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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Graham Harrell of Texas Tech University completed |
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his final year of college football with the 2008-2009 season, |
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bringing an end to a stellar career that distinguished him as one of |
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the top quarterbacks in the college ranks; and |
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WHEREAS, A native Texan born in Brownwood, Mr. Harrell hails |
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from a family with a strong gridiron tradition, and he drew on the |
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knowledge passed down by his father and grandfather, both of whom |
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have been high school coaches; he received his first widespread |
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attention while playing for his dad's Ennis High School team, and by |
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the time he graduated, he had set the state records for |
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single-season and career passing yardage and garnered numerous |
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awards; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Harrell chose to don the Red Raiders uniform for |
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his college career and first took the field in 2005; by the |
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following season, he was emerging as a top-flight quarterback, |
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throwing for more than 4,500 yards and 38 touchdowns; his skills |
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proved to be a perfect match for Tech's high-caliber spread |
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offense, and during his junior year in 2007, the numbers went even |
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higher; he tallied 5,705 passing yards, the most in the nation, and |
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led the Red Raiders to a 9-4 season and a victory in the Gator Bowl; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Continuing his masterful work in his senior year, |
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Mr. Harrell helped engineer Tech's bid for the national title and |
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its dramatic victory over the number one-ranked University of Texas |
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team; at season's end, the statistics gave a fuller picture of Mr. |
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Harrell's achievements at Texas Tech: he had become the first |
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quarterback to have two 5,000-yard passing seasons, he had set the |
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NCAA record for the most career touchdown passes at 134, and his |
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15,429 total passing yards made him the second most productive |
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quarterback in college history; and |
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WHEREAS, Graham Harrell garnered several top honors in 2008, |
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including the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award that is presented to |
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the nation's best senior quarterback and the AT&T All-America |
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Player of the Year designation; these accolades are representative |
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of the great respect that he has earned during his college career, |
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and his inspired play will be remembered by sports fans in the Lone |
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Star State for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Graham Harrell on his exceptional |
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performance with the Texas Tech football team and extend to him |
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sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Harrell as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |