Texas Tech University is kind of a constant in the Big 12. Since the Mike Leach days you could always expect the Red Raiders to throw the ball with efficiency. The team is a frequent member of the “middle of the pack”, for lack of creativity. The Red Raiders have finished with a losing record just twice since the year 2000. They have never been an elite program, but not bad for a school many consider to be the third best football school in Texas (at best).
Another thing they have had no shortage of? Stellar quarterbacks. While many take that with a grain of salt because of the system Tech employs, Patrick Mahomes is not just the product of a system. Mahomes father was an MLB pitcher and Mahomes himself was formally a dual-sport division 1 athlete before dropping baseball this spring to focus on football. He had the right idea. He’s a star on TTU’s campus and for good reason.
He is not just the starting quarterback of the football team. He is one of the best college quarterbacks in the country and every coach in the Big 12 knows it. While Baker Mayfield may get more headlines and rightfully so, there’s a reason he transferred to OU. Mahomes is the real deal and this year he should show it. His best opportunity out of conference will be a week two visit to Sun Devil Stadium to take on Arizona State. If Mahomes can put on a show there then he could kick of his Heisman campaign early. It will be up to Kliff Kingsbury and the rest of the coaching staff to bring the defense up to speed, because there is little doubt in the offense this season.
