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Texas Tech football: The 10 best seasons by a RB in “Air Raid” era

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 26: DeAndre Washington #21 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders runs the ball for yardage against the TCU Horned Frogs on September 26, 2015 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. TCU won the game 55-52. Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX - SEPTEMBER 26: DeAndre Washington #21 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders runs the ball for yardage against the TCU Horned Frogs on September 26, 2015 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. TCU won the game 55-52. Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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Running back Shannon Woods #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (G. Aiken/Getty Images)
Running back Shannon Woods #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (G. Aiken/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Woods 2006

Another sophomore who impressed was Shannon Woods in 2008.  The McKinney, Texas native had his best season with 1,498 total yards and 12 TDs.

His 926 yards on the ground were the most by a Red Raider since former Ricky Williams in 1998.  What’s more, his 6.1 yards-per-carry were the most since Byron Hanspard did the same in 1996.

This was a true emergence for Woods after he amassed just 253 yards and four TDs in 2005.  What’s more, the next year, he would have only 577 yards as his season was cut to nine games by injury.

Against Baylor, he had a monster game with 125 yards and 3 TDs on just 10 carries.  That day he also caught 8 balls for 48 more yards.

He also had 109 yards and three more scores in Tech’s historic comeback win over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl.  His other 100-yard game that season was a 109-yard showing against SMU, which was his first time to surpass the century mark.

As a senior in 2008, Woods was again able to put up over 1,000 total yards and 14 TDs to help the Red Raiders to their most successful season of the Leach tenure.  That was his second-best season but he didn’t have to carry the RB load as heavily that season thanks to the presence of Baron Batch.

But in 2006, he was Tech’s workhorse.  And his best play was one that might have gone unnoticed.  When Graham Harrell connected with Robert Johnson in the final minute of Tech’s comeback win at Texas A&M, Woods’ pickup of a blitzing LB gave his QB just enough time to deliver one of the most dramatic passes in program history.  It was a fantastic play by a RB who was more than just a runner.

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