While the Red Raiders are first and foremost focused on taking down Texas on Saturday, they'll also honor a handful of veterans that will play their final game at Jones Stadium, going through Senior Day celebrations in pre-game.
It's a small class, but one with some interesting stories and key players. So, let's take a closer look at the careers of these seniors and what they might have left in store to finish their careers...
WR Reginald Davis - Davis was a four star prospect in the 2012 class. He was one of the most electric players in Texas high school football as a senior, leading Tenaha to a state title at quarterback. After redshirting in 2012, Davis became the primary backup at Z outside receiver for Bradley Marquez in 2013, and split reps with Dylan Cantrell at the position in 2014, and became the full fledged starter at the position in 2015.
Now, he's splitting reps once again with Cantrell at the position as a senior. However, Davis has come on in recent weeks, getting open downfield better than he ever has in his career. Mahomes has missed him a number of times on deep balls as of late, and if the two connect, Davis might make a late push to help the Red Raiders get bowl eligible.
CAREER STATS: 97 receptions, 1301 receiving yards, 18 receiving touchdowns, 1 kickoff return touchdown
RE Kris Williams - Williams signed with the Red Raiders in the 2012 class, picking the Red Raiders over Arizona State, Baylor, and Cal. While signing with Tech as a linebacker out of high school, he eventually transitioned into a hybrid rush end for the Red Raiders over the last two seasons while being a primary special teams player for Tech.
He's undoubtedly had his best year in Lubbock as a senior, initially splitting the reps at rush end with Gary Moore but now growing into the full fledged starter at the position, arguably the best pass rusher and one of the best flats defenders on the roster.
Williams has come on as of late and has a chance to have a great finish to his career as a Red Raider down the stretch. He's tied for 8th on the team on total tackles so far this season with 23 while registering a team-best four sacks so far this fall.
CAREER STATS: 35 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 blocked kick
NT Ondre Pipkins - After spending the first three years of his career at Michigan, Pipkins, a five-star prospect out of high school - decided he wanted to make a change, opting to join Texas Tech for his final season.
Pipkins has been extremely reliable as the starting nose guard for the Red Raiders this fall, specializing as a run stopper. He's currently tied for eighth in total tackles for Texas Tech with 23 and has four tackles for a loss on the season.
CAREER STATS: 46 tackles, 5 TFLs
SS Keenon Ward - Ward is a local product, coming out of Snyder as a three star athlete as a member of the 2012 class after lighting it up as the quarterback for the Tigers. He quickly transitioned to safety, redshirting in 2012.
As a freshman in 2013, Ward was a primary special teams player before being forced into action as a starter at safety due to injuries late in the season. Ward soon became a mainstay as a strong safety for the Red Raiders, either as a full time starter or heavy rotational player.
Ward, while undersized for the position, has always been a hard hitter and rangy option at the position and a tone-setter for the unit. He's missed a number of games so far this season after having surgery on his forearm, but he's getting back in the swing of things.
Tech will certainly need Ward in the mix as we hit the final four game stretch this season.
CAREER STATS: 176 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 INTs, 14 PBUs, 2 FFs
CB Thierry Nguema - A California native, Nguema signed with Tech and redshirted in 2012. He was a reserve DB and a special teamer for most of 2013 and 2014 before entering the rotation at corner as a junior in 2015, starting four games for the Red Raiders.
Now, he's become one of the primary options at corner for Tech as a senior, playing mostly on the outside before sliding inside to nickel for Tech against TCU, a role he seemed to excel in while rotating with Doug Coleman.
Nguema has to play some of the best football of his career to end the season for the Red Raiders, and I believe that could be in the slot now that he and Nelson have seemingly swapped positions.
CAREER STATS: 55 tackles, 5 PBUs, 2 INTs
RB Quinton White - White was a three star tailback out of College Station, committing to Texas Tech in November of his senior season as a member of the 2012 class. In fact, then OC Neal Brown felt that White would end up being the steal of the class.
Going into the 2015 season, the Tech staff decided to mold White into a receiving fullback, being a primary blocker out of the backfield for Mahomes in the pocket and out in front in the ground game for DeAndre Washington. The transition went well, and as a senior White is having his best season of his career as a receiving option out of the backfield.
While he may never have started a game as the guy, White has been nothing but solid and reliable when called upon.
CAREER STATS: 57 carries, 296 rushing yards, 25 receptions, 215 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
WR Devin Lauderdale - One of the most coveted wide receivers in the entire state of Texas for the 2013 class, Lauderdale spent a year in junior college before again signing with the Red Raiders and exploding onto the scene as a deep ball threat for Pat Mahomes in the second half of the 2014 season. He looked to be off to a hot start in 2015 as well, but an injury against Baylor slowed him down the rest of the way where he was mostly inconsistent.
