College Football Confidential

Texas Tech player indicted in assault

LUBBOCK — Texas Tech center Stephen Hamby faces an aggravated assault charge for allegedly punching a man in the face twice in March.

Hamby, indicted by a grand jury Tuesday, is accused of punching the man during an altercation near campus. The victim suffered a fractured jaw and was treated at a Lubbock hospital, police said.
Hamby fled the scene, according to a police report.

Hamby, a 6-foot-3, 287-pound junior from San Antonio, walked on at Texas Tech and rose steadily on the depth chart before starting for the first time last season.

Hamby’s attorney, Tom Pitts, declined to comment Wednesday.

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said in Wednesday’s edition of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that he knew of Hamby’s altercation and had not decided whether to discipline him.

“His status is we’ll see what the facts are and then address it based on the facts,” Leach said. “We’re not going to jump to any conclusions.”

Former Redskins DT from Midland dies of heart failure at 43

Wally Kleine, a football standout from Midland who played defensive tackle for Notre Dame and the Washington Redskins, has died. He was 43.

Kleine died of heart failure Sunday at a Lubbock hospital.

Kleine was an all-state player at Midland High School in 1981 and earned All-American honors at Notre Dame. He was a second-round pick by the Redskins in 1987 and spent two years with them.

When injuries ended his pro career, Kleine spent two years as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech under former coach Spike Dykes.

After leaving football, he remained in the Lubbock area and worked in commercial real estate and investments.

-- The Associated Press

Predicted it

On my blog post “Oregon goes down” Thursday night, I predicted that there would be an upset Saturday similar to the one that befell the Ducks. In response to that, I received this e-mail:

“You have got to be kidding right? Tech and OU has upset potential???????Not this year buddy, not in this lifetime the way I see it. Come on man you might as well just crown OU national champion.”

It’s not polite to post an “I told you so.” But it is nice to be right.

_ Wendell Barnhouse

A $10,000 call?

The big news in the Big 12 this week was Texas Tech Mike Leach being fined a record $10,000 for criticizing the officiating in last week's loss at Texas. One of Leach's comments criticized instant replay.

With the Red Raiders leading 34-20, they got the benefit on a replay call when Oklahoma came close to scoring a touchdown on a fourth-down pass into the end zone. The replay was inconclusive but the review was handled in record time.

Maybe Leach got his money's worth.

_ Wendell Barnhouse

Near-perfect half for Texas Tech

In what was their best half of the season, the Texas Tech Red Raiders scored on five straight possessions to take a 27-10 lead over Oklahoma at the midway point of Saturday's game.

Tech quarterback Graham Harrell passed for two touchdowns and ran for another, and Alex Trlica kicked field goals of 51 and 38 yards to lead the Red Raider attack. On Tech's three other first-half possessions, they only punted once.

But their other two possessions led to OU's only two scores of the first half.

OU cornerback Lendy Holmes ran a Graham Harrell interception back 63 yards for a TD and a 7-0 Oklahoma lead with the game just 1:35 old. Then, while Tech was at the OU 36 and trying to pad its 27-7 lead, Red Raider running back Aaron Crawford caught a pass from Harrell and fumbled the ball when it was jarred loose by one of his own teammates. Cory Bennett recovered for OU at the 40, and the Sooners marched 58 yards.

However, OU failed to get a TD after it had second-and-goal from the 1. They ultimately had to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley.

OU quarterback Sam Bradford went out early in the game with a mild concussion and did not return.

-- Dwain Price

Heisman hype, Part 2

Regarding the Heisman Trophy, if it truly went to the nation's best player, Florida's Tim Tebow would be getting some serious competition from Texas Tech redshirt freshman wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Nothing against Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, but how about an offense with Tebow at QB throwing to Crabtree?

_ Wendell Barnhouse

Graham Harrell: Welcome to the club

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell became the sixth player in NCAA history to pass for over 5,000 in a season when he passed for 150 yards in the first period of Saturday's game against Oklahoma.

Harrell now has 5,028 yards passing with three  quarters left against OU. He joins the other 5,000-yard passing club, which includes Texas Tech's B.J. Symons (5,833 in 2003), Hawaii's Colt Brennan (5,549 in 2006), BYU's Ty Detmer (5,188 in 1990), Houston's David Klinger (5,140 in 1990) and Texas Tech's Kliff Kingsbury (5,017 in 2002).

_ Dwain Price

Leach did it again

What's gotten into Texas Tech coach Mike Leach? After bypassing a fourth-and-10 and having Alex Trlica kick a 51-yard field goal early in the first period Saturday against Oklahoma, Leach bypassed a fourth-and-6 from the Oklahoma 21 and sent Trlica in to kick a 38-yard field goal.

The kick was successful, drawing Tech to within 7-6 with 6:42 remaining in the first quarter.

_ Dwain Price

What a difference a field goal makes

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach did what no one thought he wouold do. With his team down 7-0 and facing fourth-and-10 from the OU 34, Leach ordered Alex Trlica to go out and attempt a 51-yard field goal. For most of this season, Leach would have gone for it on fourth down.

But Leach decided to change his tune, and it worked. Trlica was successful on the field goal, drawing the Red Raiders to within 7-3 with 12:07 left in the first period.

On the next defensive series, the Red Raiders had some confidence and stopped OU, forcing a punt.

_ Dwain Price

Texas Tech must stop the run ... or else

If Texas Tech can't stop Oklahoma from running the ball, what you saw happen to the Red Raiders during last week's 59-43 loss to Texas will happen again tonight against the Sooners.

There was no rush for UT to pass the ball last week when there were repeated gaping holes for the Longhorns to run through, as they wound up with 283 yards rushing. If those rushing numbers are repeated tonight, it will be a long night for the Red Raiders.

-- Dwain Price