Game Program - 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

Table of Contents About Radiance Technologies.............................................................................. 3

Texas Tech Alphabetical Roster..........................................................................54

Welcome from the Chairman................................................................................ 4

Texas Tech Depth Chart.........................................................................................56

Welcome from Caddo Parish................................................................................. 5

Texas Tech Season Statistics & Leaders............................................................58

Welcome from the Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana................................ 6

Meet the Red Raiders...................................................................................... 60-62

Game Matchup and Preview............................................................................. 8-9

Head Coach Joey McGuire...................................................................................64

Independence Stadium........................................................................................10

Texas Tech Coaching Staff....................................................................................65

Independence Bowl Shop from Team IP.........................................................12

Texas Tech University.............................................................................................66

Legacy of the Independence Bowl............................................................ 14-15

Texas Tech Traditions....................................................................................... 67-68

Omar N. Bradley “Spirit of Independence Award”................................ 18-19

Independence Bowl Committee Chairs..........................................................71

Independence Bowl Foundation Leadership......................................... 20-21

Independence Bowl Foundation.......................................................................72

California Season in Review.......................................................................... 26-27

Foundation Membership......................................................................................73

Scouting the Golden Bears..................................................................................28

Corporate Partners..................................................................................................75

California Alphabetical Roster............................................................................30

Carl Mikovich Sportsperson of the Year..........................................................77

California Depth Chart...........................................................................................32

ESPN Broadcasters & Information.....................................................................78

California Season Statistics & Leaders..............................................................34

Bowl Season Radio Broadcasters & Information..........................................80

Meet the Golden Bears................................................................................... 36-38

Year-By-Year Results........................................................................................ 84-85

Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox......................................40

Players of the Game................................................................................................88

California Coaching Staff......................................................................................41

Coaching & Conference Records.......................................................................90

University of California, Berkeley................................................................ 42-43

Individual Records..................................................................................................94

California Marching Band.....................................................................................44

Team Records..................................................................................................... 96-97

California Numerical Roster.................................................................................46

College and Pro Football Hall of Famers...................................................... 100

Texas Tech Numerical Roster...............................................................................47

Championship Coaches..................................................................................... 101

Texas Tech Season in Review........................................................................ 50-51

Bowl Participant Award Winners.................................................................... 103

Scouting the Red Raiders.....................................................................................52

Willis-Knighton Scholarship Recipients........................................................ 104

California Golden Bears The 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl game program was created by Erik Evenson, Director of Communications – with assistance from the sports information staffs at Cal and Texas Tech, as well as photos provided

by Roger Braniff Sr., Steve Mauldin, Jeremy Hernandez and the Independence Bowl archives.

The game program is available digitally-only.

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26 28 30 32 34 36 40 41 42 44 46

2023 Season in Review Scouting the Golden Bears Alphabetical Roster Depth Chart 2023 Statistics & Leaders Meet the Golden Bears Head Coach Justin Wilcox Coaching Staff University of California, Berkeley Marching Band Numerical Roster

Texas Tech Red Raiders 47 50 52 54 56 58 60 64 65 66 67

Numerical Roster 2023 Season in Review Scouting the Red Raiders Alphabetical Roster Depth Chart 2023 Statistics & Leaders Meet the Red Raiders Head Coach Joey McGuire Coaching Staff Texas Tech University Texas Tech Traditions

Welcome from the Chairman

BRYAN ROPPOLO 2023 Bowl Chairman

MAYOR TOM ARCENEAUX Shreveport

Dear 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Fans, On behalf of our title sponsor, Radiance Technologies, Inc., the Independence Bowl Foundation executive committee, board of directors, staff, and the over 400 foundation members, I am honored to welcome you to Shreveport, Louisiana for the 47th Independence Bowl.

The Independence Bowl has a strong tradition and history as the 11th longest-running bowl game in the country. Our bowl has been played since 1976 and was named after the nation’s bicentenial. Throughout that history, we have hosted some of the top programs, coaches, and outstanding players in the history of college football. That list includes 25 College Football Hall of Famers, six Pro Football Hall of Famers, seven National Championship-winning head coaches and 73 NFL First Round draft picks. The Shreveport-Bossier City Community is proud of this tradition, and we are proud to host this year’s teams.

We are excited that you have chosen to visit Northwest Louisiana. We are proud to have the opportunity to host and hope your experience is beyond expectations. We have a great reputation for food, hospitality, entertainment, and most of all, exciting football. We hope that you enjoy everything our region has to offer, including all of our bowl week events and many local attractions.

Thank you for attending the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. We hope you have a great experience, and we welcome you to visit Shreveport again in the future. Enjoy the game!

Sincerely,

Bryan Roppolo Bryan Roppolo 2023 Chairman Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

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THE PARISH OF CADDO IS

N E D C E N E

WL BO

INDE P

A PROUD SPONSOR OF

The Parish of Caddo is excited to sponsor another historic matchup at Independence Stadium!

We welcome you to Caddo Parish, and invite you stay for a while!

Whether it’s our fabulous food, exciting community festivals, letting the “good times roll” at our Mardi Gras parades, or exploring our “Sportsman’s Paradise”, you’re sure to have an amazing time!

ERICA R. BRYANT

ROY A. BURRELL

Parish Administrator/CEO

Caddo Commission President

Welcome to Shreveport and the 47th Independence Bowl!

We hope before and after you support your team at the game, you find the opportunity to Feed Your Soul with Louisiana’s great food, lively culture, and wealth of outdoor activities – even during the winter months.

While you’re in town, check out the interactive magical holiday journey held at the Shreveport Aquarium called BELIEVE! Lights the Night. Also, visit the snow-themed, science-based activities housed in an interactive “playground” known as “Sno-Port” at the Sci-Port Discovery Center. Learn about the culture and history of northwest Louisiana at museums such as the Louisiana State Oil & Gas Museum or the Spring Street Museum.

And, don’t forget to catch a selfie with the Elvis Presley statue at the Municipal Auditorium!

If you’re up for a quick road trip, discover some notable Louisiana sports figures at the Eddie G. Robinson Museum in Grambling or the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches. Both museums are located along routes that can also get you in the Christmas spirit on the Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights.

Our celebrations don’t stop after the holidays. Carnival season kicks off on January 6th with parades and events in every corner of the state and continues through Mardi Gras on February 13th. Check out the various festivities at ExploreLouisiana.com and plan your return trip!

To discover your very own great Louisiana adventure, visit FindYourLouisiana.com. It’s time to let the good times roll in #OnlyLouisiana!

Sincerely,

BLIND TIGER SHREVEPORT

IN MY LOUISIANA,

LIFE IS FULL OF FLAVOR.

FindYourLouisiana.com

Today’s Matchup

This is the 47th edition of college football’s 11th most-historic bowl game – the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. California is playing in its 25th bowl game in program history but is making its first appearance in the Independence Bowl. Texas Tech is making its 41st bowl appearance and third Independence Bowl appearance – first since 1998. The only prior meeting between these teams came in the 2004 Holiday Bowl, which Texas Tech won 4531. Current Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie led the Red Raiders to victory over Aaron Rodgers, Marshawn Lynch and the Golden Bears.

Established in 1976, the Independence Bowl received its name because of the nation’s bicentennial celebration. Throughout the game’s first 46 years, 73 First Round NFL Draft selections, six Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees and 25 College Football Hall of Famers – including 2023 inductees Mark Richt and Paul Johnson – have participated in the Independence Bowl. Today, a new generation of talent will be on display at Independence Stadium.

California (6-6, 4-5 Pac-12) won its final three games to head to Bowl Season for the first time since 2019. The Golden Bears, led by seventh-year head coach Justin Wilcox, will be playing in its 25th ever bowl game but its first Independence Bowl. Cal’s storied history sees them rank 37th all-time among FBS teams in wins, with 694 in school history.

The Bears’ 181.1 rushing yards per game were their best since 2012 with the ground game led by sophomore Jaydn Ott, who finished the regular season as the Pac-12’s leader in total rushing yards (1,260) and rushing yards per game (114.55), and second in rushing touchdowns (11).

Ott totaled 14 touchdowns by adding two receiving and another with a 100-yard kickoff return at UCLA on the first time he had returned a kickoff at any level of football.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Fernando Mendoza took over the starting job in Week 6 against Oregon State and completed 131-of-210 passes for 1,447 yards and 13 touchdowns. The four leading Cal receivers caught 30 or more passes, led by junior Jeremiah Hunter with 58 receptions for 669 yards and seven touchdowns. Redshirt freshman tight end Jack Endries has been as dependable as any receiver on the team this season with 32 catches for 385 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Jaydn Ott

Cal’s offensive line has anchored a rushing attack that ranks fourth in the Pac-12 and 33rd nationally at 181.1 yards per game.

The unit features three Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week awards - two by junior Brian Driscoll and one by grad transfer Barrett Miller. The Bears rank fourth in the Pac-12 in sacks allowed per game (1.5).

The Bears’ defense had a knack for big plays, tying for the nation’s lead in fumbles recovered (14) and ranking tied for second in turnovers gained (25). Cal also had three defensive touchdowns to rank tied for 13th nationally.

True freshman linebacker Cade Uluave has exploded onto the scene since replacing team captain Jackson Sirmon at inside linebacker after Sirmon suffered a season-ending injury in Week 6 against Oregon State. Uluave was named the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year after recording 58 tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions. One of his fumble recoveries he returned 51 yards for a touchdown. Uluave was twice named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week while also adding a Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award.

Safeties Craig Woodson (78) and Patrick McMorris (77) have combined to register 155 tackles this season, and both are ranked in the top 10 in the Pac-12 in that category. McMorris also has two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries to go along with an interception and a sack this season. Junior Nohl Williams had back-toback games this season in which he returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He also has 47 tackles and two interceptions.

Junior Lachlan Wilson was named to the All-Pac-12 Second Team after ranking second in the conference in punt average (45.7). He had 17 punts that traveled at least 50 yards and 15 that were downed inside the 20. Freshman placekicker Mateen Bhahgani is 8-for-9 on field goals this season and hasn’t missed a PAT attempt.

For more information on the California Golden Bears, visit pages 24-46.

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Today’s Matchup

Xavier White Texas Tech (6-6, 5-4 Big 12) wrapped the regular season by going 3-1 in November, topping two fellow bowl teams in the process with a road victory at Kansas and then against UCF the following week in Lubbock. The Red Raiders, led second-year head coach Joey McGuire, finished 5-4 in Big 12 play for the second consecutive season, making them one of only Big 12 programs to boast a winning conference record in back-to-back seasons. Texas Tech is in a bowl game for the third consecutive season and the 41st time in program history, which ranks tied for 20th in college football history.

The Red Raiders were led offensively by Doak Walker semifinalist, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist and All-Big 12 First Team running back Tahj Brooks, who led the Red Raiders on the ground with 1,443 yards and nine touchdowns on 268 attempts, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Brooks has already etched his name in the Red Raiders’ record book as he has the sixth-most rushing yards in a single season and seeks to grow that number in the Independence Bowl. He finished the regular season owning the third-most yards in the FBS in a season he logged eight 100-yard performances while also having a stretch of scoring at least one touchdown in seven straight games.

The Red Raiders were one of 14 FBS programs to start three or more quarterbacks during the 2023 season. The team was turned over to Morton in week five against Houston and sparked Texas Tech going 5-0 in the games he finished over the next seven weeks. In that span, he suffered an injury at home versus Kansas State that prevented him from returning to the game after halftime. Morton led the team in passing in 2023, throwing for 1,498 yards and 12 touchdowns in his nine games of action. Senior wide receiver Xavier White led the Red Raiders with 495 receiving yards with 34 catches, he was rewarded with an All-Big 12 honorable mention nod in the league’s end-of-season awards. Tight end Baylor Cupp, an All-Big 12 offensive honorable mention honoree this season, had 11 receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns over six starts.

The Texas Tech defense is led by senior stalwart and All-Big 12 honorable mention selection, Tony Bradford Jr., Big-12 co-defensive Freshman of the Year Ben Roberts and a talented secondary. Roberts has 100 total tackles, 53 of which were solo stops, five tackles for loss as well as an interception. Linebacker Jesiah Pierre, an All-Big 12 honorable mention pick, had 66 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Four Red Raiders in the secondary earned recognition from the Big 12 in its postseason all-conference awards. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, an All-Big 12 Second Team selection, recorded 66 total tackles, six pass breakups and four interceptions while starting all 12 games. C.J. Baskerville, also an all-conference honoree by getting an All-Big 12 honorable mention nod, ranked second in tackles on the team with 73 for the Red Raiders despite missing two games. Baskerville added one interception and five pass breakups in his 10 games. Bralyn Lux, a first-year Red Raider, recorded 24 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups and one interception in the 11 games that he saw action in that earned him an honorable mention nod. Malik Dunlap, also an HM pick, was featured in all 12 games for the Red Raiders recording 25 solo tackles, three interceptions and six pass breakups.

Tony Bradford Jr.

Punter Austin McNamara became the first Texas Tech player to garner Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year since the award’s inception in 2005 and was the first punter in the league since 2018 to earn the honor. Furthermore, McNamara was named a first-team All-Big 12 selection, making him the first three-time first-team All-Big 12 selection in program history and just the 20th in the history of the Big 12. Gino Garcia, an All-Big 12 honorable mention selection, made 14 field goals on 19 attempts this season and went a perfect 36-of-36 on point after attempts. Drae McCray made an impact on kick-returns this season with 668 kick return yards on 24 attempts for an average of 27.8 per return, taking one back for a 100-yard kick-return touchdown.

For more information on the Texas Tech Red Raiders, visit pages 47-68.

The 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl figures to be another exciting matchup! California is the first Pac-12 participant in the Independence Bowl since 2013, and Texas Tech is the first Big 12 participant since 2011. From the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl staff and the entire Independence Bowl Foundation membership, thank you for choosing to spend time during the holiday season with us, and we hope you enjoy the game and your stay in Shreveport-Bossier City!

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Independence Stadium CLEAR BAG POLICY

Fans are encouraged not to bring any types of bags inside the stadium; however, the following outlines bags that are permitted: • Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”; • One-gallon clear plastic bags (Ziploc bag or similar); • Small clutch bags, with or without a handle or strap, that do not exceed 4.5” x 6.5” (approximately the size of a hand).

• An exception will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at a gate designated for this purpose.

• An approved logo no larger than 4.5” x 3.4” may be displayed on one side of a permissible clear bag.

Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to: purses larger than a clutch bag; briefcases; backpacks, cinch bags, and fanny packs that are not clear and/or exceed the size restriction; luggage of any kind; computer bags/cases; camera bags/cases; binocular bags/cases or any bag larger than the permissible size.

For the full policy, please visit IndependenceBowl.org/stadium-rules/.

FIRST AID

ATM’s

RE-ENTRY POLICY

ATM’s will be available in the parking/tailgating areas outside of the stadium on the State Fair Grounds. ATM’s will also be located inside the stadium.

Fans will not be permitted to leave Independence Stadium and re-enter the stadium grounds.

SMOKING & VAPING

LOST PATRONS

Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited throughout Independence Stadium.

Lost patrons should contact the nearest police officer who will escort them to the Security Office, located in the southwest corner of the stadium.

TICKET WILL-CALL

Ticket will-call is located at the ticket window in the northeast corner of Independence Stadium at Gate 4. Picture ID is required.

LOST AND FOUND

Lost and Found is located in the southwest corner of the stadium at the Security Office.

For further assistance, contact the nearest SPD Officer or usher.

NCAA PLAYER PASS GATE

The NCAA Player Pass Gate is located on the west (press box) side of Independence Stadium.

Picture ID is required.

GATES OPEN

On game day, the gates to Independence Stadium will open for fan entry two hours before the game at approximately 6:15 p.m. CST.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Items Prohibited From Independence Stadium: • Firearms • Bags that do not • Knives meet the criteria of • Straight Blades the Clear Bag Policy • Telephoto lenses • Pocket Tools longer than 6 inches • Mace • Tazer/Stun Guns • Outside Food or • Ice Chests or Coolers Drink (alcoholic or • Umbrellas non-alcoholic) • Smoking and • Banners or Signs vaping are NOT • Video Cameras • E-cigarettes permitted inside the stadium • Drones

RESTROOMS

Men’s and women’s facilities are located throughout the stadium, both on the ground level and along the upper concourse. For your security, attendants will be stationed in the restrooms.

APPROVED ITEMS

PRESS BOX

GATE

Independence Stadium will have Shreveport Fire/EMS representatives present throughout CONCESSIONS the game. To request assistance, see the nearest Concessions are located throughout the INDEPENDENCE STADIUM CLEAR BAG POLICY gate agent or Shreveport Police officer. stadium, both on the ground level and along the upper concourse. In addition, vendors service all sections of the stadium, prior to and during the game.

201 201

202

203

204

204

205

100 101 101

102

103

104

104

105

GATE

MEDIA

NCAA GATE

GATE

2

200

F

E

D

PROHIBITED BAGS

GATE

APPROVED BAGS

426

CLUB LEVEL

127

226

126

225

125

424

224

124

223

123 122

222

C

221

GATE

10

1

121 120

220

B

Independence Stadium Clear Bag Policy

128

227

425

423

130

A

119

CALIFORNIA TEXAS TECH

106

BOX OFFICE

107 INDEPENDENCE STADIUM

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND ILLEGAL DRUGS ANIMALS (except service animals) BALLS, FRISBEES, WHOLE FRUIT OR PROJECTILES BICYCLES, SKATEBOARDS OR SCOOTERS

129

INDEPENDENCE STADIUM

PROHIBITED ITEMS ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘

230

229 228

3

108 109 110

118

117

116

115

114

113

112

218

217

216

215

214

213

212

111

219 GATE

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BOX OFFICE

WE INNOVATE At Radiance Technologies we provide technical excellence to our customers through innovative solutions and quality service. We welcome the difficult problems because we know that we will find a sound solution that will meet our customers’ goals. We hire some of the brightest, most inventive minds to work at Radiance, because we want to provide our customers with the solutions they deserve to the problems that others fail to deliver on.

Our company culture is based on a tradition of fairness, trust, caring, and consistency. We believe that our Employee-Owners are the heart and soul of Radiance Technologies, which is why we have built a culture of inclusion and understanding that puts our Employee-Owners above our bottom line.

www.radiancetech.com SHREVEPORT, LA

2023

Legacy of the Independence Bowl In honor of the United States’ 200th birthday and the strong military presence in the Shreveport-Bossier City area, the Sports Foundation’s board of directors felt the name “Independence Bowl” would be a fitting tribute to the men and women who have fought for the United States’ freedom and independence. The Independence Bowl has been a staple in the community for more than five decades, and continues to be the premier annual sporting event in North Louisiana 47 years later.

MCneese State (1976)

The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl – the nation’s 11tholdest bowl game – has a rich history that spans more than five decades. On Dec. 13, 1976, McNeese State defeated Tulsa in the inaugural game. The Southland Conference sent a team to Shreveport for the first five years of the Bowl’s existence, but in 1981, the Bowl’s leadership voted to be open on both sides, giving them the opportunity to scour the country for the best teams available in the NCAA Division I-A ranks.

That first year, the Independence Bowl struck gold as the Aggies of Texas A&M traveled to take on the Cowboys of Oklahoma State.

This storied rivalry between the Southwest Conference and BigEight Conference drew national attention to the ShreveportBossier City area. The first Southeastern Conference team to make an appearance in the Independence Bowl was the University of Mississippi in 1983. The Air Force Falcons, battled the explosive Rebels in a torrential downpour to carry home a 9–3 victory.

Eddie Kennison (Lsu, 1995)

Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State (1981)

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The I-Bowl pursued and achieved openended status on both sides ending the affiliation with the Southland. Texas A&M from the Southwest Conference defeated Jimmy Johnson and Oklahoma St. from the Big Eight, 33-16.

FIRST TITLE SPONSOR (1990)

Poulan/Weed Eater signed on as the game’s first title sponsor in 1990.

ESPN (1992)

The 1992 matchup between Wake Forest and Oregon marked the first Independence Bowl to be shown on ESPN – the first of 31 straight years.

SEC TIE-IN (1995)

The Poulan/Weed Eater Independence Bowl reached an agreement with the SEC to secure the fifth choice from the prestigious conference.

BIGGEST MATCHUP (1997)

The Bowl had its best-case scenario as local favorite LSU was selected to play Notre Dame, drawing the game’s largest crowd.

Notre Dame vs. LSU (1997)

Bob Stoop’s Oklahoma Sooners and David Cutcliffe’s Ole Miss Rebels met on New Year’s Eve in 1999 for the 24th Independence Bowl. Ole Miss made its fourth appearance in the game while the Sooners made their debut. Led by quarterback, now prominent head coach, Josh Heupel, Oklahoma got out to an early lead and appeared to be dominating the Rebels. Ole Miss fought back and won the battle 27-25 on a field goal in the final seconds. It was the last football game of 1999 and the first game of the new millennium in the eastern time zone, as it ended at 12:03 a.m.

Snow Bowl (2000)

BIRTH OF A BOWL (1976)

The Sports Foundation gained certification for the Independence Bowl from the NCAA on its first try.

The Southland Conference champion served as the host team. The first game featuring McNeese St. and Tulsa had a budget of $75,000 and paid each participating team $25,000, drawing 19,164 fans.

PURSUIT (1981)

In 1990, Louisiana Tech tied Maryland 34-34 in the first Poulan/Weed Eater Independence Bowl and the only tie in I-Bowl history. A record-breaking crowd of 48,325 filled Independence Stadium. In 1995 the Poulan/Weed Eater Independence Bowl took another giant step in its continuing climb up the ladder of postseason games, signing a three-year agreement with the SEC for the fifth selection out of one of the nation’s premier football conferences. Later that year the bowl enjoyed a sellout crowd with instate favorite LSU taking on the Nick Saban’s Michigan State squad.

The Tigers and Spartans put on one of the most memorable sequences in Independence Bowl history, as each team returned a kickoff for a touchdown on back-to-back plays. LSU’s Eddie Kennison notched an 92yard return TD, while Sparty’s Derrick Mason set the Independence Bowl record with a 100-yard return. LSU ultimately prevailed 45-26.

The 1997 game was a regular season rematch between the Tigers of LSU and Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, played on a frigid night at Independence Stadium. LSU avenged a 24-6 loss a month earlier in Baton Rouge by besting the Irish 27–9 in front of an all-time record crowd of 50,459. Poulan/Weed Eater announced in April of 1997 that it would no longer be the game’s title sponsor. At that time Glen Krupica, Independence Bowl Executive Director, and a search committee, began the task of finding the second title sponsor of the Independence Bowl. In just under a year Sanford stepped up as the new title sponsor, signing on for three years.

HISTORIC MILESTONES

The 2000 matchup has become known as the “Snow Bowl.” R.C. Slocum’s Texas A&M Aggies and Jackie Sherrill’s Mississippi State Bulldogs met in the 25th anniversary game in a driving snowstorm that began during pregame warmups and continued throughout the entire game. Mississippi State won in overtime by a score of 43–41. The 2000 Independence Bowl garnered a 4.2 television rating, the second highest in I-Bowl history.

NEXT TITLE SPONSOR (1998)

Sanford, based in Bellwood, Ill., became the Independence Bowl’s second title sponsor, signing a three-year deal.

BIG 12 TIE-IN (1999)

I-Bowl officials reached a three-year agreement with the Big 12 to provide a team to the post-season game.

SEC RENEWAL (1999)

The partnership with the SEC was extended through 2001.

MAINSTAY (2001)

In January 2001, MainStay signed on as the newest title sponsor – signing an agreement through 2003.

Legacy of the Independence Bowl HISTORIC MILESTONES CONFERENCE AGREEMENTS (2005)

Agreements with both the Big 12 and SEC were renewed through 2009.

ADVOCARE V100 (2009)

On May 21, 2009, I-Bowl officials announced AdvoCare as the fifth title sponsor. AdvoCare remained title sponsor through 2013.

ACC VS. MWC (2010)

In 2010, the I-Bowl announced a new match up of teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and Mountain West Conference. Those partnerships ran through 2011.

In 2002, Shreveport hosted one of college football’s most storied programs, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers came to town for a matchup with Eli Manning and the Ole Miss Rebels. As had been the case the past few years, the Independence Bowl was a close one, as the Rebels came back from a 17-14 halftime deficit to beat the Huskers 27-23. It marked Ole Miss David Cutcliffe’s third I-Bowl win in as many appearances.

SEC VS. ACC (2012)

In 2012, the Bowl announced it resumed its partnership with the SEC. In 2013, the Foundation signed extensions with both conferences through 2019.

WALK-ON’S BISTREAUX & BAR (2017)

In October of 2017, the I-Bowl announced Baton Rouge-based Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar as the title sponsor of the game in a three-year partnership. The partnership brought together two Louisiana-based brands, with Walk-On’s set to expand across the Southeastern U.S., and ran through 2019.

UNIQUE BOWL TIE-INS (2020)

The new agreements announced in 2020 bring a rotation of independents Army West Point and BYU to face off against a rotation of the Pac-12, AAC and C-USA.

ESPN THROUGH 2025 (2020)

In October 2020, the Bowl announced a six-year extension with ESPN to televise the game through 2025. The 2022 game is the 30th-consecutive Independence Bowl on an ESPN network.

RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES EXTENSION (2021)

The Bowl announced a five-year partnership with prime contractor Radiance Technologies in 2020 and then agreed to a one-year extension in 2021 – extending the partnership through 2025. The partnership bridged together Radiance, who work extensively with the U.S. Military, with the Bowl that was named after the nation’s bicentennial and that features Army West Point in the current cycle.

A.J. Green (UGA, 2009)

The 2009 game will go down in I-Bowl history as one of the most memorable games for many reasons. The marquee matchup between the Texas A&M Aggies and Georgia Bulldogs helped AdvoCare put an exclamation point on its first year as the bowl’s title sponsor, and a sellout crowd enjoyed a beautiful day at Independence Stadium between two traditional college football programs. The Bulldogs ran away from the Aggies in the second half, expanding a 14-7 halftime lead into a 44-20 final margin in front of 49,653 fans. Georgia’s Brandon Boykin returned a kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, and the Bulldogs rushed for 208 yards en route to the convincing victory. The game was the highest-rated bowl game ever to be played on ESPN2 at the time.

In 2014, the Independence Bowl hosted its first ACC vs. SEC match up, as Miami took on South Carolina.

Behind a strong showing from do-it-all receiver Pharoh Cooper, the Gamecocks held on for a 24-21 victory in Steve Spurrier’s final bowl game.

2015 was the 40th anniversary of the I-Bowl and one of the most memorable. Legendary Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer concluded his decorated coaching career with a 55-52 win over Tulsa in the very same bowl he won his first bowl game in 23 years prior (1993). The teams obliterated the Independence Bowl record book – combining for the most points (107), touchdowns (14), rushing touchdowns (9), yards (1,161), most points scored in a quarter (145), and they even combined for the most points all-time in a half (76) across all bowl games.

The last 10 years have seen historic college football programs play on the Independence Stadium turf – including BYU, Miami, Florida State, NC State, Virginia Tech and South Carolina.

Three years after Virginia Tech and Duke rewrote the I-Bowl record book, the Duke Blue Devils did it again a 56-27 victory over the Temple Owls in the 43rd Independence Bowl in 2018. The victory was an I-Bowl record fourth for Duke head coach David Cutcliffe, who improved to 4-0 in his appearances with Ole Miss and Duke. Despite Temple’s 27-21 halftime lead, Duke stormed back with an I-Bowl record 35 second half points to set the record for most points in an Independence Bowl (56). 6th-overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft Daniel Jones set I-Bowl records for passing yards (423), passing touchdowns (5) and total touchdowns (6), while wide receiver T.J. Rahming set the record for receiving yards (240) and broke Kevin Faulk’s record for all-purpose yards (286).

Daniel JOnes (Duke, 2018)

In a completely different way, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs wrote themselves into I-Bowl history in 2019, as they recorded the first ever shutout in the history of the bowl – defeating Miami 14-0.

In 2021, BYU became the highest-ranked team in I-Bowl history – entering the game ranked No. 13 in the College Football Playoff Rankings. UAB surprised the Cougars on a rainy Saturday, defeating BYU 31-28 in a back-and-forth battle.

RETURN OF THE BIG 12 (2023)

The Bowl announced in May 2023 the return of the Big 12 Conference as a primary tie-in for the bowl for the first time since 2009. With BYU moving to the Big 12, the conference became the primary tie-in for the 2023 and 2025 Bowl Seasons.

Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2002)

The year 2005 marked the 30th anniversary of the Independence Bowl, and the match-up between Missouri and South Carolina provided the 41,332 in attendance with a showdown for the ages. South Carolina, making its debut in the Independence Bowl and led by legendary head coach Steve Spurrier, raced out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter of play before Missouri rallied for an eventual 38-31 victory. The Tigers, which had lost the 2003 game to Arkansas, evened their all-time record in the I-Bowl to 1-1. Quarterback Brad Smith was named the game’s Offensive MVP after setting an Independence Bowl record with 432 total yards and scoring four touchdowns.

Houston vs. Louisiana, 2022

2022 was the coldest game in Independence Bowl history, staying under 25 degrees the whole game. Louisiana became the final in-state FBS program to play in the Independence Bowl but fell to Houston, 23-16, on a touchdown with 20 seconds left in the game.

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Omar N. bradley Spirit of Independence Award The Sports Foundation developed the patriotic theme, which is so prominent today in the annual postseason football classic’s activities. Foundation directors decided to recognize an outstanding American citizen or organization each year, with the “Spirit of Independence Award.” The first recipient was General Omar N. Bradley, the only living five-star general in the United States at that time.

The portrait of the man reveals a combination of honesty, strength and determination in a face also able to yield to a subtle humor when the occasion merited. Bradley and his successors symbolize the “Spirit of Freedom and Independence,” which the award was established to recognize.

AWARD RECIPIENTS 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023

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General Omar N. Bradley John Wayne Bob Hope Paul Harvey President Ronald Reagan Art Linkletter Danny Thomas U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, Demonstration Squadron Vietnam Veterans National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Brigadier General Charles E. Yeager Coach Eddie Robinson Harlem Globetrotters Boy Scouts of America Barksdale Air Force Base Shriner’s Hospital for Children Sandra Day O’Connor YMCA American Red Cross Veterans of Foreign Wars Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Firefighters of America World War II Veterans General Gabriel P. Disosway Heroes of New York City Congressional Medal of Honor Society Hal Sutton General Tommy Franks General Russel Honore General Harold Moore Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal “Team Hoyt” National Football Foundation St. Jude Children’s Hospital General Charles C. “Hondo” Campbell Wounded Warrior Project Doolittle Raiders Tuskegee Airmen Berlin Airlift Veterans Veterans of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir Jacob Schick, USMC (ret.)

Brigadier General Jeannie M. Leavitt Lt. Gen. James M. Kowalski, USAF (ret.)

Lt. Gen. Joseph M. Cosumano, USA (ret.)

Veterans of Operation SENIOR SURPRISE Women Airforce Service Pilots

The following year, and until his death, General Bradley presented the “Spirit of Independence Award” to his fellow recipients. After his death, the General’s name was added to the award.

Information on the 2023 recipients of the award, the Women Airforce Service Pilots, is on the following page (19).

GENERAL OMAR N. BRADLEY A 1915 graduate of West Point, Bradley retired from the Army in 1953 with the rank of fivestar general. Bradley was a commandant of the infantry school (Fort Benning, Ga.) and the commander of the 82nd and 28th divisions. As commander of II Corps he played a major role in the victory at Tunisia in 1943. His forces also were involved in the capture of the island of Sicily in August, 1943. Following D-Day, Bradley commanded the 12th Army Group which played a significant role in the defeat of the Germans in Europe. His forces liberated Paris on August 25, 1944. During his career, GENERAL OMAR N. BRADLEY Bradley earned a reputation as being one of the best infantry commanders in World War II. Bradley’s post-war duties involved running the Veteran’s Administration (194547), and serving as Army Chief of Staff (1948-1953). Bradley, in his military assignment, replaced General Douglas MacArthur as the supreme allied commander in Korea. He also served as chairman of the board for the Bullova Watch Company. A classmate and friend of General Dwight Eisenhower, Bradley received his fifth general’s star in 1950. His 1915 class at West Point was named the “class the stars fell on,” as 36 percent of the 164 graduates in that year attained the rank of brigadier general or higher.

Omar N. bradley Spirit of Independence Award 2023 RECIPIENTS WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS Presenting one of the nation’s most outstanding and decorated citizens and groups with the Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award is one of the proudest annual traditions of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. The bowl will be honoring the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) with this award at the 47th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Saturday, December 16.

“These amazing women did what they loved by stepping up to serve their country during a time of great need. The WASP flew out of the blue and into history making it possible for today’s women pilots to chart their own course.

Their legacy of confidence, courage, and commitment to our nation stands as a testament that inspires and motivates people of all ages. As General Henry ‘Hap’ Arnold said, ‘you and…your sisters have shown that you can fly wingtip to wingtip with your brothers. If ever there was a doubt in anyone’s mind that women can become skillful pilots, the WASP have dispelled that doubt.’ The Women Airforce Service Pilots are honored to receive the 2023 Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award,” said Kimberly Johnson, Director of Special Collections, at Texas Woman’s University. TWU has served as the official archive for the WASP since 1992.

The WASP were a civilian women pilots’ organization whose members became trained pilots. They tested aircraft, ferried aircraft, and trained other pilots during World War II. Their service allowed male pilots to be freed for combat duties during World War II. “We are very proud to be honoring the Women Airforce Service Pilots with the prestigious Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award this year,” said 2023 Independence Bowl Foundation Chairman Bryan Roppolo. “The WASP veterans were an integral part of the war efforts during World War II, and they are outstanding Americans. We look forward to welcoming and honoring their immediate family members at the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.”

On August 5, 1943, the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) and the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), the two pioneering organizations of civilian women pilots, merged to create WASP. From then until December 20, 1944, the WASP flew over 60 million miles, transported every type of military aircraft, towed targets for live antiaircraft gun practice and simulated strafing missions and transported cargo.

Their duties were paramount in the combat efforts of the United States Army Air Forces, as WASP freed around 900 male pilots for combat duties. Women pilots flew 80 percent of all ferrying missions during the war and delivered over 12,000 aircraft.

During the 17 months of their arrangement with the US Army Air Forces, 38 WASP members lost their lives, and one member, Gertrude Tompkins, disappeared while on a ferry mission. Her fate is still unknown to this day. In 1977, 33 years after they served during World War II, the members of WASP were granted veteran status, but their highest honor came in 2009 when they were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Immediate family members of WASP members will be at the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl to accept the Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award on their behalf.

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Independence Bowl Foundation Leadership

BRYAN ROPPOLO Chair

CLAIRE REBOUCHE Vice-Chair

SARAH GIGLIO 1st Vice-Chair

KEITH BURTON 2nd Vice-Chair

Radiance Technologies independence Bowl Staff

MISSY SETTERS Executive Director

EMALEE BUTLER Business Manager

ERIK EVENSON Director of Communications

JENNIFER RIDER Director of Events and Operations

MATT SHANKLIN Director of Partnership Development

2023 SELECTION COMMITTEE

2023 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

BRYAN ROPPOLO 2023 Chair

CLAIRE REBOUCHE Vice-Chair

SARAH GIGLIO 1st Vice-Chair

KEITH BURTON 2nd Vice-Chair

BERT SCHMALE Treasurer

VICTOR MAINIERO Secretary

ROB RUBEL Immediate Past Chair

DOUG BLAND Three-Year Term

CINDY SMITH Three-Year Term

GREG LOTT Two-Year Term

MICHAEL MELERINE Two-Year Term

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JIM DEAN One-Year Term

TIM WILHITE One-Year Term

AVRIELLE STEWARD Ticketing Director

GEN. JON ELLIS Title Sponsor Ex-Officio

SCOUTING MEMBER: Ken Antee Eric Barkley Doug Bland Keith Burton Art Carmody IV Gen. Jon Ellis Sarah Giglio Trey Giglio Toni Goodin Pesky Hill Greg Lott Victor Mainiero Michael Melerine Claire Rebouche Darrell Rebouche Bryan Roppolo Rob Rubel Bert Schmale Cindy Smith Tim Wilhite ADVISORY MEMBER: Frank Auer Pam Beck Jim Dean Mike McCarthy Phillip Wardell

Independence Bowl Foundation Leadership PAST CHAIRMEN AND CHAIRWOMEN

LEE BRYANT 1976

ED POWELL 1977

BILL BRANDON SKIPPY SHIRLEY MILTON CHAPMAN 1980, 1981 1979 1978

SMOKEY HYDE 1987

MIKE COLLIER 1988

JOHN FRAZIER 1989

BRANT GOYNE 1990

ORVIS SIGLER 1991, 1992

RICHARD CALDWELL SANDY CIMINO 1998 1999

PESKY HILL 2000

KEN ANTEE 1997

MARKEY PIERRE 2006

KEN HANNA 1982

TRACY JACKSON 1983

CECIL LLOYD 1984, 1985

JIM THOMPSON 1986

MIKE McCARTHY 1993

BOB BROWN 1994

LINDY BRODERICK RANDY JAMES 2001 2002

DON JAGOT 2003

JACK LEE 2004

DAVID NICHOLS 2005

PAUL PRATT 2014

CARL MIKOVICH RICK HOLLAND 1995 1996

JOE DARWIN 2007

KEITH BERGERON 2008

TONI GOODIN 2009

JIM HAGAN 2010

FRED SEXTON JR. 2011

JACK ANDRES 2012

JOHN HUBBARD 2013

KYLE McINNIS 2015

ERIC BARKLEY 2016

DARIN SEAL 2017

TREY GIGLIO 2018

ART CARMODY IV 2019

FRANK AUER 2020, 2021

ROB RUBEL 2022

2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS THREE-YEAR TERM Dr. Michael Angelo Lawrence Calhoun Rodney Clements Jim Dean Curtis Elkins Tim Harms Lee Holmes Mekkos Jones Greg Lott Victor Mainiero Michael Melerine Grant Nuckolls John David Person Jonathan Reynolds Phil Stewart Scott Wysong

TWO-YEAR TERM David Camp Brian Crawford Robert Elder Matt Hudnall Jay Manno Craig McCloud Deb Poore Robert Pou Stan Powell Claire Rebouche David Richard Bryan Roppolo Hayden Slack Bert Schmale Phillip Wardell Tim Wilhite

ONE-YEAR TERM Doug Bland Keith Burton Mark Clark Andrew Crawford Moss Duvall Sarah Giglio Laura Harper Donna Johnson Logan Lewis Steve Mayfield Phyllis Mason Marla Mitchell John McCorkle LaTonya Mister Cindy Smith Tyler Williams

LIFE DIRECTORS Jerry Anderson Jack Andres Ken Antee Frank Auer Eric Barkley Pam Beck Keith Bergeron Art Carmody IV Sandy Cimino Joe Darwin David Dethloff Shane Dulany Jarred Franklin John Frazier Trey Giglio Vince Giglio

LIFE DIRECTORS Toni Goodin Pesky Hill Rick Holland Randy James Greg Johnson Fred Kent Mike McCarthy Kyle McInnis Peggy Mitchell Tony Papa Markey Pierre Darrell Rebouche Rob Rubel Darin Seal Linda Sell

EX-OFFICIO

Mayor Tom Arceneaux Robb Brazzell Mayor Tommy Chandler Gen. Jon Ellis Jessica Hemingway Dr. Tim Magner Shelly Ragle Taylor Jamison Sara Nelms

For more information on the Independence Bowl Foundation, turn to pages 71-73.

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GO BEARS! #PAC12FB // #BACKTHEPAC PAC-12.COM

California Season in Review GAME 1

GAME 4

Sept. 2 | DATCU Stadium | Denton, Texas

Sept. 23 | Husky Stadium | Seattle, Wash.

California 58, North Texas 21

In the Cal football team’s first game with Jake Spavital as its offensive coordinator, the Bears did something they hadn’t done since the last time he was the offensive coordinator.

The Bears racked up their most points in one half since 2016 and rolled to a 58-21 rout of North Texas in their 2023 season-opener.

Cal led 33-21 at halftime and then shut out the Mean Green in the second half. It was the most points the Bears have scored in a half since amassing 35 in a victory over Texas in 2016, when Spavital served one season as the team’s offensive coordinator. Cal tallied 679 yards of total offense, its most in a game in eight seasons. It was also the most points the Bears have scored in a game since 2015.

Spavital went on to serve as the offensive coordinator at West Virginia before moving on to become the head coach at Texas State for four years. He returned as the Bears’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach before this season. Sophomore running back Jaydn Ott exploded for 188 yards rushing with two touchdowns, the second-highest total of his career. Backup Isaiah Ifanse tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns in his Cal debut. He previously accomplished the feat twice while playing for Montana State.

GAME 2

Auburn 14, California 10

Sept. 9 | California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, Calif.

Defense kept the California football team within striking distance into the final minutes of its home opener against Auburn, but the Golden Bears weren’t able to turn takeaways into enough points, falling 14-10 in front of 44,141 at home.

Cal’s defense forced four turnovers, including a fumble forced by safety Patrick McMorris with just over four minutes remaining in the game. That gave the Bears the ball in Auburn territory, needing a touchdown trailing by just four points. Quarterback Sam Jackson V hit wide receiver Trond Grizzell for 11 yards and an Auburn unnecessary roughness penalty added 15 more, quickly putting the Bears at the Tigers’ 15-yard line. However, the Bears weren’t able to find the end zone, and Auburn subsequently picked up the third-down conversion it needed to run out the rest of the clock.

Jackson – who exited Cal’s season-opener early with an injury – initially entered the game midway through the second quarter and provided the offense with an instant boost. The Bears immediately went 65 yards in six plays, capping things off with a Jaydn Ott 14-yard touchdown scamper to go up 10-7. Ott finished the night with a game-high 78 rushing yards before missing the final quarter due to injury. Jackson completed 14-of-27 passes for 126 yards.

GAME 3

California 31, Idaho 17

Sept. 16 | California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, Calif.

The California football team used a second-quarter surge to take control of its game against Idaho and shut out the Vandals for the final 39 minutes in a 31-17 win at California Memorial Stadium.

Quarterback Sam Jackson V contributed to three touchdowns – two through the air and one on the ground – while running back Isaiah Ifanse rushed for 137 rushing yards on 22 carries. Defensively, the Golden Bears forced three turnovers. In the final minutes of the opening half, Jackson dropped in a couple of perfect throws to the end zone of 20 yards to Jeremiah Hunter and 36 yards to Trond Grizzell. That started a run of 31 unanswered points, as Cal scored on five of seven possessions.

While Idaho struggled to get first downs, the Bears’ run game started to wear the Vandals’ defense out. Ifanse had 81 of his 137 yards in the third quarter, scoring from 1 yard out with 2:53 left in the period to put Cal ahead 28-17. After cornerback Lu-Magia Hearns III forced a fumble on the Vandals’ next possession – the first of two fourth-quarter fumbles recovered by the Bears’ defense – running back Ashton Stredick reeled off a highlight 41-yard run to set up a 39-yard Michael Luckhurst field goal.

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No. 8 Washington 59, California 32 The Cal football team fell to No. 8 Washington 59-32 at Husky Stadium.

Wide receiver Trond Grizzell led the Golden Bears (2-2) with 86 receiving yards and a touchdown on four receptions. Quarterback Sam Jackson V went 10-of-14 through the air for 156 yards and a score.

After Washington (4-0) took an early 14-0 lead, the Golden Bears responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a one-handed, highlight catch Nohl Williams in the end zone by receiver Jeremiah Hunter from quarterback Ben Finley on 1st-and-goal. On the Bears’ first drive of the second quarter, Finley completed three passes of at least 20 yards, hitting wideout Taj Davis for a 24-yard touchdown. Finley ended the night with 207 yards on 17-of-32 passes, while Davis had 60 receiving yards and tied Hunter with a team-high five receptions. Running backs Jaydn Ott and Ashton Stredick both found the end zone in the second half for the Bears, combining for 70 yards on the ground.

GAME 5

California 24, Arizona State 21

Sept. 30 | California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, Calif.

The California football team rushed for 196 yards – including 81 during a pivotal clockdraining drive in the fourth quarter – and the Golden Bears put away Arizona State 24-21 at California Memorial Stadium. Sophomore Jaydn Ott gained 165 yards on the ground with a touchdown on 29 carries, as the Golden Bears eventually dispatched the Sun Devils in the final football game between the teams as members of the Pac-12 Conference.

Cal’s final drive took 6 minutes, 28 seconds off the clock and consisted of 18 plays – 15 of which were rushes. The possession ended at the Sun Devils’ 1-yard line with 2:50 remaining in the game, and the Bears’ were able to turn back Arizona State’s final drive and preserve the victory. Quarterback Sam Jackson V threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Hunter and backup tailback Isaiah Ifanse added a 1-yard scoring scamper for the Bears, who never trailed and built a 24-13 lead after Ott’s 2-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

Linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr registered a career-high 15 tackles while Jackson Sirmon added 13, and defensive back Matthew Littlejohn came up with his first career interception. Myles Jernigan also forced a fumble on the final play of the first half, which was recovered by Xavier Carlton.

GAME 6

No. 15 Oregon State 52, California 40

Oct. 7 | California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, Calif.

A strong game on the ground and a spirited starting debut at quarterback by Fernando Mendoza helped keep the California football team within striking distance against No. 15 Oregon State at California Memorial Stadium, but the Beavers pulled away in the fourth quarter en route to a 52-40 victory.

Making his second career start, Mendoza guided Cal’s offense to points on five of six possessions midway through the game. He finished 21-of-32 through the air for 207 yards and two touchdowns, also making plays with his legs totaling 41 rushing yards on four attempts. The Golden Bears jumped out to a 17-14 second-quarter lead when Isaiah Ifanse scored two touchdowns over a span of 3 minutes, 7 seconds. First, Mendoza extended a third-down play before hitting Ifanse for a 9-yard score at the 11:16 mark of the second.

Safety Patrick McMorris recovered a fumble forced by linebacker Jackson Sirmon on the first play of the Beavers’ next drive, leading to another Ifanse touchdown from 1 yard out.

Ifanse scored three touchdowns for the second time as a Bear while totaling 86 rushing yards on 11 carries. Jaydn Ott added 84 yards on the ground and Cal finished with 240 as a team, averaging a season-best 7.3 per attempt.

California Season in Review GAME 7

GAME 10

Oct. 14 | Rice-Eccles Stadium | Salt Lake City, Utah

Nov. 11 | California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, Calif.

No. 16 Utah 34, California 14

Fernando Mendoza threw two more touchdown passes in his second career start but the California football team fell to No. 16 Utah 34-14 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mendoza, who led the Golden Bears’ offense to 40 points in his first start the previous week against No. 15 Oregon State, was 10-for-17 for 149 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against the Utes. His 48-yard scoring pass to Jaydn Ott opened the scoring and gave the Bears a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

After Utah responded with 24 unanswered points, Mendoza fired a perfect strike over the middle to wide receiver Taj Davis for a 24-yard touchdown to close the gap to 24-14 with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter. The Bears’ defense forced Utah to then turn the ball over on downs, and Cal’s offense drove 57 yards to the Utes’ 12 before the drive stalled on a missed field goal. Mendoza was forced to sit out much of the fourth quarter after suffering an injury. He was replaced by Ben Finley. Davis finished with seven catches for 93 yards and a touchdown while Ott had 94 yards from scrimmage.

GAME 8

No. 24 USC 50, California 49

Oct. 28 | California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, Calif.

The California football team racked up 527 yards of total offense but failed on a two-point conversion with 58 seconds remaining and fell to No. 24 USC 50-49 at California Memorial Stadium.

The Golden Bears led 43-29 early in the fourth quarter but the Trojans strung together three straight touchdowns to surge in front 50-43 with 3:33 to play. Cal answered with a 9-play, 79-yard drive of its David Reese own that culminated with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Fernando Mendoza to Jaivian Thomas. After a timeout, the Bears elected for a two-point try but Mendoza’s pass fell incomplete, and USC was able to run out the clock.

Mendoza went 25-for-39 for 292 yards and two touchdowns while also notching his first two career rushing scores. Running back Jaydn Ott tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns while amassing 153 yards on the ground. After falling behind 17-7 late in the first quarter, Cal scored three unanswered touchdowns to establish a 28-17 advantage.

Ott had TD runs of 43 and 61 yards and wide receiver Trond Grizzell caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Mendoza.

GAME 9

No. 6 Oregon 63, California 19

California 42, Washington State 39

Hosting Washington State in the final home game of California Memorial Stadium’s 100th anniversary season, the Cal football team came away with a 42-39 victory behind a handful of key defensive plays and 181 scrimmage yards from running back Jaydn Ott. The Golden Bears’ defense forced four turnovers for the second time this year and set a season high with six sacks. Outside linebacker David Reese led all players with two sacks and two forced fumbles. Inside linebacker Cade Uluave recovered two fumbles, the first of which he also forced and took 51 yards to the house on the Cougars’ first possession of the game. Uluave finished with a team-high nine tackles to go with a game-ending interception.

The Bears staved off a second-half WSU rally with back-to-back touchdowns early in the fourth quarter. Holding on to a 28-24 lead, Ott carried the ball for all five plays on a 75-yard scoring drive, highlighted by a 52-yard burst through the left side. He capped the possession with a 5-yard scamper into the end zone which saw him become the first Bear since Patrick Laird in 2017 to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a season.

GAME 11

California 27, Stanford 15

Nov. 18 | Stanford Stadium | Stanford, Calif.

It may not have been quite as dramatic as Chase Garbers’ gamewinning touchdown run in 2019, but Trond Grizzell - a walk-on who had played a grand total of one career snap on offense heading into this season - added “Big Game Hero” to his growing resume.

The Cal wide receiver caught two touchdown passes - part of a career-defining performance - and the California football team won its third Big Game in a row with a 27-15 triumph over Stanford at Stanford Stadium. Grizzell caught Jaydn Ott scoring passes of 9 and 54 yards and finished with career-highs of seven catches and 136 receiving yards, as the Golden Bears won the Big Game for the fourth time in five years and remained bowl-eligible in the process.

Ott scored on a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter to help Cal build a 21-6 lead, but the Cardinal answered right back with its only touchdown of the game to cut it to 21-12 after a failed two-point conversion. Stanford moved to within 21-15 after a field goal near the end of the third quarter. The Bears then put together the pivotal drive of the game, marching 75 yards on 13 plays and scoring the game-clinching touchdown on an 8-yard pass from Mendoza to Jeremiah Hunter early in the fourth quarter.

Nov. 4 | Autzen Stadium | Eugene, Ore.

Ott carried the ball a career-high 36 times for 166 yards with one touchdown.

The California football team scored a defensive touchdown and running back Jaydn Ott rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown, but the Golden Bears fell to No. 6 Oregon 63-19 at Autzen Stadium.

GAME 12

Junior Nohl Williams returned a fumble recovery 9 yards for a touchdown and safety Patrick McMorris recorded his first interception with the Bears, who trailed just 14-13 early in the second quarter before the Ducks began to pull away. Ott scored on a 20-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Mateen Bhaghani made field goals of 43 and 27 yards.

Nov. 25 | Rose Bowl | Pasadena, Calif.

McMorris’ interception came on the game’s first play from scrimmage but Cal wasn’t able to turn it into points. The Ducks then scored touchdowns on each of their next two possessions to take a 14-0 lead. After Bhaghani’s first field goal, Williams recovered an Oregon fumble and scampered into the endzone untouched to trim the deficit to 14-10 with 1:32 left in the first quarter. Another Bhaghani field goal made it 14-13 early in the second period. The Ducks were able to string together touchdowns on each of their next three possessions to take a 35-13 lead at halftime.

California 33, UCLA 7

Since Cal fans made the most of their gas money, they figured they would milk it as long as possible. Several thousand Golden Bear enthusiasts who made the trip to the Rose Bowl stayed well after the end of Cal’s 33-7 victory over UCLA, dancing and celebrating in the stands behind the South end zone along with players, coaches and staff. The win made Cal bowl-eligible for the first time since 2019 and gave the Bears a three-game winning streak to close out the regular season.

Kicker Mateen Bhaghani nailed a career-best four field goals, including two in the first quarter to give the Bears a 6-0 lead. After UCLA scored a touchdown to take a 7-6 lead, Jaydn Ott returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to put Cal back in front for good. It was the Bears’ first kick return for a score since Nikko Remigio’s 99-yard effort against Sacramento State in 2019. Jeremiah Hunter’s touchdown catch with 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter gave Cal a 20-7 halftime lead, and the Bears dominated the second half to cruise to the victory.

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Scouting the Golden Bears QUARTERBACKS

Redshirt freshman Fernando Mendoza took over the starting job in Week 6 against Oregon State and has gone on to throw for 1,447 yards and 13 touchdowns with a 62.4% completion rate. He has passed for at least two touchdowns in every game he has started this season except one. Mendoza had an especially strong performance at Stanford, passing for a career-high 294 yards and three touchdowns. He was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for his performance. Mendoza also threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another two against USC. Sophomores Ben Finley and Sam Jackson V shared most of the load through the season’s first five games and combined to throw for 1,128 yards and eight touchdowns.

RUNNING BACKS

Sophomore Jaydn Ott won the Pac-12 regular season rushing title with 1,260 yards and became the first Cal player to register a 1,000-yard season since 2017. Ott also paces the conference with a rushing average of 114.5 yards per game, which ranks seventh in the country. His 11 rushing touchdowns and Fernando Mendoza 14 overall are both second-most in the Pac-12. One of his touchdowns came on a 100-yard kick return against UCLA - the first kick return of his career. Grad transfer Isaiah Ifanse has averaged 5.2 yards per carry with seven touchdowns (plus one receiving) - he missed the final four games of the regular season due to injury. Ashton Stredick, Justin Williams-Thomas and Jaivian Thomas have provided depth with a combined 402 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Junior Jeremiah Hunter leads the Bears with 58 catches for 669 yards and seven touchdowns. He had his best game of the year in Cal’s regular-season finale against UCLA, tying a season-high with eight receptions for a season-best 101 yards and two touchdowns. Hunter has at least five catches in eight of the Bears’ 12 games this season. Redshirt sophomore Trond Grizzell has had a breakout season with 35 catches for 510 yards and five touchdowns, including a memorable performance in the Big Game against Stanford when he hauled in seven catches for 136 yards and a pair of scores.

TIGHT ENDS

Redshirt freshman Jack Endries has been as dependable as any receiver on the team this season with 32 catches for 385 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Endries, Cal’s nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy given annually to the most outstanding Football Bowl Subdivision player in the nation who began his FBS career as a walk-on, had a career game against USC when he caught seven passes for 64 yards. He has three games this season with at least 50 yards receiving and four with at least four receptions. Junior Asher Alberding and sophomore Jeffrey Johnson provide depth.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Cal’s offensive line has anchored a rushing attack that ranks fourth in the Pac-12 and 33rd nationally at 181.1 yards per game. The unit features three Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week awards - two by junior Brian Driscoll and one by grad transfer Barrett Miller. The Bears rank fourth in the Pac-12 in sacks allowed per game (1.5). Junior T.J. Session and sophomore Sioape Vatikani have each made 19 career starts. Team captain Matthew Cindric has made 34 career starts but had his season cut short due to injury in the season-opener at North Texas. He was named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year and Wuerffel Trophy for the second consecutive season.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Junior Ricky Correia leads the unit with 32 tackles, including a season-high six in the regular-season finale against UCLA. Correia also has two sacks this season, while sophomore Nate Burrell, junior Jaedon Roberts and sophomore Derek Wilkins each have one. Junior Brett Johnson, a Freshman All-American in 2019, returned to competition this season after missing two full seasons due to injury. When he took the field in the season-opener at North Texas, it was his first appearance in a game in 1,001 days. Johnson has 23 tackles and a half-sack this season. He made 13 starts during his first two seasons at Cal and registered 46 tackles with three sacks.

LINEBACKERS

True freshman Cade Uluave has exploded onto the scene since replacing team captain Jackson Sirmon at inside linebacker after Sirmon suffered a season-ending injury in Game 6 against Oregon State. Uluave was named the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year after recording 58 tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions. One of his fumble recoveries he returned 51 yards for a touchdown. Uluave was twice named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week this season while also adding a Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award. Outside linebacker David Reese closed the regular season with a flourish, registering 5.5 sacks during the final three games of the season and earning Bednarik Player of the Week honors after the Bears’ win at UCLA.

SECONDARY

Safeties Craig Woodson (78) and Patrick McMorris (77) have combined to register 155 tackles this season, and both are ranked in the top 10 in the Pac-12 in that category. McMorris also has two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries to go along with an interception and a sack this season. Junior Nohl Williams had back-toback games this season in which he returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He also has 47 tackles and two interceptions.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Junior Lachlan Wilson was named to the All-Pac-12 Second Team after ranking second in the conference in punt average (45.7). He had 17 punts that traveled at least 50 yards and 15 that were downed inside the 20. He was named the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 49.7 yards per punt in a win over Arizona State. Wilson also uncorked a 73-yard punt against UCLA. Jaydn Ott returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown on the first kick return of his career against UCLA, and was named Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts. Freshman placekicker Mateen Bhahgani is 8-for-9 on field goals this season and hasn’t missed a PAT attempt.

28

California ALPHABETICAL ROSTER NO. NAME

POS. HT. WT. CL.

HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)

NO. NAME

POS. HT. WT. CL.

HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)

97

Tiumalu Afalava

DL

6-2

275

Fr.

Baldwin Park, CA (Bishop Amat HS)

16

Michael Luckhurst

PK

Santa Barbara, CA (Bishop Diego HS)

79

Ender Aguilar

OL

6-5

295

R-So. Mission Viejo, CA (Servite HS)

16

Mason Mangum

WR 5-11 185

Houston, TX (North Texas/Clear Lake HS)

6-1

180

So.

R-So.^ Austin, TX (Westlake HS)

89

Asher Alberding

TE

6-4

255

R-Jr.

40

Ben Marshall

TE

6-4

235

Fr.

34

Andy Alfieri

FB

6-3

245

R-So. Portland, OR (Jesuit HS)

43

Ryan McCulloch

OLB 6-3

240

Fr.

Arcadia, CA (Rio Hondo Prep)

10

Sergio Allen

ILB

6-1

230

R-So.^# Fort Valley, GA (Clemson/Peach County HS)

9

Patrick McMorris

DB

210

Sr.^

Santa Ana, CA (San Diego St./Santa Ana/Godniez Fundamental) Miami, FL (Columbus HS)

6-0

Murfreesboro, TN (Blackman HS)

11

Mavin Anderson

WR 6-0

195

R-So. Mission Viejo, CA (Mission Viejo HS)

15

Fernando Mendoza

QB

6-5

220

R-Fr.

47

Jake Arguello

LS

6-0

185

R-So. Orange, CA (St. John Bosco HS/Foothill HS)

62

Barrett Miller

OL

6-5

310

Sr.^

Aurora, CO (Stanford/Eaglecrest HS)

52

Zurich Ashford

DL

6-2

280

Fr.

Las Vegas, NV (Arbor View HS)

85

Marquis Montgomery TE

6-4

220

Jr.^

Tacoma, WA (Snow Coll./Independence CC/Kapolei HS)

31

Hunter Barth

ILB

6-2

215

R-So. Chandler, AZ (Queen Creek HS)

4

Kaylin Moore

DB

5-11 190

Jr.#

Westlake Village, CA (Colorado/Oaks Christian HS)

49

Mateen Bhaghani

PK

6-1

175

Fr.

San Diego, CA (Del Norte HS)

52

Nick Morrow

OL

6-8

300

Fr.#

Flagstaff, AZ (Flagstaff HS)

45

David Bird

LS

6-0

210

Fr.

Phoenix, AZ (Sandra Day O’Connor HS)

1

Jaydn Ott

RB

6-0

200

So.

Chino, CA (Norco HS/Bishop Gorman HS)

28

Spencer Brien

PK

6-1

185

Fr.

