Texas Tech football: Team records that may never be broken

25 career picks interceptions

Last season, Douglas Coleman had a career year with eight interceptions to earn All-Big 12 honors.  But even had he been able to have three more eight-INT seasons, he would have come up shy of Tracy Saul‘s all-time program record of 25.

When Saul arrived in Lubbock in 1989, the Idalou native immediately filled the starting safety spot vacated when Donald Harris left school after his sophomore year.  That year, he did what Coleman did last fall and picked off eight passes.  He would equal that feat again in 1991, meaning that he has two of the program’s four eight-interception seasons.  Only one man, Elmer Tarbox, has had more INTs in a season (he had 11 in 1938).

Saul was the only player in the history of the Southwest Conference to earn consensus All-SWC honors all four years of his career.  He also earned second-team All-American honors in 1991.

When you think about the consistency of Saul’s career in regard to interceptions, it’s hard to imagine any player breaking his record.  To do that, someone would have to average over 6.25 INTs per season.

To put that into perspective, keep in mind that only seven times in the 95-year history of Red Raider football has a player recorded more than six interceptions in one season.  Also, only six men in program history have seasons of seven or more INTs to their name.

It also seems like intercepting passes is growing more difficult by the year because of the way that offenses are evolving and becoming better in the passing game.  Though teams are throwing the ball more than ever, QBs are also getting rid of it faster and offensive coordinators are far more advanced than even when it comes to scheming their receivers wide open.  Thus, Tracy Saul’s record looks to be one of the most untouchable marks in Red Raider history.