Making the case for Bobby Cavazos as next Texas Tech football Ring of Honor member | Williams

In February 1954, a few weeks after Bobby Cavazos wrapped up one of the greatest seasons and careers by a Texas Tech football player, the announcement of his forthcoming marriage appeared in the A-J.

“Cavazos was freshman vice president, sophomore favorite, distinguished military student, Mr. Texas Tech, a member of Who’s Who on Campus, All Border conference three years, voted the Most Outstanding Player at the Gator Bowl game, ‘Texas Athlete of the Year’ and All American (second team) in 1953.”

Since Texas Tech recently announced three additions to its football Ring of Honor, I’ve seen and heard plenty of discussion about who should be next.

Here’s who should be next: Bobby Cavazos.

He was the brightest of several stars on the 1953 team that went 11-1, ranked 12th and, distinguishing itself from the Red Raiders’ formidable 1976 and 2008 teams, ended the year with an impressive bowl victory. In helping vanquish Auburn 35-13 in the Gator Bowl, Cavazos ran for 141 yards and three touchdowns.

With the Red Raiders operating out of the Split-T, Jack Kirkpatrick and Jerry Johnson platooning at quarterback, they averaged a nation-leading 38.6 points per game that season. Cavazos’ 80 points made him the second-leading scorer in the country.

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The Associated Press named Cavazos a second-team All-American. In 1960, A-J columnist Joe Kelly made a case that Tech greats Cavazos, Walt Schlinkman and Jerrell Price were first-team worthy, but AP selectors “bent over too far backwards trying to keep all sections of the nation happy.”

From the time he finished in ’53, Cavazos held the Texas Tech career rushing record for 12 years (until Donny Anderson broke it in ’65), the Tech career…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/making-case-bobby-cavazos-next-080203043.html

Author : Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Publish date : 2024-06-27 08:02:03

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