Danville, CA (De La Salle HS)

84

Jaiven Plummer

WR 6-3

210

R-Fr.

Sacramento, CA (Episcopal HS/Massaponax HS)

48

Wesley Brown

LS

6-3

220

Jr.#

Belmont, CA (College of San Mateo/Carlmont HS)

68

Trent Ramsey

OL

295

R-Fr.

Palm Harbor, FL (Carrollwood Day School)

20

Belay Brummel

QB

6-2

180

Fr.

West Chicago, IL (Wheaton Academy)

29

Myles Reber

WR 5-11 185

Fr.

Santa Cruz, CA (Santa Cruz HS)

6-5

30

Mayze Bryant

DB

5-9

170

R-Fr.

Pasadena, CA (St. Francis HS)

7

David Reese

OLB 6-2

240

R-Sr.^# Fort Pierce, FL (Florida/Vero Beach HS/Fort Pierce Central HS)

98

Nate Burrell

DL

6-2

270

So.

Los Angeles, CA (St. John Bosco HS)

75

Jaedon Roberts

DL

6-3

305

Jr.^

23

Dejuan Butler

DB

5-11 205

R-So.^ Antioch, CA (Antioch HS)

82

Kenden Robinson Jr.

WR 6-2

210

R-Jr.^ Alameda, CA (Northern Iowa/City College of San Francisco/Encinal HS)

Marin City, CA (Avon Old Farms HS)

88

J.T. Byrne

TE

6-5

250

R-So.# Carmel, CA (Oregon State/Carmel HS)

63

Brayden Rohme

OL

6-6

290

R-Jr.^ Chandler, AZ (Perry HS)

95

Akili Calhoun

DL

6-4

285

R-So. Brentwood, CA (Liberty HS)

42

Nate Rutchena

ILB

6-3

230

Jr.

21

Byron Cardwell

RB

6-0

210

R-So.# San Diego, CA (Oregon/Morse HS/St. Augustine’s HS)

94

Stanley Saole-McKenzie DL

6-2

330

R-So.^ Honolulu, HI (St. Louis School)

44

Xavier Carlton

OLB 6-6

270

Jr.^

Modesto, CA (Utah/Juan Diego Catholic HS/Modesto Christian HS)

99

Ethan Saunders

DL

6-3

285

Jr.^

Inglewood, CA (Orange Vista HS)

33

Dean-Taylor Chapman RB

5-9

175

Fr.

San Leandro, CA (Moreau Catholic HS)

24

Marcus Scott II

DB

6-0

180

R-Fr.

Houston, TX (Missouri/Conroe HS/College Park HS)

305

R-Jr.^ Menifee, CA (Montana State/Vista Murrieta HS)

Danville, CA (Monte Vista HS)

73

Matthew Cindric

OL

6-4

295

R-Sr.^ Sammamish, WA (Skyline HS)

72

T.J. Session

OL

6-4

39

Michael Cooley

OLB 6-7

220

Fr.

Piedmont, CA (Bishop O’Dowd HS)

20

Cam Sidney

DB

5-11 185

R-Fr.

91

Ricky Correia

DL

6-4

335

Jr.^

Fresno, CA (Central HS)

8

Jackson Sirmon

ILB

6-2

240

R-Sr.^ Brentwood, TN (Washington/Brentwood Academy/Loyola HS)

Riverside, CA (Mater Dei HS)

26

Grant Daley

WR 6-1

190

R-So.^ Martinez, CA (De La Salle HS)

18

Mason Starling

WR 6-4

195

R-Jr.^ Tacoma, WA (College of San Mateo/Rainier Beach HS)

58

Elijah Diaz

OLB 6-2

230

R-Fr.

Corona, CA (Eleanor Roosevelt HS)

93

R.J. Stephens

DL

6-1

265

Fr.

East Palo Alto, CA (Sacred Heart Prep)

23

King Doerue

RB

R-Jr.^ Amarillo, TX (Purdue/Tascosa HS)

64

Joshua Stovall

OL

6-4

290

R-Fr.

Menifee, CA (Vista Murrieta HS)

81

Marquez Dortch

WR 6-0

R-Fr.

24

Ashton Stredick

RB

5-9

200

R-So.^ Needville, TX (Needville HS)

5-10 205 170

Lucedale, MS (Mississippi State/George County HS)

60

Brian Driscoll

OL

6-4

320

R-Jr.^ San Diego, CA (Torrey Pines HS)

76

Bastian Swinney

OL

6-6

290

R-So. Minneapolis, MN (Edina HS)

87

Jack Endries

TE

6-4

230

R-Fr.

Danville, CA (Monte Vista HS)

44

Beaux Tagaloa

FB

6-0

250

R-Jr.^ San Francisco, CA (San Jose State/De La Salle HS)

38

Nate Escalada

DB

6-0

185

Fr.

Santa Clara, CA (Bellarmine Prep)

25

Jaivian Thomas

RB

5-10 175

Fr.

10

Ben Finley

QB

6-3

195

R-So.^ Phoenix, AZ (North Carolina State/Paradise Valley HS)

51

Curlee Thomas IV

DL

6-4

260

R-Fr.

Keller, TX (Nolan Catholic HS)

21

Collin Gamble

DB

5-10 200

Jr.^

Flower Mound, TX (Liberty Christian HS)

70

Martin Tine

OL

6-6

310

Jr.^

Houston,TX (East LA Coll./Blinn Coll./Alief Elsik/Legacy School Of Sport Sciences)

Manhattan Beach, CA (Mira Costa HS)

Aurora, CO (Regis Jesuit HS)

Oakland, CA (McClymonds HS)

59

Murphy Glasgow

OLB 6-3

230

Fr.

47

Moso’oipala Tuitele

TE

6-4

250

R-Fr.

83

Trond Grizzell

WR 6-4

200

R-So. Park City, UT (Park City HS)

27

Cade Uluave

ILB

6-1

230

Fr.

South Jordan, UT (Mountain Ridge HS)

66

Colin Hamilton

OL

6-7

305

R-So.^ Edmonds, WA (King’s HS)

25

Sai Vadrawale III

DB

6-0

180

Fr.

Rohnert Park, CA (Rancho Cotate HS)

305

78

Dashaun Harris

OL

6-2

15

Lu-Magia Hearns III

DB

5-10 170

R-Fr.

Santa Clarita, CA (Sierra Canyon HS)

71

Sioape Vatikani

OL

6-4

320

So.

Reno, NV (Bishop Manogue Catholic HS)

Jr.

Pittsburg, CA (De La Salle HS)

27

Brady Weingart

QB

6-3

205

Fr.

Corte Madera, CA (Redwood HS)

3

Jeremiah Hunter

WR 6-2

200

Jr.^

Fresno, CA (Central HS)

96

Derek Wilkins

DL

6-5

285

R-So. Irvine, CA (Santa Margarita Catholic HS)

13

Nyziah Hunter

WR 6-2

200

Fr.

Salinas, CA (Salinas HS)

13

Miles Williams

DB

6-0

190

R-Jr.^ Mansfield, TX (Mansfield HS)

56

Ieremia Ieremia

DL

6-3

295

R-So. Porirua, New Zealand (St. John Bosco HS/Hamilton Boys’HS)

92

Myles Williams

OLB 6-3

240

R-So. Woodland Hills, CA (Bishop Alemany HS)

22

Isaiah Ifanse

RB

5-9

205

R-Sr.^ Bellevue, WA (San Jose State/Montana St./Bellevue HS)

3

Nohl Williams

DB

6-1

195

Jr.^#

Oxnard, CA (UNLV/Pacifica HS)

50

Tidiane Jalloh

OLB 6-5

270

So.

54

Frederick Williams III

OL

6-5

285

Fr.

Los Angeles, CA (Junipero Serra HS)

65

Dylan Jemtegaard

OL

295

R-So. Yelm, WA (Yelm HS)

4

Justin Williams-Thomas RB

6-0

215

R-Fr.# Dallas, GA (Tennessee/East Paulding HS)

6-4

Toulon, France (Independence Community College)

33

Myles Jernigan

OLB 6-3

235

R-Jr.^ Grand Prairie, TX (South Grand Prairie HS)

37

Lachlan Wilson

P

6-3

195

R-Jr.^# Eaglemont, Australia (Tulsa/Xavier College)

90

Brett Johnson

DL

6-5

295

R-Jr.^ Phoenix, AZ (Desert Vista HS)

37

Julian Womack

DB

6-2

200

R-Fr.

Berkeley, CA (Saint Mary’s College HS)

77

Everett Johnson

OL

6-7

300

Jr.^

Turlock, CA (Turlock HS)

5

Raymond Woodie III

DB

6-0

200

Sr.^

Palmetto, FL (Florida State/Florida State University HS)

86

Jeffrey Johnson

TE

6-5

250

R-So. Manhattan Beach, CA (Loyola HS)

2

Craig Woodson

DB

6-0

210

R-Jr.^ Grand Prairie, TX (South Grand Prairie HS)

57

BJ Jones

ILB

6-2

210

Fr.

Oakland, CA (Bishop O’Dowd HS)

74

Matthew Wykoff

OL

6-6

325

R-So. Magnolia, TX (Texas A&M/Magnolia HS)

80

Jordan King

WR 6-2

205

R-Fr.

Portland, OR (Central Catholic HS)

41

Isaiah Young

DB

5-10 180

36

Thomas Lee

P

5-11 185

R-Sr.

San Ramon, CA (Cal Poly/Dougherty Valley HS)

14

Monroe Young

WR 6-1

San Antonio, TX (Citrus College/Stevens HS)

22

Matthew Littlejohn

DB

5-11 180

Jr.#

49

Darius Long Jr.

DL

6-2

R-Sr.^ Alameda, CA (College of San Mateo/Encinal HS)

30

310

205

Jr.^

Eastvale, CA (Centennial HS)

R-Sr.^ Las Cruces, NM (Onate HS)

^Year reflects additional season of collegiate eligibility granted by NCAA for all 2020 football student-athletes due to COVID #January 2023 enrollee; Experience column indicates what collegiate season student-athlete is participating in during the 2023 campaign

California Depth Chart OFFENSE WR (X)

3 80 16

Jeremiah Hunter Jordan King Mason Mangum

6-2, 200, Jr. 6-2, 205, R-Fr. 5-11, 185, R-So.

LT

-or-

62 63 52 54

Barrett Miller Brayden Rohme Nick Morrow Frederick Williams III

6-5, 310, Sr. 6-6, 290, R-Jr. 6-8, 300, Fr. 6-5, 285, Fr.

LG

74 76 77

Matthew Wykoff Bastian Swinney Everett Johnson

6-6, 325, R-So. 6-6, 290, R-So. 6-7, 300, Jr.

C

60 78 65

Brian Driscoll Dashaun Harris Dylan Jemtegaard

6-4, 320, R-Jr. 6-2, 305, R-Fr. 6-4, 295, R-So.

RG

71 76 68

Sioape Vatikani Bastian Swinney Trent Ramsey

6-4, 320, So. 6-6, 290, R-So. 6-5, 295, R-Fr.

RT

72 79 70

T.J. Session Ender Aguilar Martin Tine

TE

-or

87 89 88 86 85

QB

DEFENSE DT -or-or-or-or-

99 98 51 96 75

Ethan Saunders Nate Burrell Curlee Thomas IV Derek Wilkins Jaedon Roberts

6-3, 285, Jr. 6-2, 270, So. 6-4, 260, R-Fr. 6-5, 285, R-So. 6-3, 305, Jr.

DT -or-or-or-or-

90 91 49 94 95

Brett Johnson Ricky Correia Darius Long Jr. Stanley Saole-McKenzie Akili Calhoun

6-5, 295, R-Jr. 6-4, 335, Jr. 6-2, 310, R-Sr. 6-2, 330, R-So. 6-4, 285, R-So.

OLB -or

92 33 50

Myles Williams Myles Jernigan Tidiane Jalloh

6-3, 240, R-So. 6-3, 235, R-Jr. 6-5, 270, So.

ILB

27 31

Cade Uluave Hunter Barth

6-1, 230, Fr. 6-2, 215, R-So.

6-4, 305, R-Jr. 6-5, 295, R-So. 6-6, 310, Jr.

ILB -or

42 10 57

Nate Rutchena Sergio Allen BJ Jones

6-3, 230, Jr. 6-1, 230, R-So. 6-2, 210, Fr.

Jack Endries Asher Alberding J.T. Byrne Jeffrey Johnson Marquis Montgomery

6-4, 230, R-Fr. 6-4, 255, R-Jr. 6-5, 250, R-So. 6-5, 250, R-So. 6-4, 220, Jr.

OLB -or

7 44 43

David Reese Xavier Carlton Ryan McCulloch

6-2, 240, R-Sr. 6-6, 270, Jr. 6-3, 240, Fr.

15 10 20

Fernando Mendoza Ben Finley Belay Brummel

6-5, 220, R-Fr. 6-3, 195, R-So. 6-2, 180, Fr.

CB

15 4

Lu-Magia Hearns III Kaylin Moore

5-10, 170, Jr. 5-11, 190, Jr.

RB

-or

1 22 4 25 24 33

Jaydn Ott Isaiah Ifanse Justin Williams-Thomas Jaivian Thomas Ashton Stredick Dean-Taylor Chapman

6-0, 220, So. 5-9, 205, R-Fr. 6-0, 215, R-Fr. 5-10, 175, Fr. 5-9, 200, R-So. 5-9, 175, Fr.

S

9 5 23

Patrick McMorris Raymond Woodie III Dejuan Butler

6-0, 210, Sr. 6-0, 200, Sr. 5-11, 205, R-So.

S

2 13

Craig Woodson Miles Williams

6-0, 210, R-Jr. 6-0, 190, R-Jr.

FB -or-

34 44

Andy Alfieri Beaux Tagoloa

6-3, 245, R-So. 6-0, 250, R-Jr.

CB

3 41

Nohl Williams Isaiah Young

6-1, 195, Jr. 5-10, 180, Jr.

SLOT

-or-or

83 11 81 82 29

Trond Grizzell Mavin Anderson Marquez Dortch Kenden Robinson Jr. Myles Reber

6-4, 200, R-So. 6-0, 195, R-So. 6-0, 170, R-Fr. 6-1, 210, R-Sr. 5-11, 185, Fr.

NB -or

22 4 20

Matthew Littlejohn Kaylin Moore Cam Sidney

5-11, 180, Jr. 5-11, 190, Jr. 5-11, 185, R-Fr.

WR (Z)

14 84 13 26

Monroe Young Jaiven Plummer Nyziah Hunter Grant Daley

6-1, 205, R-Sr. 6-3, 210, R-Fr. 6-2, 200, Fr. 6-1, 190, R-So.

Jeremiah Hunter

32

SPECIAL TEAMS PK

49 16

Mateen Bhaghani Michael Luckhurst

6-1, 175, Fr. 6-1, 180, So.

KO

16 49

Michael Luckhurst Mateen Bhaghani

6-1, 180, So. 6-1, 175, Fr.

P

37 36

Lachlan Wilson Thomas Lee

6-3, 195, R-Jr. 5-11, 185, R-Sr.

SNAP

45 47

David Bird Jake Arguello

6-0, 210, Fr. 6-0, 185, R-So.

HOLD

37 36

Lachlan Wilson Thomas Lee

6-3, 195, R-Jr. 5-11, 185, R-Sr.

PR

3

Jeremiah Hunter

6-2, 200, Jr.

KR -or-or-or-or-

11 15 16 24 3

Mavin Anderson Lu-Magia Hearns III Mason Mangum Ashton Stredick Nohl Williams

6-0, 195, R-So. 5-10, 170, Jr. 5-11, 185, Jr. 5-9, 200, R-So. 6-1, 195, Jr.

California Season Stats & Leaders RUSHING

GP

Att

Gain

Loss Net

Avg

TD

Long

Avg/G

PUNT RETURNS

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Jaydn Ott Isaiah Ifanse Ashton Stredick Jaivian Thomas Total Opponents

11 8 10 7 12 12

229 70 42 18 465 419

1309 372 205 114 2426 1888

49 7 5 4 253 281

5.5 5.2 4.8 6.1 4.7 3.8

11 7 2 1 25 22

66 26 41 27 66 72

114.5 45.6 20.0 15.7 181.1 133.9

Jeremiah Hunter Nohl Williams Total Opponents

8 1 9 18

24 2 26 250

3.0 2.0 2.9 13.9

0 0 0 1

13 2 13 83

INTERCEPTIONS

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Nohl Williams Cade Uluave Blake Antzoulatos Craig Woodson Patrick McMorris Lu-Magia Hearns III Kaleb Elarms-Orr Jeremiah Earby Matthew Littlejohn Total Opponents

2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 13

0 4 8 0 0 0 1 36 19 68 203

0.0 2.0 8.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 36.0 19.0 6.2 15.6

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

0 4 8 0 0 0 1 36 19 36 45

KICK RETURNS

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Lu-Magia Hearns III Mavin Anderson Jeremiah Hunter Mason Mangum Nohl Williams Jaydn Ott Ryan McCulloch Total Opponents

8 7 2 2 1 1 1 22 42

118 122 18 32 26 100 26 442 822

14.8 17.4 9.0 16.0 26.0 100.0 26.0 20.1 19.6

0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0

17 19 10 21 26 100 26 100 59

FUMBLE RETURNS

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Nohl Williams Cade Uluave Patrick McMorris Michael Luckhurst Kaleb Elarms-Orr Myles Jernigan Brett Johnson Jackson Sirmon Raymond Woodie III Xavier Carlton Ricky Correia Total Opponents

2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 14 11

61 51 9 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 126 13

30.5 25.5 4.5 3.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.0 1.2

2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0

52 51 9 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 52 10

PUNTING

No.

Yards

Avg

Long

TB

FC

I20

50+

Blkd

Lachlan Wilson Total Opponents

46 46 41

2100 2100 1733

45.7 45.7 42.3

73 73 64

2 2 0

12 12 21

15 15 14

17 17 6

0 0 0

PASSING

GP

Effic

Fernando Mendoza 8 Sam Jackson V 5 Ben Finley 6 Total 12 Opponents 12

Cmp-Att-Int

1260 365 200 110 2173 1607

Pct

134.0 131-210-7 62.4 113.6 51-97-2 52.6 110.6 54-94-4 57.4 123.6 236-401-13 58.9 142.7 279-442-11 63.1

Yards

TD

Long

Avg/G

1447 556 572 2575 3390

13 5 3 21 27

54 36 50 54 66

180.9 111.2 95.3 214.6 282.5

RECEIVING

GP

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Avg/G

Jeremiah Hunter Taj Davis Trond Grizzell Jack Endries Total Opponents

12 11 12 12 12 12

58 39 35 32 236 279

669 399 510 385 2575 3390

11.5 10.2 14.6 12.0 10.9 12.2

7 3 5 2 21 27

50 27 54 32 54 66

55.8 36.3 42.5 32.1 214.6 282.5

FIELD GOALS

Made-Att Pct 1-19

Mateen Bhaghani 8-9 Michael Luckhurst 3-9

20-29 30-39 40-49 50+

Lng

Blkd

3-3 0-0

0-0 0-0

43 39

0 0

|-------------PATs -------------| Kick Rush Rcv Pass DXP

Saf

Pts

0 0

84 51 48 44 34 379 392

88.9 0-0 33.3 0-0

SCORING TD

FGs

Jaydn Ott Mateen Bhaghani Isaiah Ifanse Jeremiah Hunter Trond Grizzell Total Opponents

8-9 27-27 11-18 38-41 12-18 46-47

0 0

14 8 7 5 50 51

3-4 3-4

2-2 0-5

1 2 4 2

4 2

0 0

TOTAL OFFENSE

GP

Plays

Rush

Pass

Total

Avg/G

Fernando Mendoza Jaydn Ott Sam Jackson V Ben Finley Total Opponents

8 11 5 6 12 12

247 229 123 106 866 861

80 1260 59 8 2173 1607

1447 0 556 572 2575 3390

1527 1260 615 580 4748 4997

190.9 114.5 123.0 96.7 395.7 416.4

Craig Woodson DEFENSIVE LEADERS

GP

Solo

Kaleb Elarms-Orr Craig Woodson Patrick McMorris Cade Uluave Jackson Sirmon Totals Opponents

11 12 12 12 6 12 12

49 52 41 30 27 447 420

34

Tackles Ast Total TFL-Yds 43 26 36 28 22 390 446

92 78 77 58 49 837 866

3.5-7 3.5-7 2.5-13 6.5-42 3-14 49-224 65-278

KICKOFFS

No.

Yards

Avg

TB

OB

Retn

Net

YdLn

Michael Luckhurst Mateen Bhaghani Total Opponents

59 13 72 75

3568 669 4237 4594

60.5 51.5 58.8 61.3

10 1 11 32

0 1 1 3

41 22

38.2 39.2

26 25

Sacks No-Yds

Pass Defense Int-Yds BU

Fumbles Qbh Rcv-Yds FF

Blkd Kick

Saf

1-2 0-0 1-10 2.5-26 1-10 23-161 18-158

1-1 1-0 1-0 2-4 0-0 11-68 13-203

6 0 0 0 1 27 30

0 0 0 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 3 7 3 2 49 48

1-2 0-0 2-9 2-51 1-0 14-126 11-13

1 2 2 2 1 17 12

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92

79

89

34

TIUMALU AFALAVA

ENDER AGUILAR

ASHER ALBERDING

ANDY ALFIERI

SERGIO ALLEN

MAVIN ANDERSON

JAKE ARGUELLO

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

TIGHT END

FULLBACK

INSIDE LINEBACKER

WIDE RECEIVER

LONG SNAPPER

45

11

47

52

31

28

48

20

ZURICH ASHFORD

HUNTER BARTH

MATEEN BHAGHANI

DAVID BIRD

SPENCER BRIEN

WESLEY BROWN

BELAY BRUMMEL

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

INSIDE LINEBACKER

PLACE KICKER

LONG SNAPPER

PLACE KICKER

LONG SNAPPER

QUARTERBACK

98

23

88

95

21

44

30

49

10

MAYZE BRYANT

NATE BURRELL

DEJUAN BUTLER

J.T. BYRNE

AKILI CALHOUN

BYRON CARDWELL

XAVIER CARLTON

DEFENSIVE BACK

DEFENSIVE LINE

DEFENSIVE BACK

TIGHT END

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

RUNNING BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

33

73

39

91

26

58

23

DEAN-TAYLOR CHAPMAN

MATTHEW CINDRIC

MICHAEL COOLEY

RICKY CORREIA

GRANT DALEY

ELIJAH DIAZ

KING DOERUE

RUNNING BACK

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

WIDE RECEIVER

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

RUNNING BACK

60

87

38

MARQUEZ DORTCH

81

BRIAN DRISCOLL

JACK ENDRIES

NATE ESCALADA

BEN FINLEY

COLLIN GAMBLE

MURPHY GLASGOW

WIDE RECEIVER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

TIGHT END

DEFENSIVE BACK

QUARTERBACK

DEFENSIVE BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

15

3

13

83

66

78

10

21

59

56

TROND GRIZZELL

COLIN HAMILTON

DASHAUN HARRIS

LU-MAGIA HEARNS III

JEREMIAH HUNTER

NYZIAH HUNTER

IEREMIA IEREMIA

WIDE RECEIVER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

WIDE RECEIVER

WIDE RECEIVER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

36

Meet the Golden Bears

22

50

65

33

90

77

86

ISAIAH IFANSE

TIDIANE JALLOH

DYLAN JEMTEGAARD

MYLES JERNIGAN

BRETT JOHNSON

EVERETT JOHNSON

JEFFREY JOHNSON

RUNNING BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

TIGHT END

57

80

36

22

49

16

16

BJ JONES

JORDAN KING

THOMAS LEE

MATTHEW LITTLEJOHN

DARIUS LONG JR.

MICHAEL LUCKHURST

MASON MANGUM

INSIDE LINEBACKER

WIDE RECEIVER

PUNTER

DEFENSIVE BACK

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

PLACE KICKER

WIDE RECEIVER

40

43

85

4

9

15

62

BEN MARSHALL

RYAN McCULLOCH

PATRICK McMORRIS

FERNANDO MENDOZA

BARRETT MILLER

MARQUIS MONTGOMERY

KAYLIN MOORE

TIGHT END

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

QUARTERBACK

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

TIGHT END

DEFENSIVE BACK

52

1

84

NICK MORROW

JAYDN OTT

JAIVEN PLUMMER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

RUNNING BACK

WIDE RECEIVER

68

29

7

TRENT RAMSEY

MYLES REBER

DAVID REESE

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

WIDE RECEIVER

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

75

82

63

JAEDON ROBERTS

KENDEN ROBINSON JR.

BRAYDEN ROHME

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

WIDE RECEIVER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

Patrick McMorris & Myles Jernigan

37

Meet the Golden Bears

42

94

99

24

72

20

8

NATE RUTCHENA

STANLEY SAOLE-McKENZIE

ETHAN SAUNDERS

MARCUS SCOTT II

T.J. SESSION

CAM SIDNEY

JACKSON SIRMON

INSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

INSIDE LINEBACKER

18

93

64

24

44

25

MASON STARLING

R.J. STEPHENS

JOSHUA STOVALL

ASHTON STREDICK

BASTIAN SWINNEY

BEAUX TAGALOA

JAIVIAN THOMAS

WIDE RECEIVER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

RUNNING BACK

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

FULLBACK

RUNNING BACK

51

70

47

76

27

25

71

27

CURLEE THOMAS IV

MARTIN TINE

MOSO’OIPALA TUITELE

CADE ULUAVE

SAI VADRAWALE III

SIOAPE VATIKANI

BRADY WEINGART

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

TIGHT END

INSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

QUARTERBACK

96

13

92

3

DEREK WILKINS DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

54

MILES WILLIAMS

MYLES WILLIAMS

NOHL WILLIAMS

FREDERICK WILLIAMS III

JUSTIN WILLIAMS-THOMAS

LACHLAN WILSON

DEFENSIVE BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

RUNNING BACK

PUNTER

37

Cade Uluave

38

4

5

37

2

JULIAN WOMACK

RAYMOND WOODIE III

CRAIG WOODSON

DEFENSIVE BACK

DEFENSIVE BACK

DEFENSIVE BACK

74

41

14

MATTHEW WYKOFF

ISAIAH YOUNG

MONROE YOUNG

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

WIDE RECEIVER

Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox TRAVERS FAMILY HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

JUSTIN WILCOX

7th Year as California Head Coach 7th Year Overall as Head Coach Alma Mater: Oregon (1999) Hometown: Junction City, Oregon Record at California: 36-42 Record as College Head Coach: 36-42

COACHING EXPERIENCE

Boise State California Boise State Tennessee Washington USC Wisconsin California

Graduate Assistant (2001-02) Linebackers (2003-05) Defensive Coordinator (2006-09) Defensive Coordinator (2010-11) Defensive Coordinator (2012-13) Defensive Coordinator (2014-15) Defensive Coordinator (2016) Head Coach (2017-Present)

Justin Wilcox is in his seventh season as Travers Family Head Football Coach at Cal in 2023 and has compiled a long list of accomplishments and signature wins in the role. Most recently, he has led the Golden Bears to bowl-eligibility and an Independence Bowl selection in 2023 after wins in each of their final three regular-season games at home against Washington State and then on the road at Stanford and UCLA. Cal’s other victories in 2023 came at North Texas in the season opener and at home against Idaho, Arizona State and Washington State. Five of the team’s six losses were against ranked teams at No. 5 Washington in its’ Pac-12 opener and then in a school-record four straight games vs. No. 15 Oregon State, at No. 16 Utah, vs. No. 24 USC and at No. 6 Oregon. The Bears also fell at perennial and national powerhouse Auburn in their home opener. All six teams are playing in bowl games with the unbeaten Huskies in the College Football Playoff.

The 2023 Bears feature the Pac-12’s regular-season rushing champion in Jaydn Ott, while the defense has had a knack for taking the ball away with its’ 14 fumbles recovered and 25 turnovers gained both leading the Pac-12, while the fumbles recovered are also first nationally and the turnovers gained tied for second.

In 2018 and 2019, Wilcox led Cal to back-to-back winning campaigns and bowl games for the first time since 2008 and 2009. Wilcox began the 2019 season with four straight wins to move the Bears into the No. 15 spot in the AP Top 25 and No. 16 in the Coaches Poll. The victories included road wins at then-No. 14/12 Washington and Ole Miss. Wilcox guided the Bears to the Cheez-It Bowl and a 7-6 overall record in his second campaign in 2018 with the bowl appearance Cal’s first in three seasons and first in a Pac-12 affiliated bowl since 2011. Cal reached a high point of 7-4 overall after winning four of five conference games in one stretch, highlighted by signature victories over eventual Pac-12 champion and then-No. 15/13 Washington, as well as at USC with the victory over the Trojans clinching bowl eligibility. Cal also started the season with a 3-0 mark and in Week 5 made its first appearance since 2015 in the AP Top 25 at No. 24. The Bears took down a top-20 team in each of Wilcox’s first four seasons with other victories over No. 8/9 Washington State in 2017 and No. 23/21/20 Oregon in 2020.

Since he’s been Cal’s head coach, Wilcox has coached 26 players who have been affiliated with NFL teams on active rosters, injured reserve or practice squads.

Cal football student-athletes have also had success in the classroom throughout Wilcox’s tenure. The program announced its highest Graduation Success Rate ever at 86 percent in December of 2022, according to data released by the NCAA, and has now improved in each of the last four years. Cal has also recorded its top two scores in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate and its highest team grade-point average under Wilcox. The team’s APR of 978 for the 2021-22 academic year (most recent data available from NCAA) announced in May of 2023 was 16 points higher than the national football average of 962. Matt Anderson was the Pac-12’s Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2017 before Michael Saffell won the prestigious award in 2020.

Wilcox has also played a significant role in several recent gifts that have benefited the Cal football program. He was instrumental in securing a sevenfigure gift to the school’s football program in 2019 from former Cal quarterback, four-time NFL AP MVP, and Super Bowl XLV MVP Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers’ gift was used to renovate the football locker room and create the Aaron Rodgers Football Scholarship that is now awarded annually to a junior college transfer like Rodgers, who came to Cal after one season at Butte College near his hometown of Chico. In 2021, the Travers Family committed $7.5 million to endow the Travers Family Head Football Coach position and Paul White gave $1.5 million to fund the Paul F. White Innovation and Wellness Center.

