When the Dustin R. Womble Football Center was only a concept, not a building a person could walk into, Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire already knew his favorite feature.
The spacious walkthrough room with a giant screen on one wall was going to come in handy in player preparation, McGuire said in June 2023.
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Now the Red Raiders are able to put it into action. Being out doesn’t keep injured players from doing meaningful work.
“We’re able to do a lot of stuff with the walkthrough room upstairs with a lot of those guys that have been banged up,” new safeties coach Rob Greene said. “I think that’s eased their transition back into practice in terms of alignment, assignment, where their eyes are supposed to be, their initial footwork, all that good stuff, so it’s been a big help for us.”
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Greene made the comment on Tuesday, Aug. 12, which was safety A.J. McCarty’s first day back to full practice. The returning 11-game starter at Star had been out since the beginning of preseason camp with a hamstring injury. Greene said Mike Dingle, the first-teamer at Star going into camp, also returned to action at the beginning of the week.
The recent absences of McCarty and Dingle prompted coaches to move John Curry to their position from inside linebacker. Greene said Curry’s been splitting his practice time 50-50 between the two spots and is still in the linebackers room with defensive coordinator Shiel Wood, who coaches them.
Asked if he views Curry as a potential starter at Star or if his use is package-specific, Greene said, “Package specific, but we may start a game in that package.”
Hunter Zambrano returns to Texas Tech football workouts
Offensive tackle Hunter Zambrano, who’s been dealing with a lower-back issue, was back in pads on Tuesday. Zambrano missed most of spring practice recovering from surgery on both hips, and his time off the field has opened the door for redshirt freshman Jacob Ponton to get most of the starter reps at right tackle.
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Vinny Sciury has been present at practice, but remains sidelined. McGuire said at the start of camp he’s dealing with an intestinal issue. Coming out of spring practice, Sciury was expected to battle Will Jados for the starting job at left guard.
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Amier Boyd weighs in on most difficult receivers to cover
Cornerback Amier Boyd said Caleb Douglas, Reggie Virgil and Coy Eakin are the receievers who are the toughest challenge. No surprise, given they’re starters.
“Those three right there, they give us problems,” Boyd said. “Not problems, but they give us some good work, some great work.”
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Which Red Raider is the best dunker?
Cornerbacks coach Darcel McBath noted the Red Raiders did several team-bonding activities in the offseason, including “a 3-point contest that turned into a dunk contest.”
Terrance Carter Jr., the Red Raiders’ 6-foot-2, 247-pound tight end, was one who stuck out.
“T.C., he’s something,” McBath said. “He went through the legs one time. (Cornerback) Dontae Balfour, he can get up. He’s got springs. Those two dudes, I think, kind of took the cake.”
Then McBath quickly remembered J’Koby Williams and how the 5-10, 185-pound running back wowed his teammates and coaches.
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“I mean, it’s looking at the rim and dunking it,” McBath said. “He put on a show. It was impressive.”
Aside from his basketball prowess, Carter continues to impress on the field.
“We kind of have a battle going on this whole fall camp so far,” linebacker John Curry said. “It’s amazing. He’s ridiculously versatile as a tight end, and it’s been great to work with, because I know if I can do half the things on him like I need to in a game, I can guard any tight end.”
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football developments: How Womble Center already paying off
