As Texas Tech gears up for a high-stakes clash with Oregon in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl, the Red Raiders offense, led by coordinator Mack Leftwich, is staring down one of the toughest defensive units in the nation. This isn’t just a solid group-they’re elite. Dan Lanning’s Ducks have built a defense that’s not only physical and fast but also fundamentally sound and statistically dominant.
Oregon enters this matchup ranked No. 10 nationally in scoring defense, giving up just 16.3 points per game. That’s not just stingy-that’s playoff-caliber.
And when you zoom out to total defense, they’re even better, sitting at No. 7 in the country. This is a unit that swarms to the ball, tackles with purpose, and rarely gives up big plays.
For Texas Tech, that means every yard is going to be earned.
So how does Leftwich plan to counter that kind of firepower on the other side of the ball? It starts with understanding what not to do-like expecting quarterback Behren Morton to suddenly become a dual-threat weapon.
Morton has been working his way back to full health, but don’t expect Texas Tech to unleash him in the run game. That’s just not who he is as a quarterback, and Leftwich made that clear when asked if Morton would play a more active role in the rushing attack.
“I mean, that’s not really-he’s not really too much of a runner to begin with,” Leftwich said. “So that’s not something that we’ll major in.”
That’s a pretty honest assessment. Morton isn’t built like a run-first QB, and he’s not going to suddenly morph into a read-option threat overnight.
That’s more in the wheelhouse of someone like Will Hammond, who’s shown he can break down defenses with his legs. Morton, on the other hand, is more of a pocket operator-someone who can extend plays when needed but isn’t going to be designed into the ground game.
That said, Leftwich did indicate that Morton’s mobility has improved enough to give the offense a little more flexibility.
“I do think he’s to the point where he’s mobile enough now, like a third-down scramble, he could go run for a first down and those kinds of things,” Leftwich added. “So you feel a little bit better about him being able to avoid pressures and those kinds of things, but he’s not going to turn into Taysom Hill out there.”
In other words, Morton’s legs are a tool, not a weapon. He can move when the play breaks down, pick up a few yards if the lane opens up, and avoid pressure in the pocket. But don’t expect Texas Tech to suddenly roll out a quarterback-heavy run package.
And honestly, that’s probably the smart play. Morton’s been banged up, and the Ducks’ defense isn’t the kind of unit you want to test with a quarterback who’s not 100%.
Oregon brings pressure, they hit hard, and they close gaps in a hurry. Exposing Morton to unnecessary contact could do more harm than good.
“We’ll still kind of limit him in the run game still,” Leftwich said.
That strategy likely means a more traditional offensive approach from the Red Raiders-leaning on their backs, getting the ball out quickly, and trusting Morton to make the right reads from the pocket. Against a defense like Oregon’s, that kind of discipline is going to be essential.
The Orange Bowl is set to be a chess match between one of the most efficient defenses in college football and an offense that knows exactly where its strengths lie. For Texas Tech, it’s not about reinventing the wheel-it’s about maximizing what they do best and keeping their quarterback upright.