Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Looks To Rebound This Weekend At Baylor
October 24, 2005 | Football
Oct. 24, 2005
No. 17/16 Texas Tech (6-1; 3-1) at Baylor (4-3; 1-3)Saturday, October 29, 2005 - 11:30 a.m. (FSN)
Floyd-Casey Stadium - Waco, Texas
Texas Tech Game Notes
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TEXAS TECH LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK AT BAYLOR
Texas Tech (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) travels to Waco to face Baylor (4-3, 1-3) at Floyd-Casey Stadium on Sat., Oct. 29. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 11:30 a.m. CT and will be broadcast on FSN. The Red Raiders are coming off of its first loss of the season at Texas (52-17) last Saturday, while the Bears suffered their second-straight loss of the year at Oklahoma in overtime.
RED RAIDERS DIP IN THE POLLS
After visiting the top 10 for the first time in 28 years last week, Texas Tech enters this week ranked 16th in the USA Today Coaches Poll and 17th in the Associated Press Poll. Tech began the 2005 season ranked 21st in both polls and have steadily climbed throughout the season. Tech's consistency in the polls this year reflects the first time in head coach Mike Leach's six seasons that the Red Raiders have been ranked every week of the season.
TECH COMPLETES TRIFECTA AGAINST THE NORTH
The Red Raiders' completed its sweep of the Big 12 North Division with a 59-20 win over Kansas State in Lubbock on Oct. 15. The Red Raiders knocked off Nebraska (34-31) and Kansas (30-17) during the previous two weeks. This year marked the first time since the 2002 season that Tech 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.
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 471 wins, 376 losses and 32 ties.
TECH'S START BEST SINCE 1998
Texas Tech's 6-1 record to open the 2005 season is the best since the team opened the 1998 season with the same mark. 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, including moving to 6-0 with a win over Texas. That team finished 10-2 and is the last team to win 10 games.
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 45-26 record and 24-19 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.
BIG 12 LEADERS
Texas Tech leads the Big 12 in four statistical categories and is tied for the lead in two others. Tech tops the charts in scoring offense (48.4), pass offense (451.7), total offense (552.0) and first downs (212). The Red Raiders are tied for the lead in PAT kicking (100%) and fourth-down conversions (77.8). Individually, QB Cody Hodges leads the league in passing (398.4) and total offense (400.9). IR Robert Johnson tops the receptions per game chart (6.7), while RB Taurean Henderson leads in scoring (12.9). WR Joel Filani is the league leader with 105.7 receiving yards per game. PK Alex Trlica is the league's second-leading scorer with 9.9 points per game and leads the league's kickers with 69 points this season. Defensively, FS Dwayne Slay is the leader in forced fumbles with six and needs two to break the Big 12 record.
NCAA LEADERS
Texas Tech leads the country in passing offense and is second in total offense and scoring. The Red Raiders also rank among the top 10 in pass efficiency (9). Hodges leads the country in total offense.
OFF TO A HOT START
The Red Raiders have out-scored opponents 194-68 in the first half this season, including an 80-13 advantage in the first quarter. The first points allowed in the first quarter this season came on a field goal against Kansas State in the sixth game of the season, while Texas added the remaining 10 in last weekend's game. Tech has scored 114 points in the second quarter, 79 in the third and 66 in the fourth.
REDZONE OFFENSE AMONG NATION'S BEST (CHECK NOTE)
The Texas Tech offense has made 43 trips into the opponent's redzone this season and has come away with scores 40 times. The four misses have come during the last three weeks - three interceptions. Of the 40 scores, Tech has 33 touchdowns, including 16 on the ground, and seven field goals this season in the redzone.
TECH'S DEFENSE BEST SINCE 2000
The Tech offense has company this year. The Red Raider defense has played a major role in the team's success this season and is ranked 24th nationally in total defense. The unit is allowing only 4.7 yards per play, 322.1 yards per game and has forced 19 turnovers. The yards per game Tech is allowing is the lowest for Red Raider opponents since the 2000 season, when the opposition managed 320.7 yards per game.
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 +1.1 per game. The Red Raiders have recovered 12 opponent fumbles this season, while forcing 14 overall. Additionally, the pass defense has stepped up and has picked seven passes on the year. In Saturday's loss at Texas, the Red Raiders picked two Vince Young passes in the first half - one by CB Chris Parker and the other by CB Khalid Naziruddin. SS Vincent Meeks, LB Sylvester Brinkley and Naziruddin lead the team with two picks apiece on the season. FS Dwayne Slay is the Big 12 leader in forced fumbles with six.
