Texas Tech University Athletics
Six Seconds That Changed Everything
September 26, 2015 | Football
Zach Thomas will be officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.
Special contributor to texastech.com
Silence. For six seconds, the stadium Zach Thomas so often fed off for its deafening energy, fell quiet. In that sliver of time, the only senses available to the linebacker were the faint sound of his very own breathing, and the sight of the south end zone a mere 25-yards ahead of him.
Everything else, including the 51,205 jammed inside Jones Stadium, dissipated into nothingness. It was Oct. 7, 1995 and with less than a minute remaining against No. 8 Texas A&M, Thomas composed history all by himself.
And did so in just six unforgettable seconds.
Bitter Southwest Conference rivals, Tech and A&M were locked in a tense 7-7 battle as Aggie quarterback Cory Pullig opened a drive deep in his own territory. But on this play, Thomas, after dropping back into coverage in three swift shuffles, was able to get a game-changing jump as Pullig let go of a pass over the middle on third down.
Thomas perfectly read Pullig's eyes, darted in front of an Aggie receiver and made one of the most memorable interceptions in Red Raider history.
When I picked that pass," Thomas said. "All I can remember was seeing the end zone, and hearing myself breathing.
Thomas pulled the pass down and sprinted along the far sideline before crossing over the end zone in an image that still resonates deep within the Red Raider fan base even 20 years later.
It was then that the silence finally lifted. Thomas now felt the thunder of Jones Stadium as the standing room only crowd burst into pandemonium. The momentum and pure adrenaline from the play carried Thomas in a frenzy to the bell ringer just before being swarmed by teammates in a celebration that never really ended.
"When I ran to that bell with my teammates, [I] heard the noise," Thomas said. "It was just crazy."
In those six seconds, Thomas and Texas Tech together made history. The Red Raiders went on to win the game 14-7, snapping the Aggies' 29-game Southwest Conference winning streak and fueling the Red Raiders to a 9-3 finish and a win in the Alamo Bowl over Air Force.
Now, 20 years since that game-winning interception, Thomas still looks back with pride at the play and its impact on Red Raider football.
"It will never be forgotten," he said.
The Call
It was January, halfway across the country from Lubbock when Thomas received the unexpected phone call. He was treating his wife, Maritza, and their three children to a family trip to Disneyland when the phone rang.
On the other end of the call was Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt. He wanted to congratulate the former Red Raider linebacker.
Now, 20 years after that interception against the Aggies in that Southwest Conference clash, Thomas' named was about the be permanently etched into college football history.
He was officially a member of the College Football Hall of Fame class of 2015.
"I was elated," Thomas said. "As a player, I never really played for the accolades. I played for the respect of my teammates. That's what was really important to me. Now, for all of this to come…it makes me proud."
With the announcement, Thomas is officially the fifth Red Raider in program history to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, joining the likes of Gabe Rivera (2012), Dave Parks (2008), Donny Anderson (1989) and E. J. Holub (1986).
"Zach Thomas is one of the great Texas Tech football players of all time," Hocutt said. "His spirit, determination and work ethic were an inspiration to his teammates and coaches and 20 years later we continue to admire and celebrate all that he was able to accomplish. This is a tremendous honor for Zach, his family and for Texas Tech and we are grateful that he will forever be acknowledged as one the game's elite players."
Following his career at Tech – that interception came in his senior campaign - Thomas went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL as a linebacker with the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys. He was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl seven times and named a First Team All-Pro five times.
Now, it's time for Thomas to once again return to the place where it all started – the plains of West Texas. The spirited linebacker grew up in nearby Pampa, Texas and was offered only two scholarships after high school. One came from Oklahoma State and the other from Spike Dykes and the Red Raiders.
In a quick decision, Thomas signed with the school that was also home to both his brother and sister and his father.
"Texas Tech has just been so good to my whole family," Thomas said. "I knew that if I had an offer from there I would go."
On Saturday, Thomas will be returning to Jones AT&T Stadium to be recognized alongside his teammates in front of the Texas Tech crowd.
"It makes me proud," he said. "I have come a long way from a small town in Texas as a kid with big dreams. I never could have imagined the way it would play out."
Thomas will officially be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 8 at the National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
Still Rooted in Lubbock
Zach Thomas has never really left Lubbock. While he resides today in south Florida, his legacy continues to be lived out through not only the memories inside Jones AT&T Stadium, but also through the operation of two workout facilities that bear his name in the Hub City.
Zach's Club, a cherished partnership between Thomas and his brother, is a channel through which he has remained rooted in Lubbock. It also has opened a new chapter of his life – managing a family business.
"I was always focused on being a good football player," he said. "Now, I'm trying to see if I'm good at something else. I do know this, I'm taking baby-steps and I'm learning as I go."
The club also has a third location in Amarillo. Meanwhile, the two Lubbock locations, through a partnership with University Medical Center, has provided a direct avenue for Thomas to remain intimately connected with the university he so dearly loves.
And that's a good thing.
"It taught me everything," Thomas said. "The town has taught me everything. From the open friendliness to the people…you definitely don't forget where you came from. I've never forgotten that."
