"Building the brand": How brotherhood defines the Texas Tech Red Raiders
Before the final home game of the season against UCF, Texas Tech tight end Johncarlos Miller and linebacker Ben Roberts shared their thoughts on the team’s energy and pride. Miller reflected on his time in Lubbock and how meaningful it’s been for him.
“My overall experience at Tech has been phenomenal, from the community to the players. It has been amazing. Everybody’s always taking care of me like a king here and coming from a smaller SES and them coming to a stadium that sells out every weekend has just been a mind blowing experience and something that I am extremely blessed for.”
Roberts was also asked about teammate and potential Heisman candidate Jacob Rodriguez. He spoke about Rodriguez’s impact on the Red Raiders and the way he’s led the defense.
“I think after his interception it was a great opportunity to pull of that (Heisman) pose, but he puts a lot of work into his craft and he really loves football. I think that is really showing this year, and I am proud of him“
The impact of an elite Red Raider defense
Roberts shared his thoughts on past seasons and how much progress each player has made. He emphasized how important every role is on the Texas Tech defense.
“It’s a massive deal for me because I got here four years ago and we weren’t really known for defense and this year, each game we have had the opportunity to show how special we are and how dominant we can be every game. That alone just stacks on itself and it allows us to build the brand that we have been trying to build this season”
The chemistry of Texas Tech football
Miller said he’s grateful for the team’s overall health. He added that when injuries happen, other players step up and show this team’s depth.
“Being healthy has been so important for us, and I’m extremely grateful for that. Seeing our guys perform at a high level every week and knowing that we have each other’s backs — whether it’s on offense and how they respond to a score, or on defense when they need to make a stop after a slow offensive drive — it’s like a real family here.”
The highlights and takeaways of this season
When asked what has stood out this season, Roberts mentioned how players have overcome adversity through injuries and tough losses.
“We play injured all the time, and we’re hurting all the time. It’s a very physical game, but being able to go out with your brothers and leave it all out there and say, ‘I’m gonna sacrifice myself for you to make the big play’ — that’s something we’ve worked on all year, and it shows.”
Miller added,
“The physicality of football is hard, and a lot of us have to make sacrifices or are currently making sacrifices. But like Cole (Wisniewski) said, the Lord laying down His life for us and doing those things — thinking like that makes our sacrifices and injuries a lot easier.”
Taking it one week at a time, starting with UCF
The plan doesn’t change — it’s always about the next game. When asked about stopping UCF and avoiding a letdown, Roberts kept it straightforward.
“They’re really athletic, and I think if we can play with them, we’ll be good. We just gotta keep doing what we’re doing. That’s how we avoid a letdown — by playing hard, physical football, taking the ball away, and keeping everything in front of us.”
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