Texas Tech investigated the possibility of an NCAA rules violation by one of its football players, and the NCAA on Thursday accepted the university’s finding that no rules were broken.

Tech did not release the player’s identity, but speculation centered on All-American receiver Mike Crabtree.

“It looks like Texas Tech did work with us,” NCAA spokesperson Chuck Wynne said. “Based on the information provided to us by Texas Tech, there doesn’t appear to be a violation.”

Tech officials would not specify what led to the investigation beyond calling it “a possible compliance issue.”

Wynne and Tech faculty athletic representative Robert Baker said the matter is considered closed, and Baker said the player in question is approved to play this season.

“That’s my understanding,” he said.

Tech hosts Eastern Washington at 6 p.m. Saturday in the season opener.

Crabtree caught 134 passes for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns – all NCAA freshman records – last season. He was working out with his team at Jones AT&T Stadium when Tech released a two-sentence statement acknowledging the matter.

“Papers weren’t stacked right. Now they are,” Tech coach Mike Leach said when asked about the subject after practice.

Crabtree was seen suited up, going to and leaving the team’s closed practice, with teammates Thursday and joked with a reporter as he exited the stadium on the way back to the locker room.

Leach said he had worked out with the first team.

“And has every day this week,” Leach added.

That was a clear indication that coaches had an assurance about Crabtree’s status. They rarely give game-preparation snaps to anyone not expected to play in the next game.

Baker said a question about a compliance issue regarding one football player came to Tech’s attention about 10 days to two weeks ago. Baker said Tech did an internal review and communicated to the Big 12 Conference and the NCAA its belief that there were no violations.

College football

• Who: Texas Tech vs. Eastern Washington

• When: 6 p.m. Saturday

• Where: Jones AT&T Stadium

• Records: Both teams 9-4 last season.

• Last game: Tech 31, Virginia 28 in Gator Bowl; Appalachian State 38, Eastern Washington 35 in Division I-AA playoff quarterfinals

• Last meeting: Never played

• TV: None

“The appropriate people at the NCAA agreed with what we presented to them,” Baker said.

“It was a very complicated issue,” he said. “It was just something that had to be cleared up. Once all the pieces were in place, it was much easier to deal with.”

AaRon Moore and Brent Nickerson had never given up on playing key roles at cornerback for Texas Tech this season. It’s a good thing, because one of them is likely to open the season as a starter.

Since L.A. Reed went down with an injury Tuesday in practice, Moore and Nickerson have alternated days as the first-teamer in Reed’s spot.

“We’re going to kind of go back and forth until probably the game – maybe even during the game to see who’s going to step up, make the most plays, know their assignment and be consistent,” Moore said Thursday.

Defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill says he feels comfortable with either, and cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell said he could wait until as late as Wednesday before deciding which player to start in the Aug. 30 opener against Eastern Washington.

“Both of them are smart,” McNeill said. “Both of them know the defense. LaRon can tackle well. Brent’s tackling a lot better this fall. I feel good about both of those guys.”

Reed hurt his right knee and right ankle, though he doesn’t appear to be down long-term. He was in an orthopedic walking boot on Thursday, but had nothing on the knee, so the ankle appears to be the more troublesome.

Neither of the potential replacements has extensive game experience, but Nickerson, a junior, is beginning his fourth year in the program and Moore, a sophomore, is beginning his third year.

Nickerson said now that a job is available, he feels the need to turn it up.

“You just really come out and try to bring something different than before to the table,” he said. “Right now, the coaches know what we can do. But you’ve got to come out and perform every day so they know that you’re at the top of your game and they can trust you to be in the game.”

Nickerson, at 6-foot and 195 pounds, is one of the team’s taller corners. Moore, who’s 5-9 and 200 – 10 or so pounds heavier than last season – is one of the most athletic.

The decision might well come down to who can demonstrate more playmaking ability, because Mitchell has long praised both for intelligence and knowledge of the system.

“Brent Nickerson’s a very smart and heady player, a good technician. He knows the scheme inside and out,” Mitchell said. “He’s a very good football player. LaRon Moore’s coming into his own. He’s a very bright kid, very intelligent kid, very athletic. He was a sprinter out of high school. He’s got some (physical) attributes that would make him a very good cornerback, as well as the mental aspect.”

Both players said they had been competing hard from the start. The job was wide open in the spring after two-year starter Chris Parker completed his eligibility. During spring workouts, Reed trained at safety, but two weeks before August camp coaches started to ponder moving him.

