Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton will play again after sitting out the last two games because of a leg injury. The 23-year-old has been the team’s main quarterback for nearly three years, but he got hurt when he was sacked during the Kansas game in the second quarter.
Morton was able to walk off the field by himself when he got hurt, but he came back to the sideline wearing regular clothes after halftime. The backup quarterback Will Hammond played the rest of that game and the next two games. The Red Raiders lost a close game to Arizona State on the road but won big against Oklahoma State last weekend.
According to Bro Bible, Morton said he kept practicing even though he didn’t play in the games. “It was a lower body injury, so for the last two weeks I’ve been moving around at practice, still getting throws with CD, Reggie, TC. I feel like I’ve missed games, but I haven’t missed practice as much,” he told reporters. Head coach Joey McGuire basically said that Morton could have played last week and probably would have played against Arizona State if the game was more important or happened later in the season.
This is what the new playoff format looks like in action
The new 12-team College Football Playoff has completely changed how teams think about the regular season. Losing one or two games doesn’t end your season anymore. Texas Tech lost to Arizona State while using their backup quarterback, but they’re still ranked No. 13 in the country and have a good shot at making the Big 12 Championship and the playoff.
Morton said he felt a lot better after just the first week of rest. “That first week I was sore, but going back to last week of practice I was out there in shoulder pads, ripping it,” he explained. “I was 100% going then, and this week’s practice is going to be a good one.”
The Red Raiders chose to keep their starting quarterback on the bench against teams they thought they could beat without him. They lost one of those games to Arizona State but destroyed Oklahoma State even without Morton playing.
The coaching staff decided he was ready to play this week against Kansas State, which means they’ll have a completely healthy and rested quarterback for the final four games of the regular season. Teams are now making these kinds of decisions more often, similar to how other sports teams manage their star players throughout long seasons.
Morton said he was happy to get the extra time to recover. “I’m feeling good. It’s been nice to have a couple weeks to really get my body back right. Excited about Saturday,” he said.
This approach wouldn’t have worked in the old system when only four teams made the playoff. Back then, one loss could wreck your whole season and any hopes of playing for a championship. Now, teams can plan ahead and think about what’s best for the long run.
They can rest hurt players against easier opponents and save them for the bigger games later. Just like how top athletes deal with pressure and team situations, college football teams now have to figure out the right balance between keeping players healthy and winning games. The 12-team playoff gives schools like Texas Tech room to put player health first without giving up their chance to make the playoffs.
Published: Oct 30, 2025 08:30 pm