Status reports

Texas Tech outside linebacker Terrance Bullitt will return to the lineup this week, according to Red Raiders coach Tommy Tuberville. In Saturday’s season opener, Bullitt injured the same shoulder that caused him trouble throughout last season, but Tuberville implied it was more a scare than anything else.

“He’ll be fine,” Tuberville said. “He’ll practice this week. No structural damage at all, so glad to see that.”

Last year, Bullitt’s shoulder popped out of joint during preseason practice, again in game eight against Iowa State and he had surgery on it after the season. Playing hurt and with a shoulder brace, he still finished fourth on the team in tackles (56) and first in tackles for loss (91/2).

“Last year, his shoulder was gone and he chose to play because we had nobody,” Tuberville said. “But his shoulder is still stable (now). It’s not loose. It scared him more than anything. But he’s been in the training room and he’ll practice (Monday), so that’s good news.”

Tuberville said six players in the two-deep who sat out last week will return this week. Those players were receivers Darrin Moore, Javon Bell and Tyson Williams, outside linebacker Chris Payne, nickel back Jarvis Phillips and cornerback Derrick Mays.

Washington sits for now

With running backs Kenny Williams, Eric Stephens and SaDale Foster combining for 176 rushing yards and three touchdowns Saturday night, coaches held off playing DeAndre Washington and will try to redshirt him.

Washington played last year as a true freshman until he suffered a torn knee ligament in the next-to-last game. Washington had knee surgery three weeks after Stephens.

What happens if a month from now, Washington is better in practice than one of the other three?

“That’s a good question,” offensive coordinator Neal Brown said Monday. “He’s well enough to play. He could go out there and play.”

However, Brown said Washington feels less confident than Stephens coming back from knee surgery and wasn’t as consistent in preseason practice as the other three.

The plan could change.

“If somebody gets hurt, he’s a go,” Brown said. “But right now, where he doesn’t feel a hundred percent confident and we’ve got three guys there, we don’t feel pushed to play him.”

Players of the week

Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville named flanker Marcus Kennard, safety Cody Davis and defensive back Summitt Hogue the team’s offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week, respectively. Scout team players of the week were running back Josh Talbott and defensive end Kindred Evans.

Tuberville gives the awards after victories.

Kennard caught four passes for 40 yards, including 12- and 3-yard touchdowns. The senior from Lawton, Okla., also had a 14-yard catch to convert third-and-10 on a drive in which the Red Raiders scored a touchdown.

Davis was credited with eight solo tackles, an assist and a half tackle for loss.

Tuberville said it was the best game the senior from Stephenville has played in Tuberville’s 26 games as head coach.

“He was all over the field and just a totally different person from the last two years,” Tuberville said. “He’s matured. He understands how to play, understands how to explode on the ball, is a very good tackler. I’m really proud of him.”

Tech coaches credited Hogue with three tackles — each of the three times he was in on kickoff coverage. Tuberville said that alone has cinched Hogue a spot on the travel roster for this week’s game at Texas State.

“That’s the type of effort we’re looking for,” Tuberville said.

Hogue’s a redshirt freshman walk-on from Frenship.

Room for improvement

Texas Tech had 500 yards and converted 10 of 16 third downs in beating Northwestern State 44-6. Even so, offensive cooordinator Neal Brown judged the performance as only “pretty good” and said he’s “not throwing any pep rallies.”

“We’ve got to get better at our run game,” Brown said. “We ran the ball quite a bit. Our production was just OK. And we’ve got to be more explosive in our pass game.”

The Red Raiders’ longest gains were three passes of 20-plus yards — 23 being the longest — and a 17-yard run.

Brown said some of the so-so play in the run game was to be expected. Aside from two freshmen starting on the offensive line, he pointed out Kenny Williams starting his first home game, Eric Stephens coming off knee surgery and SaDale Foster playing in Division I for the first time.

“They’ve got a lot of room for improvement,” Brown said. “We’ve got to do a better job breaking tackles and making people miss, and the offensive line, they’ll get better.”

Brown said the combination of senior Deveric Gallington playing center for the first time and Le’Raven Clark and Alfredo Morales stepping in as redshirt freshmen resulted in an interior line that was “just a little tentative in the run game.”

“They’ve seen it on film,” he said, “and I think it’ll clear up this week.”

As for the lack of big plays in the passing game, Brown said Northwestern State’s plan coupled with the absence of three receivers had the Red Raiders taking what the defense gave.

“Their safeties were 20 yards deep, their corners were back and they dropped eight in coverage,” Brown said. “They did a good job keeping everyhing in front.

“I think Texas State will challenge us a little bit more, and the guys that were out last week that are coming back, they’ll give us a little more home-run threat over the top.”

Compiled by Don Williams