They made it official the night practices started, and Reed had been a first-team corner from then until he got hurt.

“My thought process really hasn’t changed that much: Just continue to work hard and better myself for the team,” Moore said. “Even when L.A. was in here, I was always ready to step in, because nothing was really written in stone that he was going to start, because we still needed to learn and see in those first games who was going to be able to pick it up. Now I just know that that opportunity’s there.”

Texas Tech inside receiver Blake Kelley guessed he signed his name more than a thousand times Thursday. If so, he missed a few people.

Tech officials estimated that at least 3,000 turned out for the team’s annual autograph night at Jones AT&T Stadium. The event started at 7 p.m., and lines remained for the team’s marquee attractions four hours later.

“I like it,” Kelley said. “It helps me get my mind off all the practicing and the hard stuff. Instead of being in meetings and stuff like that, I like to see all the people out here that are going to support us. I like that a lot.”

Tech coach Mike Leach, defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill, quarterback Graham Harrell and receiver Mike Crabtree were still signing at 11 p.m., and Tech spokesman Chris Cook said it appeared they had at least a half hour to go.

“Leach makes it a point to stay until the last autograph is signed,” Cook said. “He doesn’t cut the line. He doesn’t look for somebody to put in a cut-off point. He’ll stay out there until it’s done. This year, with the crowd being as big as it is, it’s even later.”

Tall and fast

One of the curiosities about Olympic track sensation Usain Bolt is his height, 6-foot-5, which is unusual for a sprinter. The Jamaican set world and Olympic records in Beijing, running the 100 meters in 9.69 seconds and the 200 meters in 19.30.

Maybe the fastest player on Tech’s team – certainly one of the fastest – is split end Rashad Hawk, who’s built along the same lines at 6-4 and 188.

“That dude is amazing,” Hawk said of Bolt. “He came out of nowhere. I’d never heard of him until the Olympics, and he tore everybody up. He’s amazing. He’s a beast. I’d love to meet him.”

Hawk finished third in the Class 4A state-meet 100 meters in high school and was timed this spring in under 4.3 seconds for the 40-yard dash.

Special teams coach Clay McGuire said he remains undecided on a starting kicker as candidates Donnie Carona and Cory Fowler take turns being more impressive.

“It’s pretty close,” McGuire said. “I need the head man’s (Mike Leach’s) advice on that.”

With the influx of talent that Texas Tech has gotten at defensive end, returning starters Brandon Williams and Jake Ratliff appear to be answering the challenge. If the season opener were today, they’d be starting, defensive line coach Charlie Sadler said Friday.

Sadler said there would “have to be a lot of progress made by others” to unseat one of the returning ends.

“The young guys and new guys have been a little slower picking up our schemes and stuff, but that’s to be expected,” Sadler said. “They’ve shown progress on a daily basis.”

Newcomers Brandon Sesay and McKinner Dixon have worked mostly with the third unit on base defense, but have seen first-team duty in substitution pass-rush packages. Williams and Daniel Howard have formed a solid 1-2 at right end, where Sandy Riley’s having a good camp, too.

Ratliff has had Brandon Sharpe and Sesay on his side.

Sadler said as early as today, he’s considering moving Riley to the left side because the right has been so strong.

“We have Brandon (Williams). We have Sandy. We have Daniel. We have McKinner. That’s too many guys that are being productive stacked at one position,” Sadler said. “So as early as tomorrow, I might go ahead and move Sandy over there to that left side.”

Among backups, Sadler said Riley and defensive tackle Richard Jones have done some of the best work.

Sadler said he’s been most proud of Williams and Ratliff for their willingness to help the newcomers make the transition.

As for their own games, Williams is expected to add another dimension to his game this season. He’s had 91/2 sacks the first two years when his pass-rushing prowess was his bread-and-butter.

“The biggest thing I’ve seen in him is it looks like he’s made progress on playing the run,” Sadler said. “He’s always been a very good pass rusher for us. Sometimes he’d do good last year playing run; sometimes he didn’t. I expect to see much more consistency from against the run than a year ago.”

Dixon continues to be bothered by knee soreness – he left Friday’s 11-on-11 team period midway through and went to the sideline to have his right knee iced.

Sadler said Dixon’s knowledge of the Tech defense from his previous year with the Red Raiders – 2005 – has been evident.

