While there were probably a handful of guys you could hand this out to, this one felt like a no-brainer for me. Tahj Brooks has far and away been the most consistent player thus far for the Tech offense, and possibly the entire team. WVU was a good primer performance for what I expect out of him, and the Houston outing was no different.

Brooks had 21 carries for 101 yards and 2 TDs on the day against the Cougars, giving him an average of almost 5 yards per carry. This now marks his 3rd game in a row with over 100 yards rushing, something that should be a welcoming site for Tech fans. While SaRodrick Thompson was definitely a good back in his own right, I believe Brooks is the first bell cow we’ve had since De’Andre Washington roamed the sidelines nearly a decade ago. What should have us even more excited with this, is that Baylor currently owns the worst rush defense in the Big 12. If he gets the touches that he should, the feast should march on for Mr. Brooks this week.

His running mate, Cam’Ron Valdez, also deserves some serious props for his performance. He finished with 111 yards on just 6 carries (!) and 1 TD of his own. Valdez started off somewhat slow from injury, but he has progressed really well as the change of pace back in the offense. If our offensive line continues to develop, and these two backs keep chugging the way they are, Tech could seriously hold the best running game in the conference. That also helps eleviate some pressure off of new starting signal caller Behren Morton, making his job just a little bit easier.

I’d look for Brooks, and Valdez, to keep continuing the load they’re carrying for this Tech offense. But, they HAVE to get the touches they need. If we continue pace at 5+ yards per carry this weekend, there’s no reason we should be getting away from it. Pound the rock and make the opposing defense earn a stop!