It’s no secret that the Utah Utes have a great, disciplined defense. That’s going to be the focal point of so much of the discussion surrounding this week 4 matchup between two of the best teams in the Big 12 this season.
And for good reason. Texas Tech has a great offense historically (and this year) and Utah has a great defense historically (and this year). This is what these teams are known for. And I think it’s okay to lean into that a little bit (even if Tech has a solid defense as well and Utah’s offense looks sneaky good so far this season).
So, as we get set to see the Red Raiders face off against the Utes, here are three storylines to keep an eye on in this game:
No. 1: Behren Morton matching up against Utah’s stellar pass defense
In addition to being one of the most productive quarterbacks in the Big 12, there’s a good chance that Behren Morton might just be one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country this season. And I think we’ll continue to see him flourish in Mack Leftwich’s offense as the Texas Tech quarterback continues to get more playing time.
In the limited amount of playing time that Morton has through the first three weeks of the season thanks to the way that Tech has blown a few folks out, we’ve seen him manage to throw for 923 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing over 70 percent of his passes and only throwing one pick.
Morton is averaging over 300 passing yards per game and he hasn’t even played through a full game just yet. That’s impressive stuff.
But Utah is also pretty solid at combatting productive quarterbacks. The Utes have the No. 8 scoring defense in the country and are holding opponents to just 230 yards of total offense per game. Morton is matching up against a defense that is going to pressure him. How will he respond?
No. 2: Can Texas Tech continue its rushing attack success against the Utes?
It’s worth noting that Morton isn’t the only bright spot on this offense. There are, of course, numerous pass catchers that will also get plenty of attention. But right now, let’s talk about the way that Texas Tech is running the ball and the amount of success that the Red Raiders are having there.
Things aren’t exactly 50-50 between production of through the air and on the ground, but Mack Leftwich’s veer-and-shoot has been pretty impressive when it comes to generating rushing yards (as that sort of offense tends to do) and the Red Raiders have averaged 219 rushing yards per game so far.
Adam Hill, J’Koby Williams, and Cameron Dickey have all been productive and all have over 160 rushing yards on the season thus far. It’s a good trio of runners for Texas Tech to be able to turn to.
However, Hill, Williams, and Dickey are about to meet up with a defense that is holding opponents to just 90 rushing yards per game. Are the Red Raiders ready for that? What will things look like for Texas Tech and Utah as a team that averages 5.8 yards per carry runs into a group that is holding folks to just 3.0 yards per carry?
No. 3: Texas Tech’s explosive play potential matching up against Utah
It is so much fun watching Mack Leftwich’s offense explode on a very regular basis. One of the best parts about his system is the way the Red Raiders can take the top off a defense and stretch everyone out. And it’s worth noting that Texas Tech is leading the country with 26 plays of 20 or more yards so far this season.
Of course, Morton, in the limited playing time that he has received, has 18 of those 26 plays. So, it’s fair to expect that Texas Tech will look to take the top off the defense when facing the Utes.
However, Utah is pretty good at limiting what opposing offenses can do. In addition to sacking opposing quarterbacks at an average of three times per game, the Utes just haven’t given up many points. In fact, Utah has given up just two touchdowns so far this season.
So, how will that play out this weekend? Will the Red Raiders be able to find the offensive success that they’re hoping for when facing the Utes’ defense?