Sesay, on the other hand, lacks any such experience to draw on.

“Everything’s new for him,” Sadler said. “From day one to day 13 he’s made improvement each day, but he had a long ways to go when he came in. He’s going to need the full extent of this fall camp, and even when we start games he’s still going to be learning.”

Sounds of camp

After Brent Nickerson got beat deep by Mike Crabtree, cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell had this for Nickerson: “Grab him, trip him, bite him, something.”

After linebacker Julius Howard got into the right position to make another play, defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill pleasantly chimed in.

“Isn’t it easier when we work on it?,” McNeill said to Howard. “I don’t yell. I’m happy. My blood pressure’s down. I’m bragging on you. Good work, Julius.”

In brief

The team has changed its practice times for the next two days. The Raiders will work out at 1:30 p.m. today and at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Coaches planned to stop the nightly 8 p.m. team meetings after Friday, so the earlier practices will give players a longer time to themselves. … S Jordy Rowland got poked in the eye on a play in team period and didn’t finish the practice. … PK Cory Fowler had an off day in his competition with Donnie Carona. Fowler missed right from 38 yards in special-teams period and narrowly missed left on a 40-yarder at the end of practice. He did convert a 48-yarder.

Eric Morris handled the football 101 times in Texas Tech games last season, most often by catching a pass or returning a punt. Tech coach Mike Leach has come up with a new way to involve him this season.

Whether Leach’s latest dabbling stays in the playbook remains to be seen, but Morris has spent part of his training-camp workday this August lining up in the backfield, taking a direct snap from center and deciding whether to keep, hand off or even throw a pass.

“It’s something different that defenses have to respect when I’m back there,” said Morris, the Red Raiders’ starting inside receiver. “We did kind of a similar read play when I was in high school, so I’m kind of familiar with it, and coach Leach knew that when he called me this summer and kind of wanted to start running it.”

Tech coaches and teammates call the 5-foot-8, 169-pound Morris “Elf”, so when he lines up in the backfield the Raiders call it the Elf package.

Tech quarterback Graham Harrell is flanked on one side by a running back and on the other, a step or two closer to the line, by Morris. Morris can give to, say, Shannon Woods or Aaron Crawford crossing in front of him or, if he sees a lane for himself, keep it and go in the other direction.

It looks like the popular zone-read keeper that many teams run with their quarterback. Instead of reading a specific defensive player, however, Morris said his read is simply to look for open grass to run to.

“We worked on it this summer, kind of getting my eyes back to reading the defense and stuff like that,” Morris said. “I think we’ll be successful at it if we continue to execute and not mess up the snap.”

In addition to being able to hand off or keep, Morris has the option to dump a pass over the middle if the linebackers are coming up too close.

“We have three or four plays off of it,” he said.

Morris played quarterback his senior year at Shallowater High School, throwing for 22 touchdowns and running for 24 as he led the Mustangs to a 12-2 season and a state-semifinal berth.

Morris said plenty of those rushing touchdowns came on calls similar to what Tech is trying.

“We killed people with it (at Shallowater),” he said. “We ran that 15 times a game. It was a good play for us.”

In their training-camp experimentation, the Raiders also have tried another high school quarterback, Mike Crabtree, taking the direct snaps in the Elf formation. Morris has been the guy the majority of the time, however.

But who knows to what extent the Raiders will use it. The Raiders have worked on other unconventional formations and plays before that generated a buzz, but Leach never really embraced. Remember the Ninja formation?

Some Tech followers have a fondness for the lateral-to-a-receiver, receiver-throws-downfield call – especially since it paid off big in an upset of Texas in 2002. But the Raiders have rarely used that play since Mickey Peters completed his eligibility in 2003.

Leach mentioned the running that TCU’s quarterbacks do as a reason for the experiment. (Horned Frogs quarterback Jeff Ballard had nine carries for 66 yards in a 2006 game against Tech.)

By working on the Elf package for two weeks in open workouts, Leach has ensured only that opposing defensive coordinators now have something else for which to prepare.

“We’re just messing around with it,” Leach said. “I don’t know what we’ll do with it. We thought it was worth looking at. Don’t know if it’s worth keeping.”

A couple of rules changes in college football this season will make defenses pay for sloppy attention to fundamental tackling.

The 5-yard penalty for incidental facemask has been eliminated, so the only facemask penalties enforced will be 15-yarders.

