Revitalized Raiders Hit The Road To Battle Oklahoma State
October 04, 1999 | Football
Oct. 4, 1999
OKLAHOMA STATE
OCT. 9 ? 7 P.M. (CDT)
LEWIS FIELD (50,614)
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 78-64-1 at Tech. Dykes has served in his current position longer than any coach in school history.
Bob Simmons (Bowling Green, ?71) is in his fifth season as head coach at Oklahoma State. He has a career head coaching mark of 24-26, all at OSU.
SERIES
Texas Tech leads the series 14-8-3. The Red Raiders have won the last four meetings and last suffered a defeat to the Cowboys during the 1989 season at the All-American Bowl in Tokyo, Japan. Tech has posted seven wins in Stillwater, five losses and one tie. The series began in 1935 with the Raiders taking a 14-0 win in Lubbock.
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.
Texas Tech in Big 12 Road Openers
Including the inaugural game of the Big 12 conference at Kansas State on Aug. 31, 1996, Texas Tech is 2-1 in conference road openers. The Red Raiders lost at Kansas State (21-14), but have won two straight Big 12 road openers since, winning 35-14 at Baylor in 1997 and 31-24 at Iowa State last year.
Starting 1-0 in the Big 12
Last week?s upset over rival Texas A&M marked the third-consecutive season Texas Tech has won it?s conference opener. Other Big 12-opening wins have come over Baylor in 1997 and Iowa State last year.
After the Aggies
Over the last 20 years Texas Tech is 5-15 the week following the Texas A&M game, but the Red Raiders are 3-0 against Oklahoma State in years that Tech has beaten Texas A&M.
The Last Time vs. Oklahoma State
Texas Tech extended its winning streak to six games with a 24-17 victory over Oklahoma State at Jones Stadium last season. Highlights of the come-from-behind victory included Dorian Pitts blocking a punt and returning a fumble 53 yards for his first career touchdown. Ricky Williams also moved past the 1,000 yard mark in the game with 97 yards on 25 carries.
Red Raiders-Cowboys in Stillwater
Saturday?s game will be the 13th in the series to be played in Stillwater. Texas Tech is 7-5-1 against the Cowboys at Lewis Field, including victories in the last two meetings, 27-3 in 1998 and 31-15 in 1989.
Tech-Oklahoma State Series Tidbits
Texas Tech leads the series 14-8-3 - the series began in 1935 with a 14-0 Texas Tech victory in Lubbock ? the Red Raiders have won four straight in the series, dating back to a 31-15 win in Stillwater in 1989 ? Oklahoma State?s last win in the series was in Tokyo, Japan (45-42) in 1988 ? two games in the series have been played at neutral sites, 1988 in Tokyo, Japan and 1996 in Irving, Texas ? Billy Joe Tolliver set the current Tech single game passing record against OSU with 446 yards in 1988.
Swarm Warning?Endzone Closed
A quick glance at the stat sheet shows nine touchdowns by Tech opponents, but a closer look reveals that the Red Raider defense has allowed just five of those and just two in the last three games. Texas Tech opponents have scored two touchdowns on interception returns, one on a fumble return and one on a blocked punt. Louisiana-Lafayette and Texas A&M offenses could not find the endzone against Tech?s Swarm defense.
Need A Sack, Call Rucker or Lemons
When Texas Tech has needed a sack, the Red Raiders have turned to defensive ends Taurus Rucker and Devin Lemons. Combined, Rucker and Lemons have seven of Tech?s 10 quarterback sacks this season. Lemons had his biggest game of the season against Texas A&M, recording nine tackles and a sack.
No Sustained Drives Allowed
Four Texas Tech opponents have been hard pressed to mount extended scoring drives against the Red Raider defense. The Swarm has allowed just five touchdowns in four games, three of those coming in the season opener at Arizona State. Opponents who have scored against the Tech defense have been forced to do so in quick strike fashion, with the longest sustained touchdown drive being 66 yards on six plays at Arizona State. Following are opponent?s scoring drives this season:
at Arizona State 1 play, 56 yards 3 plays, 77 yards 6 plays, 66 yards
at UL-Lafayette None
vs. North Texas 4 plays, 80 yards 1 play, 46 yards
vs. Texas A&M None
Sammy?s Back With A Vengeance
In his first extended action since Oct. 26, 1996 when he caught a game-winning 81-yard touchdown pass to defeat Texas A&M, Texas Tech fullback Sammy Morris returned to the Red Raider backfield with guns blazing against the Aggies. Coming off a shoulder injury that had limited him to just one half of one game this season, Morris ran for a career-high 170 yards on 33 carries against an Aggie defense which was allowing just 22 yards per game rushing.
