Caleb Rogers had plenty of opportunities to leave the Texas Tech football team, and few would’ve blamed him if he did.
A member of Matt Wells’ 2020 recruiting class, Rogers and his roommate of five years, running back Tahj Brooks, are the only remaining members of the class still in a Red Raiders uniform among the scholarship signees. A few walk-ons, such as Trent Low and Joseph Plunk, also remain. But of the 16 players that Wells and co. signed, Rogers and Brooks are all that’s left.
Everybody else has either transferred elsewhere — in some cases, multiple elsewheres — or begun their professional careers. Rogers knows where every one of them is, like Kobee Minor, who’s wrapping up his career at Memphis. Myles Price being part of the resurgence at Indiana. Ja’lynn Polk, who turned a stellar move to Washington into being a second-round NFL Draft pick this past April. Jon-Jon Davis medically retired from playing and is ascending up the coaching ranks.
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Rogers said Tuesday the 2020 recruits all keep in touch through group text. They call their collective “The Family” and try to get together around New Year’s to reconnect.
“Every last one of us changed so much when we got here,” Rogers said. “We all lived over in the Overton villages together. We were all together all the time. It was incredible, and that we all have love for each other and we all support each other to this day.”
For Rogers, seeing the majority of his recruiting class depart made sense. They all signed under Wells and some didn’t want to make the transition to Joey McGuire as the new head coach. Rogers considered joining them in the transfer portal, but looked at the big picture instead.
“I made a 50-year decision instead of a five-year decision,” Rogers said, later adding, “My goal when I can here was to leave knowing that I left a big impact, and I felt like I still had a little bit left to do here.”
Rogers said he wants to eventually succeed McGuire as Texas Tech’s head coach, using the knowledge McGuire has instilled in him to do so. That’s a process that will come after what Rogers hopes is a lengthy stay in the NFL himself, and staying connected with the same university and support system went a long way in that decision.
It’s something Jalin Conyers and CJ Baskerville have come to realize in their time in Lubbock. Conyers wanted to be a Red Raider from Day 1, but circumstances led him to Oklahoma, then Arizona State before finally returning home.
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“I’ll probably always, honestly, I wish I came to Tech first,” Conyers said. He added that being at OU and Arizona State gave him a sense of what being a leader is all about. Arriving earlier this year, Conyers realized he wasn’t the leader he thought he was at Arizona State, an experience he felt he needed to have.
“I learned a lot of valuable lessons,” Conyers said, “and I’m thankful that i got to spend my last year here, because it honestly has been the most enjoyable.”
Like Conyers, Baskerville returned to his home state to conclude his college career. The Dallas-area native called his overall experience at Texas Tech transformational.
Rogers, Conyers and Baskerville will be among the group of Red Raiders honored for Senior Day before Saturday’s regular-season finale against West Virginia. Each said their emotions are already starting to hit. While they all had different experiences and timeframes in Lubbock, the trio all agreed they made the right decisions to wind up at Texas Tech.
“I know I was only here for two years, but Texas Tech changed my life,” Baskerville said. “Texas Tech allowed me to come back home and play in front of friends and family, which I’ve always dreamed of doing, and I’ve met the best people here, people that I’ll cherish forever in my life.
“Every morning I wake up, I think about how it’s gonna be my last time playing in the Jones (AT&T Stadium), I get a little emotional. And on Saturday, I’m definitely going to feel some type of way about it, but I’m definitely going to put it out on the field of how important and how passionate I feel about this place.”
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