Crabs don't grow on trees - and Moss is underfoot

Tokyo Police Club - It's only like $6 (on iTunes) of really catchy stuff - so skip your trip to your favorite chain coffee joint and get some good new music in your head.

Before we get started - I found another Aggie Blog - this one looks especially well written - it also looks to be practically brand new - and we hope that they drop by and see us...

This Day in Aggie Football


Here's a couple of links you're gonna need:

NCAA 2007 Record Book (although it's already outdated)
cfbstats.com (the ultimate site for stats junkies)

We're (the collective Texas Tech 'we') are halfway through the 2007 season. It seems like it just started and we're already halfway through. Better make the most of what is left.

And what is left is the meat of the schedule. It's interesting to remember that Tech wasn't thought well of pre-season because of three main problem areas: 1) The Offensive Line 2) The Defensive Line and 3) The Wide Receivers. On the whole, the OL has done quite well, although in the game against Iowa State they seemed for the first time to have some lapses (although these lapses were just that and I wouldn't expect to see this as a trend). The DL has been re-emergent under Ruffin McNeill as has the entire defensive unit - that has been well-documented I think. As far as the receivers go - well that's Mr. Crabtree's department.

Let's delve into the production of Crabtree and discuss why he should be getting national publicity.

By the way - I'm not sure a freshman should be considered for the Heisman - even if Crabtree breaks all the records we're about to go over - I think that award should go to Juniors and Seniors. Graham Harrell should be a contender for the Heisman - but I think despite all of the stats Crabtree continues to pile up - he should begin his Heisman campaign later. BTW - if I had a Heisman vote I would cast it for Darren McFadden anyhow. Graham is starting to get some ripples of attention, however.

Back to Crab-man...

50% of the season to go - and against much tougher competition. Let's take his current stats and put them up against the record book - we'll double his current stats exactly and see what kind of pace he is on and we'll also see what he needs to do to get the "Triple-Crown" of WR records: Season Receiving Yards, Season Receptions and Season TDs by a WR. Let's not forget Points scored either - we'll cover that as well...

From Texas Tech's Athletics site:

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree set an NCAA record for receiving touchdowns by a freshman in his sixth straight multiple-TD game, a 42-17 victory against Iowa State on Saturday night.

Crabtree scored three times against the Cyclones, giving him 17 for the season. The redshirt freshman got No. 15 and the record on his second catch of the day when Graham Harrell hit him on a slant across the middle and Crabtree ran 20 yards to put Tech (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) up 7-0 midway through the first quarter.

The Red Raiders' receiver broke the freshman record of 14 TD catches by Jabar Gaffney (Florida in 2000), Mike Williams (Southern California in 2002) and Davone Bess (Hawaii in 2005).

One record in the books (with HALF THE SEASON TO GO). That would be "TD Receiving by a FR"

A review of the current statline:

	Name	Team	Yr	Pos	G	Rec.	Yards	Avg.	TD	Rec./G	Yards/G
1	Michael Crabtree	Texas Tech	FR	WR	6	70	1074	15.34	17	11.7	179.0

Records (BTW - I'm only going to list the Div 1/FBS records):
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Season Receiving Yards:

1. Trevor Insley - Nevada - 2060 (1999)
2. Troy Edwards - La Tech - 1996 (1998)
3. Alex Van Dyke - Nevada - 1854 (1995)
4. JR Tolver - SDSU - 1785 (2002)
5. Howard Twilley - Tulsa - 1779 (1965)

1074 * 2 = 2148

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Season Receptions

1. Manny Hazard - Houston - 142 (1989)
2. Troy Edwards - La Tech - 140 (1998)
3. Nate Burleson - Nevada - 138 (2002)
4. Trevor Insley - Nevada - 134 (1999)
5. Howard Twilley - Tulsa - 134 (1965)

70 * 2 = 140

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Season TD Receptions

1. Troy Edwards - La Tech - 27 (1998)
*. Jerry Rice - Mississippi Valley - 27 (1984) okay I included one Div1AA guy - sue me.
2. Randy Moss - Marshall - 25 (1997)
3. Larry Fitzgerald - Pitt - 22 (2003)
3. Manny Hazard - Houston - 22 (1989)

17 * 2 = 34

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Season Points Scored

1. Barry Sanders - OSU - 234 (1988)
2. Brock Forsey - Boise State - 192 (2002)
3. Troy Edwards - La Tech - 186 (1998)

Season Points by a Freshman

1. Marshall Faulk - SDSU - 140 (1991)

17 * 6 = 102 * 2 = 204

Was Barry Sanders a beast or what?!?!?!!!!!1!!!11!1!

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There you have it - an opportunity to write his name in the record books for a season performance.

It begs the next question of course. Will Crabtree stay for all of his eligibility? I don't know much about his family situation and won't dare to speculate. All I will say is "Dear Baby Jesus, please. Amen."

We will peruse the record books soon as we cover the halfway point of Graham Harrell's 2007 campaign. I think he can gain some real momentum in the Heisman race if the team performs well over the final half.

Wreck 'em.