Senior Day across all sports offers a different emotional dynamic than most other home games.

To the Texas Tech players that are celebrated Saturday before the Red Raiders take on West Virginia, it may not be the complete end of the football road, but it signifies the last time they get to suit up in front of the Lubbock crowd for a place they have called home for several seasons.

With the transfer portal becoming as prominent as ever, though, the real connection that players develop to a singular place can quickly diminish with student-athletes bouncing from school-to-school. Still, even a short amount of time in one place can have a profound effect.

“I’m definitely already feeling the emotions,” safety CJ Baskerville told the media Tuesday. “I know I was only here for two years but Texas Tech changed my life, it really did. Texas Tech allowed me to come back home and play in front of my friends and family, which I’ve always dreamed of doing. I’ve met the best people here, people that I’ll cherish forever in my life.

Every morning I wake up, I think about how Saturday is gonna be my last time playing in The Jones, I get a little emotional. On Saturday I'm definitely gonna feel some type of way about it, but I'm definitely gonna put it out on the field of how important and how passionate I feel about this place.”

This year’s senior class, much like the group last season that has since exhausted their eligibility, played a tremendous role in helping the program get turned around in a positive direction.

Players such as Tahj Brooks, Mason Tharp and Caleb Rogers have served as pillars for the culture under construction since head coach Joey McGuire took over in 2022. Their talents have benefitted the Red Raiders since before he even arrived.

In a slightly different light, however, someone like Jalin Conyers has only been around for this campaign, but has still been a cornerstone of this particular team, nonetheless. The Gruver native started his career at Oklahoma before heading to Arizona State and eventually donning the scarlet and black for his last hoorah.

Though Conyers could have been a Red Raider from the start, he ultimately has no regrets with how his career unfolded.

“I’ll probably always wish I came to Tech first,” Conyers said. “It was one of those things where coach (Matt) Wells was looking out for me, which again, to this day I’m blessed for. At the end of the day, everything happens for a reason. I believe if I was supposed to be at Tech full time, I would have one way or another, God has a plan. And obviously, that’s how I look at life in general.

But I went to OU and went to Arizona State and had some experiences I needed for my life to experience, like going forward when I’m 40 years old and my kids are asking me questions and stuff like that. At the end of the day, I’m happy with everything that happened, like I said, everything happens for a reason.

I learned a lot of valuable lessons, and I’m thankful that I got to spend my last year here because it honestly has been the most enjoyable.”