2024 Football Roster
Roster
Brooks, Tahj
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Jersey Number 28
Tahj Brooks
- Position:
- Running Back
- Height:
- 5-10
- Weight:
- 230
- Class:
- Super-Senior
- Hometown:
- Manor, Texas
- High School:
- Manor
Bio
CAREER HONORS & AWARDS
IN THE TEXAS TECH RECORD BOOK
IN THE BIG 12 RECORD BOOK
2024 SEASON (SUPER SENIOR)
Put his name among Texas Tech’s all-time greats as the school’s all-time leading rusher during his final season in scarlet and black … saw action in 11 of 13 games, all starts, during final season … held out of the second game of the season at Washington State (9/7) due to injury … opted out of Texas Tech’s appearance at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl versus Arkansas (12/27) following the regular season … rushed for 1,505 yards and 17 touchdowns in only 11 games, marking his second-consecutive season with 1,500 rushing yards … became the first Red Raider and only the third Big 12 rusher in history to record multiple 1,500-yard rushing seasons in a career … was only the 48th time an FBS player since 1956 has notched multiple 1,500-yard rushing seasons as well … his 17 rushing touchdowns were easily a career high and matched his combined total from the two previous seasons … found the end zone in 10 of 11 games overall with the lone exception being the Big 12 opener versus Arizona State … became the first power conference player since D’Onta Foreman of Texas in 2016 to rush for 1,500 yards in 11 games or less … rushed for at least 100 yards in all 11 games to set the Texas Tech single-season record … joined Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty as the only rushers in the country to hit the 100-yard mark in every game played during the season (minimum 10 games) … concluded his career by rushing for at least 95 yards over his final 22-consecutive games, the longest streak for any FBS player dating back to 1996 … rushed for at least 100 yards in 19 of those games en route to setting the Texas Tech career record for most 100-yard performances (23) … among the national leaders with 286 carries on the year at an average of 26.0 per game … received at least 20 carries in all but one game, which came early in the season in the win over North Texas where most of Texas Tech’s starters were removed at halftime with a 52-7 lead … one of the best pass-catching running backs in college football with 28 receptions for 199 yards and a touchdown on the season … caught at least one pass in all but two games (North Texas and Cincinnati) and had two or more grabs in eight different contests … finished with 1,704 all-purpose yards, the most in his career … recorded at least 150 all-purpose yards in five different games, including each of his final three appearances … credited with 725 offensive snaps played by Pro Football Focus, grading out at 82.7 overall … was the second-highest snap count of his career … was Texas Tech’s highest-graded offensive player by the publication for the second-consecutive season … IN THE NCAA RANKINGS: among the nation’s top rushers, finishing the season ranked third in the FBS for rushing yards per game (136.8), fifth for all-purpose yards per game (154.9) and eighth for total rushing yards (1,505) … was also ninth for total all-purpose yards (1,704) and 12th in the country with 17 rushing touchdowns … carried heavy workload the entire season, ending the year ranked second nationally in rushing attempts per game (26.0) and fifth for total carries (286) … his 41 carries of 10 or more yards ranked 11th in the FBS, while his 14 carries of 20 or more yards was tied for eighth nationally … IN THE BIG 12 RANKINGS: was the Big 12 leader in rushing yards per game (136.8), averaging a full five yards more a game than both Cam Skattebo of Arizona State and RJ Harvey of UCF … ranked third in three different categories: total rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and all-purpose yards per game … led the league in rushing attempts per game and was second in total attempts, trailing only Skattebo by seven carries with two less games played … ranked third in the league for rushes of both 10 or 20 or more yards … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: opened the season with 27 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown in the victory over Abilene Christian (8/31) … marked the fourth 150-yard performance of his career at the time and the first of his three such outings on the year … scored Texas Tech’s first touchdown on the season with an 18-yard scamper to close the opening drive … touchdown moved him into the top 10 in school history to start the season … returned from injury two weeks later to carry 17 times for 109 yards and a touchdown in only one half of play in the victory over North Texas (9/14) … sat the entire second half after the Red Raiders built a 52-7 lead through two quarters … held out of the end zone for the only time on the season in the Big 12 opener versus Arizona State (9/21), finishing with 27 carries for 117 yards overall … followed with one of his best performances of the season in the win over Cincinnati (9/28), finishing with a season-high 32 carries for 172 yards and two touchdowns … was the first of three games with at least 30 carries on the season … marked the second-highest rushing total of his career at the time and the sixth of his eventual seven 150-yard performances as a Red Raider … both touchdowns came in what Texas Tech terms the “middle eight,” tying the game on a 1-yard scamper before halftime and then a 2-yard run to close the first drive of the second half … combined for five rushing touchdowns over the two-game stretch against Cincinnati and then at Arizona (10/5) … matched his career high with three rushing touchdowns in the road win over the Wildcats as part of 21 carries for 128 yards … final touchdown helped Texas Tech’s victory as he raced up the middle for a 32-yard score to give the Red Raiders a 28-19 lead with 1:53 remaining in regulation … other two touchdowns came via a three-yard rush midway through the first quarter for the game’s first score and then a nine-yard carry just before halftime … final touchdown came after two second-half fumbles, his only two on the season and two of only five over his Red Raider career … carried 25 times for 125 yards and a touchdown against Baylor (10/19), while catching four passes for 22 yards … broke loose for a 31-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to cut Baylor’s lead to 24-21 at the time … received 30 carries the next week at TCU (10/26), finishing with 121 yards and a touchdown, which came on a four-yard run early in the second quarter … started the month of November with 25 carries for 122 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the road win at No. 10 Iowa State … capped a game-winning drive in the final minutes with a 5-yard touchdown run to the right corner from the Wildcat position … touchdown came with only 19 seconds in regulation to wrap a strong fourth quarter with 11 carries for 55 yards alone … eclipsed 4,000 career rushing yards in the win, becoming the third Red Raider in history to do so in the process … performance also pushed him over 1,000 yards for the second-consecutive season … marked the 20th career 100-yard game of his career, becoming the eighth player in Big 12 history to reach that mark … snapped Hanspard’s career rushing mark late in Texas Tech’s loss to Colorado (11/19) as part of 31 carries for 137 yards and a touchdown … gained the bulk of his yardage in the fourth quarter with eight carries for 79 yards and a 9.9 yards per rush average over the final 15 minutes … broke the all-time rushing record on a 25-yard run to start Texas Tech’s drive with 7:05 remaining in the fourth quarter … lone touchdown came via a two-yard run midway through the second quarter that gave the Red Raiders a 20-17 lead … was more involved through the air over the final three games of the regular season with four catches for 51 yards against Colorado … had at least 180 all-purpose yards in all three games during that stretch … combined for four touchdowns after the open week at Oklahoma State (11/23), finishing with three on the ground as part of 28 carries for 133 yards and one through the air with nine receptions for 65 yards … set a new career high for receptions, receiving yards and total touchdowns in the victory over the Cowboys, all while setting the Texas Tech record with his 22nd career 100-yard game … hauled in a 25-yard touchdown pass up the seam from Behren Morton with only five seconds until halftime to give the Red Raiders a 21-14 lead … was the longest reception of his career and his fifth reception already in the win, which matched his career at the time … pounded the Oklahoma State defense in the second half with three rushing touchdowns, finding the end zone from 2, 40 and 1 yards out … his 40-yard touchdown run came on a 4th-and-1 rush out of the Wildcat formation where he found the outside for clear path to the end zone, high-fiving tight end Jalin Conyers near the goal line for a top social media moment … matched his career high with three rushing touchdowns with his 1-yard touchdown run, which gave the Red Raiders a 49-42 lead with 6:12 remaining in regulation … set a new career high for rushing