REVERSAL: Red Raiders are riding the BOOM & BUST rollercoaster through 2026 | Locked On Texas Tech

Added: 2026-05-13

[00:00:00]That's life.

[00:00:06]>> You are Locked on Texas Tech, your daily podcast on the Texas Tech Red Raiders, part of the Locked On podcast [music] network. Your team every day.

[00:00:16]>> Great to be with you again on Locked On Texas Tech on the Locked On Network.

[00:00:20]Your team every day, always free and available on YouTube or anywhere you get podcast. Thanks as always for making us your first listen with the only Chris Levelvel. I'm Casey Cowan and on today's episode, what a change in fortune. You know, when it was great, we told you savor the flavor because it ain't always like this. Not to doom and gloom, but we're talking about boy what we were thinking, the life we were living back December, back February, and how things have changed come April and May. Reminds me of a certain chairman of the board.

[00:00:52]We'll also talk about some of the reasons as to why maybe some of these fortunes have changed and fortune is the operative word. I want to talk about some of this week's latest commentary around the basketball portal market.

[00:01:03]Chris, and what we're seeing out there regarding the very top end roster cost and the biggest category of those who are competing near the top end and their roster cost. How many 20 $20 million rosters are there out there? Exactly.

[00:01:17]That number could surprise you. And of course, as we continue to look ahead to what exactly is going to be held in the future, I'm wondering if maybe when we're talking about all these dollars and very little sense, arguably at least, could we be reaching a tipping point of some kind? We'll get to that in just a minute. But Chris, you like me, I mean, walking on the clouds just weeks and months ago, there was a Big 12 championship game. There was a win over number one Arizona on the road. And now we're we're looking for a roster to be built and we're we're trying to get through a gambling investigation. Where did the time go?

[00:01:58]>> Yeah, it was uh it it wasn't too far back, boy, with things it was pretty good. Uh things were light life was good. Uh the sun was shining a bit brighter and um you know, your your favorite adult beverage tasted just a bit better. Uh all all the things. And then you look up and it's like, geez, man. Baseball just just like not good.

[00:02:21]Um, your basketball program kind of with this this depleted vacant roster right now and you're like, what what what's what's next? you know, like you feel a bit vulnerable. And now I'm I'm with this this Brendan Sorsby controversy and and the gambling saga that we are all enduring.

[00:02:43]I see Texas Tech's chances of of repeating, you know, dropping and all this confusion and questioning if this is a program that will be able to do any damage in the fall and you're just like looking up going, "What what happened?"

[00:02:55]Like it was just it was just like a few months ago and life was good.

[00:02:59]Um, >> we are Chris Tucker getting kicked by who knows who.

[00:03:04]>> I mean, where coming from?

[00:03:05]>> I I was thinking back to like uh think back to I don't know. Let's let's just go specifically like um right around like December the 20th, 21st, 22nd or whatever. You are Big 12 champs in football. You You are sitting at home, feet up. Your your players are home for Christmas. you're like, we are in good, you know, we got a Big 12 title. We've won 12 games. Um, you're about a week or so away from from playing Oregon in the Orange Bowl. Your basketball team has just beaten Duke at Madison Square Garden. Damn miracle. And you're like, man, look what we just did. We we've we've got this unicorn of a win that nobody else has uh on the season and we're kind of beat up and so it only will go up from here. And then you could even, you know, fast forward past the Orange Bowl and like go like, "Okay, we we we how are we going to do in the portal and you just you just crush it again and you you get the quarterback and you get the defensive lineman and you get all the things and then then you're you start rattling off a few basketball wins and and all the things and and then uh then then everything just kind of you go to Tempee and JT Toppin hurts his knee and um and then you know your quarterback gets uh gets tapped on the shoulder and is like, "Hey, we need to we need to talk." Uh and now all it's like what what is happening? And I guess, you know, then I I just threw in baseball because this used to be such a just used to be a staple around here. It was like a sure thing. It was a given.

[00:04:39]And now you're what 12th 13th place out of 14 teams and just, you know, about 500 on the year and and everything. So I mean, yeah, track West Kitley's programs are still doing great. Um, I think you're, you know, Greg Sans's golf program is still doing great. Um, softball is crushing it. U, they're, you know, one or two, you just had Niger Kennedy drafted. And again, it's not all bad. I'm just saying it's just funny how a few months removed from like skyhigh to like I don't know if I see a way out of this, you know? Uh, and it's just this is the this is the ride that we're all on, man. Uh, >> we're buried under the rubble, it feels like.

