When listing the greatest players to ever play for the Texas Tech football program, one will not get far before the name of Gabe Rivera comes up. In fact, an argument could be made that he is the best to every play for the Red Raiders, regardless of position or era.
From 1979-1982, Rivera terrorized Southwest Conference offenses during a career that would warrant induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Two years later, he joined Dave Parks, Donny Anderson and E.J. Holub as the initial members of the Jones AT&T Ring of Honor.
And though an entire generation of Texas Tech fans have only heard stories and seen highlights of his time in Lubbock, virtually everyone agrees that Rivera was a talent the likes of which we may never see again.