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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Mike Leach (7th season, 48-28) 2005 record: 9-3 (Lost to Alabama in Cotton Bowl) Big 12 finish: 6-2 (t-2nd South) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 104th (107.0 ypg) Passing: 1st (388.8 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 67th (155.4 ypg) Passing: 15th (180.4 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 SMU Sept. 9 at UTEP Sept. 16 at TCU Sept. 23 SE Louisiana Sept. 30 at Texas A&M Oct. 7 Missouri Oct. 14 at Colorado Oct. 21 at Iowa State Oct. 28 Texas Nov. 4 Baylor Nov. 11 at Oklahoma Nov. 18 Oklahoma State Depth Chart: Offense 8 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 88 Jarrett Hicks Sr. 4 Todd Walker So. WR 8 Joel Filani Sr. 27 Edward Britton Fr. WR 20 Danny Amendola Jr. 86 L.A. Reed So. WR 9 Robert Johnson Sr. 16 Grant Walker Jr. LT 69 Glenn January Sr. 67 Marlon Winn Fr. LG 65 Louis Vasquez Fr. - Ofa Mohetau Jr. C 73 Brandon Jones Sr. 72 Josh Aleman So. RG 63 Manuel Ramirez Sr. 60 Brandon Carter Fr. RT 78 Gabe Hall Sr. 61 Andrew Johnson Fr. QB 6 Graham Harrell So. 13 Chris Todd Fr. RB 21 Shannon Woods So. 18 Taurance Rawls Jr. Depth Chart: Defense 5 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 91 McKinner Dixon So. 77 Jared Williams So. NT 93 Chris Hudler Sr. 90 Brian Jones So. DT 99 Ken Scott Sr. 51 Dek Bake Sr. DE 92 Seth Nitschmann Sr. 89 Tyler Yenzer Jr. SLB 96 Keyunta Dawson Sr. 56 Kellen Tillman Sr. MLB 45 Brock Stratton Jr. 48 Paul Williams Jr. WLB 42 Fletcher Session Sr. 39 Brent Slaughter Sr. CB 36 Antonio Huffman Sr. 28 Marcus Bunton So. CB 17 Chris Parker Jr. 33 Brent Nickerson Fr. SS 49 Joe Garcia Jr. 23 Anthony Hines So. FS 7 Darcel McBath So. 24 Lance Fuller So. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 30 Alex Trlica Jr. P 22 Alex Reyes Sr. KR 8 Joel Filani Sr. PR 8 Joel Filani Sr.

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On one hand, Texas Tech linebacker Fletcher Session confidently says the Red Raiders' nine-win season last year represented a significant statement to the rest of the Big 12 conference.

"We pretty much showed everybody last year that they better take us seriously," says Fletcher, who is the Red Raiders' leading returning tackler.

Indeed, Tech's perfect home record, its appearance in a January bowl game and its victories over traditional Big 12 heavyweights Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Kansas State delivered a definitive signal that Tech is clearly a team on the rise in the league's pecking order.

On the other hand, Session and his teammates have not spent much time patting themselves on the back during the offseason. In fact, it sounds as if Session has spent far more time seething about 2005 than celebrating.

"We aren't even close to being satisfied with nine wins," Fletcher says. "We feel like we should have beaten Alabama (in the Cotton Bowl), and that loss to Oklahoma State was just pitiful. That loss probably cost us a shot at a BCS bowl. That loss still eats at us. We won't let something like that happen again. We're not just hoping to get back to a bowl this year; we're working every day toward a BCS berth."

That's about the only thing that has eluded the Raiders during Mike Leach's first six seasons in Lubbock. Tech has led the nation in passing the past four years and, more significant, has won at least eight games in each of those four seasons. Leach has also guided Tech to six consecutive bowl games.

Despite all that Tech has accomplished, however, the Red Raiders have primarily been perceived -- at least from a national standpoint -- as second-class citizens in the Big 12 South. Good, yes. Dangerous, absolutely. But elite? BCS worthy?

Not really.

But the '06 Raiders are out to change all that. Tech returns eight starters from one of the most prolific offenses in the country, and, although there are some holes to fill on defense, the Raiders believe they possess the necessary pieces to win the South Division.

OFFENSE

Perhaps no school is more adept at replacing quarterbacks than Texas Tech. In the last four seasons, the Red Raiders have used four starting quarterbacks -- Kliff Kingsbury, B.J. Symons, Sonny Cumbie and Cody Hodges. But each year, coach Mike Leach's team has led the nation in passing.

So, it should come as no surprise the Raiders are quite comfortable with sophomore Graham Harrell taking over the reins, especially since Harrell may be the best equipped and most complete passer that Leach has ever had.

"I remember when he stepped onto campus, and I was amazed by what he could do with the ball," receiver Danny Amendola says of Harrell. "And he's just gotten better and more comfortable over the last two years. He's really a special quarterback who will make this offense fly."

Tech will be hard-pressed to find a replacement for multi-talented running back Taurean Henderson, who scored 22 touchdowns and broke the NCAA record for career receptions by a running back. But practically every Tech wideout who shredded opposing secondaries last season is back for more in '06. Robert Johnson, Joel Filani and Jarrett Hicks combined to catch an astounding 197 passes last fall. And then there's Amendola, who just now seems to be coming into his own as a junior.

Tech also returns an impressive collection of offensive linemen, led by All-Big 12 candidate Manuel Ramirez at guard.

DEFENSE

Defensive linemen Seth Nitschmann and Dek Bake return after enduring season-ending injuries last year, while the biggest off-season move involved switching All-Big 12 pick Keyunta Dawson from rush end to outside linebacker. Dawson is a tremendous playmaker, and if the move works out, Texas Tech's linebacker corps will be a strength.

Session is another outstanding playmaker, accounting for 81 tackles last year, and steady middle linebacker Brock Stratton also returns after missing most of last year with an injury.

Texas Tech finished 15th nationally in pass defense in 2005, but it will be extremely difficult for the Raiders to duplicate that same level of success without safeties Vincent Meeks and Dwayne Slay. Athletic cornerback Antonio Huffman returns to the fold, but the Raiders will need players such as Chris Parker, Joe Garcia, Lance Fuller, Anthony Hines and Darcel McBath to step up in a hurry to keep the defense off the field.

SPECIALISTS

Amendola is one of the most dangerous return specialists in the league, drawing comparisons to former Tech legend Wes Welker. Punter Alex Reyes also returns after averaging 42.8 yards per punt. Kicker Alex Trlica is a steady force, converting 13-of-18 field-goal attempts last year.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Even with a new quarterback, it's practically a given that Texas Tech will lead the nation in passing offense for a fifth-consecutive season and be in the running for a seventh-straight bowl game.

The Red Raiders' Big 12 championship dreams may ultimately be determined by how they perform in key conference games -- at Texas A&M, Colorado, Iowa State and Oklahoma. If the Raiders have the maturity to handle a brutal road schedule and beat Texas at home, they could contend for their first-ever BCS bowl. If not, another second-tier bowl bid is in Tech's future.