Lauderdale had a troubled offseason where he was suspended from school due to an academic issue, missing the entire spring. However, he had a reportedly great fall camp and was good to go for this season, becoming a solid option in the passing game through the first half of this season. However, he did not travel with the team to Fort Worth for the TCU game last week and has not been with the football team this week, meaning he likely will not play or go through Senior Day festivities at Jones Stadium this weekend.
CAREER STATS: 105 receptions, 1535 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns
CB Paul Banks - DC David Gibbs was looking to add a JUCO corner familiar with his system, so he went after Paul Banks as a member of the 2015 class, a prospect that Gibbs and assistant Zac Spavital were familiar with at Houston and had recruited out of high school.
Banks immediately became a member of the primary rotation at corner last fall, but he missed the second half of the season with a neck injury. Now, after missing the first few games due to a clearinghouse issue, Banks is one of Tech's starters at corner.
He's been mostly solid so far this season, improving each week since returning and undoubtedly having his best game of the season against TCU. Again, like the other senior DB's playing their final game at Jones Stadium against Texas on Saturday, Banks could be a big part of the Red Raiders' defensive bouneback in the final four games if he continues to show improvement as he gets back in the swing of things.
CAREER STATS: 26 total tackles, 5 PBUs
CB Justis Nelson - Nelson was a product of Texas Tech's summer satellite camp circuit, Texas Tech offering him a scholarship after he impressed as a long, rangy corner. Nelson was then called into action late in the 2013 season, burning his redshirt to become a starter at corner. He's been the biggest mainstay in Texas Tech's secondary sense then, starting as a sophomore, junior, and now a senior, a season in which he's earned the designation of team captain.
Nelson is undoubtedly having the best year of his career, too, and fairly quietly. He started out the year as the Red Raiders' primary nickel back, covering the slot. He was mostly great in the role, quieting a number of talented opposing slot receivers while being a solid run defender, too.
Nelson moved back outside against TCU, and the move may have been one of the best calls David Gibbs has made as DC. The Red Raiders had their best day in pass coverage all year, eliminating the home run balls that had been plaguing the secondary on the outside all year. Now, the Dallas native has a chance to be a key cog in Texas Tech's defensive resurgence as we enter the final third of the season.
CAREER STATS: 130 tackles, 3 TFLs, 3 INTS, 33 PBUs, 1 sack
FB Tyler Scalzi - Scalzi walked on at Texas Tech in 2012, redshirting before seeing limited time as a linebacker in 2013. Since then, he flipped over to offense as a fullback/tight end hybrid where he's served as a backup while being a primary special teams player for the Red Raiders.
CAREER STATS: 3 tackles, 1 TFL
LB Luke Stice - Stice, a Midland native, started out his career as a walk-on at Houston, playing first linebacker as a freshman before transitioning into a fullback as a sophomore and junior.
He decided he wanted to transfer closer to home for his senior year, heading to Lubbock to join the Red Raiders for his final year of eligibility. While he's only been a reserve linebacker this season, Stice was elected a captain by his teammates going into the season because of his work ethic and leadership throughout the offseason program.
He's been a key special teams player and will continue to be so here in the final third of the season.
CAREER STATS: 42 total tackles
LB Malik Jenkins - Jenkins was one of the first players ever recruited by Kliff Kingsbury's young staff in late December and early January of 2013, signing with Tech as a defensive end out of Ennis.
Fast forward a handful of years, and Jenkins has become one of the staples at linebacker over the last two seasons, specifically down the stretch in 2015 and now one of the starters. Jenkins has continually improved and grown as a senior, too. He's playing the best football of his career in recent weeks and is a big reason the Red Raiders held TCU to 17 points in regulation in Fort Worth last week.
If he continues to play like that in the final four games of the regular season, Tech will continue to improve defensively.
CAREER STATS: 121 total tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 4 PBUs, 1 FF
OL Baylen Brown - Brown was a 2013 signee with the Red Raiders, and he was certainly thrown into the fire sooner than any other of his classmates that season. The San Antonio native became a day one starter at guard for Lee Hays' very first offensive line at Tech, and he's been a mainstay along the unit ever since, shuffling around wherever he's been needed.
Now, he's a senior captain and the anchor on this young offensive line. Brown has grown and gotten better each year, and now he's poised to close out his career at Tech as one of the most experienced offensive linemen to ever roll through the program.