Wilcox’s players have also been active in the community with Matthew Cindric’s 2023 selection to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® the fourth time one of Wilcox’s Cal players has been selected including three consecutive seasons from 2018-20 (Patrick Laird, Marcel Dancy, Elijah Hicks). Laird earned a spot on the prestigious squad primarily for his work with the Patrick Laird Summer Reading Challenge, which was later picked up by Saffell, while Dancy

40

California Coaching Staff was honored for his efforts as a volunteer coach for the Oakland Dynamites Youth Football and Cheer squad, and Hicks for his fundraising efforts that included netting over $60,000 for families affected by COVID-19. Cindric was also the co-founder of the Golden Buddies Football Clinic along with Myles Williams, that took place on July 15, 2023. The event allowed approximately 50 local students aged 6-13 with and without intellectual disabilities to participate in football drills and interact with about 40 Cal football players running the various event stations. Saffell was also a finalist for the 2020 Wuerffel Trophy while Hicks was the winner of the 2021 Pop Warner College Football Award.

Wilcox made his objectives clear at his opening press conference shortly after he was hired on January 14, 2017.

“The goal here is pretty simple,” Wilcox said at the time. “It is to consistently compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes and leave them with a fulfilling experience in Berkeley. The type of student-athlete we want at Cal is smart and tough. We want student-athletes that will play football at a high level and also succeed in the classroom at the top public institution in the world. Recruiting players that come from winning programs and know how to win is important. They will help us to build and maintain a winning culture.”

CALIFORNIA ASSISTANT COACHES

Prior to becoming Cal’s head coach, Wilcox spent the previous 11 seasons as a defensive coordinator at Boise State (2006-09), Tennessee (2010-11), Washington (2012-13), USC (2014-15) and Wisconsin (2016). Wilcox also spent three seasons as Cal’s linebackers coach from 2003-05 in his first position as a full-time coach following two campaigns as a graduate assistant at Boise State (2001-02).

The 1999 graduate of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology is the son of the late Dave Wilcox, a Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker who played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1964-74. His uncle, John (Philadelphia Eagles, 1960), and brother, Josh (New Orleans Saints, 1998-99), also played in the NFL.

MIKE BLOESCH

Offensive Coordinator/ Offensive Line

PETER SIRMON

VIC SO’OTO

Defensive Coordinator/ Inside Linebackers

Special Teams Coordinator/OLB

TERRENCE BROWN ANDREW BROWNING

TIM PLOUGH

As a collegiate student-athlete, Wilcox was a safety and cornerback at Oregon (199699), helping the Ducks to bowl games (1997 Las Vegas Bowl, 1998 Aloha Bowl, 1999 Sun Bowl) in each of his final three seasons. In 1999, he was named second-team All-Pac-10 and also earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors.

Defensive Backs

Defensive Line

MIKE SAFFELL

ARISTOTLE THOMPSON

Tight Ends

Running Backs

TRE WATSON Defensive Backs

Quarterbacks

BURL TOLER III

Wide Receivers/ Recruiting Coordinator

BRIAN JOHNSON Head Athletic Performance

41

University of California, Berkeley CAROL CHRIST CHANCELLOR University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley, is the world’s premier public university with a mission to excel in teaching, research and public service. This mission has led to the university’s distinguished record of worldclass scholarship, innovation, concern for the betterment of our world, and top rankings for its schools and departments. UC Berkeley is the flagship of the 10-campus University of California system, originally chartered in 1868. Enrolling more than 45,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the campus has more than 1,500 full-time and 500 part-time faculty members in more than 130 academic departments that offer more than 300 degree programs. Twenty-six Nobel Prizes have been awarded to faculty, and 35 Nobels to alumni and fellows.

42

California Athletics JIM KNOWLTON DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS California Athletics

Jim Knowlton, who has established himself as a dynamic leader and accomplished administrator through service in intercollegiate athletics and the U.S. Army, is in his sixth year as Director of Athletics at Cal after formally moving into the role on May 21, 2018.

Knowlton served as AD at Air Force for three years before his move to Berkeley, and he previously spent seven years overseeing the athletic department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was named the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Athletic Director of the Year.

In addition to his time at Cal, Air Force and RPI, Knowlton is a former student-athlete and one-time faculty member at Army West Point, where he also served as both a deputy director of athletics and interim athletic director at Army from 2003-06.

Outside of collegiate athletics, Knowlton taught in the civil and mechanical engineering department at Army West Point, and he held several leadership positions over more than two decades in the U.S. Army, including as head of a battalion of 750 men and women while stationed at Ft. Carson, Colo., before deploying to Iraq. He retired from the Army in 2008 as a colonel with 26 years of service.

Knowlton received his bachelor’s degree in engineering in 1982 from Army West Point, where he was a four-year letter-winner and captain of the varsity ice hockey team. After 10 years of organizational leadership positions of increasing responsibility in the U.S. Army, Knowlton received a master’s degree in civil engineering from Cornell University and returned to Army West Point in 1992 to teach.

Knowlton is a registered professional engineer in the state of Virginia. He and his wife, Corey, have five sons: Jimmy, Patrick, Christopher, Mark and Shawn.

43

University of California Marching Band

The University of California Marching Band is in its 131st year and is one of the oldest college marching bands on the West Coast. The full band performs at every home football game, and, over the years, the Straw Hat Band has traveled to games as far as Alabama and Washington. The current Cal Band, under the baton of Matthew Sadowski and the direction of a student executive committee, boasts a membership of over 200 students, and is the only band in the Pac-12 and one of the few bands in the nation that still marches traditional high-step form.

44

ENOUGH

Flavor,

STYLE

AND SOUL FOR TWO CITIES

From mouthwatering cuisine to thrilling experiences, riverfront gaming and entertainment, Shreveport-Bossier has a cultural blend you won’t find anywhere else.

VISITSHREVEPORTBOSSIER.ORG

California Numerical Roster THANK YOU! MIKE & JUDY MCCARTHY

for their continued support and dedication to the Independence Bowl throughout the years.

California NUMERICAL ROSTER 1

Jaydn Ott

RB

20

Cam Sidney

DB

37

Lachlan Wilson

P

57

BJ Jones

ILB

82

Kenden Robinson Jr.

WR

2

Craig Woodson

DB

21

Byron Cardwell

RB

37

Julian Womack

DB

58

Elijah Diaz

OLB

83

Trond Grizzell

WR

3

Jeremiah Hunter

WR

21

Collin Gamble

DB

38

Nate Escalada

DB

59

Murphy Glasgow

OLB

84

Jaiven Plummer

WR

3

Nohl Williams

DB

22

Isaiah Ifanse

RB

39

Michael Cooley

OLB

60

Brian Driscoll

OL

85

Marquis Montgomery

TE

4

Kaylin Moore

DB

22

Matthew Littlejohn

DB

40

Ben Marshall

TE

62

Barrett Miller

OL

86

Jeffrey Johnson

TE

4

Justin Williams-Thomas

RB

23

Dejuan Butler

DB

41

Isaiah Young

DB

63

Brayden Rohme

OL

87

Jack Endries

TE

5

Raymond Woodie III

DB

23

King Doerue

RB

42

Nate Rutchena

ILB

64

Joshua Stovall

OL

88

J.T. Byrne

TE

7

David Reese

OLB

24

Marcus Scott II

DB

43

Ryan McCulloch

OLB

65

Dylan Jemtegaard

OL

89

Asher Alberding

TE

8

Jackson Sirmon

ILB

24

Ashton Stredick

RB

44

Xavier Carlton

OLB

66

Colin Hamilton

OL

90

Brett Johnson

DL

9

Patrick McMorris

DB

25

Jaivian Thomas

RB

44

Beaux Tagaloa

FB

68

Trent Ramsey

OL

91

Ricky Correia

DL

10

Sergio Allen

ILB

25

Sai Vadrawale III

DB

45

David Bird

LS

70

Martin Tine

OL

92

Myles Williams

OLB

10

Ben Finley

QB

26

Grant Daley

WR

47

Jake Arguello

LS

71

Sioape Vatikani

OL

93

R.J. Stephens

DL

11

Mavin Anderson

WR

27

Cade Uluave

ILB

47

Moso’oipala Tuitele

TE

72

T.J. Session

OL

94

Stanley Saole-McKenzie

DL

13

Nyziah Hunter

WR

27

Brady Weingart

QB

48

Wesley Brown

LS

73

Matthew Cindric

OL

95

Akili Calhoun

DL

13

Miles Williams

DB

28

Spencer Brien

PK

49

Mateen Bhaghani

PK

74

Matthew Wykoff

OL

96

Derek Wilkins

DL

14

Monroe Young

WR

29

Myles Reber

WR

49

Darius Long Jr.

DL

75

Jaedon Roberts

DL

97

Tiumalu Afalava

DL

15

Lu-Magia Hearns III

DB

30

Mayze Bryant

DB

50

Tidiane Jalloh

OLB

76

Bastian Swinney

OL

98

Nate Burrell

DL

15

Fernando Mendoza

QB

31

Hunter Barth

ILB

51

Curlee Thomas IV

DL

77

Everett Johnson

OL

99

Ethan Saunders

DL

16

Michael Luckhurst

PK

33

Dean-Taylor Chapman

RB

52

Zurich Ashford

DL

78

Dashaun Harris

OL

16

Mason Mangum

WR

33

Myles Jernigan

OLB

52

Nick Morrow

OL

79

Ender Aguilar

OL

18

Mason Starling

WR

34

Andy Alfieri

FB

54

Frederick Williams III

OL

80

Jordan King

WR

20

Belay Brummel

QB

36

Thomas Lee

P

56

Ieremia Ieremia

DL

81

Marquez Dortch

WR

46

Texas Tech Numerical Roster

INSURANCE

Texas Tech NUMERICAL ROSTER 0

Cam’Ron Valdez

RB

15

Robert Wooten

OLB

28

Tahj Brooks

RB

45

Terrell Tilmon

OLB

76

Caleb Rogers

OL

0

Rayshad Williams

DB

15

Jayden York

TE

28

Jordan Sanford

DB

46

Isaiah Crawford

OLB

77

Garrett Morphis

OL

1

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson

DB

16

Jaden Morris

RB

29

Chief Collins

DB

47

Jacob Mauch

LS

79

Ty Buchanan

OL

2

Behren Morton

QB

16

Macho Stevenson

DB

30

Jackson Knotts

LS

48

Gage Elder

LB

80

Mason Tharp

TE

2

Jalon Peoples

DB

17

Isaac Smith

OLB

30

Miles Thompson

DB

48

Stone Harrington

K

82

Drew Hocutt

WR

3

Bryce Ramirez

OLB

17

Jake Strong

QB

31

Austin McNamara

P

49

Tre’Darius Brown

DL

83

Jack Esparza

TE

4

Jordan Brown

WR

18

Will Burns

QB

31

Joseph Plunk

DB

50

Trent Low

LB

84

D.J. Crest

WR

4

Nate Floyd

DB

18

Tyler Owens

DB

32

Tyrique Matthews

LB

51

Jayden Cofield

DL

85

Aiden Meeks

WR

5

Quincy Ledet Jr.

DL

19

A.J. McCarty

DB

33

Harvey Dyson III

OLB

53

Rusty Staats

OL

86

T.J. West

WR

6

Myles Cole

OLB

19

Dylan Spencer

OLB

33

Matthew Young

TE

54

Kaden Carr

OL

87

Kelby Valsin

WR

7

Steve Linton

OLB

19

Haydon Wiginton

WR

34

Bryce Robinson

LB

56

Dennis Wilburn

OL

88

Baylor Cupp

TE

8

Coy Eakin

WR

20

Marcus Ramon-Edwards

DB

35

Miquel Dingle Jr.

LB

58

Tanner Allen

OL

90

Ansel Nedore

OLB

8

Jesiah Pierre

LB

21

Tyler King

WR

36

Justin Horne

LB

60

Nick Fattig

OL

91

Blake Burris

DL

9

C.J. Baskerville

DB

21

Cameron Watts

DB

37

James Grando

DB

63

Dylan Shaw

OL

93

Trevon McAlpine

DL

10

Drae McCray

WR

22

Bryson Donnell

RB

38

Reese Burkhardt

K

64

Jurrien Loftin

OL

94

Braylon Rigsby

DL

10

Jacob Rodriguez

LB

22

Maurion Horn

DB

38

Anthony White

DB

65

Sheridan Wilson

OL

95

Jaylon Hutchings

DL

11

Charles Esters III

OLB

23

Landon Hullaby

DB

39

Luke Dillingham

DB

66

Matt Keeler

OL

96

Amier Washington

DL

11

Loic Fouonji

WR

24

Malik Dunlap

DB

39

Charles Robinson

TE

67

Dalton Merryman

OL

97

Tony Bradford Jr.

DL

12

Bralyn Lux

DB

24

Anquan Willis

RB

40

Wesley Smith

LB

68

Seth Martin

OL

98

E’Maurion Banks

DL

13

Brady Boyd

WR

25

JMaury Davis

RB

41

Ty Kana

LB

69

Caleb Rodkey

OL

99

Sam Carrell

OLB

99

Gino Garcia

K

13

Ben Roberts

LB

25

Chapman Lewis

DB

42

John Curry

LB

70

Cole Spencer

OL

14

Joseph Adedire

OLB

26

Sammy Morris IV

DB

43

Chris Lemons

OLB

74

Daniel Sill

OL

14

Xavier White

WR

27

Brenden Jordan

DB

43

Henry Teeter

TE

75

Jacoby Jackson

OL

47

Texas Tech Season in Review GAME 1

GAME 4

Sept. 2 | War Memorial Stadium | Laramie, Wy.

Sept. 23 | Milan Puskar Stadium | Morgantown, W. Va.

Wyoming 35, Texas Tech 33 (2OT)

Andrew Peasley through an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Michael Gyllenborg on a fourth-and-7, and running back Sam Scott punched in the 2-point conversion as Wyoming stunned Texas Tech 35-33 in double-overtime on September 2 night at War Memorial Stadium in the season opener for both teams.

Tyler Shough, who finished with 338 yards passing and three touchdowns, had given the Red Raiders a 33-27 lead after finding Jerand Bradley for a 15-yard score, but the senior quarterback’s conversion pass failed. Scott’s walk-off score sent the crowd of 26,450 pouring onto the field late Saturday following a game that was delayed for 78 minutes due to a lightning storm that moved through Laramie.

Peasley, who limped off the field at the end of regulation after absorbing a big hit by nose tackle Jaylon Hutchings, ran for a 5-yard touchdown on the first possession of overtime.

Tahj Brooks answered for Texas Tech with a 6-yard TD run on third-and-2 to force a second overtime. The Red Raiders stormed out to a quick 17-0 lead with the help of fumbles by Wyoming running backs Jamari Ferrell and D.Q. James. John Hoyland, who was voted to the preseason AP All-American second team, booted a career-long 56-yard field goal to stop the bleeding for the Cowboys and start a 20-0 run.

West Virginia 20, Texas Tech 13

Nicco Marchiol threw a touchdown pass in his first start, CJ Donaldson added a short TD run and West Virginia held off Texas Tech 20-13 in their Big 12 opener on September 23.

Texas Tech backup quarterback Behren Morton came on for the injured Tyler Shough in the first quarter and put together a pair of scoring drives. But Morton, who had thrown for 325 yards and two touchdowns against the Mountaineers a year ago in Texas Tech’s 48-10 win, couldn’t bring the Red Raiders back from a 13-3 deficit this time. Morton drove the Red Raiders from their 28 to the West Virginia 11, but he threw four straight incompletions, the last one with 11 seconds left. The Mountaineers (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) limited Texas Tech (1-3, 0-1) to 56 total yards in the first half and 321 overall in a steady drizzle from the outer bands of Tropical Storm Ophelia. Shough took hard hits on consecutive plays late in the first quarter and was driven off the field on a cart with an injury to his lower left leg.

The teams traded 79-yard scoring drives early in the fourth quarter. Morton found Jerand Bradley with a 6-yard scoring pass. Marchiol answered with a 9-yard TD toss to Kole Taylor to put West Virginia ahead 20-10. Morton then threw a 16-yard pass to Bradley on third down to set up Texas Tech at the West Virginia 16. But Morton threw three straight incompletions and the Red Raiders settled for Gino Garcia’s second field goal, a 34-yarder with 4:45 left. Morton finished 13 of 37 for 158 yards.

GAME 2

GAME 5

Sept. 9 | Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas

Sept. 30 | Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas

No. 13 Oregon 38, Texas Tech 30

Texas Tech 49, Houston 28

Bo Nix threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns, Jeffrey Bassa had a 45-yard interception return for a score in the final minute and No. 13 Oregon rallied for a 38-30 victory over Texas Tech. Tyler Shough threw for three TDs and ran for 101 yards and another score against his former team, but it wasn’t enough to extend the Red Raiders’ school-record 23-game winning streak in home openers.

Drae McCray returned a kickoff 100 yards for a TD, Loic Fouonji blocked a punt for one of his two scores and the Texas Tech offense did the rest in a 49-28 victory over Houston. The Red Raiders (2-3, 1-1 Big 12) won the first Big 12 meeting of former Southwest Conference foes despite 335 yards passing and four first-half touchdowns from Houston’s Donovan Smith, their former quarterback.

The Ducks had twice rallied in the fourth quarter behind Nix, who led a pair of drives to go-ahead field goals, capped by Cameron Lewis’ 34-yarder for a 31-30 lead with 1:10 remaining. Shough was trying to answer for a second time with a drive to a field goal when Brandon Dorlus hit him as he was throwing. The ball went straight to Bassa, who stepped over Shough and ran free to the end zone with 35 seconds left. Shough got Texas Tech to the Oregon 33 with 8 seconds to go. His desperation throw the end zone came up 2 yards short, and was intercepted by Bryan Addison.

Behren Morton threw for two TDs in his first start after Tyler Shough sustained a long-term injury for the third consecutive season. Tahj Brooks and Cam’Ron Valdez rushed for 106 yards apiece, with Brooks scoring twice and Valdez getting a clinching 41-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. The teams combined for just 14 points after halftime — all by Texas Tech — after scoring 63 in the first half, which ended with the Red Raiders leading 35-28.

Texas Tech has its longest winning streak in the series at six games and has won 11 of the past 12 meetings going back to the SWC days, which ended in 1995.

Gino Garcia was 2 of 6 for the season when he made a 45-yard field goal to give Texas Tech a 30-28 lead with 5:13 remaining. Shough rallied from a 22-yard loss on a strip sack and lost fumble and an interception to direct a three-play, 83-yard drive for a 27-18 lead after Nix was stuffed on fourth-and-1. Nix answered with four third-down conversions on a touchdown drive before the Ducks went ahead 28-27 on Lewis’ 23-yard field goal after Malik Dunlap almost pulled off a toe-tapping interception in the end zone.

Smith’s first TD toss gave the Cougars (2-3, 0-2) the first points on an opening possession against the Red Raiders this season before McCray tied it on the ensuing kickoff. McCray fielded the ball 2 yards deep in the end zone and almost stopped before the 15-yard line to avoid tacklers, then found an opening along the sideline and got a final clearing block near midfield from Drew Hocutt, the son of Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt. Houston went 75 yards for TDs on each its first three possessions before finally stalling at its 33. A little more than a minute after a 25-yard touchdown catch, Fouonji easily reached punter Laine Wilkins on a rush from the right side, kept running after the block and grabbed the ball chest-high on a bounce at the 5 for the easy score and Texas Tech’s first lead at 28-21.

Shough kick-started the Tech offense by running 58 yards on a designed draw to set up the game’s first TD, and Nix answered with a 72-yard scoring toss to Troy Franklin. Shough ended up with four turnovers while completing 24 of 40 passes for 282 yards. Nix was 32 of 44 without an interception, and Franklin finished with 103 yards receiving on six catches.

GAME 3

Texas Tech 41, Tarleton State 3

Sept. 16 | Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas Malik Dunlap returned the first of his two interceptions for a TD, Tahj Brooks set a career high with 158 yards rushing and Texas Tech got its first win of the season, beating Tarleton State 41-3. The Red Raiders (1-2) led for good when Dunlap had a 54-yard interception return only 2 1/2 minutes into the game.

Tech quarterback Tyler Shough was 10-of-20 passing for 123 yards with a touchdown and ran for another score before coming out of the game after only one series in the second half. Behren Morton, a four-game starter as a redshirt freshman last year, completed 8 of 13 passes for 72 yards with two touchdowns and an interception after that. Brooks had 140 yards on 15 carries at halftime, already surpassing his previous career high of 134 yards.

He had only four carries in the first two drives of the second half before coming out of the game.

Tarleton State entered the game averaging 518 total yards per game and leading the FCS with 52 points a game. The Texans were held to 342 total yards.

50

GAME 6

Texas Tech 39, Baylor 14

Oct. 7 | McLane Stadium | Waco, Texas Behren Morton threw for 180 yards with three touchdowns while running for another score, Tahj Brooks ran 31 times for 170 yards and Texas Tech beat Baylor 39-14. A year after a four-TD loss at home against the Bears, Texas Tech (3-3, 2-1 Big 12) took the lead for good when Morton threw a 13-yard TD to Coy Eakin on its first drive. Morton completed 19 of 26 passes, including scoring strikes of 16 and 18 yards to Baylor Cupp on his only catches of the night. Brooks and Morton both had TD runs in the fourth quarter. It was the fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game for Brooks, whose 18-yard score made it 32-11.

Baylor had won four of the previous five games in the series, including the last two since former Bears assistant Joey McGuire became Texas Tech’s head coach midway through the 2021 season. McGuire was in his fifth season on the Baylor staff when he was hired by Tech that November and moved to Lubbock immediately. He didn’t take over game-day duties until after that season. His first home loss with Tech was 45-17 to the Bears last October.

Tech won this game up front on both sides of the ball. Texas Tech had 11 tackles for loss and six sacks, while Baylor didn’t create a negative play until Brooks was stopped for a 1-yard loss in the final five minutes. Texas Tech was 10-for-17 on third-down conversions.

Texas Tech Season in Review GAME 7

GAME 10

Oct. 14 | Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas

Nov. 11 | David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium | Lawrence, Kan.

Kansas State 38, Texas Tech 21

Freshman quarterback Avery Johnson ran for five touchdowns, a first in FBS this season, while sharing time with starter Will Howard, and Kansas State beat Texas Tech 38-21.

Johnson finished with 91 yards rushing as the Wildcats (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) bounced back from a surprising loss at Oklahoma State with an eighth consecutive victory in the series for the defending Big 12 champions.

Jake Strong led a 99-yard drive to the only lead for Texas Tech (3-4, 2-2) in his debut in the third quarter after replacing injured starter Behren Morton. But the freshman threw three interceptions after the Wildcats had gone back in front. Morton, was slow to get up several times in the first half and was ruled out after the break because of an undisclosed injury.

Strong’s second series started at the Texas Tech 1-yard line, but his 13-yard pass got the drive going. Strong ran 54 yards to set up an 8-yard scoring pass on third down, when he lofted a pass just as he was hit hard in the pocket and Jerand Bradley got a foot down as he fell out the back of the end zone to give the Red Raiders a 21-17 lead.

Johnson, whose only other touchdown came in a blowout of Southeast Missouri State in the opener, replaced Howard on the third series and scored on a 2-yard run for a 10-0 lead.

Howard, a senior, returned several times in the first half, but it was Johnson’s show after the break. His 30-yard run put Kansas State back in front for good at 24-21, and Johnson’s 11-yard score put the Wildcats up 10 the first play after VJ Payne’s 17-yard return of Strong’s first interception. After Kobe Savage corralled Strong’s third interception in the end zone, Johnson led an 80-yard drive to the game-sealing score, a 3-yard run for his fifth TD. Tahj Brooks ran for 98 yards and a touchdown for Texas Tech, and Morton scored on a 1-yard plunge.

GAME 8

BYU 27, Texas Tech 14

Oct. 21 | LaVell Edwards Stadium | Provo, Utah Kedon Slovis threw for 127 yards and two touchdown passes, and BYU forced five turnovers to power a 27-14 victory over Texas Tech. LJ Martin piled up 93 yards rushing on 10 carries. The Cougars (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) never trailed despite totaling only 277 yards on offense.

Jake Strong threw for 236 yards and a touchdown pass but also had three interceptions in his first start for Texas Tech. Tahj Brooks added 105 yards and a score on the ground. The Red Raiders (3-5, 2-3) lost in their first game in Utah. BYU tallied three turnovers in the first half alone and scored 13 points off its four takeaways. The Cougars also made big plays on offense before halftime to jump on Texas Tech early.

Martin’s 55-yard run on BYU’s second play from scrimmage set up a 3-yard touchdown catch by Chase Roberts. Eddie Heckard then pounced on a fumbled ball in the end zone to put the Cougars up 14-0. The Red Raiders finally got on the board in the second quarter when Xavier White caught a wide-open pass along the sideline and raced 72 yards for the score. BYU countered on a 4-yard touchdown catch by Darius Lassiter and a 35-yard field goal from Will Ferrin, extending its lead to 24-7 before halftime. Moving the ball wasn’t a problem for the Red Raiders early. They outgained BYU in total yardage over the first three quarters. Turnovers ultimately hindered their ability to turn drives into points.

GAME 9

Texas Tech 35, TCU 28

Nov. 2 | Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas Behren Morton threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns, with the go-ahead 44-yard score to Drae McCray with 10 1/2 minutes left, and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson’s second interception was a game-clincher in the final minute as Texas Tech beat TCU 35-28. The Red Raiders (4-5, 3-5 Big 12) had lost two games in a row before last weekend’s open date. Tahj Brooks ran for 146 yards, his sixth 100-yard game this season to become the first Texas Tech running back to surpass 1,000 yards in a single season since DeAndre Washington in 2015.

Josh Hoover, in his third start for TCU, completed 32 of 52 passes for 353 yards and a TD. His second interception with 55 seconds left ended a potential game-tying drive when TaylorDemerson picked it off at the Tech 19. Emani Bailey ran for two TDs in the third quarter for the Horned Frogs, putting TCU up 21-20. He finished with only 57 yards rushing, after coming in averaging 106 per game. Taylor-Demerson’s first interception, in the final minute of the third quarter, gave the Red Raiders possession at the TCU 16 and set up Brooks’ 9-yard TD run before Morton’s 2-point conversion throw to Jerand Bradley for a 28-21 lead.

Texas Tech 16, No. 16 Kansas 13

Gino Garcia hit a game-winning 30-yard field goal with 3 seconds to play and Texas Tech upset No. 16 Kansas 16-13 as the Jayhawks struggled after losing quarterback Jason Bean.

Tahj Brooks ran for 133 yards and a TD as the Red Raiders (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) came back after Kansas (7-3, 4-3) tied the game on a 22-yard field goal with :26 seconds left in regulation.

Texas Tech opened as 10-0 lead in the first quarter as Brooks scored early in a 5-yard TD run. Garcia added a 32-yard field goal late in the quarter. The Red Raiders extended their lead to 13-0 early in the third quarter on Garcia’s second field goal before Kansas got back in the game on a Devin Neal 60-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

The Jayhawks marched 71 yards later in the fourth quarter and got within three points on Dadrion Taylor-Demerson a 24-yard field goal by Keller. He tied the game late but Texas Tech found a way to win as Behren Morton was 19 of 25 for 176 yards. Bean went down with an injury in the second quarter and returned for just one drive the rest of the game. Cole Ballard finished up and was 9 of 20 for 124 yards and an interception. Tech’s run game was too much for the Jayhawk defense to handle in the first half.

GAME 11

Texas Tech 24, UCF 23

Nov. 18 | Jones AT&T Stadium | Lubbock, Texas Tahj Brooks ran for a career-high 182 yards while powering a game-clinching drive after E’Maurion Banks blocked a potential tying extra-point kick, and Texas Tech rallied for a 2423 victory over UCF. Behren Morton threw for two touchdowns in the home finale as the Red Raiders (6-5, 5-3 Big 12) won their third consecutive game to get bowl eligible.

The Knights (5-6, 2-6) couldn’t hold a 14-0 lead, didn’t get any points from inside the Texas Tech 5-yard line by letting time run out before halftime and settled for a short field goal on fourth-and-3 when trailing by a TD early in the fourth quarter. Despite all that, the Knights were a PAT away from a tie after John Rhys Plumlee’s 71-yard TD pass to Javon Baker with 5:30 remaining. Colton Boomer had made 85 consecutive PATs when a leaping Banks in the middle of the line got a hand on the kick to keep the Red Raiders in front 24-23. The Red Raiders then ran off the final 5 1/2 minutes behind Brooks, who carried eight times for 34 yards in the nine plays before Morton kneeled down twice. Morton had a first-down pass during the drive, and the clincher was a 4-yard run from Brooks on second-and-3 with 1:16 remaining. Brooks scored the go-ahead TD on a 13-yard run late in the third quarter. UCF led 14-0 after the kicker Boomer ran 24 yards on a fake field goal to set up Harvey’s second TD run of the first quarter, a 1-yarder. The Red Raiders got even with Morton’s scoring tosses of 15 yards to Drae McCray and 19 yards to Mason Tharp. The Knights were in position to score before the end of the half. Out of timeouts with the clock running inside 15 seconds, Plumlee threw a shuffle pass to Harvey, who was stopped at the 2. UCF didn’t come close to getting off a play to stop the clock.

GAME 12

No. 7 Texas 57, Texas Tech 7

Nov. 24 | Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium | Austin, Texas Keilan Robinson returned a kickoff 95 yards for one of his two touchdowns, Bert Auburn made five field goals and No. 7 Texas (11-1, 8-1) overwhelmed Texas Tech 57-7 to reach the Big 12 championship game. Texas Tech (6-6, 5-4) was outgained 528 yards to 198.

