Texas Tech University Athletics
Football Clashes With Kansas State In Lubbock
October 08, 2001 | Football
Oct. 8, 2001
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RADIO
The All Sports Radio Network is in its sixth season of broadcasting Texas Tech football games on a network basis. The 27-station network covers the state of Texas and Eastern New Mexico. Brian Jensen (play-by-play), John Harris (color) and Mark Finkner (sideline) provide gameday coverage. The broadcast may also be heard via the Internet at www.texastech.com.
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.
LAST WEEK FOR TEXAS TECH AND KANSAS
Texas Tech dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play following a disappointing 34-31 overtime loss at home to Kansas. The Wildcats also fell to 2-2 and 0-2 in league action with a 16-6 loss at home to Colorado.
THE TEXAS TECH-KANSAS STATE SERIES
After winning the first three games in the series with Kansas State, Texas Tech has lost three straight to the Wildcats, all in Big 12 action. The series began in 1933 with a 6-0 Tech win. In the last three games K-State is averaging a touchdown advantage over the Red Raiders. The 1996 game was the inaugural game of the Big 12 Conference.
KANSAS STATE SCOUTING REPORT
Kansas State is 2-2 on the season and 0-2 in Big 12 action following two-consecutive losses at Oklahoma (38-37) and Colorado (16-6). The Wildcats opened the season with wins at Southern California (10-6) and at home against New Mexico State (64-0). As a team, K-State is averaging 29.3 points per game and yield 15.0 points per game to the opposition. The team averages 220.0 yards per game on the ground and 164.0 yards in the air and has 12 rushing scores to five through the air. The Wildcats have been explosive in the second quarter this season, scoring 49 points in four games, compared to 25, 27 and 16 in the first, third and fourth quarters, respectively. RB Josh Scobey leads a potent running attack with 88.8 yards per game, followed by QB Ell Roberson's 59.2 yards per game on the ground. Both have five rushing touchdowns. Roberson has seen a majority of the snaps at quarterback and has thrown for 571 yards on 36-of-87 passing. Brandon Clark leads the team with 11 receptions.
RED RAIDER NOTEBOOK VS. KANSAS
- Kansas snapped Tech's nine-game homecoming win streak with the 34-31 defeat. Texas Tech is 42-27-3 all-time in homecoming games.
- Senior TE Cole Roberts' three-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter was the second of his career. His first came earlier this season against North Texas.
- Sophomore RB Wes Welker caught his second-career touchdown pass in the second quarter on a 35-yard grab from QB Kliff Kingsbury.
- Junior P Clinton Greathouse attempted his first field goal of the season in the first quarter.
- Senior RB Ricky Williams earned the 26th rushing touchdown of his career on a 24-yard scamper in the third quarter.
- Junior DE Aaron Hunt now occupies sole possession of fifth place on the all-time sacks list at Texas Tech after recording one against KU.
- Sophomore QB B.J. Symons played the entire fourth quarter following an injury to Kliff Kingsbury, marking the longest playing time of his career. He scored his first-career touchdown on a nine-yard run in the first overtime.
- The overtime game was the first in school history for the Red Raiders. Tech was the only team remaining in the Big 12 without an overtime game.
RED RAIDERS IN THE MIDST OF TOUGH STRETCH
Texas Tech is in the middle of one of the toughest stretches in school history. The Red Raiders faced then-No. 5 Texas in Austin two weeks ago, before hosting Kansas Saturday night. This weekend the Red Raiders host No. 22 Kansas State and travel to No. Nebraska the following week. Coming up later on the schedule: games against No. 19 Texas A&M and No. 3 Oklahoma in Lubbock.
ROBERTS FINDING NICHE IN SENIOR SEASON
Senior TE Cole Roberts is making the most of his senior season. He already has surpassed his career total of 12 catches coming into the season with 18 this year.
SYMONS TURNS IN GOOD PERFORMANCE AGAINST KANSAS
Sophomore QB B.J. Symons played the entire fourth quarter against Kansas after entering the game following a thumb injury to Kliff Kingsbury. Symons rushed for 19 yards on five carries and completed two passes for 15 yards. He also scored his first collegiate touchdown on a nine-yard rush in overtime.
McCANN RETURNS TO NEW MEXICO FORM RB Ivory McCann returned two kickoffs for 96 yards, including a long run of 59 yards against the Jayhawks. In the season opener, the speedy freshman fielded a kickoff in the back of the endzone and returned it 108 yards for a touchdown, the longest in school history.
KINGSBURY CONTINUES TO MOVE UP CHARTS Another week passes and junior QB Kliff Kingsbury makes another move up the charts. Kingsbury moved into third place on the all-time completions list, passing Billy Joe Tolliver. Kingsbury has 515 completions. With three touchdown passes, Kingsbury passed Ron Reeves on the career touchdown passes list to move into fourth place with 33 career scoring tosses.
RICKY BECOMES FOURTH TO RUSH FOR 3,000 YARDS Senior RB Ricky Williams joins Byron Hanspard (4,219), James Gray (4,066) and Byron Morris (3,544) on the list of 3,000-yard rushers at Texas Tech. Williams surpassed the mark two weeks ago at North Texas and now has 3,197 yards.
DEFENSE IMPRESSIVE ON THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS Texas Tech's defense has limited the opposition on third-down conversions. In four games, Tech opponents are 19-of-63 (30%) on third down.
