Texas Tech has back-to-back blunders to kill a promising 2nd-quarter drive
With Tech trailing 15-13 with just under 11 minutes to go in the second quarter, back-to-back mistakes killed a drive that had easily reached the Red Raider 48. Gain just a few more yards and it’s conceivable to think that Tech would have been in the go-zone where the offense would have four downs from Joey McGuire to move the chains.
However, on 2nd-and-4, J.J. Sparkman would drop an easy bubble screen that was set up perfectly. With Loic Fouonji occupying the only defender in the vicinity, Sparkman would have easily crossed the 50 and picked up the first down had he just held onto the ball.
Still, Tech faced only a 3rd-and-4 to keep the drive going. On the next play, though, a holding penalty on left tackle Monroe Mills would wipe out a Tahj Brooks run that moved the ball down to the Oregon 36.
As a result, Tech had to try to pick up a 3rd-and-14, which didn’t happen. Thus, a drive that essentially got to midfield and which had serious momentum was squandered in two plays.
Tech would punt on that drive and though Oregon would not score on their ensuing possession, this was a wasted opportunity to put points on the board in a game that was decided by one possession. Had Brooks’ run not been called back, Tech would have been in business needing only a few yards to get into reasonable FG range (though what is reasonable for struggling kicker Gino Garcia these days is anyone’s guess).
Mistakes like these aren’t catastrophic but when they occur on consecutive plays, they can kill what a team is building. Unfortunately, the offensive line wasn’t done with their mistakes on a night that wasn’t their best.