An official attending Texas Tech’s practice on Thursday threw a flag when defensive end Brandon Sesay grabbed the facemask of quarterback Steven Sheffield. In a game, it would have been a 15-yard markoff.

Also this season, a personal foul will be called for a “horse-collar” tackle – when a defender grabs the inside back collar of the shoulder pads to bring down a ball carrier.

Tech defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill jumped all over linebacker Blake Collier a few days ago for just such a tackle, but McNeill said he’s not making a big to-do about the rules changes.

“I don’t want them to back off,” McNeill said Thursday. “I’ll correct them as we go, but I want them to be aggressive first.”

The Red Raiders have been one of the most penalized teams in college football the last several years.

McNeill’s hope is that the time he’s devoting to tackling drills will pay off.

“We tackle every day, and we tackle properly every day,” he said. “They’ve never tackled this much before. Now they’ve got to learn to transfer what we do pre-practice to the field. They’ll get it, but I’d rather be (flagged) now in practice than in a game.”

Howard continues rise

Sophomore Julius Howard has supplanted redshirt freshman Tyrone Sonier as the top backup to Bront Bird at strong-side linebacker, defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill said.

Howard’s No. 2 to Bird on the strong side and No. 3 to Marlon Williams and Blake Collier on the weak side.

McNeill said the way Howard is playing and his experience edge moved him ahead of Sonier.

Pressure cooker

Tech kickers Donnie Carona and Cory Fowler have lined up for a simulated game-ending field goal every day this week. On Thursday, for the first time, they both failed.

Carona’s try from 42 yards went off the right upright, and Fowler’s veered wide right.

That might not have been the worst part. As a consequence, all their teammates had to do extra running with Carona and Fowler made to stand in the middle of the flow while a hundred or so Red Raiders trotted past them, up and back, up and back.

Several teammates gave the kickers playful forearm shivers and shoulder shots as they passed by. Strength and conditioning coach Bennie Wylie offered good-natured heckling.

On the last pass, 6-foot-7, 370-pound lineman Jake Johnson collapsed himself on top of Carona, who’s 6-foot and 215.

A little motivation perhaps to concentrate better the next time.

Carona and Fowler did make all their field-goal tries during the special-teams period.

In brief

As he does at least once each preseason, Tech coach Mike Leach spent a lengthy stretch of time Thursday going over with his players the rules for overtime and strategies. … IR Eric Morris missed the week’s first four practices with a leg injury, but he came back and had a full workout. Among other things, Morris fielded punts and ran with the first offense during the 11-on-11 team period. … The scout offense, with the team’s youngest offensive linemen, has looked overmatched against the first-team defense in 11-on-11. Aaron Crawford, Shannon Woods and Baron Batch all were caught behind the line of scrimmage on four of the first six such plays Thursday. Later, QB Stefan Loucks did complete a pass apiece to SE Brik Brinker, TE Adrian Reese and FB Gerardo Acevedo. … Thursday was the team’s 11th workout. The Raiders have their first 14 without a day off. They drill again at 3:30 p.m. today and Saturday and at 8 p.m. Sunday before getting a day off Monday.

So Bunton and McBath know what Hines went through this off-season to make it back from knee surgery.

“He was in here,” Bunton said of Tech’s facilities, “as soon as it happened. He was rehabbing and working hard. He was really ready to try to get back. All he was talking about was being ready for this season.”

Tech’s 34-27 upset of then No. 3 Oklahoma last November was a high point of the Red Raiders’ 2007 season. It was a low for Hines, who exited in the first half with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

That was nine months ago, and the 6-foot-1, 217-pound senior is competing for a job again in the Red Raider secondary. He’s been lined up alongside Jordy Rowland as the second-team safeties since practice began.

“Starting off, I was really, really excited,” Hines said. “Especially when you have an injury and you have to come back from it, you really miss the game. When I first came back from it, I was very excited. It was a slow process, but I rehab, get better on my knee every day and make progress.”

Hines would like to have a memorable senior season, because something’s gone wrong for him each of the last two. The summer of 2006, he suffered an abdominal stab wound in an off-field incident. Though he returned to play in nine games that year, Hines made only two tackles and said he never felt fully recovered.

Last year’s ordeal seemed worse in a way, “because I felt like I was at my peak,” Hines said.

“I had cut back on some weight, I was as fast as I’ve ever been, so when I had that it was a pretty bad setback.”

