Football Travels To Missouri
October 26, 1999 | Football
Oct. 26, 1999
COACHES
Spike Dykes (Stephen F. Austin, ?59) is in his 13th season as head coach of the Red Raider football program. The ?Dean of the Big 12 Coaches,? Dykes has a career record of 80-65-1 at Tech. Dykes has served in his current position longer than any coach in school history.
Larry Smith (Bowling Green, ?62) is in his sixth season at Missouri. He has a 29-35-1 overall mark at MU and is 139-115-7 in his 23rd collegiate season.
SERIES
The series is tied at a game apiece. The Red Raiders dropped a 28-26 decision in Lubbock last season, but won the initial game of the series 41-14 in Lubbock during the 1995 season.
RADIO
The All Sports Radio Network is in its fourth season of broadcasting Texas Tech football games on a network basis. The 22-station network covers the state of Texas and Eastern New Mexico. Jack Dale (play-by-play) and John Harris (color) provide gameday coverage
IN ESPANOL
All Texas Tech football games are broadcast in Spanish via KXTQ in Lubbock. Mario Montez and Israel Aguilar provide commentary. The Spanish broadcast can also be heard on the internet at www.texastech.com.
WORLD WIDE WEB
Information concerning each of Texas Tech?s 17 intercollegiate sports can be obtained through the world wide web at:
www.texastech.com.
Infant Series
Saturday?s game will be just the third game in the series between Texas Tech and Missouri. The series is tied at one game each, with the Red Raiders winning 41-14 in 1995 and the Tigers winning last season, 28-26.
In Columbia
Texas Tech has never played in Columbia. Both games in the series have been played at Jones Stadium on the Texas Tech campus.
Twice in 12
Saturday?s game marks just the second time Texas Tech and Missouri have played as members of the Big 12 Conference. When the two teams met in 1995, Tech was a member of the Southwest Conference and Missouri a member of the Big 8.
First for Spike
Despite roaming football sidelines for some 40 years, the trip to Memorial Stadium will be the first for Texas Tech head coach Spike Dykes. Dykes?-coached teams have played a game in the ?Show-Me? State.
Last Time vs. Missouri
Three Texas Tech fumbles led to 21 Missouri points as the Tigers held off a charging Red Raider squad for a 28-26 victory at Jones Stadium. Missouri led 21-6 at the half before Tech roared back behind 121 yards rushing from Rickey Hunter and 153 yards passing from Rob Peters. Texas Tech had 429 yards total offense in the game.
I?ve Seen Fire and I?ve Seen Rain
During Spike Dykes? 13-year tenure at Texas Tech there have been 31 head coaches at the other member institutions in the Big 12 Conference. Dykes? tenure at Tech is the seventh-longest among active coaches, trailing only Penn State?s Joe Paterno (33), BYU?s Lavell Edwards (27), Florida State?s Bobby Bowden (23), West Virginia?s Don Nehlen (19), Virginia?s George Welsh (17) and Fisher DeBerry of Air Force (15). With thanks to the Waco Tribune, following is the list of Big 12 programs and their coaches? since Dykes took over at Tech:
| School | Coaches |
| Baylor | Grant Teaff (1972-92) |
| Chuck Reedy (1993-96) | |
| Dave Roberts (1997-98) | |
| Kevin Steele (1999) | |
| Colorado | Bill McCartney (1982-94) |
| Rick Neuheisel (1995-98) | |
| Gary Barnett (1999) | |
| Iowa State | |
| Jim Walden (1987-94) | |
| Dan McCarney (1995-99) | |
| Kansas | Bob Valesente (1986-87) |
| Glen Mason (1988-96) | |
| Terry Allen (1997-99) | |
| Kansas State | Stan Parrish (1986-88) |
| Bill Snyder (1989-99) | |
| Missouri | Woody Widenhofer (1985-88) |
| Bob Stull (1989-93) | |
| Larry Smith (1994-99) | |
| Nebraska | Tom Osborne (1973-97) |
| Frank Solich (1998-99) | |
| Oklahoma | Barry Switzer (1973-88) |
| Gary Gibbs (1989-94) | |
| Howard Schnellenberger (1995) | |
| John Blake (1996-98) | |
| Bob Stoops (1999) | |
| Oklahoma State | Pat Jones (1984-94) |
| Bob Simmons (1995-99) | |
| Texas | David McWilliams (1987-91) |
| John Mackovic (1992-97) | |
| Mack Brown (1998-99) | |
| Texas A&M | Jackie Sherrill (1982-88) |
| R.C. Slocum (1989-99) |
Speaking of Longevity
A quartet of Texas Tech defenders either climbed past 40 last week in Waco or will hit the mark in Columbia this weekend. Linebacker Kyle Shipley and defensive end Taurus Rucker each played in their 40th game at Texas Tech in the win over Baylor. Linebacker Tim Duffie and Raider Reagan Bownds will play the 40th game of their Red Raider careers against Missouri.
