IF, IF, IF Behren Morton is too injured to play this week and Jake Strong starts for Tech:
1. Just like several seasons going back to 2009 until today, we will have had 2 or more QBs start and sometimes 3 or more QBs have to play.
2. Jake is the 3rd guy and the plan has always been in everyone's mind to Redshirt Jake this season. Starting Jake as a True Freshman has never been the ideal thing to do.
3. I am unapologetic in my belief in Jake Strong as a starting D1 QB. I stand by my comments that imho Jake had the better high school career between he and Behren. I do like Behren. We know more about him at this point. I just like high school Jake a little more than high school Behren.
Behren did his against McKinney Christian Academy, Panhandle, Millsap, Merkel, Callisburg, Bells, Jacksboro, and Holliday.
Jake did his against Aledo, Denton Ryan, Midlothian, Burleson Centennial, The Colony, Frisco schools, Mckinney schools, and a Todd Peterman Brewer team that had stacked some D1 defensive talent.
If you switch Behren to Northwest and Jake to Eastland, both would have still been successful, but I believe that Jake would have absolutely destroyed 3A competition and in an even more impressive manner than what we saw Behren do.
4. You cannot replace experience at any job and any level. There is no doubt that learning on the job and being thrown into the deep end sucks and rarely does it immediately look good.
Shough is playing his 6th season of college football. He was a 5.9 Rivals 4* in 2018. He was the 119th National Recruit, 1st in his state, and 6th QB in the nation. He has played in 15 games for Texas Tech. 13 starts.
He played in 11 games at Oregon. 6 starts.
Behren is playing his 3rd season of college football. He was a 5.8 Rivals 4* in 2021. He wasn't nationally ranked, 44th in his state, and 13th QB in the nation. He has played in 12 games for Texas Tech. 4 starts.
This will be Jake's 1st game in his 1st season of college football. He was a 5.6 Rivals 3* in 2023. He wasn't nationally ranked, state ranked, and the 26th QB in the nation. 0 games. 0 starts.
5. All QBs make mistakes. Shough had his 3-INT game vs Oregon. Behren had a 3-INT game vs Baylor. Jake will also make mistakes.
Can Kittley craft a plan this week to help his true freshman QB out? Can he let the offense really lean on Tahj? Can he simplify some early reads to build some confidence and comfort? While Jake is a smart and capable runner, can we take out or limit some of the called or check into QB power run plays?
IF Jake starts and plays well or even well for a true freshman, some will overreact off of one game.
IF Jake starts and struggles or plays inconsistent as a true freshman, some will overreact off of one game.
He has prepared his whole life for this moment.
He has been all-in on Texas Tech.
He has been preparing to be the QB1 at Texas Tech since arriving on campus.
This isn't the preferred schedule and injuries to QB1 and QB2 aren't the preferred way, there will be some emotions and "jitters" to work through, but the kid is a QB, a football player, and a Red Raider.
My advice would be to support him like you did and would Behren and better than we did Shough. He's who we have and he has the potential to be a good one.
Temper your expectations and hope for the best. This is really where we are IF Jake has to start this week.
1. Just like several seasons going back to 2009 until today, we will have had 2 or more QBs start and sometimes 3 or more QBs have to play.
2. Jake is the 3rd guy and the plan has always been in everyone's mind to Redshirt Jake this season. Starting Jake as a True Freshman has never been the ideal thing to do.
3. I am unapologetic in my belief in Jake Strong as a starting D1 QB. I stand by my comments that imho Jake had the better high school career between he and Behren. I do like Behren. We know more about him at this point. I just like high school Jake a little more than high school Behren.
Behren did his against McKinney Christian Academy, Panhandle, Millsap, Merkel, Callisburg, Bells, Jacksboro, and Holliday.
Jake did his against Aledo, Denton Ryan, Midlothian, Burleson Centennial, The Colony, Frisco schools, Mckinney schools, and a Todd Peterman Brewer team that had stacked some D1 defensive talent.
If you switch Behren to Northwest and Jake to Eastland, both would have still been successful, but I believe that Jake would have absolutely destroyed 3A competition and in an even more impressive manner than what we saw Behren do.
4. You cannot replace experience at any job and any level. There is no doubt that learning on the job and being thrown into the deep end sucks and rarely does it immediately look good.
Shough is playing his 6th season of college football. He was a 5.9 Rivals 4* in 2018. He was the 119th National Recruit, 1st in his state, and 6th QB in the nation. He has played in 15 games for Texas Tech. 13 starts.
He played in 11 games at Oregon. 6 starts.
Behren is playing his 3rd season of college football. He was a 5.8 Rivals 4* in 2021. He wasn't nationally ranked, 44th in his state, and 13th QB in the nation. He has played in 12 games for Texas Tech. 4 starts.
This will be Jake's 1st game in his 1st season of college football. He was a 5.6 Rivals 3* in 2023. He wasn't nationally ranked, state ranked, and the 26th QB in the nation. 0 games. 0 starts.
5. All QBs make mistakes. Shough had his 3-INT game vs Oregon. Behren had a 3-INT game vs Baylor. Jake will also make mistakes.
Can Kittley craft a plan this week to help his true freshman QB out? Can he let the offense really lean on Tahj? Can he simplify some early reads to build some confidence and comfort? While Jake is a smart and capable runner, can we take out or limit some of the called or check into QB power run plays?
IF Jake starts and plays well or even well for a true freshman, some will overreact off of one game.
IF Jake starts and struggles or plays inconsistent as a true freshman, some will overreact off of one game.
He has prepared his whole life for this moment.
He has been all-in on Texas Tech.
He has been preparing to be the QB1 at Texas Tech since arriving on campus.
This isn't the preferred schedule and injuries to QB1 and QB2 aren't the preferred way, there will be some emotions and "jitters" to work through, but the kid is a QB, a football player, and a Red Raider.
My advice would be to support him like you did and would Behren and better than we did Shough. He's who we have and he has the potential to be a good one.
Temper your expectations and hope for the best. This is really where we are IF Jake has to start this week.
