In the 1990s and the 2000s, Zach Thomas and Wes Welker sprang from unheralded recruit status to college all-Americans and long pro careers.
Texas Tech’s reputation for finding and cultivating overachievers started years before, though.
Tom Wilson went from far down the Texas Tech depth chart to all-Southwest Conference recognition and quarterback of two bowl teams. Then he became head coach of an SWC rival and later coached his hometown’s high school team to the state semifinals and state finals in separate seasons.
As quarterback of the Donny Anderson-era Red Raiders, Wilson did his part to help Tech gain legitimacy during its early years in the SWC, and he would’ve become the Red Raiders’ head coach at age 33 but for lack of support from the university president.