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Texas Tech football: All-time Houston area Red Raider team

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX -NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback B.J. Symons #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders throws a pass during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Jones SBC Stadium on November 22, 2003 in Lubbock, Texas. The Sooners won 56-25. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX -NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback B.J. Symons #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders throws a pass during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Jones SBC Stadium on November 22, 2003 in Lubbock, Texas. The Sooners won 56-25. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Craig Jones/Getty Images)
(Photo by Craig Jones/Getty Images) /

QB: B.J. Symons

There’s only been one quarterback of significance from Houston to play for the Red Raiders and that QB started for only one season in Lubbock.  But what a season it was.

In 2003, B.J. Symons set the single-season NCAA passing yardage record with 5,833 yards to go along with 52 touchdowns, the most any Red Raider QB has ever thrown for in one year and third-most in NCAA history.  What’s even more amazing is that he put up those numbers while playing half the season with a torn knee ligament.

His signature game was a heart-stopping 49-45 win over Eli Manning and the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford.  That night, Symons passed for 661 yards (fourth-most in a single game in NCAA history) and six touchdowns to help the Red Raiders rally for a huge non-conference win.

In nine of the 13 games that season, Symons topped the 400-yard mark with four of those games surpassing 500 yards.  For his efforts, he was named second-team All-Big 12 and was awarded the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation’s top passer.

Fondly referred to as “Bombs Away” B.J. by my roommates and me, Symons loved to push the ball down the field to a wide receiver group that featured three 1,000-yard receivers (Wes Welker, Carlos Francis, and Nehemiah Glover).   Maybe the only thing in West Texas that year bigger than Symons’ arm was his confidence and in 2003, the Red Raiders desperately needed a leader to step forward on offense to help offset a defense that allowed 40 or more points in six games.

It was a bit surprising to realize that Symons is the only Red Raider QB from Houston to make an impact in college.  In fact, I could not find another Houston-area QB to even sign with the Red Raiders in the “Air Raid” era.  So the depth at the QB position on the all-Houston team is rather thin but if you are going to have only one QB, the NCAA record holder for yards in a season is a great option to have.  And who needs a backup when not even a torn knee ligament can bring down your starter.

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