Experience Required
Being long in the tooth is almost a requirement for Swarm admission. The 11 players who started on defense for Texas Tech against Baylor have a combined 332 games played between them, an average of just over 30 career games under their belts.
| Career | |||
| Games | Player | Pos | |
| 40 | Kyle Shipley | ILB | |
| 40 | Taurus Rucker | DE | |
| 39 | Reagan Bownds | OLB | |
| 39 | Tim Duffie | ILB | |
| 38 | Keith Cockrum | OLB | |
| 37 | Oscar Solis | CB | |
| 29 | Devin Lemons | DE | |
| 27 | Kris Kocurek | DT | |
| 18 | Kevin Curtis | FS | |
| 18 | Anthony Malbrough | CB | |
| 7 | Robert Wyatt | DT |
Block Party
Dorian Pitts? second-half blocked punt at Baylor last week was his second of the season and both have led to Texas Tech touchdowns. Pitts also blocked a punt in the first half at Arizona State.
Two Week Notice
Free safety Kevin Curtis has put together a fairly stout two weeks. The sophomore from Lubbock-Coronado has tallied 33 tackles, 22 of them solo, and intercepted two passes in Tech victories over Colorado and Baylor. Curtis was named the Bronko Nagurski national defensive player of the week and the Big 12 defensive player of the week for his performance against Colorado. On the season, Curtis leads Tech tacklers with 85. He has recorded the top four of Texas Tech?s 10 individual double-digit tackle games this season.
Big Guys, Big Seasons
Tech offensive linemen Jonathan Gray and Curtis Lowery are quietly enjoying banner seasons for the Red Raiders. After seven games Gray has played 503 snaps, grading 92%, while Lowery has graded 90% on 466 total plays. Both Gray and Lowery are fairing even better against Big 12 opponents, scoring 93% and 91%, respectively.
Great Plays and Domination
Continuing on the offensive lineman theme, tackle Jonathan Gray and guard Curtis Lowery have put together a basketful of what offensive line coach Clovis Hale terms ?great plays?, or plays in which the lineman knocks down their opponent or has great effort downfield. Gray has notched 25 such efforts, Lowery 22.Taking it a step further, Gray has notched 343 plays in which he has dominated the man he was blocking, while Lowery has turned the trick 288 times.
Making the Most
Tech receiver Darrell Jones has made the most of his receptions during his young career, and particularly in the last two games. Jones has five catches in the last two games, three for touchdowns. Jones has 15 career receptions, five for touchdowns.
Rickey With an ?e?
Tailback Rickey Hunter made the most of his opportunity to play during last year?s game against Missouri. Subbing for All-America teammate Ricky Williams, who left the game with an ankle injury, Hunter rushed for a career-best 121 yards on25 carries.
Two Straight
The old coaching axiom says to play them one game at a time, but with the win in Waco, Texas Tech has won three of its last four games and two straight for the first time since Oct. 10 of the 1998 season when the Red Raiders defeated Baylor (10-3-99) and Oklahoma State (10-10-99).
Peters Moving Up
Senior quarterback Rob Peters has moved to eighth on the Texas Tech career passing yards list. Peters now has 2,494 yards and needs just 107 yards passing this week at Missouri to move past Jim Hart (1979-83) into seventh.
| Player | Yards | Years |
| Robert Hall | 7,908 | 1990-93 |
| Zebbie Lethridge | 6,789 | 1994-97 |
| Billy Joe Tolliver | 6,756 | 1985-88 |
| Ron Reeves | 4,688 | 1978-81 |
| Jamie Gill | 3,280 | 1988-91 |
| Tom Wilson | 2,932 | 1963-65 |
| Jim Hart | 2,600 | 1979-83 |
| Rob Peters | 2,494 | 1996-A |
| Rodney Allison | 2,411 | 1974-77 |
| Joe Barnes | 2,330 | 1971-73 |
Touchdown Passes
Not only is quarterback Rob Peters moving up the career yardage list, he is also creeping up Tech?s career touchdown pass list with 18, putting him seventh on the list with four games to play. Peters needs five TD passes to move past Jamie Gill (1988-91) into sixth.
