Texas Tech football: Like Alan Bowman, all the greats had dreadful games

Graham Harrell 2006 vs. TCU

If Patrick Mahomes was the most talented QB in Texas Tech history, Graham Harrell was arguably the best.  But not even Harrell was immune from the clunker.

In 2006, Harrell made his third career start in Ft. Worth against TCU.  The Horned Frog defense dominated the Red Raiders all night as Harrell threw for just 204 yards as Tech failed to score a touchdown for the first time since 2000.

The 12-3 loss came two years after Tech humiliated TCU 70-35 in Lubbock and that memory provided extra motivation for Gary Patterson’s team. Harrell was able to guide Texas Tech to only 242 yards of total offense and he lost two fumbles after being sacked.

HIs 48.9% completion percentage (23 of 47 passing) was the second lowest of his career and one of only two times he failed to complete at least 50% of his pass attempts in a game.  It was also the only time in his career that he would fail to throw a touchdown pass as he would end his career as the NCAA all-time leader in passing touchdowns.

In many ways, the circumstances surrounding this game were similar to the circumstances surrounding this year’s Iowa State game.  Harrell was in his first season as a starter, just like Alan Bowman, and both ran into trouble in a road environment that was considered one of the toughest in the nation. (At the time, TCU was not in the Big 12.)

And just like Bowman, Harrell was let down by his offensive line which found it nearly impossible to protect the quarterback agains an exotic defense that brought tons of pressure via the blitz.  Of course, Harrell’s worst performance was an anomaly in what would eventually be the greatest career of any QB in Texas Tech history.  Here’s hoping we will eventually be able to say the same of Bowman’s performance against Iowas State.