Texas Tech football: Three bold 2023 predictions for the Red Raider QBs

Behren Morton will not have to make a start for Texas Tech until 2024

No one is a bigger fan of what backup quarterback Behren Morton can do than I am.  In fact, I think his arm talent rivals that of B.J. Symons and trails only Mahomes in terms of Texas Tech quarterbacks.

Thus, I can’t wait to see what this offense will look like when he has the keys.  But that won’t happen until 2024 as the Eastland, Texas native will not be asked to make a start this year.

This will be the year of Shough.  He has put on at least 10 pounds of muscle and he is going to be playing behind a rebuilt offensive line, which should help keep him upright.

Of course, his two major injuries as a Red Raider were no fault of the O-line.  Rather, both broken collarbones that he has sustained (one in each of the past two years) were freak occurrences taking place with Shough simply landing wrong after being tackled on rushing attempts.

So there is reason to believe that luck will finally be on Shough’s side in 2023.  And if it is, it would be the first time that Tech has had the same starter at QB for every game in a season since Mahomes in 2016. (It’s funny how all roads lead back to Pat.)

As for Morton, his time will come.  Tech was lucky to hold on to him this offseason after he showed what he could do in a small sample size as a redshirt freshman.

Making four starts last fall and appearing in nine games overall, he threw for 1,117 yards and 7 TDs with 6 interceptions.  However, the numbers don’t do him justice.

Morton has the quickest release that any Tech QB has shown during my time as a student and alum.  He’s also an excellent athlete capable of keeping plays alive or picking up yards with his feet.

That’s why Morton has the highest ceiling of any player on the roster.  In fact, it is easy to envision him eventually being a starter at the next level.  However, his time will have to wait for a year because 2023 will be the year we finally get a full season out of Tyler Shough.