Advertisement
football Edit

Take Two: Should Texas Tech fans be worried about QB recruiting?

Discuss this story on the Inside the Double T forum | Commit List

Take Two returns with a weekly look at issues surrounding the Texas Tech athletics landscape.

Advertisement
Maverick McIvor
Maverick McIvor (NICK LUCERO | rivals.com)

THE STORYLINE

Texas Tech's uncertainty at quarterback extends beyond questions about the competition between Alan Bowman, McClane Carter and Jett Duffey to be the team's starter this fall.

The program will almost certainly sign a quarterback in the 2019 class to work behind Bowman, Carter and Duffey - assuming they all return next season - but so far the Red Raiders have not been able to secure a verbal commitment from any of the six prospects they have offered at the position. Three-stars Maverick McIvor and Jacob Zeno are Texas Tech's top available targets at this point, but there's no indication that either are set to commit to the Red Raiders by the end of the month.

With the summer quickly approaching, and a massive visit weekend set for mid-June, should Texas Tech fans be worried about the state of the program's quarterback recruiting?

FIRST TAKE: MATT CLARE, RECRUITING EDITOR

"The quarterback position has not been a concern for Texas Tech fans in a very long time. Kliff Kingsbury is a quarterback and quarterback coach by trade, very often applauded for his development of successful signal callers like Case Keenum at Houston, Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M and Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech.

"You would think the resume and experience alone would easily attract young quarterback prospects to Lubbock, but a lack of success on the field has Kingsbury's future in question and that perception is undoubtedly causing prospects to take pause when considering a commitment to the Red Raiders.

"From a class of 2019 recruiting standpoint, the main change has been the strategy at quarterback. The coaches offered Zeno last September and did not offer another 2019 quarterback prospect for the next eight months. I'm sure they spoke with other prospects and maintained lines of communication, but the coaches went 'all in' with Zeno for several months before offering McIvor earlier this month.

"I believe McIvor will visit this summer and could see the coaches landing a verbal commitment in June or July."

SECOND TAKE: AARON DICKENS, MANAGING EDITOR

"Until Texas Tech has a clear answer at quarterback, then there should be an element of concern surrounding every aspects of the position.

"Nic Shimonek's struggles in 2017 shined a bright light on the program's quarterback recruiting misfires in the 2015-17 classes. It's hard to blame the Red Raiders for not inking a signal caller in 2015 after Jarrett Stidham's December defection, but the program dug themselves into a deep hole by only signing one true high school quarterback prospect, Jett Duffey, in the 2016 and 2017 classes. Xavier Martin was listed as a quarterback throughout the recruiting process in 2017, but he was moved to wide receiver before his freshman season. The fact that Duffey missed two semesters due to a Title IX suspension further exacerbated the issue.

"I don't know if Maverick McIvor or Jacob Zeno are going to be all-conference players in college, but I would think Texas Tech fans would feel a lot better about things if they had another quarterback to pencil in on the 2019 Red Raider depth chart."

Advertisement