Recalling Previous Texas Tech Quarterback Battles

The 2018 Texas Tech quarterback competition is the focus of this year’s preseason camp but this is far from the first time that Red Raider fans have had to wait to find out who their starting QB will be.

Nothing generates speculation among football fans better than a true quarterback controversy.  While the 2018 Texas Tech QB race is far from reaching the controversial stage (and hopefully it will never get to that point), it is creating more buzz and sparking more debate among fans than any position battle in recent memory.

What makes this year’s QB battle so intriguing is that it features not two but three candidates that all appear to be on equal footing.  What’s more, between those three candidates, there is only one game of experience to evaluate.

At last month’s Big 12 media days, Kliff Kingsbury said that this was the first time that he entered fall camp not knowing who his starter will be.  That statement did little to instill confidence in the fan base as Tech enters a pivotal season for the program and for its head coach.

Another intriguing aspect of this QB race is the contrasting styles of the three candidates. Each has obvious strengths and weaknesses with none being a sure-fire option.

Junior McLane Carter has the experience edge thanks to his start last year against Texas.  He also is the most well-versed in the offense.

But Carter lacks a standout physical trait.  He has above-average mobility but lacks game-breaking speed.  The lefty also lacks the arm strength that a prototypical Big 12 QB is expected to possess but he makes up for that with moxie and intelligence.

Meanwhile, sophomore Jett Duffey is an elite athlete who can be a potential nightmare for defenses because of his elite speed.  But questions about his ability to be an accurate passer and his two suspensions for off-field transgressions have given cause for concern about his ability to be a reliable staring QB.

As for the true freshman Alan Bowman, he has displayed elite arm strength since arriving in January but he must prove that he is ready to lead a Big 12 offense just nine months after leaving high school.

Certainly, Kingsbury has a difficult decision to make over the next few weeks.  Thus, we are not likely to know who has won the job until the week of the Ole Miss game.

So as we wait patiently, let’s look back at the other QB battles of the “Air Raid” era of Texas Tech football.