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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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Quarterback Graham Harrell #6 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Quarterback Graham Harrell #6 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

2008: Graham Harrell

A year later, Crabtree was excellent once again but he was not quite as dominant as he saw his totals drop to 97 catches for 1,165 yards and 19 TDs.  Part of the reason was that opposing teams sold out to stop him and part of the reason was that his team was more balanced offensively as head coach Mike Leach knew he had a reliable defense thus eliminating the need to air the ball out quite as often.

But that didn’t mean Leach kept the ball on the ground.  Rather, he put the season on the right arm of QB Graham Harrell and the Ennis, Texas native came through in a huge way.

Like Crabtree, Harrell’s 2008 numbers didn’t quite match what he did in 2007 but as far as the QB was concerned, he was a better and more consistent player as a senior.  He passed for 5,111 yards, 45 TDs, and only 9 picks.

Four times that year, Harrell completed at least 80% of his passes.  What’s more, in two of those games he threw the ball 50 times and in another he let it fly 42 times.  In all, he had eight outings with a completion percentage of 74 or better.

What’s more, Harrell also threw for multiple TDs in a game.  That included season highs of six against both Oklahoma State and Kansas State.

But because Harrell played in the same conference as Texas’ Colt McCoy and OU’s Sam Bradford, two Heisman Trophy finalists, he received only honorable mention All-Big 12 honors.  Still, he finished fourth in the Heisman voting himself and he put up one of the best seasons ever by a Red Raider QB.

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