No Picks
Tech quarterback Rob Peters has not thrown an interception in the last three games and has completed 57% of his passing attempts over the last four outings.
Second Half Run
Under Spike Dykes Texas Tech has been a ?second-half? team, second half of the season, that is. With last week?s victory at Baylor, Texas Tech 50-21-1 under Dykes in games played after October 10.
Linebacker School
Texas Tech could boast the most learned linebacking starting corp in college football. Graduates and inside linebackers Tim Duffie and Kyle Shipley have already earned their degrees, while outside linebackers Keith Cockrum and Reagan Bownds have 4.0 and 3.61 grade point averages, respectively.
Double Digit Stops
The Swarm defense had two players who posted double-digit tackles against Baylor last week, marking the sixth time in seven games Tech has had a double-figure tackler. Free safety Kevin Curtis rang up 13 tackles and linebacker Kyle Shipley followed with 10. Following is a list of 1999 Swarm double-digit tacklers:
| Player | No. | Opponent |
| Kevin Curtis | 20 | Colorado |
| Kevin Curtis | 17 | Arizona State |
| Kevin Curtis | 13 | Baylor |
| Kevin Curtis | 13 | UL-Lafayette |
| Tim Duffie | 12 | North Texas |
| Kris Kocurek | 12 | North Texas |
| Taurus Rucker | 12 | Colorado |
| Kyle Shipley | 12 | Texas A&M |
| Kyle Shipley | 10 | Baylor |
| Reagan Bownds | 10 | Arizona State |
Old Man Sack
Defensive end Taurus Rucker needs just 1? sacks to move into the all-time Texas Tech top 10 sack list. Following are Red Raider sack leaders:
| Player | No. | Years |
| Montae Reagor | 25? | 1995-98 |
| Calvin Riggs | 18? | 1983-86 |
| Shawn Jackson | 17 | 1991-93 |
| James Mosley | 17 | 1985-88 |
| Gabriel Rivera | 14 | 1979-82 |
| Desmond Royal | 13? | 1985-88 |
| Tim Crawford | 13? | 1982-85 |
| Ronald Byers | 13? | 1981-84 |
| Mike Liscio | 13 | 1989-92 |
| Fred Petty | 13 | 1990-91 |
| Taurus Rucker | 11? | 1996-99 |
Norman Climbing Charts
Outside linebacker and return man are not usually synonymous on a football roster, but John Norman makes it work fine. Norman, who returned a Baylor punt 80 yards for a touchdown last week, has moved into the Texas Tech all-time top 10 for punt and kickoff returns. Norman is eighth on the career punt return yardage list with 421 and ninth on the return list with 39. His 703 kickoff return yards puts him eight on that list and his 30 kickoff returns are ninth all-time.
Norman Nabs Big 12 Honors
Texas Tech outside linebacker and punt returner John Norman was named Big 12 Specialty Player of the Week for his performance in the Red Raiders? 35-7 victory at Baylor. Norman broke open the game with an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown and also posted four tackles, 1.5 sacks and two quaterback hurries. Norman is the fourth Red Raider to earn player of the week honors this season.
May Day, Heider Too
Offensive guard Jason May logged his most extensive work since injuring a knee in the season opener by being in for 72 snaps at Baylor. Tackle Matt Heider, who has also been plagued by nagging injuries, got some extensive work in Waco, playing 37 plays while alternating with starter Rex Richards.
Owning the Fourth
Holding up four fingers to begin the final period has not been a vain gesture for Texas Tech this season. After seven games, Texas Tech has outscored opponents 51-6 in the final period.
Starting Again
Injuries have reeked havoc with Texas Tech starting lineups this season. Last week?s game at Baylor marked just the second time this season that Tech had started the same offensive lineup in two consecutive games. The Red Raider defense has not started the same people consecutively since the first two games of the season.
