Texas Tech Star RB Tahj Brooks Will Play in Independence Bowl vs. Cal
Texas Tech All-Big 12 running back Tahj Brooks announced on Monday that he will utilize his final year of college eligibility and return for the 2024 football season, which means he will play for the Red Raiders in Saturday’s Independence Bowl against Cal.
There had been speculation that Brooks, a senior, might decide to enter the 2024 NFL draft and skip the Independence Bowl to avoid injury and prepare for the draft. But by announcing his return to Texas Tech in 2024 he is also saying he plans to play in the Independence Bowl.
It also confirms an intriguing matchup of running backs in the bowl game. Cal’s Jaydn Ott, a first-team All-Pac-12 selection, has run for 1,260 yards in 11 games, and ranks seventh in the country in rushing yards per game at 114.5 yards per contest. Brooks, a first-team All-Big 12 first-team honoree and Doak Walker Award semifinalist this season, has run for 1,443 yards and ranks fourth in the nation in yards per game at 120.2.
Brooks currently ranks sixth on the Texas Tech single-season chart and could potentially move to as high as third with another strong performance against Cal.
“This is an exciting day for our program with Tahj announcing his return for next season,” head coach Joey McGuire said in a statement. “From our conversations in recent weeks, it was clear that Tahj wants to leave a legacy here at Texas Tech and that a return for next season would help him do just that. Not only is Tahj one of the nation’s top running backs, but he is a phenomenal teammate and leader of this program.”
Regardless of his performance against Cal, Brooks will enter the 2024 season with an opportunity to break the Texas Tech career rushing record of 4,219 yards that was set by Doak Walker winner Byron Hanspard from 1994-96. Brooks enters the bowl game with 2,957 rushing yards over his career as he needs 43 yards to become the seventh Red Raider in history to reach the 3,000-yard mark.
Brooks has proved to be among the most elusive rushers in the country this season as he enters the postseason as the FBS leader with 91 forced missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. Brooks, who is fourth in the FBS with 919 yards after contact, is the only power-five player with 70 or more forced missed tackles this season.
Kickoff between Texas Tech and Cal is slated for 6:15 p.m. Pacific time Saturday night at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. Coverage will be provided nationally on ESPN.
Cover photo of Texas Tech's Tahj Brooks is by Michael C. Johnson, USA TODAY Sports
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