Texas Tech University Athletics
No. 13 Tech Gets Its First Road Test At Nebraska
October 03, 2005 | Football
Oct. 3, 2005
NO. 13/15 TEXAS TECH (4-0; 1-0) vs. NEBRASKA (4-0; 1-0)Saturday, October 8, 2005 - Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
Kickoff: 3 p.m. - TBS (National Broadcast)
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TEXAS TECH TRAVELS TO NEBRASKA FOR FIRST ROAD CONTEST
Texas Tech (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) hits the road for the first time this season when the Red Raiders face the Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-0, 1-0) at 3 p.m. in Lincoln. 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 TBS.
TECH IN THE MIDST OF TRIFECTA AGAINST THE NORTH DIVISION
The Red Raiders' game against the Huskers this weekend is the second of three straight against members of the league's North Division. The Red Raiders knocked off Kansas (30-17) last weekend and face Kansas State next weekend 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 remained at the No. 13 slot in the USA Today Coaches poll, while moving up one spot to No. 15 in the Associated Press poll. The No. 13 ranking is the highest for a Tech team since Oct. 15, 1977, when the Red Raiders were ranked 13th in the AP. This is the sixth-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 469 wins, 375 losses and 32 ties.
TECH IN MIDST OF BEST START SINCE 2000
Texas Tech's 4-0 record to open the 2005 season is the best since the team opened the 2000 season 4-0. 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.
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 43-25 record and 22-19 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 three others. Tech tops the charts in scoring offense (57.2), pass offense (449.2), total offense (585.2), turnover margin (+1.25), pass efficiency (170.7), first downs (122) and fourth-down conversions (100.0). The Red Raiders are tied for the lead in PAT kicking (100%) and redzone offense (100%). Individually, QB Cody Hodges leads the league in passing (362.5), pass efficiency (173.9) and total offense (374.8). IR Robert Johnson and WR Jarrett Hicks top the receptions per game chart (6.0), while RB Taurean Henderson leads in scoring (12.0). PK Alex Trlica is the league's second-leading scorer with 10.8 points per game.
NCAA LEADERS
Texas Tech also leads the country in passing and scoring. The Red Raiders also rank among the top 10 in total offense, scoring defense and pass efficiency. Hodges leads the country in total offense and passing, while Henderson is the nation's leading scorer.
REDZONE OFFENSE AMONG NATION'S BEST
The Texas Tech offense has made 26 trips into the opponent's redzone this season and has come away with scores each time. Tech has 23 touchdowns, including 13 on the ground, and a field goal. The Red Raiders' 26 visits leads 13 teams nationally who have a perfect 100 percent rate in the redzone. Missouri has 21 redzone opportunities, while Illinois and Toledo follow with 18 and 16, respectively. Three teams, including Kansas, are perfect on 14 attempts.
TECH DEFENSE RISES TO CHALLENGE
Prior to its game against Kansas, the Texas Tech defense held its first three opponents to seven points per game, but didn't really garner much respect outside of the program. The Red Raiders hushed their critics against the Jayhawks, limiting a team that averaged 33 points per game entering the contest to 17 points on the night. Tech also held KU to 271 yards of total offense and 3.6 yards per play. The Red Raiders forced six Jayhawk fumbles, recovering one for a touchdown, picked two passes and forced eight punts. Tech also shutout KU in the first half, marking the first blanking of a Big 12 opponent in a half since outscoring Kansas 20-0 in the second half of last year's game.
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. He took advantage last Saturday when field goal opportunities came his way. Trlica's first field goal against the Jayhawks was a career-long 41-yard kick, giving Tech a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. He followed with a 39-yard field goal to close the half and send the Red Raiders to the locker room with a 20-0 advantage. On Tech's final score of the game in the fourth quarter, Trlica bested his infant career long kick with a 46-yarder with 4:44 to play. Trlica is second on the team in scoring with 10.8 points per game. Additionally, Tech's last three-field goal game came against Nebraska during the 2001 season.
RECEIVING RECORD IN REACH FOR HENDERSON
When Taurean Henderson catches his fourth pass from this point, he will become Tech's all-time receptions leader with 260 in his career. Henderson's nine receptions against Kansas pushed his career total to 256. Wes Welker set the record of 259 from 2000-03. Additionally, Henderson needs seven receptions to set the NCAA record for catches by a running back. Long Beach State's Mark Templeton holds the record of 262, set during the 1984-87 seasons.
REYES' NUMBERS IN LAST TWO GAMES
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 two games, Reyes has punted 13 times and is averaging 45.7 yards. On the season, Reyes is averaging 44.8 yards per punt.
MEEKS COMES BACK STRONG
After missing the first two games of the season, senior SS Vincent Meeks has continued his strong play in the last two. Meeks caught his 10th career interception against Kansas and is tied with Kevin Curtis in seventh place on the Tech career picks list. Meeks, the 2004 Holiday Bowl Defensive MVP, has four tackles in two games.
