LUBBOCK, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Texas Tech senior receiver Loic Fouonji, a graduate of Midland Lee, was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after the Red Raiders beat Houston 49-28.

In the second quarter, Fouonji blocked a punt and recovered the loose ball in the endzone for a special teams touchdown for Texas Tech.

Just minutes before that, Fouonji caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Behren Morton, which tied the game at 21-21. Fouonji’s blocked punt touchdown then gave the Red Raiders a seven-point lead.

Fouonji’s two touchdowns were the turning point for Texas Tech on Saturday. The Red Raiders had been playing from behind for the majority of the first half. Once Fouonji’s back-to-back touchdowns put Tech in front, it never trailed the rest of the afternoon.

Fouonji’s blocked punt touchdown was the second special teams touchdown of his career at Texas Tech. Fouonji returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Ole Miss in the 2022 Texas Bowl.

Fouonji was a regular target for the Red Raiders in 2022. He had the fourth-most completions on the team with 34 and second-most receiving touchdowns with three. But this season, despite seeing the field in all five games this year, Fouonji has rarely been targeted. Fouonji only has two receptions so far, including his touchdown catch this past Saturday.

“I think whenever stuff like this happens, now all the sudden your confidence grows and I think you’re going to see more things from Loic, definitely on special teams when it comes to that and in the passing game,” head coach Joey McGuire said Monday.

This is the first on-field honor Fouonji has earned in his time at Texas Tech. Fouonji was a standout at Midland Lee (now Legacy). Standing at 6-foot-4-inches tall, Fouonji had 142 receptions for 2,781 yards and 40 receiving touchdowns as a Rebel. He was named co-district Offensive MVP and helped the Rebels to a 6A regional final berth in 2019.

Next up for the Red Raiders is a road trip to Waco. Texas Tech kicks off against Baylor on Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.