Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Face Old SWC Foe SMU On Saturday
September 03, 2002 | Football
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AN OLD FAMILIAR FACE
It's been seven years since the breakup of the Southwest Conference and Texas Tech's move into the Big 12. Many rivalries were created during Texas Tech's 36-year association with the league, including the Red Raider's series with the SMU Mustangs. For the first time since the split, Texas Tech and SMU meet on the football field, renewing a series that has seen 39 matchups over the years.
Texas Tech has won the last seven games in the series, dating back to SMU's first year off of the NCAA's death penalty in 1989. During that stretch, the Red Raiders averaged 44 points per game and yielded only 16.4 points per game to the Mustangs. Tech's win in 1989 snapped a six-game SMU winning streak from 1981-86.
The series between Texas Tech and SMU began in 1932 with a 6-0 Tech win. The Red Raiders hold the longest win streak in the series at seven games from 1972-78 and 1989-95. The Mustangs six-game win streak in the early to mid-eighties is their longest.
A LOOK BACK AT TEXAS TECH'S AND SMU'S LAST GAME
Texas Tech - The Red Raiders dropped a 45-21 decision at 12th-ranked Ohio State in the NACDA Pigskin Classic in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 24. The loss was the first season-opening setback for a Texas Tech team since a 31-13 loss at Arizona State to open the season in 1999. SMU - The Mustangs opened the 2002 season Saturday with a 38-7 loss against Navy in Dallas. The loss for SMU was the second-largest ever for the Mustangs in a home opener.
COACHING ASSIGNMENTS
Head Coach Mike Leach is his own offensive coordinator and calls the action from the sideline. Defensive Coordinator Greg McMackin is in his third season and is on the sideline, along with defensive line coach Ron Harris, wide receivers coach Sonny Dykes, running backs coach Art Briles, offensive line coach Robert Anae and special teams coach Manny Matsakis. Assisting from above in the booth are linebackers coach Ruffin McNeill, secondary coach Dave Brown and inside receivers coach Dana Holgorsen.
RED RAIDERS FACE PROGRAM'S TOUGHEST SCHEDULE
The better the talent, the tougher the schedule. As Texas Tech has continued to improve each season under third-year head coach Mike Leach, the schedule has steadily become more formidable. Six of this season's opponents are ranked among the nation's top 25 in two polls, while Texas and Oklahoma are each in the top five. Among the highlights on this year's slate --at #10/11 Ohio State, vs. #25/24 North Carolina State, at #23/NR Texas A&M, at #7/6 Colorado, vs. #3/2 Texas and at #1/3 Oklahoma. (AP/ESPN Coaches)
MUNLIN, HENDERSON CARRY THE LOAD
Following a much anticipated spring and preseason, Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach opted for junior RB Foy Munlin to replace Ricky Williams in the backfield. Munlin led the Red Raiders with seven carries and logged 18 yards. Freshman RB Taurean Henderson split time with Munlin, producing a team-high 31 yards on three carries, including a 29-yard gallop.
WELKER POST CAREER DAY AT OHIO STATE
Junior IR Wes Welker opened the 2002 season with five catches for a career-high 117 yards and two touchdowns. He also moved up a couple of other charts - career touchdown receptions (t10th from 12th with 7), Big 12 career punt return yards (10th from 12th with 663). Welker's 23.4 yards per catch against the Buckeyes almost doubled his career average of 12.1.
RISKY MOVE
"Hesitation" is not a word in sophomore KR Ivory McCann's vocabulary. The diminutive speedster showed last season against New Mexico that returning a kick from nine yards deep in the endzone could payoff. McCann hit paydirt on that return against the Lobos and hasn't thought twice about bringing it out since. Against Ohio State, two of his four returns were from deep in the endzone. One of the nation's top kick returners last season, McCann averaged 24.5 yards per return against Ohio State.
KINGSBURY CONTINUES TO RACK UP THE YARDS
Senior QB Kliff Kingsbury logged his 11th career 300-yard game against Ohio State with a 341-yard effort. Kingsbury finished the game 26-of-44 with three touchdown strikes. He has 7,753 career passing yards and needs 156 to become the all-time passing yardage leader at Texas Tech. He also is 601 yards shy of breaking Major Applewhite's Big 12 passing yardage record of 8,353 yards and needs only 242 yards of total offense to move into second place past Eric Crouch in the Big 12 career total offense list.
TAKE YOUR PICK
The Red Raiders used 13 different receivers in 2001 and quickly picked up where they left off this season. Tech QB Kliff Kingsbury hit eight different receivers in 26 receptions against OSU.
FLUGENCE MAKES STATEMENT IN OPENER
Senior All-American LB Lawrence Flugence topped his previous career-high 19 tackles with 23 against the Buckeyes. He posted 15 solo tackles and had a tackle for loss.
IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME
Senior DE Aaron Hunt entered the 2001 season with 13 career sacks in two seasons and no one thought about the school record of 25.5, set by Montae Reagor (1995-98). That was until Hunt nearly matched his career total in one season with a single-season school record of 12 a year ago. Hunt needed one sack against the Buckeyes to claim the record and did so early in the second quarter. He now has 26 sacks and has the Big 12 mark in his sights. Kansas State's Darren Howard logged 29.5 sacks from 1996-99.
