Texas Tech University Athletics
Houston Drafts Symons in Seventh
April 25, 2004 | Football
April 25, 2004
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech and NCAA record-setting quarterback B.J. Symons joined wide receiver Carlos Francis in the 2004 NFL Draft when the Houston Texans selected Symons in the seventh round Sunday afternoon. Francis was a fourth-round pick of the Oakland Raiders.
Symons is the fourth-straight starting quarterback under Tech head coach Mike Leach to go in the draft. Tim Couch (Kentucky), Josh Heupel (Oklahoma) and Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech) all were coached by Leach and drafted into the NFL prior to Symons' entry this year.
With the 2003 season serving as Symons' proving ground, the first-year starter and native of Houston blistered opposing defenses to the tune of 448.6 passing yards per game. He also set several NCAA records, including Single-Season Passing Yards (5,833) and Single-Season Total Offense Yards (5,976).
Additionally, Symons set a school record with 586 passing yards at N.C. State and followed with a record-shattering 661-yard performance in the win over Mississippi in Oxford. His 681 yards of total offense against the Rebels is the third-most single-game total in NCAA history. Symons also led Tech to its second-straight NCAA Team Passing title and first NCAA Total Offense title in 2003.
For his efforts, Symons was named the Chevrolet National Offensive Player of the Year and was the second Tech quarterback (Kingsbury, 2002) in as many years to win the Sammy Baugh Trophy from The Touchdown Club of Columbus as the nation's best quarterback.
