Heisman spotlight shines on Harrell

By John Hillman  |   Monday, November 03, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Texas Tech Red Raiders
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With the biggest game in school history behind him, Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell steps straight into the Heisman Trophy spotlight. The nation’s eyes and Heisman voters will focus on his passing as the second-ranked Red Raiders face No. 8 Oklahoma State in this Saturday’s featured contest on ABC.

Commentary: Like the 1984 “Miracle in Miami” thrown by Boston College’s Doug Flutie to Gerard Phelan, Harrell’s last-second touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree in a 39-33 win over Texas last weekend pushed the quarterback to the forefront as the country’s top collegiate player. His 2008 numbers certainly justify the consideration.

Through nine games this season, the Red Raider signal-caller has thrown for 3,621 yards and 30 touchdowns. Harrell has completed over 70 percent of his passes, suffered only seven interceptions, and posted a 165.90 quarterback rating. Against Texas, he moved past Hawaii’s Colt Brennan into third place on the NCAA all-time career passing list with 14,303 yards.

Although these numbers are certainly impressive, Harrell’s timing has been perfect. Mediocre performances against Nevada and Nebraska pushed Texas Tech’s all-time passing leader toward the bottom of the ballot, and Heisman pundits considered Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow or Sam Bradford more favorable candidates. But Harrell’s last-second heroics against the top-ranked Longhorns turned last Saturday’s contest into an instant classic.

Despite his immediate star status and nationwide recognition, Harrell can’t afford a letup. With Oklahoma State traveling to Lubbock this weekend for another ABC national telecast, the Red Raider field general needs another sparkling outing to keep his Heisman juices bubbling. However, history favors Texas Tech in this matchup; after all, the Cowboys haven’t won in Jones Stadium since 1944.

Fan Pulse: The intensity builds daily for the Red Raiders’ next game. Check out this link for some thoughts of Texas Tech fans: http://www.doubletnation.com/2008/11/2/652360/oklahoma-st-is-now-the-big .

Injury Report: Defensive tackle Rajon Henley, who returned from a three-game absence and played versus Texas, has reverted to questionable status against Oklahoma State with an injured leg.


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About John Hillman

John Hillman graduated from Baylor University in 1974 with a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA from Baylor in 1987. He worked for accounting firms until 1982 when he became the chief financial officer for an independent insurance claims adjusting service, a position he still holds today. ...
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