Orange Bowl Prep: Behren Morton Nearing Full Strength, But Not Quite There Yet
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Behren Morton isn’t quite at full throttle, but he’s getting close - and just in time for the biggest game of the season.
Texas Tech’s starting quarterback has been working his way back from a hairline fracture in his right fibula, an injury originally suffered in the season opener and aggravated again in mid-October against Kansas. That setback forced him to miss two games, and even after returning, he wasn’t operating at 100%. But after a few weeks of rest and recovery following the Red Raiders’ Big 12 Championship win over BYU, Morton says he’s trending in the right direction.
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s Orange Bowl showdown - a College Football Playoff quarterfinal - Morton sounded optimistic, even if he admitted he’s still not all the way back.
“It’s been great getting these 20-something days that we got,” Morton said after arriving in South Florida. “But I’m feeling closer to 80-85%.
It’s been good. We’ve got guys healthy this week.
It’s been a good week of prep.”
That’s a significant improvement from the “about 70%” he reported following the conference title game. And while he’s not quite at peak condition, Morton added, “It’s as close as I want to be for sure. Not 100%, but it’s a closer percent to 100% though.”
Morton has been one of the steadiest hands in the Big 12 this season. He’s completed 67% of his passes for 2,643 yards, with 22 touchdowns to just four interceptions - a strong ratio that’s kept Texas Tech’s offense humming even through the bumps and bruises.
What he hasn’t done much of - and likely still won’t - is run. Morton’s 37 carries for minus-81 yards tell the story: mobility has never been a central part of his game. That’s not changing now, even as his leg heals.
“He’s not really too much of a runner to begin with,” said offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich. “That’s not something that we’ll major in. I do think he’s to the point where he’s mobile enough now where third down scramble he can go run for a first down.”
Leftwich emphasized that while Morton isn’t suddenly going to morph into a dual-threat quarterback, there’s more confidence now in his ability to move around enough to escape pressure and keep plays alive.
“You feel a little bit better about that - about him being able to avoid pressures,” Leftwich said. “He’s not going to turn into Taysom Hill out there overnight. We’ll still kind of limit him in the run game.”
That’s a fair approach. With Morton’s arm talent and command of the offense, Texas Tech doesn’t need him to be a threat on the ground - just mobile enough to keep defenses honest and extend the occasional play.
And with both teams entering the Orange Bowl at 12-1, every edge matters. Texas Tech, ranked No. 4, will face off against No.
5 Oregon in what promises to be a high-stakes, high-octane battle. The Red Raiders are hoping that Morton’s near-full strength - along with a healthy supporting cast - will be enough to punch their ticket to the next round of the playoff.
Orange Bowl: College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
Matchup: No.
4 Texas Tech (12-1) vs. No.
5 Oregon (12-1)
When: Thursday, January 1
Time: 9 a.m. PT
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
TV: ESPN
Streaming: Available on DIRECTV (free trial) and Sling (day pass for $4.99). Local streaming options may vary depending on your region.