Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Host Kansas State For Homecoming
October 10, 2005 | Football
Oct. 10, 2005
No. 11/13 Texas Tech vs. Kansas StateSaturday, October 15, 2005 - Jones SBC Stadium
Kickoff: 11 a.m. - ABC Sports
2005 Homecoming Game
Texas Tech vs. Kansas State - Gameday Central
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TEXAS TECH LOOKS TO CONTINUE PERFECT START AGAINST KANSAS STATE
Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) returns home for its fifth home game in the last six outings when the Red Raiders host Kansas State (4-1, 1-1) on Sat., Oct. 15, at 11 a.m. The two teams are meeting for the second time in as many years, but will take a two-year hiatus beginning next season as part of the league's divisional rotation. The game will be televised nationally on ABC.
TECH IN THE MIDST OF TRIFECTA AGAINST THE NORTH DIVISION
The Red Raiders' game against the Wildcats this weekend is the third of three straight against members of the league's North Division. The Red Raiders knocked off Nebraska (34-31) last weekend and Kansas (30-17) two weeks ago in Lubbock. This year marks the first time since the 2002 season that Tech has faced each of the three North Division members on consecutive weekends. Iowa State, Missouri and Colorado were on Tech's schedule in a three-week span three seasons ago.
TECH CONTINUES CLIMB
Texas Tech moved up this week in both of the major polls, climbing two spots to No. 11 in the USA Today poll and improving two spots to No. 13 in the Associated Press poll. The No. 11 ranking is the highest for a Red Raider team since Sept. 19, 1977, when the Red Raiders were ranked seventh nationally in the AP poll. This is the seventh-straight week the Red Raiders have been in the polls and the longest such run under head coach Mike Leach.
RED RAIDER FOOTBALL IN 81st SEASON
The 2005 season marks the 81st year of Texas Tech Football on the South Plains. Over that span, the program has 470 wins, 375 losses and 32 ties.
TECH START BEST SINCE 1998
Texas Tech's 5-0 record to open the 2005 season is the best since the team opened the 1998 season 6-0. The school record for consecutive games without a loss to open a season is eight when the Red Raiders were 8-0 during the 1976 season. That team finished 10-2 and is the last team to win 10 games.
RED RAIDERS ON HOMECOMING DAY
Texas Tech enters this weekend's homecoming contest with Kansas State on a three-game win streak in the annual game. The Red Raiders have won 12 of the last 13 homecomings, with the only loss coming against Kansas in overtime in 2001.
LEACH IN SIXTH SEASON
Aside from Spike Dykes' 13 seasons (1987-99), the last Texas Tech coach to spend more than six seasons in Lubbock was JT King, who was at the helm of the program from 1961-69. Leach has seen continual improvement in each of his first five years, highlighted by last season's 45-31 win over California in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. Leach has posted a 44-25 record and 23-19 record in Big 12 play, including last season's 5-3 league record and Big 12 third-place finish, the highest finish for Tech in the league standings. He is the first coach in school history to lead each of his first five teams to bowl games and also to win three-straight post-season games. His Tech teams have combined for over 151 team and individual records. Additionally, the Red Raider offense has led the nation in passing the past three years and total offense the last two.
MORE ON LEACH
The Sporting News acknowledged Mike Leach in its preseason Big 12 issue as the second-best coach in the Big 12 Conference. In a league littered with outstanding coaches, only OU coach Bob Stoops ranked higher than Leach. Texas' Mack Brown, Kansas State's Bill Snyder and Colorado's Gary Barnett ranked third through fifth.
BIG 12 LEADERS
Texas Tech leads the Big 12 in seven statistical categories and is tied for the lead in another. Tech tops the charts in scoring offense (52.6), pass offense (433.0), total offense (550.6), turnover margin (+1.6), pass efficiency (170.4), fourth-down conversions (100.0) and redzone offense (96.9%). The Red Raiders are tied for the lead in PAT kicking (100%). Individually, QB Cody Hodges leads the league in passing (363.6), pass efficiency (172.8) and total offense (372.2). IR Robert Johnson tops the receptions per game chart (6.0), while RB Taurean Henderson leads in scoring (10.8). PK Alex Trlica is the league's second-leading scorer with 10.8 points per game and leads the league's kickers with 53 points this season. Defensively, FS Dwayne Slay is tied atop the forced fumble list with four.
