Texas Tech 35, Arkansas 24: What We Learned

[caption id="attachment_18801" align="alignright" width="300"]Photo by Ashley Wirz Photo by Ashley Wirz[/caption] The Red Raiders (3-0) came out firing, scoring their first touchdown in the first five minutes of the game. That eight play, 77 yard drive took just 2 minutes, 39 seconds to execute and set the tone for Texas Tech’s offense. All five Red Raider scoring drives took less than five minutes. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Mahomes II continues to hush any doubts about his ability to lead Texas Tech. He was confident, composed and showed off both his arm and legs. Mahomes finished with 243 yards and a touchdown in the air and added 58 yards on the ground with two rushing touchdowns. He did throw two interceptions against the Razorbacks, but showed his maturity by recovering from those turnovers and playing a very efficient game. Texas Tech’s offensive line played well and opened up a lot of opportunities for its running backs and quarterback. Seven different Red Raiders had a reception. The success of the offense kept the special teams off the field for most of the game. Texas Tech never punted and attempted just one field goal. Senior wide receiver Jakeem Grant averaged a solid 15.8 yards per kick return, but the Red Raiders need work covering returns – the Razorbacks averaged 19.3 yards per return. Texas Tech’s defense can drag on some plays, which isn’t surprising considering how long it’s usually on the field, but it will need to improve to stay competitive in the high octane Big 12 Conference. The defensive line needs to contain the run better, and the secondary needs to tighten up on coverage. The defense did make a few good plays, including an interception early in the game and a stripped ball to clinch the victory. But it allowed Arkansas to rush for 228 yards and gave up 196 in the air, and better offenses are coming in the next two weeks with TCU and Baylor on the slate. This was a big win for Texas Tech, helping silence some of the doubts that followed the team into the season after last year's 4-8 mark. If the Red Raiders can build on this momentum and find ways to improve on defense, they may end up surprising the conference.