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Texas Tech sports figures that would make perfect commencement speakers

By Matthew Conner

NEW YORK, NY – MAY 15: A recent graduate watches Oprah Winfrey speak during a virtual graduation ceremony held by Facebook from his laptop on May 15, 2020 in New York City. The online event featured numerous celebrity speakers after the majority of graduation ceremonies around the country were canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 15: A recent graduate watches Oprah Winfrey speak during a virtual graduation ceremony held by Facebook from his laptop on May 15, 2020 in New York City. The online event featured numerous celebrity speakers after the majority of graduation ceremonies around the country were canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images) /
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Dakota Allen #40 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders  (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
Dakota Allen #40 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders  (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

Dakota Allen

Most people relate best to their peers or people in a similar stage of life.  That’s why the majority of Texas Tech graduates might gain some extra insight from the story of Dakota Allen.

Indeed, his unusual path from All-Big 12 Freshman to “Last Chance-U” and back to Texas Tech has to have given him some wisdom that the typical 20-something person may not have earned yet.  Who better to impart some final nuggets upon graduates before they embark on their post-college lives?

As a redshirt freshman in 2015, he racked up 87 tackles to finish second on the team.  But in the summer of 2016, he and three teammates were arrested for breaking into a home.  Though the charges were eventually dropped, Allen was dismissed from the Texas Tech football team.

He found refuge at East Mississippi Community College, which was the subject of the Netflix docuseries “Last Chance-U”.   On that show, his recommitment to his faith was documented as was his return to Texas Tech.

Named a team captain in 2017, Allen was one of the best players on the Texas Tech squad for his final two seasons as well as one of the program’s leaders while earning All-Big 12 honors as a junior and a senior.  That gives him the makings of an engaging commencement speaker.  Few people his age (24) would have the type of experience and background that Allen has and he would be well received were he to be invited to share that with his peers at commencement.

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