Know Your Foe: Texas Tech Offensive Breakdown
The West Virginia Mountaineers (3-3, 1-2) meet the Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-3, 1-2) Saturday afternoon at three o’clock.
Texas Tech first year head coach Joey McGuire brought in Zach Kittley as the offensive coordinator. The Texas Tech alumna served as a student assistant (offensive intern) from 2013-14 before becoming a graduate assistant in 2015 through 2017 during Kliff Kingsbury’s tenure.
Kittley took the role as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston Baptist in 2018, linking up with Bailey Zappe in 2019. The two led Houston Baptist to one of the top passing offenses in the country for two season records before the duo moved to Western Kentucky in 2021 where Zappe became the sixth quarterback in FBS history to record at least 5,000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns, was named the Conference USA Most Valuable Player.
Sep 10, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders running back SaRodorick Thompson (4) rushes against Houston Cougars defensive end Nadame Tucker (45) in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field.
Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Now, Kittley has the top passing attack in the Big 12 and has had three different starting quarterbacks through the process. Tyler Shough came into the season as the starting signal caller before going down with an injury in the season opener. Sophomore Donovan Smith stepped and finished the afternoon 14-16 for 221 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 313.5 yards through the air in four games as the starter and chipped in 84 rushing yards during that span.
Smith went down early in the Red Raiders’ last outing at Oklahoma State. Then, freshman Behren Morton took the reins and tossed 379 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 41-31 loss to the Cowboys.
Sep 24, 2022; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders wide receiver Myles Price (1) runs the ball against the Texas Longhorns during a game at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman via USA TODAY NETWORK
Shough and Smith are practicing this week and if both are ready to go, McGuire stated the Mountaineers could see all three quarterbacks on Saturday.
The Red Raiders have seven receivers that have caught 11 or more passes on the season with five hauling at least one touchdown pass.
Slot receiver Myles Price has brought in a team-leading 31 receptions for 309 yards and two touchdowns while wide receiver Jerand Bradley has a team-best 317 yards and a team-high three touchdowns while Xavier White has collected 23 passes for 270 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
SaRodorick Thompson leads the team with 310 yards and two touchdowns and Tahj Brooks has helped carried the load with 215 yards and four touchdowns.
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