive linemen, three wide receivers, five defensive players, one quarterback, and one athlete in a very versatile Jabari James, Tech isn’t just doling out scholarship offers like an episode of Oprah, it’s making calculated moves to bolster the lineup.

Tech’s commits are averaging three-stars, and sure, much of the pushback from fans lies in the quality of offers the commits have received on top of Tech, but as we know, Fall is poaching season.

Players know it, too.

Verbal committments aren’t legally binding agreements, and expect that if production from these players increases throughout their senior seasons, if other recruiters can get some face time and make the flip, they will try without remorse.

It’s up to the commit to stick to his word, but if they successfully sign with Tech, there are also possibilities that other guys they play with, or have met at camps could be convinced to sign, too. All it takes is 1-2 players who feel strongly enough to put in the recruiting work, and I know I’ve stressed this a lot in my articles, but this is why fan involvement is so imperative as we progress into the season.

Whether you know it or not, recruits are in the stands, and they to take notice to what they hear and see.

Fans have every reason to be skeptical, and it doesn’t take much to realize the coaching staff knows this is the make or break year. But just as we can expect Texas Tech to work like their jobs depend on it, Tech fans need to work like the future of Texas Tech depends on it.

Sure, Kingsbury made a lot of mistakes early on, but we can only be hope for the best. Recruits deserve that.