"It's the house that everybody built": Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks 'blessed' to hold second football camp at former high school

Modified Jun 17, 2024 14:56 GMT

Tahj Brooks, a standout running back for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, hosted his second football camp on Saturday at Manor High School in Texas. During his playing years at Manor, he ran for more than 4,400 yards and scored 65 touchdowns.

Reflecting on the opportunity to host his own camp and hold it inside Manor's new practice facility, Tahj Brooks expressed gratitude:

"It's the house that everybody built. Me, Prinsley, Tyler Guy, and the upcoming guys in Manor. They built them. So it's a blessing," he said in an interview with KXAN News.

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As a starter on the Red Raiders' roster, Brooks has been their leading rusher for the last three years with the completion of 691 yards in 2022 and 568 yards in 2021. Last year, he tallied 1,443 rushing yards—the fourth-highest among FBS players—and was named to the first team All-Big 12. He was also a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award.

Tahj Brooks on committing to another season with Texas Tech

Amid rumors that Brooks was entering the 2024 NFL draft, he announced on December 11 his decision to return to Texas Tech and use his final year of eligibility.

This was influenced by feedback from NFL development staff, along with his desire to improve his draft prospects. He said:

"I feel like I could have done better. I feel like I could have put more film on the tape." He added, "Things I've been working on this summer is just my speed and things, just working on that, getting that right. And then really just looking in next year and just having a possible chance to go higher than I did last year."

He also felt compelled to stay another year due to his captaincy and the bond built with the team.

“I felt like I had another year in me, especially with this team,” Brooks told Rivals.com. "This group of guys, me being a captain and all, just taking on that role."

Success this season will depend on the synergy between him, the offensive line, and head coach Joey McGuire.

“We just clicked ever since,” Brooks said of McGuire. “He’s a great guy, great coach, great leader.”

His total rushing yards for the 2023 season placed him sixth in Texas Tech's single-season records. Despite facing defenses geared to stop him, Brooks excelled and led all FBS players with 91 forced missed tackles as he ranked third among Power 5 players with 919 yards after contact.