Texas Tech football 2023 rewatch: What went wrong in Wyoming?

Why didn't Texas Tech feed Tahj Brooks?

Texas Tech would learn in 2024 that Tahj Brooks is one of the best running backs in college football. It's too bad that offensive coordinator Zach Kittley didn't know that in week one.

As Shough and the passing game struggled after the first quarter, it would have made sense for Tech to make Brooks a priority. Instead, Kittley kept putting the ball in Shough's hands and the results were terrible.

On the day, Brooks would get the ball only 11 times putting up 39 total yards and a TD. That was his second-fewest rushing attempts in a game all season.

No, Brooks wasn't gashing the Cowboys when he did run. But it would have been wise to see if Tech could have established a ground game after the passing game started to stall out.

On the four possessions after Shough's interception, as the offense faltered, Tech would punt three times and miss a 49-yard FG. On those three drives, Brooks got only three total carries.

Eventually, in 2023, injuries to Shough and his backup, Behren Morton, would force Tech to feed Brooks as the focal point of the offense. However, that should have happened from the start of the season.

Instead, at Wyoming, Shough actually was Tech's leading rusher in terms of attempts with 15. That day, Tech would manage only 93 yards on the ground and that was a mistake, especially on a day when Shough was remarkably average throwing the football.