TECH PASS DEFENSE PLAYING SOLID
Texas Tech's pass defense ranks third in the Big 12 Conference this week and has caused trouble for opposing passing games throughout the season. The unit ranks 30th nationally and is holding opponents to 191.9 yards per game through the air.
- Tech's secondary is currently holding opponents to a 55.3 completion percentage.
- The unit ranks 20th nationally in pass efficiency defense.
- FS Dwayne Slay leads the league with six forced fumbles and needs two more to set the single-season Big 12 record. Slay also ranks fifth among the league's defensive backs with 7.3 tackles per game
- Three players are tied with a team-high two interceptions each, including DB Khalid Naziruddin and SS Vincent Meeks, who has 11 in his career.
- The secondary has accounted for six of the team's 19 takeaways this year, including three by Naziruddin on a pair of picks and a fumble recovery.
- Tech has held four of its seven opponents this year below 200 yards passing and has allowed multiple-passing touchdowns only twice.
SCORING STREAK
Texas Tech is in the middle of a 99-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
99 games - Began 10/25/97 with 16-13 win over Texas A&M in Lubbock (current streak)
WIN AT MEMORIAL STADIUM LEAVES TWO
With its win 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.
AN EXTRA PLAY IS THERE IF WE NEED IT
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 7-of-8 on fourth-down conversions this season with the only miss coming at Texas.
TECH RUNNING GAME PRODUCING RESULTS
RB Taurean Henderson and RB Shannon Woods both are averaging over six yards per carry on the season, with Woods leading the way with 6.9 yards per carry on 19 rushes. Henderson, who has a team-leading 10 rushing touchdowns, is averaging 6.2 yards on 82 carries. WR Joel Filani has carried three times and has averaged 6.7 yards per carry. Take away the sack yardage and the Red Raiders are averaging 5.7 yards per carry in the rushing department.
HENDERSON SCORING RUN SPANS 13 OF LAST 14
To say RB Taurean Henderson is a vital part of Texas Tech scoring offense would be a major understatement. Henderson has scored in 13 of his last 14 games, dating back to the Oklahoma game last season. As the nation's active leader in career touchdowns, Henderson is on pace to break the Tech single-season mark in touchdowns and points. He currently has 15 touchdowns on the season and 90 points. If he continues his current pace, Henderson will finish the regular season with 141 points and 24 touchdowns. The record for single-season points and touchdowns is 134 and 22, respectively, set by Byron Morris in 1993.
More on Henderson
- Henderson had a solid day against Texas, producing 145 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. He turned in a game-high 86 rushing yards and caught eight passes for 59 yards.
- Is the only player in NCAA history to rush and receive for 2,000-plus yards in a career.
- Henderson broke the NCAA record for career receptions by a running back with his first catch against Kansas State. He bested the previous mark of 262, set by Long Beach State's Mark Templeton during the 1984-87 seasons. 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. He had his fourth reception before the end of the first quarter to set the new standard. He has 280 receptions in his career.
- Henderson wasn't finished with the record books when he set the NCAA receptions record for a running back against Kansas State. The senior running back also tied a school record with five touchdowns (three rushing and two receiving) in Tech's 59-20 win over Kansas State. The multi-touchdown game was the fourth of the season for Henderson and the third in which he has scored at least three. His five touchdowns tie him with Billy Taylor (vs. TCU, 1977), James Gray (vs. Rice, 1989) and Byron Hanspard (vs. SMU, 1995).
TOTAL TEAM EFFORT IN SCORING DEPARTMENT
Thirteen Red Raiders have contributed to Tech's hold as the nation's top scoring team. Seven have scored multiple touchdowns, while four others tallied their first-career scores. RB Taurean Henderson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 12.9 points per game, while PK Alex Trlica is second with 9.9 points. Trlica has connected on 8-of-10 field goals this year and 45-of-45 extra points. WR Joel Filani is second with eight touchdowns, while WR Jarrett Hicks and backup RB Shannon Woods have five and four scores apiece. IR Robert Johnson and H Danny Amendola have three each and QB Cody Hodges has rushed for two. WR Marquis Johnson, H Eric Morris and LB John Saldi each scored their first touchdowns this season, while WR Brandon Douglas scored his first-career touchdown on a blocked punt. RB Taurance Rawls also has a score.
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 three games, Trlica was given seven opportunities to kick field goals and he accepted the challenge. The Lou Groza Star of the Week from Oct. 4 connected on his only attempt against Texas, a 32-yarder that tied the game at 10-10 in the first half. Trlica's three field goals against Kansas earlier this season were the most in a game since the 2001 season.
