DTN Daily Diatribe | Texas Tech News, Notes and Links | 2012-02-07

ODDS AND ENDS | Totally Texas Tech's TTURed has already posted a FanShot with panoramic view of Rip Griffin Park and it's pretty cool to see it nearly complete. TTURed also posted a handful of new photos on his site with additional photos. This will be the last time that I do this, but there are photos of the Hance Chapel and like I said a couple of weeks ago, TTURed is documenting the construction history at Texas Tech. All of it.

Per LAJ's Don Williams, the future of playing Texas A&M is an all-or-nothing proposition, i.e. TAMU and TTU play between all sports:

"We discussed it with all our head coaches," Hocutt said, "and that’s something we as an athletic department and we as a group of coaches feel strongly about at this time."

I'm okay with that.

This article by Alligator's Army's Andy Hutchins is a bit dated (summer of 2011), but thought it was interesting to the extent that some schools hire their own in-house writers and also want to control information. I know that we tend to think that this sort of thing only happens at Texas Tech, but it doesn't, it happens everywhere, even to extent of asking that a person delete a re-tweet.

RED RAIDER BASKETBALL | There was this neat RaiderPower episode where the players talk about being in public and what it means to autograph for little kids and the importance of being a good role model.

This news was actually broken by D1 Nation, so give them a click, but Texas Tech has their first commit of the 2013 class in Liberty Hill F Blake Danielak:

At only 16, Danielak is 6’7". He’s athletic, can step out and hit the three, put it on the floor some and has nice timing as a shot blocker. He’s constantly working on his game away from the bright lights and is dedicated to his sport specific strength and agility training under the guidance of T.J. Garza of Speed Killz.

LAJ's Nick Kosmider talked with Danielak, who is averaging 16 PPG, 7 RPG and 5 BPG, talked about playing for head coach Billy Gillispie:

"The good thing is that it’s a Big 12 school," Danielak said. "Coach Gillispie is known for turning programs around. He did it at UTEP and at Texas A&M, and I really wanted to be a part of that."

I won't have any sort of profile on Danielak until there are some profiles that I can find. I also have not been able to find any video, so I really don't know what type of player he actually is.

I've got a preview coming up later today, but there's a game tonight against K-State, tip-off at 7:00 pm on the Big 12 Network. LAJ's Nick Kosmider has a preview and writes that the defense must be better. Here's Coach Gillispie:

"We have to be much better defensively," Tech coach Billy Gillispie said. "In the past we have had teams that have been very physical and very defensive oriented and we scored off our defense. We didn’t really let anybody get any offensive rebounds, and we’re totally opposite of that right now. But that’s what we’re working toward."

TEXAS TECH BASEBALL | DT's Brett Winegarner has the story on the three-way race for the shortstop position as the team will need to replace the Kelby Tomlinson, who only played last year at Texas Tech, but was darned good:

The trio of freshman shortstops consists of Tim Proudfoot, Matt Eureste and Bryant Burleson. Although opening day is Feb. 17, head coach Dan Spencer said the battle for the position is still ongoing and all three remain in the running to win the starting job.

"I think it’s pretty even because they all have strengths and they’re different from each other," Spencer said. "So I would hate to say there’s a frontrunner because if the guy doesn’t get the job then he thinks he did something not to get it."

TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL | Per Scout, defensive ends coach Robert Prunty was named the Midlands Recruiter of the Year as well as the Big 12 Recruiter of the Year in the Big 12. Congrats!

DMN's Mike Graham writes that QB Michael Brewer has gained 25 pounds and maybe added a bit of height:

"He looks a lot better," Texas Tech offensive coordinator Neal Brown told RedRaiderSports.com. "(Strength and conditioning coach) Joe Walker has done a good job and his staff has done a good job. He's put on 25 pounds since he's been here and I think he's grown a little bit also.

"He's ready. He's ready to push Doege and ready to prove that he's the next guy."

There were a couple of nice stories on two of the newest signees, DT Michael Starts and WR Reginald Davis. We'll start with Starts, and I think this is the school newspaper, so please throw your journalistic expectations out the window:

"My parents are behind me 100% whatever decision I make, and I felt comfortable with Tech, so I took an official visit and really liked how the whole town is behind the team," Starts said. "I’ll be playing strong-side defensive end and am looking forward to heading to Tech June 7 and settling into the freshmen dorm just down from Jones Stadium."

And from Piney Woods Sports, Davis apparently would have received an academic scholarship, but knows how important academics is:

"Even if I wouldn't have gotten an athletic scholarship I would have gotten an academic scholarship," said Davis, who is currently ranked No.4 in his class. "But this is getting to do something I like to do.

"The most important thing in all of this is getting a degree. If you get a degree you can do whatever you want to do, and getting it paid for by playing football is a great opportunity for me."

Love it.

ESPN's David Ubben I think attended the recruiting review and had some leftover thoughts in talking to head coach Tommy Tuberville.

And last, but not least per the DMN, QB Scotty Young is mulling a transfer to UNT.