Texas Tech All-America Candidates

Tune in Saturday morning when Texas Tech travels to Kansas for an 11 a.m. CT kick on FS1.

Below are several Red Raiders to watch that are deserving of All-America consideration…

#31 AUSTIN MCNAMARA

Senior  |  5th Year  |  P  |  6-4  |  210  |  Gilbert, Ariz.  |  Highland H.S.

• An all-around punter who can punt for distance and accuracy, McNamara is the only FBS punter to rank in the top 10 for punting average nationally, to have his team rank in the top 10 for net punting average and also rank in the top 10 in Pro Football Focus’ hang time average.
• McNamara currently ranks sixth in the FBS and second in the Big 12 Conference with a 47.7 yards per punt average. As a team, Texas Tech currently ranks fifth in the FBS and leads the Big 12 with a 43.7 net punting average this season.
• According to Pro Football Focus, McNamara currently ranks tied for third in the FBS for punt hang time among those with at least 10 attempts this season as he’s averaging 4.28 seconds per attempt. That average moves into second nationally among punters with at least 30 attempts on the year.
• Pro Football Focus currently ranks McNamara third in the FBS among punters with an overall grade of 90.2 for the season, which is only 0.5 from first place.
• McNamara’s current 46.09 career punting average ranks sixth all-time in FBS history among punters with 150-249 career attempts. His average would snap the FBS record for punters with at least 250 career attempts.
• In its 23 years of existence, the Ray Guy Award has never presented its trophy to a winner who did not average at least 44.0 yards per punt that season. McNamara has compiled at least a 44.3 average in all five seasons as a Red Raider and is averaging 46.1 yards per attempt over his career, which is higher than seven previous winner’s single-season total.
• McNamara’s current 47.7 yards per punt average places him squarely in contention for the Ray Guy Award as it is higher than 12 previous winners.
• McNamara is already a fixture as one of the top punters in history as he is the Texas Tech and Big 12 record holder for single-season punting average (48.2 in 2021) and longest punt (87). The Arizona native is on pace to snap the Big 12 career record of 45.9 yards per punt that was set by Oklahoma State’s Quinn Sharp from 2009-12.
• Keep in mind McNamara plays for one of the most-aggressive head coaches in college football when it pertains to fourth downs. Under Joey McGuire, Texas Tech leads the FBS lead with 82 fourth-down attempts since the start of the 2022 season alone. The Red Raiders rank tied for third in the FBS for fourth-down attempts this season with 30 through nine games.

#28 TAHJ BROOKS

Senior  |  4th Year  |  RB  |  5-10  |  230  |  Manor, Texas  |  Manor H.S.

• Brooks enters this week ranked sixth in the FBS with 1,033 rushing yards and seventh for average at 114.8 rushing yards per game.
• According to PFF, Brooks has forced 68 missed tackles, which easily leads all power-five players. In fact, he is one of only three power-five rushers with at least 50 forced missed tackles this season.
• Brooks has rushed for 100 yards in six of the past seven games this season, including five times during Big 12 play, as he ranks fourth among power-five backs nationally in total rushing yards.
• Brooks is only the second Red Raider since 2000 and the eighth player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
• Brooks is averaging 127.5 rushing yards per game during Big 12 play as he ranks third nationally and second in the Big 12 this season with 765 yards against league foes.
• Brooks is the only FBS player in the country this season with three games of at least 30 carries and the first Red Raider to do so since Doak Walker Award winner Byron Hanspard in 1996.
• Brooks’ 192 carries thus far this season currently lead all power-five players and rank fourth overall in the FBS.
• Brooks entered the Texas Tech career top-10 list for rushing yards against TCU as he now has 2,547 yards on the ground over four seasons.

#95 JAYLON HUTCHINGS

Senior  |  6th Year  |  DL  |  6-0  |  305  |  Forney, Texas  |  Forney H.S.

• Hutchings leads all power five interior defensive linemen with 185 career tackles, including 32 already this season.
• Hutchings ranks tied for fourth among power-five interior defensive linemen in tackles, according to PFF.
• Hutchings also ranks tied for fourth among power-five interior defensive linemen by PFF in “stops,” which are tackles that constitute a failure for the offense.
• Hutchings will play in his 61st career game Saturday versus Kansas, while making his 56th-consecutive start, which ranks second among active FBS players and leads all defensive linemen nationally.

Matt Dowdy