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Why The Return Of QB Jett Duffey Is Crucial To Texas Tech

By Matthew Conner

STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 25: The Texas Tech Red Raiders flag flies outside the stadium before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys September 25, 2014 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Red Raiders 45-35. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
STILLWATER, OK - SEPTEMBER 25: The Texas Tech Red Raiders flag flies outside the stadium before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys September 25, 2014 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys defeated the Red Raiders 45-35. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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Texas Tech 2016 quarterback signee Jett Duffey is set to return to the team following a two-semester suspension from the university.  Here’s why the Red Raiders desperately need him to make up for lost time.

One of the storylines to follow as Texas Tech football begins fall camp is the return of previously suspended players.  Linebacker Dakota Allen is returning after a year at  East Mississippi Junior College and many expect him to be a key contributor to the 2017 defense.  However, the return of quarterback Jett Duffey could have an even larger impact on the future of the program.

The former three-star recruit from Mansfield, Texas was one of the most highly decorated prospects in the state as a senior in 2015.  In fact, he arrived at Texas Tech fresh off winning the Tom Landry Award for being the best player in the north Texas area.

Unfortunately, an ugly and unusual on-campus incident involving allegations of sexual misconduct led to Duffey being suspended from the school for two semesters.  The details of the case were laid out in this article from the “Lubbock Avalanche-Journal”.

To his credit, Duffey overcame the adversity he faced and is set to return to the team on August 12th.  This is excellent news for the Red Raiders considering the uncertainty at the quarterback position behind starter Nick Shimonek.

Shimonek will exhaust his eligibility after the upcoming season leaving Kliff Kingsbury with a group of unproven and largely unheralded candidates to take over the offense in 2018.  None of the three players behind Shimonek on the current roster, Payne Sullins, McLane Carter nor Colt Garrett signed with an FBS school out of high school and both Sullins and Garrett had to walk-on to the team.

Furthering the depletion of the Red Raider’s quarterback depth was this summer’s move of 2017 quarterback signee Xavier Martin to inside receiver.  Thus, the 2018 quarterback competition looks to be more uncertain than any in the “Air Raid” era.  That’s why it is important to have Jett Duffey as an option.

He was the most highly sought-after quarterback recruit to sign with Texas Tech during Kingsbury’s tenure.  As a senior in high school, he passed for 2,680 yards and 29 touchdowns while rushing for another 1,667 yards and 20 touchdowns en route to leading his team to the state championship game.  He was ranked the No. 26 quarterback in the nation in 2016 and participated in the prestigious Nike “Elite 11” summer camp in 2015 to which only twenty players are invited each year.

Meanwhile, the Red Raider backup quarterbacks have not established themselves at the collegiate level. Neither Sullins, Carter nor Garrett have completed a pass in their collegiate careers and only Sullins has appeared in an actual game, attempting one pass in the 2016 season opener against Stephen F. Austin.

But despite the lack of a proven backup quarterback, Kingsbury is downplaying the expectations for Jett Duffey this year.

"“He’s been working out on his own,” Kingsbury said in the “Avalanche-Journal”, “but it’ll take some time.He’s very talented. If he were to have to play, obviously we’d simplify it, give him things he’s really good at. We’d have to lean on some other people to make plays, but he’s a guy who played in a similar offense in high school. He picked up our offense quickly.So would he be rusty? Yes. Could he get it done? We’d find out if we had to.”"

It would be unfair to expect Jett Duffey to be the savior of the team should Shimonek be lost to injury this season.  If that worst-case scenario were to come to fruition, the 2017 season would likely be lost.

Next: Has Kingsbury Fixed His Program's Biggest Issue?

However, Duffey should have every opportunity to compete for the starting job next year.  For that reason, his impending return to the program is one of the most significant additions to the 2017 roster.

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