Where I Come From: My All-Time Favorite Texas Tech Team

That was my favorite team and it’s really not even close. The OU game was a kick in the lower region and the Cotton Bowl wasn’t how I wanted the season to end.
But when I look back, I have nothing but great memories from that season. The UT game tops them all, but I particularly enjoyed beating the crap out of OSU as well.

My second favorite was the 1986 team. They finished the season 7-4, but with a middle season 4 game win streak (including UT, TCU, Arkansas and Rice) they positioned themselves for a bowl game. Doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but this was before there were a lot of bowl games and it was a BIG, BIG deal. Tech hadn’t gotten a bowl bid in 9 years up to the Independance Bowl game.
My brother played on this team and I knew most of the players so it’s a personal favorite.

I loved 08 and it was definitly the peak of productivity but overall those Welker teams were just magical. The overachievment was off the charts and since we were not expected to win, it was so much less stressful than it is today. I was at the game in Austin when we had them until Mack wised up and let Chance Mock enter the game to throw a bomb to Roy Williams, we had them down to the wire. Back then people didnt know to be scared of us, and because of all the work and determination of those teams is why other schools are scared of us now.

Best Tech team by far. Harrell and Crabtree were the absolute best duo to ever hit the Jones. I would say they were Tech’s version of Montana & Rice. These two players worked so hard even in the off season to perfect their game and that Texas game was the prize. Of course the Mike Leach offense played a huge part in their success. I might also add James Gray and Anthony Lynn as a close second. That was my time at Tech so I had to through that in.

No doubt, the best adrenalin flow ever. The close second would be the Rodney Allison-led ’76 team that lost a close hearbreaker to Houston (who won the SWC that year off that win—as usual) then lost a close, hard fought Bluebonnet Bown game to Nebraska. Both teams were my favorites.

From the pure publicity that the 2008 team garnered, my pride in Tech was magnified and maybe even justified to those outside of our community. However for me the teams from 73-78 were my favorite. There is just nothing like the total experience of being on campus where Tech is your life. Everything is so new and as a person you are growing into the person you were created to be. Jim Carlen used to take the team to a special event every Friday night before the game. I went to a movie one night and my friend and I got the last 2 seats and ended up next to Andre Tillman and Larry Issacs. The movie was set in Dallas so hearing Andre comment on places he knew made us feel we knew him. After the games many of the players made appearances at the Cow Palace so that also helped to make us seem closer to the team.
The 1976 team that tied for SWC Championship was as magical to me as the 2008 team. I found myself being reminded of the ’76 team all year long. I will never forget the devastation when they lost to U of H in Lubbock. Loosing to OK in ‘08 was tough but that one got out of hand so early that there was no real drama to think we could come back. In ’76 the defense was flying around the field to stop UH and Rodney Allison scrambled his tail off trying to find open receivers or run to keep drives going. That game to me exemplified his heart and even in the loss is my best memory of the 76 season.

I graduated in 05 and I bought the 3 game packages for 2006 and 2007, but 2008 was the first year I had season tickets and it was the best money I have ever spent. I have several compilations of the 2008 Texas game on my iPhone and everytime I’m having a rough day, I play a few of those videos and I’m right back in it. Sometimes when I’m riding home from work and I listen to the Crabtree catch and the announcers, I can’t help but just scream outloud.

At the end of last year, ESPN put together the best college football plays of the decade. My wife and two young daughters were sitting with me on the couch when it came on, and when they showed the Crabtree catch and the Red Raider Network announcers screaming “Touchdown Red Raiders!!” I just lost it. My eyes teared up, my heart was pounding, and I was back in Section 3 Row 20 all over again. I actually stood up and pounded my chest a few times like I actually had an influence on the catch. Amazing. I took my wife and my dad to the Texas game. It was my dad’s first ever college football game, and it’s a moment that we will share forever.

Seth, I made DTN my homepage. That’s about the best compliment I can give a website. You do an excellent job. Thanks.

2003 was my first year at Tech. The offense was amazing but the defense needed a lot of work. I watched us hand atm one of their worst losses in school history as well as a lot of shootout games. Welkers punt return against colorado was amazing.

2008 was by far the best I’ve ever experienced, but I think my favorite season was 1995. We had come off boring back to back 6-6 seasons and expectations weren’t all that high for us. Spike led the boys to a 9-3 season that started off with an OH-SO CLOSE loss at Penn State. A weird 9-7 loss to Baylor in week three had us all thinking this would be another clunker of a year. But then came Zach Thomas’ INT return against the Aggies. Went on to a fun to watch 55-41 win over the USAF Academy in the Copper Bowl.

Lots of good personal things happened that year for me, as well, so the 1995 season really stands out as my favorite.

The 1st time Texas Tech was ever the site of ESPN Gameday (vs. Texas in Austin – A friend said it was a sign of the apocalypse). Tech climbed into the Top 10 for the 1st time since my freshman year in 1977. Tech went to the Cotton Bowl for only the 3rd time in school history & played much, much better than the last time they went in 1995 vs. USC. We were one ugly assed Alabama field goal away from having had the best football season in my adult life to that date.

the buzz in lubbock was palpable. it was just electric in the city for a few weeks. 2008 was definetly my favorite season so far.

Biggest I can’t believe I left…..@ a&m mid aughts and tech is down big. It’s hot and we leave for college station bar and watch tech win in ot.
Bazinga

That was some of the best football I’ve ever seen played on offense, and the defense stepped up when it mattered until we wound up in Oklahoma. Sure it was epic disappointment, and late November on was awful because we all thought we were going to run the gauntlet, but in the end what most people remember most is just how good we were that year and how much fun it was watching our “system” guys and crazy coach beat the hell out of just about everybody.

So hard..but 1972 was a great team…1976 and Rodney Allison….and of course 2008. What can be said….3 great teams….3 different styles….yet I loved them all equally!
Wreck’Em Tech