In the current age of college football, it is not unusual for star players to opt out of bowl games. However, Texas Tech's all-time leading rusher, Tahj Brooks, might be leaning toward playing in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Arkansas on December 27.
According to a social media post by Cole Banker of KMAC News in Lubbock, the Texas Tech football program has released a depth chart for the bowl game and Brooks is listed as the first-team running back. That's an indication that he might be preparing to play one final game in the Scarlet and Black.
No official word on Brooks' status for the bowl game has come from either Brooks himself or the Texas Tech football program. However, that should be headed our way in the upcoming days regardless of what Brooks' decision is.
This year, Brooks was again the centerpiece of the Red Raiders' dynamic offense. In 11 games played, he carried the ball 286 times for 1,505 yards and 17 touchdowns. What's more, he hauled in 28 passes for 199 more yards and another TD.
Tahj Brooks officially listed as the RB1 on Tech’s Liberty Bowl depth chart.
— Cole Banker (@colebankertv) December 21, 2024
Good sign that he’ll be out there against Arkansas. #TexasTech pic.twitter.com/EH2PisZN5w
It would be a huge boost to the Red Raiders to have Brooks in the lineup against Arkansas. That's because three other important offensive starters are not going to play in the Liberty Bowl.
Starting quarterback Behren Morton is going to miss the game as he recovers from a shoulder surgery that he had after the regular-season finale. This year, despite playing through the remnants of a sprained throwing shoulder that he originally sustained last season, he threw for 3,335 yards and 27 touchdowns with only eight interceptions.
Meanwhile, Tech will also be without the services of its leading receiver in 2024, Josh Kelly who is no longer with the program as he begins preparation for the 2025 NFL Draft. This season, he caught 89 passes for 1,023 yards and five touchdowns. He was the first Texas Tech receiver to surpass 1,000 yards in a season since Antoine Wesley in 2018.
Also, the Red Raiders will not have Dalton Merryman, who ended the season as the team's starting left tackle. He has entered the transfer portal and committed to Big 12 rival Houston. This season, he made six starts at left tackle for the Red Raiders, the most of any player on the roster at that position.
Thus, having the stabilizing influence of Brooks would be huge for the Texas Tech offense. Of course, we've already seen what life is like without Brooks one time this year and it was not pretty.
In the season's second game, the Red Raiders played at Washington State without Brooks who was sidelined with an arm injury. That night, Tech had its worst offensive showing of the year putting up just 16 points and turning the ball over four times in a 37-16 loss to the Cougars.
Hopefully, Red Raider fans will get to see Brooks represent the Double T one more time this week. It would be a perfect way to say goodbye to one of the best players in program history.