Texas Tech football staff plans to hold Jacob Rodriguez to 4-game redshirt limit
Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire loved seeing linebacker Jacob Rodriguez back in the lineup last week for the first time in eight games.
He doesn't want Rodriguez to lose a year of eligibility, however, for a season mostly lost to injury. McGuire said Monday he plans to redshirt Rodriguez by playing him in no more than two of the Red Raiders' remaining three regular-season games. The intent now is for Rodriguez to play this week at Kansas and next week against Central Florida and sit out the Nov. 24 regular-season finale at Texas.
"We want to make sure that we can protect that redshirt if that's where we're going with it," McGuire said. "I don't want to put the kid in a bad situation that you don't play enough games to where it's not worth giving up a full year."
That would maintain his junior-year status for next season.
Rodriguez, for whom the Red Raiders had high hopes and expectations this year, suffered a foot injury in the season opener at Wyoming and missed the next seven games. Players who have not previously redshirted can do so by playing in no more than four regular-season games.
"Jacob and I have had great discussions," McGuire said. "We feel we're going to go give it everything we've got against Kansas, and then we'll sit down every week and discuss where we're at."
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Rodriguez was credited with six tackles in Tech's 35-28 victory Thursday against TCU.
McGuire said his staff also is considering the possibility of pursuing a medical hardship waiver for Blake Burris, a rotation defensive tackle who played in three games before he suffered a knee injury. Burris's initial projected recovery period was at least six weeks.
"How aggressive can we be in his rehab?" McGuire said. "If we have setbacks in his rehab, then we try to medical him."
McGuire also confirmed an array of true freshman linebackers will continue to pass the baton in getting some experience while each maintain redshirt status. McGuire said Mike Dingle won't play again this season. Dingle is at the four-game limit and has had issues with a surgically repaired shoulder.
John Curry will play in his fourth game this week at Kansas and then be shut down, McGuire said. Then the Red Raiders will use Justin Horne and Marcus Ramon-Edwards, neither of whom have played yet, in the last couple of weeks.
College football
Who: Texas Tech at Kansas
When: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium
Records: Texas Tech 4-5, 3-3 in the Big 12; Kansas 7-2, 4-2
Rankings (AP/USA TODAY AFCA coaches poll): Texas Tech unranked; Kansas 19/18
TV: Fox Sports 1
Line: Kansas by 3 1/2. Over-under: 61 points.
Last game: Texas Tech 35, TCU 28; Kansas 28, Iowa State 21
Last meeting: Texas Tech 43, Kansas 28 last year in Lubbock.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football staff plans to redshirt Jacob Rodriguez