[00:05:17]>> Yes. Yes. Yes. Um, it's uh, yeah, it everything's going to be fine. I think everything is going to be okay. You're going to get a a basketball. I just had somebody, that's the reason I thought it was it was worthy of us like talking about this is like had somebody say to me in passing, man, I just felt like a few months ago like we were the, you know, top of the mountain and king of the world and now all of a sudden I feel like that everybody's just knocked us off and I don't see if there's a way uh, there's a path back up to the top. I'm like, "Hey, you know, relax. This is just a a blip and I just, you know, whatever." Um, >> well, I certainly feel that way from a football standpoint. The the PR, the bark is way worse than the bite, I feel like, with this thing.

[00:06:01]>> It just kind of sucks to endure. But when we're talking about this basketball portal process, that's just felt like [snorts] flailing in the wind. I I I'm beginning to really struggle to find some signs for optimism and I'm uh only really finding opportunities to say here or there. Boy, we were in pursuit, but then the eagle landing, the lion speaking, the squirrel having the acorn.

[00:06:25]Uh these are things that we're not necessarily seeing come to fruition, Chris. And I'm just kind of staggered also. I know this is part of it, not an excuse, but it's part of it. I think staggered by some of what we're hearing most recently regarding the dollars that are being thrown around. I I heard I think it was on the field of 68 they were talking about the top roster pushing 30 million. They're talking about how many 20 uh million dollar rosters could there be in college basketball. They threw out I think 20 to 25 which is just kind of stunning to me.

[00:06:55]I mean you and I were covering some of these numbers over the last weeks and months and uh oh could it be 10 or 15?

[00:07:01]Could we get into 20? Could we be touching 25? And it seems like every time we check back in, it's like, well, the new reality is now $50 million. You know, it's like the price is, right?

[00:07:11]Just keeps going up and up and up.

[00:07:17]Yeah. And that that was uh there's several points to make uh from from some of that commentary because that's that's been, you know, re retweeted or re-reported and everybody's kind of weighing in on on some of this commentary. That was I think Sean Miller uh Sean Miller that was uh basically the guest and he was asked about this and I'm sure he's got one of those 20 to$25 million rosters and I think something that would support that is I I think I saw a friend for Schill uh who who does a lot of Big 12 stuff say something the effect about this is this is involves Luke Bombboy a little But like when David Punch left TCU and I don't know what friend for Schill knows or what he's suggesting here, but basically he says for what David Punch was asking TCU to pay him and what Texas ended up paying him, TCU got like four guys for that. Okay. So I'm I'm assuming that David Punch cashed in and he it's a really good player. I wish he was playing for Texas Tech. I'll be honest with you. I don't know what the cost was or whatever. I I I will say too, I I certainly hope that we find out about these $20 million or 20 plus million dollar rosters and that people get it's associated with their program every step of the way like it has been with Texas Tech and Niger Kennedy or what you spent on basketball or what you did with football. It just seems like Texas Tech is like the only one uh pulling out their wallet and everything. But cuz I I I'll be honest.

[00:08:53]I don't think your basketball program this particular cycle is going to come get close to 20 million. I mean, I I don't know that, but I I don't think you're in that you're in that ballpark. Um I don't know why. I don't know if if you're prepared to or want to or you're certainly not there. I mean, you just don't have enough people right now to add up to that. Um, so anyway, um, >> I don't know about the $20 million number, but it seemed like the from a financial standpoint, the will or >> sure >> resource has been there in some of these pursuits.

[00:09:31]>> I think it's probably fair to suggest and we may not be 100% right and we may not ultimately know the answer to that yet. I think that if you would have told me you were willing to be in the 10 to 15 million range for your roster, which was similar to last year, I think.

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[00:10:26]>> It just seems like the price of poker has gone way up um >> by the hour almost. And I would ask this aloud and we may not find out until halfway through next year or whatever.

[00:10:41]And it doesn't do Texas Tech any good right now or or any program that like what LSU's got like one player on the roster. Um I'm trying to think of some some of the other programs that still have plenty of work left to do.

[00:10:56]I do wonder because I've seen this speculated about too is that I do wonder if because like the the the house settlement number is like because that some of the reporting that on the the these these large payrolls is like the whole house settlement I is is 20 million for the whole department and you're telling me that now that's what one basketball team costs and then I've seen these anonymous GMs say salary cap is just a nuisance to us or we don't really have one that's it doesn't exist.

[00:11:27]Okay. So, so all all of that being said, I do wonder aloud if everybody will get what they're being promised.

[00:11:37]>> Sure.

[00:11:38]>> And I think that is a very very valid question. Now, does that help Texas Tech or anybody with work left to do at this very minute? No, it doesn't. But I just wonder with all these giant dollar figures that are out there that are proposed or promised, is all that going to be legal, is every every dollar going to be accounted for? And is every athlete that was like signed on and was expecting this, is that what they're going to get? I don't know. Um again, it doesn't >> The odds would tell you no. I think >> I think the odds are pretty high there that that that's a question worth asking. That's right. Yeah, I agree. Um but yeah, you you still have some work to do and I just Yeah, I I don't the basketball thing I just think is kind of um caught a lot offguard. Um and I I just think some programs aren't I mean because if I'm just going to tell you right now, if you are if if you are sitting here and you're like why aren't we in the $20 million range or why aren't we doing that? I mean, if push comes to shove on this campus in this particular situation, football is going to win out. I do think there are funds allocated to basketball.