yards in his final game as a Red Raider, totaling 188 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries in the regular-season finale against West Virginia (11/30) … added two receptions for 35 yards in the victory … all three touchdowns came in the second quarter via runs of 2, 37 and 2 yards, giving the Red Raiders a commanding 35-3 lead at the break … final touchdown was his 45th on the ground in his career, third-most in program history … set a new career high with 233 all-purpose yards, which pushed him over 5,000 all-purpose yards for his career … only the seventh Red Raider in history to reach the 5,000-yard mark for all-purpose yards … combined for 609 all-purpose yards and eight total touchdowns (7 rushing) over Texas Tech’s final three regular season games alone … participated in bowl preparations for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl but ultimately elected to sit out the matchup with Arkansas (12/27) … AWARDS AND HONORS: recognized on the All-Big 12 second team by the conference coaches and Associated Press … named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award for a second-consecutive season … was also a semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, which is presented to the top offensive player with ties to the state of Texas … recognized as a fourth team All-American by Phil Steele Magazine … preseason candidate for the Maxwell Award as part of its initial watch list … shared Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors twice during the season, starting on Oct. 7 following the win at Arizona and then again Dec. 2 following his career performance versus West Virginia … tabbed the Offensive Player of the Year for the state of Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … was also part of the publication’s All-Texas first team … honored by multiple organizations for his work in the classroom, namely as a first team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) … became the 11th Red Raider all-time to be named an Academic All-American and the first to do so from the running back position … was the first Academic All-America selection since Patrick Mahomes II following his 2016 junior season … named the sixth National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete in school history as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy … attended the NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas in December as a finalist for the award dubbed the “Academic Heisman” … joined a prestigious list of fellow Red Raiders to be named a finalist, including John Scovell (1967), Keith Cockrum (1999), Kliff Kingsbury (2022), Graham Harrell (2008) and Cody Davis (2012) … POSTSEASON ALL-STAR GAMES: selected to play in the 100th East-West Shrine Game following the season, which took place Jan. 30 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington … rushed five times for 14 yards for the West squad, while also catching a team-high four passes for 21 yards off six targets … named to the West All-Practice Team by the Shrine Bowl for his performance leading up to the game, which is attended heavily by coaches and scouts from all 32 NFL teams … NFL SCOUTING COMBINE: one of four Red Raiders to receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine ... 2025 NFL DRAFT: selected 193rd overall in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals ... became the first Red Raider to have his name called by the franchise since Joe Walter in 1985 and only the third overall in program history.
2023 SEASON (SENIOR)
Put together one of the best seasons by a Red Raider running back in school history … emerged as one of the nation’s top offensive weapons as part of a run-heavy scheme during Big 12 play … member of head coach Joey McGuire’s captains circle of upperclassmen leaders … started in all 13 games overall at running back … recorded 290 carries for 1,538 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, averaging 118.3 yards per game, easily a career best … became just the fifth Red Raider in program history and the first since Ricky Williams to rush for 1,500 yards in a season … joined a prestigious list of Red Raider running backs at 1,500 rushers, a group that includes two Doak Walker winners in Byron Hanspard (1996) and Byron “Bam” Morris (1993) as well as Ricky Williams (1998) and James Gray (1989) … bulk of yardage came during Big 12 play thanks to seven 100-yard performances and two games with at least 150 rushing yards … hit the 100-yard rushing mark in eight different games overall with three of those reaching 150 yards … totaled at least 90 rushing yards in all nine Big 12 contests as well as in the Radiant Technologies Independence Bowl versus Cal … averaged an impressive 130.6 rushing yards per game during league play alone as part of an expanded workload … number of carries increased to 25.7 attempts per game during Big 12 play, which was more than double his average during non-conference portion of the schedule (12.3) … joined both Williams (1998) and Hanspard (1996) as the only Red Raiders in the Big 12 era to make 250 or more rushing attempts in a season … received 20 or more carries in eight different games, all during Big 12 play or in the bowl win … recorded 30 or more attempts in four games, becoming the first Red Raider to do so since Hanspard had six such games in 1996 … the Red Raiders were 3-1 in games where he rushed 30 or more times … rushed for at least 10 yards in 37 carries and 20 yards nine different times … effective in the passing game as both a blocker and as a receiver out of the backfield with 29 receptions for 72 yards … caught at least one pass in all but one game with the exception being the non-conference finale against Tarleton State … caught 29 passes for 72 yards overall on the season … was Texas Tech’s highest-graded player on either side of the ball by Pro Football Focus at 90.1 overall … credited with 785 offensive snaps, the most by a non-offensive lineman … graded at 76.5 overall as a pass blocker, an area the Texas Tech coaching staff praised the highest … was PFF’s highest-graded running back in a power-five conference as a pass blocker among players who were called to protect at least 68 times on the year … led the country with 96 forced missed tackles in PFF’s rankings thanks in part to three games in double digits (Kansas State, BYU and TCU) … compiled 998 of his rushing yards after contact, which equated to nearly two-thirds of his total yardage … IN THE TEXAS TECH RECORD BOOK: ended the season ranked fourth all-time in single-season history with 1,538 rushing yards … trailed only the totals of Byron Hanspard (2,084 yards in 1996), Byron Morris (1,752 yards in 1993) and Ricky Williams (1,582 yards in 1998) … only the fifth 1,500-yard rusher in program history … also ended the season tied for fourth in single-season attempts with 290 carries … trailed only the totals from Hanspard (339 in 1996), Williams (336 in 1998) and Morris (208 in 1993) … entered the career record book for both rushing yards and attempts late in the season … IN NCAA RANKINGS: closed the season ranked fourth in the FBS for both total rushing yards (1,538) and rushing yards per game (118.3) … trailed only Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II (1,732), Troy’s Kimani Vidal (1,661) and Missouri’s Cody Schrader (1,627) in total rushing yards … was 19th nationally in all-purpose yards per game, averaging 123.9 yards a contest … his 1,175 rushing yards against conference opponents was the second-highest total in the FBS behind only Gordon II … ranked second in the FBS for total rushing attempts, trailing only Vidal (297) … was the only player in the FBS to have at least four games with 30 or more rushing attempts during the season … led the FBS with 96 forced missed tackles created according to Pro Football Focus, which was 18 more than any other power-five player … publication ranked him fourth in the FBS with 998 total yards after contact … IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: was second in the league in both total rushing yards and rushing yards per game … was also fourth in all-purpose yards and per game, seventh in rushing touchdowns and 10th in total touchdowns (10) … led the league in total rushing attempts with five more than Gordon II … ranked third in the league in all-purpose yards (1,610) and was fourth in all-purpose yards per game (123.8) … was second in the league with 319 all-purpose plays … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: combined for only 110 rushing yards on 18 attempts over the first two games of the year with 11 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown at Wyoming (9/2) and seven for 71 yards against Oregon (9/9) … finished with 89 all-purpose yards versus the Ducks with four receptions for 18 yards … closed non-conference play with 19 carries for 158 rushing yards against Tarleton State (9/16) … marked his first career game with at least 150 rushing yards and his fifth 100-yard outing … was the most rushing yards in a game by a Red Raider since Justin Stockton totaled 161 on the ground at Kansas in 2017 … eclipsed the 100-yard mark in the first half alone, totaling 140 rushing yards before the break … was limited in the second half of the blowout victory … marked