ARLINGTON — Eric Stephens set a school record on Saturday night, but he felt more like a goat than a hero early in the third quarter.

Texas Tech’s true freshman running back lost a fumble on the second half’s first play from scrimmage, which enabled Baylor to extend its lead to 10 points. But Stephens atoned almost immediately thereafter, returning the ensuing kickoff 64 yards to set up the Red Raiders’ first touchdown of the game.

“I just felt like I had to bounce back from that fumble,” Stephens said. “I felt like I let my team down, so I felt like I had to make up for it. I was just out there running, just trying to make up for that fumble.

Texas Tech's Eric Stephens (24) runs the ball down the field against Baylor's Elliot Coffey (37) their game Nov., 28, 2009 at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Merissa Ferguson/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Texas Tech's Eric Stephens gets hit by Baylor's Antonio Johnson Saturday night at Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Tech beat Baylor 20-13. (John A. Bowersmith/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

“I followed my blockers, and the hole was wide open,” he added. “I just had to make that one guy miss in the hole, and I almost took it back.”
Stephens’ career-long kickoff return helped swing the momentum toward the Red Raiders, who scored the last 17 points in a 20-13 victory against the Bears in front of 71,964 fans at Cowboys Stadium.
“Eric’s kick return came at a great time,” Tech receiver Alex Torres said. “For him to bounce back like he did, that’s a perfect example of what we preach around here: Play the next play and forget about what happened.

“… To see him step up like that, it’s truly amazing to have someone like that on our team to be able to do something like that.”

The play highlighted a memorable performance for the 5-foot-8, 182-pound Stephens, who hails from nearby Mansfield. He said the game in Arlington was “like a homecoming,” and he took home a Tech record.

Stephens’ 19-yard kickoff return early in the first quarter made him the Red Raiders’ single-season record holder, surpassing the 621 kick return yards Rodney Blackshear racked up in 1990.

Stephens finished Saturday’s game with four returns for 137 yards — a 34.3-yard average — and he now has 751 kick-return yards for the season.

“Until the other day, I didn’t even know what the record was,” Stephens said. “Our coaches preach to us all the time, ‘Don’t worry about all those little aspects. Just play.’ So I was just out there playing. Every game I just gave my all, and God blessed me.”

Tech coach Mike Leach said he wasn’t even aware of the record after the game, but he has noticed Stephens’ season-long impact on special teams.

Stephens also has been a nice complement to Baron Batch in Tech’s running game, rushing for 223 yards and two touchdowns this season on just 45 carries. He gained 37 yards on five carries on Saturday, averaging 7.4 yards per rush.

“Anybody that can play as a true freshman, I think that’s impressive,” Leach said. “… It’s not so difficult to do physically. What’s hard to do is just the confidence and to be even tempered enough that you’re able to step up and do it.”

Stephens exemplified those traits on Saturday, turning a costly mistake into a measure of game-changing redemption.

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