Texas Tech is currently in a five-year streak of being ranked in the AP poll, the longest streak in school history
TEXAS TECH 14th IN PRESEASON COACHES POLL
A panel of FBS coaches voted the Red Raiders No. 14 in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll in early August. The ranking is the highest preseason ranking ever for the Red Raiders in the coaches poll and is the highest in the poll since a No. 8 ranking in 2005 (Oct. 16).
QUICK SCORES
The Red Raiders had 37 scoring drives in under two minutes in 2007, with 32 of those going for touchdowns. Tech was third nationally behind Tulsa (41) and East Carolina (38). Kansas (36) and Central Michigan (36) were fourth and fifth.
QUICKER SCORES
Texas Tech had 13 scoring drives under a minute last season, 11 of those going for touchdowns. The Red Raiders tied Navy and Missouri for third nationally, behind East Carolina and Tulsa, respectively.
RED RAIDERS AMONG ANOTHER TOP 25
Since the start of the 2003 season, Texas Tech has 42 wins to its credit, which ranks among the top 25 during that span. Only Oklahoma (54) and Texas (54) have more wins among Big 12 schools.
GOING FOR IT ON FOURTH DOWN
Texas Tech was successful on 19 fourth-down conversions last season, tying Navy and Notre Dame for the national lead. The Red Raiders converted 61 percent (19-of-31) on the season.
SCORING IN BUNCHES
The Red Raiders have scored 30 or more points in 16 of the last 18 games, including the last four straight to end the 2007 campaign. Only Florida (7), Navy (6) and Central Michigan (6) have more consecutive games 30-point games entering the season. Tech is tied with Texas.
TEXAS PROUD
Eighty-four of the 105 players that reported to preseason camp hail from the state of Texas. Of those, 37 are among the offensive and defensive two-deep. All 11 offensive starters and eight on the defensive side are Texans.
REACHING COAST-TO-COAST AND BEYOND
Of the 21 players on the 105 that hail from outside the state of Texas, nine of those jumped the border from Oklahoma. Texas Tech's reach extends across the continental U.S. from Georgia (2) and South Carolina (1) to California (2) and points in between - Arizona, New Mexico, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kansas and Arkansas are represented with a player each. Additionally, Hawaii has a player on the Texas Tech roster.
TECH QBs COMPRISE ELITE GROUP
Of the six quarterbacks in NCAA history that have thrown for 5,000 yards in a season, three are Red Raiders. B.J. Symons (2003) threw for 5,833 yards en route to setting the NCAA single-season mark, while Graham Harrell narrowly missed breaking the record last season with a 5,705-yard performance. Kliff Kingsbury, in his third year in the offense in 2002, threw for 5,017.
TOUCHDOWN TANDEMS
Harrell and Crabtree rank fourth among all-time Big 12 Conference pass/receive tandems. The duo had 21 touchdowns last year, which is the best single season in league history for a duo. Oklahoma State's Josh Fields and Rashaun Woods connected for 31 touchdowns during the 2001-03 seasons to top the list.
TOP BIG 12 PASS/RECEIVE TANDEMS
31 - Josh Fields to Rashaun Woods, Okl. State (2001-03)
28 - Bret Meyer to Todd Blythe, Iowa State (2004-07)
23 - Jason White to Mark Clayton, Oklahoma (2001-04)
22 - Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech (2007)
WALL PICKS UP PRESEASON NOD
CB Jamar Wall was named to the preseason All-Big 12 squad, marking only the second time a Texas Tech defensive back has been named to an All-Big 12 first-team squad - pre- or post-season (Dwayne Slay, 2005). The junior was one of the league leaders with five interceptions a year ago in his first season as a starter. Wall also made 54 stops and recorded six pass breakups. OG Louis Vasquez and WR Michael Crabtree also were named to the preseason first team.
HALF OF LEAGUE-LEADING SECONDARY BACK
CB Jamar Wall and FS Darcel McBath are the two returning starters from a secondary that led the Big 12 Conference in pass defense last season. McBath (2) and Wall combined for seven interceptions last season and 14 pass breakups. The unit limited opponents to 188.4 yards per game through the air. The two likely successors to fill the vacated strong safety and corner positions are Daniel Charbonnet and LaRon Moore or Brent Nickerson, respectively. Charbonnet, known for his prowess on special teams, logged 31 tackles and an interception last season in a backup role, while Moore played in all 13 games, primarily on special teams. Nickerson played in one game last season, but rose to the top of the charts, along with Moore, during spring and preseason camp. A decision on the position could linger up to game day.
DEFENSIVE LINE GETS BOOST IN OFFSEASON
Already a talented unit that returns all four starters, the defensive line received a jolt of talent in February as the Red Raiders inked the nation's fourth-ranked d-line class. Headlining the group are JUCO transfers McKinner Dixon and Brandon Sesay. A freshman All-American for the Red Raiders in 2005, Dixon went the junior college route following that season, where he redshirted the 2006 season at Cisco (TX) Junior College and starred for the program last season. Sesay is the gem of the group, coming to Texas Tech from College of the Sequoias in California as one of the most talented and highly-touted defensive linemen in the country. Additionally, the Red Raiders hit the jackpot when defensive tackle Chris Perry was cleared to play immediately after transferring from the University of Miami in January. Perry was a redshirt during his true freshman year for the Hurricanes last season.
The group joins one of the most talented and experienced group of linemen in school history. Brandon Williams and Jake Ratliff anchor the ends for the unit, while Rajon Henley and freshman All-American Colby Whitlock plug up the inside. Henley led the group with 52 tackles last season. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Whitlock posted 47 stops and 8.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, while Williams led the team with 12.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. Ratliff had 26 tackles and six quarterback hurries.
LINEBACKERS ALSO RETURN
The trio of Brian Duncan, Marlon Williams and Bront Bird return as the core of the defensive unit. Duncan was brought in as a starter in the fifth game of the season on the outside, while Williams started all but the opener. Bird played a vital backup role on the outside and was able to gain considerable experience coming off the bench. Duncan will move back to his natural position in the middle, while Williams will remain on the weak side. Bird, standing at 6-foot-3, will cover the strong side. Williams finished second on the team last season with 81 tackles and six pass breakups. He also had a nose for the ball with two fumble recoveries. Duncan logged 69 tackles and four tackles for loss, while Bird had 16 stops.
