Texas Tech football puts two players on preseason all-Big 12 team
Two members of the Texas Tech football team landed on the Big 12's preseason all-conference team, which was announced Tuesday.
Running back Tahj Brooks and punt returner/kick returner Drae McCray represent the Red Raider contingent selected by media who cover the conference. The two seniors are expected to have major roles for Texas Tech, which was picked ninth in the preseason poll, also released Tuesday.
Brooks is coming off a historic campaign that saw the Manor native rush for 1,538 yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking fourth in the country in rushing yards. He put himself firmly into the Tech record books, totaling the most single-season yardage since 1998 and the fourth most in program history.
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Brooks now ranks seventh all-time with 3,052 yards and needs 1,167 yards in 2024 to become Tech's all-time leading rusher. He opted to return for his super-senior season of 2024 after earning first team all-Big 12 honors from the conference.
In 2023, McCray ranked third in the nation in total kick return yards (717) and had seven returns of at least 30 yards. The highlight came with his 100-yard kick return for a touchdown against Houston.
Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II was named the Big 12's preseason offensive player of the year. Colorado defensive back Travis Hunter and UCF quarterback KJ Jefferson earned defensive and newcomer of the year honors, respectively.
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2024 Big 12 Preseason All-Conference Awards
PRESEASON AWARDS
Offensive player of the year: Ollie Gordon II, RB, Jr., Oklahoma State
Defensive player of the year: Travis Hunter, DB, Jr., Colorado
Newcomer of the Year: KJ Jefferson, QB, Jr., UCF
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Offense
QB — Shedeur Sanders, Sr., Colorado
RB — Ollie Gordon II, Jr., Oklahoma State
RB — Tahj Brooks, Sr., Texas Tech
FB — Stevo Klotz, Sr., Iowa State
WR — Tetairoa McMillian, Jr., Arizona
WR — Kobe Hudson, Jr., UCF
WR — Jayden Higgins, Sr., Iowa State
WR — Brennan Presley, Sr., Oklahoma State
TE — Brant Kuithe, Sr., Utah
OL — Jonah Savaiinaea, Jr., Arizona
OL — Luke Kandra, S., rCincinnati
OL — Dalton Cooper, Sr., Oklahoma State
OL — Joe Michalski, Sr., Oklahoma State
OL — Wyatt Milum, Sr., West Virginia
PK — Tyler Loop, Sr., Arizona
KR/PR — Drae McCray, Sr., Texas Tech
Defense
DL — Tyler Batty, Sr., BYU
DL — Dontay Corleone, Jr., Cincinnati
DL — BJ Green II, Sr., Colorado
DL — Lee Hunter, Jr., UCF
DL — Junior Tafuna, Sr., Utah
LB — Jacob Manu, Jr., Arizona
LB — Nick Martin, Jr., Oklahoma State
LB — Collin Oliver, Sr., Oklahoma State
DB — Tacario Davis, Jr., Arizona
DB — Travis Hunter, Jr., Colorado
DB — Jeremiah Cooper, Jr., DB
DB — Cobee Bryant, Sr., Kansas
DB — Mello Dotson, Sr., Kansas
P — Jack Bouwmeester, Jr., Utah
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football lands 2 on preseason all-Big 12 team-tahj-brooks