Red Raiders’ star receiver still mum on return
Full 2008 Cotton Bowl Coverage
By Adam Zuvanich | AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
DALLAS – Did Mike Crabtree play his last football game for Texas Tech on Friday?
Only Crabtree knows for sure, and neither he nor the rest of the Red Raiders were willing to talk about it after a 47-34 loss to Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl.
Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree can't come up with a pass under pressure from Ole Miss' Cassius Vaughn during the AT&T Cotton Bowl Friday in Dallas. (Zach Long/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Crabtree wasn’t made available for interviews after the game – in which he caught four passes for 30 yards and a touchdown – and mum was the word from Tech coach Mike Leach and quarterback Graham Harrell.
“I have no idea,” Leach said when asked about Crabtree’s plans for the future. “And if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
Harrell, whose second-quarter TD pass to Crabtree made him major-college football’s all-time leader with 132, didn’t offer any insight, either.
“He’ll be good wherever he goes,” Harrell said.
Although he’s just a sophomore, the 6-foot-3, 214-pound Crabtree is eligible to enter April’s NFL draft – and he’s projected as a high first-round pick. Or he could return to Tech and build on his record-setting collegiate career.
A two-time consensus all-American and the only repeat winner of the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation’s top receiver, Crabtree already owns the Tech career records for receiving yards (3,127) and touchdown catches (41).
He finished this season with 97 receptions for 1,165 yards and 19 TDs despite a pair of injuries. Crabtree played through a left foot injury suffered while returning a kickoff against Texas A&M on Oct. 18, and in the Red Raiders’ regular-season finale against Baylor on Nov. 29, he missed the entire second half with a right ankle injury.
Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree limps off the field after being injured during the third quarter of the Red Raiders loss to Ole Miss during the AT&T Cotton Bowl Friday in Dallas. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
“I don’t get into health issues, but I think he’s healthy and he had a great year,” Leach said. “He was one of the ultimate marked players in the country, and then despite that, against one great defense after the next, responded incredibly well and won the second consecutive Biletnikoff Award. I guess I need some more guys that are having bad years, you know?”
If Friday’s game was Crabtree’s last in red and black, it was one he’d probably like to forget. He had a mostly pedestrian performance playing in his first Cotton Bowl in his hometown.
Crabtree, who was overthrown three times on deep balls down the right sideline, didn’t catch a pass until the second quarter. His second reception was a 2-yard touchdown that gave the Raiders a 21-14 lead with 7:44 left in the first half, but he caught only two passes after that and just one in the second half.
And when Crabtree slipped mid-route on the opening drive of the third quarter, Harrell’s throw went right to Ole Miss cornerback Marshay Green, who returned the interception 65 yards for a touchdown that put the Rebels up 31-21.
“Crabtree looked a little bumped up today, I think,” said Harrell, who didn’t even throw in his star receiver’s direction after the midway point of the third period. “He got his eye poked – he couldn’t really see out of one eye – and his ankle’s a little bummed, so it was just a tough day.”
It wasn’t such a tough day for the Rebels’ defensive backs, even though Harrell set Cotton Bowl records with 364 yards and four touchdowns passing. They picked him off twice, and they kept Crabtree in check with man-to-man coverage.
“I was really proud of what our defense did, because Crabtree scares you to death,” Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said. “I thought our corners were just awesome.”
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he needs to come back to tech because he needs to learn to take a hit or how to be tackled… yesterday he came up lame just about everytime he got hit or tackled nfl scouts see that. no matter how good u are in college if your not tough enough nfl wont want u
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He’s a big fish in a small pond. He has a bad wheel. If you can’t stay healthy against our meager competition, you’ll never see a Sunday game except from your recliner.
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It would be amazing if he came back but he probably will chase the money
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If the last 3 games of our season are any indication, Crabtree is not ready for the NFL. The speed and physical punishment of NFL defensive backs will make Michael look average for 2 to 3 years. Michael for your own good – not ours – stay in
school – hone your skills – and let the Taylor Potts era begin. It’s going to be a lot better than many people believe. I just hope your teammates learn to play with emotion and a real sense of hitting someone in the mouth!
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Prayer, You have it right my friend. Crabs…stay in school. When all is said and done, your stock will only rise.
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Please stop hating on Crabtree everyone. Thats whats wrong with Tech fans, you guys are never satisfied. and you have no reason to act like that. When was the last time Tech had a two-time all american or a team that went 11-2. Crab is a great reciever and no one knows whats he gonna do in the pros because thats how football is at the next level. You just never know. But he has more than proved himself and Tech fans should be proud of their team. What do you guys know about competion. If Ole Miss(The only team to beat Florida) not good competion then i dont know what is.
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Jerry, I don’t think anyone is hating on Crabtree. He is an awesome receiver and we are all very proud of him. However, he has been hurt and can’t seem to overcome it. The next level is much more difficult and I, too, would hate to see him give it all away when he has so much potential. You ask anyone in the NFL and they will tell you to stay and develop. It’s not like baseball. It is a very physical game. Just like RD Raider in CA said, his stock will only rise. He could actually win the Heisman and for sure another Belitnikoff (spelling ?) Award. Good luck to Crab whatever he does.
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I love Crabtree, but the facts are there are very few juniors who are a “hit” in the NFL game. They need that extra year to develop. Crabtree will be a top 5 pick if he comes back and shows he can stay healthy and improve his top end speed. But, overall it’s his decision, I just think most NFL teams are not going to use a top 10 pick on him .
