Texas Tech football: The most painful plays in Red Raider history

Graham Harrell can’t pick up one yard vs. UT in 2006

Often, the most painful games are the ones decided by inches.  That was the case in 2006 when Tech fell to Texas in Lubbock after Graham Harrell was unable to convert a late 4th-and-1 on a QB sneak because he tripped on his offensive lineman’s feet.

After jumping out to a 21-0 lead over the No. 5 Longhorns, Tech found itself down 35-31 with 4:27 to play.  On 4th-and-1 from the UT 15, Mike Leach called for a QB sneak.

On the play, Harrell tried to sneak to the left around the tackle instead of just plunging forward.  The problem was that he tripped over his lineman and lost all momentum to come up inches short.  (To see the play, go to the 2:44:11 mark of this video.)

Texas then took over and ran out the remainder of the clock to ice the game.  It was an excruciating loss given the fact that Tech opened the game in the most dominant of fashions.

In the aftermath, many people were quick to blame Tech’s spread offense for this outcome.  They theorized that Harrell came up short because he was unaccustomed to taking the snap from under center.

But this just seemed like a bit of bad luck mixed with a poor decision to try to take the sneak wide, rather than just go between the center and the tackle.  Regardless of why it happened, it turned out to be a play that cost the Red Raiders a shot at a win over the Longhorns.