Texas Tech Spring Scrimmage Missing Crucial Piece, Starting QB Behren Morton

© Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lubbock, Texas - Head coach Joey McGuire has wrapped up quarterback Behren Morton’s spring practice at the mid-way point. Coach McGuire said earlier today that the quarterback will focus on continued recovery from last year’s season-hampering shoulder injury and that the remainder of this year’s spring practices will be the battle of the depth chart for quarterback.

Behren has already been named the starting quarterback for the 2024/25 season and impressed early. The 6-foot-3-inch, 220lb, Junior from Eastland, Texas’ first six spring practices with Texas Tech threw comfortably for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the Red Raiders' first spring scrimmage.

Morton had a terrific season before a limiting shoulder injury. He finished last season 6-2 and led Texas Tech to a 34 -14 Independence Bowl win over Cal with 259 passing yards and three touchdowns. He finished the season with a 62.1% completion rate and threw for 1,757 yards and fifteen touchdowns.

© Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Depth is part of the new McGuire development season focus in Lubbock. Three quarterbacks will now have the opportunity to shuffle themselves into backup roles behind Morton for the remaining spring practices. Redshirt freshman Jake Strong, appeared in three games last season after injuries to season starter Tyler Shough and later, Morton. In addition, our two newcomers, freshman Will Hammond and sophomore Cameran Brown, who transferred from the University of West Georgia. McGuire is happy Tech has new depth at quarterback. "This is a great opportunity for the rest of our quarterback room to go out and compete to see who will be that next guy up when needed."

Spring practice continues tomorrow with the much-anticipated Spring game on April 20th at 1 p.m. This year’s game will take place two hours away in Midland, Texas at Astound Broadband Stadium. Construction crews are feverishly wrapping up the $240 million renovations to Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. Crews and engineers claim it will be completed in time for the first of seven home games this fall. Abilene Christian travels to The LBK for their tenth meeting in series history with Tech winning the last four games.