Texas Tech Football: 50 Greatest Red Raiders of all time
No. 18 Billy Joe Tolliver Quarterback (1985-1988)
The 18th greatest Texas Tech football player ever was not just a football star in high school but also a baseball talent that threw 14 no-hitters in high school. From tiny Boyd Texas, Billy Joe Tolliver would use his powerful arm to become one of the best quarterbacks Texas Tech has ever produced.
"His former coach at Texas Tech, David McWilliams once said of Tolliver, “He throws the ball harder, and with more velocity, than anyone I’ve ever seen.” Link"
While a Red Raider, Tolliver threw for 6,756 yards, 7th most in school history. The 4-year starter had his breakout game as a redshirt freshman when he threw for 422 yards in a 63-7 dismantling of TCU.
When his collegiate career had ended, Tolliver had set 16 school records and as a senior he was awarded the Southwest Conference Sportsmanship Award. After four seasons with Texas Tech, he set the school record for career passing yards (6,756), career pass attempts (1,008), career pass completions (493), career touchdown passes (38), season passing yards in 1988 (2,869), and single game passing yards (446) against Oklahoma State University in 1988. Tolliver was inducted into Texas Tech’s Hall of Honor in 2002.
In the NFL, the 6-foot-1, 217-pound Tolliver threw for 10,760 yards and 59 touchdowns. He played 10 years in the league with five franchises serving mostly as a backup.
Next: Thomas Howard