The 2008 season is not going unnoticed for the Texas Tech football team.
Numerous Red Raiders earned All-Big 12 Conference honors Tuesday after an 11-1 season accompanied by a share of the Big 12 South championship.
Tech coach Mike Leach earned co-Big 12 Coach of the Year, which is decided by other Big 12 coaches. This is the first honor for Leach in his nine years at Tech. He shares the award with Oklahoma's Bob Stoops - Leach's former boss - whose team will compete in the Big 12 Championship against Missouri Dec. 6 in Kansas City, Mo.
Leach led the program to the school's highest ranking ever at No. 2. as well as the team's first Big 12 South championship. Its 11 regular-season victories and seven conference wins are the best in school history as well.
Three players were named to the All-Big 12 First Team, four to the All-Big 12 Second Team, and 10 players to All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
The first team is headlined by receiver Michael Crabtree, who is fourth in the conference for receiving 94.6 yards per game and second in receptions per game with 7.75. This is the sophomore's second-straight season on the conference's first team. Crabtree, who won the Fred Biletnikoff Award - given to the nation's top receiver - last season , is the only offensive player for Tech to earn first-team honors. Defensive end Brandon Williams and free safety Darcel McBath also earned first-team honors. Williams led the Big 12 with 11 sacks this season, while McBath led the conference with six interceptions.
The All-Big 12 Second Team consists of running back Shannon Woods, strong safety Daniel Charbonnet and offensive linemen Louis Vasquez and Rylan Reed. Woods finished 2008 with 14 total touchdowns. Vasquez and Reed were a part of an offensive line that allowed 11 sacks this year. Charbonnet was second on the team with five interceptions.
With Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and Texas' Colt McCoy named to the first and second teams, respectively, Graham Harrell made the honorable mention team. He is joined by running back Baron Batch, defensive end McKinner Dixon, cornerback Jamar Wall, defensive lineman Colby Whitlock, offensive linemen Brandon Carter, Stephen Hamby and Marlon Winn, and linebackers Marlon Williams and Brian Duncan.
Dixon also was named Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year after being sixth in the league with eight sacks.
Tech had more players on the honorable mention team than any other Big 12 school.
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