NCAA LEADERS
Texas Tech leads the country in passing offense and scoring. The Red Raiders also rank among the top 10 in total offense (3), turnover margin (5) and pass efficiency (5). Hodges leads the country in total offense.
REDZONE OFFENSE AMONG NATION'S BEST
The Texas Tech offense has made 32 trips into the opponent's redzone this season and has come away with scores 31 times. The Red Raiders were perfect heading into Saturday's game at Nebraska, but an interception late in the game ended the run. Tech has 26 touchdowns, including 13 on the ground, and five field goals this season in the redzone. The Red Raiders redzone offense ranks among the nation's top 10.
OFFENSE POSTS SOLID NUMBERS AGAINST NO. 2 DEFENSE
Despite sputtering in the second half, Texas Tech managed to score 34 points against the nation's second-ranked defense at Nebraska. Tech also posted 412 yards of total offense - 144.5 yards more than the Huskers were allowing on the season. The Red Raiders also passed for 368 yards, 174.2 yards more than NU's average allowed. Tech's first touchdown of the first quarter marked the first time this season that the Huskers had allowed a team to penetrate the endzone in the opening frame.
RED RAIDERS PLAYING A MEAN GAME OF KEEP AWAY
Texas Tech has done such a good job of bullying its opponents into turnovers this season that the Red Raiders lead the league in turnover margin at +1.6 per game. The Red Raiders have recovered 10 opponents fumbles this season, while forcing 12 overall. Additionally, the pass defense has stepped up and has picked four passes on the year. In last Saturday's win at Nebraska, the Red Raiders forced key turnovers in the 34-31 win. Tech picked two passes and fell on three of NU's five fumbles. LB Sylvester Brinkley leads the team with two interceptions, while DB Khalid Naziruddin and SS Vincent Meeks have one each. FS Dwayne Slay leads a host of Red Raiders with four forced fumbles.
FILANI GARNERS WEEKLY HONOR
WR Joel Filani was selected as the SBC Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Nebraska. Filani picked the right time to have a career game. He turned in a three-touchdown performance in Tech's win at Nebraska, including the game-winning reception with 12 seconds remaining to give Tech the win. He finished the game with a career-high 11 receptions and 163 yards. He hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass with 14:36 remaining in the second quarter to give the Red Raiders a 13-0 lead. The 94-yard touchdown drive also marked Tech's second longest of the season. Filani picked up his second touchdown of the game with 9:25 remaining in the second quarter to give Tech a 20-0 lead. The game marked just the second time in his career that he has had a multiple touchdown game (last vs. Sam Houston State). Filani picked up his third touchdown of the game on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds remaining in the game. Filani's has six touchdowns on the season and eight in his career. Additionally, Filani was the target on several first downs, hauling in eight of his 11 receptions for first downs.
TRLICA ADDS SCORING PUNCH
During the first three games of the season, sophomore PK Alex Trlica ran through his usual routine of kicking extra points - several times. The Red Raiders scored 28 touchdowns in the non-conference season and Trlica effortlessly booted extra point after extra point. In the last two games, Trlica was given six opportunities to kick field goals and he accepted the challenge. After having the first attempt blocked against NU, the Lou Groza Star of the Week (Oct. 4) connected on his other two attempts. A week earlier, Trlica was successful on all three field goal attempts in Tech's win over Kansas, including a career-long 46-yard strike. The three-field goal game was the first since the Nebraska game in 2001. Trlica is second in the Big 12 Conference in scoring behind teammate Taurean Henderson with 10.8 points per game.
HENDERSON SETS SCHOOL RECEPTIONS MARK
RB Taurean Henderson needed four receptions against Nebraska to break Wes Welker's school record for receptions (259 from 2000-03) and wasted little time setting the new mark. Henderson had his fourth reception before the end of the first quarter to set the new standard. He finished the game with six catches and has 262 for his career.
NEXT RECORD
Henderson fell one reception short against Nebraska in his attempt to break the NCAA record for career receptions by a running back. With his next catch, Henderson will break the mark of 262, set by Long Beach State's Mark Templeton during the 1984-87 seasons.
WIN AT MEMORIAL STADIUM LEAVES TWO
With its win last Saturday at Nebraska, Texas Tech has now posted victories on the home field of each Big 12 school, save two - Colorado and Missouri. The Red Raiders will get their chance next season at Colorado and Missouri the following year.
