Defending Big 12 champion Texas Tech exhaled with a narrow home victory against a fellow ranked foe in last week’s conference opener.
As his 11th-ranked Red Raiders take a break from league play to host Sam Houston in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday afternoon, coach Joey McGuire still finds relevant the adjustments Texas Tech made during a 28-26 win against then-No. 22 Houston last week.
“I like being in games like that,” McGuire said. “In those tight games, you get to find out what kind of coach you are.”
Texas Tech (3-0) prevailed after Houston quarterback Conner Weigman was ruled short of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt in the final minute.
The Red Raiders will aim to start 4-0 for the second straight season. Trailing 10-0 after one quarter vs. Houston, they learned that quarterback Will Hammond can be a dual threat. He passed for 257 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 30 yards on five carries, complementing a rushing attack led by Cameron Dickey (65 yards) and J’Koby Williams (62), each of whom ran for one score.
Although Thomas Castellanos took the first snap and will continue to work out of various packages, McGuire was clear that Hammond remains the team’s top QB.
“We’ve got to just keep that aggressive mindset” for Hammond, Texas Tech offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich said. “Whatever it took to get him in that frame of mind for the game and the way that he competed was really impressive.”
Sam Houston (1-2) realizes the Red Raiders represent a step up in class — or perhaps multiple steps — compared to recent competition.
“I think there’s a lot of confidence in our building,” Bearkats coach Phil Longo said. “And I think our team is starting to figure out — which is kind of fun to watch — what we are capable of doing this year.
“So right now, before we get into Conference USA play, we have this bear of a game against Texas Tech, and so we’re prepping the same way we do every week. And I think these guys are legitimately motivated and looking forward to the challenge on Saturday, and I’m looking forward to watching them.”
After opening the season with one-score losses to Troy and Tulsa, the Bearkats routed visiting Nicholls 59-0 last Saturday behind an offense that generated 619 yards.
Sam Houston quarterback Landyn Locke has surpassed 300 yards passing in every game this season and has nine touchdown passes against just one interception. Locke passed for four TDs to four different receivers against Nicholls, with Tim Burns Jr. corralling a 65-yard score less than five minutes into the game.
“I know coach Longo; he likes to air it out,” McGuire said. “It’s going to be a real test for us.”
Texas Tech will aim to ramp up its pass rush against the Bearkats. Linebackers Adam Trick and Trey White each had a sack in the Houston game.
Saturday will mark the first meeting between the intrastate rivals with Sam Houston as an FBS program. Texas Tech leads the series 2-0, including a 59-45 victory in 2015 in which quarterback Patrick Mahomes, now a star for the Kansas City Chiefs, passed for 425 yards and four TDs.
