Texas Tech football: Why another QB change would make perfect sense

With only three games remaining in the season. the Texas Tech football program needs to make a QB change to get answers about the future of the position.

After a 2-5 start to this abbreviated 10-game season, there’s nothing much left for the Texas Tech football program to play for. Out of contention for any type of Big 12 title glory since mid-September and only in contention for a lower-tier bowl, if the postseason is in-store at all, the rest of this year’s schedule should be all about building for the future. That’s why a QB change should be made.

The unfortunate truth is that current starter Henry Colombi simply isn’t a legitimate Big 12 starting QB. After all, the numbers he’s put up in his three starts are far below what this program needs from the position.

Averaging just 210 yards per game passing in his starts, he’s completed just 62.7% of his passes. What’s more, he’s had just a 5: 3 TD: INT ratio.

While Colombi’s legs have given him an opportunity to be moderately effective and move the offense from time to time, he’s not producing the type of results that are required to compete at this level. Tech has averaged just 23.3 points per game on offense in his three starts. While not all of the scoring woes fall at his feet (the offensive line certainly deserves a huge share of the blame), the reality is that he can’t do everything that a Power 5 QB must.

Lacking elite arm strength, he can’t make deep throws to every window on the field and that makes it far easier for opposing defenses to defend him. For instance, over the last two weeks, Oklahoma and TCU made it a point to clog the intermediate middle of the field where Colombi makes his living and the results have been abysmal for the Red Raider offense as Colombi has completed just 54.8% of his passes.

So why not make a change at the position to give either Alan Bowman or Maverick McIvor a shot at showing what they can do. After all, those two QB have the pedigree and talent to at least suggest that they could be potential answers for the future.

Though there was no choice but to bench Bowman three games ago after his painfully poor showing against Iowa State, it might be wise to put him back on the field for one last shot at proving capable of being this program’s starter before he is cast aside for good. That seems a long shot given his injury history and the gun-shy manner in which he played this year but often a stint on the sidelines can be what a player needs in order to realize what must be done to deserve the privilege of meaningful playing time.

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What if Bowan’s banishment to the bench was enough to teach him that he must stay in the pocket, absorb some hits, and deliver the ball with confidence after going through his proper read possessions? After all, he did that effectively when he was a true freshman (before his injuries began to occur) so we know that somewhere in the recesses of his brain, that type of QB exists.

It’s fair to wonder if Bowman’s future could be in the transfer portal after his benching this year, especially if he is not given another shot to play. But before that happens, Tech might want to make completely certain that the player that Wells was certain just two years ago was the future of his program has every opportunity to prove otherwise. It would be rather frustrating to see Bowman get a shot at another program and succeed so Tech should make absolutely certain that he isn’t going to figure it out in Lubbock before moving on.

Meanwhile, a huge component of the fan base is clambering to see redshirt freshman Maverick McIvor get some action. The San Angelo native has not appeared in a football game for over two calendar years being as he tore a knee ligament in the second game of his senior year of high school and he missed all of last season with a broken foot.

Thus, by all accounts, he’s behind when it comes to his development and he may be farther away from ready than fans realize. But still, would there ever be a better time than the present to give him a look in actual games?

Again, Tech has nothing to play for at this point. What’s more, the two worst teams Tech will face in Big 12 play, Baylor and Kansas, are two of the remaining three opponents meaning that McIvor would never have a more gentle introduction to life in this conference.

At some point, we also have to find out if McIvor has a future with this program, even if it’s just as a backup QB, and getting him some live reps in actual game situations is the only way to accomplish that. Perhaps he doesn’t warrant a start but putting him in should a blowout occur or even giving him a series or two per half might be a prudent course of action.

In the end, Matt Wells is going to stick with Colombi because he believes the junior transfer from Utah State gives his team the best shot at winning. And after going just 6-13 to begin his tenure in Lubbock, Wells is already on thin ice and coaching for his job in just his second year.

But the dye has already been cast for the 2020 Red Raiders. Anything that happens over the final three games should be about preparing for the future of the program and that includes who plays QB. We know that Henry Colombi isn’t the answer. Now, Tech should start giving the other QBs on the roster a chance to prove the same.