Wreck'Em Red
Fansided

Texas Tech football: Three Houston Cougars to know ahead of Saturday’s showdown

By Matthew Conner

Dec 4, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Houston Cougars wide receiver Nathaniel Dell (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half during the American Athletic Conference championship game at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Houston Cougars wide receiver Nathaniel Dell (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half during the American Athletic Conference championship game at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Sep 4, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune (3) reacts after being tackled by Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Krishon Merriweather (1) during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars quarterback Clayton Tune (3) reacts after being tackled by Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Krishon Merriweather (1) during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

QB Clayton Tune is the heart and soul of the Cougars

Now in his fourth season as Houston’s starter, Clayton Tune is as grizzled of a veteran as there can be in the sport.  He’s been around the block twice and seen just about everything the college game has to offer.

However, Texas Tech fans may not be all that impressed with the Carrolton, Texas native.  After all, the only time he’s faced Tech, he was a turnover machine throwing four interceptions to help the Red Raiders rally from a 14-0 deficit to win 38-21.

That day, week one of the 2021 season, he lived up to his previous reputation as a QB who can be rattled into making game-changing mistakes.  However, for the remainder of last season, he rewrote that narrative.

After the loss to Tech, Tune would go on to throw just six more interceptions for the rest of the season while starting every game that the Cougars would play.   For the year, he passed for 3,544 yards and 30 TDs.

Now, the scouting report on Tune isn’t about his gaffes but about his fire and competitiveness.  Last week, he almost single-handedly willed Houston to a 37-35 triple-overtime win in San Antonio against UTSA.

Using his feet to pick up a number of critical first downs in the second half, he ran 15 times for 49 yards so that’s something Tech will have to be leery of on Saturday.  Though he isn’t the second coming of Cam Newton when he runs, he is faster than most would expect and he can make plenty of plays on the ground.

Last season, Tune was awful against Tech while Tyler Shough was more than solid for the Red Raiders giving the good guys a decided advantage at the QB spot.  This year, Shough will be a spectator and Donovan Smith will have to give Tech the QB edge over Tune in what will be just Smith’s fifth collegiate start.  So it will be imperative that the Red Raider defense makes life miserable for Tune.  If they can, he might just be in a giving mood once again.

Home/Texas Tech Football