REYES' AVERAGE IMPROVES WITH INCREASED REPS
Texas Tech coach Mike Leach likes his odds when it comes to fourth-down situations. He likes his choices, too. Tech is perfect on fourth-down attempts this season, but when not going for it, Leach has junior P Alex Reyes to fall back on. The Ray Guy Award candidate got off to a slow start by his standards, averaging 41.0 yards per punt on three punts in the first two games. In the last three games, however, Reyes has punted 16 times and is averaging 46.3 yards, including a season-high 48.7 yards on three punts in the win over Nebraska. On the season, Reyes is averaging 45.4 yards per punt.
NOW, ON TO FOURTH-DOWN CONVERSIONS
When Texas Tech does get a wild hair and go for it on fourth down, odds are in its favor to be successful. The Red Raiders are tied with five other teams nationally with a perfect 100 percent success rate on fourth-down attempts. Tech does lead the group with five attempts. UCLA, Northern Illinois, Penn State and LSU are the other four with four or less attempts.
DEFENSE COMES OUT STRONG TO START SECOND HALF
The Texas Tech defense came out strong in the second half as Tech ended Nebraska's first two drives with forced turnovers. DT Chris Hudler recovered a fumble on the first drive, while LB Sylvester Brinkley intercepted a pass on the Huskers' second. The multiple turnover game by the Tech defense was the unit's fourth this season and third straight (only non-multi turnover game was Sam Houston State). The Tech defense recorded its third turnover with 12:09 remaining in the fourth quarter when FS Dwayne Slay forced a fumble and Fletcher Session recovered. The three-turnover game marked Tech's second of the season (Indiana State).
SLAY PACKS A PUNCH
An internal radar for the ball and a knack for applying punishing hits are how senior FS Dwayne Slay has become the team leader in tackles. Slay leads the team with 37 tackles and paced the Red Raiders with 12 tackles against Nebraska. Slay's bruising tackles have given him a team lead with four forced fumbles this season. Slay is one of five team captains this season.
JOHNSON LEADS BALANCED RECEIVING ATTACK
Seven Red Raider receivers already have 10 or more receptions on the season, led by junior IR Robert Johnson's 31 catches. Johnson also leads the team with 91.8 yards per game and has two touchdowns. WR Joel Filani leads the team with six touchdown receptions and is second with 27 receptions and 403 yards. RB Taurean Henderson and WR Jarrett Hicks follow with 26 and 22 receptions, respectively.
WILLIAM TELL WOULD BE PROUD
QB Cody Hodges' dead aim this season reflects in his completion percentage - 72.9 percent. Hodges has completed 118-of-203 passes on the season, turning in a completion percentage better than his three predecessors. Additionally, Hodges is averaging just below three and a half touchdown passes per game. If his current pace continues throughout the season, he will finish the regular season with 37 touchdown passes. Hodges was accurate again in the win over Nebraska, hitting 34-of-45 of his attempts for a 75.6 percentage.
HODGES EFFECTIVE ON THE GROUND, TOO
Senior QB Cody Hodges has 17 touchdown passes on the season, but has kept opponents honest with his ability to move the ball on the ground. Hodges has rushed for two touchdowns this season and also has 36 attempts. Tech quarterbacks scored two touchdowns on the ground all of last season. He has broken several long runs this season when passing routes didn't pan out.
TECH BACKUP ACCURATE AS WELL
Redshirt freshman backup QB Graham Harrell relieved Hodges early in the fourth and third quarters against Florida International and Sam Houston State, respectively, and played the entire second half against Indiana State. Harrell has hit 75 percent of his receivers this season and has completed 30-of-40 pass attempts. He also has 341 yards and two passing scores. Harrell's pass attempts are the most for a backup in a season since Sonny Cumbie's 56 pass attempts as a backup to B.J. Symons in 2003.
IT'S CONTAGIOUS
Sixteen players have caught a pass this season, including seven who have at least 10 receptions and four with 20 or more. IR Robert Johnson leads the team with 31 receptions, while WR Joel Filani follows with 27.
HICKS TIES RECORD
Junior WR Jarrett Hicks turned in one of the best single seasons in Tech history for a receiver a year ago when he hauled in a school record 13 touchdown receptions and 1,177 yards. Currently this season, he has four touchdown receptions on nine catches. Hicks' 22 career touchdown catches ties him atop the Tech charts with Mickey Peters (2000-03).
