Senior linebacker for Texas Tech. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 240 lb · Hillsboro, MO · Hillsboro
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
How he plays
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage.
QB hurries: 79th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 6 tackles, vs Houston
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior linebacker for Texas Tech. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Austin Romaine
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Across four seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Chris Klieman and Joey McGuire. Two straight seasons of it now: All-Big 12 again in 2025. The receipt: 9 tackles against Oregon State — Week 2, 2026.
18 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
Career arc
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-BIG 12 · 2ND TEAM
All-Big 12 2nd team (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Joey McGuire.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Texas Tech
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas Tech | 18 | 9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Kansas State | 66 | 41 | 7.0 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Kansas State | 96 | 54 | 7.5 | 2.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Kansas State | 22 | 14 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 202 | 118 | 18.5 | 3.5 | 5 | 1 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 33-10vs Abilene Christian | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 35-24@ Oregon State | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 3 | W 28-26vs Houston | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 18 | 9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 28–26
vs Houston
6 tackles · 1 pass breakups · 3 solo tackles
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 2 at home.
With W. Hammond — 257 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · QBR 75.5 · 30 rush yds (5 car) · W. Karoll — 58.7 yards per punt · 3 punts · 1 inside the 20
Since week 2: +6 tackles, +1 pass breakup.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Production sits in the middle of the position cohort across the board.
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
18tackles this seasonTFL rate
6%1 TFLSack rate
0%0 sacksPD rate
6%1 pass breakups18 tackles · 1 for loss.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| Road1g | 9.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 6.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Joey McGuire
Pass share
43.7%
90 pass / 116 run
Plays / game
68.7
3 games
Team sack rate
5.0%
100 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 1,489 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the Big 12 as a senior.
Player DNA
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Elijah Zeise’s 2018 season.
Matches Elijah on
Differs from Elijah on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Lance Dixon's senior season at West Virginia (2022).
Matches Lance on
Player DNA
CAREER HONORS All-Big 12 Second Team (2025, Jr.) Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List (2025, Jr.) Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List (2025, Jr.) Butkus Award Watch List (2025, Jr.) All-Big 12 Second Team (2024, So.) Associated Press All-Big 12 Second Team (2024, So.) College Sports Communicators…
16 more on the roster · Texas Tech team page