This weekend, the Texas Tech University football program is scheduled to hold its annual spring game. This year's event will be held in Midland, Texas, due to ongoing construction of Jones AT&T Stadium.
For the Red Raiders, this will be a bit of a chance for some new faces to emerge, considering many key members of the roster will be out. Of course, the two most well-known holdouts are starting quarterback Behren Morton and starting running back Taj Brooks.
Morton missed the second half of spring in order to fully heal the throwing shoulder he sprained last season before fall camp begins. Brooks, on the other hand, has nothing to prove and the super senior is managing his workload considering the number of miles he put on his tires last year.
Also sitting out are two interesting additions: transfer tight end Jalin Conyers and former five-star recruit Micah Hudson. Both players are recovering from offseason injuries but are expected to participate fully in fall camp.
So this spring game is all about opportunity for the rookies. Since last fall, those who have joined the program via the portal or as high school or his JUCO recruits will have a chance to make a solid first impression on fans. The same goes for returning players who have the opportunity to play more of a role for the first time in their careers. So let's take a look at what you can see in the Midlands this weekend.
As with any position group, what the quarterbacks did on their own on Saturday probably won't top what they did in all of spring practice. But it would certainly be reassuring for fans if that position group is solid in the spring game.
Morton's absence means transfer Cam Brown, redshirt freshman Jake Strong and true freshman Will Hammond will get a lot of minutes Saturday. This is his chance to stake his last claim to the QB2 position heading into the summer.
Tech fans are well aware of the importance of depth at the QB spot. A Red Raiders QB hasn't started more than 10 games in a season since Nick Simonek started 12 games in 2017. Additionally, in each of the past three seasons, the Red Raiders have had three different QBs start at least one game.
The QB situation behind Morton is an unknown this year, with Strong being the only one to take snaps in a Big 12 game. Additionally, he is the only backup QB option on the roster who was committed to an FBS program before this offseason.
Still, Strong is not a candidate for No. 2. That would be Brown, a transfer from West Georgia, a Division II program that will move into the FCS ranks in 2024. Head coach Joey McGuire recently said Brown completed more than 70 percent of his completed passes during competitive time in this year's spring football practices.
Brown played two levels below the FBS level last year, but he has significant experience having appeared in nine games (eight starts) for West Georgia before the season. His performance in this game should do him some good, which is probably why he's the most talked about thing in camp.
But no matter who comes forward, Tech fans are hoping at least one backup QB will be effective Saturday. That's because there's always a chance the program will have to rely on someone other than Morton to be the starter in 2024. All eyes will be on the QB on Saturday as this new group of passers looks to claim a spot in the pecking order behind Morton.
