Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Open 2001 Campaign With New Mexico
September 02, 2001 | Football
Sept. 2, 2001
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SETTING THE SCENE
Texas Tech opens the 2001 campaign Sat., Sept. 8, with a 7 p.m. (CT) kickoff against New Mexico at Jones SBC Stadium. The Red Raiders enter their first tilt of the season coming off of a 7-6 campaign and the team's eighth-straight bowl-eligible season. The Lobos won their season opener last week against UTEP, 26-6. New Mexico finished the 2000 season with a 5-7 overall mark and 3-4 record in Mountain West Conference play. The Tech-UNM game is the 37th in the series with Tech holding a 29-5-2 edge. The Red Raiders hold a 19-1 advantage at home, including last season's 24-3 win. UNM's lone win in Lubbock was a 30-10 win during the 1983 season.
TELEVISION
The University of New Mexico will air the game back to Albuquerque only.
RADIO
The All Sports Radio Network is in its sixth season of broadcasting Texas Tech football games on a network basis. The 34-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.
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 54 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).
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.
McMackin Featured in American Football Monthly
Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Greg McMackin was featured in the August 2001 issue of American Football Monthly. He was featured as one of the publication's hot coaches this season. McMackin, in his second season at Texas Tech, led a Red Raider defense last season that recorded three shutouts and held two other opponents without an offensive score. The Tech defense ranked sixth in the nation last season in pass defense, 10th in pass efficiency defense and was among the top 25 in total defense. The 2000 squad also set a school record with 96 tackles for loss and led the Big 12 Conference in fumble recoveries. Individually, four Red Raiders ranked among the top 10 in the Big 12 in tackles, including league-leading Lawrence Flugence. The Seattle Seahawks drafted defensive tackle Kris Kocurek in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. In addition to McMackin, the publication also listed linebacker coach Ruffin McNeill as one of the nation's top minority coaches. McNeill was instrumental in the development of Flugence as one of the nation's leading linebackers.
Williams Named Doak Walker Award Candidate
Senior running back Ricky Williams has been named to the candidate list for the 2001 Doak Walker Award. Williams rushed for 1,582 yards during his sophomore season in 1998 and was named one of eight semifinalists for the award. He also was on the preseason candidate list in 1999 and was a preseason favorite to win the honor. He is currently fourth on the all-time rushing yardage list at Texas Tech with 2,935 career yards. He also ranks third in career rushing attempts with 647. In 1998, Williams established two of Tech's top 10 single-game rushing totals with 251 yards against UTEP and 244 yards against Fresno State.
Dave Brown Named Secondary Coach at Texas Tech
Former Seattle Seahawk assistant coach Dave Brown was named Tech secondary coach in the early spring. Brown began his coaching career with the Seattle Seahawks in 1992 and coached there until 1998. During his final four years with the team, Brown served as defensive backs coach under current Texas Tech defensive coordinator Greg McMackin. Brown played professionally for 16 seasons, beginning his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While in the Steel City, Brown participated in Pittsburgh's 21-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys in SuperBowl X at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Following a brief stint with the Steelers, Brown was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in an expansion draft and spent 10 seasons (1976-86) with the franchise. A 1984 All-Pro selection, Brown holds the all-time record in Seattle with 50 interceptions. He also is one of six former Seahawks, including Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent, named to the Seattle Seahawks "Ring of Honor." He finished his career with the Green Bay Packers. Brown was an All-American defensive back at the University of Michigan and was named to the school's All-Century Team.
"AIR RAID" ATTACK ASSAULTS RECORD BOOK
Leach didn't waste any time getting his aerial attack off of the ground in his first season on the South Plains. The "Air Raid" attack was responsible for 23 new passing records at Texas Tech.
RED RAIDER DEFENSE FINISHED STRONG IN 2000
Texas Tech's defense flourished under first-year defensive coordinator Greg McMackin last season. The Red Raiders led the nation in shutouts with three and held five total opponents without an offensive touchdown.
DEFENSIVE SCORING IN 2000
The Texas Tech defense put points on the scoreboards last season in five games. The Red Raiders scored five touchdowns on four returned interceptions and a fumble return. Tech also recorded a safety. The Red Raiders scored twice against Oklahoma State on picks.
MORE DEFENSIVE NOTES
- The defensive accomplishments keep on coming. The Red Raiders set a school record last season with 96 tackles for loss.
- Tech led the Big 12 Conference with 16 fumble recoveries and 251 yards in returns.
- Red Raider defensive tackle Kris Kocurek was drafted in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft.
- Linebacker Lawrence Flugence led the nation with 156 tackles and finished fourth with 13.0 tackles per game.
- Four Red Raiders ranked among the Big 12's top 10 in tackles.
- Texas Tech shutout back-to-back home opponents last season, knocking off Louisiana-Lafayette and Baylor.
RED RAIDERS LOOK FOR TWO IN A ROW IN HOME OPENERS
Texas Tech is 55-18-3 all-time in home openers. The last loss came at the start of the 1999 season when North Texas knocked off Tech 21-14. Last season, Tech jumped back on the winning track and defeated New Mexico 24-3. Tech has won seven of the last eight home openers and eight of the last 10. The Red Raiders are 5-1 against New Mexico in home openers.
TECH HAS STRUGGLED LATELY WITH THE LIDLIFTER
The Red Raiders are 48-25-3 overall in season openers, but have dropped four of the last six, all on the road. The two wins were against UTEP in 1998 and New Mexico last season. The last time Tech won two straight season lidlifters was at the start of the 1993 and 1994 seasons with wins over Pacific and New Mexico.
TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED
Following Sunday afternoon's practice, the Red Raider coaches announced the team captains for the 2001 season. Kliff Kingsbury, Kevin Curtis, Lawrence Flugence and Ricky Williams will represent the team at midfield. Jonathan Hawkins has been named an honorary captain for the New Mexico game.
SHORT WORKWEEK FOR THE RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech has a short turnaround next week in preparation for the UTEP game on Thur., Sept. 13, in El Paso. Kickoff is set for 9:05 p.m. (CT) and is scheduled for ESPN2.
