This year, there isn’t as much hype surrounding the Texas Tech football team as there was last preseason. However, one Red Raider, Tahj Brooks, is getting his share of national love.

After a 1,500-yard season in 2023, the super-senior from Manor, Texas, was named a second preseason All-American by ESPN. Interestingly, ESPN’s first-team running back, Ollie Gordon II of Oklahoma State, is also a member of the Big 12.

This is a sign that the conference will be well-stocked at the running back position this fall. Other standout running backs in the league include RJ Harvey of Central Florida, Devan Neal of Kansas and DJ Giddens of Kansas State.

However, it’s possible that Brooks means as much to his team as any running back in the country. Last year, he was the Red Raiders’ primary offensive weapon. In fact, opposing teams knew he would carry the ball 20 or more times per game because QB Behren Morton sprained his throwing shoulder.

In total, Brooks carried the ball 290 times in 2023. After only 18 carries in the first two weeks, he averaged 24.7 carries per game.

Now he is just 1,100 yards away from breaking Texas Tech’s all-time career rushing record, and head coach Joey McGuire has vowed to help Brooks reach that goal.

Since arriving in Lubbock, Brooks has seen a steady rise. He was the No. 624 player in the 2020 class and was widely considered a 3-star talent.

As a freshman, he had 255 yards and 4 touchdowns on 69 attempts. A year later, he ran for 568 yards and 7 touchdowns on 87 attempts in nine games.

In 2022, he split time with SaRodorick Thompson, scoring 691 yards and 7 more scores, and then exploded last season as Texas Tech’s top running back for the first time.

Brooks will once again be the leader of Tech’s running game this year, but the hope is that he will get more help from the other running backs on the roster as well as the passing attack. Hopefully, he will get more recognition at the end of the season after another outstanding performance.