the first of four-consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards after hitting the mark in each of the first three Big 12 contests as well … became the first Red Raider to rush for 100 yards over four-consecutive games since Ricky Williams did so over six-straight contests from the 1997 season finale through the first five games of the 1998 campaign … totaled 149 rushing yards on 25 carries at West Virginia (9/23) and then 101 yards and two touchdowns on 21 attempts in the win over Houston (9/30) … found the end zone twice in the first half for his lone multi-touchdown game of the season versus the Cougars … scored via his legs in each of the next seven games and in eight of the next nine contests to close the season … one of two 100-yard rushers in the Houston win, joining fellow running back Cam’Ron Valdez … marked only the third time in program history Texas Tech has boasted two 100-yard rushers as other two occurrences came in 1998 with Ricky Williams and Rob Peters versus Baylor and then 2012 with Eric Stephens and Kenny Williams versus New Mexico … carried the Red Raiders in the win at Baylor (10/7) with 31 carries for 170 yards and a touchdown … marked the first time a Red Raider had received 30 or more carries in a game since Sammy Morris had 33 in a win over Texas A&M in 1999 … marked the most yards by a Red Raider since DeAndre Washington totaled 173 in the regular-season finale at Texas in 2015 … streak of 100-yard outings ended the next week versus Kansas State (10/14) after carrying 17 times for 98 yards and a touchdown … snuck in the end zone from two yards out with only 23 seconds remaining until the half, cutting K-State’s lead to 17-14 at the break … hit the 30-carry mark again at BYU (10/21), finishing with 101 rushing yards and a touchdown on 30 carries … carried eight times for 41 yards on Texas Tech’s opening drive alone … instrumental in the Red Raiders’ strong November, averaging 139.0 rushing yards per game in the month and 153.7 yards per game over a three-game winning streak to reach bowl eligibility … started the month with 31 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown in the Thursday night win over TCU (11/2) … scored the go-ahead touchdown on a nine-yard scamper with six seconds remaining in the third quarter … surpassed Baron Batch for 10th all-time on the Texas Tech career rushing list in the win … followed with a career-high 33 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown a week later at Kansas (11/11) … marked the first time a Red Raider received 30 or more carries over three-consecutive games since Byron Hanspard did so over four-straight games in 1996 … reached the 100-yard mark in the first half again with 22 carries for 107 yards in the first 30 minutes alone … carried six times (of seven plays) on Texas Tech’s opening drive, capping it with a five-yard touchdown run to score for a sixth-straight game … put together his best performance of the season to push the Red Raiders to bowl eligibility versus UCF (11/18), finishing with a career-high 182 rushing yards and a touchdown off 24 carries … marked the most rushing yards by a Red Raider since DeAndre Washington had 248 yards versus Kansas State in 2015 … gave the Red Raiders their first lead on a 13-yard rushing touchdown with 11 seconds remaining in the third quarter … marked the first time a Red Raider had rushed for a touchdown in seven-straight games since Eric Stephens did so between the last two games of the 2010 season and the first five of the 2011 campaign … was the first time a Red Raider has found the end zone on the ground over seven-consecutive games in the same season since Taurean Henderson over the final seven games of the 2004 season … escaped for a 46-yard rush in the first quarter, which was his longest attempt of the season … nearly ended the regular season with another 100-yard game, finishing with 95 yards on 19 carries at Texas (11/24) … recorded the same rushing total in the Radiant Technologies Independence Bowl versus Cal (12/16), totaling 95 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries … touchdown came via a seven-yard rush late in the third quarter to give the Red Raiders a 31-14 lead … was the 11th-consecutive game to end the season with 90 rushing yards or more … eclipsed 3,000 career rushing yards in the second quarter, becoming the seventh Red Raider in program history to reach the mark … AWARDS AND HONORS: named to the All-Big 12 first team by the conference coaches and Associated Press … became the first Red Raider running back to earn first team accolades since DeAndre Washington in 2015 and the fifth to do so in the Big 12 era, joining Taurean Henderson (2005), Ricky Williams (2001) and Byron Hanspard (1996) … tabbed the Offensive Player of the Year and the top running back by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … was on the DCTF All-Texas first team … semifinalist for both the Doak Walker and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Awards … selected to the Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list prior to the season as well … recognized for his work in the classroom, tabbed to the Academic All-Big 12 first team for the third-straight year ... SENIOR DECISION: elected to utilize an extra season of eligibility to return for the 2024 season where he is expected to be among the nation’s top players.
2022 SEASON (JUNIOR)
Finished as the Red Raiders’ team leader in rushing yards for a second-consecutive season … formed one of the top 1-2 running back combos in the country with SaRodorick Thompson Jr. … appeared in all 13 games with six starts … earned the team rushing title by only seven yards after carrying 147 times for 691 yards and seven touchdowns … was the team leader in carries and shared the team high for rushing touchdowns with Thompson … marked only the fourth time in the Big 12 era Texas Tech has featured a pair of 600-yard rushers in the same season (2008, 2010, 2017) … received 10 or more carries in nine games overall with one 100-yard rushing performance … hit the 100-yard mark for all-purpose yards four times on the year … had 17 of his carries go for at least 10 yards with five at 20 or more yards and two for 30 yards … also on the receiving end of 26 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown … was sixth on the team for receptions and led all running backs … was Texas Tech’s highest-graded offensive player, finishing at 79.0 by Pro Football Focus … credited with playing in 522 offensive plays, which trailed only Jerand Bradley and Myles Price among skill position players … IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: closed the season ranked seventh in the league for rushing yards, eighth in rushing yards per game (53.2), 10th in total touchdowns (8) and 12th for rushing touchdowns (7) … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: limited in the season opener due to a preseason injury, carrying only six times for 50 yards … three of those carries resulted in a touchdown, however, marking a career-high … found the end zone from 14, 3 and 23 yards out, all in the first half as the Red Raiders took a commanding 42-10 lead … was back to full speed a week later with a career-high 17 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown as well as a career-high five receptions for 34 yards … touchdown was via a four-yard run in the first overtime that tied the game heading into a second extra period … matched his career-high with five receptions and made a new mark with 44 receiving yards the following week at NC State (9/17) to go along with four carries for four yards … opened Big 12 play with 12 carries for 36 yards and three receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown … was the first receiving touchdown of his career, which came on a 17-yard strike out of the backfield from Donovan Smith early in the second quarter … had 10 carries for 39 yards and four receptions for five yards at Kansas State (10/1) … limited to only four carries for eight yards at Oklahoma State (10/8) … put together his best game of the season in the rout over West Virginia (10/22), carrying 17 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns … had each of Texas Tech’s first two touchdowns in the win, scampering into the end zone from 19 yards and one yard out early in the first quarter … almost hit the 100-yard mark again the next week with 16 carries for 98 yards against Baylor (10/29) with two catches for 17 yards … received double-digit carries in six of the final seven games of the season with 10 for 59 yards at TCU (11/5) and 16 for 51 yards and a touchdown versus Kansas (11/12) … touchdown sealed the win over the Jayhawks as it came on a five-yard run with only 3:33 remaining … only game without double-digit attempts came at Iowa State (11/19) with nine carries for 45 yards … closed the regular season with 12 carries for 26 yards in the win over Oklahoma (11/26) … one of the top performers in the TaxAct Texas Bowl versus Ole Miss (12/28), finishing with 14 carries for 90 yards … escaped on a 37-yard run late in the first quarter that set up a Trey Wolff field goal and marked his longest of the season … AWARDS AND HONORS: recognized for his work in the classroom as part of the Academic All-Big 12 first team.
