Texas Tech Football Loses Two Players

The Texas Tech football program lost two players Monday.

Offensive lineman Brian Thomas and safety Urell Johnson both elected to pursue other opportunities.

Thomas, a 6-foot-3, 319-pound guard, joined the Red Raider program after earning a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M and starting two-years for the Aggies.

Losing Thomas is a shot to Texas Tech’s depth along the offensive line, but he was struggling with his condition and ability to stay on the field.

“He’s got too many physical issues,” Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said after Monday’s practice. “He was second team and went down to third team. Physically, he couldn’t make it through a complete practice.”

Johnson, a sophomore, is transferring to Southern Mississippi in order to be closer to his family. He didn’t really challenge the starters and was also behind younger safeties Austin Stewart and J.J. Gaines on the depth chart.

“He wanted to try it and see where he was going to be going into the first week,” Tuberville said. “He just didn’t make a move up. He wanted to get close back to his mom back home, and so we gave him a release to go to Southern Miss.”