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Texas Tech’s 2014 Season in Review: Quarterbacks

By Robert Jones

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Welcome to our Texas Tech Season in Review series where we’ll break down the good and the bad of Red Raider football in 2014, as well as look at what the 2015 season may hold.

Texas Tech Quarterbacks

2014 Contributors

Davis Webb (sophomore, eight starts), Patrick Mahomes (freshman, four starts), Vincent Testaverde Jr. (freshman, no starts).

Notable Stats

59.4 percent − combined completion percentage for Red Raider quarterbacks this year, the lowest total of the air-raid era.

18 interceptions − same number as last year, the most since 2004.

40 touchdowns − second most since 2008 (48) behind Seth Doege and Michael Brewer’s 44 in 2012.

4 − true freshmen quarterbacks who have played meaningful snaps for Kliff Kingsbury (three have multiple starts, two were walk-ons).

3 − freshman quarterbacks who’ve been named Big 12 Player of the Week under Kliff Kingsbury, including Patrick Mahomes.

14-2 − Mahomes’ touchdown-to-interception ratio as a starter.

598 yards − Big 12 freshman record set by Mahomes against Baylor in the season finale.

6 touchdowns − Big 12 freshman record set by Mahomes against Baylor in the season finale.

2015 Outlook

Next year should be a different story entirely for Texas Tech’s quarterback depth chart. Not only will Kingsbury be a little older and a little wiser, but five-star recruit Jarrett Stidham will arrive in the spring looking to push two guys with Big 12 starting experience out of the way. Assuming no one transfers, which is always a possibility, the Red Raiders may end up with the best group of passers in the Big 12.

Final Verdict

2014 is a year to forget for Red Raider football fans, mostly because Davis Webb did not live up to his offseason hype. His turnover rate climbed as his completion percentage fell and nothing ever seemed to work for the sophomore playing in his first season as the full-time starter.

More from Texas Tech Football

After going down with an ankle injury against TCU, freshman Patrick Mahomes took over and progressed at a lightening-quick pace that we haven’t seen since, well, Davis Webb last year. Understandably, as Mahomes got better, the offense got better, finally turning in their best game of the year against Baylor.

707 yards and 46 points weren’t enough for the win, but it was a look at what the offense could be with competent quarterback play. With Webb and Mahomes slated for surgery, who knows how the offseason quarterback battle will shape up, but one thing is for certain: someone needs to emerge or the Red Raiders don’t stand a chance against anyone.

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