Former Tech linebacker star dead at 44

BY DON WILLIAMS l AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Brad Hastings was one of the most highly recruited football players ever landed by Texas Tech. By signing when he did — after the program had suffered four straight losing seasons — Hastings gave Red Raiders fans hope for brighter days.

Hastings, a three-time all-Southwest Conference linebacker who ended his career as Tech’s all-time leader in tackles, died early Monday at his mother’s home in Arlington, according to his father. Fred Hastings, who said his son had high blood pressure and breathing problems, said an autopsy was being performed later Monday.

“He was absolutely one of the most outstanding football players I ever was around,’’ former Tech coach Spike Dykes said. “He was a great leader, and he was a great player. I think had he not got his knee hurt before his senior year, no telling how long he would have played in the NFL.’’

Hastings was 44 years old. No. 44 also was the jersey number he wore from 1983-86, when he racked up 480 tackles, a total that still ranks second all-time at Tech. He had the record for 15 years until another middle linebacker, Lawrence Flugence, broke it.

Hastings was an honorable-mention all-American in 1985, his junior year, and a third-team all-American in 1986. He played in the Blue-Gray all-star game. But a recurring knee problem — he had five surgeries on the same knee, his father said — derailed his pro aspirations.

Lubbock businessman Bart Reagor, a former teammate, said he remembered Hastings having arthroscopic knee surgery on a Wednesday and playing three days later when the Red Raiders visited mighty Miami (Fla.) in 1986.

“As far as toughness goes, that’s a great testament to his toughness,’’ Reagor said. “The dadgum sutures (from the knee surgery) weren’t even healed. … He was just a lot of heart. He knew how to play the game.’’

Dykes, who had been head coach at Midland Lee, came to Tech as defensive coordinator in 1984 and was Hastings’ position coach his last three years.

“He was one of those guys that always practiced hard, but on game day, just stay away from him,’’ Dykes said. “He was zeroed in. He was unbelievable.’’

Coming out of Arlington Bowie High School, Hastings was a Parade magazine all-American and was listed among the top 20 recruits in the nation by the Dallas Morning News. It was considered a major coup that he signed with Tech in 1983, when the Raiders hadn’t had a winning season since 1978.

“He went out there, and he felt like he was at home,’’ Fred Hastings said. “He loved the campus and loved the coaches, especially Jerry Moore, who was the head coach at the time. He really did like him. He was recruited by everybody.’’

Around the same time, Moore signed several more talented players, especially on the defensive side of the ball, who went on to NFL careers. Though Tech wouldn’t break through with a winning season until 1986, Hastings and future pros such as Carl Carter, Roland Mitchell and Dwayne Jiles helped the Raiders build a solid defense.

“They were great football players,’’ Dykes said. “Brad was the leader of the bunch. When you’re the signal caller, the middle linebacker, you sort of inherit that position, and that’s what he was. He was the bellcow, no question about it.’’

Fred Hastings said a memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. April 19 at First Presbyterian Church in Arlington. Hastings’ survivors, in addition to his parents, include two children, his father said.