Quarterback Behren Morton was 5-0 in games he started and finished this season before this one, but hounded by a fierce Texas pass rush, he completed 19 of 36 for only 88 yards with three interceptions. His Texas counterpart, Quinn Ewers, threw for 196 yards and one touchdown against one interception. Ewers was 17 of 26. Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks, ranked third nationally in rushing yards per game with 122.5 coming in, gained 95 on 19 carries.

Trailing 10-0, Tech used a 55-yard kickoff return by Drae McCray, a 25-yard run by Brooks, and a pass interference to set up a 2-yard TD run by Morton late in the first quarter. Texas responded with a 69-yard TD run by backup running back Jaydon Blue to start the second quarter. Blue had 121 yards on 10 carries. Later, after the teams traded interceptions, Auburn kicked his third field goal for a 23-7 lead. Texas, taking the ball at the Tech 45 with 31 seconds to produce something, finished the half with a 44-yarder by Auburn. Robinson began the second half with his kickoff return, Auburn added a 54 yard field goal, and Jett Bush returned an interception for a TD, catching the ball after it hit a Tech receiver’s foot.

51

Scouting the Red Raiders QUARTERBACKS

The Red Raiders were one of 14 FBS programs to start three or more quarterbacks during the 2023 season as senior Tyler Shough, sophomore Behren Morton and true freshman Jake Strong each recorded at least one start. Shough earned the starting nod during fall camp and proceeded to start the first four games of the season before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Texas Tech’s Big 12 opener on the road at West Virginia. The team was turned over to Morton in week five against Houston and sparked Texas Tech going 5-0 in the games he finished over the next seven weeks. In that span, he suffered an injury at home versus Kansas State that prevented him from returning to the game after halftime. Jake Strong was thrust into the lineup in the second half and made his first career start the following week at BYU. Morton led the team in passing in 2023, throwing for 1,498 yards and 12 touchdowns in his nine games of action. When Morton went down, Strong filled in for six quarters in weeks seven and eight and threw for 409 yards and two touchdowns with his time on the field. As a trio, the three quarterbacks threw for 2,653 yards and 21 touchdowns.

RUNNING BACKS

Texas Tech’s Doak Walker semifinalist, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist and All-Big 12 First Team running back Tahj Brooks led the Red Raiders on the ground with 1,443 yards and nine touchdowns on 268 attempts, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Brooks has already etched his name in the Red Raiders’ record book as he has the sixth-most rushing yards in a single season and seeks to grow that number in the Independence Bowl. He finished the regular season owning the third-most yards in the FBS in a season he logged eight 100-yard performances while also having a stretch of scoring at least one touchdown in seven straight games. Brooks shares his time with sophomore Cam’Ron Valdez who registered 250 rushing yards and one touchdown on 40 attempts.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Senior Xavier White led the Red Raiders with 495 receiving yards with 34 catches, he was rewarded with an All-Big 12 honorable mention nod in the league’s end-of-season awards.

White’s top performance this season came during week eight against BYU when he had 98 yards with a season-long reception of 72 yards – it remains the longest scoring play from scrimmage this season and was the longest play from scrimmage since late in the 2021 season for the Red Raiders. Withheld from the first three games of the season due to a preseason injury, freshman Coy Eakin got his career start in week five versus Houston and has made an impact in the passing game in his first season seeing playing time recording 29 receptions for 310 yards. Junior Jordan Brown recorded 22 receptions and 256 yards, averaging 11.6 yards per catch. Another first-year contributor was Austin Peay transfer Drae McCray who recorded 236 yards on 26 receptions for an average of 9.1 yards per catch.

TIGHT ENDS

Baylor Cupp, an All-Big 12 offensive honorable mention honoree this season, had 11 receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns over six starts. Both touchdowns came in week six against Baylor and helped push the Red Raiders to a key win on the road. A key contributor was absent from the tight ends group on gameday for a significant stretch in the middle of the season in junior Mason Tharp who missed five games. Tharp started all seven games he was available and managed to record 15 receptions for 156 yards and three touchdowns. Tharp’s top statistical performance came in week three against Tarleton State where he had three receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown with a season-long 28-yard reception. In his return from injury, he had an instrumental touchdown reception in his first game back from injury to help give the Red Raiders a senior day win versus UCF.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The Red Raiders’ offensive line is the oldest position group with four starters classified as seniors. Rusty Staats, Dennis Wilburn, Caleb Rogers and Cole Spencer are all seniors. Staats, a firstyear Red Raider from Western Kentucky, started all 12 regular season games for the Red Raiders. Wilburn, in his second season as a Red Raider, started 11 games, missing the week two contest against Oregon. Rogers has started all 12 games for the Red Raiders, which adds to his team-leading 41 consecutive starts streak. Spencer is in his second year as a Red Raider, a transfer from Western Kentucky, and has played in five games navigating an injury. In his absence, Jacoby Jackson has seen significant playing time making eight starts. He also filled in for Wilburn’s injury earlier in the season. Sophomore Ty Buchanan has played in eight games this season for the Red Raiders and is projected to make his first start of the season and second start of his career in the bowl game. Rogers, Staats and Wilburn were each named All-Big 12 honorable mention picks.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Led by senior stalwarts Tony Bradford Jr. and Jaylon Hutchings, both All-Big 12 honorable mention selections, the veteran duo combined for 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Bradford had 40 tackles while Hutchings had 44 tackles. Hutchings was also honored by the Big 12 with an honorable mention nod for defensive lineman of the year – as he received votes for that award. Sadly, Hutchings saw his 57 consecutive starts streak, which was second-best in the nation, ended in the season finale as he suffered an injury during Tech’s senior day game versus UCF and will also miss the bowl game. Sophomore E’Maurion Banks filled in for Hutchings admirably, producing a quarterback hit during the second half of the UCF game in his place that resulted in an interception. After receiving his first career start in week 12, he left the game early suffering his own injury versus Texas but is expected to be back in the Red Raiders’ lineup.

Quincy Ledet Jr., a first-year Red Raider who transferred from Louisiana-Monroe, has been productive and proven to provide important depth to the Red Raiders’ defensive line. He owns 17 total tackles and one forced fumble in 2023.

LINEBACKERS

The Red Raider defense is led by Big-12 Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year Ben Roberts who has 100 total tackles, 53 of which were solo stops, five tackles for loss as well as an interception. In six games this season, Roberts recorded double-digit tackles, his most came in week 12 against Texas where he had 13 tackles. Jesiah Pierre, an All-Big 12 honorable mention pick, had 66 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Junior Jacob Rodriguez played in just four games due to suffering an injury in the season opener that kept him out for the next seven games. Upon his return, he reset his single-game career-high for tackles with six in his first game back versus TCU followed by a 12-tackle performance against UCF. On the outside, sophomore Joseph Adedire played in 11 games for the Red Raiders recording 2.5 tackles for loss, 23 total tackles and 11 solo tackles.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Four Red Raiders in the secondary earned recognition from the Big 12 in its postseason all-conference awards. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, an All-Big 12 Second Team selection, recorded 66 total tackles, six pass breakups and four interceptions while starting all 12 games. C.J. Baskerville, also an all-conference honoree by getting an All-Big 12 honorable mention nod, ranked second in tackles on the team with 73 for the Red Raiders despite missing two games. Baskerville added one interception and five pass breakups in his 10 games. Bralyn Lux, a first-year Red Raider via Fresno State, recorded 24 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups and one interception in the 11 games that he saw action in that earned him an honorable mention nod. Malik Dunlap, also an HM pick, was featured in all 12 games for the Red Raiders recording 25 solo tackles, three interceptions and six pass breakups. Missing a third of the season, Tyler Owens managed to record 29 solo tackles, one tackle for loss and two pass breakups while switching between the safety spot and “star” spot in the Red Raiders’ defense.

SPECIALISTS

Punter Austin McNamara became the first Texas Tech player to garner Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year since the award’s inception in 2005 and was the first punter in the league since 2018 to earn the honor. Furthermore, McNamara was named a first-team All-Big 12 selection, making him the first three-time first-team All-Big 12 selection in program history and just the 20th in the history of the Big 12. McNamara averaged 46.5 yards per punt on 50 attempts, which is the eighth-best average among FBS punters this season. McNamara is one of only two FBS punters to rank in the top 10 for punting average nationally, to have his team rank in the top 20 for net punting average and also rank in the top five in Pro Football Focus’ hang time average. He recorded 20 punts that were 50 yards or longer and placed 20 inside the 20. Gino Garcia, an All-Big 12 honorable mention selection, made 14 field goals on 19 attempts this season and went a perfect 36-of-36 on point after attempts. Drae McCray made an impact on kick-returns this season, taking one back for a 100-yard kick-return touchdown.

McCray had 668 kick return yards on 24 attempts for an average of 27.8 per return, which is the 10th-best kick return average in the nation heading into bowl season.

52

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Texas Tech Alphabetical Roster NO. NAME

POS. CL. HT.

WT. HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)

NO. NAME

POS. CL. HT.

WT. HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)

14

Joseph Adedire

OLB 6-3

265

So-1L Mansfield, Texas (Summit)

47

Jacob Mauch

LS

6-3

220

Sr-SQ Covina, Calif. (South Hills)

47

Tanner Allen

DL

6-3

285

Fr-RS Bryan, Texas (Bryan)

93

Trevon McAlpine

DL

6-3

300

Fr-RS Saraland, Ala. (Saraland)

98

E’Maurion Banks

DL

6-5

300

So-SQ Wichita Falls, Texas (Rider)

19

A.J. McCarty

DB

6-0

190

Jr-TR

Brownwood, Texas (Brownwood)

9

C.J. Baskerville

DB

6-3

215

Jr-TR

North Richland Hills, Texas (Richland)

10

Drae McCray

WR 5-9

185

Jr-TR

Tallahassee, Fla. (North Florida Christian)

13

Brady Boyd

WR 6-1

205

Jr-1L

Southlake, Texas (Southlake Carroll)

31

Austin McNamara^

P

210

Sr-4L Gilbert, Ariz. (Highland)

300

97

Tony Bradford Jr.^

DL

6-1

28

Tahj Brooks

RB

5-10 230

4

Jordan Brown

49

Tre’Darius Brown

6-4

Sr-4L Houston, Texas (North Shore)

85

Aiden Meeks

WR 5-10 175

Fr-HS Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall)

Sr-3L Manor, Texas (Manor)

67

Dalton Merryman

OL

6-9

305

So-TR Montgomery, Texas (Montgomery)

WR 5-11 185

Jr-1L

77

Garrett Morphis

OL

6-4

310

DL

Fr-HS Natchitoches, La. (Natchitoches Central)

16

Jaden Morris

RB

5-11 205

Fr-RS Arlington, Texas (Lamar)

6-2

300

Dallas, Texas (DeSoto)

Fr-HS Monticello, Ark. (Waco Midway - TX)

79

Ty Buchanan

OL

6-6

310

So-1L Corpus Christi, Texas (Calallen)

26

Sammy Morris IV

DB

6-1

205

So-SQ Prosper, Texas (Prosper)

38

Reese Burkhardt

K

6-1

205

Jr-TR

Andalusia, Ala. (Andalusia)

2

Behren Morton

QB

6-2

215

So-1L Eastland, Texas (Eastland)

18

Will Burns

QB

6-2

200

Fr-HS Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo)

90

Ansel Nedore

OLB 6-3

275

Fr-HS Round Rock, Texas (Round Rock)

91

Blake Burris

DL

6-5

300

So-1L Irving, Texas (Parish Episcopal)

58

Tyler Owens^

OL

6-2

210

54

Kaden Carr

OL

6-6

320

Fr-HS Canadian, Texas (Lubbock Cooper)

2

Jalon Peoples

DB

5-11 185

Fr-RS Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill) Sr-2L Mount Dora, Fla. (Mount Dora Christian Academy)

99

Sam Carrell

OLB 6-4

270

So-SQ Albuquerque, N.M. (Sandia)

8

Jesiah Pierre

LB

6-2

51

Jayden Cofield

DL

6-2

305

Fr-HS Austin, Texas (Manor)

31

Joseph Plunk

DB

5-10 180

6

Myles Cole^

OLB 6-6

280

Sr-1L Shreveport, La. (Evangel Christian Academy)

3

Bryce Ramirez

OLB 6-2

29

Chief Collins

DB

46

Isaiah Crawford

OLB 6-4

5-11 205

240 245

Sr-1L Plano, Texas (Plano East)

Jr-1L

Amarillo, Texas (Tascosa)

Sr-1L Missouri City, Texas (George Ranch)

So-SQ Lucas, Texas (Lovejoy)

20

Marcus Ramon-Edwards DB

6-3

210

Fr-HS Lubbock, Texas (Trinity)

230

Fr-HS Post, Texas (Post)

94

Braylon Rigsby

DL

6-2

295

Fr-HS Woodville, Texas (Woodville)

84

D.J. Crest

WR 6-3

195

Fr-HS El Paso, Texas (Parkland)

13

Ben Roberts

LB

6-3

230

Fr-RS Haslet, Texas (Eaton)

42

John Curry

LB

6-2

220

Fr-HS Lubbock, Texas (Coronado)

34

Bryce Robinson

LB

6-2

235

Sr-SQ Sachse, Texas (Sachse)

260

So-SQ Lubbock, Texas (Coronado)

88

Baylor Cupp

TE

6-6

Sr-1L Brock, Texas (Brock)

39

Charles Robinson

TE

6-0

250

25

JMaury Davis

RB

5-11 180

Fr-HS Clarendon, Texas (Clarendon)

69

Caleb Rodkey

OL

6-4

315

So-SQ Missouri City, Texas (Ridge Point)

39

Luke Dillingham

DB

6-1

200

So-SQ Brock, Texas (Brock)

10

Jacob Rodriguez

LB

6-1

235

Jr-1L

35

Miquel Dingle Jr.

LB

6-2

220

Fr-HS Charleston, S.C. (Byrnes)

76

Caleb Rogers

OL

6-5

310

Sr-3L Mansfield, Texas (Lake Ridge)

Wichita Falls, Texas (Rider)

22

Bryson Donnell

RB

5-10 220

Fr-RS Tyler, Texas (Legacy)

28

Jordan Sanford

DB

6-0

195

Fr-HS Arlington, Texas (Mansfield Timberview)

24

Malik Dunlap^

DB

6-3

220

Sr-2L Charlotte, N.C. (Harding)

63

Dylan Shaw

OL

6-4

310

Fr-HS Corpus Christi, Texas (Flour Bluff)

33

Harvey Dyson III

OLB 6-3

250

Fr-RS Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill)

74

Daniel Sill

OL

6-5

305

Fr-HS College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated)

8

Coy Eakin

WR 6-2

210

Fr-RS Stephenville, Texas (Stephenville)

17

Isaac Smith

OLB 6-6

260

48

Gage Elder

LB

5-11 225

So-SQ Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall)

40

Wesley Smith

LB

5-10 220

So-1L Midland, Texas (Legacy)

So-1L Wagoner, Okla. (Wagoner)

83

Jack Esparza

TE

6-4

240

Fr-RS Austin, Texas (St. Michael’s Catholic)

70

Cole Spencer^

OL

6-4

300

Sr-RS Louisville, Ky. (Trinity)

11

Charles Esters III

OLB 6-3

260

So-SQ Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill)

19

Dylan Spencer

OLB 6-5

245

Fr-HS Orange, Texas (C.E. King)

60

Nick Fattig

OL

6-4

290

Fr-HS League City, Texas (Clear Springs)

53

Rusty Staats

OL

6-5

320

Sr-TR Watertown, Tenn. (Watertown)

4

Nate Floyd

DB

6-0

190

Jr-1L

16

Macho Stevenson

DB

6-1

190

Fr-HS Shreveport, La. (Captain Shreve)

QB

6-1

210

Fr-HS Justin, Texas (Northwest)

College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated)

11

Loic Fouonji

WR 6-4

215

Sr-3L Midland, Texas (Lee)

17

Jake Strong

99

Gino Garcia

K

6-2

215

Sr-RS Richardson, Texas (Pearce)

1

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson^ DB

5-11 195

Sr-4L Oklahoma City, Okla. (Carl Albert)

37

James Grando

DB

6-2

225

Jr-RS Arlington, Texas (Lamar)

43

Henry Teeter^

TE

6-4

250

Sr-2L San Angelo, Texas (Central)

270

48

Stone Harrington

K

6-3

185

Fr-RS Colleyville, Texas (Colleyville)

80

Mason Tharp

TE

6-9

82

Drew Hocutt

WR 6-0

190

Jr-1L

Lubbock, Texas (Frenship)

30

Miles Thompson

DB

5-11 175

Jr-2L

Klein, Texas (Klein)

Fr-HS Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Washington)

22

Maurion Horn

DB

5-11 180

Fr-RS Broken Arrow, Okla. (Broken Arrow)

45

Terrell Tilmon

OLB 6-5

230

So-TR Mansfield, Texas (Timberview)

36

Justin Horne

LB

6-0

220

Fr-HS New Orleans, La. (John Curtis Christian)

0

Cam’Ron Valdez

RB

5-9

205

So-1L Rockdale, Texas (Rockdale) Fr-HS Arlington, Texas (Bowie)

23

Landon Hullaby

DB

6-0

205

Fr-RS Mansfield, Texas (Timberview)

87

Kelby Valsin

WR 6-1

195

95

Jaylon Hutchings^

DL

6-0

305

Sr-4L Forney, Texas (Forney)

96

Amier Washington

DL

6-2

275

75

Jacoby Jackson

OL

6-6

320

So-1L Arlington, Texas (Mansfield Summit)

21

Cameron Watts

DB

5-11 200

Fr-HS Orange, Texas (Little Cyrpress-Mauriceville) Sr-2L Tulsa, Okla. (Union)

27

Brenden Jordan

DB

6-0

215

Fr-HS Mansfield, Texas (Mansfield)

86

T.J. West

WR 6-1

195

Fr-HS Houston, Texas (Humble)

41

Ty Kana

LB

6-2

230

Fr-RS Katy, Texas (Katy)

38

Anthony White

DB

6-0

185

Fr-HS Abernathy, Texas (Abernathy)

195

Sr-3L Lubbock, Texas (Monterey)

66

Matt Keeler

OL

6-6

305

So-1L Chicago, Ill. (Nazareth Academy)

14

Xavier White^

WR 6-0

21

Tyler King

WR 5-9

180

Fr-RS Houston, Texas (Alief Taylor)

19

Haydon Wiginton

WR 5-11 195

So-SQ Midlothian, Texas (Heritage)

30

Jackson Knotts

LS

5-11 190

Jr-2L

Plant City, Fla. (Plant City)

56

Dennis Wilburn^

OL

6-3

325

Sr-1L Humble, Texas (Nimitz)

5

Quincy Ledet Jr.

DL

6-2

305

Sr-TR Orange, Texas (West Orange-Stark)

0

Rayshad Williams^

DB

6-3

215

Sr-2L Memphis, Tenn. (Whitehaven)

43

Chris Lemons

OLB 6-2

205

Fr-HS Prosper, Texas (Prosper)

24

Anquan Willis

RB

6-0

220

Fr-HS Wichita Falls, Texas (Rider)

25

Chapman Lewis

DB

6-1

180

Fr-HS Burleson, Texas (Burleson Centennial)

65

Sheridan Wilson

OL

6-5

300

Fr-RS Argyle, Texas (Argyle)

7

Steve Linton

OLB 6-5

235

Sr-TR Dublin, Ga. (Dublin)

15

Robert Wooten

OLB 6-3

270

Jr-1L

Stafford, Texas (Stafford)

64

Jurrien Loftin

OL

6-5

315

Fr-RS Aledo, Texas (Aledo)

15

Jayden York

TE

6-4

250

Jr-1L

Austin, Texas (Bowie)

220

Jr-1L

33

Matthew Young^

TE

6-1

250

Sr-1L Las Cruces, N.M. (Oñate)

50

Trent Low

LB

6-1

12

Bralyn Lux

DB

5-11 175

Midland, Texas (Lee)

Sr-TR San Jose, Calif. (King’s Academy)

68

Seth Martin

OL

6-3

300

Fr-RS Fort Worth, Texas (Everman)

32

Tyrique Matthews^

LB

5-11 235

Sr-4L Houston, Texas (Eisenhower)

54

^ represents Super Senior in final year of eligibility

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Texas Tech Depth Chart OFFENSE QB

2 17

Behren Morton Jake Strong

6-2, 215, So. 6-1, 210, Fr.

RB

28 Tahj Brooks 0 Cam’Ron Valdez

WR (Z) -or-

DEFENSE NT

5 93

Quincy Ledet Jr. Trevon McAlpine

6-2, 305, Sr. 6-3, 300, R-Fr.

5-10, 230, Sr. 5-9, 205, So.

DT

97 Tony Bradford Jr. 98 E’Maurion Banks

6-1, 300, Sr. 6-5, 300, So.

4 Jordan Brown 13 Brady Boyd

5-11, 185, Jr. 6-1, 205, Jr.

WR (Y)

14 Xavier White 87 Kelby Valsin

6-0, 195, Sr. 6-1, 195, Fr.

EDGE

6 19 11

Myles Cole Dylan Spencer Charles Esters III

6-6, 280, Sr. 6-5, 245, Fr. 6-3, 260, So.

WR (H)

10 Drae McCray 13 Brady Boyd

5-9, 185, Jr. 6-1, 205, Jr.

WILL

10 Jacob Rodriguez 3 Bryce Ramirez

6-1, 235, Jr. 6-2, 245, Sr.

WR (X)

8 84

Coy Eakin D.J. Crest

6-2, 210, R-Fr. 6-3, 195, Fr.

MIKE -or-

13 Ben Roberts 8 Jesiah Pierre

6-3, 230, R-Fr. 6-2, 240, Sr.

TE -or

80 Mason Tharp 88 Baylor Cupp 43 Henry Teeter

6-9, 270, Jr. 6-6, 260, Sr. 6-4, 250, Sr.

OLB -or-

14 Joseph Adedire 7 Steve Linton

6-3, 265, So. 6-5, 235, Sr.

LT

79 Ty Buchanan 66 Matt Keeler

6-6, 310, So. 6-6, 305, So.

STAR

18 Tyler Owens 27 Brenden Jordan 31 Joseph Plunk

6-2, 210, Sr. 6-0, 215, Fr. 5-10, 180, Jr.

LG -or-

75 Jacoby Jackson 70 Cole Spencer

6-6, 320, So. 6-4, 300, R-Sr.

CB

12 Bralyn Lux 0 Rayshad Williams

5-11, 175, Sr. 6-3, 215, Sr.

C

56 Dennis Wilburn 65 Sheridan Wilson

6-3, 325, Sr. 6-5, 300, R-Fr.

S

1 25

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson 5-11, 195, Sr. Chapman Lewis 6-1, 180, Fr.

RG

53 Rusty Staats 54 Kaden Carr

6-5, 320, Sr. 6-6, 320, Fr.

S

9 28

C.J. Baskerville Jordan Sanford

RT

76 Caleb Rogers 74 Daniel Sill

6-5, 310, Sr. 6-5, 305, Fr.

CB

24 Malik Dunlap 22 Maurion Horn

Ben Roberts

56

SPECIAL TEAMS

Austin McNamara

6-3, 215, Jr. 6-0, 195, Fr. 6-3, 220, Sr. 5-11, 180, R-Fr.

P

31

K

99 Gino Garcia 38 Reese Burkhardt

6-2, 215, R-Sr. 6-1, 205, Jr.

LS

47 Jacob Mauch 19 Haydon Wiginton

6-3, 220, Sr. 5-11, 195, So.

KO

38 Reese Burkhardt 99 Gino Garcia

6-1, 205, Jr. 6-2, 215, R-Sr.

KR

10 Drae McCray 4 Jordan Brown 14 Xavier White

5-9, 185, Jr. 5-11, 185, Jr. 6-0, 195, Sr.

PR

8 14

6-2, 210, R-Fr. 6-0, 195, Sr.

Coy Eakin Xavier White

6-4, 210, Sr.

Texas Tech Season Stats & Leaders RUSHING

GP

Att

Gain

Loss Net

Avg

TD

Long

Avg/G

PUNT RETURNS

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Tahj Brooks Cam’Ron Valdez Jake Strong Bryson Donnell Behren Morton Total Opponents

12 9 2 12 9 12 12

268 40 6 4 43 437 448

1471 250 64 18 110 2210 2227

28 0 3 3 101 220 215

5.4 6.3 10.2 3.8 0.2 4.6 4.5

9 1 0 0 4 16 18

46 54 54 12 14 58 69

120.3 27.8 30.5 1.3 1.0 165.8 167.7

Xavier White Total Opponents

1 10 11

7 210 84

7.0 21.0 7.6

0 1 0

7 43 24

INTERCEPTIONS

PASSING

GP

Effic

Yards

TD

Long

Avg/G

Behren Morton Jake Strong Total Opponents

9 2 12 12

122.6 155-250-7 62.0 98.4 35-65-6 53.8 120.9 257-426-17 60.3 122.6 245-410-10 59.8

1498 409 2653 2718

12 2 21 15

49 72 72 72

166.4 204.5 221.1 226.5

Cmp-Att-Int

1443 250 61 15 9 1990 2012

Pct

RECEIVING

GP

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Avg/G

Xavier White Coy Eakin Drae McCray Tahj Brooks Jordan Brown Mason Tharp Baylor Cupp Total Opponents

12 9 12 12 10 7 11 12 12

34 29 26 24 22 15 11 257 245

495 310 236 72 256 156 114 2653 2718

14.6 10.7 9.1 3.0 11.6 10.4 10.4 10.3 11.1

1 1 2 0 1 3 2 21 15

72 43 44 12 46 28 19 72 72

41.3 34.4 19.7 6.0 25.6 22.3 10.4 221.1 226.5

FIELD GOALS

Made-Att Pct 1-19

20-29 30-39 40-49 50+

Lng

Blkd

Gino Garcia

14-19

3-3

55

1

73.7 0-0

SCORING TD

FGs

Gino Garcia Tahj Brooks Behren Morton Mason Tharp Drae McCray Total Opponents

14-19 36-36 14-19 36-36 21-24 33-34

1 1 1

9 4 3 3 40 37

6-6

2-5

3-5

|-------------PATs -------------| Kick Rush Rcv Pass DXP 1 2

1 1 2

0 0

Saf

Pts

0 0

78 56 24 18 18 322 324

TOTAL OFFENSE

GP

Plays

Rush

Pass

Total

Avg/G

Behren Morton Tahj Brooks Jake Strong Cam’Ron Valdez Bryson Donnell Total Opponents

9 12 2 9 12 12 12

293 268 71 40 4 863 858

9 1443 61 250 15 1990 2012

1498 0 409 0 0 2653 2718

1507 1443 470 250 15 4643 4730

167.4 120.3 235.0 27.8 1.3 386.9 394.2

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson 4 Malik Dunlap 3 Bralyn Lux 1 CJ Baskerville 1 Ben Roberts 1 Total 10 Opponents 17

23 77 0 4 5 109 236

5.8 25.7 0.0 4.0 5.0 10.9 13.9

0 1 0 0 0 1 2

23 54 0 4 5 54 45

KICK RETURNS

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Drae McCray Xavier White Jordan Brown Total Opponents

24 4 2 31 20

668 74 45 792 420

27.8 18.5 22.5 25.5 21.0

1 0 0 1 1

100 23 28 100 95

FUMBLE RETURNS

No.

Yards

Avg

TD

Long

Steve Linton Jesiah Pierre Jacob Rodriguez Total Opponents

1 1 1 3 4

0 0 0 0 0

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

0 0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0 0

PUNTING

No.

Yards

Avg

Long

TB

FC

I20

50+

Blkd

Austin McNamara 50 Total 51 Opponents 55

2325 2325 2307

46.5 45.6 41.9

59 59 70

6 6 0

24 24 25

20 20 19

20 20 12

0 1 1

KICKOFFS

No.

Yards

Avg

TB

OB

Retn

Net

YdLn

Reese Burkhardt Total Opponents

64 64 66

4083 4083 4118

63.8 63.8 62.4

40 40 31

0 0 1

20 31

40.4 38.1

24 26

C.J. Baskerville DEFENSIVE LEADERS

GP

Solo

Ben Roberts 12 CJ Baskerville 10 Dadrion Taylor-Demerson 12 Jesiah Pierre 11 Jaylon Hutchings 11 Totals 12 Opponents 12

53 50 49 31 22 502 517

58

Tackles Ast Total TFL-Yds 47 23 17 35 22 308 276

100 73 66 66 44 810 793

5-27 3.5-13 1.5-11 1.5-7 7.5-29 57-240 49-227

Sacks No-Yds

Pass Defense Int-Yds BU Qbh

Fumbles Rcv-Yds FF

Blkd Kick

Saf

0.5-2 0.0-0 1-11 0.5-5 3.5-19 22-137 23-170

1-5 1-4 4-23 0-0 0-0 10-109 17-236

0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 3-0 4-0

0 0 0 0 0 3 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 5 6 0 1 41 51

2 2 2 1 2 28 29

2 0 0 0 0 8 6

MOMENTS THAT MATTER Energy from SWEPCO is what makes it possible.

SWEPCO.com

Meet the Red Raiders

14

58

98

9

13

97

28

JOSEPH ADEDIRE

TANNER ALLEN

E’MAURION BANKS

C.J. BASKERVILLE

BRADY BOYD

TONY BRADFORD JR.

TAHJ BROOKS

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

WIDE RECEIVER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

RUNNING BACK

38

18

4

49

79

91

54

JORDAN BROWN

TRE’DARIUS BROWN

TY BUCHANAN

REESE BURKHARDT

WILL BURNS

BLAKE BURRIS

KADEN CARR

WIDE RECEIVER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

KICKER

QUARTERBACK

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

99

51

6

29

46

84

42

SAM CARRELL

JAYDEN COFIELD

MYLES COLE

CHIEF COLLINS

ISAIAH CRAWFORD

D.J. CREST

JOHN CURRY

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

WIDE RECEIVER

LINEBACKER

88

25

39

BAYLOR CUPP

JMAURY DAVIS

LUKE DILLINGHAM

MIQUEL DINGLE JR.

