Crabtree named Biletnikoff finalist

Texas Tech Media Relations Dept.

Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree (Dallas, Texas/Carter) became the first freshman finalist in the 14-year history of the Biletnikoff Award, when the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation named the Red Raider sensation one of its three finalists for the 2007 award Monday.

Crabtree will join Kansas State's Jordy Nelson and Michigan's Mario Manningham in Orlando, Fla., Dec. 6, for the 2007 Home Depot College Football Awards Show, which will be aired on ESPN. Crabtree is the first Red Raider ever selected a finalist for the prestigious Biletnikoff Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top receiver.

The rookie phenom has led the nation from the beginning of the season to present, amassing 1,861 yards and 21 touchdown catches on 125 receptions. All three totals top the national lists, while each is also NCAA freshman records. He has ten 100-yard games to his credit this season and, with the bowl game remaining, is one shy of the NCAA record currently held by former Pacific receiver Aaron Turner (1991).

Crabtree has seven multi-touchdown games, including five with three touchdowns and a pair of games with two. He needs 139 yards to become only the second player in NCAA history to accumulate 2,000 yards in a season and 200 yards to break the NCAA single-season yardage mark of 2,060, set by Nevada's Trevor Insley in 1999.

Crabtree will get an opportunity to improve on those numbers when the Red Raiders participate in the upcoming bowl season. Tech will learn its destination and opponent when bowl invitations are extended Dec. 2.