TRUE FRESHMEN SEEING PLAYING TIME
Four newcomers saw playing time in the first game of the season - the most in one season in the Mike Leach era. DE McKinner Dixon, WR Todd Walker, WR Catron Houston and OG Louis Vasquez each have seen significant playing time this season. Walker has three catches on the season for 26 yards, while Houston is averaging 18.3 yards per catch on three receptions. Dixon's start against Indiana State was the earliest start for a true freshman under Mike Leach. Dixon has 10 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks this season.
TECH DEFENSIVE ENDS CONTINUE TRADITION
Tech's string of fielding talented defensive ends didn't end last year with the graduation of Adell Duckett (2001-04). First, there was Montae Reagor (95-98), then current Tech sack record holder Aaron Hunt (99-02). The three aforementioned ends all rank one, two and three on the Tech career sacks list. Enter junior end Keyunta Dawson and newcomer McKinner Dixon. Despite spending last season as a backup to Duckett at rush end, Dawson still led the team in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (9). Dawson's sack total also tied for fifth in the Big 12. Dawson has 13.5 career sacks, while Dixon has 10 tackles on the season, including six in his first-career start against Indiana State.
FRESHMEN CONTRIBUTION
Texas Tech's freshman class (true and redshirt) have done their part in practice to get involved statistically on game day. Six players have caught a pass or rushed the ball, while one has seen ample time passing the ball. QB Graham Harrell has seen significant action in each game this season, completing 30-of-40 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. Six receivers, led by IR L.A. Reed, have made contributions to the offensive effort this year. Reed leads the group with eight receptions for 118 yards. RB Shannon Woods is the team's second-leading rusher with 127 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns. He also has a score through the air. Defensively, eight freshmen have taken the field this year, led by DE McKinner Dixon. The true freshman is the only freshman with a start on the defensive side of the ball. LB Calen Shearer has nine tackles.
TECH TIES FIRST-HALF SCORING RECORD
Texas Tech's 49 first-half points against Indiana State tied the school record for points in a half that was previously done against Baylor in 2001 and against Sam Houston State on Sept. 17. The Red Raiders' 28 first-quarter points against Sam Houston State also set a new standard, breaking the old mark of 21 set against Baylor in 2001 and 2003.
SCORING STREAK
Texas Tech is in the middle of a 97-game scoring streak, the second-longest in school history, and fourth among Big 12 schools. The run began with a 16-13 win over Texas A&M on Oct. 25, 1997, a week after dropping a 29-0 decision to second-ranked Nebraska. During its current run, the Red Raiders have scored 10+ in all but four games. Longest Scoring Streaks in School History 106 games - Began 10/17/87 with 59-7 win over Rice in Lubbock; ended 12/29/96 with a 27-0 loss to Iowa in the Alamo Bowl 97 games - Began 10/25/97 with 16-13 win over Texas A&M in Lubbock (current streak)
CAPTAINS
In a vote by their teammates, five Red Raiders were named captains for the 2005 season. QB Cody Hodges, OT E.J. Whitley, DE Keyunta Dawson, CB Khalid Naziruddin and FS Dwayne Slay were chosen by their teammates.
GRAD RATES AMONG NATION'S BEST
Texas Tech's football program boasted a 79 percent graduation rate for the 1999-00 freshman class, which was recognized by the American Football Coaches Association in the spring. For the fifth-straight year, Texas Tech's graduation rate was higher than 70 percent. Tech was one of 30 schools recognized by the AFCA.
TECH HAS TIES IN NEW HARRIS POLL
Former Texas Tech All-American E.J. Holub and former Red Raider head coach Spike Dykes are among 114 panelists that will have a vote in the new Harris Interactive College Football Poll this season. The poll is one of three components in the Bowl Championship Series Standings Formula used to determine the two teams that play in the BCS National Championship game and those that qualify for at-large selections.
ALONE AT THE TOP
Texas Tech is the only program of the 12 member institutions to boast an overall winning record each season since 1996. Others have finished at .500, but none have posted winning marks each of the last nine seasons. Additionally, Tech is the only program to be bowl eligible each season of the league's existence.