More on Trlica
- Trlica has made all 100 of his career extra point attempts, setting a new standard and breaking the previous mark of 97, set by Robert Treece from 2000-01.
- He also needs four extra point conversions to become Tech's all-time leader in that category - as a sophomore! Jon Davis set the record of 103 during the 1991-94 seasons.
SENIOR LINEBACKER STEPPING FORWARD
Senior LB John Saldi closed his freshman season with Defensive MVP honors at the 2002 Tangerine Bowl and gave Red Raider fans a glimpse of what to expect from him in the future. Saldi continues to fulfill the promise shown that night and has emerged this season as one of the team top run stoppers. He leads the team with six and a half tackles for loss from his outside linebacker slot. He also has a sack to his credit and has been effective against the pass with a team-leading three passes broken up. Saldi has 20 tackles, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. In the last three games, Saldi has 11 tackles and five tackles for loss, after posting nine total tackles in the first four games.
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 and conference leader in forced fumbles. Slay leads the team with 51 tackles and had four in his last outing at Texas. Two Slay hits resulted in two fumbles against Kansas State, which the Red Raiders later converted into touchdowns. Slay's bruising tackles have given him a Big 12 leading six forced fumbles this season. Slay is one of five team captains.
JOHNSON HOLDING ON TO RECEPTIONS LEAD
Five Red Raider receivers already have 20 or more receptions on the season, led by junior IR Robert Johnson's 47 catches. The quarterback-turned-receiver has been a consistent target for QB Cody Hodges, has three scoring receptions and is averaging 91.7 yards per game. WR Joel Filani follows with 46 catches and a team-leading 105.7 yards per game, while RB Taurean Henderson has 44. WR Jarrett Hicks also has more than 30 receptions with 36.
IT'S CONTAGIOUS
Sixteen players have caught a pass this season, including eight who have at least 10 receptions and four with 30 or more. IR Robert Johnson leads the team with 47 receptions, while WR Joel Filani follows with 46.
HICKS SETS SCORING RECEPTIONS 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. Against Kansas State on Saturday, Hicks added another record to his belt when he caught his 23rd career scoring reception. With his lone touchdown catch of the game, he broke the two-year old mark of 22, set by Mickey Peters (2000-03).
HODGES TURNS IN FOURTH-BEST PERFORMANCE
QB Cody Hodges' outing against Kansas State was one for the record books and the senior signal caller bombarded the Wildcats with 643 passing yards and five touchdowns en route to a 59-20 Tech win. The yardage is the second-most in Tech history and the fourth-best single game in NCAA Division I history. It is the sixth-best performance in NCAA history regardless of division.
WILLIAM TELL WOULD BE PROUD
Hodges' dead aim this season reflects in his completion percentage - a national-leading 70.5 percent. Hodges has completed 234-of-332 passes on the season, turning in a completion percentage better than his three predecessors. Additionally, Hodges is averaging just below four touchdown passes per game. If his current pace continues throughout the season, he will finish the regular season with 38 touchdown passes.
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, played the entire second half against Indiana State and made a late appearance against Kansas State. Harrell has hit 70.2 percent of his receivers this season and has completed 33-of-47 pass attempts. He also has 367 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.
SESSION STEPS UP IN ROLE
With key cogs missing from its normal lineup, Texas Tech inserted LB Fletcher Session in as the starter at middle linebacker, moving him over from his outside position. The move has been a productive one for the junior. Session made the move four games ago and has increased his productivity ever since. After posting 12 tackles over the first three games, Session stepped up in the middle and has made 23 tackles in the last four. The team's second-leading tackler, Session also has two sacks, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.
MEEKS MAKES PRESENCE FELT IN SECONDARY
Missing the first two games of the season didn't deter SS Vincent Meeks from making the most of his senior season. In addition to his 26 tackles, Meeks is back to doing what he does best - grabbing interceptions. Meeks picked his second of the season in the win over Kansas State, which led to the team's second touchdown of the second half. He has 11 picks in his career and is tied in sixth place on the Tech career interceptions list.
UNSUNG DEFENSIVE HEROES
Lost in the shuffle of the hard hitting, interceptions and fumble recoveries are two defensive linemen who have made a huge impact in Tech's success on defense this season. NT Chris Hudler, DT/DE Randall Cherry and DE Brett Bischofberger have done outstanding jobs in the trenches this season. Hudler has 14 tackles to his credit, including three tackles for loss and two sacks. He and Bischofberger both have four quarterback hurries apiece to lead the team. Bischofberger has seven tackles this season, including two sacks. He also has a fumble recover and a forced fumble. Cherry, who has started at both end and tackle during the season, has 12 tackles.
