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Texas Tech football: Turning points in Red Raiders’ loss to Iowa State

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Running back SaRodorick Thompson #28 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders runs with the ball during the first half of the college football game against the Iowa State Cyclones on October 19, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Running back SaRodorick Thompson #28 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders runs with the ball during the first half of the college football game against the Iowa State Cyclones on October 19, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
(Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Tech fails to score after Damarcus Fields’ 4th-quarter INT

With 13 minutes to play in the game, Tech’s hopes were starting to flatline down 27-17.  But corner Damarcus Fields played the role of human defibrillator by picking off ISU’s Brock Purdy and returning the ball to the Cyclone 37.

This was the spot were Tech could have made the 4th quarter very tense for the visitors.  Find the end zone and it becomes a 3-point game.  Mange even a field goal and the game is a one-score contest that would have brought the home fans back into the equation.

Tech did neither.  Seeing his team fail to get any further than the ISU 24, Wells settled for a 42-yard Trey Wolff FG attempt that danced just outside the right upright.  It was only Wolff’s second miss of the season.

This is where the shortcomings of the Tech offense were all exposed in one three-play sequence.  On first down from the 24, Tech ran one of the 16 wide receiver screens we saw on the day because the coaches did not trust Duffey to work any other part of the field.  The pass to R.J. Turner was stopped for no gain, partially because it was thrown to the short side of the field where there was less ground for the Cyclones to cover.

On second down, Duffey tried to connect with T.J. Vasher but threw the ball before Vasher ever turned around.  Because of a miscommunication between the two, the play never had a chance.

Speaking of plays that never had a chance, on third down and ISU blitzer went untouched between first-year center Dawson Deaton and backup right guard Will Farrar, who was in the game for an injured Akamnonu.  It was genius for ISU to send the blitz through a gap protected by two players that have not played together much at all and the result was that Duffey had to get rid of the ball in the direction of SaRodorick Thompson on a play that was doomed from the start.

Next. Why is everyone mad at Yost but not Patterson?. dark

Too often this year, Tech has failed to score following turnovers and in this instance, it cost them any shot at a comeback.  When the game was somewhat up for grabs, ISU exploited the Red Raiders’ weaknesses and was able to hold off any late-game charge by the home team.  It was a reminder of just how much further down Relevance Rd. Matt Campbell’s team is than Matt Wells’.

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