BOWLED OVER
Texas Tech made its 28th bowl appearance last season and its first to the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. Leach is the only coach in school history to guide each of his teams to bowl appearances. Under Leach, the Red Raiders are 3-2 in bowl appearances, including last season's 45-31 win over California. Tech advanced to the 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl and fell to East Carolina (40-27) and appeared in the 2001 Alamo Bowl, losing 19-16 to Iowa. The Red Raiders defeated Navy (38-14) in the Houston Bowl in 2003, giving the program its first back-to-back bowl wins in consecutive years in school history. Tech routed Clemson (55-15) in 2002 at the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando.
RAIDERS POST TOP OVERALL LEAGUE FINISH
Texas Tech's 5-3 record in 2004 tied the Red Raiders with Texas A&M in third place in the overall conference standings, marking the highest finish for a Tech team since the inception of the league in 1996. Oklahoma finished the conference season undefeated at 8-0 followed by Texas at 7-1.
CRAZY EIGHTS
With an 8-4 record last season, the Red Raiders won at least eight games in three-consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. The Red Raiders finished the 2002 season 9-5 and had an 8-5 mark in 2003.
PACKING THEM IN
Texas Tech finished the 2004 season ranked sixth among Big 12 schools in average attendance and fourth in capacity percentage. Over the course of Tech's five home games last season, Jones SBC Stadium was filled at a 99.9% capacity (22nd nationally). In the Big 12, only Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas filled their stadiums to a greater capacity percentage throughout the season. The attendance of 51,717 against Oklahoma State in the season finale gave Tech a season average and new school record of 52,823. The season average surpassed the 2003 record of 49,608 and marked the third year under Mike Leach that Tech set a season attendance record.
TECH DOMINANT WITH HALFTIME LEAD
Texas Tech has had a tremendous amount of success when entering the locker room with a halftime lead. Tech is 34-1 when leading at the half under head coach Mike Leach. The only blemish came at Texas A&M last season after the Aggies overcame a 7-6 deficit to Tech at the break to win in overtime.
TEXAS TECH SCORING UNDER LEACH
Texas Tech has scored 30 or more points in 42 games during the Leach era and has won 35 of those games. Additionally, the Red Raiders are 15-3 under Leach when scoring 40+ and 13-0 when scoring over 50. On the flip side, Tech is 8-18 when scoring 29 points or less.
DEGREES IN HAND
Four current Red Raiders have already completed their degrees and are working in postgraduate areas. Senior quarterback Cody Hodges and offensive lineman Bryan Kegans are both working on post-baccalaureate teaching certifications. Senior defensive back SirDon Lewis is pursuing a second degree in psychology and Spanish, while place kicker Keith Toogood began graduate work this fall.
THE SPORTING NEWS RECOGNIZES TECH PLAYERS
In addition to Hicks and Henderson being listed among the country's best at their positions by The Sporting News, the publication also recognized junior OG Manny Ramirez as the No. 15 offensive guard; junior Antonio Huffman as the No. 17 cornerback; senior Vincent Meeks as the No. 9 strong safety; and sophomore Danny Amendola as the No. 12 return man in the country. Tech's wide receiver corps also was selected as the best in the Big 12 Conference.
MORE ON THE RED RAIDERS' WIN OVER NEBRASKA
- Senior CB Khalid Naziruddin picked up his first career interception on Nebraska's first drive of the first quarter.
- The Nebraska defense blocked a 49-yard field goal attempt by Alex Trlica in the first quarter and that was the first blocked field goal by an opponent since SMU in 2002.
- Redshirt freshman DB Darcel McBath saw his first game action of the season late in the first quarter on a third and long situation.
- Senior LB John Saldi picked up his first sack of the season and his first since 2003 when he took down Nebraska quarterback Zac Taylor late in the first half. Saldi now has three and a half sacks in his career at Texas Tech.
- Junior NT Chris Hudler recovered his second fumble of the season on Nebraska's opening drive of the second half. Hudler came into the season with just one career fumble recovery (against Texas in 2003) and picked up his second earlier this year against Florida International.
- Senior LB Sylvester Brinkley hauled in his second interception in as many games midway through the third quarter. Brinkley picked up his first career INT in the previous game against Kansas.
- Tech's winning touchdown with 12 seconds to go in the game marked the first time Tech has scored a touchdown in the last minute of the game to win since beating Texas in 1998.
