Spring Drills Begin Tuesday
June 21, 1999 | Football
March 1, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech will begin preparations for the 1999 football season Tuesday when it begins its annual spring drills at Jones Stadium, head coach Spike Dykes announced.
The Red Raiders will begin spring practice on Tuesday at 3:45 p.m. on the Jones Stadium turf and will conduct a total of 15 workouts that will culminate on Thursday, April 1. Texas Tech will conduct a total of eight sessions the first two weeks prior to spring break. The team will go through seven sessions, including the Red-Black game, following the break.
Texas Tech returns six starters on defense and eight on offense, as well as a total of 49 letterwinners, from its 7-5 team that advanced to the Sanford Independence Bowl last season. Offensively, the Red Raiders return the top tailback in the Big 12 in Ricky Williams, starting quarterback Rob Peters, as well as flanker Derek Dorris, fullback Jonathan Hawkins, tackles Jonathan Gray and Steve McFadden, all-Big 12 guard Curtis Lowery and tight end Kyle Allamon.
Defensively, the loss of All-America defensive end Montae Reagor will be offset by the return of former roommate and starting defensive end Taurus Rucker. In addition, the SWARM will return starters including all-Big 12 defensive tackle Kris Kocurek, linebacker Kyle Shipley, cornerback Oscar Solis, free safety John Norman and Raiderbacks Keith Cockrum and Reagan Bownds.
"Spring practice is always a good time to get some of the younger players more experience in our system," said Dykes, who is entering his 13th season as the dean of the Big 12 coaches. "As freshmen, a lot of those guys end up playing on a lot of the scout teams and don't get a chance to get fully integrated into the lineup. We have a lot of younger players returning next year so it will really be critical for us to have a good spring."
The annual Red-Black Game will be played on March 27 at 10 a.m. in Jones Stadium. The game will feature a number of promotions this year, including a Lettermen's Golf Tournament on Friday and a Bar-B-Que following the game. Fans will be able to select the starting lineups for the Red team through online at www.texastech.com and through ballots printed in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. The Masked Rider's public transfer of the reins, Raider Red, the award winning Goin' Band and other attractions are planned as well.
Texas Tech will open the season on September 4 at Arizona State in a 6 p.m. (central) contest. The Red Raiders open the five-game home schedule against North Texas on Sept. 18. Texas Tech plays Texas A&M, Colorado, Iowa State and Oklahoma at home this season in Big 12 Conference action. Away games include non-conference foe Southwestern Louisiana as well as Oklahoma State, Baylor, Missouri and Texas from the Big 12.
TEXAS TECH SPRING FOOTBALL PRACTICE SCHEDULE
March 2 Shorts 3:45 March 23 Shorts 3:45 March 3 Shorts 3:45 March 24 Pads 3:45 March 4 Pads 3:45 March 25 Pads 3:45 March 6 Scrimmage 2:00 March 27 Red-Black 10:00 March 7 Pads tba March 30 Pads 3:45 March 9 Pads 3:45 March 31 Pads 3:45 March 10 Pads 3:45 April 1 Pads 3:45 March 11 Scrimmage 3:45
1999 Texas Tech Football Schedule
Date Opponent Time S. 4 at Arizona State 6:00 p.m. S. 11 at Southwestern La. tba S. 18 NORTH TEXAS 6:00 p.m. Alumni Band Day O. 2 TEXAS A&M 6:00 p.m. O. 9 at Oklahoma State tba O. 16 COLORADO 6:00 p.m. Homecoming O. 23 at Baylor tba O. 30 at Missouri 1:00 p.m. N. 6 IOWA STATE 1:00 p.m. Family Day N. 13 at Texas tba N. 20 OKLAHOMA 1:00 p.m. Senior Day
All Times Central and Subject to Change. Denotes Big 12 Conference Game. Home games in bold.