Five things to know from Texas Tech’s heartbreaking loss to No. 13 Oregon

LUBBOCK- Texas Tech opens the season 0-2 after Saturday’s eight-point loss to a highly-regarded Oregon team that for sure is really good but rated a bit high at No. 13 in my opinion.

I say rated a bit high because the Oregon defense never figured out how to stop Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough’s hesitation runs out of the backfield where he ran 23 times (!?!) for 101 yards and that included taking yardage away on three sacks.

I see that a problem down the road for Oregon.

Love me some Texas Tech second-year coach Joey McGuire with his energy and refusal to let a legit loss (to Oregon) and a horrible loss (to Wyoming) destroy this 2023 season for Tech players.

“Man, I thought they fought their tails off (tonight),” McGuire said. “We didn’t bounce back with a win, of course, but bounced back from a really tough defeat. I was proud how hard they played. I know they are extremely frustrated with the loss. Because it was right there to go win the game.”

Man, McGuire loves to go to the “analytics” answer a bunch in press conference questions on why you did this or that.

I’m all for analytics … AND I’m all for common sense like punting the ball away from your own 33-yard line on a fourth-and-2 leading 27-25 with 13 minutes to play.

Here’s five things I saw Saturday night sitting high above The Jones from the comfort of the press box.

Run, Quarterbacks, Run

Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough and Oregon quarterback Bo Nix aren’t exactly posters boys for the dual-threat QBs in Division I football.

But anybody watching the Tech and Oregon Saturday night saw both quarterbacks lead their teams in rushing. The unflappable Nix carrying nine times for 46 yards his runs representing 28. 1 percent of Oregon’s carries on the night.

The flappable Shough carrying 23 times for 101 (losing 44 yards on sacks, so he ran for 145 yards), his runs representing a hefty 71.8 percent of Tech’s carries on the night.

That’s an insane number. No way Shough can get a beating he took on runs Saturday and keep on ticking for an entire season. He admitted after the game he was obviously sore but didn’t mind handling the heavy load. I respect that.

“I’m going to do whatever it takes to get the first down and win,” said the 6-5, 230-pound Shough, who has 38 carries in two games. “I’m obviously pretty sore. Biggest thing it will come down to is protecting my body but I’m going to do whatever it takes to win.”

Tahj Brooks led all Tech running backs with SIX! carries.

I don’t get it.

Plunk, Carr, Davis repping the Amarillo-area

The Texas Tech roster has three Amarillo-area athletes listed on their for the 2023 season in junior Joseph Plunk, freshman JMaury Davis and freshman Kaden Carr.

Tascosa grad Plunk plays on Tech special teams and is listed on the depth chart in the secondary as a backup at safety and STARR position.

Carr played football at Amarillo High, basketball at Canadian and ended his high school career at Lubbock Cooper. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound offensive lineman suited for Saturday’s game wearing No. 54 but didn’t see any action.

Davis was the electrifying star athlete at Clarendon and is a freshman running back at Tech. He wears No. 25 but did not see action Saturday night.

The Jones showed up

Tech fans take a bow.

I’m not sure what Oregon was thinking traveling to Lubbock and playing a college game in West Texas.

But they left knowing Tech can bring the noise as the 56,200 fans were on point. Tech coach Joey McGuire thanked the fans at the press conference after the loss and said “that place was loud.”

Tech officials also unleased their new LED lights, the kind that flash colors and flash on and off. The all red was kinda cool and I’m sure things will turn up a notch when they learn to really use them.

Putting on my teacher’s hat, I give the new look a B. It was a solid, but not the wow (A+) I was hoping for.

Where’s the pressure?

Look, Tech gave a really good effort in trying to knock off the No. 13-ranked Ducks.

But if big-time success is in Tech’s future there has to be pressure put on opposing quarterbacks. Last week, Wyoming QB Andrew Peasley attempted 34 passes and was sacked twice. Saturday night, Oregon quarterback Bo Nix attempted 44 passes and was sacked once.

That’s three total sacks in 78 attempts for Tech. That’s not a good number at all. But we all know stats can lie. In this case, just watching the game like you might of, admit it, Nix was not under a whole lot of duress. He was way too comfortable.

Tech coach Joey McGuire said the pressure on quarterbacks has to improve, but the bottom line you have to seal the deal.

“It’s a mixture of completing your pass rush and staying in your pass rush lanes,” McGuire said. “I think there are times we are getting pressure, we just aren’t getting home.”

Dialing it up a notch

Watching Tech’s offense at Wyoming in the season-opener was a shocker, not just because of the 35-33 overtime loss. Tech’s offense was pedestrian and even Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley said he needed to be a more aggressive play caller.

I think missioned accomplished Saturday against Oregon.

Tech quarterback Tyler Shough fired off several long passes down field keeping the Oregon defense honest. Tech’s offense had four pass plays of 31 yards or longer and runs of 35 and 58 yards.

Is it perfect? Far from it.

I’m a huge Kittley fan, but I haven’t seen the all-out dazzling display of creative plays and play-calling I was expecting from what we saw during his Western Kentucky days as an offensive coordinator where he and QB Bailey Zappe put on offensive explosion after offensive explosion.

Of course, I know the Big 12 is a step up from Western Kentucky, but I hope what we saw against Oregon – not Wyoming – is more of the norm in the future.

Next up

Texas Tech returns to The Jones on Saturday hosting Tarleton State at 6 p.m.

Of course, Tarleton State is familiar to West Texas A&M fans as a longtime member of D-II and the Lone Star Conference.

Tarleton State moved on from the LSC officially joining the Western Athletic Conference in November of 2019. Tarleton State is 2-0 with wins over North Alabama (52-31) and McNeese (52-34).

I will be shocked if Tech doesn’t roll over Tarleton State. Wouldn’t you?