WILLIAMS MAKES HISTORY IN WIN OVER NORTH TEXAS RB Ricky Williams set a school record with 13 receptions against the Mean Green. Needless to say, Williams also set the school record for receptions by a running back and established a personal-best 101 yards receiving. On the night, Williams amassed 195 yards of total offense with two rushing touchdowns.
TECH DEFENSIVE BACK ONE OF TEAM'S LEADING SCORERS DB Paul McClendon returned two North Texas turnovers for touchdowns and has 18 points on the season, third on the team. McClendon scored on a 6-yard fumble return and a 50-yard interception return. In the season opener against New Mexico, he returned a fumble 5
- yards for a touchdown.
McCLENDON NAMED BIG 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK For his heroics against North Texas, McClendon was named Southwestern Bell Big 12 Football Defensive Player of the Week. McClendon is the first Red Raiders to earn the award on the defensive side since Kevin Curtis during the 1999 season. Overall, four Tech players have received the defensive honor (Robert Johnson - 1996, Montae Reagor - 1997).
FOLLOWING McCLENDON'S LEAD Texas Tech scored back-to-back touchdowns twice in its 42-1
- win over North Texas. Following McClendon's fumble return, the Red Raiders scored on their next offensive possession, capping a 10-play, 67-yard drive with a Kingsbury to Cole Roberts 4-yard strike. Tech did it again in the third and fourth quarters. Following another McClendon defensive touchdown to close the third, Kingsbury hit Mickey Peters with a 5-yard pass to end a 10-play, 79-yard drive.
BIG 12 RUSHERS MOVIN' ON UP Led by senior Ricky Williams of Texas Tech as he continues his comeback from near-career-ending knee surgery in September, 1999, active Big 12 rushers are climbing the charts after some excellent early performances. Williams became the fifth rusher since the founding of the Big 12 to surpass 3,000 yards while Nebraska QB Eric Crouch continues to excel on the ground and in the air as the all-time Big 12 quarterback rushing pacesetter. ISU's Ennis Haywood used a 219-yard rushing day at Ohio on Sept. 22 to reach the 2,000-yard career mark. Kansas State's Josh Scobey became the seventh active Big 12 carrier to reach the 1,000-yard mark after his performance at Oklahoma on Sept. 29-16 games into his two-year KSU career. Big 12 Conference Top Active Career Returning Rushers (Thru 9/29/01) Player/School Years Rushes Yards Ricky Williams, Texas Tech 1997-01 700 3,197 Eric Crouch, Nebraska 1998-01 559 2,859 Ennis Haywood, Iowa State 1998-01 405 2,151 Cortlen Johnson, Colorado 1998-01 377 1,815 Zain Gilmore, Missouri 1998-01 377 1,584 Quentin Griffin, Oklahoma 1999-01 309 1,378 Josh Scobey, Kansas State 2000-01 257 1,073
PAIGE GETS FIRST COLLEGIATE START Junior college transfer WR Anton Paige saw his first action as a Red Raiders as a member of the starting lineup against North Texas. Paige suffered a hamstring injury in the team's first scrimmage of the preseason Aug. 19 and has been limited since. He caught two passes for 13 yards against North Texas.
TECH AMONG THE LEAGUE'S BEST The Red Raiders rank high in several Big 12 statistical categories, including holding the top spot in passing offense at 325.0 yards per game, which also ranks seventh nationally. Tech also ranks second in scoring offense (42.0 ppg), second in pass defense (123.5 ypg), tied for first in point after kicking (10-of-10, 100%), third in fourth down conversions (3-of-5, 60%) and fourth in red zone offense (6-of-8, 75%).
Kingsbury Named to O'Brien Watch List Junior quarterback Kliff Kingsbury was been named to the Davey O'Brien Foundation Watch List for the upcoming season. The award is presented annually to the nation's top college quarterback. Joining Kingsbury on the list from the Big 12 is Eric Crouch (Nebraska), Mark Farris (Texas A&M) and Chris Simms (Texas). The O'Brien Award is named in honor of the late Davey O'Brien, the All-American and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback for Texas Christian University who led the Horned Frogs to the 1938 National Championship.
TECH RANKS HIGH IN GRADUATION RATES SURVEY The American Football Coaches Association recognized Texas Tech football as one of the nation's top 30 programs in graduating its student-athletes. Texas Tech recognized a jump in graduation to 70 percent this past year after graduating 5
- percent the previous year. Tech, Baylor and Nebraska were the only schools from the Big 12 recognized as having graduated 70 percent or higher.
Curtis Named to Thorpe Award "Watch List" Senior strong safety Kevin Curtis was been named to the Thorpe Award "Watch List" for the 2001 season. The Thorpe Award is presented annually to the nation's top defensive back. Curtis also has received several preseason honors, including being named a second-team All-American by Street & Smith's. He also is listed as one of the top 10 collegiate safeties entering the 2001 season by Lindy's College Football. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Lubbock native finished second on the team last season with 121 tackles and fourth in the Big 12 Conference. His 320 career tackles ranks ninth all-time at Tech, trailing former Tech All-American Gabe Rivera by one tackle. Other players named to the list include Quentin Jammer (Texas), Roy Williams (Oklahoma), Pig Prather (Mississippi State) and Lito Sheppard (Florida).
