Coaches are often forever tied to their decisions at the quarterback position. New Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire had plenty on his plate taking over this Red Raider program. However, entering spring camp, the most important position in all sports was wide open. We have gone through Spring Ball and the Red Raider’s spring game, still, no quarterback has made a definitive move. The Texas Tech quarterback position is undecided. What does this mean heading into the 2022 season?
McGuire Not Worried
In an interview with 247 Sports, McGuire stated “I keep telling our fans this is not a bad thing when I say nobody really took the job. That’s what I wanted, someone to take the job where all three could be honest with themselves and say, ‘He won it.’…I just didn’t feel like we were ready to make that call because they were all good.” The three names were jockeying for the starting Texas Tech quarterback position this spring- Tyler Shough, Donovan Smith, and Behren Morton. If McGuire was in his third or fourth season as the head coach, it should turn some heads. Not being able to have a single quarterback win the job out of three would be a much harder sell. After all, by that time, McGuire would have seen all his options for at least a year of practice.
However, he has only been on the job for eight months. He didn’t actually start running on-the-field practices until this spring. So McGuire has earned the benefit of the doubt (for now). Fans can believe him when he states it is a good thing none of the three quarterbacks rose to the top. McGuire simply hasn’t got to see these quarterbacks up close and on the field much. Not to mention, all three of them are learning offensive coordinator Zach Kittley’s offense in real-time as well. However, in the era of the transfer portal and immediate eligibility, doesn’t that mean he is guaranteed to lose one of his quarterbacks?
No Rotating Door For The Texas Tech Quarterback Position
As of this writing, all three quarterbacks are still on the Texas Tech roster. It must be all those Honey Buns and Hot Cheetos McGuire is keeping around. This is especially noteworthy because it appears whoever wins the job will not be on a short leash. McGuire, in the same 247 Sports interview, made it clear that the starter will be “the guy”. McGuire said, “We’re not going to be a system where we rotate quarterbacks, but don’t be surprised if all of our quarterbacks don’t play or have a package.”
This quote was in reference to Smith. Last season, after Shough was injured and Henry Colombi took over the starting job, Smith was starting to see the field in select packages. He is listed at 6-5, 230 pounds so last year staff had quarterback-designed runs for him. It was only later in the season he began to throw out of these packages before taking over the job full time the last third of the season.
So Who Will Be The Texas Tech Quarterback In Week One?
McGuire has kept this decision very close to the vest. All three quarterbacks had equal reps in the Spring game. Shough did get the start and had the most pass attempts of the three. However, his play did not inspire a high enough level of confidence to cement his role as the starting Texas Tech quarterback. That being said, Shough was playing well before his injury last season. The former four-star recruit and transfer from Oregon bring big-time game experience to the job. It would be a surprise if anyone other than Shough came out for the first snap of the season against Murray State.
