One of the newest prospects to pick up a Texas Tech offer is 2026 Bixby (OK) HS linebacker Cord Nolan.
Nolan announced his offer from TTU on July 27th, and the Red Raiders have immediately jumped into the mix for the rising junior.
Nolan's recruitment to Texas Tech is led by linebackers coach Josh Bookbinder as well as Director of Player Development Dave Martin. Martin, of course, was a head coach at Jones HS in Oklahoma for 14 seasons prior to arriving at Texas Tech, and has connections throughout the state.
RedRaiderSports spoke with Nolan for his thoughts on the offer, what other programs are in the mix and what he's looking for in a school.
What you need to know...
... Nolan holds 8 offers to date, with Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, North Texas, Tulsa and UNLV joining the Red Raiders on his offer list
... As a sophomore Nolan - who plays both side of the ball at TE and LB - put up 23 receptions for 632 yards and 10 touchdowns offensively. He also pitched in 3 rushes for 23 yards. On defense he was credited with 16 tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
... Nolan is a multi-sport athlete who is also a baseball outfielder
... Texas Tech has also offered Nolan's teammate, 2027 defensive tackle Kaeden Penny
How the Tech offer came together: "So I actually went to camp last year and I worked out with coach (C.J.) Ah You and I met with Dave Martin, he's a recruiting guy but he also helps coach a little bit. Then I didn't really talk to them a whole lot since then and then after this past season recruiting has really started picking up and everything. I went to Baylor Saturday and I went to a camp there. Then they called me that day, that camp, and that's when they offered me. It was coach Bookbinder, the inside linebackers coach, and I just started talking to him and building a relationship with him and that's been going good. Dave Martin, he's a great guy too. I like both of them a lot and I've just been talking to them quite a bit and they told me that they were going to get on me. They texted me like a couple days before they offered me and they just said they're working on it and hopefully get something soon, and then they offered me last Saturday so that was great."
Thoughts on Lubbock while in town for camp: "It's a pretty unique campus. It's old but it's also a pretty cool campus. I liked it a lot. I kinda like how it's in the middle of nowhere. Nice college town, pretty good vibes around there. The facilities side of things, it was right before they started construction and started doing the new stuff so I haven't seen it since the new buildings and everything have been in but when I was down there for the camp it was still really nice and the stadium is a pretty cool stadium."
Plans to return to Lubbock: "Yes sir, they said I can come out any time I want to any games, as many as I want, so I'll absolutely be going out there this year."
What having several Power 5 offers means: "I'm pretty blessed to have that. I mean God has given me some pretty good talents and abilities that I've worked hard to add onto, you know? Kinda just going out and using those as a platform to spread his word but at the same time it's just a pretty cool feeling for my parents to see. They do a lot pouring into me and working hard and making sure I have what I need to be able to perform at the highest level and that's what it's been leading up to. I've been working out a lot this summer with my trainer - his name is Josh Musick - and I've been getting stronger and faster and everything so it's kinda just nice seeing the work that I've been putting in pay off."
Position fit at the next level: Nolan said that all eight (8) of his offers are to play linebacker as of now, and that he just likes playing defense.
"I love to play defense, I just like defense more. I feel like I flow with it. I'm also a good tight end but I feel like I'd rather play linebacker in college."
Other schools in the mix: Nolan touched a little bit on some of the other programs he holds offers from.
On Kansas State... "The coaches, they're super cool. They're real personable. They'll come up and talk to you like they've known you forever even though we've only known them for a few months now. It's just a really cool place. Kinda like Lubbock, a nice little college town, not too many people. They have a really good fanbase."
On Tulsa... "It was kinda cool getting a hometown offer. Their linebackers coach, I've been building a relationship with him for a while now kinda at the end of my freshman year/beginning of my sophomore year. That's when we really started talking to him. It was just a little developing relationship and then they finally offered me. I think they were my third offer to have, so it was cool getting that one."
On Baylor... "It's just a pretty cool private school and the coaches they'll be real with you no matter what. They'll tell you straight up what they think about you, what they think about the program, what they think about the transfer portal. Any questions that you have with them they're not gonna give you anything false or false hope or anything like that. They're gonna shoot you straight. They're getting some new facilities right now as well. I kinda got to walk through - it's not fully done yet - but I got to walk through there and see what it's like. It's a pretty cool campus."
What he's looking for in a program: "Definitely kind of a blue-collar background. Players who are going to work hard for their coaches and have respect for their coaches but also coaches who are going to coach more than just football. They're gonna coach you in life, they're gonna be a person you can talk to more than just football, if something is going on whatever it may be you can go and talk to your coaches. Just kinda that relationship where you're comfortable around them."
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