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Texas Tech football: The most disappointing JUCO signees in Tech history

By Matthew Conner

LAWRENCE, KS - OCTOBER 7: A Texas Tech Red Raiders helmet rest on the field during a game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
LAWRENCE, KS - OCTOBER 7: A Texas Tech Red Raiders helmet rest on the field during a game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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General view of the orange pylon used on the goal line prior to the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
General view of the orange pylon used on the goal line prior to the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

DE/LB Andre Ross

Getting to the passer has been a struggle for most of the “Air Raid” era of Texas Tech football.  That’s why so many fans were excited about Andre Ross’ arrival in the 2013 signing class.  The Navarro College product was rated a 4-star player and the No. 2 JUCO weakside DE in the country.

To land Ross, Tech had to fend off some stiff competition.  He held offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Arizona State, and West Virginia in addition to his offer from Kingsbury and the Red Raiders.

But again, academics and injuries kept another JUCO player from ever being the type of player that fans hoped he would be.  In all, he appeared in just 14 games over the course of his three-year career on the South Plains. During that time, Ross amassed a mere 20 tackles and only two sacks.

Ross was suspended for the final six games of 2013 in the hopes that he would get his academics in order.  Then a spine injury forced him to miss time that offseason.  In 2014, he had his season cut short by four games thanks to a torn labrum.   What’s more, by the time early October of his senior year rolled around, he was no longer on the team.

In 2015, the Red Raider defense could have used a player the likes of which Ross was initially projected to be.  That year, Tech finished second-to-last in the nation by allowing 540.2 yards per game.  Much of that was due to a lack of quality depth and that problem was exasperated by the fact that Andre Ross never proved to be worthy of the scholarship he was given.

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