The Offseason: The story behind the new X accounts

LUBBOCK, Texas – By now, many have likely seen a few new X accounts (formerly known as Twitter) pop up on their feeds. Don’t worry, it’s not spam and they are created for an important reason.

As part of the offseason programing under Joey McGuire, all 110-plus members currently on the Texas Tech roster have been split into 10 teams with names ranging from @TheCaffeinCrew to @TTUSackRunners. On each team, McGuire has appointed an upperclassmen to serve as a team captain.

Its goal: competition.

“For this program to achieve what I believe is our mission in competing for a Big 12 title, we must spend this entire offseason competing in all that we do,” McGuire said. “Even more so this year, we can’t emphasize enough the value of what true competition will do for this team. It was one of the first words out of my mouth in our first team meeting of the semester and it will again be a key theme throughout this offseason.”

As the @TexasTechFB X account posted earlier this week, the Red Raiders are wearing t-shirts in offseason workouts this winter that state “1-0” on the front. It’s another element for McGuire and head strength and conditioning coach Lance Barilow to further emphasize “winning each and every day.”

Under McGuire, the Red Raiders divide their offseason into four quarters like a game with the first being winter conditioning followed by spring practices, summer workouts and then finally preseason camp.

The Red Raiders will spend roughly the next two months with Barilow and his staff, not only in the weight room but also with various afternoon conditioning workouts twice a week. Strength workouts begin each weekday at 6 a.m. with every Red Raider cycled through by at least 9 a.m. each morning.

“These are an important next several weeks for our football program,” McGuire said. “This is really where, in my eyes, teams improve the most. We firmly believe that big people beat up on little people and this time of year is when we get bigger and stronger.”

Barilow and his staff will vote on top lifters each week, which, in turn, will go back to the competition element in the offseason programming. Teams are rewarded based on competition with points distributed, and sometimes deducted, based on performance.

Not every point is based on individual workouts, however. Points are also distributed for full team attendance at other sporting events, community service initiatives and responding to certain social media challenges from Dave Martin, who oversees the competition as Director of Player Development on McGuire’s staff. The teams will “check in” for these challenges using the new X handles they have created with their corresponding name.

For Red Raider fans, the competition can be tracked as Martin will post occasional team totals leading into what McGuire calls “commitment week.” Point totals will escalate that week, rewarding teams for their toughness as Barilow and his staff will put the Red Raiders through their toughest conditioning tests to that point.

The week also includes Texas Tech’s annual Texas High School Coaches Association workout where each Red Raider, both players and staff, will wear a t-shirt repping their hometown. Old high school rivalries are revived as teams, for that day, are divided into regions across the state.

Ultimately, as in all competitions, a team champion is crowned with the victors immediately heading across campus to ring the Victory Bells in the Administration Building. The winning team is also treated to a special dinner that same day to cap commitment week.

“Commitment week is such a key element in what we do as it’s the final test before our players depart for Spring Break,” McGuire said. “When they return, we jump right into spring practice. It’s honestly one of my favorite weeks of the year as is stresses competition but also allows us to honor the THSCA and then celebrate a winner.”

For coverage of the Red Raiders throughout offseason conditioning, make sure to follow the football account on all its social media channels.

–TECH–

Release Provided By Matt Dowdy Texas Tech Athletics