Ought to both be unavailable or restricted, it could harm how Tech likes to play. Kobee Minor, one of many 4 corners the Purple Raiders used through the common season, has had his identify entered into the NCAA switch portal and is not with the group. Matthews rotates in often to maintain Merriweather from being overworked.
Tight finish Mason Tharp, although with the group, will miss the sport. Tharp did not play within the final two regular-season video games after struggling an harm McGuire has declined to expose.
Among the many Tech signees within the 2021 recruiting class, security Landon Hullaby is the first-year winner for having the worst luck. Hullaby joined the group final January and was shut down halfway via spring follow with a hip drawback that led to surgical procedure. He lately underwent surgical procedure once more to restore a shoulder harm and can miss spring follow.
McGuire mentioned Hullaby bought harm in follow the week of the regular-season finale towards Oklahoma.
The freshman from Mansfield Timberview is sporting a stabilizing brace for his proper shoulder.
“It is powerful on Landon,” McGuire mentioned, “as a result of he had bounced again from his hip and we had been anticipating him to play within the OU sport, a minimum of particular teams-wise. He dove and harm his shoulder, and it is a type of offers you need to go forward and get cleaned up proper now as quickly as you may.”
Hullaby had near 30 scholarship provides and was listed among the many high 80 recruits in Texas by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN.
Welcome to H-town
Tech will work out every day via Tuesday at Rice, and Ole Miss will work out on the College of Houston.
The Purple Raiders’ group constitution arrived in Houston round lunchtime Saturday. McGuire estimated about 35 to 40 gamers had been on the flight. A bigger quantity, utilizing journey vouchers provided by Tech athletics, made it to Houston on their very own. They’d been given just a few days to go dwelling after the final follow in Lubbock.
The Arctic chilly entrance wreaking havoc everywhere in the nation has prolonged all the best way to the Gulf Coast, the uncharacteristic chilly touching Houston, too. It was 41 levels when the Purple Raiders bought off the bus at Rice, although they labored out indoors.
“That is one thing new to me,” mentioned cornerback Adrian Frye, who grew up in Houston. “I’ve by no means been to Houston the place it is simply persistently chilly. Usually, it is chilly night time at night time or when the solar goes down, however the majority of the time when the solar’s up, it is fairly heat.”
The excessive temperature in Houston was 34 levels on Friday and 43 on Saturday. The Nationwide Climate Service forecast requires 47 on Sunday.
Bowl earlier than the bowl
One of many traditions of the Texas Bowl is the Rodeo Bowl, a lighthearted competitors between the 2 groups in rodeo-themed occasions. Assume: Herding calves. Stacking hay bales. Racing in horse-styled outfits. “Branding” calves, albeit not with a sizzling iron.
Normally a seven-event sequence, the Rodeo Bowl is scheduled for five:30 p.m. Monday at NRG Area. The individuals are handled to dinner as properly.
“I am throwing hay bales,” mentioned Dennis Wilburn, Tech’s 320-pound heart. “He requested me did I need to do it. I mentioned, ‘Let’s do it.’ So I am throwing hay bales.”
Kicker Trey Wolff mentioned he is a part of the Tech lineup in calf “branding”.
“I feel our man simply type of texted across the guys he thought would have an interest,” Wolff mentioned, “and mentioned, ‘Hey, which one in every of these occasions would you need to do?’ So we bought it found out that manner.”
Uniform speak
For Wednesday’s sport, Tech plans to put on black helmets, scarlet jerseys and scarlet pants. McGuire famous they wore the identical mixture whereas beating Texas this season in extra time. And it was a preferred look through the Mike Leach years.
“I name it the Danny Amendola particular,” McGuire mentioned, referring to the previous Purple Raiders receiver. “Since he is from Houston, we’ll honor him sporting that mixture.”
Throughout follow solely, the Purple Raiders are sporting white helmets with a particular emblem: The skyline of Houston in white towards a backdrop of the state of Texas in scarlet, overlaid with the Double T. McGuire mentioned the concept was to honor the a number of Tech gamers from Houston.