HARD TO GET ANYTHING BY THESE GUYS
Texas Tech's front four on the defensive line gave the Kansas running game fits, as well as the Jayhawk's three quarterbacks used during the game. Tech sacked KU quarterbacks four times during the game and limited the Jayhawk running game to 117 yards. KU quarterbacks Adam Barmann and Brian Luke combined for 42 lost yards on the ground due to the penetration of Tech's d-line in the KU backfield. Tech also forced four fumbles by KU quarterbacks, one resulting in a touchdown.
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 25 tackles and paced the Red Raiders with nine solo stops against Kansas. Slay's bruising tackles have given him a team lead with three forced fumbles this season. Slay is one of five team captains this season.
JOHNSON LEADS BALANCED RECEIVING ATTACK
Six Red Raider receivers already have 10 or more receptions on the season, led by junior IR Robert Johnson's 25 catches. Johnson also leads the team with 104.8 yards per game and has two touchdowns. RB Taurean Henderson is second with 20 receptions and a touchdown, while WR Jarrett Hicks has 18 catches and a team-leading four scoring catches. WR Joel Filani and H Danny Amendola each have 16, while WR Marquis Johnson has 10 receptions.
WOODS ASSUMES RETURN ROLE
Redshirt freshman RB Shannon Woods has been a solid backup to Taurean Henderson at running back and is averaging 7.9 yards per carry on 16 rushes this year. But coaches have found another use for his talents. Woods has positioned himself as the top kickoff return man for the Red Raiders this season, having returned three of the six returns this season. He is averaging 27.3 yards per return.
DEPTH AT DEFENSIVE END SOLIDIFIED BY DIXON'S PLAY
True freshman DE McKinner Dixon has been nothing short of outstanding during the infancy of his career. Dixon was inserted into the lineup during the opener against Florida International, missed the Sam Houston State game, started against Indiana State, and came off the bench against Kansas. Regardless of when he lines up, Dixon has done his job when afforded the opportunity. He posted two tackles from his rush end position against the Jayhawks, recording a sack and forcing a fumble. On the season, Dixon has 10 tackles, including four for loss and two sacks. He also has a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble.
DEPTH IN THE SECONDARY STRONG AS EVER
When junior CB Antonio Huffman left the Kansas game a little banged up, sophomore CB Chris Parker stepped in and the Red Raider secondary didn't skip a beat. Parker, also a special teams stalwart, had two solo tackles and two pass breakups in his backup role. Additionally, Joe Garcia has done well this season backing up Vincent Meeks at the strong safety position. Garcia, who did start the first two games in Meeks' absence, has 11 tackles and a pass breakup this season.
WILLIAM TELL WOULD BE PROUD
QB Cody Hodges' dead aim this season reflects in his completion percentage - 72.2 percent. Hodges has completed 114-of-158 passes on the season, turning in a completion percentage better than his three predecessors. Additionally, Hodges is averaging just over three touchdown passes per game. If his current pace continues throughout the season, he will finish the regular season with 36 touchdown passes.
HODGES EFFECTIVE ON THE GROUND, TOO
Senior QB Cody Hodges has 13 touchdown passes on the season, but has kept opponents honest with his ability to move the ball on the ground. Hodges has rushed 24 times this season, two resulting in touchdowns. Tech quarterbacks scored two touchdowns on the ground all of last season. He has 49 rushing yards on the season, and throw out the sack yardage and he has rushed for 120 yards on the season.
GIVE AND TAKE
QB Cody Hodges made it through 84 pass attempts this season before throwing his first interception. No worries, though. Hodges forced a fumble on the same play to get the ball back. Former Tech QB Sonny Cumbie holds the record among Leach starters with 90 pass attempts before throwing his first pick.
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 in the first four games this season, including six who have at least 10 receptions. IR Robert Johnson leads the team with 25 receptions, while RB Taurean Henderson follows with 20.
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).
HENDERSON BREAKS TECH SCORING RECORDS, APPROACHES OTHERS
Senior RB Taurean Henderson, a candidate for the 2005 Doak Walker Award, is living proof that Texas Tech has a running game. The versatile back has 55 career touchdowns, including 40 of those on the ground. With his first score against Indiana State, Henderson set a new scoring standard at Tech, breaking the previous touchdowns scored record of 52, held by James Gray (1986-89).
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 12.5 career sacks, including his first of the season against Sam Houston. 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 96-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
96 games - Began 10/25/97 with 16-13 win over Texas A&M in Lubbock (current streak)
SUCCESS IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
In six seasons under head coach Mike Leach, the Red Raiders are 21-6 in non-conference games, including postseason bowl games. Tech finished this season's non-conference slate with a 3-0 mark. Texas Tech also is 15-1 when scoring 30 or more points against non-conference opponents in the Mike Leach era. Tech's lone loss was a 51-48 overtime loss against N.C. State in Lubbock during the 2002 season.
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.
