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Texas Tech football: Hidden moments from the victory over Houston

By Matthew Conner

Sep 4, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Tyler Shough (12) attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Tyler Shough (12) attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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LUBBOCK, TEXAS – DECEMBER 05: Linebacker Colin Schooler #17 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders is honored during Senior Day festivities before the college football game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Jones AT&T Stadium on December 05, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – DECEMBER 05: Linebacker Colin Schooler #17 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders is honored during Senior Day festivities before the college football game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Jones AT&T Stadium on December 05, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

3rd and 1 stop by Schooler

This game remained just a three-point affair deep into the 4th quarter.  And with 6:00 to play, the Cougars lined up for a critical 3rd-and-1 at their own 22.

At this point, the Cougar offense had been sputtering for over a quarter and a half, and Holgorsen’s team desperately needed to start to get some positive momentum going.  But a huge play by Tech linebacker Colin Schooler prevented that from happening.

Creeping up to the line just prior to the snap of the ball, Schooler shot into the Houston backfield to hit running back Mulbah Carr almost as soon as he took the handoff from Tune.  The result was a loss of four yards and a punt from the Cougars.

On the ensuing possession, Tech would extend the lead to ten points with an insurance TD.  Thus, this play by Schooler turned out to be one of the final nails in Houston’s coffin.

Plays like this are what Schooler has become known for during his college career.  Over the course of his time at Arizona and now Texas Tech, he’s racked up 53 tackles for loss, the most of any active player in the nation.

It was the most impactful play from a very busy night for the super senior who is the nation’s active leader in total tackles as well.  He led the Red Raiders with 10 stops, eight being of the solo variety.

Schooler is simply a tackling machine.  Since he stepped on campus in Lubbock, he’s played ten games and had at least six tackles in eight.  And remember that last year, he didn’t join the program until late August meaning that he didn’t have a full grasp of the defensive scheme when he was thrown into the mix.

This year, he could have his best season yet given how he’ll be utilized by defensive coordinator Keith Patterson.  So far, his career-high in tackles for a season is 119 as a sophomore.  It’s been only one game but he’s on pace to break that mark by one so far but even if he doesn’t, if he keeps making impact plays like he did on this critical third down, he’ll be one of the most important defensive players of the last 20 years of Texas Tech football.

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