Saturday was a downer for Texas Tech after dropping the Birmingham Bowl to South Florida, but Red Raiders fans do have one gift waiting under the tree for them. Linebacker Dakota Allen will return to harass ball-carriers on behalf of the red and black in 2018.
“Love my team! Love my school! Love these fans!,” Allen (40) wrote on his Twitter account. “I want to thank all the seniors for a memorable year. With that being said, I will be returning to Texas Tech next season.”
Love my team! Love my school! Love these fans! I want to thank all the seniors for a memorable year. With that being said, I will be returning to Texas Tech next season. #TTVE #2018 🏈
— dakota allen (@dakota_allen40) December 23, 2017
Allen posted 87 stops as a redshirt freshman at Texas Tech in 2015, transferred to East Mississippi Community College in 2016 and then returned to Lubbock for his junior year in ’17.
The former Last Chance U. star led the club with 102 tackles while posting six TFLs and two sacks. He was named a Second Team All-Big 12 performer after tying for fourth on the league’s tackle charts in 2017.