PREVIOUS COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF ENTRIES: 50 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 42
41 | 40 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31
Texas Tech's 2016 football season will begin in exactly 30 days with a Sept. 3 kickoff against Stephen F. Austin.
Today, we continue our Countdown to Kickoff series with a notable way the number 30 relates to Red Raider football.
30: Texas Tech has produced 30 first-team All-Americans in its history.
Herschel Ramsey holds two major distinctions in Texas Tech football history. The Chillicothe, Texas product was not only the first Red Raider to earn All-America honors, but he was also the first Texas Tech football player to be selected in the NFL Draft.
Since Ramsey broke through, 29 other Red Raiders have been named a first-team All-American. Offensive tackles Leonard Latch and A.B. Murphy had their names honored in 1938, and fullback Walt Schlinkman followed suit in 1945. Fifteen years later, E.J. Holub became not only Texas Tech's first two-time All-American, but also the program's first consensus first-team All-American.
Five Red Raiders stand above the rest, having earned unanimous All-American honors: punter Mark Bounds (1991), linebacker Zach Thomas (1995), running back Byron Hanspard (1996), wide receiver Michael Crabtree (2007-08) and tight end Jace Amaro (2013).
Tomorrow: 29 - We look at the biggest upset in Texas Tech football history.