[00:12:55]They feel like that that is, you know, the the the second most important, you know, front porch of the university right now in this big picture plan that they've got. But I don't know if anybody is prepared to like go, "Yeah, we'll fund it for this much more." kind of right right you know like that those that there's just too many folks that I think are going to point those funds to to football again there is money for basketball uh I believe um and obviously there is for softball but like you can get you can get a lot done for a little bit in softball okay you can move the needle like you can turn that that battleship quick uh with with uh half a point guard um you know in in the men's basketball like pay scale it seems hike or whatever. But who knows what's real and what's not though about these payrolls, these asking prices, these none of it's officially reported. It just becomes fact when enough it gets passed around long enough and we keep seeing that yeah, Big Man cost three to four million, even very average ones or whatever and you're just like, God, that's crazy. I I'm I'm assuming that that there's some truth to that. It's been passed around long enough. And so I don't know, but uh tipping point maybe.

[00:14:11]>> Can I ask you about I'm glad you brought up the big man aspect because that seemed like um within this wild market, the wildest little corner of the market.

[00:14:19]Um and I it's kind of making me think just about maybe an inability to count on adding that type of player in the portal and prioritizing them elsewhere or trying to get them younger or so. I don't know.

[00:14:33]Maybe it seems like you can go find uh perimeter guys more favorably to your budget or I don't I hate to say even easier, but uh than the big men. So, if you're needing a big man, you better start looking to guys that you're going to uh develop from a a prep or high school kind of standpoint because that the big man aspect and everybody wants them. So, I get why they're at a premium, but to just think that you could compete in that area, portal in and portal out, I don't know, it kind of seems farfetched, I guess.

[00:15:01]And there's some recency bias there, but given this portal experience, Yeah, I think it's it's fair. Yeah. Um I just don't know. I don't know where um and and I I go back to like you've got a lot of work left to do and I go back to how are you going to get that done and where is it coming from? Like um because you you you know Cowen you you you just were talking about some size and the big men and all that stuff and like is it Europe? Is it draft combine dropout, if you will? Is it let's settle for guy that we kind of thought we could get somebody better and they're still in the portal. I mean, where does it come from? And then what what is that going to cost you? Um I I don't know, but I I just know that that Grant and company, they know that they've got holes to fill and they've got plenty of time to do that. But it it is and and I I wonder if we get any kind of curveball here or if anybody gets any kind of curveball in the coming weeks and months about first today's episode brought to you by Indeed. And hiring isn't just about finding somebody willing to take the job. It's about finding the right person with the right background who can actually make a hand in moving your business forward. And if you want candidates who match what you're looking for, Indeed sponsored jobs is the only move to make. Instead of hoping the right person stumbles across your post randomly, Indeed helps you match with quality candidates by boosting your job listing to the people who fit your specific criteria, whether it's a skill set, specific certifications, location, or more. And that saves massive time because you're spending less energy sorting through mismatches and focusing only on those candidates who are actually a fit. Here's proof in the pudding that says it all. In the minute I've been talking to you, companies just like yours have made 27 hires on Indeed, according to Indeed data worldwide. So, if you're hiring, spend less time searching and more time interviewing candidates who check all your boxes with Indeed sponsored jobs. And right now, Locked on Texas Tech listeners will get a $75 sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at indeed.com/mpodcast.

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[00:17:25]And I I wonder if we get any kind of curveball here or if anybody gets any kind of curveball in the coming weeks and months about, you know what, I'm not going to ultimately sign with the school. I'm out. like if if they'd been committed or or signed with whatever if if we get any sort of I I just and the reason I say that is because like it was he was a high school kid, but I mean that's how you ended up with Jaylen Petty.

[00:17:52]>> I just wonder if there's some sort of like huh didn't see that coming, you know, uh aspect out there because I I think that we're sitting here talking about like there's no real cap.

[00:18:05]Are there promises being made that won't be um you know won't come true you know that won't be kept and so why why would we think that a a contract or a buyout or whatever why would we think that would all hold up if if somebody wanted to go that route? I don't know. Um so it is uh it is interesting. It's just a different time that we're living in than than back to the original point than a few months ago or three or four months ago, whatever it was.

[00:18:37]>> Sure.

