No. 11 Texas Tech gets a breather from Big 12 play on Saturday, but there’s nothing soft about the assignment.
The Red Raiders return home in Lubbock to face Sam Houston with a chance to move to 4-0 for the second straight season, and coach Joey McGuire knows the value of what his team just went through in a 28-26 escape against then-No. 22 Houston.
“I like being in games like that,” McGuire said. “In those tight games, you get to find out what kind of coach you are.”
Texas Tech (3-0) had to survive to keep its perfect start alive, and it did so when Houston quarterback Conner Weigman was ruled short of the goal line on a two-point conversion try in the final minute. The Red Raiders also learned plenty about their own offense after falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter.
Will Hammond showed he can give defenses problems with both his arm and his legs. He threw for 257 yards and a touchdown and added 30 rushing yards on five carries. Texas Tech also leaned on a productive ground game, with Cameron Dickey rushing for 65 yards and a score and J'Koby Williams adding 62 yards and a touchdown of his own.
Thomas Castellanos took the first snap and will continue to be used in different packages, but McGuire made it clear Hammond is still the top quarterback. Offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich said the key is keeping Hammond attacking.
“We've got to just keep that aggressive mindset” for Hammond, Texas Tech offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich said. “Whatever it took to get him in that frame of mind for the game and the way that he competed was really impressive.”
Sam Houston comes in at 1-2 and understands the challenge ahead is a much bigger one than what it has faced lately. The Bearkats opened with one-score losses to Troy and Tulsa before blowing past Nicholls 59-0 last Saturday, piling up 619 yards in the rout.
Quarterback Landyn Locke has been the steady piece for Sam Houston. He has thrown for more than 300 yards in every game this season and has nine touchdown passes with only one interception. Against Nicholls, Locke threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers, including a 65-yard strike to Tim Burns Jr. less than five minutes into the game.
“I know coach Longo; he likes to air it out,” McGuire said. “It's going to be a real test for us.”
Texas Tech will also look to pressure Locke and force Sam Houston into uncomfortable spots. Linebackers Adam Trick and Trey White each recorded a sack against Houston, and that kind of disruption figures to matter again.
Saturday’s game is the first meeting between the intrastate rivals since Sam Houston became an FBS program. Texas Tech leads the series 2-0, including a 59-45 win in 2015 when Patrick Mahomes threw for 425 yards and four touchdowns.
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