The Top 50 Red Raiders of All-Time: No. 39 – 35

No. 36 — Michael Johnson (LB 1984 – 1987):

Nov 15, 2014; Lubbock, TX, USA; The Texas Tech Red Raiders masked rider enters the stadium before the game with the Oklahoma Sooners at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The 6’1” , 215-pound Johnson headed to Texas Tech with his high school head coach from Midland Lee. Spyke Dykes would spend two seasons as the Tech defensive coordinator before being named head coach in 1986.

Johnson has to be one of the greatest feathers in the cap of Dykes, who coached the school’s fourth leading career tackler (393) for over half a decade. The 1987 season was a terrific campaign for Johnson as he accumulated 154 tackles, good for the fourth best single season total by any Red Raider.

However, Johnson was part of something larger than his individual statistics. He and his 1986 teammates snapped a seven-year-long streak of losing seasons for Texas Tech football.