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Texas Tech football: Offense is not coming through in big moments

By Matthew Conner

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 05: Wide receiver Erik Ezukanma #84 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders catches a pass during the second half of the college football game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on October 05, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - OCTOBER 05: Wide receiver Erik Ezukanma #84 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders catches a pass during the second half of the college football game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on October 05, 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 can’t score after Iowa State turnover

Trailing Iowa State 27-17 with 13:00 to go in the game, corner Damarcus Fields picked off a Brock Purdy pass and returned it to the ISU 37.  At this point, Tech had battled back from a 20-0 deficit to make this game interesting and Fields’ play had given Tech all the momentum.

Any points on this drive would have made it a one-score game and the pressure would have been squarely on the shoulders of the Cyclones.  Any…points…at…all.

Nope.

The ensuing possession was one of the worst of the year for the offense and it ended with a missed Trey Wolff field goal from 42 yards out.  But it’s hard to blame Wolff.  A 42-yard kick is no gimme.

The problem is that Tech managed to pick up a mere 13 yards on the drive thus forcing Wolff to have to pick up the slack.  And there were yards available on that possession.

After picking up a first down on just two plays, it looked like the offense was ready to make some noise.  But then, a key but overlooked injury happened.  Senior guard Madison Akamnonu left the game with a lower-body injury and when he did, ISU attacked his backup, Will Farrar.

After no gain on first down, Duffey and T.J. Vasher were not on the same page on the second-down play that should have picked up the first down or maybe even six points.  Vasher broke in against man coverage and was open close to the line to gain.

But for some reason, Duffey pumped the ball like he wanted Vasher to break towards the endzone.  That’s what Vasher did, which was fine until Duffey decided to throw the ball right to where Vasher had been standing when Duffey gave the pump fake.

The pass was incomplete and left Tech with a 3rd-and-10 to keep the drive going.  On that play, ISU brought pressure up the middle where the Tech line was working Farrar into action and Duffey had to get rid of the ball before he wanted to on an incompletion to Armand Shyne in the flats.

This was the golden opportunity for Tech to get back in this game but the offense spit the bit again.  Instead of turning a huge takeaway into points, the offense failed to capitalize on a gift from the defense, and that’s something that has been a problem for this team all year.

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