Seeing Red
Texas Tech has been productive this season once the Red Raiders move inside opponents? 20-yard lines, converting 18 of 21 trips. Sixteen of those successful trips have resulted in touchdowns.
(Honor) Roll Call
Texas Tech boasts seven players who have posted at least a 3.0 grade point average for six consecutive semesters and all seven contribute on the field as well. Topping that list is Raider Keith Cockrum, who has earned a perfect 4.0 for eight consecutive semesters and center Kyle Sanders who has a perfect 4.0 for six straight semesters.
| Name | Pos | GPA | 3.0 Semesters or Better |
| Keith Cockrum | R | 4.00 | 8 |
| Kyle Sanders | C | 4.00 | 6 |
| Robert Monroe | SN | 3.90 | 6 |
| Rob Peters | QB | 3.88 (3.67 Grad) | 8 |
| Reagan Bownds | R | 3.61 | 8 |
| Chris Birkholz | K | 3.54 | 6 |
| Kyle Shipley | MLB | 3.17 (3.50 Grad) | 6 |
Spec-TECH-ular Weekend
The final week of the football regular season will be a busy one for Texas Tech sports fans. The United Spirit Arena will officially open for business on Friday night, Nov. 19, when the Red Raiders host Indiana. On Saturday, the Tech football team plays host to Oklahoma prior to the Lady Raiders kicking off their season with the Four in the Fall Classic that evening. A Big 12 volleyball match against Oklahoma wraps up the weekend Sunday. Three separate ticket packages are available for the weekend. Prices range from $26 to $80 for all four events. Tickets may be purchased by calling 1-888-GO BIG 12.
Birkholz Back
Place kicker Chris Birkholz has returned to the form that had him seeking all-star recognition in the preseason. Birkholz nailed field goals of 41 and 40 yards at Baylor, breaking an 0-for-3 drought from 40-plus yards this season.
It?s Up, It?s Good
Staying with the kicking theme, Birkholz has yet to miss an extra point during his Texas Tech kicking career, connecting on 44 straight over the last two seasons.
The Last Time Out
Texas Tech won for the third time in four games and improved to 3-1 in Big 12 play with a 35-7 victory over Baylor in Waco.
Next Week
Texas Tech returns home for the first time since Oct. 16 for a Big 12 meeting against Iowa State. Kickoff is currently set for 1 p.m.
Home Crowds
A crowd of 46,242 in Tech?s last home game increased the three-game home total to 145,579, an average of 48,526. The Red Raiders would need to average 42,000 in the final two home games to set a new single-season record for average attendance. The current record was set in 1979 when an average of 46,083 visited Jones Stadium over six games.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Texas Tech vs. MISSOURI
| TTU | MU | |
| Total Offense | 359.3 | 382.3 |
| Points Scored | 24.7 | 25.1 |
| First Downs | 18.6 | 22.4 |
| Rushing Yards | 179.3 | 183.1 |
| Passing Yards | 180.0 | 199.1 |
| Time of Possession | 30:53 | 31:59 |
| 3rd Down Conversion % | 34% | 39% |
| Points Allowed | 20.9 | 30.0 |
| Yards Allowed | 303.7 | 349.9 |
| Rushing Yards Allowed | 144.0 | 161.0 |
| Passing Yards Allowed | 159.7 | 188.9 |
STATISTICAL LEADERS
RUSHING YARDS
| Texas Tech | MISSOURI | ||
| Williams, S. | 488 | Black | 661 |
| Morris, S. | 365 | Gilmore | 428 |
| Easterling | 213 | Farmer | 80 |
PASSING YARDS
| Texas Tech | MISSOURI | ||
| Peters | 1,114 | Dougherty | 881 |
| Kingsbury | 146 | Farmer | 513 |
RECEPTIONS
| Texas Tech | MISSOURI | ||
| Baker | 15 | Garvin | 22 |
| Morris, S. | 14 | Spencer | 18 |
| Jones | 14 | Wise | 17 |
POINTS SCORED
| Texas Tech | MISSOURI | ||
| Birkholz | 33 | Hammerich | 40 |
| Williams, S. | 30 | Blakely | 30 |
TACKLES
| Texas Tech | MISSOURI | ||
| Curtis | 85 | Odom | 81 |
| Shipley | 56 | Robinson | 76 |
| Duffie | 51 | Smith | 62 |