2021 SEASON (SOPHOMORE)
Led the Red Raiders in rushing yards as a sophomore as part of a breakout season … appeared in only nine games overall with four starts … missed a four-game stretch to start Big 12 play due to injury … still managed to total 568 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 87 carries, while also catching six passes for 58 yards out of the backfield … just edged teammate SaRodorick Thompson Jr. for the rushing title by 68 yards after Thompson led the Red Raiders the previous two seasons … key component in a Texas Tech rushing attack that ranked tied for 20th nationally in rushing touchdowns as a team … also returned one kick for 21 yards as part of Texas Tech’s rotation of returnees … was second on the team for both carries and rushing touchdowns and third for scoring (42 points) … led the team in rushing yards per game (63.1), yards per rushing attempt (6.5) and had the longest rush by any Red Raider on the year (67 yards) … eclipsed the 100-yard mark three times on the season, which led the team … finished with at least 40 rushing yards in six games overall … found the end zone on the ground in five different games … received at least 10 carries in four games with two more games at nine attempts … IN NCAA RANKINGS: ranked tied for 10th nationally with four rushes of at least 40 yards … IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: was tied for fourth in the league for rushing attempts of at least 40 yards and was 11th for rushing touchdowns … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: opened the season with an impressive 134 yards and two touchdowns off 15 carries in the come-from-behind victory over Houston (9/4) … marked the first 100-yard outing of his career and his second multi-touchdown performance … both touchdowns came via long runs after finding the end zone via a 41-yard scamper early in the second quarter and then a 44-yard sprint to seal the victory with one minute remaining … was the most rushing yards by a Red Raider in a season opener since Ricky Williams went for 251 yards in 1998 against UTEP … put together another 100-yard performance the following week against Stephen F. Austin (9/11) with 103 yards and two touchdowns off 11 carries … his 237 rushing yards marked the most by a Red Raider through two games since Ricky Williams in 1998 … victory over Stephen F. Austin featured a 67-yard touchdown run that was the longest of his career … closed non-conference play with nine carries for 47 yards in win over Florida International (9/18) … proceeded to miss the next four games to start Big 12 play due to injury … returned against Kansas State (10/23), carrying four times for 33 yards, including one for 23 yards … had six carries for 23 yards, a reception for five yards and also returned a kick for 21 yards in loss at Oklahoma (10/23) … played crucial role in win over Iowa State (11/13) with nine carries for 80 yards and a touchdown as well as two catches for 21 yards … touchdown was Texas Tech’s first on the afternoon, coming on a 14-yard scamper to close the opening drive … found the end zone for the final time on the year in regular-season finale at Baylor (11/27) as part of 14 carries for 40 yards … touchdown was Texas Tech’s first on the day, cutting its deficit to 17-10 just before halftime off a 1-yard carry … hit the 100-yard mark for the third and final time on the season in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl versus Mississippi State (12/28) … carried a career-high 16 times for 107 yards and a touchdown in the win … marked the most rushing yards by a Red Raider in a bowl since Eric Stephens rushed for 126 yards in the 2010 TicketCity Bowl versus Northwestern … had the first touchdown of the night for the Red Raiders, scoring from 19 yards out to cap a strong opening drive … AWARDS AND HONORS: recognized on the Academic All-Big 12 first team.
2020 SEAS0N (FRESHMAN)
An instant impact for the Red Raiders in the backfield as only a true freshman … appeared in all 10 games, totaling 255 rushing yards and four touchdowns on only 69 carries … ranked second on the team in rushing touchdowns and carries and third in rushing yards … added 13 catches for 61 yards through the air … bulk of yardage came during the back half of the Big 12 schedule … received 10 or more carries in four different games … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: kicked off his Red Raider career with eight carries for 25 yards and a touchdown versus Houston Baptist (9/12), while also catching two passes for 26 yards … found the end zone from 1-yard out to give the Red Raiders a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter … received only one carry the next three games before attempting 12 rushes for 44 yards and a touchdown in the win over West Virginia (10/24) … cut West Virginia’s lead to 27-20 early in the third quarter on a 5-yard touchdown scamper … had another 12 carries the following week versus Oklahoma (10/31), resulting in 30 yards … also caught three passes for 19 yards against the Sooners … was on the receiving end of 14 carries in the win over Baylor (11/14) as he totaled 48 yards on the ground and two touchdowns … marked the first multi-touchdown game of his career … one of five Red Raiders to record a multi-touchdown game on the year, either rushing or through the air … both touchdowns came in the second half, first on a 1-yard carry with 8:42 remaining in third quarter and then again on a two-yard run with 11:48 remaining in the game … carried six times for 29 yards at Oklahoma State (11/28), while also adding a season-high four receptions … closed the year with season highs for his 16 carries and 79 rushing yards in the win over Kansas (12/5) ... AWARDS AND HONORS: honored on the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Manor High School in Manor, Texas … four-year letterwinner for Manor’s varsity football program … one of the best running backs in the state of Texas with three seasons of at least 1,000 rushing yards … rushed for 1,807 yards on 239 carries his senior year while totaling 26 total touchdowns … helped lead Manor to the state quarterfinals of the Class 5A Division I bracket … closed his prep career with more than 4,400 rushing yards and 65 total touchdowns … earned first team All-District honors as both a junior and sophomore … totaled 1,201 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground as a junior in 2018, while adding 267 receiving yards and four touchdowns off 17 receptions … became a strong presence in Manor’s offense as a sophomore with 1,150 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns off 141 carries … posted 107 receiving yards and a touchdown that season off 13 catches as well … debut on the varsity came as only a freshman, posting 259 rushing yards and three touchdowns off 66 carries and 42 receiving yards off eight receptions … three-star prospect according to 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals … ranked as the No. 36 running back in the 2020 class by ESPN … listed at No. 69 among the top players in Texas according to both ESPN and Rivals … CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arizona, Arkansas, Boston College, California, Colorado, Duke, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri, SMU, TCU, Utah, Vanderbilt.
PERSONAL
Tahj Brooks ... son of Tiffani and Kevin Brooks ... has a sister named Ceecee ... earned a bachelor's degree in sport management from Texas Tech in December 2023 ... obtained a certificate in sports communication during final season as a Red Raider.
- 2024 All-Big 12 second team honoree (Conference Coaches & Associated Press)
- 2023 All-Big 12 first team selection (Conference Coaches & Associated Press)
- Two-time semifinalist for Doak Walker Award (2023-24)
- Two-time semifinalist for Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award (2023-24)
- 2024 Finalist for the National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy
- 2024 NFF National Scholar-Athlete, only the sixth in Texas Tech history
- 2024 first team Academic All-America selection by College Sports Communicators (CSC), the 11th first team honoree in program history.
- Four-time Academic All-Big 12 first team selection (2021-24)
- Two-time honoree as the Offensive Player of the Year for the state of Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football (2023-24).
- Two-time All-Texas first team selection by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football (2023-24).
IN THE TEXAS TECH RECORD BOOK
- Became Texas Tech’s all-time leading rusher late in the 2024 season, snapping Byron Hanspard’s career record late in the Colorado (11/9) game. He closed his career with 4,557 rushing yards over his 56 career games played.
- The only Red Raider in program history with multiple 1,500-yard rushing seasons over his career. His 1,538 rushing yards in 2023 ranked fourth all-time in program history, while his 1,505 rushing yards in 2024 was sixth.
- Set the Texas Tech record with 23 career 100-yard games, including 19 that came during his final two seasons alone. The previous record of 21 was set by Byron Hanspard from 1994-96.
- Set the Texas Tech single-season record with 11 games of at least 100 rushing yards, breaking the previous mark of 10 that was set by both Byron “Bam” Morris (1993) and Byron Hanspard (1996) during their respective Doak Walker Award campaigns.
- Broke the Texas Tech career record with 879 career rushing attempts, topping the previous mark of 789 that was set by Ricky Williams from 1997-01.
