Red Raiders Football Notebook 11-04-2008
Compiled by Don Williams
Middle of the chaos
When they flooded the field Saturday night after Texas Tech’s 39-33 upset of Texas, more than just Tech students were enjoying the post-game celebration.
The Tech players didn’t mind it either.
“I was like, I don’t know if I’m ever going to get in the locker room,’ and I didn’t really care if I did,” offensive tackle Rylan Reed said. “It was awesome.”
The Tech fans poured onto the field three times with one second left – once after Mike Crabtree scored with one second left, again when video review upheld the call and once more after the extra point.
“They had three chances to rehearse it,” Reed said. “It looked like ants, coming from all four sides.”
Some Red Raiders were too exhausted, though, to get into the celebration. Safety Darcel McBath was one of those.
“Some guys started trying to pick me up,” McBath said, “but people started trying to rip off my shoes, so I had to tell them to stop. I didn’t want my feet to get stepped on. So I told ‘em to put me down, and I had to get up out of there because I couldn’t breathe.”
OSU game sells out
No. 2 Texas Tech’s home game Saturday against No. 9 Oklahoma State reached sellout status Monday morning. The game will be the fifth sellout in a row.
The crowd of 56,333 for Saturday’s Tech win over previously top-ranked Texas was a Jones AT&T Stadium record.
Honors come Red Raiders’ way
Tech senior safety Daniel Charbonnet on Monday was named the Walter Camp national defensive player of the week for his performance against Texas.
Charbonnet’s 18-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Red Raiders a 29-13 lead in the third quarter. He also had a forced fumble, a recovery, a tackle for loss and a third-down pass breakup.
Charbonnet and quarterback Graham Harrell both were named Big 12 Conference players of the week. Harrell had 474 yards on 36-of-53 passing.
Strategy decision
As Texas was moving toward a go-ahead touchdown Saturday night, Tech coach Mike Leach said he considered letting the Longhorns score earlier to save time on the clock for when his team got the ball back.
“It ran through my head, but we didn’t do that,” Leach said. “I’m not against it, but it’s not what we selected, because we’ve stopped people down there and done a pretty good job of it. And if you stop them down there, then the thing’s over. But they got in, we got the ball and so it went.”
The Longhorns took over trailing 32-26 with 5:45 left and drove 80 yards for the go-ahead score at 1:29. The drive was Texas’ longest of the night in terms of plays – 13 – and consumed 55 yards.
More from this category
- You don’t know Darko: Texas Tech forward Cohadarevic talks soccer, Serbia
- Tech loses 83-64 to K-State
- Tech men lose heartbreaker to A&M
- Linehan: Tech’s new look starts at lectern
- Tech coaching plans for Saturday
- Red Raiders back at No. 23 in AP poll
- Baylor Depth Chart
- Baylor Facts
More from this author
- High standards precede Brewer in Hub
- Tuberville talks about winning championships at Tech
- Killeen Ellison standout pledges to Tech
- Tech women take second in Big 12 Indoors
- Tech freshman prodigies win first Big 12 track titles
Subscribe to this author
I hope donnie carona will get another chance to kick in the next game. I saw him the night of the game and it made me so happy to actually see the kid smiling. From his tackles and kick offs, I know he is such a great football player. He has skills way above any other kicker.
I looked at his stats in high school and his kicking wasnt even what made him a star, he was THE reciever of the team and played a great defense. Coach Leach knew what he was doing when he got him. I really believe that after we build his confidence and keep working on his speical teams line, he will be a completely different guy. I could say it over and over again that alot of what has happened was NOT his fault but I think he will be able to prove himself on his own.
Report this comment
Could someone explain how we could have record attendance in the fourth sell out in a row (up to the Texas game) when there should only be a certain number of tickets sold. Does Tech sell more standing room only tickets to a big game like this? Also, I would like to know the actual number of people in the stadium. The 56,333 represents the number of tickets scanned at the gate I assume. As I entered gate 5 on the east side, it was crazy! Three people right in front of me sneaked by the ticket takers without having tickets. I wonder how many others did the same. I don’t guess this is an extremely important point, but I was just wondering what some of your thoughts were.
Wreck ‘em Tech!!!! Focus big time on OSU!!! Crowd needs to be pumped again!!!!
Report this comment
I ASSUME the “record” is due to tickets + students. Students are based on scanned IDs? (been over a decade since this Red Raider sat in Student seats) So, in that case you can have the “sellout” number (whatever that figure is) plus an indeterminate number of students based on however many they let into the stadium. They also might’ve put in some temp seats or something, there were probably more people than normal in the suites, etc. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if the OSU game is a sellout with slightly less people (wouldn’t be surprised if there’s slightly more either). That’s all just a guess tho, someone else might have a more accurate explanation.
Regarding Carona, he had a rough first half of the season, but definitely keep the kid around. You’ve gotta love Matt Williams for what he has done and the conditions he’s done it under, but I give Carona full props for nailing that 42 yarder against UT with 1-2 secs on the play clock. Without that three points, that final drive would’ve been much harder. (since we’d have NEEDED a touchdown)
Report this comment
Donnie C is going to be a fine kicker. He has started in a Div1 program as a true freshman. That is expecting a lot for any person of his age. So many adjustments in life.
The kick he made Saturday made me so happy for him. That was a big kick in a big game…it clearly shows that he is capable from all aspects.
Matt Williams has been a real asset and a valuable player in his own right. He has been very capable from the moment he stepped on the field and seems to have a bit of an edge in poise.
I don’t have a problem with the both of them kicking.
Report this comment
Ummmm. It’s Tuesday and we’re still celebrating our win over Texas which happens more often than people in Lubbock seem to be acting like. We’ve got a good team coming in Saturday in case you didn’t notice. Some say better than Texas. Quit writing articles and asking our players about last week. It’s old news.
Report this comment
Neal, the players are always interviewed on Monday and the questions are always about the previous game.
OK St is not that great…they don’t match up with us very well.
Watch the game and you will see what I mean.
Report this comment
Is a really good team. This will be another nail biter. However, I think this time Tech gets an additional score and wins by 10 or so points, more if we get a couple of turnovers. I live in Austin and the foghorn fans still do not ‘accept’ Tech as being the real deal. Their arrogance and hate for all things Tech are so rediculous. Some of my co-workers will not even say much to me, whereas before the game, they were spouting off about how badly we would go down in defeat. I LOVE IT!!! The bad thing is trying to walk up the hill and not slip and break something on the tears and snot all over the ground. Yuk, yuk, yuk…..soooooo nice…..
Report this comment
OK State is a really good team. This will be another nail biter. However, I think this time Tech gets an additional score and wins by 10 or so points, more if we get a couple of turnovers. I live in Austin and the foghorn fans still do not ‘accept’ Tech as being the real deal. Their arrogance and hate for all things Tech are so rediculous. Some of my co-workers will not even say much to me, whereas before the game, they were spouting off about how badly we would go down in defeat. I LOVE IT!!! The bad thing is trying to walk up the hill and not slip and break something on the tears and snot all over the ground. Yuk, yuk, yuk…..soooooo nice…..
Report this comment
I want to know who will match up against Dez, cause Nickerson isn’t good enough, LaRon Moore isn’t tall enough, and L.A. Reed does not have enough experience to conver a guy like that. I guess i will put my money on L.A, though.
Report this comment