Merriweather under microscope as Brooks’ successor at MLB

Krishon Merriweather didn’t really want jersey No. 1, but the Texas Tech equipment staff gave it to him anyway. He prefers No. 17 for his Dec. 17 birthday.

But suiting up in No. 1 is just part of the reason many eyes will be trained on the Texas Tech newcomer this football season. People also will be paying close attention to Merriweather because he’s starting at middle linebacker, taking over for first-round draft choice Jordyn Brooks and led the NJCAA in tackles last year.

The fact that he’s the successor to Brooks and wearing the same number as last year’s Butkus Award finalist puts him squarely in the spotlight.

“It makes me want to play harder,” Merriweather said Tuesday, “because he set the standard.”

Tech opens the season Saturday and the Red Raiders are hoping linebacker play will be a strength, which is a refreshing development compared to the outlook a few months ago.

Brooks was a senior last season, so the Red Raiders knew they’d be losing him. But then Evan Rambo retired before spring football because of knee injuries and Xavier Benson decided in the summer to step away from football to address his mental health.

But the Red Raiders have rebuilt the linebacker corps around returning tackles leader Riko Jeffers. Merriweather and Michigan State graduate transfer Brandon Bouyer-Randle arrived in January, and Arizona graduate transfer Colin Schooler came aboard just last week.

Merriweather has had the benefit of being the first-string middle linebacker since the beginning of spring.

“I think you’ll be pleased with Krishon Merriweather, the physical presence that he brings to the middle of the defense,” defensive coordinator Keith Patterson said. “He seems like to me a little bit more athletic version of Riko Jeffers.”

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, spring football for the Red Raiders ended after four practices and all preseason workouts have been closed from start to finish.

The Red Raiders have done nothing football-related in public since last year’s season finale, so expectations about Merriweather are based mostly on his 153 tackles last year at Garden City (Kan.) Community College and word of mouth from his new teammates and coaches.

Asked how he racked up so many tackles last season, Merriweather said, “I would say playing with relentless effort. I want to make every play, every tackle. If I didn’t make it, the play’s not over yet.”

Asked about the praise he’s gotten for his quickness and athletic ability, Merriweather said, “I could say I’m very instinctive, but now, working with (strength and conditioning) coach (Dave) Scholz, I feel like he has gotten me faster from moving side to side and hip work and everything. So I feel like I’m a lot faster from what I have been.”

The 6-foot, 240-pound junior from Hazelwood (Mo.) West wanted to attend home-state Missouri out of high school. Failing to meet eligibility requirements, he went to Garden City instead.

He redshirted in 2018, made five tackles in three games in 2019 and then turned into a tackling machine last year. He took official visits to Marshall, Toledo, Oklahoma State and Tech and was known to have received scholarship offers from at least 14 schools, including Purdue and Arkansas.

While Brooks was racking up 108 tackles last season and 20 behind the line, he might also have been recruiting his replacement. Merriweather said he chose Tech because of the linebacker-friendly system.

“With the scheme, it lets me run fast, play hard,” he said. “The way the play is set up, it’s a linebacker-based defense.”

WATTS OPTS OUT

Dequanteous Watts, a redshirt freshman cornerback from Atlanta Jackson, announced Tuesday night he is opting out of this season, citing “circumstances of me recovering.” He said he will return in 2021.

Tech coach Matt Wells said four weeks ago Watts had returned home to Atlanta while recovering from the coronavirus.

CAPTAINS NAMED

Tech on Wednesday announced 10 players as captains, five on offense and five on defense. The captains from offense are quarterback Alan Bowman, running back SaRodorick Thompson, receiver Erik Ezukanma and linemen Jack Anderson and Dawson Deaton.

The captains from the defense are linemen Tony Bradford, Eli Howard and Jaylon Hutchings, linebacker Riko Jeffers and cornerback Zech McPhearson.

CONCESSIONS OPTION

Tech announced Wednesday that it will have mobile ordering for concessions available at Jones AT&T Stadium this season. Orders are to be picked up at designated locations as there is no delivery.

Fans may place orders at texastech.ordernext.com or by using the Texas Tech Red Raiders iOS or Android apps.

VIRTUAL KICKOFF

Texas Tech’s virtual kickoff event, a replacement for the annual Red Raider Club Kickoff Luncheon, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday.

Tech athletics director Kirby Hocutt, coach Matt Wells and several football players are on the program, as well as performances from Texas country music artists Cory Morrow and Pat Green.

The show will be available on TexasTech.TV and Tech’s Twitter and Facebook platforms.

College football

Who: Texas Tech vs. Houston Baptist

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Jones AT&T Stadium

Records: Houston Baptist 0-1 (5-7 in 2019); Texas Tech 0-0 (4-8 in 2019)

Rankings: Both teams unranked.

TV: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Line: Tech by 39 1/2