New Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire had a lot on his plate when he took over back last November. But we all knew this was the big first on-field decision from the start. Spring practice came and went. The Spring game itself had its fair share of highs and lows. And even heading into the summer, the three-man competition remained unresolved. Credit to McGuire for keeping all three quarterbacks on his roster, but it was finally time to make a decision. On Sunday, it was announced Tyler Shough was going to be the Texas Tech starting quarterback to open the 2022 season against Murray State.
McGuire Announced Timeline In July
At a public appearance on July 17th, McGuire responded to a question about when he wanted to name a quarterback. McGuire later confirmed those comments in an interview with the Lubbock-Avalanche Journal. He stated that he wanted to name who the Texas Tech starting quarterback would be the week prior to the week one game. This would allow the staff and players to have two full weeks to know what the game plan should be. With the announcement on Sunday, he was able to keep with his stated timeline.
Role Of Two Other Quarterbacks
The entire coaching staff has been very positive about all three quarterbacks from the beginning. All of them had to learn the offensive system from square one. McGuire was also on the record stating that the Texas Tech starting quarterback would not be on a short leash. He was going to be given the opportunity to play and work through some adversary. McGuire also stated that because of the quarterbacks’ depth and skill set, they would have special packages designed.
Specifically for last year’s quarterback who started the most games, Donovan Smith. It is no secret that a 6’5” 230lbs quarterback that runs as well and as fast as anyone on the field needs to touch the ball. McGuire specifically has said that there would be special zone-read/goalline packages for Smith, much like he was utilized early in the 2021 season. What role Behren Morton will play remains to be seen. Morton was a top 150 nationally ranked player in the 2021 class for Texas Tech. He flashed his athleticism in the spring game this year. Morton has demonstrated he isn’t afraid of competition. But will a quarterback as talented as he continues to wait on the sidelines for his opportunity to play?
What Does Tyler Shough Bring As The Texas Tech Starting Quarterback?
The Shough experience is well-documented at this point. Just in his brief time as the Texas Tech starter last year, Shough had moments where he shined in all four games. In those games, he was 64-92 for 872 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. The cause for concern is that it was simply four games. Shough has yet to demonstrate he can put it all together for a full season.
Just look to his time as a starter at Oregon. During his first five starts, Shough was 91-143 passing for 1389 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also ran 52 times for 256 yards and two touchdowns. However, in the last two games (both of which he would get benched in), he only went 15-24 for 170 yards and two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Texas Tech fans only hope that Zach Kittley can work his magic again for Shough. After all, Kittley took Bailey Zappe to the top of the NCAA rankings in just about every passing category in 2021. But for now, the Texas Tech starting quarterback position has been solidified to begin the 2022 season.