- Finished his career with six different 150-yard rushing games, which ranked tied for fourth all-time in program history.
- Recorded six 150-yard rushing games in his career, which ranked tied for fourth in program history. He notched three of those 150-yard games in 2024 alone, which was tied for the sixth highest single-season total in school history.
- Recorded 45 rushing touchdowns over his career, the third-highest total in program history trailing only James Gray (52) and Taurean Henderson (50).
- Finished with 47 career touchdowns (45 rushing, 2 receiving), which ranked third all-time in program history.
- Totaled 18 touchdowns in 2024 (17 rushing, 1 receiving), which was tied for seventh in program. That resulted in 108 points, which was tied for the ninth-highest total in program history.
- Scored 284 career points behind 45 rushing touchdowns, two receiving touchdowns and one two-point conversion. It ranked as the sixth-most points scored in a career in program history.
- Capped his career with 5,126 all-purpose yards, which ranked fifth all-time in program history. He is one of seven players in school history to finish with at least 5,000 all-purpose yards.
IN THE BIG 12 RECORD BOOK
- Concluded his career fourth on the Big 12 all-time rushing chart, trailing only Cedric Benson of Texas (5,540 yards), Ricky Williams (5,273) and Darren Sproles (4,979).
- Made 879 rushing attempts over his career, the second-highest total by a Big 12 player in history, trailing only Cedric Benson and his 1,112 carries from 2001-04.
- Finished two games shy of matching the Big 12 record for most career 100-yard games as his 23 performances of his career was fourth in league history, trailing only the Texas duo of Ricky Williams (25) and Cedric Benson (24) as well as Kansas State’s Darren Sproles (24).
- His 45 career rushing touchdowns finished tied for 10th all-time in program history alongside Missouri’s Brad Smith and Kansas State’s Darren Sproles.
- Only the third player in Big 12 history to rush for 1,500 yards twice in a career, joining the likes of Kendall Hunter of Oklahoma State (2008, 2010) and Ricky Williams of Texas (1997-98).
2024 SEASON (SUPER SENIOR)
Put his name among Texas Tech’s all-time greats as the school’s all-time leading rusher during his final season in scarlet and black … saw action in 11 of 13 games, all starts, during final season … held out of the second game of the season at Washington State (9/7) due to injury … opted out of Texas Tech’s appearance at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl versus Arkansas (12/27) following the regular season … rushed for 1,505 yards and 17 touchdowns in only 11 games, marking his second-consecutive season with 1,500 rushing yards … became the first Red Raider and only the third Big 12 rusher in history to record multiple 1,500-yard rushing seasons in a career … was only the 48th time an FBS player since 1956 has notched multiple 1,500-yard rushing seasons as well … his 17 rushing touchdowns were easily a career high and matched his combined total from the two previous seasons … found the end zone in 10 of 11 games overall with the lone exception being the Big 12 opener versus Arizona State … became the first power conference player since D’Onta Foreman of Texas in 2016 to rush for 1,500 yards in 11 games or less … rushed for at least 100 yards in all 11 games to set the Texas Tech single-season record … joined Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty as the only rushers in the country to hit the 100-yard mark in every game played during the season (minimum 10 games) … concluded his career by rushing for at least 95 yards over his final 22-consecutive games, the longest streak for any FBS player dating back to 1996 … rushed for at least 100 yards in 19 of those games en route to setting the Texas Tech career record for most 100-yard performances (23) … among the national leaders with 286 carries on the year at an average of 26.0 per game … received at least 20 carries in all but one game, which came early in the season in the win over North Texas where most of Texas Tech’s starters were removed at halftime with a 52-7 lead … one of the best pass-catching running backs in college football with 28 receptions for 199 yards and a touchdown on the season … caught at least one pass in all but two games (North Texas and Cincinnati) and had two or more grabs in eight different contests … finished with 1,704 all-purpose yards, the most in his career … recorded at least 150 all-purpose yards in five different games, including each of his final three appearances … credited with 725 offensive snaps played by Pro Football Focus, grading out at 82.7 overall … was the second-highest snap count of his career … was Texas Tech’s highest-graded offensive player by the publication for the second-consecutive season … IN THE NCAA RANKINGS: among the nation’s top rushers, finishing the season ranked third in the FBS for rushing yards per game (136.8), fifth for all-purpose yards per game (154.9) and eighth for total rushing yards (1,505) … was also ninth for total all-purpose yards (1,704) and 12th in the country with 17 rushing touchdowns … carried heavy workload the entire season, ending the year ranked second nationally in rushing attempts per game (26.0) and fifth for total carries (286) … his 41 carries of 10 or more yards ranked 11th in the FBS, while his 14 carries of 20 or more yards was tied for eighth nationally … IN THE BIG 12 RANKINGS: was the Big 12 leader in rushing yards per game (136.8), averaging a full five yards more a game than both Cam Skattebo of Arizona State and RJ Harvey of UCF … ranked third in three different categories: total rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and all-purpose yards per game … led the league in rushing attempts per game and was second in total attempts, trailing only Skattebo by seven carries with two less games played … ranked third in the league for rushes of both 10 or 20 or more yards … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: opened the season with 27 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown in the victory over Abilene Christian (8/31) … marked the fourth 150-yard performance of his career at the time and the first of his three such outings on the year … scored Texas Tech’s first touchdown on the season with an 18-yard scamper to close the opening drive … touchdown moved him into the top 10 in school history to start the season … returned from injury two weeks later to carry 17 times for 109 yards and a touchdown in only one half of play in the victory over North Texas (9/14) … sat the entire second half after the Red Raiders built a 52-7 lead through two quarters … held out of the end zone for the only time on the season in the Big 12 opener versus Arizona State (9/21), finishing with 27 carries for 117 yards overall … followed with one of his best performances of the season in the win over Cincinnati (9/28), finishing with a season-high 32 carries for 172 yards and two touchdowns … was the first of three games with at least 30 carries on the season … marked the second-highest rushing total of his career at the time and the sixth of his eventual seven 150-yard performances as a Red Raider … both touchdowns came in what Texas Tech terms the “middle eight,” tying the game on a 1-yard scamper before halftime and then a 2-yard run to close the first drive of the second half … combined for five rushing touchdowns over the two-game stretch against Cincinnati and then at Arizona (10/5) … matched his career high with three rushing touchdowns in the road win over the Wildcats as part of 21 carries for 128 yards … final touchdown helped Texas Tech’s victory as he raced up the middle for a 32-yard score to give the Red Raiders a 28-19 lead with 1:53 remaining in regulation … other two touchdowns came via a three-yard rush midway through the first quarter for the game’s first score and then a nine-yard carry just before halftime … final touchdown came after two second-half fumbles, his only two on the season and two of only five over his Red Raider career … carried 25 times for 125 yards and a touchdown against Baylor (10/19), while catching four passes for 22 yards … broke loose for a 31-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to cut Baylor’s lead to 24-21 at the time … received 30 carries the next week at TCU (10/26), finishing with 121 yards and a touchdown, which came on a four-yard run early in the second quarter … started the month of November with 25 carries for 122 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the road win at No. 10 Iowa State … capped a game-winning drive in the final minutes with a 5-yard touchdown run to the right corner from the Wildcat position … touchdown came with only 19 seconds in regulation to wrap a strong fourth quarter with 11 carries for 55 yards alone … eclipsed 4,000 career rushing yards in the win, becoming the third Red Raider in history to do so in the process … performance also pushed him over 1,000 yards for the second-consecutive season … marked the 20th career 100-yard game of his career, becoming the eighth player in Big 12 history to reach that mark … snapped Hanspard’s career rushing mark late in Texas Tech’s loss to Colorado (11/19) as part of 31 carries for 137 yards and a touchdown … gained the bulk of his yardage in the fourth quarter with eight carries for 79 yards and a 9.9 yards per rush average over the final 15 minutes … broke the all-time rushing record on a 25-yard run to start Texas Tech’s drive with 7:05 remaining in the fourth quarter … lone touchdown came via a two-yard run midway through the second quarter that gave the Red Raiders a 20-17 lead … was more involved through the air over the final three games of the regular season with four catches for 51 yards against Colorado … had at least 180 all-purpose yards in all three games during that