Rice grad transfer Preston Gordon picks Texas Tech

Texas Tech is looking to fill a few holes in their defensive line two deep for the 2018 season, and they may have gotten a big answer on Saturday night. Rice defensive tackle and grad transfer Preston Gordon decided to commit to the Red Raiders, choosing West Texas as his landing spot for his final season of college football.

The lineman visited Lubbock a few months back when trying to find a new home, and what he saw on the trip was a big factor in him settling on Tech.

"Just going on a visit and getting to see the culture. The coaches, Coach Kingsbury, Coach Gibbs, and Coach Jamison, they all took care of us (when we were out there). They showed my mom and grandma a lot of love, which is big time. I also got to hang hang out with Big Mych (Th0mas) and Broderick (Washington), got to meet a lot of their players. It was just overall a good, healthy environment. Also, my good friend Colin Yang, who I went to high school with, goes there (and is on the team). It just felt like a good, safe, winning type of environment to be around."

Gordon spent some quality time around recently-graduated Tech nose tackle Mych Thomas and junior DT Broderick Washington on his visit. The duo made a big impression on him with their shared experiences as Red Raiders.

"They were just telling me that they're trying to win the Big 12, that they're working extremely hard. They've got a lot of returners, a lot of older guys on the defensive side of the ball. You pretty know much Tech is going to score, too. They only said good things. I've also heard a lot of good things about Coach Jamison and Coach Gibbs, but mainly Coach Jamison from those two."

As a defensive lineman, Terrance Jamison will be Gordon's position coach at Tech. Thomas and Washington gave glowing reviews of the second year DL coach, and Gordon is excited to be coached by him.

"Just that he's a good, honest guy, that he's going to push you to be the best you can be technically-wise as a player, on and off the field as a man. That's something that you always want to hear as far as where you want to spend an entire year."

With Mych Thomas graduating, there's a potential starting spot open on the Red Raider defensive line. Gordon started 28 games at Rice, including the entirety of the 2017 season, and could fill that opening for Tech. However, that's not what motivated him to pick the Scarlet and Black.

"It wasn't necessarily about there being a spot. It more had to do with being around those guys. I just got a good vibe that they're all in on one goal, and that's just to push each other and be the best they can be day after day, not just trying to build up for the season. It's about every day just giving the best effort you can give. It's a good group of defensive linemen like I had at Rice, so it made it feel a little homey."

So, for Red Raider fans that don't know much about Gordon or his game, what can they expect when he heads to Lubbock this summer for his senior year?

"I think of myself as kind of quick-twitchy with a little strength behind me," said Gordon. "I'm someone who's all about the team. I want to help the younger guys develop and do what they want to do. I just want to be about the overall team success as opposed to just what I want to do with a personal agenda."

As for his decision, Gordon feels good about picking Tech and has let a number of coaches from other schools know about his choice.

"I've made some calls to some schools just letting them know that I appreciate the opportunity and everything, but letting them know that I'm gonna commit to Tech, just doing that out of respect. The majority of them say that's great, but that they're going to keep recruiting me," said Gordon. "But I did let them know that I'm committing to Tech, and my mom supports any decision I'm gonna make right now. She's behind me as long as I finish up with this Rice degree."

Above all, the interior lineman is appreciative of the chance he's been given by Coach Kingsbury and the Red Raiders.

"I'm excited. I'm grateful and humbled to add this opportunity. Being a kid that wasn't highly recruited, I know there are a lot of kids who don't get these kind of opportunities, so I'm extremely humbled and thankful that I get to be a part of Red Raider Nation, that Coach Kingsbury and Coach Gibbs and those guys extended an offer to me, that the players there kind of made me feel like it's a home environment and are trying to do good things. I've only heard good things from the players I've talked to."

Gordon chose Tech over West Virginia, Kansas, Tulane, and Texas Southern.