Texas Tech football: How notable coaches fared in second season

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Head coach Kliff Kingsbury of the Texas Tech Red Raiders (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

Kliff Kingsbury’s tenure went off the rails in his second year

Perhaps no coach in Tech history saw more damage done to his reputation in his second year than Kliff Kingsbury. After being one of the fastest-rising stars in the coaching industry after an 8-5 debut season that earned him a lucrative contract extension, the first-time head coach fell flat on his face with a 4-8 2014 season which seemed to alter his approach to his job and the way the nation viewed him as a coach.

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Most of that season’s struggles were due to the failure of sophomore QB Davis Webb to take a significant step forward after an impressive true freshman season in 2013. That year, his completion percentage and quarterback rating declined while his interception total rose from nine to 13.

What’s more, he missed the final four games of the year allowing true freshman Patrick Mahomes to step in and take over the team. But even with Mahomes leading the way, Tech managed to go just 1-3 in his four starts.

Tech’s only four wins that year came against Central Arkansas, Kansas, and Iowa State. What’s more, those victories came by an average of just 6.7 points. Meanwhile, six of the eight losses were by ten points or more.

That included perhaps the most embarrassing loss in program history. In that season’s 82-27 loss to TCU in Fort Worth, the Red Raiders would have easily given up 100 points had TCU head coach Gary Patterson not called off the dogs in the fourth quarter.

It’s always sad when the best performance a fan base has to celebrate is a loss but that was the case in 2014. In the season finale, Mahomes nearly engineered a huge upset of No. 7 Baylor at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX but he couldn’t convert a late two-point conversion in a 48-46 loss.

Next. What Wells had to say after a shortened spring. dark

In that game, Mahomes set the Big 12 mark for passing yards by a true freshman and Tech fans were quick to point to the moral victory as hope for the future. Moral victories were also a huge component of Wells’ first year as close losses to Baylor, Iowa State, TCU, and Kansas State gave some fans reason for optimism while frustrating others. Hopefully, in year-two of Wells time, those up for grabs contests finally start to go Tech’s way.

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