Starting middle linebacker Dakota Allen, Texas Tech’s top returning tackler, is among three players Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury has kicked off the football team.
An athletic department announcement Thursday said Allen and backup offensive linemen Robert Castaneda and Trace Ellison were let go for “failure to uphold student-athlete expectations.”
Allen, a 6-foot-2, 224-pound junior from Humble Summer Creek, made 87 tackles last season, second on the team behind 2015 senior Micah Awe. Allen had six tackles for loss, two interceptions and a pass breakup.
Two of the three spots in Tech’s starting linebacker corps are solid with senior Malik Jenkins on the strong side and sophomore D’Vonta Hinton on the weak side, but there’s no obvious replacement for Allen.