Texas Tech Position Breakdown: Quarterback

The Bleacher Report’s John P. Conway had a lot of good things to say about Graham Harrell.

"Harrell was the most highly touted quarterback out of high school since Mike Leach has been the head pirate on the South Plains, and after this season, he will arguably go down as the greatest quarterback in Texas Tech football history."

We have had some great quarterbacks in Leach’s tenure, or at least quarterbacks that put up huge numbers. Most people outside of the Red Raider Nation would argue that they were just system quarterbacks, and judged by their success at the next level this maybe true. I don’t think that you can argue that they were great college quarterbacks though. Personally, I think that Harrell may be the first under Leach’s tenure that could really contribute at the next level.

"One aspect of his game he will need to improve on is after a loss being able to bounce back the next week. In 2006 Texas Tech lost to Missouri at home and a very bad Colorado team on the road. In 2007 the Red Raiders lost at Missouri, an understandable defeat, but then loss to Colorado at home in a game which Graham Harrell had several interceptions."

I agree that Tech needs to bounce back after emotional games to get prepared for the following week but I don’t think this is only the quarterback’s responsibility. I think this falls as much on the coaching staff and the entire team. Tech always seems to play with confidence until they have a loss and then become spotty for the remainder of the season. Yes, Harrell played bad against Colorado but the entire team was flat and this is something that Tech teams in the past have been guilty of after emotional losses. I don’t think you can question Harrell’s leadership; remember the last two bowl games. Hopefully, the two by-weeks we have this season will give the team time to get their head right and keep their momentum through the season.