Texas Tech University Athletics
Byron Hanspard's 2,000-Yard Season: 20 Years Later
October 15, 2016 | Football
Spike Dykes saw something in Byron Hanspard in 1993 as the Texas Tech head coach watched this highly unique standout from Desoto, Texas. Oh, that much was certain. While he couldn't necessarily place a finger on exactly which of the running back's myriad traits outshined the others, the product was something special.
"A sixth sense," Dykes said. "He had a sixth sense."
Bursting acceleration. Crisp vision. Superb character. Mature leadership. The young player had it all. And so Dykes and his son Rick, Tech's running back coach, quickly offered the budding Hanspard an opportunity to bring that sixth sense to the South Plains.
He accepted, and Hanspard's impact on the Red Raider offense was as lightning quick as his speed on the field. He would go on to become Tech's all-time leading rusher, racking up 4,219 yards in three seasons in the scarlet and black, before moving on to the professional football ranks. He also tied the NCAA record by reaching 1,000-yards in just his fifth game of the 1996 season as a junior en route to winning the Doak Walker Award – reserved for the NCAA's top running back.
A dynamic leader on both the field and inside the locker room, Hanspard ended his three-year stint on the South Plains as a unanimous All-American, three-time All-Big 12 selection, one of just five Red Raiders to rush for more than 1,000 yards in multiple seasons and helped Texas Tech to its first Cotton Bowl appearance in more than 50 years in 1995.
"He was a team favorite he did all of the things the right way," Dykes added. "Being an All-American player is special, being an All-American person is even better."
In June, the National Football Foundation announced Hanspard was officially selected to the College Football Hall of Fame's 2017 ballot.
Yes, Hanspard was special. And the lasting mark he made on the Red Raider football program in 1996 was a season to be remembered by everyone associated with Texas Tech football. As Tech takes the field this year, it marks the 20th anniversary of Hanspard's record-setting junior campaign.
That breakout 1996 campaign came after Hanspard ran for 761-yards and five touchdowns as a freshman and 1,374 yards with 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. In that time, the dynamic running back also established himself as a magnetic leader in the locker room.
Rooted in a strong faith and guided by a relentless work ethic, Hanspard earned the trust and respect of his teammates and the Red Raider staff early in his career.
"He really had a strong faith," Dykes said. "When you have that, everything else falls into place."
And so perhaps the historic junior campaign of 1996 was to be expected. Hanspard was simply simmering as an underclassman before taking the college football world by storm as a seasoned junior.
That sixth sense had matured into a blinding speed opponents grew to fear and the Red Raiders molded their offensive attack around.
"A lot of players have great speed," said Dykes. "But not all of them have great football speed. He had great football speed. He would break the first tackle and then 'boom', it was all over with."
Early in that 1996 season, Hanspard quickly racked up 1,000 yards on the ground in just five games and finished the campaign with an even 2,000 and 13 touchdowns. He would go on to be recognized nationally as the nation's top running back as the Doak Walker Award winner – one of many platforms he found himself and the Double-T on in just three short years.
"He brought a lot of acclaim to Texas Tech," said Dykes. "He brought a lot of dignity to Texas Tech. Every All-Star game he ever played in, every award he won, people were always quick to know what kind of character he had and what kind of person he was."
While Tech has become synonymous with high-octane offense through the air, it was a blistering ground attack that defined the Red Raiders of the early to mid-90s. In fact, Hanspard's Doak Walker Award was Tech's second in just three seasons, following Bam Morris' 1,752-yard season in 1993.
Hanspard was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the NFL Draft following his junior campaign. He went on to play three seasons before a knee injury cut this career short.
In 2012, Hanspard was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame officially cementing his legacy as a Red Raider whose remarkable impact on the field also match that of his leadership and character off the field.
"He was such a positive influence on everyone he was around," Dykes said. "You could never put him down because he was doing things that not many people would do to get better, work harder...he was just a joy to be around."
"A sixth sense," Dykes said. "He had a sixth sense."
Bursting acceleration. Crisp vision. Superb character. Mature leadership. The young player had it all. And so Dykes and his son Rick, Tech's running back coach, quickly offered the budding Hanspard an opportunity to bring that sixth sense to the South Plains.
He accepted, and Hanspard's impact on the Red Raider offense was as lightning quick as his speed on the field. He would go on to become Tech's all-time leading rusher, racking up 4,219 yards in three seasons in the scarlet and black, before moving on to the professional football ranks. He also tied the NCAA record by reaching 1,000-yards in just his fifth game of the 1996 season as a junior en route to winning the Doak Walker Award – reserved for the NCAA's top running back.
A dynamic leader on both the field and inside the locker room, Hanspard ended his three-year stint on the South Plains as a unanimous All-American, three-time All-Big 12 selection, one of just five Red Raiders to rush for more than 1,000 yards in multiple seasons and helped Texas Tech to its first Cotton Bowl appearance in more than 50 years in 1995.
"He was a team favorite he did all of the things the right way," Dykes added. "Being an All-American player is special, being an All-American person is even better."
In June, the National Football Foundation announced Hanspard was officially selected to the College Football Hall of Fame's 2017 ballot.
Yes, Hanspard was special. And the lasting mark he made on the Red Raider football program in 1996 was a season to be remembered by everyone associated with Texas Tech football. As Tech takes the field this year, it marks the 20th anniversary of Hanspard's record-setting junior campaign.
That breakout 1996 campaign came after Hanspard ran for 761-yards and five touchdowns as a freshman and 1,374 yards with 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. In that time, the dynamic running back also established himself as a magnetic leader in the locker room.
Rooted in a strong faith and guided by a relentless work ethic, Hanspard earned the trust and respect of his teammates and the Red Raider staff early in his career.
"He really had a strong faith," Dykes said. "When you have that, everything else falls into place."
And so perhaps the historic junior campaign of 1996 was to be expected. Hanspard was simply simmering as an underclassman before taking the college football world by storm as a seasoned junior.
That sixth sense had matured into a blinding speed opponents grew to fear and the Red Raiders molded their offensive attack around.
"A lot of players have great speed," said Dykes. "But not all of them have great football speed. He had great football speed. He would break the first tackle and then 'boom', it was all over with."
Early in that 1996 season, Hanspard quickly racked up 1,000 yards on the ground in just five games and finished the campaign with an even 2,000 and 13 touchdowns. He would go on to be recognized nationally as the nation's top running back as the Doak Walker Award winner – one of many platforms he found himself and the Double-T on in just three short years.
"He brought a lot of acclaim to Texas Tech," said Dykes. "He brought a lot of dignity to Texas Tech. Every All-Star game he ever played in, every award he won, people were always quick to know what kind of character he had and what kind of person he was."
While Tech has become synonymous with high-octane offense through the air, it was a blistering ground attack that defined the Red Raiders of the early to mid-90s. In fact, Hanspard's Doak Walker Award was Tech's second in just three seasons, following Bam Morris' 1,752-yard season in 1993.
Hanspard was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the NFL Draft following his junior campaign. He went on to play three seasons before a knee injury cut this career short.
In 2012, Hanspard was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame officially cementing his legacy as a Red Raider whose remarkable impact on the field also match that of his leadership and character off the field.
"He was such a positive influence on everyone he was around," Dykes said. "You could never put him down because he was doing things that not many people would do to get better, work harder...he was just a joy to be around."
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