Roundtable: Which extra-year senior would have biggest impact?
The NCAA has confirmed that it will grant eligibility relief to spring sport athletes whose 2020 seasons were affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The organization is considering offering similar relief to winter sport athletes, but is reportedly leaning against such a move.
If the NCAA does eventually offer blanket eligibility relief to spring and winter athletes whose seasons were cut short, which Texas Tech athlete would make the biggest impact by returning and why? The RedRaiderSports.com staff weighs in on today's roundtable discussion.
CHRIS LEVEL: I am going with T.J. Holyfield, or "Holy" as everyone within the program calls him. I do seriously doubt that winter sport athletes will be given eligibility relief but, if they are, "Holy" would fit a giant need for the Texas Tech men's basketball program. Put it this way: Chris Beard and his staff are trying to find someone just like him for next season. The Red Raiders need age, experience and size and Holy checks all of those boxes. He was far from perfect this past season and had his ups and downs but I'm not certain those were entirely his fault. Holy is mature, unselfish and a mismatch against certain opposing bigs. He averaged nine points and five rebounds per game, shot 35 percent from behind the arc and finished the season as the team's leading shot blocker. I would welcome him back in a heartbeat, and Beard would, too.
AARON DICKENS: I think Texas Tech second baseman Brian Klein would have the biggest impact if he chooses to return for a fifth season, and not just because of his production at the plate and defensive prowess. I could rattle off stats and rankings - did you know he ranked fourth in the Big 12 in batting average among players that played in at least 10 games? - but I think his biggest impact in 2021 would be off-the-field.
Tim Tadlock's 2020 baseball team had 14 draft-eligible players on the roster, including Klein. If the Red Raiders are hit hard by the MLB Draft - and I wonder if we will see more players forego eligibility for a sure-thing professional paycheck as a result of the coronavirus pandemic - Klein's experience as a three-and-a-half year starter would be pretty huge for what could be a relatively young baseball team in 2021.
MATT CLARE: I will be the boring one here and go with T.J. Holyfield. The Stephen F. Austin graduate transfer joined the nation's runner-up for a few specific reasons, to compete in the Big 12 and make a run in the NCAA tournament. The latter did not happen and odds are his college basketball career is over, but Holyfield seemed like he kept getting better as the season went on. He has the size and versatility that Chris Beard and his staff covet, so another year of the seasoned 6-foot-8 forward would make a huge impact next season.
BEN GOLAN: My answer is Lady Raider post Brittany Brewer, who earned first-team All-Big 12 honors this season and was a finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award. She averaged more than 16 points and 10 rebounds per game in 2019-20 and finished the season ranked second nationally with 127 blocks.
The case for Brewer is simple. She was the best player on a Lady Raider team that won 18 games and seemed headed to the postseason for the first time since 2013. If the NCAA gives winter athletes their eligibility back the Lady Raiders, led by Brewer, would be a legitimate threat to finish in the top half of the conference and make the NCAA Tournament in 2021.
BRANDON SOLIZ: Sandy Scott was the lone senior in coach Greg Sands’ eight-man men's golf roster. Scott is a former semifinalist for the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award and was a standout player on a loaded men’s golf team that could have been competing for a national title. They finish as the No. 5 team nationally in the Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll.
Scott would benefit his team tremendously in a return. This season, Scott was a common name to find on watch lists across the country and led the Red Raiders in winning the Carmel Cup. He is a top-10 ranked amateur golfer in the world. He possesses a trait that every Texas Tech coach wants in a student-athlete in order to compete for titles – consistency.
BILL HIPPLE: I would have to go with Chris Clarke of the men's basketball team. He had a lot of unfinished business left, and I truly feel he would have played some of his best basketball in the Big 12 Tournament and in the NCAA Tournament. Getting him back for another year would be huge, but adjustments would obviously need to be made regarding the 2020-21 scholarship counts.
BILLY WATSON: I would go with Brian Klein, here. I think he played a big role in this young group Tim Tadlock formed this season. Just the example he brought to the team made an impact. The weekend in Round Rock proved his ability to overcome a slump. Then he followed up that performance up with three doubles in a win over UNLV. Ultimately, if Klein is granted another year of eligibility, the vibe and chemistry among the team would almost be same, if not better. After all, Tadlock said on the Kirby Hocutt Show this week that this group was special.