Texas Tech Football: Red Raiders on 2010 Award Watch Lists
With the long awaited kick off to the 2010 campaign of Red Raider football mere days away it would seem prudent to take a brief look at some of the outstanding athletes that will represent Texas Tech this upcoming season.
Though the 2010 Tech roster is stacked with football talent that may be recognized nationally by seasons’ end, several Red Raiders have garnered pre season national attention and subsequently their names can be found on the college award “watch lists”.
These watch lists are produced during the summer months by the foundations, clubs or associations responsible for the awards to identify those players that are expected to perform at a level worthy of consideration for a prestigious individual honor.
The Texas Tech players mentioned in this catalog of national award hopefuls should emerge as team leaders and will no doubt be mentioned often while the Red Raiders play out their 2010 schedule and hopefully into the postseason.
The play and excellence of the Red Raider football standouts featured in the following slideshow will no doubt contribute to the success of the 2010 Texas Tech football team.
Hence, they deserve the support and applause of the Red Raider nation.
Detron Lewis, WR, #17—The Biletnikoff Award
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Detron Lewis, WR, #17
The Biletnikoff Award is presented annually to the nation’s outstanding college football receiver. The creator and sponsor of the award is the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation.
The honor is named for Fred Biletnikoff who played high school football in Pennsylvania, college ball at Florida State and then went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Oakland Raiders.
The award has been presented since 1994 and the selection process is facilitated by a committee of over 150 various media members and former players.
Detron Lewis is a senior Red Raider wide receiver who has 65 career receptions for 844 yards and six touchdowns. He grew up in College Station, Texas and is majoring in Human Development and Family Studies.
Former Texas Tech Biletnikoff Award Winners
Red Raider Michael Crabtree is the only two time winner of the Biletnikoff Award, being recognized in both 2007 and 2008 as the nation’s top receiver.
Brian Duncan, LB, #57—The Butkus Award
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Brian Duncan, LB, #57
Since 1985 the Butkus Award has been given annually to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker. The award was originally established and sponsored by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando who surrendered control of the award to the Butkus Foundation in 2008.
The Butkus Foundation expanded the award in 2008 to include the recognition of the top linebacker in professional and high school football as well as its traditional college award.
The award is named for Dick Butkus who played linebacker for both the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He has been inducted into both the college and professional football hall of fame.
Brian Duncan is a senior Management major at Texas Tech from Baton Rouge Louisiana. He has thus far accumulated 235 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions in his career as a Red Raider.
No Red Raider has ever been awarded the Butkus award. Oklahoma leads all programs with four top linebacker honors.
Taylor Potts, QB, #12—The Davey O’Brien Award
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Taylor Potts, QB, #12
The Davey O’Brien Award is presented to the nation’s top quarterback by the Davey O’Brien Foundation.
The award was originally established in 1977 (as the Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy) to recognize the top player in the redundant Southwest Conference before being transformed in 1980 to the “Davey O’Brien Award” for the nation’s top quarterback.
The award is retained at the Ft. Worth Club in Ft. Worth Texas and is named in honor of Robert David (Davey) O’Brien a Dallas native and all American quarterback for TCU.
O’Brien initially played behind Sammy Baugh at TCU but by 1937 was the starter for the Horned Frogs. In 1938 O’Brien led TCU to an undefeated season, Sugar Bowl victory and national championship.
O’Brien is the only collegiate player in history to win the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Trophy in the same year.
Following a single season with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles O’Brien retired from football to begin a decade long career with the FBI.
Davey O’Brien died of cancer in 1977.
Taylor Potts is a senior quarterback from Abilene Texas. His career passing stats (which were mostly complied during his 2009 role as the partial starter) as a Red Raider include 4109 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Potts is an Exercise and Sport Medicine major who has been named the starting quarterback for the Red Raiders coming into the 2010 season.
No Red Raider has ever received the Davey O’Brien Award. Brigham Young University leads all schools with a record four nations' best quarterbacks honored.
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Baron Batch, RB, #25—The Doak Walker Award
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Baron Batch, RB, #25
The Doak Walker Award has been presented to the nation’s top college football running back since 1990. It is presented by Southern Methodist University and also requires that candidates meet certain academic requirements.
The award is named for Doak Walker a halfback for the SMU Mustangs and Detroit Lions. Walker was awarded the Maxwell trophy in 1947 and the Heisman in 1948.
Baron Batch is a senior from Midland, Texas who has racked up 1685 yards and 22 touchdowns on 290 attempts during his career as a Red Raider. Additionally, he has caught 108 career passes for 885 yards and one touchdown.
All indications are that Batch should be able to expect a spike in his statistics during his senior year at Tech with the introduction of Tommy Tuberville’s more run focused (or at least the run will be attempted more than during the pass happy era of Mike Leach) offense.
Former Texas Tech Doak Walker Award Winners
1993 Byron “Bam” Morris
1996 Byron Hanspard
Brian Duncan, LB, #57—The Bronko Nagurski Trophy
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Brian Duncan, LB, #57
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the best defensive player in college football. The award is selected by the Football Writers Association of American and is co-presented by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
The award is named for Bronko Nagurski a Canadian born football star for both the University of Minnesota and the Chicago Bears (where he played from 1930 – 1943). Interestingly, Nagurski holds the record for the largest NFL Championship ring size with a whopping 19 ½.
No Red Raider has yet been awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Brian Duncan, LB, #57—The Lott Trophy
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Brian Duncan, LB, #57
The Lott Trophy has been presented since 1994 to the college football defensive “IMPACT” player of the year. IMPACT is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
The award is presented by the Pacific Club IMPACT foundation and The Master Coaches. It is voted on by the media, previous finalists, board members of the IMPACT foundation and a group of former college football coaches.
The Lott award is unique in that it claims to put equal weight on personal character as well as athletic performance. It is also the first national college football award based on the West Coast.
The award is named in honor of Ronnie Lott who played cornerback/safety for both USC and the San Francisco 49ers.
No Red Raider has yet been awarded the Lott Trophy in its six years of existence.
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