Texas Tech QB Behren Morton's big arm on par with C.J. Stroud, Patrick Mahomes
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If Texas Tech is going to live up to the lofty expectations in 2025, returning QB Behren Morton is going to have to play a big role in making it happen. Morton, who's entering his senior season already ranked among some of the best QBs to ever come through Lubbock, is still in the process of rehabbing from shoulder surgery back in December. But according to head coach Joey McGuire, the veteran gunslinger is progressing nicely. As of now, McGuire says that Morton's pitch count is 75 passes.
Texas Tech football QB Behren Morton ramps up, 2 receivers cleared https://t.co/LodRU1pifh
— Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (@lubbockonline) June 13, 2025
"I want to say he is at 75 balls," McGuire said. "His pitch count was 75 balls, and that was any throw, so he was throwing a fade ball, if he was throwing a post, whatever. He could throw up to 75 balls, and then every week that number goes up."
Although the reps are still limited as he works his way back to full health, McGuire says that the velocity on Morton's ball is on par with some of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
"His max velocity this year may be a 60 or 61," McGuire said. "His very last throw of his first throwing session was 58 miles per hour, and that was his very first throwing session. So as he continues to throw and get better and everything, I think he feels really, really confident."
Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal put Morton's velocity into perspective.
"For comparison, according to data kept by Ourlads.com, in NFL combines from 2008-23, only 17 quarterbacks had a ball velocity at 59 mph or higher. Included in that group were Josh Allen (62), Baker Mayfield (60), Kirk Cousins (59) and Colin Kaepernick (59). According to Ourlads, Jared Goff's throwing velocity at the combine was gauged at 58 mph; C.J. Stroud's at 56 mph; Patrick Mahomes' and Justin Herbert's at 55 mph; Jordan Love's, Jalen Hurts' and Dak Prescott's at 54 mph; Brock Purdy's at 52 mph; and Lamar Jackson's at 49 mph."
Although velocity is only part of the equation, it shows that Morton is making great progress toward being 100% this fall. And with 33 games and 24 career starts under his belt, Morton is a critical piece of Texas Tech's hopes of claiming its first Big 12 championship in program history.
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Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.
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