Enter, all those other guys in the Tech secondary. They rode to a friend’s rescue.

“My roommates … I live with some of the best guys,” Hines said, naming McBath, Bunton and 2007 senior cornerback Chris Parker. “When that happened, I didn’t have to worry about anything. They made sure I was taken care of. I was sitting in bed most of the time with a brace on me. If I needed anything, they helped me up, they made sure I wasn’t too down, and they kept me company. I had a great support system.”

Hines said his initial prognosis called for a six- to eight-month recovery period, so he’s on schedule. He said he was cleared to do practically everything his teammates did during the last half of pre-camp summer workouts.

Nevertheless, the roomies say he deserves a pat on the back.

“It was tough for him mentally,” McBath said. “We tried to help him with a lot of physical stuff, and mentally we told him to keep his head up and keep working, because after the last few years he’s had, sometimes it can be hard on you. We tried to keep him upbeat, keep him not thinking about it, keep him busy and encourage him at all times.”

Now, the signs of what Hines went through aren’t so obvious.

There’s no brace on his repaired right knee to give it away, for instance.

“Started to,” Hines said, “but I went the whole summer without wearing a brace, so I said, Why bother?’ As far as being a skill-position (player), too, it kind of restricts you … your movement.”

Hiens said he’s still knocking off the rust, but he’s getting as many snaps in practice as any of the other safeties. That’s a good indication he’ll have a significant role again.

“He’s coming along, I think,” safeties coach Carlos Mainord said. “He’s getting a little quicker and a little better every day.”

Some might have expected a slam dunk for Donnie Carona in Texas Tech’s kicker competition since the Red Raiders signed him to a scholarship coming out of high school. Carona might very well prevail, but senior Cory Fowler isn’t just giving him the job.

Fowler, who has handled Tech’s onside kickoffs in the past, converted a 47-yard field goal in Wednesday night’s workout at the team’s grass practice fields and was good from 35 and 45 yards in Thursday’s practice inside Jones AT&T Stadium. He and Carona mostly matched each other both nights, with both missing from 52 yards on Thursday. Special teams coach Clay McGuire said Fowler has improved since spring in multiple ways: Leg strength, accuracy, height on the ball and operation time. “We talked in the spring,” McGuire said, “and I told him, Come in, do your job and compete. It’s an open competition. It’s not Donnie’s a starter automatically.’ And he’s done that. He’s worked his butt off all summer, and he’s gotten a lot better.”

Fowler said this camp is different from the last few, because 2007 senior Alex Trlica had been the acknowledged starter in recent years.

“I had more anticipation,” Fowler said. “It definitely helped me focus more, knowing there was going to be competition coming in. It’s a job that I want, doing field goals and stuff, so it definitely kept me focused all summer.”

Carona has an advantage in raw leg strength. Because of that, he’s pretty much a lock to do kickoffs, McGuire said.

But he’s made a favorable first impression in other ways.

“Donnie’s showed a lot of calm and coolness right now for a freshman,” McGuire said. “He had one bad day, came back and was perfect the next day. He’s got a great leg, and he’s a pleasure to coach. He works his butt off. He wants to be great.”

Something new

Texas Tech spent several plays of its 11-on-11 team period Thursday working on a new wrinkle it’s shown this week.

Inside receiver Eric Morris lines up in the backfield next to the quarterback and takes a direct snap. Then Morris either hands off to a running back going one way or fakes and keeps in the other direction.

“TCU does it, but with their quarterback (in Morris’s spot),” Tech coach Mike Leach said. “We may discard it. We may keep it. I don’t know. We think it’s worth messing with.”

Game of concentration

Punt return men Eric Morris, Jamar Wall and Cornelius Douglas spent part of special-teams period trying to field the football while holding other footballs. Assistant coach Dennis Simmons threw up one football at a time in a punt-like trajectory, then the return man would try to catch each new ball while controlling the rest in both arms.

Wall and Morris were each able to catch a sixth while holding five. Douglas was able to control five.

Simmons said it was significant for Morris to get six. The Dallas Cowboys, who have Tech ex Danny Amendola in camp, also do the drill.

“Danny and Eric talk quite often, so they’ll kind of compete to see who can catch the most,” Simmons said. “According to Eric, Danny’s only gotten five. His arms are a little short.”

Comic relief

As they were leaving the field after practice, defensive linemen Brandon Williams, Ra’Jon Henley and Daniel Howard sneaked up on quarterback Graham Harrell from behind and made a playful show of beating him up.

