Texas Tech football ‘could have been more locked in’ going into CFP matchup
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Forgive Romello Height for being a bit emotional at the end of his college career.
The well-traveled defensive end has, in his own words, "been through hell" to get to where he is today. Height's gone from school to school, locker room to locker room trying to find his football haven. Height found that with the Texas Tech football team, putting together a career year that extended into the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Oregon .
Height and the Red Raider defense did their job, at least as well as they could. After Oregon wasted little time pushing the ball upfield on its opening drive, the Ducks needed a strip-sack of Behren Morton inside the Tech 10-yard line to score their only real touchdown of the game.
Jordan Davison got his second rushing score with 16 seconds left, mainly because the Ducks had nowhere else to go but in the end zone, making it a 23-0 final score.
It wasn't just Height's final game of the season, which saw him finish with a career-high 10 sacks. It was the finality of a career that left Height "speechless" about it all.
"It's been a long ride," Height said. "Feel like we had a great season. All I could do is keep my head up and continue to work. Same with other guys."
Texas Tech (12-2) never envisioned its season ending in shutout fashion, mainly because it hasn't been close to a possibility all year. After earning all 12 wins by at least 20 points, the Red Raiders got to feel what they had made opponents feel throughout the season: helpless.
"It kind of hurt more on the way things went today," Height said. "It could have went so much better, but it is what it is. Oregon came out ready to play and got a good dub. Great team. Wish them the best."
Emotions in the Texas Tech locker room were mixed. For each puffy face from tears, there was another congratulating teammates on what was a historic season.
"It was a great season, obviously," David Bailey said. "Kind of expected a different outcome, especially with the talent we had. We wish we could go a little bit further. Disappointing overall."
Teammates aren't going to throw each other under the bus, even with emotions running hot after a dispiriting loss. But Height said the team could have been better prepared for the game.
"Just everybody being locked in," Height said when asked what more Texas Tech could have done in the game. "That's all I can say. I think it could have been more people locked in. Not gonna speak on who could have been locked in, but I feel like a lot of us could have been more locked in."
Height and Bailey made up the most feared pass-rushing duo in the country. Each came from a different coast to converge in Lubbock, lifting the Red Raiders to levels not seen before.
Bailey had another great game to cement his stock as a bona fide first-round NFL Draft pick this spring. He finished with nine tackles, a sack, two tackles for a loss, two pass breakups, and one last thought, wondering what could have been.
"I was expecting a victory," Bailey said, "so yeah, it just kind of sucks regardless."
The end doesn't put a damper on anything Height experienced in his time at Texas Tech. It was coming at some point; he just hoped it wouldn't be against the Ducks.
"It's been a great season playing with these guys," Height said, "and I'm gonna miss them. I'm gonna miss Red Raider Nation."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football licking wounds after humbling CFP loss to Oregon
