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Texas Tech football's Tahj Brooks goes back years with his new Bengals position coach
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- Texas Tech football's Tahj Brooks goes back years with his new Bengals position coach
One of the forgotten elements of Tahj Brooks' football journey is the fact he was committed to Tulsa for a nine-month stretch from 2018 into 2019. The running backs coach for the Golden Hurricane then is the running backs coach for the Cincinnati Bengals now.
Justin Hill finally got his man.
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Brooks switched his pledge in June 2019, became a prolific rusher for the Texas Tech football team and the Bengals chose him Saturday in the sixth round of the NFL draft .
"Me and the running backs coach know (each other) very well," Brooks said on a conference call. "He was a guy that recruited me in college, and I'm glad I got to be back with him."
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Over the past five years, Brooks ran for 4,557 yards and 45 touchdowns. The Manor High School graduate was committed to Tulsa from August 2018 to May 2019.
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Hill, a Mesquite native who played at Rice, coached the Tulsa running backs from 2015-20 and has been the Bengals' running-backs coach since 2021.
"It's crazy," Brooks said. "My freshman year of high school, I committed to him and, man, it was a great, long relationship. And then I feel like it wasn't in my best (interest), just because of the school, so I decided to go Power 5, which I committed to Texas Tech. Then after Texas Tech, I did my (career) there and then, shoot, we rekindled.
"I feel like the relationship goes a long way. He's a great guy. He's an honest guy. He's going to tell you straightforward, and he's going to coach you hard, so that's the qualities I look for in a coach."
Sep 7, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders running back Tahj Brooks looks on during a game against the Washington State Cougars in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Washington State Cougars won 37-16. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
Brooks was a two-time semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award that goes annually to college football's top running back; a two-time semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award that goes to the top Division I player from a Texas high school or university; and twice All-Big 12.
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If he needs any motivation, 18 running backs were drafted ahead of him, including six from the Big 12.
"I feel like I'm an all-around back," Brooks told Bengals media. "I'm very versatile. I can catch the ball out of the backfield, I'm very explosive in the run game and I have very violent hands in pass pro (protection). That's something you see on my tape a lot, and I'm very blessed to be about that."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football's Tahj Brooks reconnecting with his Bengals coach