In a scene out of pro wrestling, backup quarterback Taylor Potts, came running out of the dressing room – or from the other end of the field, anyway – to disperse the dirty defensive linemen who were ganging up on his buddy.

In brief

Freshman Cornelius Douglas is projected as an inside receiver, but with veteran wideout Todd Walker missing his fourth straight practice, coaches put Douglas at split end Thursday night. Wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons said it’s a day-to-day decision whether to keep Douglas on the outside or move him back inside. “I just wanted to see what he can do,” Simmons said. … IR Tramain Swindall made the play of the day Thursday, getting behind DBs Brent Nickerson and Anthony Hines to haul in a 55-yard touchdown pass from Graham Harrell. … S Daniel Charbonnet made play after play in spring practice, and he had a couple of interceptions on Thursday, cutting in front of FL Mike Crabtree for one. Charbonnet figures to start if he can beat out Anthony Hines or play key role as an extra DB on passing downs. … DE Sandy Riley made back-to-back plays in 11-on-11. He broke up a Stefan Loucks pass and tackled RB Harrison Jeffers for a 2-yard loss.

“He’s in the gray area, but he’s not definitely ineligible as we speak,” Tech coach Mike Leach said Friday afternoon. “Thought he was (going to be ineligible) yesterday. Today we discover he’s not.”

On Thursday night, Leach said it appeared Dixon was going to be ineligible, pending the possibility of going through an appeals process. More review of Dixon’s transcript on Friday, Leach said, showed that a class that had not previously been counted toward his being eligible might be countable.

“He’s still alive, and the reason he is, there’s a chance they may not have to do an appeal,” Leach said. “Long story short, he may be OK.”

However, Leach said Tech coaches won’t give Dixon snaps in practice unless and until they know for sure. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound junior from Lufkin has been suited up at every workout this week except the one on Wednesday.

Once a highly regarded recruit, Dixon played for Tech as a true freshman in 2005, then tumbled into academic ineligibility the following spring. Over the next year and a half, he took classes at Angelina College in his hometown and at Cisco Junior College, where he played last season and recorded nine sacks.

Dixon returned to Tech at mid-term and went through spring practice in March and April.

However, he has been stuck at third-team on the depth chart at an end position behind Brandon Williams and Daniel Howard, not making as many plays as those two. And his ongoing eligibility issues have been a source of irritation for Leach.

Asked in a conversation earlier Friday to what extent not having Dixon would impact the team, Leach said, “Not very much. We’d be short a talented player, but he’s got some people playing ahead of him right now, so we’ll play those and develop others.”

Leach also sounded miffed at Dixon when asked about his situation on Thursday night.

Asked to evaluate his progress so far, Leach said, “In the classroom, not very good.”

When the reporter clarified that he meant on-field progress, Leach said, “It’s irrelevant, because if you don’t make it in the classroom, you don’t get on the field. It’s not even relevant. We’re not going to rep him until he can get on the field.”

The Raiders’ other big-name transfer at defensive end was in the clear after Thursday. Brandon Sesay had to pass in summer school because he said two academic credits didn’t transfer to Tech, but he said he never had any doubt.

“It wasn’t a relief,” said Sesay, who played last season at a California community college. “I knew for sure that I was going to pass, because with the coaches and tutors and stuff around, I had no choice but to do great. I did great, and now I’m here and I can focus on football at this point and get ready for this national championship.”

Last winter, the Rivals.com recruiting service ranked Dixon the No. 14 and Sesay the No. 10 junior-college recruits in the nation, regardless of position. From the time he signed in December, Sesay has faced expectations of fans and coaches that he be an immediate difference maker.

He doesn’t mind.

“That’s what I’m here for,” he said. “I really appreciate everything everybody’s saying, but at the same time I’m very humble. I always have to work hard. I’ve got work hard, hard, hard, and that’s what I want to do. I want to please the fans. I want to please the people in Lubbock. I want to please everybody around here, and let them know that I’m here and I’m a Red Raider for life.”

The 6-foot-6 Sesay said he got up to 295 pounds before trimming back to his current 278. Sesay said he used Tech strength and conditioning coach Bennie Wylie’s workout program this summer so he doesn’t think his conditioning is an issue.

“Practice is a breeze to me,” he said. “Not saying we don’t go hard, but all of us are physically fit. We’ve all been working out together as one, and I feel really good on the field.”

