Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire hosted his weekly press conference on Monday afternoon. Here's what the Red Raider leading man had to say about the upcoming reunion with his former Baylor team, possibility at quarterback and much more.

... McGuire named two players on the scout team that earned their own players of the week honors. It's something he said he should've done sooner but nonetheless he brought it up this week. Jurrien Loftin, freshman offensive lineman from Aledo High, and Wesley Smith, freshman linebacker from Midland Legacy, were this week's picks.

... On the injury side of things, QB Tyler Shough, WR JJ Sparkman, WR Myles Price, RB Cam'Ron Valdez and DB Tyler Owens were all cleared for their returns this week. OL Monroe Mills remains questionable as they move on with the week. McGuire later said they'll build Price up throughout the week so to expect others like Xavier White and Nehemiah Martinez to receive a bulk of the reps still on offense.

... McGuire followed by breaking down numbers the past two games compared to the first five. For the year, they have ran 151 tempo plays. In the first five games they ran 69 and the last two they've run 82. They're going to try to go even faster on Saturday. Right now, they lead the nation in plays per game with 96. They're going to try to hit over 100 against Baylor on Saturday night.

... As everyone knows, McGuire made the move to Lubbock from Baylor so Saturday will be a reunion for him with coach Dave Aranda and most of the players on the Baylor roster.

"Playing a team that I'm really familiar with," McGuire said. "I've got some great friends on that staff. David Wetzel, their director of high school relations, he and I and Kenny Perry were on the board of directors in THSCA together. I've known him forever. Actually coached his cousin at Cedar Hill. Then, Shawn Bell - one of my really good friends, another high school coach. I think Shawn is an up-and-coming guy. He should be a coordinator this next year and at some point he'll be a head coach. He does a really good job."

... Baylor offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, McGuire said, will be another for sure head coach like Bell at some point. Right now, Baylor has the best offensive line in the Big 12. They get the ball out quick and at different angles. Then the running back, Richard Reese, is a speedster.

... Defensively, coordinator Ron Roberts has his fingerprint all over the defense. McGuire worked with him for two years and said they do a good job running Roberts' pressure package. Roberts is known for simulated pressures. On the defensive line, they run two-deep. It's another week of playing one of the best defensive fronts in the conference, McGuire said. They're pretty experienced as well at safety and linebacker.

... Shough being cleared will make the QB room more competitive, McGuire said. He'll go in with a chip on his shoulder. He said Shough won the job at the beginning of the season "without a doubt" and it was out of his control that he broke his collarbone. They'll run with the QB they feel gives them the best opportunity to win.

... McGuire said the strength and conditioning staff deserves credit for the shape the roster is in. They can run that fast-tempo offense with ease forcing defenses to sub-in and sub-out guys constantly. They'll continue to push the tempo.

... Saturday night will be a big one for the Red Raiders as former QB Patrick Mahomes II will be inducted into the Texas Tech Ring of Honor at Jones AT&T Stadium. McGuire said he watched Mahomes in high school. He mentioned the Texas Tech-LSU bowl meetup as the game where he noticed how incredible Mahomes is.

"Huge fan. We've talked. It's really good to have him on our side," McGuire said. "He and (Zach) Kittley are close. They talk ... He's really proud to be a Red Raider, I know that."