Morris? 33 carries were four more than he had in his career and his 170 yards bested his previous best by 72 yards.
Long Time Between Scores
After being ruled ineligible during the 1996 season and then bouncing back from an early-season shoulder injury, senior running back Sammy Morris returned to the endzone for the first time in 1,071 days when he plunged in from 2 yards out with 9:48 to play in the first half against Texas A&M. Ironically, Morris? last TD came against the Aggies, an 81-yard game-winning score in 1996.
Top of the List
ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has rated Texas Tech?s Sammy Morris the top fullback in the upcoming National Football League draft. Morris vindicated Kiper?s pick with his performance against Texas A&M last week, running for 170 yards and a score.
Three and Take a Seat
In the first four game this season the Texas Tech defense has been an ardent follower of the old ?three and out? football term. The Swarm Defense has sent opposing offenses back to the bench via a punt or turnover in three plays or less 20 times in four games.
Shipley Big Against the Aggies
Senior linebacker and captain Kyle Shipley recorded a season-high 10 tackles against Texas A&M, marking the first time he has recorded double-digit stops this season. Consistency has been the watchword for Shipley, however. He is averaging 8.3 tackles per game and has not made less than six in any game.
Have Goalpost, Will Travel
At last report the goalpost from the South endzone at Jones Stadium was resting comfortably next to the Will Rogers statue in the heart of campus after jubilant Texas Tech students tore it down following the won over Texas A&M. Tech event management personnel will have until Oct. 16 to replace the missing goalpost. The current standards were purchased in 1997 at a cost of $4,295 for the pair.
Double Digit Stops
Kyle Shipley?s 10 tackles against Texas A&M was the sixth double-digit tackle game recorded by a Tech defender this season. Following is a list of Swarm double-digit tacklers:
Player No. OpponentKevin Curtis 17 Arizona StateKevin Curtis 13 UL-LafayetteTim Duffie 12 North TexasKris Kocurek 12 North TexasKyle Shipley 12 Texas A&MReagan Bownds 10 Arizona State
Everybody?s in the Act
Twenty-two Red Raiders made at least one tackle in Tech?s win over Texas A&M last week. Over four games, 30 defensive players have registered at least one tackle.
Swarming the NCAA Stats
Led by the Swarm, which is currently 16th in the nation in total defense (277.0), Texas Tech is starting to appear in various national statistics categories. The Red Raiders are 26th in rushing offense (185.2) and 23rd in punt return yardage (49.5 pg). John Norman ranks 21st nationally in punt returns at 13.4 yards per return.
Williams Out For Season
Preseason Heisman hopeful and All-America candidate Ricky Williams is out for the season with ligament damage to his left knee. Williams is scheduled for surgery this week and will begin rehabilitation immediately.
Norman Dons #2
To honor his injured teammate, Tech outside linebacker and return man has switched jersey numbers for the remainder of the season. Instead of his customary #38, Norman will wear the #2 of Ricky Williams. Williams was overheard in the A&M post-game celebration saying that he was certain the new jersey had made Norman a step faster.
Peters Climbing Career List
Senior quarterback Rob Peters needs 207 yards passing against Oklahoma State to move past Charles Napper into Texas Tech?s career top 10 list for passing yards. Napper passed for 2,262 yards from 1969-71. Peters has thrown for 2,056 yards in limited playing time at quarterback. Peters? is on pace to finish his career in the top five on the all-time Red Raider passing charts.
Player Yards YearsRobert Hall 7,908 1990-93Zebbie Lethridge 6,789 1994-97Billy Joe Tolliver 6,756 1985-88Ron Reeves 4,688 1978-81Jamie Gill 3,280 1988-91Tom Wilson 2,932 1963-65Jim Hart 2,600 1979-83Rodney Allison 2,411 1974-77Joe Barnes 2,330 1971-73Charles Napper 2,262 1969-71Rob Peters 2,056 1996-A
Hot Hand For Peters
After a slow start (connecting on two of six) in the first quarter, senior quarterback Rob Peters completed nine of 12 passes the rest of the way against Texas A&M last week. For the season, Peters has completed 51.1-percent of his passes (46 of 90).
In the Red Zone
Texas Tech has been productive during the early season once the Red Raiders move inside opponent?s 20-yard lines. In 11 trips, Tech has converted nine times, eight of those touchdowns. One of the two times the Red Raiders didn?t convert was to run out the clock at Louisiana-Lafayette. The other was a lost fumble at Arizona State.
