Tech spoke up just in time to land Scott

Vidal Scott was getting ready at the beginning of June to drive from Little Rock, Arkansas, to Ypsilanti, Michigan. Punch that into an online map search, and it spits out 850 miles and about 13 hours.

The former Arkansas State defensive lineman was actually loading his car when his phone rang, and the man on the other end offered him a chance to make a similarly long journey: from group-of-five conference football to the power-five version. Eastern Michigan had Scott's commitment, but Texas Tech player personnel director James Blanchard had his attention.

Wouldn't Scott, Blanchard asked, rather play at a higher level?

"Oh, yeah. Heck yeah. Let me take this," Scott said, remembering his reaction. "There were no questions asked. No questions asked."

Since being a Class 5A all-state honoree in 2016 at Pensacola (Fla.) West Florida, Scott has spent two years at Central Arkansas, one at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi, and the past two at Arkansas State.

No way Scott was going to turn down the chance to play under the bright lights of Jones AT&T Stadium and in the Big 12.

"It's always been my dream, playing power-five football," he said. "It's really like a dream come true. So I've got to take the best of the opportunity."

Scott, 6-foot-2 and 285 pounds, is a sixth-year senior in his last season of eligibility. He's one of five players expected to be in the Red Raiders' rotation at defensive tackle. Scott and Myles Cole, a transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, provide depth behind returnees Jaylon Hutchings, Tony Bradford and Phillip Blidi.

Asked how his game is shaping up, Scott said in a joking tone, "My game is always on point."

Turning serious, he continued, "I've got a lot of stuff to do. A lot of learning, more learning the playbook and stuff like that. It's an all-new defense I'm learning, so I've really got to dial in and study some more. I think I'll be fine."

Scott started all but one game last season for Arkansas State, getting credit for 24 tackles, including five tackles for loss and two sacks.

Away from the field, Scott said he earned two degrees, in nursing and in health studies. Just this spring, he said, he was licensed as an emergency medical technician.

"It was tough. Mainly the hours, being there from 8 a.m. to 8 at night," Scott said, "and then having to turn around and work voluntary in the ER and seeing all this stuff. ... It was crazy. It was definitely an experience that I'll never forget."

Scott said he's set his EMT path aside at the moment to focus on football ― his last chance to play it in college and his first in a power-five conference.

"I knew I was coming down here, and I knew I wasn't going to have time to look for a job," he said. "I wanted to put 110 percent of my time and focus into my last year of football, collegiate football. So I didn't transfer over my license. Matter of fact, the training was so nerve-wracking and it was so crazy, so I was like, it kind of isn't the best thing for me right now."

Dunlap makes waves

Since he was hired in December as Tech defensive backs coach, Marcel Yates said cornerback Malik Dunlap is the member of the Red Raiders' secondary who's made the most progress.

"I would say his improvement from the spring to now, I think he's made a huge jump," Yates said. "I think he understands the system. I think he's playing well."

Dunlap is the team's third corner, the top backup to both Adrian Frye and Rayshad Williams. He's a 6-3, 218-pound senior from Charlotte, North Carolina.

The first month of the season is especially interesting for Dunlap, a second-year transfer from North Carolina State who faces his old team when the Red Raiders play a non-conference game on Sept. 17 at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.

Dunlap said his best friends on the team are Wolfpack nickel back Tyler Baker-Williams, who was his roommate, and quarterback Devin Leary. NC State, coming off a 9-3 season, is ranked No. 13 in The Associated Press Top 25 going into the season.

A big reason why is Leary, who threw for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns with five interceptions last year. He threw at least four TD passes against five Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.

Dunlap implied that Leary could be an NFL first-round draft pick.

"Devin Leary called me talking junk," Dunlap said. " 'I'm coming at you all game. Malik, I'm coming at you.' I said, 'Leary, you come at me, you're going second round.' "

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech spoke up just in time to land Vidal Scott