The Juice: Closing the book on Texas Tech's quiet preseason

... Texas Tech’s preseason was largely drama free. There was no storyline – like a quarterback competition – hovering over camp that dominated every media availability, news report, message board discussion, social media conversation and booster function. There were no player dismissals, no coaches arrested, no sudden departures. There are plenty of preseason camps across the country that have turned into single-issue circuses. Kliff Kingsbury’s program was spared that this August.

... Terence Steele has seemingly checked off every box up to this point in his career. He stood out last fall while redshirting, impressed during spring practice and did enough in preseason camp to head into the opener as the Red Raiders’ presumptive starter at left tackle. It’s not unusual for young players – Harrison Jeffers and Derreck Edwards come immediately to mind – to shine brightly and then fall off as the season nears. That has not been the case for Steele.

... The continued emergence of Nic Shimonek is a significant positive for this Red Raider program. Kingsbury made it a point to note last week that the Iowa transfer had posted the highest completion percentage of all of the team’s quarterbacks up to that point in camp. It’s hard to say that Texas Tech’s backup quarterback will be better this fall than it was last year, but the drop-off between 2016 and 2015 is less significant than I would have expected nine months ago. Furthermore, Shimonek's stranglehold on the No. 2 quarterback spot makes it that much more likely that Jett Duffey will be the first Red Raider scholarship player to redshirt at that position since Clayton Nicholas in 2012.

- If any position group on this team deserves the benefit of the doubt going into the 2016 season, it’s Lee Hays’ offensive line. His units have been consistently turned in above average to great performances over the last three seasons despite a less-than-enviable depth situation in most of those campaigns. That being said, for a unit that depends so much on chemistry and cohesion, the uncertainty surrounding this unit less than a week from the opener is more than a little concerning.

- Raise your hand if you expected more true freshmen linebackers, defensive backs and, heck, offensive linemen to be sure-things to play right away than defensive linemen? The thought all offseason was that Texas Tech’s massive group of incoming freshmen defensive linemen would all be thrown into action right away and baptized by fire. Yet as preseason camp comes to an end, we’ve heard more about offensive lineman Travis Bruffy avoiding a redshirt than defensive end Houston Miller or defensive tackle Nick McCann. Maybe that’s a result of older defensive linemen such as Zach Barnes and Kris Williams elevating their game, or it could be that the freshmen are further away from being Big 12 ready than anticipated. Ultimately, we won’t know the answer to that for some time.

- I’m sure the fact that Jordyn Brooks, Brayden Stringer and Jonathan Picone were able to come in and quickly force their way into the two-deep at linebacker is a testament to their ability and potential. It also says quite a lot about the state of the team’s linebacking corps. Between Brooks, Stringer, Picone and Houston transfer Luke Stice, the four of the six linebackers on the Red Raiders’ two-deep weren’t on campus this time last year. Yikes.

There have been 18 quarterbacks that have attempted a pass for the Red Raiders in the program’s Air Raid era, and all but four of them -- Ryan Rowland, Brant Costilla, Vincent Testaverde* and Nic Shimonek* -- started at the FBS level at some point in their career. That number doesn't even include Nathan Chandler (Iowa) or Scotty Young (La. Tech) who never appeared in a game for Texas Tech but went on to start at the FBS level after transferring.

* Testaverde (Miami) and Shimonek (Texas Tech) are still active players.

Here's a look at all 18 of those quarterbacks listed in order of pass attempts:

Graham Harrell (2,011 att.) - Harrell, a three-year starter at Texas Tech, is the winningest quarterback in program history and set an FBS record for touchdown passes during his career. For my money, he’s the best quarterback in Red Raider history.

Kliff Kingsbury (1,883 att.) - Kingsbury was a three-year starter for the Red Raiders and left the South Plains holding 39 school records, 13 Big 12 records and seven Div. I marks. He’s currently Texas Tech’s head football coach.

Seth Doege (1,187) - Doege was a two-year starter for the Red Raiders and, along with Harrell, is one of two quarterbacks in school history to throw for 4,000 or more yards in back-to-back seasons. He holds the school record for career completion percentage (69 percent).

Taylor Potts (1,106 att.) - Potts started 22 games at Texas Tech from 2009-10, completing 733-of-1,016 passes for 7,835 yards, 62 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. His career as a starter bridged a tumultuous time in the program's history -- Mike Leach's last season and Tommy Tuberville's first.

B.J. Symons (822 att.) - Symons backed up Kingsbury for three seasons before taking over as Texas Tech's starter as a fifth-year senior in 2003. Despite being hobbled by a torn ACL for half of the season, Symons broke the NCAA single-season record for passing yards (5,833) and the Big 12 record for single-season touchdown passes (52).

Pat Mahomes (758 att.) - You know.

