How tight end Jayden York worked his way from Texas Tech football walk-on to shining moment
Jayden York's first touchdown as a Texas Tech football player came Saturday in the season opener at Wyoming. It was four years, and one might say 40 pounds, in the making; a success story for the Red Raiders' walk-on development program.
Less than six minutes into the game, quarterback Tyler Shough lofted a 19-yard pass that York went up and caught over tight coverage along the end-zone sideline. In a 35-33 double-overtime loss, it was one of the Red Raiders' bright spots.
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson saw it coming.
"He's been balling all camp. He's been balling since January," the Red Raiders' safety said. "I'd been telling him all week, 'Man, you're going to score a touchdown, and I'm going to run down there.' I couldn't because I had to get ready for kickoff.
"I was real excited. I've been telling him that moment's going to come, and when it comes, show out."
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York's a 6-foot-4, 250-pound junior from Austin Bowie who entered the program in 2020. He had credentials as an all-District 25-6A tight end and defensive end, but he weighed a little less than 210 pounds.
"I guess being undersized, people looked past me a little bit," York said earlier this year, "but I can play football, as you can see."
As a high-school senior, York caught 32 passes for 655 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was considering junior colleges and drew recruiting interest from UT-San Antonio and Oklahoma State. Then Luke Wells, coaching the Texas Tech tight ends at the time, offered York a preferred walk-on slot.
"I said, 'Shoot, that sounds like my best bet right now,' " York said. "I took it and been moving forward ever since. Haven't looked back."
Not that York needed much persuasion to leave Austin for Lubbock. His high school's colors matched those of the Red Raiders. He said he'd long wanted to go to Tech anyway.
"I liked Tech," he said. "I've never been a UT fan. I've never been a UT fan or a Cowboys fan, awkwardly or surprisingly. I just always wanted to be Tech."
As is the case with most walk-ons, York started at the bottom. And he's not been handed playing time in a crowded room of tight ends with Baylor Cupp, Mason Tharp and Henry Teeter. He made a breakthrough last year, playing in all 13 games on special teams and getting some chances at tight end against Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi, all Red Raiders victories.
"It's just great," he said. "All glory to God. I can't be any more grateful. This past off-season, I feel like I had a really good off-season. I ran hard, lifted hard and it's just translating to the field.
"(I'm) watching more tape. Football's just more easy now, because you're bigger, faster, stronger and second season in an offense. That slows down the game and makes everything more easy."
The touchdown was York's first career reception. Later, he had another catch.
"He's a tremendous kid, man," Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley said. "He works really, really hard, so all the work he's put in put him into that moment."
Wyoming safety Wyett Ekeler had sticky coverage on the Shough-to-York touchdown, including a hand on the receiver's facemask.
"As far as the play call goes," Kittley said, "I'll be honest: We hadn't thrown him the ball all week on that. Tyler felt like he liked his matchup one-on-one, put up a really good ball, a catchable ball and what an unbelievable play by Jayden to go get that ball, so fired up for him."
College football
Who: Texas Tech vs. Oregon
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Jones AT&T Stadium
TV: FOX
Records: Oregon 1-0, Texas Tech 0-1
Rankings (AP/USA TODAY Coaches Poll): Oregon 13/13; Texas Tech receiving votes/receiving votes
Last game: Oregon 81, Portland State 7; Wyoming 35, Texas Tech 33 (2OT)
Last meeting: Oregon 16, Texas Tech 13 in 1992 at Eugene, Oregon
Line: Oregon by 6 1/2
Game guarantee: Texas Tech to pay Oregon $400,000 by March 1. Contract signed in June 2016.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: How tight end Jayden York worked his way from Texas Tech football walk-on to shining moment
