Commentary: For Shough, his time may be now

In the beginning, there was Tyler Shough, followed by Henry Columbi, followed by Donovan Smith, followed by Shough again, followed by Smith again, followed by Behren Morton and followed by Shough again.

For those trying to find the right number of pieces to the Texas Tech quarterback puzzle, it’s four quarterbacks starting seven times over the last 23 games.

And to think, this was a program that once had one quarterback – Graham Harrell – starting 39 consecutive games over three seasons about 15 years ago.

These days, if a Red Raider quarterback can just get through a game without a walking boot or a sling, it’s a mixture of relief and mini-celebration.

This is now Shough’s third time through the rotation. Saturday was his best performance in his five starts over two seasons. The Oregon transfer, after a few throws that sailed high early, was sharp in leading the Raiders to a 43-28 win over Kansas.

He was decisive, poised, and as important as any statistic, didn’t make any mistakes in leading Tech to three touchdowns and a field goal in its first four possessions. He was 20 of 33 for 246 yards and a touchdown. Shough was also Tech’s leading rusher, mostly on scrambles. He gained 76 yards and scored a touchdown.

Shough has been the Big Foot of quarterbacks – his presence often rumored, but seldom seen. He transferred from Oregon in 2021 after starting all seven games in the Ducks’ Pac 12 championship in the 2020 pandemic year.

He earned the starting spot under former Tech coach Matt Wells to start the 2021 season. He was up and down through a 3-0 start, and then broke his collarbone in the fourth game at Texas diving into the end zone. He was done for the year.

Shough (as in bad luck) rehabbed, and through spring practices and August preseason practices, reestablished himself as the starter. He didn’t make it through the first quarter of the September season opener. He injured the AC joint of his clavicle, and was out three to six weeks.

In the meantime, first sophomore Smith, then freshman Morton, took turns teasing Tech fans as the quarterback of the future. Smith led Tech to OT wins over Houston and Texas, but he seemed to lose the trust of coaches in other games.

Morton has the most potential. He looked really good in his debut against Oklahoma State, not-so-good against Baylor, threw for 325 yards against West Virginia, and then injured his ankle for the second time at TCU.

In following the bouncing football, Shough returned for mop-up duty against Baylor, relieved Morton at TCU, and on Saturday, started his first game since Sept. 25 of a year ago.

I find myself pulling for Shough. The 6-5, 230-pound native of Phoenix took a leap of faith, coming to Tech after throwing for 1,703 yards and 16 touchdowns with the Ducks. He could have transferred to more prominent programs, but cast his lot with Wells and struggling Tech.

Yet he seemed to be all in as a teammate and leader. Then, of all things, he was done for the year by diving into the end zone for a touchdown. Then he went to graduate school, rehabbed, earned the starting job again, and was injured one more time.

It’s not accurate to say he can’t catch a break because he caught two of them.

“It took a huge toll,” Shough told the media after the win over Kansas. “You put the work in for eight, nine months to compete for the job, to get back to where you want to be, and this is a huge part of our lives.

“I find a lot of comfort in being out there with my teammates, getting better every single day, learning more about myself. This is what I feel like I’m good at, and I want to keep getting better, so it was good to finally put a whole game together.”

Tech has the deepest quarterback room in the country. No team can boast of three quarterbacks who have thrown for more than 300 yards in a game like Tech has. The last two games, and a bowl game if Tech qualifies, would seem to be Shough’s, that is, if he remains healthy.

After that, who knows? Shough is eligible to return in 2023. A few weeks ago, I would have thought that unlikely with Morton flashing his potential. Now, I believe he returns.

Things can change quickly in any quarterback room. Morton still seems the long-term future, but the present seems to belong to Shough, which includes next year. There is a reason he was named the starter by two different staffs and offensive coordinators.

Shough, like all Tech quarterbacks, is still a work in progress. He’s thrown three pick-sixes going back to last year. He’s still getting his feet under him. But there’s a lot to like too.

Maybe good things do come to those who wait – and rehab and wait and rehab. Through it all, it’s like David Byrne of the Talking Heads once sang: “Same as it ever was.”

Jon Mark Beilue is a 1981 graduate of Texas Tech. He has been writing about Red Raiders sports for five decades.