Patrick Mahomes is one of the most popular names that pop up in a conversation about football. But long before he became what he is now, making no-look throws and stacking Super Bowl rings with the Kansas City Chiefs, he was slinging it in Lubbock, Texas. Mahomes was not just another college football player; he was a game-breaker. Even though Texas Tech didn’t win many matches as they would have hoped to during Mahomes’ stint, he’s still one of the best in the business.
Between the 2014-2016 era, when Mahomes was a part of college football, he threw over 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns in his junior year alone. That’s not it. Once, he threw for 734 yards in a single game. You heard it right. In 2016, against Oklahoma, his performance was top-notch even though Texas Tech ended up losing 66-59. Mahomes may be the face of the NFL right now, but his heart is still at Texas Tech. While many stars forget their roots, Mahomes? Well, let’s just say Mahomes is still repping Texas Tech like he never left.
Ask head coach Joey McGuire, and he’ll reveal it. On The Triple Option podcast, the Texas Tech head coach said, “He’s pretty incredible,” before revealing a story that perfectly sums up Mahomes’ loyalty to Texas Tech. A few months back, when McGuire was at Mahomes’ foundation tournament in Vegas when the NFL schedule was released. Excited about it, the head coach was scanning the NFL schedule to check when Mahomes’ bye week was. Turns out, Mahomes had already checked it out. “As soon as he walks into the building, he makes a beeline for me and says, ‘I’ll be at the BYU game, man. I’m going to be there. I’ve already been talking so much trash to Coach [Andy] Reid. In fact, I’m gonna make him come with me, so you better win that game.’” That’s Patrick Mahomes for you.
He’s still giving his 100% to the team. McGuire keeps taking his help whenever a big recruitment arrives in town, and guess what? “I’ll say, hey, I’ve got a QB from the 2026 class on campus. Can you tell me a time that I can get on the phone with you, and you can just say hello? He was on our sideline during his bye week when we played at Kansas, and he was on our sideline. Like, I just think he probably sleeps in a double T every night. Like he is just all the freaking love at Texas Tech.” Now, we might assume that Patrick Mahomes might have something to do with 5-star recruit Felix Ojo’s commitment to Texas Tech.
The facilities at Texas Tech speak of that bond. The walkthrough room? Named after Mahomes. The QB’s meeting room? Also Mahomes. Offensive coordinator’s office? Mahomes again. He is everywhere. McGuire even joked about wearing Mahomes’ signature shoes to football shoes. The bond is real. It’s right there in front of everyone’s eyes. What sets Mahomes apart is probably the way he shows up, makes the calls, and gives back. “He’s one of the greatest, just humble dudes,” McGuire said. “He’s real”.
Texas Tech locks in $5.1 million NIL deal to land 5-star OT Felix Ojo
Texas Tech just flipped the script in college football recruiting. The pinnacle? Landing 5-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo with a 3-year NIL deal worth $5.1 million. At 6’7” and 285 pounds, Ojo ranks as ESPN’s No. 4 OT and No.20 overall in the class of 2026, and 247Sports places him No.7 nationally.
Ojo made his choice to go with Texas Tech rather than Florida, Michigan, or Ohio State. “Football is a brutal sport, and athletes are not able to play professionally until their graduating class has been in college for three years,” Ojo’s agent, Derrick Shelby, told ESPN. “It was important to be able to secure Felix Ojo’s future and give him and his family some security as he continues to develop into a first-round NFL draft pick.”
Well, after listening to what Derrick Shelby had to say about the deal, we can assume that the deal isn’t just for the game. But from Texas Tech’s side, it will be more of an expectation from Ojo to transform their line and attract talent. Within a few days, the Red Raiders’ class of 2026 jumped from 36th to 23rd nationally, while shooting to 1st in the B1G 12. This is the clear impact of landing a single elite five-star recruit. What’s next? The recruiting game has evolved, and Ojo has cracked a deal that’ll be tough to beat.
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