Receiver Nehemiah Martinez, tackle Monroe Mills to leave Texas Tech football team
Seven players on the Texas Tech football team have or will have their names entered into the NCAA transfer portal, the latest coming late Friday and Saturday with announcements by receiver-running back Nehemiah Martinez and offensive tackle Monroe Mills.
Mills started every game for which he was healthy the past two years, making 10 starts at right tackle in 2022 and 12 starts at left tackle this season. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound lineman from Columbia (Mo.) has two seasons of eligibility left, one being the Covid-bonus year option.
Mills earned a degree from Tech in August, so as a second-time transfer he can play immediately at another school. He transferred to Tech after spending his first two seasons at Oklahoma State.
His departure is the third off the offensive line by players with eligibility remaining, following Landon Peterson, who started eight games in 2022, and Matt Keeler, who started two games in 2022.
The transfer portal opens on Monday for a 45-day period for players who have not graduated. Players who have earned degrees can have their names placed into the portal at any time.
Late Friday, Martinez indicated he plans to leave the program. The former New Deal and Lubbock-Cooper standout played a significant role for the Red Raiders in 2022, catching 32 passes for 394 yards and two touchdowns. He caught passes of 5 and 21 yards on the game-winning drive in Tech's 14-10 victory at Iowa State.
Martinez fell out of the mix this season, however, beginning when he missed virtually all of preseason practice because of facial injuries he suffered in an altercation with a teammate. He caught only two passes for 32 yards and carried the ball 13 times for 68 yards.
Tech used Martinez at both inside receiver and running back. He rushed for 2,004 yards in a single season at New Deal and set a Lubbock-Cooper single-season record with 1,820 all-purpose yards.
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This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Nehemiah Martinez, Monroe Mills to transfer off Texas Tech football team