Sesay is working at left defensive end, where Jake Ratliff and Brandon Sharpe are the top returnees.

“He’s been lifting hard, and as we get him in better shape I think he’ll improve more and more,” Leach said. “He does some good things, he’s imposing, and I think just needs to kind of get in a rhythm out here.”

Texas Tech defensive end McKinner Dixon is expected to be ineligible for the upcoming season, Tech coach Mike Leach said Thursday.

That news came on the same day that defensive end Brandon Sesay found out for sure that he qualifies to play this season.

Dixon played for Tech as a freshman in 2005 before becoming ineligible and spending the last seasons elsewhere. After re-signing with Tech last December, he’s back on the outside looking in.

“His current status is it looks like he’s going to be ineligible, so he’s last team,” Leach said. “I don’t know if they’ll appeal it or whatever, and if they do and if that’s granted, then he might move up from there. But right now we’re not going to waste reps on him until we know something.”

The news was the opposite for Sesay. Though he’s been practicing this week, Sesay needed to successfully complete a class in summer school.

“It’s a beautiful thing right now,” he said. “I’m just very excited about what I can do and what the team can do for me. I’m just ready to make it happen, academically and on the field.”

Sesay’s working at left defensive end with returnees Jake Ratliff and Brandon Sharpe.

Dixon’s unavailability leaves Brandon Williams, Daniel Howard and Sandy Riley at right defensive end.

Centers still get equal time

Tech offensive line coach Matt Moore said incumbent Shawn Byrnes was the No. 1 center going into spring practice and said Stephen Hamby was the No. 1 center after spring ended.

However, Moore is continuing to use both equally, as he did during spring football.

“They’re still battling,” Moore said. “Even though Hamby was named the starter coming out of spring, they’re still going to equal up the reps, and I don’t know who’s going to come out of camp as the starter.”

Tech camp a popular place

The combination of high expectations for the team and pleasant evening weather has made the first week of practice an event. More than 100 fans a night have been showing up to watch workouts on the Tech practice fields.

Tech players seem to be getting a kick out of seeing as many fans as teammates on the sideline.

“This is awesome,” deep snapper Austin Burns said. “It’s like an NFL camp.”

Stadium plan wins approval

Tech regents on Thursday approved plans to add a five-level east-side building to Jones AT&T Stadium with a projected opening in 2010.

Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said the athletic department has $19 million to $20 million committed to the project and needs an additional $5 million to $6 million, which it hopes to take in with a fund-raising campaign this fall.

Tech officials say the east stadium building will contain 26 luxury suites and 550 club seats.

Linemen square off

One-on-one drills matching offensive linemen and defensive linemen are a staple of Tech practices.

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s segment: OG Jake Johnson impressed everybody watching when he grabbed DT David Neill up high and slammed him to the ground. It looked like something straight out of WWE. … DE Brandon Sharpe had some trouble with OT Mickey Okafor, but Sharpe wound up getting the redshirt freshman off his feet and piercing the pocket. “Give me 74!” Sharpe called out, referring to the guy Okafor backs up, starting tackle Rylan Reed. … DE Sandy Riley made a good inside move to get past OT Chris Olson. … OG Lonnie Edwards held his ground going against DT Richard Jones, and C Shawn Byrnes stoned DT Britton Barbee.

Young RBs: Good with the bad

Freshman RB Harrison Jeffers broke a big gainer behind the left side of the line during Wednesday night’s practice. But he was swarmed on his next carry and dropped the handoff on the one after that.

At least Jeffers didn’t get blasted the way fellow freshman Brandon Reid did. The newcomer from Canutillo got leveled by MLB Sam Fehoko during the 11-on-11 team period. The play went for a 2-yard loss.

In brief

Other notable plays from Wednesday’s team period: DE Daniel Howard put a jarring hit on RB Aaron Crawford, causing Crawford to drop a pass into the flat. … FL Mike Crabtree was matched up against CB Taylor Charbonnet, and the ball came to Crabtree on an inside screen. Charbonnet couldn’t wrap him up and Crabtree turned the play back outside to get 16 yards. … RB Shannon Woods had a sweep around right end that went for a touchdown from about 15 yards. … Graham Harrell and backup QB Taylor Potts threw a touchdown pass apiece in the goal-line offense drill at the end of the workout. Harrell’s went to IR Detron Lewis, Potts’ to FL Lyle Leong.