Toddrick Gotcher's return to Texas Tech sidelines an unlikely one
Texas Tech icon Toddrick Gotcher‘s return to the Red Raider basketball program was an unlikely one. It was, truly, a long time in the making, even if the two parties involved didn’t know it at the time. While most guys approach head coach Grant McCasland looking for a job, Gotcher’s unordinary amount of time spent around the program lent itself to his hiring.
“He was pursuing being an agent. He was asking all the right questions,” McCasland told the media Tuesday. “And as he kept asking the right questions, well everyone wants a job. Everybody I run into wants a job. Because I’ll be anywhere at a restaurant and they’ll be like, ‘Hey, if you ever have a job open on your staff.’ I’m like, there are qualifications. Toddrick really never reached out to me trying to get a job. He was asking how he can get better, and then he was just around trying to help our team, and he would play pickup with them.”
Gotcher’s return a long time in the making
So how long exactly did the Garland native’s return cook in the oven? If we’re being technical, around two years dating back to when Texas Tech hosted The Basketball Tournament’s Air Raiders team.
“I’ve been around Toddrick and we recruited him at previous schools, got to know his family, watched him as a player at Texas Tech but I really started to get to know him when we did the TBT team that came back the first summer I was here and got to see him on an everyday basis,” McCasland said. “His heart to do whatever it took to help always stood out to me. And he had an opportunity to play another season professionally, would have been his 10th season. He had contract offers of six figures that he could have went and played. Then the communication with him toward the end of summer, as we went forward, I really wanted someone not only to just love this place.
That wasn’t it. Not to say that that wasn’t important. I think that was all a bonus. Honestly, it’s his approach. He’s came and played with our guys a few times, and his heart to try to help, and his heart to want to learn.”
High potential for the first-year coach
Gotcher’s return is proceeded by a legacy as a player that is well-established in Red Raider lore. He was a leader on the 2016 squad that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly a decade. He is Texas Tech’s career leader in games played with 136.
Gotcher has three degrees from West Texas’ finest academic institution. This new journey is the latest step in a basketball-laden life, but McCasland feels Gotcher’s potential is through the roof.
“He’s brilliant. He’s going to be an unbelievable coach, but it’s his heart that he loves being a Red Raider,” McCasland said. “More importantly, just really wants to help any way he can. That honestly, is the part of it that I feel like separates him, or will allow him to be, I think, a phenomenal coach. And eventually a really good head coach. I’m so glad he’s here and he can still play too, but he chose not to, to be a part of this. His wife and kids are awesome too, and they’ve always lived in Lubbock, so it’s just a seamless transition. Really glad to have him on our team and in our program.”
