Red Raider Review

Recruits Reaction to Texas Tech Shutout Win Over Oklahoma State

Texas Tech defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys 42-0 on Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium. I spoke with several recruits who were in attendance to gather their reactions to the Red Raiders' victory.
Julio Gonzales, Jr.|
Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire after the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire after the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

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Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech shut out the Oklahoma State Cowboys 42-0 at Jones AT&T on Saturday to improve to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12. The Red Raiders were already without their starting quarterback, Behren Morton, and lost Will Hammond to a knee injury in the second quarter. Despite these setbacks, they scored two quick touchdowns thanks to J'Koby Williams. He returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and then caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Hammond on the first offensive play. From that moment on, Texas Tech never looked back. Third-string quarterback Mitch Griffis stepped in for Hammond, completing 9 out of 13 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown.

They will now prepare to travel to Manhattan, Kansas, next Saturday for a game against the Kansas State Wildcats (4-4, 3-2). Several recruiting targets from the class of 2026 and beyond attended the game to watch the Red Raiders play. I spoke with some of them to gather their thoughts on the matchup.

2026 Recruits

Jerald Mays| Interior offensive lineman| 6'2" 280 lbs| Weiss High School| Pflugerville, TX| |Rivals Industry Ranking: 787 Nationally/ 74 IOL/ 112 TX| 247Sports Composite: 812 Nationally/ 64 IOL/ 118 TX|

Mays committed to Texas Tech in April and was excited to be back in Lubbock. "They handled business, and what stood out to me was how welcome they always make me feel. I connected with everyone there. Those are all my guys! I will be coming back when we play BYU on November 8, " Mays said

Timmy Timmerman| Tight end| 6'5" 225 lbs| Legacy SSS| Katy, TX| | Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"The coaches really stood out for how genuine and welcoming they were. It was game day, and the atmosphere was electric. The facilities are top-notch, and everything about the visit showed how invested Texas Tech is in its program and its players. I was able to speak with Head Coach Joey McGuire, Coach Cochran (Tight ends coach Josh Cochran), and Coach Blanchard (General Manager James Blanchard), " he said.

Timmerman is also hearing from UTEP, Prairie View A&M, Valparaiso, UTSA, Army West Point, and Lafayette College.

2027 Recruits

Mason Joshua | 2027| Interior offensive line| 6'5" 265 lbs| Forney High School | Forney, TX| Recruiting Ranking: Rivals Industry Ranking: 671 Nationally/ 57 IOL/ 86 TX|

Joshua received an offer from the Red Raiders on September 11. "It was a complete blowout. The offense looked good, and the facilities are absolutely amazing. I talked to two coaches, but I completely forgot their names because I was in awe, " he said. Joshua said he has been hearing from Arizona State, Kansas State, and Duke, and will be taking a visit to Alabama in November.

Caris Sela| 2027| Athlete| 6'0" 190 lbs| Northwest High School| Justin, TX| | Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"The game was great, the energy at the stadium was high, and the fans were great as well. I loved how Tech played and how they came out with a 1st play touchdown. It was a great experience for sure, and I would love to be back. I mainly talked to Coach Corbin (Corbin Mock) and a little to Coach Nance (Director of Player Personnel Brian Nance). They were very cool and nice guys, " Sela said. He has an offer from Lamar University.

Mehki Jessie| 2027| Corner back| 6'2" 165 lbs| Berkner High School| Richardson, TX| | Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"I thought the game was competitive and full of energy from start to finish. What really stood out to me was the atmosphere. Texas Tech had a great crowd, and you could feel how much the fans love their team. The culture was amazing, but I wish I could have been there to see them throw tortillas. The facility was impressive, too, and everyone there treated me with a lot of respect and hospitality. Overall, it was a great experience and definitely a place that left a strong impression on me. I would love to come back. I connected with Coach Juice (Wide receivers coach Justin Johnson), who came from and actually graduated from the high school I'm attending. He showed me a lot of love, " Jessie said.

He has offers from UTSA, Ball State, Sacramento State, Wake Forest, Tulsa, and Texas State.

Ja'Leon Jones| 2027| Wide receiver/Tight end| 6'3" 200 lbs| Denton High School| Denton, TX| | Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"The game was hyped! From the first play of the game, the crowd just knew something special was going to happen, and we returned the kick. What also stood out to me was that no matter the situation, you play as hard as you can, no matter what. I was able to connect with Coach Juice and Coach Perry (Special Teams Coordinator Kenny Perry). They both worked with my head coach, Coach Beaty (David Beaty), " Jones said.

Lincoln Preston| 2027| Wide receiver| 6'0" 175 lbs| New Home High School| New Home, TX| | Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"The game was an incredible experience, getting to be on the field and watching the players warm up. The fans are awesome and so engaged. It was really cool to see Tech's amazing facilities and to see the size and speed close up. The opportunity I received to have a game day visit inspires me to grind harder and dial in even more, " Preston said. He also has visits to North Texas, SMU, and Texas State as well.   

2028 Recruits

Kolten Bowles| 2028| Quarterback| 6'2" 175 lbs| Memorial High School| Wichita Falls, TX| | Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"I was really focused on how the offense flowed and how the QB controlled the game. You can tell everything's fast, detailed, and built around execution. The culture and energy at Tech definitely stood out. It just felt like a place that loves to compete. I was able to connect with Coach Jordan Muniz, who was the one who invited me out, " Bowels said. He has been hearing from Division II Midwestern State.

Kaiden Joseph| 2028| Running back| 5'8" 170 lbs| Lubbock Cooper Liberty High School| Lubbock, TX| |Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"Tech was dominant throughout the whole game, especially on defense and special teams. The offense had a few inconsistencies and struggled a bit in the run game, but they executed when needed. I was able to connect with Coach McGuire and Coach Perry, " Joseph said.

Tylan Henderson| 2028| Linebacker| 6'1" 210 lbs| Weiss High School| Pflugerville , TX| |Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"The atmosphere stood out the most. It was electric! I was able to talk to Coach McGuire, Coach Wood (Defensive Coordinator Shiel Wood), Coach Juice, Coach McGuire(Offensive Line coach Clay McGuire), Coach Blanchard, and Coach Nance, " Henderson said. He has offers from SMU and Miami (FL), and has visits scheduled to Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, and Oklahoma.

Antonio Booker| 2028| Running back| 5'10" 1900 lbs| The Woodlands College Park High School| Pflugerville , TX| |Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

"My thoughts on the game are that it was really fun and a good experience. I like J'Koby Williams; he is tough. What stood out to me was that the team stuck together and didn't let each other down, " Booker said. He has offers from UTEP and UTSA.

2029 Recruits

Landen Guerra| 2029| Athlete| 5'9" 165 lbs| Seminole High School| Seminole, TX| | Recruiting Ranking: Not ranked|

The facility was awesome. The fans make the game exciting, and the feeling was great! Also, Coach McGuire came up to me and shook my hand, " Guerra said. He has also taken a visit to UTEP and is hoping to make it to North Texas as well.  

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Published
Julio Gonzales, Jr.
JULIO GONZALES, JR.

Julio Gonzales Jr. is from Lubbock, Texas, and graduated from Lubbock Christian University. He is a writer for Texas Tech On SI. He has previously written for Mike Farrell Sports and Rivals. There, he covered recruiting for JUCO Football, UTSA, Texas Tech, and SMU. He continues to cover recruiting on his Sports Madness page on Substack. You can reach him at:jrgonzales213@gmail.com.

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