Bralyn Lux earns high praise in Texas Tech football's first practice of the 2023 season
Of all the returning talent at the Texas Tech football team's disposal in 2023, the first player Joey McGuire mentioned after the first practice of the season Friday was a newcomer.
Bralyn Lux, a transfer from Fresno State, made an immediate impact, McGuire said. It was just one session, but it was enough for the coach to gloat about the cornerback.
"He's special, I'm gonna tell ya," McGuire said inside the Sports Performance Center. "He had a great practice. Really proud of him."
Guess who's back: Bryce Ramirez to be 'full-go' when Texas Tech football opens practice Friday
Returning veterans such as Rayshad Williams — who made his return from offseason surgery for a sports hernia — and Malik Dunlap were penciled in as the starters on the outside of Tech's defense following spring ball. Lux committed to the team May 28, about a month after the spring game.
Since then, McGuire said he's heard Lance Barilow praise Lux's abilities. The head strength and conditioning coach may have been onto something.
"'Shad and Malik, they're gonna fight their butts off to keep that spot," McGuire said, "because, man, Braylon, he's played a lot of football."
It's not just coaches that are taking notice of the 5-foot-11 defensive back. Lux's teammates have already had glowing assessments of him.
"Just his physicality and the speed," Jaylon Hutchings said Friday. "He worked hard this offseason. Just him putting it on the field actually with a helmet on and getting back to it was really good to see."
More: 5 burning questions for Texas Tech football as preseason practice begins
The two players who Lux is competing against for a starting spot like what they've seen from him as well. Williams said Thursday Lux has come in "focused, locked in, so I'm excited for him. I definitely like his game."
"He's a real vet," Dunlap said Thursday during the team's local media day. "He helps me out. He'll be knowing certain stuff on the field, and we'll combine our technique. ... I feel like B-Lux is going to help us out this year playing in the nickel, in the slot. I feel like he's going to help us out a whole lot."
McGuire feels the same. Though the Red Raiders coach said the team has no starters right now — aside from quarterback Tyler Shough — he has an idea of how Lux could be used by defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter.
More: Texas Tech football sets Jones Stadium capacity for 2023, sells out of season tickets
"The great thing about him," McGuire said, "we tried a little bit last year, but we just didn't have the depth and the experience, but like to go to our dime personnel to, let's say we're moving CJ Baskerville inside to linebacker, now Lux can go to that nickel, now we have really six DBs.
"You start looking ahead at some really, really talented receiving cores that we're going to play, that gives us just another guy that can play coverage for Coach DeRuyter."
Other notables from Texas Tech football's first practice
... Less than a year after his gruesome leg injury, linebacker Bryce Ramirez made his return to the field for Tech. McGuire was ecstatic to announce Ramirez's full participation in the first practice Thursday. His teammates felt just as good for him Friday.
"It was amazing, you know," Hutchings said. "Just seeing his journey and how we worked himself back to being able to play again, and then he he got us hyped before practice, so, I mean, it was phenomenal."
... McGuire offered some clarity on linebacker Tyrique Matthews' injury status. He said Matthews is dealing with a calf strain and will probably be out another week. The team has a target date for Matthews' return in mind, but McGuire didn't disclose what it was.
The Avalanche-Journal's Don Williams contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Bralyn Lux earns high praise in Texas Tech football's first practice of the 2023 season
