Texas Tech football: Former Illinois RB to walk-on at Tech

As if the Texas Tech football team needed more depth at the running back position, former Illinois running back Kyron Cumbie joined the program as a walk-on this past weekend according to a Tweet from Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. But make no mistake, this is not your typical walk-on.

Rather, this is a player who was highly recruited out of high school. In fact, in the class of 2019, he was rated the No. 121 player in Texas and the No. 10 all-purpose RB in the nation. In addition to Texas Tech, the 5-foot-7, 160-pounder from Plano, Texas held offers from the likes of BYU, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, San Diego State, SMU, Washington State, and others.

For his career, the former 3-star prospect has amassed just modest stats. He’s carried the ball twice for 11 yards, caught five passes for 47 yards, and returned a pair of punts for a combined 11 yards.

Cumby will be immediately eligible to play this year and it is in the kick return game where he could see the most action. That’s because the Red Raiders are already loaded at the running back position.

Kyron Cumby, 5-8, 180-pound RB from Plano, joined the Texas Tech team today as a walk-on from Illinois. He visited Tech coming out of HS and had scholarship offers from 13 FBS schools, including BYU, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, SMU, Tulsa, Washington State.
— Don Williams (@AJ_DonWilliams) August 7, 2021

Of course, SaRodorick Thompson will be the leader of that position group. Last year, he ran for 610 yards and 8 TDs in only 10 games played.

He will be backed up by former walk-on inside receiver Xavier White. The Lubbock prospect was second on the team in rushing with 436 yards and a pair of scores.

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A freshman in 2020, Tahj Brooks was also impressive last fall. Racking up 255 yards and four TDs on just 69 rushes, Brooks is primed for an increased role this season after getting his feet wet last season.

What’s more, Tech added 3-star RB Cam’Ron Valdez to the mix this offseason. A speedster in the backfield, the Rockdale, Texas native had an impressive offer list that included Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Purdue, SMU, TCU, Utah, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia.

Also, we mustn’t overlook Chadarius Townsend who is perhaps the most dynamic running back on the team. Though he got only 18 carries, on which he racked up 99 yards and a TD, last season, he is going to be featured more prominently in new offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie’s scheme this year.

In other words, Cumby is joining a crowded running back room and that might make it tough for him to get a ton of carries this fall. But thanks to a redshirt in 2019 and the fact that last season did not count towards any player’s eligibility status, he retains all four years of eligibility meaning that he could be a potential long-term piece of the puzzle for Tech.

This is yet another example of head coach Matt Wells dipping into the transfer portal to replenish his roster’s depth. And one has to hope that Cumby works out as well as some of the other transfers Wells has brought on board.

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