Readin? and Writin? and ?Rithmatic
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.
Semesters 3.0Name Pos GPA or BetterKeith Cockrum R 4.00 8Kyle Sanders C 4.00 6Robert Monroe SN 3.90 6Rob Peters QB 3.88 (3.67 Grad) 8Reagan Bownds R 3.61 8Chris Birkholz K 3.54 6Kyle Shipley MLB 3.17 (3.50 Grad) 6
Academic All-Conference
Texas Tech had the second-most Academic All-Big 12 first team selections last season with 14. First team selections are regular players who posted at least a 3.2 grade point average. The list of academic all-conference selections can be found on page 141 of the 1999 Big 12 Football Media Guide.
The Last Time Out
Texas Tech rallied behind a stingy defensive effort and 170 yards rushing from Sammy Morris to upset 5th-ranked Texas A&M, 21-19, at Jones Stadium. The win was the fourth in the last five years against the rival Aggies.
All-America Farm Team
Senior Raider Reagan Bownds has been named to the All-America Farm Team by Successful Farming magazine. A world champion goat roper from Eldorado, Texas, Bownds has 24 tackles this season and 169 in his career at Texas Tech.
510 and Counting
Texas Tech radio play-by-play announcer Jack Dale is currently in the midst of his 47th season behind the Red Raider microphone. Through a little loose accounting, we have come to the conclusion that the Tech-A&M game was Dale?s 510th Red Raider game to call.
En Espanol
Texas Tech is one of just two NCAA Division 1-A programs to offer its football broadcast in Spanish (Miami is the other). Radio station KXTQ produces the broadcast, but it can also be heard via the internet (www.texastech.com). Mario Montez handles the play-by-play and Israel Aguilar the color commentary.
A Night of Firsts
The victory over Texas A&M produced a pair of firsts for a couple of Red Raider players. Junior receiver Dee Jackson hauled in his first career touchdown pass, a 15-yarder from Rob Peters in the second quarter and junior cornerback Derrick Briggs recorded his first career interception against the Aggies.
Fourth Largest
A gathering of 53,513 watched as Texas Tech defeated Texas A&M last week, the fourth-largest crowd in Jones Stadium history. The crowd was the largest since 54,012 showed up to watch the Red Raiders and Texas on Sept. 30, 1978.
Gray Beards (minus Clemmons)
Texas Tech players have a chance to learn from experience may be the understatement of the season. The 10 full-time members of the Red Raider staff have a combined 259 years of coaching experience, 156 of those years at the collegiate level. This staff has coached a collective 68-plus years at Texas Tech.
Dean of Big 12
Coach Spike Dykes is the dean of Big 12 head coaches, in his 13th season at the controls of the Red Raider program. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder and Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum are next on the list, both having been with their programs for 10 years.
Spike Tops List
Spike Dykes? 78 wins at Texas Tech make him the winningest all-time coach in Red Raider history. Dykes? moved past Pete Cawthon (1930-40) with Tech?s win at Louisiana-Lafayette this season.
Next Week
Texas Tech continues Big 12 competition by entertaining Colorado for Homecoming Oct. 16 at Jones Stadium.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State
TTU OSUTotal Offense 365.8 301.8Points Scored 21.5 23.8First Downs 20.0 15.8Rushing Yards 185.2 171.2Passing Yards 180.5 130.5Time of Possession 31:45 32:423rd Down Conversion % 36% 36%Points Allowed 22.0 20.8Yards Allowed 277.0 233.0Rushing Yards Allowed 121.5 104.0Passing Yards Allowed 155.5 129.0
STATISTICAL LEADERS
RUSHING YARDS
Texas Tech OKLAHOMA ST.Williams, S. 213 Fobbs 231Easterling 199 Tiger 151Morris, S. 181 Simmons 145
PASSING YARDS
Texas Tech OKLAHOMA ST.Peters 678 Tiger 362Kingsbury 44 Bowling 134
RECEPTIONS
Texas Tech OKLAHOMA ST.Dorris 11 Howell 14Jones 9 Fobbs 10Baker 7 Rivers 8
POINTS SCORED
Texas Tech OKLAHOMA ST.Williams, S. 18 Sydnes 25Birkholz 14 Rivers 18
TACKLES
Texas Tech OKLAHOMA ST.Curtis 45 Flowers 21Shipley 33 Porter 20Duffie 32 Golden 16