Davis Webb (706 att.) - Webb started six games in 2013 and... Well, you guys know the rest.

Sonny Cumbie (704 att.) - Cumbie started for the Red Raiders in 2004. He got off to a shaky start thanks to a loss to New Mexico in the second game of the season, but managed to right the ship with big home wins over TCU and Nebraska. Cumbie sealed his legacy in the team's Holiday Bowl win over No. 4 Cal and helped lay the groundwork for the elevated success the program would enjoy from 2005-09.

Cody Hodges (543 att.) - Hodges patiently waited his turn behind Kingsbury, Symons and Cumbie and was the Red Raiders' starting quarterback during the 2005 season. He led the team to one of the best seasons in school history and a berth in the Cotton Bowl.

Baker Mayfield (340 att.) - Due to an injury to Brewer during the 2012-13 offseason, Mayfield made the unprecedented jump from walk-on freshman to opening day starter in 2013. He threw for over 400 yards in his debut against SMU and ended up starting seven games that season. Mayfield quit the team in December 2013 and ultimately transferred to Oklahoma.

Steven Sheffield (194 att.) - Sheffield was extended a preferred walk-on spot on the team late in the 2006 recruiting cycle following Greg McElroy's decommitment from Texas Tech. He unexpectedly won the back-up job heading into the 2009 season and dazzled in relief of an injured Potts in wins against New Mexico, Kansas State and Nebraska. Had he not injured his foot against the Huskers, Sheffield might not have ever relinquished the starting gig. Sheffield competed for the No. 1 job following the 2009 season but lost out again to Potts and spent the 2010 campaign as the back-up.

Michael Brewer (58 att.) - Brewer backed up Seth Doege in 2012 and was his heir apparent. He was sidelined by a back injury the following summer and only played in four games (no starts) in 2013. Brewer transferred to Virginia Tech and, eligible immediately as a graduate school transfer, was named the Hokies' starting quarterback for the 2014 season. In his first season as a collegiate starter, he completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 2,692 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

Chris Todd (35 att.) - Todd competed with Harrell for the starting spot in 2006 and backed him up that season, but left the program after the bowl game. He spent a season at Hutchinson C.C. in Kansas before signing with Auburn. Todd was a part-time starter for the Tigers in 2008 but started all 13 games for AU in 2009. He threw 22 touchdown passes as a senior, which was then a school record.

Vincent Testaverde, Jr. (26 att.) - With Webb unavailable due to injury, Testaverde was Mahomes' back-up for Texas Tech's 2014 home game against Texas. Mahomes suffered an injury in the first half that knocked him out of the game, and Testaverde was thrust into action for the rest of the evening.

Jacob Karam (18 att.) - Karam backed up Doege in 2011 and, after receiving his degree from Texas Tech, transferred to Memphis. He started all 12 games as a junior for the Tigers in 2012 but was beat out the following season.

Ryan Rowland (4 att.) - Rowland, a walk-on, was part of the football program in the mid-2000s and eventually settled in as the team's third-string back-up. He appeared in two games during his career, completing a combined 2-of-4 passes for 13 yards against Sam Houston State in 2005 and Southeastern Louisiana in 2006.

Nic Shimonek (2 att.) – Shimonek transferred to Texas Tech from Iowa before the 2014 season. He sat out due to NCAA transfer rules and then saw limited action in 2015, completing 1-of-2 passes for 18 yards against Iowa State.

Brant Costilla (1 att.) - Costilla was the Red Raiders' third-string quarterback in 2012. He made his sole career appearance against Texas State that season, going 1-of-1 for 14 yards. He holds the distinction of being the only Texas Tech quarterback in the Air Raid era to finish his time in Lubbock with one career pass attempt.

1. Oklahoma - The Sooners' opener at Houston should be a nice appetizer for their test against Ohio State in three weeks.

2. Oklahoma State - Mike Gundy's benefit-of-the-doubt ranking is up there with Gary Patterson and I think the Pokes have a better quarterback situation - even though I don't think Mason Rudolph is great - than the Frogs.

3. TCU - The history of Power Five to Power Five quarterback transfers suggests that Kenny Hill will probably bust out at TCU. But Trevone Boykin was barely serviceable before Sonny Cumbie got his hands on him, so fair to acknowledge same magic could work on Hill.

4. Texas Tech - Sure, the Red Raiders' defense is questionable at best and the team's skill players are largely unproven. No matter. Pat Mahomes is an elite quarterback. That's enough in the Big 12.

5. West Virginia - Dana Holgorsen's inability to sign and develop a high school quarterback in Morgantown has been shocking. Skyler Howard is average by Big 12 standards, but the 'Eers should be good enough to finish in the top half of the league.

