Countdown to Kickoff: 34 Days
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41 | 40 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 35
Texas Tech's 2016 football season will begin in exactly 34 days with a Sept. 3 kickoff against Stephen F. Austin.
Today, we continue our Countdown to Kickoff series with a notable way the number 34 relates to Red Raider football.
34: Texas Tech signed 34 prospects in its 2006 recruiting class.
Texas Tech's 2006 recruiting class was the highest-ranked haul signed by Mike Leach during his 10-year run on the South Plains. The Red Raiders inked several high profile targets in that cycle - four four-star prospects, including Michael Crabtree - but what really stands out about that group is the number of signees: 34.
Thirty-four.
Crabtree is the obvious headliner, but Texas Tech's 2006 class featured a significant number of multi-year contributors such as Baron Batch, Brian Duncan, Richard Jones, Taylor Potts, Jamar Wall, Brandon Williams and Marlon Williams. Many of these players would play integral roles in the Red Raiders' three-year run from 2007-09 where the program racked up 28 wins.
Not all of the 34 signees found success in Lubbock. Four-star defensive back Leonard Hewitt and Daniel Johnson never showed up, heralded JUCO transfer Ofa Mohetau left the program after one season and four of the seven defensive linemen signees either failed to qualify or quickly flamed out.
Tomorrow: 33 - We look at one of Texas Tech's most active non-conference series.