Texas Tech University Athletics
Gameday Feature: Leading The Corps
September 08, 2018 | Football
Zach Austin & Ja'Deion High Reflect On Their Time At Texas Tech
LUBBOCK, Texas -Â Few Division-I football players can say they spent more than four years at one school. Even fewer can say they spent more than five.
Sixth-year seniors Ja'Deion High and Zach Austin began their first semesters at Texas Tech in the fall of 2013. High and Austin are two of only three players on this year's roster that can say they witnessed the first year of Kliff Kingsbury's tenure as head coach of the Texas Tech football team.
During their time at Tech, they've experienced a handful of starting quarterbacks, multiple staff & personnel changes and plenty of upgrades to their facilities. One thing that's remained constant, however, is their love for the university and the people in the Lubbock community.
High grew up a hundred miles northwest of Jones AT&T Stadium in the small, cattle-driven town of Hereford, Texas. His West Texas roots have fueled his love for Texas Tech and the Lubbock area, and he recognizes the benefits of living so close to home.
"I can't imagine myself anywhere else," High said. "At first, I figured I would end up somewhere else, but it's so nice to have family practically right down the street. I knew the Lubbock area pretty well before I got here. It's such a comforting place."
High had no Division-I offers coming out of high school. A standout athlete at Hereford, he was also an exceptional baseball player, earning first team All-District 4-4A honors as an outfielder during his senior year of high school. He persevered through the grind of the recruiting process and told his coach he wanted to play for a D-I football program.
"One of my coaches called Coach (Eric) Morris and told him all about me and insisted that I should walk-on to the team," High said. "I figured I would give it a shot. Since I arrived at Texas Tech, Coach Kingsbury has helped me every step of the way. I'm so thankful they took a chance on me."
High's persistence paid off. In 2015, his sophomore season, High started in five games and recovered two crucial onside kicks in back-to-back games against Kansas State and Texas to seal Red Raider victories.
After an injury ended his season in 2016, High saw significant playing time on both special teams and offense last season. He recorded a blocked punt against Arizona State and became the first non-kicker since Jakeem Grant in 2015 to be name Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
Similarly to High, Austin was a standout receiver at his high school of Lake Travis in Austin, Texas. He helped lead Lake Travis to an undefeated 16-0 season and a 4A State Championship in 2011, ending his high school career with over 1,000 receiving yards.
Austin chose to come to Tech over an offer from Texas State, his only other Division-I scholarship offer. His standout performance came in his debut against Baylor in 2015, in which he caught eight passes for 110 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown from former Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes II.
Austin's 2016 and 2017 seasons were both ended before they began due to injury. As he looks to bounce back this year, he knows he has some people to thank for his development as a Red Raider.
"I have to thank Coach Kingsbury and Coach Morris for helping me get to this position," Austin said. "The quarterbacks like Pat (Mahomes) and Nic (Shimonek) really helped me progress and persevere through the past couple of seasons. Also, some of guys in my room like Jakeem (Grant), Bradley Marquez and even Jace (Amaro). I still talk to Jace a lot. There so many people to thank. I couldn't have done it without those guys."
It's not just his teammates and coaches, though. Austin has a deep appreciation for the Lubbock community and Red Raider fans for their continuous support throughout the years.
"They've been really, really good to me," Austin said. "For the most part, I've been an under-the-radar player, but anytime I'm out there, they support me. They're just great."
High & Austin were both listed as starters on the week one depth chart for the first time in their careers. Throughout the years and all the changes and challenges, their perseverance and determination has finally paid off.
Both players expressed gratitude to the people who helped them along the way. They recognize the importance of solid support systems and have a message of their own for the younger players on the team.
"I hope those guys can learn something from me," Austin said. "These guys are immensely talented, way more so than I ever will be. Hopefully I can teach them something before I leave."
"I always tell them to keep working," High said. "Control what you can control. Stay focused and you'll go far."
Sixth-year seniors Ja'Deion High and Zach Austin began their first semesters at Texas Tech in the fall of 2013. High and Austin are two of only three players on this year's roster that can say they witnessed the first year of Kliff Kingsbury's tenure as head coach of the Texas Tech football team.
During their time at Tech, they've experienced a handful of starting quarterbacks, multiple staff & personnel changes and plenty of upgrades to their facilities. One thing that's remained constant, however, is their love for the university and the people in the Lubbock community.
High grew up a hundred miles northwest of Jones AT&T Stadium in the small, cattle-driven town of Hereford, Texas. His West Texas roots have fueled his love for Texas Tech and the Lubbock area, and he recognizes the benefits of living so close to home.
"I can't imagine myself anywhere else," High said. "At first, I figured I would end up somewhere else, but it's so nice to have family practically right down the street. I knew the Lubbock area pretty well before I got here. It's such a comforting place."
High had no Division-I offers coming out of high school. A standout athlete at Hereford, he was also an exceptional baseball player, earning first team All-District 4-4A honors as an outfielder during his senior year of high school. He persevered through the grind of the recruiting process and told his coach he wanted to play for a D-I football program.
"One of my coaches called Coach (Eric) Morris and told him all about me and insisted that I should walk-on to the team," High said. "I figured I would give it a shot. Since I arrived at Texas Tech, Coach Kingsbury has helped me every step of the way. I'm so thankful they took a chance on me."
High's persistence paid off. In 2015, his sophomore season, High started in five games and recovered two crucial onside kicks in back-to-back games against Kansas State and Texas to seal Red Raider victories.
After an injury ended his season in 2016, High saw significant playing time on both special teams and offense last season. He recorded a blocked punt against Arizona State and became the first non-kicker since Jakeem Grant in 2015 to be name Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
Similarly to High, Austin was a standout receiver at his high school of Lake Travis in Austin, Texas. He helped lead Lake Travis to an undefeated 16-0 season and a 4A State Championship in 2011, ending his high school career with over 1,000 receiving yards.
Austin chose to come to Tech over an offer from Texas State, his only other Division-I scholarship offer. His standout performance came in his debut against Baylor in 2015, in which he caught eight passes for 110 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown from former Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes II.
Austin's 2016 and 2017 seasons were both ended before they began due to injury. As he looks to bounce back this year, he knows he has some people to thank for his development as a Red Raider.
"I have to thank Coach Kingsbury and Coach Morris for helping me get to this position," Austin said. "The quarterbacks like Pat (Mahomes) and Nic (Shimonek) really helped me progress and persevere through the past couple of seasons. Also, some of guys in my room like Jakeem (Grant), Bradley Marquez and even Jace (Amaro). I still talk to Jace a lot. There so many people to thank. I couldn't have done it without those guys."
It's not just his teammates and coaches, though. Austin has a deep appreciation for the Lubbock community and Red Raider fans for their continuous support throughout the years.
"They've been really, really good to me," Austin said. "For the most part, I've been an under-the-radar player, but anytime I'm out there, they support me. They're just great."
High & Austin were both listed as starters on the week one depth chart for the first time in their careers. Throughout the years and all the changes and challenges, their perseverance and determination has finally paid off.
Both players expressed gratitude to the people who helped them along the way. They recognize the importance of solid support systems and have a message of their own for the younger players on the team.
"I hope those guys can learn something from me," Austin said. "These guys are immensely talented, way more so than I ever will be. Hopefully I can teach them something before I leave."
"I always tell them to keep working," High said. "Control what you can control. Stay focused and you'll go far."
Players Mentioned
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