Texas Tech University Athletics
Postgame Notes
October 03, 2009 | Football
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes
TEXAS TECH POSTGAME NOTES
GETTING STARTED
- Weather conditions at kickoff: cloudy skies; 60 degrees; winds ENE 9 mph.
- Today's game marked the first afternoon game of the season and was also Family Day. The game reached sellout status on Thursday.
- Today's game was televised nationally on FSN with Bill Land, Gary Reasons and Emily Jones calling the action. The game is the third straight on national television for the Red Raiders as they appeared on ABC two weeks ago at Texas and on ESPN2 last week at Houston.
- Texas Tech won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. Texas Tech is now 4-1 on the season in the opening coin toss.
- Texas Tech has now worn four different uniform combinations this season and debuted its red over black look today against New Mexico. The Red Raiders wore red jerseys with black pants.
- Today's attendance was 52,909 (sellout) and the largest crowd of the season.
Starters - (Offense) - (LT) Terry McDaniel, (LG) Chris Olson, (C) Shawn Byrnes, (RT) Marlon Winn, (RG) Mickey Okafor, (QB) Taylor Potts, (F) Baron Batch (Y) Detron Lewis (Z) Alex Torres, (H) Tramain Swindall (X) Edward Britton (Defense) - (LE) Brandon Sharpe, (NT) Colby Whitlock, (DT) Richard Jones, (RE) Daniel Howard, (SAM) Bront Bird, (MIKE) Brian Duncan, (WILL) Marlon Williams, (LC) Jamar Wall, (SS) Brett Dewhurst (FS) Cody Davis, (RC) LaRon Moore.
TECH'S WIN. . .
- Gives Texas Tech a 3-2 record on the season and today's game marked the
- Extended Texas Tech's home win streak to 11-games.
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 79-41.He is now four wins away from becoming the school's all-time wins leader. Spike Dykes currently holds the record with 82.
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 37-9 in non-conference games and a 23-1 record at home (non-conference).
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 5-1 against New Mexico.
- Gives Mike Leach a career record of 6-2 against the Mountain West Conference.
THINKING PINK
Jones AT&T Stadium had a new look this afternoon thanks to Covenant Medical System's "Think Pink" promotion. A total of 15,000 pink t-shirts with the phrase "Think Pink, Go Red" were distributed to the student body and thousands of other fans joined in by wearing their own pink attire. The month of October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the festivities here in Lubbock began today with the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.
HECK OF A START
Texas Tech's first offensive play from scrimmage turned out to be the longest play of the season to date for the Red Raiders as Tramain Swindall caught a pass over the middle and went 79 yards before he was finally dragged down at the New Mexico 1-yard line. Swindall's 79-yard catch surpassed a 49-yard reception by Detron Lewis (against North Dakota) as the longest offensive play from scrimmage this season. Redshirt freshman Harrison Jeffers then finished the drive on the next play with a one-yard touchdown run for what was his second TD of the year. The entire drive lasted just 38 seconds.
MAKE THAT 11
Texas Tech's win over New Mexico this afternoon ran Tech's home win streak to 11 games which ties the longest streak in the Mike Leach era. Tech last won 11-straight games under Leach between the 2004 and 2006 seasons. Tech has now won 11-straight home games three different times in school history (2007-2009, 2004-2006 and 1973-74). A win next week over Kansas State will tie the longest home win streak in school history at 12 games as the Red Raiders won 12-straight between 1939-1941.
"STICKS" LEADS TECH IN IMPRESSIVE DRIVE TO CLOSE FIRST HALF; REMAINS IN THE GAME
Backup quarterback Steven Sheffield led the Red Raiders to an impressive scoring drive in the final minute of the first half that gave Tech a 14-7 lead. Sheffield entered the game with 58 seconds left in the first half and marched Tech down the field and ended up connecting with Alex Torres for a 25-yard TD pass as time expired. Taylor Potts was shaken up on the last play of Tech's previous offensive series which forced Mike Leach to bring in Sheffield.
- Sheffield's only other playing time this season was in Tech's second game of the season against the Rice Owls and he led the Red Raiders to a touchdown in a drive that covered 52 yards (4-for-6 passing).
- Led the Red Raiders to his third consecutive touchdown (of the season) on Tech's first offensive possession of the second half. The drive covered 34 yards in 3:55 and was capped by a TD run by Baron Batch.
- Made it 4-for-4 with 5:23 remaining in the third quarter when he connected with Detron Lewis for a 20-yard touchdown that gave Tech a 27-7 lead. The drive covered 57 yards on seven plays and lasted 3:11.
- Make that five in a row. He connected with Harrison Jeffers for a 62-yard touchdown reception that gave the Red Raiders a 34-7 lead with 1:28 remaining in the third quarter.
Final Numbers For Sheffield
Sheffield finished the game 16 of 23 for 238 yards and three touchdowns.
A FIRST SINCE 2005
When Steven Sheffield entered the game at the start of the third quarter, it marked the first time in four years that a Tech starting quarterback did not start the second half. In 2005 against Indiana State, Graham Harrell replaced Cody Hodges at the start of the second half as the Red Raiders held a 49-0 lead. Taylor Potts was not on the Tech sideline during the entire second half.
NOTING THE RED RAIDERS
- Junior running back Baron Batch gave Tech a 20-7 lead with 9:53 remaining in the first quarter when he scored on a five-yard rush. The rushing touchdown was his fourth of the season.
- Sophomore wide receiver Tramain Swindall had a career afternoon as he posted 139 receiving yards on five catches to surpass his previous career mark of 123 yards set earlier this year against Rice.
- Texas Tech's five turnovers this afternoon were the most by the Red Raiders since giving the ball away five times in games against Missouri and Colorado in 2006.
- Harrison Jeffers set a new career-high for touchdowns in a game. The freshman carried the ball eight times for 29 yards and scored three touchdowns and caught five passes for 90 yards with one touchdown reception.
