Symons Breaks NCAA Single-Season Passing Record
November 24, 2003 | Football
Nov 22, 2003
By BETSY BLANEY
Associated Press Writer
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Texas Tech's B. J. Symons wasn't enjoying sitting atop the NCAA list for single-season passing yards on Saturday night.
Earning the Division I record was bittersweet following Tech's 56-25 loss to No. 1 Oklahoma.
"Right now it's not really too exciting because of the disappointment," Symons said. "The loss hurts a little bit more than the record feels good."
Symons, who came into the game 83 yards shy of breaking the record, got it on a 15-yard pass to Nehemiah Glover with 6:35 remaining in the second quarter. The first-year starter has thrown for 5,336 yards in 12 games, an average of 445 yards.
BYU's Ty Detmer set the previous record of 5,188 yards in 1990.
The game against the Sooners was Symons' worst performance of the year. He threw for only 230 yards, a season low, and had five interceptions.
A fifth-year senior, Symons came from virtual obscurity this season, having played backup for the past three seasons while Kliff Kingsbury led the Red Raiders' offense. He has passed for more than 400 yards in eight games this season.
In Tech's 49-45 win over Mississippi, Symons threw for season high 661 yards.
Symons also set a record for total offense in 12 games in a single season. He needed 2 yards coming into the game and set the record on Tech's third play from scrimmage by completing a 9-yard pass to Glover for a first down at the Sooners 32.
David Klingler of Houston still holds the 11-game record with 5,221 yards. He did that in 1990.
No player since, regardless of the number of games, has amassed more yardage, thus there being no record for 12 games.