BRYSON DONNELL

MALIK DUNLAP

HARVEY DYSON III

TIGHT END

RUNNING BACK

DEFENSIVE BACK

LINEBACKER

RUNNING BACK

DEFENSIVE BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

48

83

60

4

8

11

22

24

33

11

COY EAKIN

GAGE ELDER

JACK ESPARZA

CHARLES ESTERS III

NICK FATTIG

NATE FLOYD

LOIC FOUONJI

WIDE RECEIVER

LINEBACKER

TIGHT END

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

WIDE RECEIVER

99

60

35

37

48

82

22

36

23

GINO GARCIA

JAMES GRANDO

STONE HARRINGTON

DREW HOCUTT

MAURION HORN

JUSTIN HORNE

LANDON HULLABY

KICKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

KICKER

WIDE RECEIVER

DEFENSIVE BACK

LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

Meet the Red Raiders

95

75

27

JAYLON HUTCHINGS

JACOBY JACKSON

BRENDEN JORDAN

TY KANA

MATT KEELER

TYLER KING

JACKSON KNOTTS

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

LINEBACKER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

WIDE RECEIVER

LONG SNAPPER

50

12

5

41

66

21

30

43

25

7

64

QUINCY LEDET JR.

CHRIS LEMONS

CHAPMAN LEWIS

STEVE LINTON

JURRIEN LOFTIN

TRENT LOW

BRALYN LUX

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

68

32

47

93

19

10

31

SETH MARTIN

TYRIQUE MATTHEWS

JACOB MAUCH

TREVON McALPINE

A.J. McCARTY

DRAE McCRAY

AUSTIN McNAMARA

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

LINEBACKER

LONG SNAPPER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

WIDE RECEIVER

PUNTER

85

67

77

AIDEN MEEKS

DALTON MERRYMAN

GARRETT MORPHIS

WIDE RECEIVER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

16

26

JADEN MORRIS

SAMMY MORRIS IV

BEHREN MORTON

2

RUNNING BACK

DEFENSIVE BACK

QUARTERBACK

90

18

2

ANSEL NEDORE

TYLER OWENS

JALON PEOPLES

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

DEFENSIVE BACK

Behren Morton

61

Meet the Red Raiders

8

31

3

20

94

13

34

JESIAH PIERRE

JOSEPH PLUNK

BRYCE RAMIREZ

MARCUS RAMON-EDWARDS

BRAYLON RIGSBY

BEN ROBERTS

BRYCE ROBINSON

LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

DEFENSIVE BACK

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

LINEBACKER

LINEBACKER

76

28

63

CHARLES ROBINSON

39

69 CALEB RODKEY

JACOB RODRIGUEZ

10

CALEB ROGERS

JORDAN SANFORD

DYLAN SHAW

DANIEL SILL

TIGHT END

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

LINEBACKER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

17

40

6

ISAAC SMITH

WESLEY SMITH

J.J. SPARKMAN

COLE SPENCER

DYLAN SPENCER

RUSTY STAATS

MACHO STEVENSON

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

LINEBACKER

WIDE RECEIVER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

17

1

70

19

43

80

30

53

74

45

16

0

JAKE STRONG

DADRION TAYLOR-DEMERSON

HENRY TEETER

MASON THARP

MILES THOMPSON

TERRELL TILMON

CAM’RON VALDEZ

QUARTERBACK

DEFENSIVE BACK

TIGHT END

TIGHT END

DEFENSIVE BACK

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

RUNNING BACK

87

38

14

KELBY VALSIN

AMIER WASHINGTON

CAMERON WATTS

T.J. WEST

ANTHONY WHITE

XAVIER WHITE

HAYDON WIGINTON

WIDE RECEIVER

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

WIDE RECEIVER

DEFENSIVE BACK

WIDE RECEIVER

WIDE RECEIVER

24

65

15

15

33

56

96

0

21

86

19

DENNIS WILBURN

RAYSHAD WILLIAMS

ANQUAN WILLIS

SHERIDAN WILSON

ROBERT WOOTEN

JAYDEN YORK

MATTHEW YOUNG

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

DEFENSIVE BACK

RUNNING BACK

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

TIGHT END

TIGHT END

62

Head Coach Joey McGuire JOEY McGUIRE 2nd Year as Texas Tech Head Coach 2nd Year Overall as Head Coach Education: Texas-Arlington ‘95 (Kinesiology) Hometown: Crowley, Texas Record at Texas Tech: 14-11 Record as College Head Coach: 14-11

COACHING EXPERIENCE Crowley HS

Assistant Coach (1995-96)

Cedar Hill HS

Assistant Coach (1997-2002) Head Coach (2003-16)

Baylor

Tight Ends (2017-18) Associate Head Coach/Defensive Ends (2019) Associate HC/Outside Linebackers (2020-21)

Texas Tech

Head Coach (2022-Present)

If two seasons are any indication, the future of Texas Tech Football is bright under Joey McGuire. The 17th head coach in program history, McGuire has quickly led the Red Raiders to back-to-back bowl games in his two seasons, all the while energizing a fan base with a promising outlook for years to come.

McGuire pushed the Red Raiders to their 41st bowl appearance in program history after a 6-6 regular season where Texas Tech finished 5-4 in Big 12 play for the second-consecutive season. McGuire is only the second head coach in program history to lead the Red Raiders to a bowl game in each of his first two seasons, joining the late Mike Leach, who did so a program-record 10 times during his tenure.

Texas Tech is one of only three Big 12 programs to record a winning conference record the past two seasons, joining the likes of Kansas State and Texas during that span. The Red Raiders rounded out the regular season by going 3-1 in the month of November, topping two fellow bowl teams in the process with a road victory at Kansas and then against UCF the following week in Lubbock.

The Red Raiders previously notched a 7-5 regular season in McGuire’s debut that saw Texas Tech defeat both Texas and Oklahoma for the first time in program history, record five Big 12 wins for the first time since 2009 and finish 6-1 at home for the first time since that same year. The Red Raiders followed with a memorable 42-25 victory over Ole Miss in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, closing the season with four-straight victories for the first time since 1995.

The successful start to the McGuire era featured a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 standings, Texas Tech’s highest since the league went to a 10-team format in 2011. The Red Raiders were 5-4 overall in Big 12 play, making McGuire the first head coach to notch a winning conference record (above .500) in his debut season since David McWilliams in 1986.

Texas Tech’s early success should come at little surprise as McGuire previously helped build a winning program at Baylor following a stellar 14-year run at Cedar Hill High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. McGuire, a 2020 inductee into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor and a 2022 member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, was named the 17th head coach in program history by Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt on Nov. 9, 2021.

McGuire, a native of Crowley in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, created one of the most-memorable turnaround stories in Texas high school football history during his 14 seasons leading Cedar Hill. The Longhorns not only won at a high level under McGuire, but they transformed into one of the state’s most dominant programs with its first state title in 2006 and then back-to-back state crowns in 2013 and 2014.

Cedar Hill was an impressive 141-42 during McGuire’s tenure, going from an unknown to a state champion in only his fourth season as head coach. The Longhorns’ dynasty featured 12-consecutive playoff appearances, nine bi-district titles and seven district crowns under McGuire, including another appearance in the state title game in 2012 where Cedar Hill fell to Katy.

A two-time District Coach of the Year (2005-06), McGuire coached in all but two Under Armour All-America games during his tenure and was the head coach of the 2013 Semper Fidelis All-America Bowl, both events that feature the nation’s top collegiate prospects. He was also the head coach for the north team in the 2014 Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) All-Star Game.

McGuire, at only the age of 31, was promoted to head coach at Cedar Hill prior to the 2003 season following six seasons as an assistant coach. Cedar Hill had not recorded a winning season in the eight years prior to his promotion, a streak he quickly ended with a 6-4 campaign in his debut. McGuire was previously an assistant coach at his alma mater, Crowley High School, during the 1995 and 1996 prior to his move to Cedar Hill.

64

Texas Tech Coaching Staff The back-to-back state titles provided McGuire with several opportunity to depart for the collegiate level, a move he wouldn’t make until after the 2016 season when Matt Rhule contacted him shortly after his hire as the new head coach at Baylor. Needing someone with extensive ties throughout the state of Texas, Rhule hired McGuire initially as his tight ends coach. The move was perfect timing for McGuire, who had remained at Cedar Hill to coach his son, Garret, for his final two seasons.

Baylor quickly turned into a Big 12 title contender within three years of McGuire’s hire as the Bears finished 7-6 in only his second season on staff in 2018 after defeating Vanderbilt in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl. The Bears followed with one of its best seasons in school history in 2019 after opening with nine-straight wins en route to an appearance in the Big 12 Championship game. Oklahoma edged the Bears in overtime, sending Baylor to an appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl and a top-15 final ranking to close the season.

Baylor reached bowl eligibility three times with McGuire on staff and was in the midst of an eventual run to the Big 12 crown and a second appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl when McGuire was tabbed as Texas Tech’s new head coach late in the 2021 season. McGuire served as Baylor’s associate head coach during each of his final three seasons as he oversaw three different position groups during his tenure: tight ends (2017-18), defensive ends (2019) and outside linebackers (2020-21).

TEXAS TECH ASSISTANT COACHES

Following his success helping rebuild the Baylor program, Texas Tech was an ideal fit for McGuire, whose daughter, Raegan, was a recent graduate of the university. McGuire had visited Lubbock numerous times previously either to see his daughter or earlier in life when several life-long friends attended the university.

McGuire likes to say he would have attended Texas Tech, himself, had he not met his wife, Debbie. He eventually earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1995. The couple has been highly involved in the Lubbock community since their arrival, volunteering for numerous charitable organizations, including Covenant Children’s Hospital and through their Women Behind the Brand Clinic each August.

TIM DeRUYTER

ZACH KITTLEY

C.J. AH YOU

Defensive Coordinator

Offensive Coordinator/ Quarterbacks

Outside Linebackers

LANCE BARILOW

JOSH BOOKBINDER

JOSH COCHRAN

ZARNELL FITCH

STEPHEN HAMBY

JUSTIN JOHNSON

The couple’s two children are also highly successful in their own walks of life as Garret completed his first season as the wide receivers coach at the University of Nebraska. Garret McGuire, at only 24 years of age, was the youngest FBS assistant coach in the nation entering the 2023 season as he previously served two seasons under Matt Rhule as an offensive assistant with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Garret was a quarterback and special teams player at Baylor, playing in six games from 2017-20 where he was a two-time Academic All-Big 12 first team honoree.

Raegan, meanwhile, is a fashion designer for AMUR in New York City. Her designs have been worn by several high-profile figures, including Natalie Biden, the granddaughter to President Joe Biden, as well as Taylor Swift on her spring 2023 Eras Tour. Raegan and her husband, Joe Tocco, were married in May 2023.

Head Strength & Conditioning

Defensive Line

Inside Linebackers

Offensive Line

KENNY PERRY

Associate HC/Special Teams Coordinator/RBs

Tight Ends

Assistant HC/Passing Game Coordinator/WRs

MARCEL YATES

Passing Game Coord./ Secondary

65

Texas Tech University LAWRENCE SCHOVANEC PRESIDENT Texas Tech University

HISTORY OF TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY Texas Tech University was created by legislative action in 1923 and has the distinction of being the largest comprehensive higher education institution in the western two-thirds of the state of Texas. The university is the major institution of higher education in a region larger than 46 of the nation’s 50 states and is the only campus in Texas that is home to a major university, law school and medical school.

Originally named Texas Technological College, the college opened in 1925 with six buildings and an enrollment of 914. Graduate instruction did not begin until 1927 within the school of Liberal Arts. A “Division of Graduate Studies” was established in 1935 and eventually became known as the Graduate School in 1954.

By action of the Texas State Legislature, Texas Technological College formally became Texas Tech University on September 1, 1969. At that time the schools of Agricultural Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Engineering and Home Economics also became known as “colleges.” Architecture became a college in 1986. Two colleges changed their names in 1993 to reflect the broadening fields each serves: the College of Agricultural Sciences became the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the College of Home Economics became the College of Human Sciences. The Honors College was established in 1998, and the College of Visual and Performing Arts opened in 2002. Mass Communications became a college in 2004 and became the College of Media & Communication in 2013.

The Texas State Legislature authorized funds in 1965 for establishing the Texas Tech University School of Law, and the Law School’s first dean was appointed in 1966. The first class of 72 students enrolled in 1967. The Law School was approved by the American Bar Association in 1970 and is fully accredited by the Supreme Court of Texas (1968) and the Association of American Law Schools (1969).

As a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Texas Tech began competing in the Big 12 Conference in 1996 after a 35-year membership in the former Southwest Conference.

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Texas Tech Traditions KIRBY HOCUTT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Texas Tech University

ARBOR DAY When Texas Tech first started, most of the funds went towards the buildings, but the campus was lacking its landscape. Then, in 1937, President Bradford Knapp decided to dedicate one day every spring to beautify the campus. On the first day of this now annual tradition, 20,000 trees were planted. This Tech tradition still goes on today as student and teachers plant trees and beautify the campus on Arbor Day. BANGIN’ BERTHA (SADDLE TRAMP BELL) Saddle Tramps carry Bangin Bertha, a bell on a trailer, to all home football games and homecoming events. Bertha was designed in 1959 by Saddle Tramp Joe Winegar, and was donated by the Santa Fe Railroad. Bangin’ Bertha is considered a spirit-raiser and a big tradition at Texas Tech.

BLARNEY STONE On St. Patrick’s Day in 1939, Texas Tech University unveiled that they had discovered a piece of the Blarney Stone. According to the legend the stone was discovered by a group of petroleum engineers while they were on a field trip. After doing tests it was discovered that the stone was a piece of the original Blarney Stone. The stone now lies on a stand in front of the old Electrical Engineering Building. It is said that seniors that kiss the Blarney Stone upon graduation will receive the gift of eloquent speech.

CARILLON In 1973, Ruth Baird Larabee made a donation to Texas Tech University to buy and install a carillon in memory of her parents. The Charles and Ruth Baird Memorial Carillon is located in the west tower of the administration building at the center of the Texas Tech campus. The beautiful music of the 36-bell instrument ring out over the campus during times of celebration and solemnity. Students, faculty, and staff, as well as visitors to the university, have enjoyed the music for 30 years.

The carillon became one of Texas Tech’s treasured traditions. The carillon was refurbished and extended in 2005, adding additional bells to make 3 ½ octaves. The bourdon (the largest bell) weighs approximately 800 pounds, and the smallest, only about eight pounds. Twelve of the bells were cast by Whitechapel Bell Foundry in England, 24 were cast by the Paccard Foundry in France, and the newest bells, by Meek & Watson Foundry in Ohio. The estimated value of this collection of bells today is $250,000. According to The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, “A carillon is a musical instrument composed of at least 23 bells, arranged in chromatic sequence, so tuned as to produce concordant harmony when many bells are sounded together. It is played from a keyboard that allows expression through variation of touch.” Every year since its inception, the Carol of Lights has featured carillon music. Additionally, each year on the Fourth of July at 1:00 p.m., the carillon is played in conjunction with the ceremonial ringing of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Summer Sunday evening concerts are another Tech tradition.

CAROL OF LIGHTS To celebrate the holiday season, Texas Tech holds an annual event called the Carol of Lights. The event starts off with the Texas Tech University Combined Choirs performing selections of classic holiday songs at the Science Quadrangle. When the lighting ceremony commences, Students, as well as those who came for the show, stand in awe as over 25,000 red, white, and orange lights illuminate the 13 buildings surrounding memorial circle. This tradition started in 1959 when Harold Hinn came up with the idea and provided the funds to cover the science quadrangle and the administration building with lights. Unfortunately students were away on Christmas break and did not see the display. The following year, the Residence Hall Association created the Christmas Sing, which is now known as the Carol of Lights. Today, the Carol of Lights is one of Texas Tech’s favorite traditions.

DOUBLE T BENCH Located in the courtyard behind the Administration Building, this special bench was given by the seniors of the class of 1931. It was an announced tradition that no freshmen were allowed to sit on it.

DOUBLE T SADDLE MONUMENT Before the football team runs onto the field, they touch the sculpture of a saddle. The saddle was dedicated by the Saddle Tramps to Double T, one of the many Masked Rider Horses that served proudly over the years.

DOUBLE T There is no other symbol more recognized with Texas Tech than the Double T symbol. Though no one has yet stepped forward to claim credit for its design, historical evidence points to Texas Tech’s first football coach E.Y. Freeland, who put the Double T logo on sweaters for the football players.

HOMECOMING Homecoming is an exciting week full of activities for Texas Tech students. Such activities include a bonfire, parade, float competitions, open houses, award programs, and of course the homecoming football game. Another favorite event, which has been around since 1954, is the election of the homecoming queen.

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Texas tech Traditions GOIN’ BAND FROM RAIDERLAND The Goin’ Band from Raiderland is one of the largest spirit raisers on campus and among the finest bands in the country. The original band in 1925, numbering only 21 members, was dressed in matador uniforms. In recent years, the band’s 400 members have returned to variations on that original look. The Goin’ Band performs at home and away football games, parades and at other special events. Following home games, devoted fans stick around to join the band in their traditional march out of Jones AT&T Stadium, through the engineering key, around the circle, by the Administration Building and ending at the band parking lot behind the Music Building. The band was the 1998 recipient of the prestigious Sudler Trophy as the nation’s top marching band.

GUNS UP The “Guns Up” sign is the widely recognized greeting of one Red Raider to another. It is also the sign of victory displayed by the crowd at every athletic event. The sign is made by extending the index finger outward while extending the thumb upward and tucking in the middle, little and fourth fingers to form a gun. The sign can be traced back to L. Glenn Dippel, a 1961 alumnus of Texas Tech. He and his wife Roxie were living in Austin and faced the daily presence of the “Hook ‘em Horns” hand sign used by University of Texas fans. So, the Dippels decided to retaliate. They looked to mascot Raider Red and his raised guns for their inspiration and in 1971 developed the Guns Up hand symbol. The Saddle Tramps and Texas Tech cheerleaders immediately adopted Guns Up and a new tradition was born.

MASKED RIDER The Masked Rider is the oldest and most popular mascot of Texas Tech University that still exists today.

Originally the Masked Rider started as a dare in 1936 and was then called the ghost rider, because no one knew the rider’s identity. These ghost riders circled the field at home football games and then disappeared.

The Masked Rider did not become an official mascot until 1954, when Joe Kirk Fulton led the team out onto the field at the Gator Bowl. Fulton, wearing Levi’s, red shirt, a black cape and mounted on a black horse, awed the crowd as the team made one of the most sensational entrances ever.

RAIDER RED Prior to the 1971 season, the Southwest Conference passed a rule that prevented members of the conference from taking live animals to non-home games unless the host team had no objections. So Jim Gaspard, a member of the Saddle Tramps, created Raider Red from a drawing by the late Lubbock cartoonist Dirk West as an alternative to the Masked Rider. Raider Red’s student persona is kept a secret from the Tech community. Red is a public relations mascot who shakes hands with the crowds at athletic events and poses for pictures. Raider Red fires his two 12-gauge shotguns using powder-filled shells after every Tech touchdown and field goal.

SADDLE TRAMPS Formed by Tech student Arch Lamb in 1936, this allmale booster organization supports men’s athletics at Texas Tech. The name Saddle Tramp came from the stories of traveling men who would come to a farm for a brief time, fix up some things and move on. Lamb said he decided that he could fix up some things himself before moving on, and the Saddle Tramps were born. Since that time the Saddle Tramps believe if something was for the betterment of Texas Tech then they would work at it. These Midnight Raiders “paint the campus red” with crepe paper before big home games, form the legendary “Bell Circle” moments before kickoff, ring Bangin’ Bertha, participate in parades and other campus events (including the Carol of Lights), and ring the Victory Bells after Red Raider victories.

TEXAS TECH SEAL Designed by the campus’ master planner, William Ward Watkin, in 1924, the Texas Tech Seal’s symbols are the lamp, which represents “school,” the key for “home,” the book for “church,” and the star for “state.” Cotton bolls represent the area’s strong cotton industry and the eagle is suggestive of our country. The seal first appeared on Tech diplomas in 1948, but it wasn’t officially approved as “The” Seal of Texas Tech University until 1953. On April 27, 1972, the seal was placed at the Broadway and University entrance to the campus in what became known as the Amon G. Carter Plaza. It is made of red granite and stands 12 feet high. It has been referred to by students through the years as “the Oreo.”

TTAA CLASS RING AND CEREMONY Since 1999, the official Texas Tech Alumni Association Class Ring has been the universal symbol of academic achievement at Texas Tech. The single ring is a tradition that was brought back from the 1950s that encompasses the Double T, Masked Rider, Administration Bell Tower, and the Texas Tech seal. Cast inside each ring is “Strive For Honor,” taken from “The Matador Song.” Rings are presented by the University president at the Official Ring Ceremony in the Merket Alumni Center.

VICTORY BELLS In 1936 victory bells were given to Texas Tech as a class gift. The bells rang for the first time at the 1936 class’s graduation. It is said that after the win over TCU, the following year, the bells rang throughout the night. The bells kept Lubbock residents up all night. Thereafter, the bell ringing was limited to 30 minutes. Saddle Tramps ring the bells after Texas Tech victories and during special occasions. The Victory Bells - one large and one small, which combine to weigh 1,200 pounds hang in the east tower of the Administration Building.

WILL ROGERS AND SOAPSUDS One of the most well-known landmarks on campus is the statue of Will Rogers and his horse Soapsuds. This memorial was dedicated on February 16, 1950 by longtime friend of Rogers, Amon G. Carter. Carter believed Texas Tech was the perfect setting for the statue and that it would fit into the traditions and scenery of West Texas.

The statue stands at 9’11” tall and weighs 3,200 pounds; its estimated cost was $25,000. On the base of the statue, the inscription reads “Lovable Old Will Rogers on his favorite horse, ‘Soapsuds,’ riding into the Western sunset.” Today, Texas Tech tradition and legends surrounds the statue. According to one legend, the plan to face Will Rogers so that he could be riding off into the sunset did not work out as it would cause Soapsuds’ rear to be facing downtown. To solve this problem, the horse and Will was turned 23 degrees to the east so the horse’s posterior was facing in the direction of Texas A&M, one of the school’s rivals. Before every home football game the Saddle Tramps wrap Old Will with red crepe paper. Will Rogers and Soapsuds have also been wrapped up in black crepe paper to mourn national tragedies.

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Committee Chairs

ERIC BARKLEY

Past Chair Relations/ VIP Services/Hotel Welcomes

KEITH BURTON 2nd Vice-Chair/ Hospitality

SARAH GIGLIO

PAM BECK

Transportation, Housing

JEFF BUTLER

TIM BECKIUS

DOUG BLAND

Security, Traffic Flow

Officials ‘ Hospitality

TAMMY CATES

JOE DARWIN

ART CARMODY IV Speaker’s Bureau

Game Management

TREY GIGLIO

TONI GOODIN

LAURA HARPER

JAMIE HILBURN

KILE JOHNSON

MEKKOS JONES

Hospitality/ Team Host

LOGAN LEWIS

Team Host

MELISSA MAINIERO

Bradley/Mikovich Awards

PESKY HILL

TAYLOR JAMISON Big Game Show

PATRICK MEEHAN

STAN POWELL

CLAIRE REBOUCHE

DARRELL REBOUCHE

DAVID RICHARD

HAYDEN SLACK

PHIL STEWART

PHILLIP WARDELL

JOHN DAVID PERSON Public Events

Game Management/ Signage Assistance

ROB RUBEL

BERT SCHMALE

Dr. Michael Angelo, Member Tailgate Party Robb Brazzell, Parking Moss Duvall, Trophy Presentation Derris Gardner, Player Hospitality Vince Giglio, North Hospitality Tents Emerie Holtzclaw, Coca-Cola Fan Fest

Kids Day Out

PHYLLIS MASON

AMY O’CALLAGHAN

Finance/Ext. Affairs, Marketing/Member Dev.

Hospitality

VICTOR MAINIERO

MICHAEL MELERINE

Personnel Review/ Welcome Party

Band Host

Videography

Team Non-Profit Visits

On-Field Promotions/ Script, Run-of-Show

Kickoff Dinner

Photography

Team Non-Profit Visits

High-Five Tunnel/ Script, Run-of-Show

NOT PICTURED:

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DAVID CAMP

Flyover/Honor Guard/ Trophy Escorts

Chair/ Welcome Party

ROGER BRANIFF, JR.

North Hospitality Tents

BAFB Team Tours/VIP Services

BRYAN ROPPOLO

ROGER BRANIFF, SR.

Kids Welcome Party

1st-Vice Chair/ Game Management

Team Host

ROLAND BERNARDEZ

Member Tailgate Party

FCA Breakfast

Jamie Lopez, Welcome Party Wade Marshall, Independence Stadium John McCorkle, Pep Rally and Parade Shirleen McCorkle, Pep Rally and Parade Dr. Tonya Mister, Div. Chair – Public Events Amy Roppolo, Ladies Day Out Abbey Rubel, Ladies Day Out

Vice-Chair

Club Level

Player Hospitality

Social Media

Trophy Presentation

Media Hospitality

Coca-Cola Fan Fest

TIM WILHITE

National Strategy/Top Sponsor Golf

Richard Sipes, Ushers Carla Stewart, Club Level Peggy Swindle, Parking Cpt. Don Vishnefski, Security/Traffic Flow Tyler Williams, Team Host Scott Wysong, Div. Chair – Ext. Affairs, Marketing / Membership Development

71

Independence Bowl Foundation THE INDEPENDENCE BOWL FOUNDATION

The Shreveport-Bossier City Sports Foundation took over the operations of the Independence Bowl in 1980, and since that time, the Independence Bowl has enjoyed steady growth and success. Now known as the Independence Bowl Foundation, this organization consists of more than 60 volunteer committees, which carry out all functions of the Foundation, drawing upon its more than 400 members. Also made up from the Foundation membership is a group of committees which put on the Independence Bowl. Each year, a newly appointed Bowl Chair and Vice-Chair, along with the Executive Director and her staff, oversee the various committees, working closely with each committee chairperson to see that this 45-year-old bowl is a success. As a member of the Independence Bowl Foundation, you are invited to social events during the year, like our annual Crawfish Boil, Fish N’ Football, and Team Welcome Party. In addition, you will receive a parking pass, and a number of informative mailings during the year. Membership in the Independence Bowl Foundation is an investment in the present, as well as the future, of this great event.

Annual Member Crawfish Boil

THE FOUNDATION IN THE COMMUNITY

Annual Kickoff Dinner

The Independence Bowl Foundation strives to be more than just a one-day event, and despite all the fun and exciting events the Foundation puts on during the week leading up to the big game, the goal is to be more than just a one-week event as well. Whether it be the Kickoff Dinner, an annual event at the Shreveport Convention Center featuring guest speakers who are stars in the football world or the 1st & Give Charity Flag Football Tournament, the Independence Bowl Foundation enjoys hosting events for the public, even before college football season kicks off. The Independence Bowl Foundation enjoys being a part of the Shreveport-Bossier City community and giving back to the community that has supported the Bowl for 45 years.

EXTRA YARD FOR TEACHERS The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is donating over $11,800 to local teachers in 2023. In September, the Bowl donated $1,775 total to five local teachers. Those donations were just the start of the contributions to local teachers this year. In November, the Bowl also donated $5,096 to 14 local teachers through Donors Choose projects, bringing the total donated to local teachers on Donors Choose to $6,780. These donations supported 19 different projects and 18 different teachers in Caddo and Bossier Parish.

The Bowl will donate $5,000 to local teachers through Touchdown for Teachers, and following the 2023 game, Extra Yard for Teachers will contribute $1,000 to local teachers in the Shreveport-Bossier community for each touchdown scored in the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. The funds generated through Touchdown for Teachers will directly benefit teachers in the Shreveport-Bossier area.

Following this year’s initiatives, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl will have donated over $78,000 to local teachers and schools in the Shreveport-Bossier area since 2021. The 2023 contribution could grow to well over $11,000 this year depending on how many touchdowns are score in the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.

WILLIS-KNIGHTON COMMUNITY SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP

For the past 18 years, the Independence Bowl Foundation has partnered with the Willis-Knighton Health System to provide $5,000 in scholarships. Each year, the two organizations partner to present a $2,500 scholarship each to graduating seniors from Caddo and Bossier Parishes.

The scholarship is awarded based not only on academic success, but also on a commitment to improving their community through service. This year will mark $90,000 in scholarships donated to local high school seniors through this program.

To read about this year’s recipients, turn to page 104.

YOUTH FOOTBALL CLINIC The 12th annual Youth Football Clinic hit the field in 2023 at Independence Stadium! The annual clinic is FREE for boys and girls ages 5-13. All participants received a free meal and t-shirt at the conclusion of the event.

Campers got to learn from Centenary head coach Byron Dawson and coaches from Louisiana Tech, Northwestern State, Sam Houston, SUSLA and Southern Arkansas.

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1ST & GIVE CHARITY FLAG FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

The third annual 1st & Give Charity Flag Football Tournament hit the field in 2023.

The tournament raised $3,800 for five local non-profits – Gingerbread House, Community Support Programs, Camp Rainman of NWLA, Christ Fit Gym and Arc Caddo-Bossier. Teams were formed by local businesses and organizations – including Firetech Systems, KSLA and Barksdale Air Force Base. Each team designated a non-profit that they would be competing on behalf of to raise money for that organization. The $350 registration fee for each team was donated directly to their charity, and an additional $1,000 was donated to the winning team’s charity. Community Support Programs took home first place and the grand prize of $1,350.

“SHOW YOUR INDEPENDENCE” ART CONTEST The Independence Bowl started the “Show Your Independence” Art Contest ten years ago, which asks local kids K-12 to draw what the word “Independence” means to them. First through third place is awarded to students at each grade level. Those 36 students are awarded with two tickets to the Independence Bowl, and their artwork is put on display at Independence Stadium during the game.