stretch … combined for four touchdowns after the open week at Oklahoma State (11/23), finishing with three on the ground as part of 28 carries for 133 yards and one through the air with nine receptions for 65 yards … set a new career high for receptions, receiving yards and total touchdowns in the victory over the Cowboys, all while setting the Texas Tech record with his 22nd career 100-yard game … hauled in a 25-yard touchdown pass up the seam from Behren Morton with only five seconds until halftime to give the Red Raiders a 21-14 lead … was the longest reception of his career and his fifth reception already in the win, which matched his career at the time … pounded the Oklahoma State defense in the second half with three rushing touchdowns, finding the end zone from 2, 40 and 1 yards out … his 40-yard touchdown run came on a 4th-and-1 rush out of the Wildcat formation where he found the outside for clear path to the end zone, high-fiving tight end Jalin Conyers near the goal line for a top social media moment … matched his career high with three rushing touchdowns with his 1-yard touchdown run, which gave the Red Raiders a 49-42 lead with 6:12 remaining in regulation … set a new career high for rushing yards in his final game as a Red Raider, totaling 188 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries in the regular-season finale against West Virginia (11/30) … added two receptions for 35 yards in the victory … all three touchdowns came in the second quarter via runs of 2, 37 and 2 yards, giving the Red Raiders a commanding 35-3 lead at the break … final touchdown was his 45th on the ground in his career, third-most in program history … set a new career high with 233 all-purpose yards, which pushed him over 5,000 all-purpose yards for his career … only the seventh Red Raider in history to reach the 5,000-yard mark for all-purpose yards … combined for 609 all-purpose yards and eight total touchdowns (7 rushing) over Texas Tech’s final three regular season games alone … participated in bowl preparations for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl but ultimately elected to sit out the matchup with Arkansas (12/27) … AWARDS AND HONORS: recognized on the All-Big 12 second team by the conference coaches and Associated Press … named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award for a second-consecutive season … was also a semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, which is presented to the top offensive player with ties to the state of Texas … recognized as a fourth team All-American by Phil Steele Magazine … preseason candidate for the Maxwell Award as part of its initial watch list … shared Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors twice during the season, starting on Oct. 7 following the win at Arizona and then again Dec. 2 following his career performance versus West Virginia … tabbed the Offensive Player of the Year for the state of Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … was also part of the publication’s All-Texas first team … honored by multiple organizations for his work in the classroom, namely as a first team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) … became the 11th Red Raider all-time to be named an Academic All-American and the first to do so from the running back position … was the first Academic All-America selection since Patrick Mahomes II following his 2016 junior season … named the sixth National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete in school history as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy … attended the NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas in December as a finalist for the award dubbed the “Academic Heisman” … joined a prestigious list of fellow Red Raiders to be named a finalist, including John Scovell (1967), Keith Cockrum (1999), Kliff Kingsbury (2022), Graham Harrell (2008) and Cody Davis (2012) … POSTSEASON ALL-STAR GAMES: selected to play in the 100th East-West Shrine Game following the season, which took place Jan. 30 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington … rushed five times for 14 yards for the West squad, while also catching a team-high four passes for 21 yards off six targets … named to the West All-Practice Team by the Shrine Bowl for his performance leading up to the game, which is attended heavily by coaches and scouts from all 32 NFL teams … NFL SCOUTING COMBINE: one of four Red Raiders to receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine ... 2025 NFL DRAFT: selected 193rd overall in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals ... became the first Red Raider to have his name called by the franchise since Joe Walter in 1985 and only the third overall in program history.
2023 SEASON (SENIOR)
Put together one of the best seasons by a Red Raider running back in school history … emerged as one of the nation’s top offensive weapons as part of a run-heavy scheme during Big 12 play … member of head coach Joey McGuire’s captains circle of upperclassmen leaders … started in all 13 games overall at running back … recorded 290 carries for 1,538 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, averaging 118.3 yards per game, easily a career best … became just the fifth Red Raider in program history and the first since Ricky Williams to rush for 1,500 yards in a season … joined a prestigious list of Red Raider running backs at 1,500 rushers, a group that includes two Doak Walker winners in Byron Hanspard (1996) and Byron “Bam” Morris (1993) as well as Ricky Williams (1998) and James Gray (1989) … bulk of yardage came during Big 12 play thanks to seven 100-yard performances and two games with at least 150 rushing yards … hit the 100-yard rushing mark in eight different games overall with three of those reaching 150 yards … totaled at least 90 rushing yards in all nine Big 12 contests as well as in the Radiant Technologies Independence Bowl versus Cal … averaged an impressive 130.6 rushing yards per game during league play alone as part of an expanded workload … number of carries increased to 25.7 attempts per game during Big 12 play, which was more than double his average during non-conference portion of the schedule (12.3) … joined both Williams (1998) and Hanspard (1996) as the only Red Raiders in the Big 12 era to make 250 or more rushing attempts in a season … received 20 or more carries in eight different games, all during Big 12 play or in the bowl win … recorded 30 or more attempts in four games, becoming the first Red Raider to do so since Hanspard had six such games in 1996 … the Red Raiders were 3-1 in games where he rushed 30 or more times … rushed for at least 10 yards in 37 carries and 20 yards nine different times … effective in the passing game as both a blocker and as a receiver out of the backfield with 29 receptions for 72 yards … caught at least one pass in all but one game with the exception being the non-conference finale against Tarleton State … caught 29 passes for 72 yards overall on the season … was Texas Tech’s highest-graded player on either side of the ball by Pro Football Focus at 90.1 overall … credited with 785 offensive snaps, the most by a non-offensive lineman … graded at 76.5 overall as a pass blocker, an area the Texas Tech coaching staff praised the highest … was PFF’s highest-graded running back in a power-five conference as a pass blocker among players who were called to protect at least 68 times on the year … led the country with 96 forced missed tackles in PFF’s rankings thanks in part to three games in double digits (Kansas State, BYU and TCU) … compiled 998 of his rushing yards after contact, which equated to nearly two-thirds of his total yardage … IN THE TEXAS TECH RECORD BOOK: ended the season ranked fourth all-time in single-season history with 1,538 rushing yards … trailed only the totals of Byron Hanspard (2,084 yards in 1996), Byron Morris (1,752 yards in 1993) and Ricky Williams (1,582 yards in 1998) … only the fifth 1,500-yard rusher in program history … also ended the season tied for fourth in single-season attempts with 290 carries … trailed only the totals from Hanspard (339 in 1996), Williams (336 in 1998) and Morris (208 in 1993) … entered the career record book for both rushing yards and attempts late in the season … IN NCAA RANKINGS: closed the season ranked fourth in the FBS for both total rushing yards (1,538) and rushing yards per game (118.3) … trailed only Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II (1,732), Troy’s Kimani Vidal (1,661) and Missouri’s Cody Schrader (1,627) in total rushing yards … was 19th nationally in all-purpose yards per game, averaging 123.9 yards a contest … his 1,175 rushing yards against conference opponents was the second-highest total in the FBS behind only Gordon II … ranked second in the FBS for total rushing attempts, trailing only Vidal (297) … was the only player in the FBS to have at least four games with 30 or more rushing attempts during the season … led the FBS with 96 forced missed tackles created according to Pro Football Focus, which was 18 more than any other power-five player … publication ranked him fourth in the FBS with 998 total yards after contact … IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: was second in the league in both total rushing yards and rushing yards per game … was also fourth in all-purpose yards and per game, seventh in rushing touchdowns and 10th in total touchdowns (10) … led the league in total rushing attempts with five more than Gordon II … ranked third in the league in all-purpose yards (1,610) and was fourth in all-purpose yards per game (123.8) … was second in the league with 319 all-purpose plays … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: combined for only 110 rushing yards on 18 attempts over the first two games of the year with 11 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown at Wyoming (9/2) and seven for 71 yards against Oregon (9/9) … finished with 89 all-purpose yards versus the Ducks with four receptions for 18 yards … closed non-conference play with 19 carries for 158 rushing yards against Tarleton State (9/16) … marked his first career game with at least 150 rushing yards and his fifth 100-yard outing … was the most rushing yards in a game by a Red Raider since Justin Stockton totaled 161 on the ground at Kansas in 2017 … eclipsed the 100-yard mark in the first half alone, totaling 140 rushing yards before the break … was limited in the second half of the blowout victory … marked the first of four-consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards after hitting the mark in each of the first three Big 12 contests as well … became the first Red Raider to rush for 100 yards over four-consecutive games since Ricky Williams did so over six-straight contests from the 1997 season finale through the first five games of the 1998 campaign … totaled 149 rushing yards on 25 carries at West Virginia (9/23) and then 101 yards and two touchdowns on 21 attempts in the win over Houston (9/30) … found the end zone twice in the first half for his lone multi-touchdown game of the season versus the Cougars … scored via his legs in each of the next seven games and in eight of the next nine contests to close the season … one of two 100-yard rushers in the Houston win, joining fellow running back Cam’Ron Valdez … marked only the third time in program history Texas Tech has boasted two 100-yard rushers as other two occurrences came in 1998 with Ricky Williams and Rob Peters versus Baylor and then 2012 with Eric Stephens and Kenny Williams versus New Mexico … carried the Red Raiders in the win at Baylor (10/7) with 31 carries for 170 yards and a touchdown … marked the first time a Red Raider had received 30 or more carries in a game since Sammy Morris had 33 in a win over Texas A&M in 1999 … marked the most yards by a Red Raider since DeAndre Washington totaled 173 in the regular-season finale at Texas in 2015 … streak of 100-yard outings ended the next week versus Kansas State (10/14) after carrying 17 times for 98 yards and a touchdown … snuck in the end zone from two yards out with only 23 seconds remaining until the half, cutting K-State’s lead to 17-14 at the break … hit the 30-carry mark again at BYU (10/21), finishing with 101 rushing yards and a touchdown on 30 carries … carried eight times for 41 yards on Texas Tech’s opening drive alone … instrumental in the Red Raiders’ strong November, averaging 139.0 rushing yards per game in the month and 153.7 yards per game over a three-game winning streak to reach bowl eligibility … started the month with 31 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown in the Thursday night win over TCU (11/2) … scored the go-ahead touchdown on a nine-yard scamper with six seconds remaining in the third quarter … surpassed Baron Batch for 10th all-time on the Texas Tech career rushing list in the win … followed with a career-high 33 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown a week later at Kansas (11/11) … marked the first time a Red Raider received 30 or more carries over three-consecutive games since Byron Hanspard did so over four-straight games in 1996 … reached the 100-yard mark in the first half again with 22 carries for 107 yards in the first 30 minutes alone … carried six times (of seven plays) on Texas Tech’s opening drive, capping it with a five-yard touchdown run to score for a sixth-straight game … put together his best performance of the season to push the Red Raiders to bowl eligibility versus UCF (11/18), finishing with a career-high 182 rushing yards and a touchdown off 24 carries … marked the most rushing yards by a Red Raider since DeAndre Washington had 248 yards versus Kansas State in 2015 … gave the Red Raiders their first lead on a 13-yard rushing touchdown with 11 seconds remaining in the third quarter … marked the first time a Red Raider had rushed for a touchdown in seven-straight games since Eric Stephens did so between the last two games of the 2010 season and the first five of the 2011 campaign … was the first time a Red Raider has found the end zone on the ground over seven-consecutive games in the same season since Taurean Henderson over the final seven games of the 2004 season … escaped for a 46-yard rush in the first quarter, which was his longest attempt of the season … nearly ended the regular season with another 100-yard game, finishing with 95 yards on 19 carries at Texas (11/24) … recorded the same rushing total in the Radiant Technologies Independence Bowl versus Cal (12/16), totaling 95 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries … touchdown came via a seven-yard rush late in the third quarter to give the Red Raiders a 31-14 lead … was the 11th-consecutive game to end the season with 90 rushing yards or more … eclipsed 3,000 career rushing yards in the second quarter, becoming the seventh Red Raider in program history to reach the mark … AWARDS AND HONORS: named to the All-Big 12 first team by the conference coaches and Associated Press … became the first Red Raider running back to earn first team accolades since DeAndre Washington in 2015 and the fifth to do so in the Big 12 era, joining Taurean Henderson (2005), Ricky Williams (2001) and Byron Hanspard (1996) … tabbed the Offensive Player of the Year and the top running back by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … was on the DCTF All-Texas first team … semifinalist for both the Doak Walker and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Awards … selected to the Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list prior to the season as well … recognized for his work in the classroom, tabbed to the Academic All-Big 12 first team for the third-straight year ... SENIOR DECISION: elected to utilize an extra season of eligibility to return for the 2024 season where he is expected to be among the nation’s top players.
2022 SEASON (JUNIOR)
Finished as the Red Raiders’ team leader in rushing yards for a second-consecutive season … formed one of the top 1-2 running back combos in the country with SaRodorick Thompson Jr. … appeared in all 13 games with six starts … earned the team rushing title by only seven yards after carrying 147 times for 691 yards and seven touchdowns … was the team leader in carries and shared the team high for rushing touchdowns with Thompson … marked only the fourth time in the Big 12 era Texas Tech has featured a pair of 600-yard rushers in the same season (2008, 2010, 2017) … received 10 or more carries in nine games overall with one 100-yard rushing performance … hit the 100-yard mark for all-purpose yards four times on the year … had 17 of his carries go for at least 10 yards with five at 20 or more yards and two for 30 yards … also on the receiving end of 26 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown … was sixth on the team for receptions and led all running backs … was Texas Tech’s highest-graded offensive player, finishing at 79.0 by Pro Football Focus … credited with playing in 522 offensive plays, which trailed only Jerand Bradley and Myles Price among skill position players … IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: closed the season ranked seventh in the league for rushing yards, eighth in rushing yards per game (53.2), 10th in total touchdowns (8) and 12th for rushing touchdowns (7) … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: limited in the season opener due to a preseason injury, carrying only six times for 50 yards … three of those carries resulted in a touchdown, however, marking a career-high … found the end zone from 14, 3 and 23 yards out, all in the first half as the Red Raiders took a commanding 42-10 lead … was back to full speed a week later with a career-high 17 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown as well as a career-high five receptions for 34 yards … touchdown was via a four-yard run in the first overtime that tied the game heading into a second extra period … matched his career-high with five receptions and made a new mark with 44 receiving yards the following week at NC State (9/17) to go along with four carries for four yards … opened Big 12 play with 12 carries for 36 yards and three receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown … was the first receiving touchdown of his career, which came on a 17-yard strike out of the backfield from Donovan Smith early in the second quarter … had 10 carries for 39 yards and four receptions for five yards at Kansas State (10/1) … limited to only four carries for eight yards at Oklahoma State (10/8) … put together his best game of the season in the rout over West Virginia (10/22), carrying 17 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns … had each of Texas Tech’s first two touchdowns in the win, scampering into the end zone from 19 yards and one yard out early in the first quarter … almost hit the 100-yard mark again the next week with 16 carries for 98 yards against Baylor (10/29) with two catches for 17 yards … received double-digit carries in six of the final seven games of the season with 10 for 59 yards at TCU (11/5) and 16 for 51 yards and a touchdown versus Kansas (11/12) … touchdown sealed the win over the Jayhawks as it came on a five-yard run with only 3:33 remaining … only game without double-digit attempts came at Iowa State (11/19) with nine carries for 45 yards … closed the regular season with 12 carries for 26 yards in the win over Oklahoma (11/26) … one of the top performers in the TaxAct Texas Bowl versus Ole Miss (12/28), finishing with 14 carries for 90 yards … escaped on a 37-yard run late in the first quarter that set up a Trey Wolff field goal and marked his longest of the season … AWARDS AND HONORS: recognized for his work in the classroom as part of the Academic All-Big 12 first team.