6. Kansas State - I will probably look like an idiot for questioning Bill Snyder and picking the Wildcats to finish in the bottom half of the Big 12.

7. Texas - I'm on record predicting the Longhorns will get a "competent" performance out of their quarterback position this fall. Charlie Strong's record won't be helped by the team's tough non-conference slate, which should make for an interesting offseason.

8. Baylor - The bottom falls out for Jim Grobe and the Bears.

9. Iowa State - Matt Campbell is in for a rude, Big 12-style awakening.

10. Kansas - The Jayhawks have already matched their win total from last season.

Saturday will be Texas Tech’s third all-time meeting with Stephen F. Austin. The Red Raiders lead the series 2-0 following a 58-3 victory in 2001 and a 61-13 rout in 2013.

Baker Mayfield, in his home debut as starting quarterback, completed 21-of-30 passes for 367 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 66 yards on nine carries. The Red Raiders piled up 731 yards of offense, the fifth-highest single-game mark in program history.

… Pat Mahomes is 179 passing yards away from passing B.J. Symons for the eighth-most career passing yards in Texas Tech history; is 577 away from jumping Billy Joe Tolliver (6,756) and 590 away from topping Zebbie Lethridge (6,789). Mahomes is just 2,447 yards away from passing Seth Doege (8,646) for third on the all-time list.

… Mahomes ranks sixth right now for career touchdown passes (52) in program history. He is eight scoring throws away from passing Symons (59) for fifth, 11 away from passing Taylor Potts (62) and 18 away from topping Doege (69) for third.

… Mahomes could conceivably end the 2016 season third on the program’s career lists for attempts and completions. He currently ranks ninth in career completions (469) and would need 351 this season to pass Doege (819) for third. Mahomes is presently 10th in all-time pass attempts (758) and needs 430 this season to supplant Doege (819) for third.

… Quick! Name Texas Tech’s current active leader in career receptions? It’s Reginald Davis. His 82 catches are the most on the team, followed by Devin Lauderdale (74) and Ian Sadler (65). For the sake of comparison, Jakeem Grant (164) and DeAndre Washington (83) both entered last season with more career catches than any Red Raider has entering this season.

… I have been critical of Kliff Kingsbury’s media policies in the past – including just last month when Texas Tech announced it would not be making assistant coaches available during the season – so it is only fair to offer kudos when warranted. Not only did the fourth-year head coach meet with reporters more during this year’s preseason camp than he did in years past, but Kingsbury was also more open and forthcoming with his answers than we have ever seen during his tenure.

… There are five active Big 12 players that have thrown for 400 or more yards in a single game: Pat Mahomes (5), Mason Rudolph (3), Baker Mayfield (2), Seth Russell (1) and Skyler Howard (1).

... In his debut season on the sideline, Kingsbury faced six coaches with 100-plus career wins: June Jones, Gary Patterson, Dennis Franchione, Bob Stoops, Bill Snyder and Mack Brown. He faced just three in 2014 (Patterson, Stoops and Snyder) and five in 2015 (Patterson, Stoops, Snyder, Les Miles and Sam Houston State’s K.C. Keeler). This fall, Kingsbury will face at least six: Patterson, Stoops, Snyder, Jim Grobe, Skip Holtz and Stephen F. Austin’s Clint Conque. Mike Gundy will join this group if Oklahoma State wins six games before its Nov. 12 matchup with Texas Tech.

Football season is around the corner, which means figurative Kool-Aid consumption is approaching its annual peak. Since I have actually been drinking quite a bit of actual Kool-Aid – the zero calorie variety – over the last few weeks, it seems only fitting to end the preseason with a ranking of the flavors that I have tried:

1. Strawberry – I bought a whole bunch of flavors and fully expected Strawberry to be a middle-of-the-pack offering, but surprisingly it has been my favorite by far.

2. Tropical Punch – It’s pretty hard to screw up a Tropical/Fruit Punch flavor, and the Kool-Aid folks certainly did not. This is a very solid, if unremarkable, flavor.

3. Cherry – I thought for sure that this would top my list but, in an upset, it failed to crack the top two.

4. Grape – This is okay?

5. Watermelon – I found this flavor to be legitimately undrinkable.

27 – If we go off of Will McKay’s projections, Texas Tech’s starting offensive line will enter Saturday’s game against Stephen F. Austin with 27 combined starts: Baylen Brown (23) and Justin Murphy (4). If Tony Morales (6) ends up starting at center instead of Paul Stawarz, that number will climb to 33. Last year’s first-team offensive line entered the opener against Sam Houston State with 98 combined starts. That number was 64 in 2014 and 26 in 2013.

TEXAS TECH 59, Stephen F. Austin 28

Texas Tech’s 2016 season kicks off in five days. We did it, everyone.