Texas Tech football: Hidden moments from win over Baylor

Thompson picks up first down on 4th-and-2

This game was relatively free from in-game coaching controversies on the part of Wells.  But one decision he made that could have backfired on him and cost his team three important points came in the second quarter.

With Tech trailing 10-3, Henry Colombi and the offense had moved the ball to the Baylor 20.  However, the drive stalled, and Tech was faced with a 4th-and-2.

So Wells, as he is apt to do, rolled the dice and went for it.  On the play, Tech gave the ball to Thompson who easily picked up the first down and kept the drive alive.

The possession wouldn’t last much longer as four plays later, Tech would kick another FG to cut the Baylor lead to four points.  But going back to the 4th-down play, it’s fair to ask what Wells was thinking by risking points that early in the game.

After all, he had already seen Garibay hit a 48-yard FG with ease.  Thus, a potential 38-yard kick should have been well within Wells’ comfort zone.  Perhaps Wells didn’t trust the direction of the swirling 30-MPH winds or perhaps his beloved analytics told him to go for it.

But, had Thompson failed to pick up that first down, the howling from the fan base would have been deafening.  After all, it would have been the second-straight game in which Wells went for it on 4th-and-short in the red zone and failed.

But unlike his decision against TCU, this gamble paid off and the drive remained alive.  We don’t likely remember this play as being important because it didn’t lead to seven points.  However, it did prevent Tech from coming away empty-handed at a point in the game when the offense was struggling and the team needed points.