[00:18:37]>> It just it just feels uh it just feels a bit different. I I feel I feel a bit vulnerable like, you know, [laughter] please please don't hurt me. I'm I'm I'm like the wounded guy in the in the corner like, you know, I I'll fight you now, but just just kind of leave me be for a little bit. Let me uh let me heal up. Are we seeing any kind of tipping point, you think, to where a market could be um affected because of how wild it's gone during this cycle, or is this just continued ramp up?

[00:19:07]I >> mean, at some point, I I just don't know if the money is is always going to be there.

[00:19:14]>> It's hard to fathom that it would be.

[00:19:16]>> Yeah. I mean, I mean, I I just don't I mean, I think some people may I'm not saying that that's where Texas Tech is at. That's not far from what I'm suggesting right now as it relates to men's hoops, but um I just don't know if every school operating like this is sustainable, which we've kind of known this, but as the I mean because what I'm hearing with some of these football recruits and you know, you almost just kind of have to pick, okay, what what's most important?

[00:19:50]What's least important? what uh you know and then it then you start getting back to like okay we need need to be a little thrifty here we we only got we can only spend 800 grand on a player like yeah that's that's cheap well in this market I guess at some point that it kind of is but um >> well and this happening simultaneously uh to other conversations having to be had in some places where you're talking about we we got to get rid of the tennis program or whatever >> yeah which that's Arkansas and look Arkansas can afford to have tennis they just have chosen chosen not to.

[00:20:22]>> Well, I think a lot of people will be making these kind of choices because even if we're talking football and men's basketball, in most situations, there are only one of those that's even turning a profit. Much >> I I I would say this aloud. Um, see if you follow me here. I don't think Texas Tech has any intention of cutting any program. I really don't. I think that goes against everything that Cody has been about and all that stuff. But I bet if I asked the majority of fans or or the fans that maybe listen to us or watch us or fans of men's basketball, let's just keep that specific or football. Hey, if we if we did away with this program or that program and we were allowed to to kind of funnel that to to this and then get get more involved and maybe have the What do you think most would say?

[00:21:17]>> Yes. cut them. See you.

[00:21:20]>> I think you're right.

[00:21:22]>> I've suggested many times uh to all those student athletes of yester year that were uh demanding fair quote unquote treatment um you don't know what kind of protective cocoon you're in right now on that Stanford rowing team uh funded by the football program as an example. And if you really want to get out into quote unquote fair treatment, you may just be talking about real life and who's turning a profit and who gets to stay around or who doesn't. Um, they're still in a certain category of cocoon protection. We will protect you.

[00:21:54]Quidditch team, underwater basket weaving team if we want to, but if we don't, see you later. And you know, >> I remember I remember uh driving by or whatever uh over by Tech Terrace one time and I saw I didn't know what that was and I saw these people running around and there were brooms and like I guess a cape and stuff and I'm like what in the hell is going on? Like they're chasing after each other, hiding behind trees and somebody was like they're playing Quidditch. I'm like, "Excuse me, did you sneeze?" Like, "What the hell is that?" Like, "I have no idea what what that is." And then at that point, I'm like, "I was the idiot." And I'm like, "Yeah, you know, you don't know what that is, you you [ __ ] That's because that's Harry Potter stuff, right? I believe um or whatever. I don't know.

[00:22:43]See, I I may have even gotten that wrong." But anyways, I I tried to like like wipe that whole thing from my brain because I was like, I don't know what I'm witnessing here. But uh good for you on the Quidditch drop right there that uh reminiscing about one Sunday afternoon in old Tech Terrace Park over there uh over by uh by campus.

[00:23:01]>> Uh one of the most humiliating moments in the history of the university just this side of my own admission. I think we have cut that program hopefully. So just as an example of one that could be on the list. All right, Chris, appreciate the opportunity to catch up on Quidditch and other matters and we'll be doing so again before we wrap up the week. So looking forward to that and we'll see you for the next one.

[00:23:20]>> All right. Well, hey, we we'll keep hope alive. Uh things are going to trend upward. We're we're going to, you know, yeah, we're a wounded animal a little bit right here in the corner, man. But we're gonna come out swinging. So, just uh just be ready for it.

[00:23:33]>> Get get subscribed on YouTube.

[00:23:35]>> I might hit you with a broom. [laughter] You know, I might quit at you to death if you can even do that. Yeah.

[00:23:40]>> So, you never miss a thing. Thank you to the Everydayers for always riding along.

[00:23:43]If that's you, check out the newly launched Everydayer Club. Five bucks a month. Get you ad free audio episodes, exclusive access to the locked on network Discord, and more. It's linked in our show notes. You can also find a link there to a free 14-day trial to check out the Matador Mob, your direct line to Chris and myself with one-on-one text and straight to your phone. For Chris, I'm Casey. Thanks as always for the time. And we hope to see you back for the next round on Locked on Texas Tech.