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Texas Tech football: The top Red Raider from each season of the Big 12 era

By Matthew Conner

ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 25: Patrick Mahomes II #5 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders warming up before the game against the Baylor Bears on November 25, 2016 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Baylor 54-35. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 25: Patrick Mahomes II #5 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders warming up before the game against the Baylor Bears on November 25, 2016 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Baylor 54-35. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /
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Dwayne Slay of Texas Tech makes a tackle on Matt Miller of Alabama. (Photo by G. N. Lowrance/Getty Images)
Dwayne Slay of Texas Tech makes a tackle on Matt Miller of Alabama. (Photo by G. N. Lowrance/Getty Images) /

2005: Dwayne Slay

We jump back to the defensive side of the ball for the first time in a while to take a look at the remarkable 2005 season of safety Dwayne Slay. Earning first-team All-American honors from Sports Illustrated and first-team All-Big 12 recognition, he became a Texas Tech football legend in his only season as a starter.

The conference defensive player of the year set a school and conference record with eight forced fumbles thanks to his head-hunting style.  He finished the year with 114 stops to go along with a pick.

Of course, his signature moment was the near beheading of Kansas State QB Alan Everidge in Lubbock.  He also had 18 tackles in a shutout of Baylor and he registered at least 10 tackles in each of the last five games of the year.

It was a special year for Texas Tech as Slay and his teammates earned a trip to the Cotton Bowl after a 9-2 regular season.  Much of that success was due to a surprisingly stout Red Raider defense.

Three times that year, Tech held an opponent to seven points or fewer, and five more times the defense allowed no more than 21 points.  And leading the charge was the hardest-hitting player in the modern era of the program, Dwayne Slay, who became a Red Raider folk hero despite just one season of excellence.

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