Will Alan Bowman look sharp and who is his backup?
Unlike last year, we know without a doubt who is the best QB on the roster. And how great will it be to see Alan Bowman back on the field after he missed the last three games of his freshman season?
Bowman doesn’t really need to prove anything in terms of ability but we all want to see how he operates Yost’s offense. Watch to see how comfortable he looks in making his reads, how often he audibles and how successful the plays he audibles into are. Keep in mind as well that Yost will be calling the game from the press box, which will be a new experience for the sophomore.
We know Bowman can make all the throws, but let’s see whether he makes the correct reads, is on the same page as his receivers and looks like he has a firm grasp of what his OC wants him to do.
But the real intrigue at the QB spot will come when (or if) Bowman exits the game. Assuming that Tech builds a large lead, we will be closely watching the backup QBs.
Junior Jett Duffey and grad transfer Jackson Tyner are locked in a battle for the No. 2 spot and it will be telling to see which works with the second team this week. Thus far, Wells has been noncommittal as to which player is in the lead for that job.
Duffey has plenty of talent, especially with his legs, but he threw six interceptions last year in just seven games. If he is the man, of course, we will hope to see him take care of the ball and make the correct decisions, which has been what has plagued him thus far in his career.
Tyner meanwhile, attempted just 184 passes in his three years at Rice. He’s completed a woeful 47.3% of those but Wells has said that he’s been impressive at times in fall camp.
Had freshman Maverick McIvor not broken his foot in the second intrasquad scrimmage, he likely would have had some run in this game, which would have been fascinating. Still, if the game becomes a blowout, pay attention to how well the backup QBs play because as we learned last year, they can become critically important in the blind of an eye.