 "Photo: Riannon Rowley")
Baron Batch was the first one to attribute his four-touchdown performance against Kansas on Saturday to his teammates and not him.
“The touchdowns I score is a reflection of everybody doing what they’re supposed to,” he said after the game Saturday. “Receivers blocking down field. Linemen doing a great job blocking the quarterback. Potts did a great job checking into those runs. I don’t think many of those — maybe two of the plays that we scored on were called in the huddle. That’s a great job by Potts just doing what he’s supposed to and recognizing what they’re giving us and being a smart player.”
Although the selfless Batch gives credit to his teammates for his 123 yards on 17 carries and four touchdowns on Saturday, the Big 12 Conference had no problem giving him his due.
Batch was named Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. He scored three of his touchdowns in the fourth quarter, leading Tech to the 42-21 rout of Kansas Saturday in Jones AT&T Stadium.
By the second half, Batch only had seven rushing yards to his name.
Tech center Shawn Byrnes followed in the same suit Batch did, giving credit to Potts’ ability to recognize the defensive sets and change to the necessary play.
He said the quarterback made it easy for Batch and Eric Stephens to make plays when needed.
“He came up to the line and checked to those plays,” Byrnes said. “I thought it was the best plays we could’ve ran. I just called the front and got us in the scheme that I thought was the best. Worked out great. Baron and Eric ran real hard. Just worked out great in the fourth quarter.”
Batch won the award along with Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones. He joins Potts and Steven Sheffield as the only Red Raiders to earn the honor this season. Tech defensive end Brandon Sharpe was named the Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week after his four-sack performance at Nebraska.
The 100-yard performance is the second for Batch this season and the junior is fifth in the conference in rushing yards per game averaging 65.6 yards a contest.
Batch said after Saturday’s game that Stephens or Harrison Jeffers could have had the same type of performance, considering the offensive line was blocking well and Potts was making the correct checks.
“If it would have been Harrison or Eric, any of those guys, they probably would have had the same night I did,” he said. “But they did a great job stepping up when they got the opportunity to make plays.”
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