2021 SEASON (SOPHOMORE)
Led the Red Raiders in rushing yards as a sophomore as part of a breakout season … appeared in only nine games overall with four starts … missed a four-game stretch to start Big 12 play due to injury … still managed to total 568 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 87 carries, while also catching six passes for 58 yards out of the backfield … just edged teammate SaRodorick Thompson Jr. for the rushing title by 68 yards after Thompson led the Red Raiders the previous two seasons … key component in a Texas Tech rushing attack that ranked tied for 20th nationally in rushing touchdowns as a team … also returned one kick for 21 yards as part of Texas Tech’s rotation of returnees … was second on the team for both carries and rushing touchdowns and third for scoring (42 points) … led the team in rushing yards per game (63.1), yards per rushing attempt (6.5) and had the longest rush by any Red Raider on the year (67 yards) … eclipsed the 100-yard mark three times on the season, which led the team … finished with at least 40 rushing yards in six games overall … found the end zone on the ground in five different games … received at least 10 carries in four games with two more games at nine attempts … IN NCAA RANKINGS: ranked tied for 10th nationally with four rushes of at least 40 yards … IN BIG 12 RANKINGS: was tied for fourth in the league for rushing attempts of at least 40 yards and was 11th for rushing touchdowns … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: opened the season with an impressive 134 yards and two touchdowns off 15 carries in the come-from-behind victory over Houston (9/4) … marked the first 100-yard outing of his career and his second multi-touchdown performance … both touchdowns came via long runs after finding the end zone via a 41-yard scamper early in the second quarter and then a 44-yard sprint to seal the victory with one minute remaining … was the most rushing yards by a Red Raider in a season opener since Ricky Williams went for 251 yards in 1998 against UTEP … put together another 100-yard performance the following week against Stephen F. Austin (9/11) with 103 yards and two touchdowns off 11 carries … his 237 rushing yards marked the most by a Red Raider through two games since Ricky Williams in 1998 … victory over Stephen F. Austin featured a 67-yard touchdown run that was the longest of his career … closed non-conference play with nine carries for 47 yards in win over Florida International (9/18) … proceeded to miss the next four games to start Big 12 play due to injury … returned against Kansas State (10/23), carrying four times for 33 yards, including one for 23 yards … had six carries for 23 yards, a reception for five yards and also returned a kick for 21 yards in loss at Oklahoma (10/23) … played crucial role in win over Iowa State (11/13) with nine carries for 80 yards and a touchdown as well as two catches for 21 yards … touchdown was Texas Tech’s first on the afternoon, coming on a 14-yard scamper to close the opening drive … found the end zone for the final time on the year in regular-season finale at Baylor (11/27) as part of 14 carries for 40 yards … touchdown was Texas Tech’s first on the day, cutting its deficit to 17-10 just before halftime off a 1-yard carry … hit the 100-yard mark for the third and final time on the season in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl versus Mississippi State (12/28) … carried a career-high 16 times for 107 yards and a touchdown in the win … marked the most rushing yards by a Red Raider in a bowl since Eric Stephens rushed for 126 yards in the 2010 TicketCity Bowl versus Northwestern … had the first touchdown of the night for the Red Raiders, scoring from 19 yards out to cap a strong opening drive … AWARDS AND HONORS: recognized on the Academic All-Big 12 first team.
2020 SEAS0N (FRESHMAN)
An instant impact for the Red Raiders in the backfield as only a true freshman … appeared in all 10 games, totaling 255 rushing yards and four touchdowns on only 69 carries … ranked second on the team in rushing touchdowns and carries and third in rushing yards … added 13 catches for 61 yards through the air … bulk of yardage came during the back half of the Big 12 schedule … received 10 or more carries in four different games … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: kicked off his Red Raider career with eight carries for 25 yards and a touchdown versus Houston Baptist (9/12), while also catching two passes for 26 yards … found the end zone from 1-yard out to give the Red Raiders a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter … received only one carry the next three games before attempting 12 rushes for 44 yards and a touchdown in the win over West Virginia (10/24) … cut West Virginia’s lead to 27-20 early in the third quarter on a 5-yard touchdown scamper … had another 12 carries the following week versus Oklahoma (10/31), resulting in 30 yards … also caught three passes for 19 yards against the Sooners … was on the receiving end of 14 carries in the win over Baylor (11/14) as he totaled 48 yards on the ground and two touchdowns … marked the first multi-touchdown game of his career … one of five Red Raiders to record a multi-touchdown game on the year, either rushing or through the air … both touchdowns came in the second half, first on a 1-yard carry with 8:42 remaining in third quarter and then again on a two-yard run with 11:48 remaining in the game … carried six times for 29 yards at Oklahoma State (11/28), while also adding a season-high four receptions … closed the year with season highs for his 16 carries and 79 rushing yards in the win over Kansas (12/5) ... AWARDS AND HONORS: honored on the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Manor High School in Manor, Texas … four-year letterwinner for Manor’s varsity football program … one of the best running backs in the state of Texas with three seasons of at least 1,000 rushing yards … rushed for 1,807 yards on 239 carries his senior year while totaling 26 total touchdowns … helped lead Manor to the state quarterfinals of the Class 5A Division I bracket … closed his prep career with more than 4,400 rushing yards and 65 total touchdowns … earned first team All-District honors as both a junior and sophomore … totaled 1,201 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground as a junior in 2018, while adding 267 receiving yards and four touchdowns off 17 receptions … became a strong presence in Manor’s offense as a sophomore with 1,150 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns off 141 carries … posted 107 receiving yards and a touchdown that season off 13 catches as well … debut on the varsity came as only a freshman, posting 259 rushing yards and three touchdowns off 66 carries and 42 receiving yards off eight receptions … three-star prospect according to 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals … ranked as the No. 36 running back in the 2020 class by ESPN … listed at No. 69 among the top players in Texas according to both ESPN and Rivals … CHOSE TEXAS TECH OVER: Arizona, Arkansas, Boston College, California, Colorado, Duke, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri, SMU, TCU, Utah, Vanderbilt.
PERSONAL
Tahj Brooks ... son of Tiffani and Kevin Brooks ... has a sister named Ceecee ... earned a bachelor's degree in sport management from Texas Tech in December 2023 ... obtained a certificate in sports communication during final season as a Red Raider.
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