Foundation Members Champion Steven Davison G. Archer Frierson, II Mike McCarthy

Ambassador Brian Beavers Linda Effinger Robert Elder John Evans Staten Fontaine Doug Rogers Richard Sipes Cynthia Smith Robbie Swan Teresa Woodson

Advocate Laurel Chan Ashley Clarke Darwyn Cooper Tammy Daniels Dianna Douglas Jeff Everson Brad Golladay Mike Harper Kristy Hoeflinger Marion Lee Holmes Cate Jean Glenn Kinsey Somer Miller Mike & Susan Muse Callie Patterson John David Person Robert Pou Phil Stewart Courtney Tramiel Greg Updyke Sam Walters Steve & Ro White Crystal Wooldridge

Member Jerry Anderson Dr. Michael Angelo Ken Antee Mayor Tom Arceneaux Greg Atoms Frank Auer George Bakowski Waynette Ballengee Phil Barbaree Jim Barlow Pam Beck

Tim Beckius Roland Bernandez Walt Bigby Michael Bolton Jennifer Boone Doug Bourgeois McKenzy Boyd Sandra Braddock Tim Brando Roger Braniff, Jr. Roger Braniff, Sr. Rodney Braxton Robb Brazzell Ashley Brint Randall Brown Stacy Brown Erica Bryant Joe Buck Keith Burton Barry Busada James Bustillo Lawrence Calhoun David Camp Diane Camp Cary Camp Arthur Carmody III Arthur Carmody IV Tony Catanese Taylor Caudle Eugene Cazedessus III Carney Chamberlain Mayor Tommy Chandler Mario C. Chavez Leanne Churchman Sandy Cimino Mark Howard Clark Rodney Clements Donna Cole Angela Costakis Melissa Couch Bobby Covington Adalyn Craig Andrew Crawford Brian Crawford Joe Darwin Jim Dean David Dethloff Danielle Dowden Shane Dulany Glynn Duncan Denny Duron Moss Duval Roy Edwards Pam Edwards Curtis Elkins

Gen. Jon Ellis Joel Fair Michael Ferrell Jill Folks Crystal Folsom David Foret Jarred Franklin John Frazier George Fritze Alan Germany Vincent Giglio Toni Goodin Jimmy Gosslee Tobin Grigsby Otto Grozinger William Hamm Emily Harms Tim Harms Eric & Laura Harper Lance R. Hauth Bill Henderson Jerry Hendrix Jim & Sandi Hill Pesky Hill Rick Holland Mitch Houston Debbie Howard Matt Hudnall Ben Israel Tabetha Jackson Randy James Taylor Jamison Lisa Janes RJ Johnson Kile Johnson Lisa Johnson Fred Kent Cody King Lauren Knicely Jack Knotek Jerry Kutz Richard Lamb III Lance R. Laverdiere Greg Lawrence Jeffrey Ledoux Logan Lewis Larry Little Joe Littlejohn Greg Lott Dr. Tim Magner Victor & Melissa Mainiero Jay Manno John Manno Margaret Martin Phyllis Mason

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Cary Schimpf Bert Schmale Darin Seal Linda Sell Ross & Missy Setters John Settle Margaret Shehee Joanne Sigler Jayce Simpson George Sirven Terry Slack Hayden Slack Miranda Small David & Carolyn Smith William Smith Steven Stringer Amy Sudduth Carl Thibodeaux Cedric Thomas Mike Toland Robert Touchstone Tracy Toups Jason Tynes Robert VanHoy Clay Walker Phillip Wardell Lisa Wellborn Greg Whittington Mark Wilburn Keith Wilhite Tim Wilhite Brian Williams Tyler Williams Chris Winston Marcus Wren Scott Wysong

Associate Keith Bergeron John Cordaro Trey Giglio Sarah Giglio Jacob Harrell Ellington Joffrion Dr. Donna Johnson Mekkos Jones Hal Lancon John McCorkle Shirleen McCorkle Michael Melerine Peggy Mitchell Jamie Ridge Heath Roberts Ranae Simmons

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3-STAR GENERAL

2John’s Steak & Seafood Ace Digital, LLC. Air Force Sergeants Association Army Recruiting B1 Bank Barksdale Federal Credit Union Bistro to Go Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Bossier Chamber of Commerce Bossier Press Tribune Carter Credit Union Centerpoint Energy Chase Bank Citizens National Bank Commercial Power Equipment Cuban Liquor & Wine Co. Dethloff & Associates, Inc. Diesel Driving Academy Dillas Quesadillas Down Home Meats East Ridge Country Club Edwards Energy First Security Title of Monroe Fleaux Services Golf Cars of Louisiana Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Hamm Mechanical Heard, McElroy & Vestal Hilton Shreveport Honeybaked Ham Co. Innovative Office Systems Jacquelyn’s Cafe

Jean Simpson Johnny’s Catfish & Seafood KASO/KBEF KGAS Radio Kilpatrick’s Rose-Neath Funeral Home KMHT Radio LED Outdoor Margaritaville Resort Casino Mersatech Otto Grozinger/New York Life Pelican Tent Rentals Port City BBQ Progressive Bank Regions Bank Residence Inn Shreveport-Bossier City/Downtown Rhino Coffee Shaver’s Crawfish & Catering Signs at Work Sonic Superior Grill Texas Roadhouse The Payne Company Thrifty Liquor TicketSmarter VIP Travel

2-STAR GENERAL

AEP Foundation AEP SWEPCO Community Bank of Louisiana CRM Studios Evangel Christian Academy Fairfield Studios First Guaranty Bank Fleming Subway Focus SB Fred Kent Harrington House House of Lights and Carpeting Johnny’s Pizza House Linda Sell, CPA Little Works in Progress Lusk Eye Specialists P2i Real Estate Ranchland Uniforms Raymond James Reddy Ice Distributing Riverside Roofing Materials Sci-Port Discovery Center Southern Research Sportstalk 97.7 State Fair of Louisiana Sugar Walk Popcorn The Remington Hotel The Think Network Tynes, Burke & Associates Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux W. Jarred Franklin, Attorney at Law

75

E A S T R I D G E C O U N T RY C L U B T h ree g re a t c l u b s i n o n .

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Carl Mikovich Sportsperson of the Year 2023 RECIPIENT: HAYDEN TRAVINSKI Fresh off a National Championship with the LSU baseball team, former Loyola College Prep and Airline High School star Hayden Travinski has been named the 2023 Carl Mikovich Sportsperson of the Year. Travinski will be honored with the award at the 47th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Saturday, December 16.

“It is an incredible honor to be named the Independence Bowl’s Sportsperson of the Year,” said Travinski. “There have been so many great athletes to be presented with this award, and I’m thankful to be considered in the same regard. As a kid who grew up going to the Independence Bowl year after year, this is really special.”

Travinski helped the Tigers claim their seventh baseball National Championship in school history this season, as his bat caught fire down the stretch. The redshirt junior enjoyed a breakout season in 2022-23, providing some thump from the catcher position in the lineup.

He finished the year with a .356 batting average (BA), 10 home runs (HR) and 30 runs batted in (RBI). His 10 HRs came in a 19-game stretch beginning on April 23 – including two home runs in the Baton Rouge regional to help LSU advance to the Super Regional. Travinski earned an LSU bachelor’s degree in sport administration in the spring of 2023.

“In helping lead the Tigers to a National Championship in Omaha, Hayden Travinski provided another glimpse of the success athletes from the Shreveport-Bossier area have on the national stage,” said 2023 Independence Bowl Foundation Chair Bryan Roppolo. “Our entire community was so thrilled to watch his and the team’s success throughout the season, and we are so proud to call him one of our own.”

PAST RECIPIENTS 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023

Hal Sutton/Freddie Spencer John Franks Mike McCarthy George Dement Ken Hanna Taylor Moore Chick Childress Orvis Sigler Dr. Billy Bundrick Tim Brando Hazel Beard Terry Slack Red Franklin David Toms Todd Walker Joby O’Gwynn Bob Griffin Meredith Duncan Arnez Battle Alana Beard Brock Berlin Albert Crews Scott Baker B.J. Ryan Herman Vital Matt Brown Dr. Kyle Pierce Kendrick Farris Morris Claiborne Sam Burns Phillip Barbaree, Jr. Ryan Harrison Dak Prescott Joe Delaney Mikaylah Williams Hayden Travinski

Before the 2023 championship season in Baton Rouge, Travinski appeared in 71 games the previous three years – drawing 31 starts. In 127 at-bats from 2019-2022, he tallied 11 HRs and 27 RBI. In addition to his success on the field at LSU, Travinski also was named to the 2021 and 2022 SEC Academic Honor Roll as a sport administration major.

Before heading to Baton Rouge for college, Travinski was a local baseball star at Loyola College Prep and Airline High School. He was a two-time All-State and three-time All-City selection in high school, as well as being named the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year in Shreveport, 2019 AllRegion Team Hitter of the Year and a 2018 Perfect Game All-American. In his senior year at Airline, Travinski batted .429 with 12 HRs, 41 RBI and a 1.560 OPS.

77

ESPN Broadcast Team KEVIN CONNORS

Play-By-Play

Kevin Connors joined ESPN in July 2008 and currently serves as a studio host of college football, college basketball and Major League Baseball. He also is also a host of Baseball Tonight and a SportsCenter anchor, usually seen in nighttime editions. During his time with ESPN, he has handled various college basketball play-by-play assignments, previously hosted Top Rank Boxing on ESPN, as well as the former NBA Coast-to-Coast & NBA Tonight programs.

Connors also hosts a variety of programs on ESPN Radio.

Connors came to ESPN from WCBS-TV in New York, where he served as weekend sports anchor, and WCBS NewsRadio 880 where he handled afternoon drive sports updates. He started his broadcasting career with WRNN-TV, an independent television station serving the New York metropolitan area, where he was sports anchor from 1997-2006 and sports director for eight years.

A five-time New York State Broadcaster’s Association Award winner for Outstanding Sportscast, Connors is a native of Rockville Centre, N.Y., on Long Island. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in television-radio from Ithaca College and was a four-year member of the Ithaca men’s basketball team.

ROCKY BOIMAN

Color Analyst

Rocky Boiman, eight-year NFL veteran linebacker and Super Bowl champion, works as a color analyst for ESPN/ABC Saturdays, covering college football games. He is the co-host of “The Eddie & Rocky Show” on Cincinnati local radio.

He previously worked as an NFL color analyst for BBC Radio in London, for Dial Global Sports as a college football analyst and as a NFL sideline reporter, and for Sky Sports UK as a football contributor.

The 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl will be broadcast on ESPN and has averaged 2.86 million viewers the past three years. It is the 47th playing of the bowl, and it will be the 31st-consecutive Independence Bowl televised on an ESPN network. The Independence Bowl Foundation and ESPN agreed to a six-year extension in 2020 that spans through the 50th Independence Bowl in 2025. ESPN first brought the Independence Bowl to television audiences in 1992 when Wake Forest defeated Oregon, 39-35.

In addition to his broadcasting responsibilities, he owns Rocky Boiman Football Academy, where collegiate and NFL players, such as Luke Kuechly, train before the season and before the NFL Draft Combine. Boiman was also an elected official, serving as a trustee of Green Township in Hamilton County, Ohio, and is a co-majority owner of El Arco tequila.

He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. During his four years in Tennessee, he earned AFC Player of the Week honors and currently owns the Titans/Oilers franchise record for special teams tackles in a season with 28. He was a member of Indianapolis Colts for two seasons and was a part of the Colts 2006 Super Bowl team. He finished his eight year career with the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Boiman played college football for the University of Notre Dame and served as team captain his senior year and earned his degree in preprofessional studies. Boiman graduated in 1998 from St. Xavier High School in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

MARILYN PAYNE

Sideline Reporter Marilyn Payne is a sideline reporter as part of ESPN College Football coverage, contributing across ESPN’s family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2, SEC Network & ACC Network). She also works on high school football coverage with ESPN. You can hear her on Audacy’s 92.9 The Game (in Atlanta) talking ACC football every Saturday during the season.

78

Bowl Season Radio

J.D. BYARS

Play-by-Play

ELVIS GALLEGOS Color Analyst

TIM MURRAY

Sideline Reporter

Bowl Season and First Team Ventures joined together in 2021 to form Bowl Season Radio, which provides exclusive live national radio/audio play-by-play coverage for college bowl games throughout December and January.

Bowl Season Radio airs on terrestrial radio stations throughout the country, as well as Sirius XM satellite radio on College Sports Radio (Channel 84). In addition, the games will stream live on Tune-In, Audacy and The Varsity Network apps.

Bowl Season Radio utilizes some of the top broadcasters in college sports, including hometown voices for the nation's best teams.

First Team Ventures is a fast-growing sports content firm that markets, produces, and distributes Bowl Season Radio and its live play-by-play radio and audio coverage of 18 college bowl games. Bowl Season Radio is now the largest syndicator of college bowl games on radio distributing to 100 radio terrestrial stations, Sirius XM, and audio streaming services. First Team specializes in sports media, content development, branding and consulting with properties and corporate partners to implement marketing campaigns for sports events including multiple bowl games, The Ben Hogan Foundation, and other national and regional sports properties.

The 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl will be broadcast locally by Bowl Season Radio on 1130 The Tiger (1130 AM).

80

LISTEN UP!

Hear The Game Here Complete Bowl Game Radio Schedule At BowlSeason.com

R A D I O Bowl Season Radio is a service of FIRSTTEAM "Bowl Season" and the Bowl Season logo are trademarks of the Football Bowl Association, Inc., used under license agreement.

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Year-By-Year Results DATE/CHAIRMAN

TEAMS

SCORE

POST-BOWL RECORD

ATTENDANCE

Dec. 13, 1976 McNeese State 20 9-2 19,164 Lee Bryant Tulsa 16 7-4-1 Dec. 17, 1977 Louisiana Tech 24 9-1-2 22,223 Ed Powell Louisville 14 7-4-1 Dec. 16, 1978 East Carolina 35 9-3 31,054 Bill Brandon Louisiana Tech 13 6-5 Dec. 15, 1979 Syracuse 31 7-5 27,234 Skippy Shirley McNeese State 7 11-1 Dec. 13, 1980 Southern Miss 16 9-3 42,600 Milton Chapman McNeese State 14 10-1 Dec. 12, 1981 Texas A&M 33 7-5 48,600 Milton Chapman Oklahoma State 16 7-5 Dec. 11, 1982 Wisconsin 14 7-5 46,244 Ken Hanna Kansas State 3 6-5 Dec. 10, 1983 Air Force 9 10-2 41,274 Tracy Jackson Ole Miss 3 7-5 Dec. 15, 1984 Air Force 23 8-4 45,034 Cecil Lloyd Virginia Tech 7 8-4 Dec. 21, 1985 Minnesota 20 7-5 42,845 Cecil Lloyd Clemson 13 6-6 Dec. 20, 1986 Ole Miss 20 8-3-1 46,369 Jim Thompson Texas Tech 17 7-5 Dec. 19, 1987 Washington 24 7-4-1 44,683 Smokey Hyde Tulane 12 6-6 Dec. 23, 1988 Southern Miss 38 10-2 20,242 Mike Collier UTEP 18 10-3 Dec. 16, 1989 Oregon 27 8-4 44,621 John Frazier Tulsa 24 6-6 Dec. 15, 1990 Louisiana Tech 34 8-3-1 48,325 Brant Goyne Maryland 34 6-5-1 Dec. 29, 1991 Georgia 24 9-3 46,932 Orvis Sigler Arkansas 15 6-6 Dec. 31, 1992 Wake Forest 39 8-4 31,337 Orvis Sigler Oregon 35 6-6 Dec. 31, 1993 Virginia Tech 45 9-3 33,819 Mike McCarthy Indiana 20 8-4 Dec. 28, 1994 Virginia 20 9-3 36,192 Bob Brown TCU 10 7-5 Dec. 29, 1995 LSU 45 7-4-1 48,835 Carl Mikovich Michigan State 26 6-5-1 Dec. 31, 1996 Auburn 32 8-4 41,366 Rick Holland Army 29 10-2

Dec. 28, 1997 LSU 27 9-3 50,459 Ken Antee Notre Dame 9 7-6 Dec. 31, 1998 Ole Miss 35 7-5 46,862 Richard Caldwell Texas Tech 18 7-5 Dec. 31, 1999 Ole Miss 27 8-4 49,873 Sandy Cimino Oklahoma 25 7-5 Dec. 31, 2000 Mississippi State 43 8-4 36,974 Pesky Hill Texas A&M 41 7-5 Dec. 27, 2001 Alabama 14 7-5 45,627 Lindy Broderick Iowa State 13 7-5

Dec. 27, 2002 Ole Miss 27 7-6 46,096 Randy James Nebraska 23 7-7 Dec. 31, 2003 Arkansas 27 9-4 49,625 Don Jagot Missouri 14 8-5

84

PLAYERS OF THE GAME (O) Terry McFarland, McNeese State (D) Terry Clark, Tulsa (O) Keith Thibodeaux, Louisiana Tech (D) Otis Wilson, Louisville (O) Theodore Sutton, East Carolina (D) Zack Valentine, East Carolina (O) Joe Morris, Syracuse (D) Clay Carroll, McNeese State (O) Stephen Starring, McNeese State (D) Jerald Baylis, Southern Miss (O) Gary Kubiak, Texas A&M (D) Mike Green, Oklahoma State (O) Randy Wright, Wisconsin (D) Tim Krumrie, Wisconsin (O) Marty Louthan, Air Force (D) Andre Townsend, Ole Miss (O) Bart Weiss, Air Force (D) Scott Thomas, Air Force (O) Rickey Foggie, Minnesota (D) Bruce Holmes, Minnesota (O) Mark Young, Ole Miss (D) James Mosley, Texas Tech (O) Chris Chandler, Washington (D) David Rill, Washington (O&D) James Henry, Southern Miss (O) Bill Musgrave, Oregon (D) Chris Oldham, Oregon (O) Michael Richardson, Louisiana Tech (D) Lorenza Baker, Louisiana Tech (O) Andre Hastings, Georgia (D) Torrey Evans, Georgia (O) Todd Dixon, Wake Forest (D) Herman O’Berry, Oregon (O) Maurice DeShazo, Virginia Tech (D) Antonio Banks, Virginia Tech (O) Mike Groh, Virginia (D) Mike Frederick, Virginia (O) Kevin Faulk, LSU (D) Gabe Northern, LSU (O) Dameyune Craig, Auburn (D) Takeo Spikes, Auburn (D) Ricky Neal, Auburn (O) Rondell Mealey, LSU (D) Arnold Miller, LSU (O) Romaro Miller, Ole Miss (D) Kendrick Clancy, Ole Miss (O) Josh Huepel, Oklahoma (D) Tim Strickland, Ole Miss (O) Ja’Mar Toombs, Texas A&M (D) Willie Blade, Mississippi State (O) Seneca Wallace, Iowa State (D) Matt Word, Iowa State (D) Waine Bacon, Alabama (O) Eli Manning, Ole Miss (D) Chris Kelsay, Nebraska (O) Cedric Cobbs, Arkansas (D) Caleb Miller, Arkansas

Year-By-Year Results DATE/CHAIRMAN

TEAMS

SCORE

POST-BOWL RECORD

ATTENDANCE

Dec. 28, 2004 Iowa State 17 7-5 43,076 Jack Lee Miami University 13 8-7 Dec. 30, 2005 Missouri 38 7-5 41,332 David Nichols South Carolina 31 7-5 Dec. 28, 2006 Oklahoma State 34 7-6 45,054 Markey Pierre Alabama 31 6-7 Dec. 30, 2007 Alabama 30 7-6 47,043 Joe Darwin Colorado 24 6-7 Dec. 28, 2008 Louisiana Tech 17 8-5 41,567 Keith Bergeron Northern Illinois 10 6-7 Dec. 28, 2009 Georgia 44 8-5 49,653 Toni Goodin Texas A&M 20 6-7 Dec. 27, 2010 Air Force 14 9-4 39,362 Jim Hagan Georgia Tech 7 6-7 Dec. 26, 2011 Missouri 41 8-5 41,728 Fred Sexton Jr. North Carolina 24 7-6 Dec. 28, 2012 Ohio 45 9-4 41,853 Jack Andres ULM 14 8-5

Dec. 31, 2013 Arizona 42 8-5 36,917 John Hubbard Boston College 19 7-6 Dec. 27, 2014 South Carolina 24 7-6 38,242 Paul Pratt Miami 21 6-7 Dec. 26, 2015 Virginia Tech 55 7-6 31,289 Kyle McInnis Tulsa 52 6-7 Dec. 26, 2016 NC State 41 7-6 28,995 Eric Barkley Vanderbilt 17 6-7 Dec. 27, 2017 Florida State 42 7-6 33,601 Darin Seal Southern Miss 13 8-5 Dec. 27, 2018 Duke 56 8-5 27,492 Trey Giglio Temple 27 8-5 Dec. 26, 2019 Louisiana Tech 14 10-3 33,129 Art Carmody IV Miami 0 6-7 Dec. 18, 2021 UAB 31 9-4 26,276 Frank Auer BYU 28 10-3 Dec. 23, 2022 Houston 23 8-5 23,410 Rob Rubel Louisiana 16 6-7

PLAYERS OF THE GAME (O) Bret Meyer, Iowa State (D) Nik Moser, Iowa State (O) Brad Smith, Missouri (D) Marcus King, Missouri (O) Dantrell Savage, Oklahoma State (D) Jeremy Nethon, Oklahoma State (O) John Parker Wilson, Alabama (D) Wallace Gilberry, Alabama (O) Phillip Livas. Louisiana Tech (D) Weldon Brown, Louisiana Tech (O) Aron White, Georgia (D) Geno Atkins, Georgia (O) Jared Tew, Air Force (D) Rick Ricketts, Air Force (O) James Franklin, Missouri (D) Andrew Wilson, Missouri (O) Beau Blankenship, Ohio (O) Tyler Tettleton, Ohio (D) Keith Moore, Ohio (O) B.J. Denker, Arizona (D) William Parks, Arizona (O) Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina (D) Skai Moore, South Carolina (O) Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech (D) Jeremy Brady, Tulsa (O) Jaylen Samuels, NC State (D) Airius Moore, NC State (O) James Blackman, Florida State (D) Nate Andrews, Florida State (O) Daniel Jones, Duke (D) Delvon Randall, Temple (O) Justin Henderson, Louisiana Tech (D) Connor Taylor, Louisiana Tech (O) Tyler Allgeier, BYU (D) Tyler Batty, BYU (O) Clayton Tune, Houston (D) Art Green, Houston

Houston vs. Louisiana, 2022

85

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Players of the Game OFFENSE

YEAR

PLAYER

SCHOOL

POS.

1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Terry McFarland Keith Thibodeaux Theodore Sutton Joe Morris Stephen Starring Gary Kubiak Randy Wright Marty Louthan Bart Weiss Rickey Foggie Mark Young Chris Chandler James Henry Bill Musgrave Michael Richardson Andre Hastings Todd Dixon Maurice DeShazo Mike Groh Kevin Faulk Dameyune Craig Rondell Mealey Romaro Miller Josh Huepel Ja’Mar Toombs Seneca Wallace Eli Manning Cedric Cobbs Bret Meyer Brad Smith Dantrell Savage John Parker Wilson Phillip Livas Aron White Jared Tew James Franklin Beau Blankenship Tyler Tettleton B.J. Denker Pharoh Cooper Isaiah Ford Jaylen Samuels James Blackman Daniel Jones Justin Henderson Tyler Allgeier Clayton Tune

McNeese State Louisiana Tech East Carolina Syracuse McNeese State Texas A&M Wisconsin Air Force Air Force Minnesota Ole Miss Washington Southern Miss Oregon Louisiana Tech Georgia Wake Forest Virginia Tech Virginia LSU Auburn LSU Ole Miss Oklahoma Texas A&M Iowa State Ole Miss Arkansas Iowa State Missouri Oklahoma State Alabama Louisiana Tech Georgia Air Force Missouri Ohio Ohio Arizona South Carolina Virginia Tech NC State Florida State Duke Louisiana Tech BYU Houston

QB QB FB RB QB QB QB QB QB QB QB QB PR QB RB FL WR QB QB RB QB RB QB QB RB QB QB TB QB QB RB QB WR TE RB QB RB QB QB WR WR TE QB QB RB RB QB

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022

Clayton Tune (Houston, 2022)

88

Art Green (Houston, 2022)

DEFENSE

YEAR

PLAYER

SCHOOL

POS.

1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

Terry Clark Otis Wilson Zack Valentine Clay Carroll Jearld Baylis Mike Green Tim Krumrie Andre Townsend Scott Thomas Bruce Holmes James Mosley David Rill James Henry Chris Oldham Lorenza Baker Torrey Evans Herman O’Berry Antonio Banks Mike Frederick Gabe Northern Takeo Spikes Ricky Neal Arnold Miller Kendrick Clancy Tim Strickland Willie Blade Matt Word Waine Bacon Chris Kelsay Caleb Miller Nik Moser Marcus King Jeremy Nethon Wallace Gilberry Weldon Brown Geno Atkins Rick Ricketts Andrew Wilson Keith Moore William Parks Skai Moore Jeremy Brady Airius Moore Nate Andrews Delvon Randall Connor Taylor Tyler Batty Art Green

Tulsa Louisville East Carolina McNeese State Southern Miss Oklahoma State Wisconsin Ole Miss Air Force Minnesota Texas Tech Washington Southern Miss Oregon Louisiana Tech Georgia Oregon Virginia Tech Virginia LSU Auburn Auburn LSU Ole Miss Ole Miss Mississippi State Iowa State Alabama Nebraska Arkansas Iowa State Missouri Oklahoma State Alabama Louisiana Tech Georgia Air Force Missouri Ohio Arizona South Carolina Tulsa NC State Florida State Temple Louisiana Tech BYU Houston

CB LB DE DT NG LB NG DT S LB DE LB DB DB LB LB CB S DE DE LB LB DL DL CB DT LB SS LB ILB DB CB LB DE DB DT DE LB LB S LB S LB S S LB DE CB

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022

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Chevyland Holmes Honda Morgan Buick - GMC Shreveport Orr Nissan Shreveport Hebertʼs Town & Country

Yokem Toyota Morgan Hyundai Audi Shreveport Porsche Shreveport Mercedes of Shreveport Jeep - Chrysler - Dodge - Ram Volvo of Shreveport Rountree Ford - Lincoln Jaguar/Land Rover of Shreveport Orr Kia of Shreveport

Coaching & Conference Records COACH

SCHOOL

YEARS

REC.

Steve Addazio Boston College 2013 0-1 Frank Beamer Virginia Tech 1993, 2015 2-0 Todd Berry Louisiana-Monroe 2012 0-1 Terry Bowden Auburn 1996 1-0 Billy Brewer Ole Miss 1983, 1986 1-1 Rich Brooks Oregon 1989, 1992 1-1 Mack Brown Tulane 1987 0-1 Troy Calhoun Air Force 2010 1-0 Bill Clark UAB 2021 1-0 Bobby Collins Southern Miss 1980 1-0 Jack Crowe Arkansas 1991 0-1 David Cutcliffe Ole Miss/Duke 1998, 1999, 2002/2018 4-0 Bob Davie Notre Dame 1997 0-1 Fisher DeBerry Air Force 1984 1-0 Michael Desormeaux Louisiana 2022 0-1 Manny Diaz Miami 2019 0-1 Jim Dickey Kansas State 1982 0-1 Gerry DiNardo Louisiana State 1995, 1997 2-0 Dave Doeren NC State 2016 1-0 Jack Doland McNeese State 1976 1-0 Bill Dooley Virginia Tech/Wake Forest 1984/1992 1-1 Derek Dooley Louisiana Tech 2008 1-0 F.A. Dry Tulsa 1976 0-1 Ernie Duplechin McNeese State 1979, 1980 0-2 Pat Dye East Carolina 1978 1-0 Spike Dykes Texas Tech 1986, 1998 0-2 Ed Foley Temple 2018 0-1 Danny Ford Clemson 1985 0-1 Dennis Franchione Alabama 2001 1-0 Vince Gibson Louisville 1977 0-1 Ray Goff Georgia 1991 1-0 Al Golden Miami 2014 0-1 Mike Gundy Oklahoma State 2006 1-0 John Gutekunst Minnesota 1985 1-0 Odell Haggins Florida State 2017 1-0 Curley Hallman Southern Miss 1988 1-0 Ken Hatfield Air Force 1983 1-0 Dan Hawkins Colorado 2007 0-1 Terry Hoeppner Miami (OH) 2004 0-1 Dana Holgorsen Houston 2022 1-0 Skip Holtz Louisiana Tech 2019 1-0 Jay Hopson Southern Miss 2017 0-1 Don James Washington 1987 1-0 Jimmy Johnson Oklahoma State 1981 0-1 Paul Johnson Georgia Tech 2010 0-1 Jerry Kill Northern Illinois 2008 0-1 Joe Kines Alabama 2006 0-1 Joe Krivak Maryland 1990 0-0-1 Maxie Lambright Louisiana Tech 1977, 1978 1-1 Bill Mallory Indiana 1993 0-1 Derek Mason Vanderbilt 2016 0-1 Dan McCarney Iowa State 2001, 2004 1-1 Dave McClain Wisconsin 1982 1-0 Philip Montgomery Tulsa 2015 0-1 Houston Nutt Arkansas 2003 1-0 J.R. Peace Louisiana Tech 1990 0-0-1 Gary Pinkel Missouri 2003, 2005, 2011 2-1 Dave Rader Tulsa 1989 0-1 Mark Richt Georgia 2009 1-0 Rich Rodriguez Arizona 2013 1-0 Nick Saban Michigan State/Alabama 1995/2007 1-1 Mike Sherman Texas A&M 2009 0-1 Jackie Sherrill Mississippi State 2000 1-0 Kalani Sitake BYU 2021 0-1 R.C. Slocum Texas A&M 2000 0-1 Frank Solich Nebraska/Ohio 2002/2012 1-1 Steve Spurrier South Carolina 2005, 2014 1-1 Bob Stoops Oklahoma 1999 0-1 Bob Stull UTEP 1988 0-1 Pat Sullivan TCU 1994 0-1 Bob Sutton Army 1996 0-1 George Welsh Virginia 1994 1-0 Tom Wilson Texas A&M 1981 1-0 Everett Withers North Carolina 2011 0-1

90

PCT.

