How Texas Tech Won In Week One
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The Texas Tech Red Raiders finally got to step on the field and show off their more than $20 million roster, but unfortunately for the Arkansas-Pine Bluff, they got to experience it first.
The Red Raiders won 67-7, a score that would have been wider if Joey McGuire hadn't opted for the second strings and if the game hadn't been delayed by a storm that rolled through Lubbock during the third quarter.
That said, though, nearly everything worked for the offense, while the defense was exactly as advertised going into the season. So what worked for them so well last night?
Offensive Efficiency
When playing an FCS team, Power Four teams are expected to dominate them; that's just the nature of the talent disparity between the two teams. The Red Raiders adhered to that, but they didn't just dominate them; they dominated them efficiently.
Quarterback Behren Morton finished 16-18 in the contest, throwing for 201 yards and four touchdowns, good for an 89 percent completion percentage and a 256 rating. Perhaps more importantly than the impressive completion percentage was his ability to involve multiple receivers throughout the game. No one receiver finished with more than four catches, and 12 different receivers were used in the game.
Even when backup Will Hammond came into the game, he remained efficient, finishing 7-9 with 92 yards, a completion percentage of 78, and a rating of 200.3. Hammond also rushed the ball once, but that was all he needed to make the most of his time, breaking off a 64-yard run for a touchdown.
He wasn't the only effective runner either; Cameron Dickey finished with 12 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown, Adam Hill got 78 yards on eight carries, and J'Koby Williams added 56 yards and a touchdown on six rushes. More impressively, though, all three running backs finished with over seven yards a carry, making the most of their split playing time.
While it's tough to gauge exactly where the weaknesses will be during a game like this, the strengths looked out in full force, and if the offense can find a way to remain efficient, with the defense they have, they will be tough to beat.
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JD Andress is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate sports. JD has provided in-depth coverage of the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns. He looks forward to being part of the coverage of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His experience spans various sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, rifle, equestrian, and others, reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.