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I agree with Jerry. If you can’t love your team and support your team’s players after a loss then you aren’t a true fan. These guys played hard all season and gave us a great year. I am damn proud of our team.
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Get a degree. Get a job. Stay in school! Detroit Lions suck and will no doubt have the number one pick. Anyone think Lubbock is bad. Dtroit is a sewer.
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Crabtree please stay. Get healthy. Go Tech!!!!!!!!!!!
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Crabtree stay in school, get healthy, NFL means Not For Long, for players of your caliber. You cannot take a real hit. NFL will destroy you. Get Stronger and Faster
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Crabtree? He gonnnnnnnnnnnn! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
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Crabtree is a very good receiver. The Texas game is a clue. But if he is projected to be taken in the pro draft in the first round, you can’t blame for taking the money.
However, in the Ole MIss game give Mr. Green and Mr. Vaughn and the pass rushers some praise. They shut Crab down.
In the pros he’ll be played differently and where the quarterback has a little more time to pass than he did Thursday.
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You people are delusional. Rivals is projecting Crabtree to be the top pick in the draft because there is not a sure-fire quarterback coming out. First pick money is huge – 5-yr deal worth at least $20 mil. Getting a degree is great and should be pursued – I have two of them – but the point is to get a job and be a success. Say he bombs in the NFL; he still has a $20 mil head start. You say he is injury prone; what happens if he blows a knee against Mother Mary’s School for the Blind in the second week of the season. Suddenly, that is an eight figure injury. I say thanks for the memories Crab, now go get what you have earned.
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Crabtree – go get the money! You can always return to school if that is your desire. If playing in the NFL is the career you have always wanted and chosen, don’t risk messing it up playing another year on the college level. (Michael DELL never finished college!)
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we dont say hes injury prone it is a fact. he cannot take a hit period go back and watch the games he comes up lame just about every play. oh and rivals.com is not the nfl if he does get picked first they still dont have to keep him if he doesnt look good in training camp which means they dont have to pay him.
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Most of you folks are forgetting one thing about getting to the NFL ….. SO ME THE MONEY. Heck, Crab might not care less if he makes it in the NFL. The fact is ….. as a first round draft choice (which many are projecting), he’ll make more MONEY in ONE YEAR than most everyone on this message board will make X’s 10.
It’s not about the game anymore.
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Well, Crabtree seems to have a pretty level head, and his dad has finally gotten the point of letting his son’s actions cover more ground than his mouth.
That siad, I would think he’d prefer going out on top as a viable Heisman candidate (he can make this school SHINE by himself by giving Taylor Potts a target) and a year less fragile. He hasn’t even STARTED to really mature physically, and he will be a BEAST if he’ll stay around and develop another year or two.
Face it, with Graham at the same school he wasn’t going to get serious consideration for the Heisman, but by making the new kid look good and continuing to be a leader every play he’s on the field (some of the best downfield blocks EVERY GAME this year belonged to Crabtree), he will be the media magnet that can get that exposure for himself and Tech.
‘Nuff said. They had a FANTASTIC year and will do same if allowed again next year.
Wreck ‘Em!!!
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Make the school look good? haha..yall make me laugh….the school doesn’t care about any of these athletes unless they are performing on the field. Crabtree never intended to graduate Tech or any other college…he just had to wait the mandatory 2 years to be eligible for the draft. GO GET THE MONEY!
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Injury prone is something NFL teams don’t like in players.
How good would the Chargers be if they could keep Tomlinson healthy?
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Thanks Micheal, we enjoyed you while you lasted. Great college career. I hope that you do well in the future. Stop sneakin out the back door so you don’t have to sign those autographs for the kids. Remember that it isn’t all about you, give back to those who admire your accomplishments. Get tougher because Sunday’s are a whole lot different from Saturday’s and don’t forget the guys that helped you here at Tech, without them you don’t succeed.
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i hope he follows his grandmothers advice, to be the best he can be no matter where he decides to play. good luck, whereever you go.
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I would say to Crabtree, “Stay in school at least another year.” You may not think so now but, if you get your degree, you will never regret it. Every person I have ever known who didn’t get their degree regrets it in later years after they have seen the light in later years. I have never known anyone who was glad they didn’t get it. That is something that can never be taken away from a person and, it is sort of a status symbol to me to know I have the degree from Tech. When you are at college, it is fun and games. When you are in the NFL, it is strictly business. Can a young Crabtree taken the booing drunken fans when he makes a mistake? See what happened to Vince Young. I know money is a big deal but, if you have all the money in the world and still aren’t happy, it means nothing. I saw a former pro football player on TV the other day and, he said exactly what I’m saying. College football is fun but, pro football is all business. Crabtree please stay in school at least another year. You will be closer to getting your degree. The money will still be waiting for you. Get your degree at Tech. I promise when you, when you are older, you will be so proud of it.
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Hey Michael, Good luck and God Bless whatever you decide to do, But dont you have unfinished buisness in Lubbock ? Education, Heisman, Big 12 Championship, National Championship, Records.Once them opurtunities pass you there gone forever.The NFL isnt going anywhere neither is the money. 50 million or 30 million if a person cant live on that the rest of there life something is wrongThe ones wanting you to go pro WANT IN YOUR POCKETS the rest of us want to see TEXAS TECH have A Heisman trophy winner GOOD LUCK and GOD BLESS .
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