.000 1.000 .000 1.000 .500 .500 .000 1.000 1.000 1.000 .000 1.000 .000 1.000 .000 .000 .000 1.000 1.000 1.000 .500 1.000 .000 .000 1.000 .000 .000 .000 1.000 .000 1.000 .000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 .000 .000 1.000 1.000 .000 1.000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .500 .500 .000 .000 .500 1.000 .000 1.000 .500 .667 .000 1.000 1.000 .500 .000 1.000 .000 .000 .500 .500 .000 .000 .000 .000 1.000 1.000 .000

CONFERENCE

TEAMS

GAMES

WON

LOST

TIED

PCT.

American Athletic Atlantic Coast %Big East *Big Eight Big Ten Big 12 Conference USA Mid-American Mountain West Pac-12 SEC +Southland *Southwest Sun Belt Western Athletic Independents

3 12 1 2 4 8 3 3 1 3 9 2 4 2 3 11

3 13 1 2 4 12 3 3 1 4 18 5 4 2 4 13

1 6 1 0 2 4 2 1 1 3 14 2 1 0 3 4

2 6 0 2 2 8 1 2 0 1 4 3 3 2 1 8

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

.333 .500 1.000 .000 .500 .333 .667 .333 1.000 .750 .778 .400 .250 .000 .750 .346

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE

(1-0)

PAC-12 CONFERENCE

(3-1)

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

(14-4)

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE

(2-3)

SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

(1-3)

SUN BELT CONFERENCE

(0-2)

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

(3-1)

INDEPENDENTS

(4-8-1)

*Defunct League +Now a member of NCAA FCS %No longer has member institutions that play FBS football

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Houston Temple Tulsa

ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE

Boston College Clemson Duke Georgia Tech Florida State Maryland Miami NC State North Carolina Virginia Virginia Tech Wake Forest

(1-2) 1-0 0-1 0-1

(6-6-1) 0-1 0-1 1-0 0-1 1-0 0-0-1 0-2 1-0 0-1 1-0 1-0 1-0

BIG EAST CONFERENCE

(1-0)

BIG EIGHT CONFERENCE

(0-2)

Virginia Tech

Kansas State Oklahoma State

BIG TEN CONFERENCE

Indiana Michigan State Minnesota Wisconsin

BIG 12 CONFERENCE

1-0 0-1 0-1

(2-2) 0-1 0-1 1-0 1-0

(4-8)

Colorado Iowa State Missouri Nebraska Oklahoma Oklahoma State Texas Tech Texas A&M

0-1 1-1 2-1 0-1 0-1 1-0 0-1 0-2

CONFERENCE USA

(2-1)

MID-AMERICAN

(1-2)

Louisiana Tech Southern Miss UAB Miami University Northern Illinois Ohio

1-0 0-1 1-0 0-1 0-1 1-0

Air Force

Arizona Oregon Washington

Alabama Arkansas Auburn Georgia LSU Ole Miss Mississippi State South Carolina Vanderbilt Louisiana Tech McNeese State Arkansas TCU Texas A&M Texas Tech

Louisiana UL Monroe

Air Force Louisiana Tech UTEP

Army BYU East Carolina Louisiana Tech Louisville Notre Dame Southern Mississippi Syracuse Tulane Tulsa Virginia Tech

1-0 1-0 1-1 1-0

2-1 1-0 1-0 2-0 2-0 4-1 1-0 1-1 0-1 1-1 1-2 0-1 0-1 1-0 0-1

0-1 0-1 2-0 1-0 0-1

0-1 0-1 1-0 0-0-1 0-1 0-1 2-0 1-0 0-1 0-2 0-1

Local

A PROUD PART OF THE LOUISIANA COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

www.calumet.com

Christian

Radio

Individual Records Most Touchdowns Passing: 5, Daniel Jones, Duke (2018 vs. Temple) Most Touchdowns Receiving: 3, Auden Tate, Florida State (2017 vs. Southern Miss) 3, Jaylen Samuels, NC State (2016 vs. Vanderbilt)

Kevin Faulk, LSU

Independence Bowl Records: • Rush Yards: 234 • Yards Per Carry: 9.4 • 2nd in All-Purpose Yards: 271 • 2nd in Yards From Scrimmage: 238

RUSHING

Most Attempts: 35, Ja’Mar Toombs, Texas A&M (2000 vs. Miss. State) Most Net Yards: 234, Kevin Faulk, LSU (1995 vs. Michigan State)

Most Field Goals: 4, Chris Balseiro, Arkansas (2003 vs. Missouri) 4, David Hardy, Texas A&M (1981 vs. Oklahoma St.) Most PATs: 8, Collin Wareham, Duke (2018 vs. Temple) Most Points by Kicker: 15, David Hardy, Texas A&M (1981 vs. Oklahoma St.) Two-Point Conversions: 1, 13 times, most recently:

Keyarris Garrett from Dane Evans,

Tulsa (2015 vs. Virginia Tech)

PUNTING

Best Avg. Per Carry (min. 10 carries): 9.4, Kevin Faulk, LSU (1995 vs. Michigan State)

Most Punts: 9, Brady Farlow, Louisiana Tech (2019 vs. Miami) 9, Louis Hedley, Miami (2019 vs. Louisiana Tech) 9, Terry McFarland, McNeese State (1976 vs. Tulsa)

Most Yards by a Quarterback: 150, Brad Smith, Missouri (2005 vs. South Carolina)

Highest Average Per Punt: 48.8, Thomas Hibbard, North Carolina (2011 vs. Missouri)

PASSING

Most Attempts: 58, Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M (2009 vs. Georgia) Most Completions: 39, Josh Huepel, Oklahoma (1999 vs. Ole Miss) Most Net Yards: 423, Daniel Jones, Duke (2018 vs. Temple) Most Interceptions Thrown: 5, Wade Hill, Arkansas (1991 vs. Arkansas) Highest Completion Pct.: (min. 15 completions): 82.6, Dylan Hopkins, UAB (2021 vs. BYU) Most Yards Per Completion: (min. 5 completions) 23.6, Tyler Tettleton, Ohio (2012 vs. ULM)

RECEIVING

Most Receptions: 12, T.J. Rahming, Duke (2018 vs. Temple) 12, Isaiah Ford, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa) 12, Sidney Rice, South Carolina (2005 vs. Missouri) Most Yards Receiving: 240, T.J. Rahming, Duke (2018 vs. Temple) Highest Avg. Per Catch: (min. 3 catches) 54.0, Chase Cochran, Ohio (2012 vs. ULM)

SCORING

Most Touchdowns Responsible For: 6, Daniel Jones, Duke (2018 vs. Temple)

(5 pass, 1 rush) Most Touchdowns Rushing: 4, Beau Blankenship, Ohio (2012 vs. ULM)

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PUNT RETURNS

Most Punt Returns: 8, DeJuan Groce, Nebraska (2002 vs. Ole Miss) 8, Thomas Lewis, Indiana (1993 vs. Virginia Tech) Most Punt Return Yardage: 132, Greg Stroman, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa) Highest Average: 86, Javier Arenas, Alabama (2006 vs. Oklahoma State)

KICKOFF RETURNS

Most Kickoff Returns: 8, Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M (2009 vs. Georgia) Most Kickoff Return Yardage: 157, Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M (2009 vs. Georgia) Highest Average: 63, Jason Davis, Louisiana Tech (1990 vs. Maryland)

INTERCEPTIONS

Most Interceptions Made: 2, six times, most recently: Anthony Magee, Ole Miss (1998 vs. Texas Tech) Most Interception Return Yardage: 99, Marcus King, Missouri (2005 vs. South Carolina)

TACKLES

Daniel Jones, Duke

Independence Bowl Records: • Most Passing Yards: 423 • Most Touchdowns Passing: 5 • Most TDs responsible for: 6

LONGEST PLAYS

Longest Run From Scrimmage: 80, Deuce McAllister, Ole Miss (1999 vs. Oklahoma) Longest Rushing Touchdown: 80, Deuce McAllister, Ole Miss (1999 vs. Oklahoma ) Longest Pass: 87, Randy Wright to Tom Stracka,

Wisconsin (1982 vs. Kansas State) Longest Passing Touchdown: 87, Randy Wright to Tom Stracka,

Wisconsin (1982 vs. Kansas State) Longest Field Goal: 52, Tommy Openshaw, Vanderbilt (2016 vs. NC State) Longest Punt: 70, Jeff Dozier, Louisiana Tech (1978 vs. East Carolina) Longest Punt Return: 86, Javier Arenas, Alabama (2006 vs. Oklahoma State) Longest Punt Return for Touchdown: 86, Javier Arenas, Alabama (2006 vs. Oklahoma State) Longest Kickoff Return: 100, Nyheim Hines, NC State (2016 vs. Vanderbilt) 100, Derrick Mason, Michigan State (1995 vs. LSU) Longest Kickoff Return for Touchdown: 100, Nyheim Hines, NC State (2016 vs. Vanderbilt) 100, Derrick Mason, Michigan State (1995 vs. LSU) Longest Interception Return: 99, Marcus King, Missouri (2005 vs. South Carolina) Longest Interception Return for Touchdown: 99, Marcus King, Missouri (2005 vs. South Carolina) Longest Fumble Return: 37, Gabe Northern, LSU (1995 vs. Michigan State)

Most Total Tackles: 24, Clay Carroll, McNeese State (1979 vs. Syracuse)

Longest Fumble Return for Touchdown: 37, Gabe Northern, LSU (1995 vs. Michigan State)

Most Sacks: 3, Chuck Wiley, LSU (1997 vs. Notre Dame) 3, James Gillyard, LSU (1995 vs. Michigan State) 3, James Mosley, Texas Tech (1986 vs. Ole Miss)

Longest Return of Blocked Field Goal: 80, Antonio Banks, Virginia Tech (1993 vs. Indiana) Longest Return of Blocked Field Goal for Touchdown: 80, Antonio Banks, Virginia Tech (1993 vs. Indiana)

Team Records RUSHING

Most Attempts: 73, Syracuse (1979 vs. McNeese State) Fewest Attempts: 19, North Carolina (2011 vs. Missouri) Most Yards: 337, Missouri (2011 vs. North Carolina)

Lowest Completion Percentage: 27.0, McNeese State (1976 vs. Tulsa) Most Yards Per Completion: 23.2, McNeese State (1980 vs. Southern Miss) Fewest Yards Per Completion: 5.1, Syracuse (1979 vs. McNeese State)

TOTAL OFFENSE

Fewest Yards: 12, Louisiana Tech (1978 vs. East Carolina)

Most Plays: 92, Texas A&M (2009 vs. Georgia)

Highest Average Per Carry: 7.3, Missouri (2011 vs. North Carolina)

Fewest Plays: 47, McNeese State (1979 vs. Syracuse)

Lowest Average Per Carry: 0.4, Louisiana Tech (1978 vs. East Carolina)

Most Yards: 598, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa)

PASSING

Most Attempts: 59, Texas A&M (2009 vs. Georgia) Fewest Attempts: 7, Air Force (1984 vs. Virginia Tech) 7, Air Force (1983 vs. Ole Miss) Most Completions: 39, Oklahoma (1999 vs. Ole Miss)

Fewest Yards: 161, Louisville (1977 vs. Louisiana Tech) Highest Average Yards Per Play: 9.1, Ohio (2012 vs. ULM) Lowest Average Yards Per Play: 2.4, Louisville (1977 vs. Louisiana Tech)

SCORING

Most Kickoff Return Touchdowns: 1, six times, most recently:

NC State (2016 vs. Vanderbilt) Most Punt Return Touchdowns: 2, Southern Miss (1988 vs. UTEP) Blocked Punt Returned for Touchdown: 1, Tulsa (1989 vs. Oregon) Blocked Field Goal Returned for Touchdown: 1, Virginia Tech (1993 vs. Indiana) 1, Tulsa (1976 vs. McNeese State) Most Field Goals: 4, Arkansas (2003 vs. Missouri) 4, Texas A&M (1981 vs. Oklahoma State) Most Points, Winning Team: 56, Duke (2018 vs. Temple) Most Points, Losing Team: 52, Tulsa (2015 vs. Virginia Tech) Largest Point Difference: 31, Ohio (2012 vs. ULM) Fewest Points, Winning Team: 9, Air Force (1983 vs. Ole Miss)

Most Touchdowns: 8, Duke (2018 vs. Temple)

Fewest Points, Losing Team: 0, Miami (2019 vs. Louisiana Tech)

Most Yards: 440, Duke (2018 vs. Temple)

Most Touchdowns Rushing: 5, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa) 5, East Carolina (1978 vs. Louisiana Tech)

Smallest Point Difference: 1, Alabama 14 vs. Iowa State 13 (2001)

Fewest Yards: 41, Georgia Tech (2010 vs. Air Force)

Most Touchdowns Passing: 5, Duke (2018 vs. Temple)

Most Passes Had Intercepted: 5, Arkansas (1991 vs. Georgia)

Most Interception Return Touchdowns: 1, six times, most recently:

Temple (2018 vs. Duke)

Fewest Completions: 4, East Carolina (1978 vs. Louisiana Tech)

Highest Completion Percentage: 86.0, Air Force (1984 vs. Virginia Tech) 86.0, Air Force (1983 vs. Ole Miss)

Most Fumble Return Touchdowns: 1, four times, most recently:

Texas Tech (1998 vs. Ole Miss)

Games Ending In A Tie: Louisiana Tech 34 vs. Maryland 34 (1990) Most Points Scored in First Half: 45, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa) Most Points Scored in Second Half: 35, Duke (2018 vs. Temple) Most Points Scored in One Half: 45, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa, first half ) Most Points Scored in First Quarter: 24, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa)

Missouri vs. North Carolina, 2011 Independence Bowl Records: . Rush Yards: 337 . Yards Per Carry: 7.3 . James Franklin (18 carries, 142 yards) and Kendial Lawrence (16 carries, 108 yards) are just the second pair of teammates to rush for more than 100 yards in the same game.

Most Points Scored in Second Quarter: 21, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa) 21, Virginia Tech (1993 vs. Indiana) Most Points Scored in Third Quarter: 21, Duke (2018 vs. Temple) 21, LSU (1995 vs. Michigan State) 21, Southern Miss (1988 vs. UTEP) Most Points Scored in Fourth Quarter: 22, Army (1996 vs. Army) Most Points Scored in Any Quarter: 24, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa, first quarter) Most Points Scored in Overtime: 8, Mississippi State (2000 vs. Texas A&M)

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Team Records FIRST DOWNS

Most First Downs: 30, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa)

Fewest First Downs: 11, five times, most recently: TCU (1994 vs. Virginia) Most First Downs Rushing: 20, Syracuse (1979 vs. McNeese State) Fewest First Downs Rushing: 2, North Carolina (2011 vs. Missouri) Most First Downs Passing: 20, Ole Miss (1986 vs. Texas Tech) Fewest First Downs Passing: 1, Oklahoma State (1981 vs. Texas A&M) Most First Downs by Penalty: 9, Oklahoma State (1981 vs. Texas A&M)

DEFENSE

Fewest Total Yards Allowed: 161, Louisiana Tech (1977 vs. Louisville) Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed: 12, East Carolina (1978 vs. Louisiana Tech) Fewest Passing Yards Allowed: 41, Air Force (2010 vs. Georgia Tech) Fewest Points Allowed: 0, Louisiana Tech (2019 vs. Miami)

Most Pass Interceptions: 5, Georgia (1991 vs. Arkansas)

Most Kickoff Return Yards: 177, South Carolina (2005 vs. Missouri)

Most Interception Return Yards: 103, Missouri (2005 vs. South Carolina

Highest Punt Return Average: 86.0 (one return) Alabama (2006 vs. Oklahoma St.)

Fewest First Downs Allowed: 11, five times, most recently: Virginia (1994 vs. TCU)

Highest Kickoff Return Average: 59, NC State (2016 vs. Vanderbilt)

Most Blocked Punts: Several teams tied at one Most Turnovers Gained: 7, East Carolina (1978 vs. Louisiana Tech) Most Quarterback Sacks: 8, Oklahoma (1999 vs. Ole Miss)

PUNTING

Most Punts: 9, Louisiana Tech (2019 vs. Miami) 9, Miami (2019 vs. Louisiana Tech) 9, McNeese State (1976 vs. Tulsa)

FUMBLES

Most Fumbles: 8, Louisville (1977 vs. Louisiana Tech) Fewest Fumbles: 0, 12 times, most recently:

Florida State (2017 vs. Southern Miss) Most Fumbles Lost: 4, McNeese State (1980 vs. Southern Miss) 4, Louisiana Tech (1978 vs. East Carolina) Fewest Fumbles Lost: 0, 35 times, most recently: Houston (2022 vs. Louisiana)

PENALTIES

Fewest Punts: 1, Oklahoma (1999 vs. Ole Miss) 1, Maryland (1990 vs. Louisiana Tech)

Most Penalties: 16, Tulsa (1976 vs. McNeese State)

Highest Punting Average: 48.8, North Carolina (2011 vs. Missouri)

Fewest Penalties: 0, Louisiana Tech (1978 vs. East Carolina)

Lowest Punting Average: 10, Oklahoma (1999 vs. Ole Miss)

Most Yards Penalized: 112, Virginia Tech (1984 vs. Air Force)

PUNT & KICKOFF RETURNS

Fewest Touchdowns Allowed: 0, five times, most recently:

Louisiana Tech (2019 vs. Miami)

Most Punt Returns: 8, Nebraska (2002 vs. Ole Miss) 8, Indiana (1993 vs. Virginia Tech)

Fewest Completions Allowed: 4, Louisiana Tech (1978 vs. East Carolina)

Most Punt Return Yards: 132, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa)

Lowest Completion Percentage Allowed: 27.0, Tulsa (1976 vs. McNeese State)

Most Kickoff Returns: 8, North Carolina (2011 vs. Missouri) 8, Texas A&M (2009 vs. Georgia)

LSU vs. Notre Dame, 1997 Independence Bowl Records: . One of just four teams in Independence Bowl history to keep its opponent out of the endzone, the Tigers held the Irish to just 9 points.

Fewest Yards Penalized: 0, Louisiana Tech (1978 vs. East Carolina)

SCORING DRIVES

Longest Scoring Drives: 94 yds. in 12 plays, Boston College (2013 vs. Arizona) Most Plays in Scoring Drives: 17 plays, 76 yds, Texas Tech (1986 vs. Ole Miss) Quickest Scoring Drives: 1 play, 75 yards, 12 secs, Virginia Tech (2015 vs. Tulsa) 1 play, 9 yards, 4 secs, Tulsa (2015 vs. Virginia Tech) 1 play, 2 yards, 4 secs, Georgia (2009 vs. Texas A&M) 1 play, 41 yds, 10 secs, Arkansas (2003 vs. Missouri) 1 play, 42 yds, 8 secs, Texas A&M (2000 vs. Miss. St.) 1 play, 80 yds, 13 secs, Ole Miss (1999 vs. Oklahoma) 1 play, 33 yds, 8 secs, Ole Miss (1998 vs. Texas Tech) 1 play, 3 yds, 5 secs, Virginia Tech (1984 vs. Air Force)

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS

Record of Teams Leading at Halftime: 33-12 Ties at Halftime: 1990, Louisiana Tech 14 vs. Maryland 14 Tie Games: 1990, Louisiana Tech 34 vs. Maryland 34 Overtime Games: 2000, Miss. St. 43, Texas A&M 41 Largest Deficit Overcome by Winning Team: 21 pts

Missouri vs. South Carolina (2005)

Virginia Tech vs. Indiana (1993)

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Bowl Participant Award Winners Some of football’s top players and coaches have participated in the Independence Bowl during it’s first 46 years, including the members of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame listed below. Two I-Bowl coaches – Mark Richt (Georgia, 2009) and Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech, 2010) – are members of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class, expanding the list of I-Bowl alumni in the College Football Hall of Fame to 25.

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Championship Coaches Many of greatest coaches in the history of college football have walked the sidelines of Independence Stadium – including seven who have won National Championships. Below are the former Independence Bowl coaches who have one National Championships:

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Bowl Participant Award Winners DOAK WALKER AWARD

Presented for the first time in 1990 to honor the nation’s best running back among Division I-A juniors or seniors who combine outstanding achievements on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

Sponsored by the GTE-Southern Methodist Athletic Forum in Dallas, Texas, a $10,000 scholarship is donated to the recipient’s university in his name. It is voted on by a 16-member panel of media and former college football standouts. The award is named after Doak Walker, SMU’s three-time consensus All-America halfback and 1948 Heisman Trophy winner.

1990 Greg Lewis, Washington 1992 Garrison Hearst, Georgia 2013* Andre Williams, Boston College

MAXWELL AWARD

First presented in 1937 to honor the nation’s outstanding college football player by the Maxwell Memorial Football Club of Philadelphia. The award is named after Robert “Tiny” Maxwell, a Philadelphia native who played at the University of Chicago as a lineman near the turn of the century.

2003 Eli Manning, Ole Miss

WALTER CAMP AWARD

First presented in 1967 to honor the nation’s outstanding college football player by the Walter Camp Foundation in balloting by Division I-A coaches and sports information directors. The award is named after Walter Camp, one of the founders of modern American football.

2000 Josh Heupel, Oklahoma

BUTKUS AWARD

First presented in 1985 to honor the nation’s best collegiate linebacker by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Fla. The award is named after Dick Butkus, two-time consensus All-American at Illinois and sixtime all-pro linebacker with the Chicago Bears.

2001 Rocky Calmus, Oklahoma 2009 Rolando McClain, Alabama 2010 Von Miller, Texas A&M

JIM THORPE AWARD

First presented in 1986 to honor the nation’s best defensive back by the Jim Thorpe Athletic Club of Oklahoma City. The award is named after Jim Thorpe, Olympic champion, two-time consensus All-American halfback at Carlisle and professional football player.

2001 Roy Williams, Oklahoma

BRONKO NAGURSKI AWARD

First presented in 1993 to honor the nation’s top collegiate defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte (N.C.) Touchdown Club. The award is named after Bronko Nagurski, consensus All-America tackle and running back at Minnesota in 1929, and a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2001 Roy Williams, Oklahoma 2014 Scooby Wright III, Arizona 2017 Bradley Chubb, NC State

DAVE RIMINGTON TROPHY

First presented in 2000 to honor the best center in college football, it is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. The trophy, named after University of Nebraska center Dave Rimington (197982), it serves as a fundraiser for the Boomer Esiason Foundation’s fight against cystic fibrosis.

2018 Garrett Bradbury, NC State

CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD

Presented annually to the top defensive player in the nation, as voted on by the Maxwell Football Club. Voters for the Maxwell College Awards are NCAA Head College Football Coaches, members of the Maxwell Football Club & sportswriters and sportscasters from across the country. The award was first presented in 1995.

2014 Scooby Wright III, Arizona

ROTARY LOMBARDI AWARD

The Rotary Lombardi Award is hosted by the Rotary Club of Houston and benefits the American Cancer Society. The Award was initiated by the Rotary Club in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi to cancer. The Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.

2014 Scooby Wright III, Arizona

OUTLAND TROPHY

Honoring the outstanding interior lineman in the nation, first presented in 1946 by the Football Writers Association of America. The award is named for its benefactor, Dr. John H. Outland.

1984* Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech 1987 Chad Hennings, Air Force 2008 Andre Smith, Alabama

JOHNNY UNITAS GOLDEN ARM AWARD

First presented in 1987 to honor the nation’s top senior quarterback by the Kentucky Chapter of the NFF and College Football Hall of Fame. Each year, a committee composed of NFL executives, coaches, scouts, and media members selects the winner based on citizenship, scholarship, leadership and athletic accomplishments.

The award is named after Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas.

2003 Eli Manning, Ole Miss

JOHN MACKEY AWARD

First presented in 2000 and is awarded by Nassau County Sports Commission to honor the nation’s top tight end. The award is named after former Syracuse and NFL star John Mackey.

2008 Chase Coffman, Missouri

RAY GUY AWARD

First presented in 2000 by the Greater Augusta Sports Council to honor the nation’s top punter. The award is named after Ray Guy, a former All-American at Southern Miss and an all-pro for the Oakland Raiders.

2008 Matt Fodge, Oklahoma State 2009* Drew Butler, Georgia

LOU GROZA AWARD

Presented for the first time in 1992 to honor the nation’s top collegiate placekicker. Sponsored by the Palm Beach County Sports Authority in conjunction with the Orange Bowl Committee. The award is named after NFL Hall of Fame kicker Lou Groza.

1995 Michael Reeder, TCU 2003 Jonathan Nichols, Ole Miss

MOSI TATUPU AWARD

First presented in 1997 to the top special teams player in the Country by the Maui Touchdown Club through 2006.

The award is named after Mosi Tatupu, who played high school football in Honolulu and collegiate football at USC. He went on to a 14-year NFL playing career.

2000 J.T. Thatcher, Oklahoma

PAUL HORNUNG AWARD

Established in 2010, the Paul Hornung Award is presented annually by the Louisville Sports Commission to “recognize and reward versatile, highlevel performers in major college football.” The award is named after College and Professional Football Hall of Famer Paul Hornung, who is considered one of the most versatile players in football history.

2011 Brandon Boykin, Georgia

AFCA COACH OF THE YEAR

Selected by the American Football Coaches Association and the Football Writers Association of America.

1983* Ken Hatfield, Air Force 1985 Fisher DeBerry, Air Force 1999 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech 2000 Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 2013 David Cutliffe, Duke

BOBBY DODD COACH OF THE YEAR

Selected by the American Football Coaches Association and the Football Writers Association of America.

1983* Ken Hatfield, Air Force 1985 Fisher DeBerry, Air Force 1991 George Welsh, Virginia 1996* Bob Sutton, Army 2003 Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 2004 Paul Johnson, Navy 2008 Mack Brown, Texas 2013 David Cutcliffe, Duke 2014 Nick Saban, Alabama

EDDIE ROBINSON COACH OF THE YEAR

Selected by Football Writers Association of America.

Named in honor of legendary Grambling State head coach Eddie Robinson, who coached 408 career victories 1985 Fisher DeBerry, Air Force 1994 Rich Brooks, Oregon 1999 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech 2000 Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 2003 Nick Saban, LSU 2008 Nick Saban, Alabama 2011 Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State 2018 Bill Clark, UAB

HOME DEPOT COACH OF THE YEAR

Given annually to the top head football coach, as voted on by ESPN and ABC college football analysts.

1994 Rich Brooks, Oregon 1999 Frank Solich, Nebraska 2000 Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 2008 Nick Saban, Alabama

PAUL “BEAR” BRYANT COACH OF THE YEAR

The College Football Coach of the Year Award began in 1957 and was renamed for Coach Bryant in 1986, following his death of a heart attack in 1983. It has since benefited the American Heart Association. The award honors excellence in college football coaching, both on and off the field.

1994 Rich Brooks, Oregon 1999 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech 2000 Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 2003 Nick Saban, LSU 2005 Mack Brown, Texas 2011 Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State *Award was earned during season in which he played/ coached in the Independence Bowl List current following the 2022 season

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COMMUNITY SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP Each year since 2006, the Independence Bowl Foundation partners with the Willis-Knighton Health System to award a $2,500 scholarship to one Caddo Parish and one Bossier Parish graduating senior for his or her academic performance and commitment to our communities through service. The annual scholarship has provided a total of $90,000 in scholarships over the 18 years of the program. 2023 features the first recipient in the scholarship’s history from North Caddo Magnet High School.

ZACHARY CRYER

Benton High School Zachary Cryer, who is receiving the scholarship on behalf of Bossier Parish Schools, hails from Benton High School.

Zachary sports a 4.40 GPA in the classroom and has been amply recognized for his successes. He is the current valedictorian of the 2024 class at Benton High School. During his senior year, he was named an AP Scholar with Distinction and earned College Board National Recognition. Universities throughout the country have noticed, as he received merit packages from Arkansas, Ole Miss and Louisiana Tech and was accepted into the University of Arkansas Honors College.

ANALYCE JEANE

North Caddo Magnet High School Analyce Jeane, the representative of Caddo Parish, is a graduating from North Caddo Magnet High School. She is the first ever recipient from North Caddo.

Analyce excels in the classroom with a 4.87 GPA. Her success in school has earned her numerous academic honors and achievements. Jeane has been on the Principal’s List all four years at North Caddo Magnet and received the Million Word Award all four years. Among many awards and honors, she has been honored by the National Honor Society for the past three years and Phi Theta Kappa – BPCC for the past two years.

Outside of the classroom, Cryer has entrenched himself in many clubs and organizations. Throughout high school, he has been deeply involved and been a part of the leadership of Benton 4-H, Bossier Parish 4-H, Louisiana 4-H, Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, BHS Beta Club, R.A.K. Club and BHS Quiz Bowl – among many others. Cryer currently serves as the President of Benton 4-H, Louisiana 4-H and BHS Quiz Bowl. He has been in leadership positions for 11 organizations throughout high school. He was also a member of the basketball and track and field teams – being named to the Academic All-State basketball team in 10th grade.

Jeane has also been involved and a leader in multiple clubs and organizations outside the classroom. Through all four years of high school, she has been involved in the Interact Service Club, Student Government, Yearbook and Class Officer – rising to leadership positions in all four organizations. She is currently the Vice President of the Interact Service Club and Treasurer in Class Officer. She is also currently the President of the Bridge to Success Internship Program. Other clubs and organizations that Jeane has participated in are the P7 Christian Program, Beta Service Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Environmental Club and the Geaux 4 Kids Project.

Zachary also has a strong track record of serving his community – racking up over 500 hours of community service. He spent hundreds of hours volunteering at Kingston Elementary – assisting with the Book Fair, working in the library, volunteering at the Fall Festival and reading stories to elementary school kids. He also volunteered hundreds more hours with Louisiana 4-H JLC, LOST Camp, Red River Revel, Mudbug Madness, Geaux 4 Kids and many others.

Analyce truly understands the value of giving back to her community, as she has served over 500 hours of community service in the past two years. She has served 160 for the Cupcakes for a Cure Breast Cancer Fundraising Campaign at the North Caddo Medical Center.

Among many other initiatives Jeane assisted with, she also founded the Bridge to Success Internship Program, which is a program to offer students at North Caddo an opportunity to explore career options in our community.

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