LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -Pity poor Mike Leach.
The Texas Tech coach has two prolific quarterbacks and must decide which will lead his pass-happy offense at No. 15 Nebraska on Saturday.
Leach can go with Taylor Potts, who got the starting nod this season and led the nation in passing the first four weeks. Or he can pick backup Steven Sheffield, who came off the bench two weeks ago and threw three touchdowns after Potts got a concussion. The former walk-on, whose nickname is “Sticks,” threw seven more TDs in a 66-14 rout of Kansas State last week.
Potts is apparently back from the concussion, though Leach doesn’t talk about injuries.
A dilemma most coaches would love to talk about? Not Leach, who skirted the issue by saying he won’t make his decision until Saturday.
“We’re going to look at practice and see how people do in practice and see how they play in practice and perform in practice,” he said.
ugh.
“There’s no question I thought he would play well,” the coach said. “Kind of the spark he brings and how the team feeds off him, the extent of that was kind of impressive.”
Potts, who also has a seven-touchdown game this season (55-10 over Rice), was on the sidelines in street clothes last week. He was still recovering from two hard sacks in the Red Raiders’ win over New Mexico.
In five games this season, Potts is 159-of-235 passing (67.7 percent) for 1,817 yards, 13 TDs and six interceptions. Sheffield in three games is 53 of 70 (75.7 percent) for 780 yards, 11 TDs and two interceptions.
Playing both isn’t an option, Leach said.
“I think there are some problems with that and I think that’s why most teams that do it do it ineffectively,” he said. “I think you have to have two really talented guys that are pretty evenly matched in order to do that, but typically I think it hurts you.”
While acknowledging Sheffield’s “impressive” influence on teammates, Leach has never voiced concerns about Potts’ leadership, going so far earlier this season as to compare his swagger to John Wayne.
The two players Leach made available to reporters this week, linebacker Bront Bird and offensive lineman Marlon Winn, hesitated briefly before saying they think Sheffield should start.
ad play, he’ll come back and make the next play. He’s just a great guy.”
Tried and true is how Bird saw it.
“Right now, I think you have to go with the hot hand,” he said. “I don’t think Sheffield’s done anything to lose the job he’s been given right now.”
Nebraska coach Bo Pellini said there’s more to the Red Raiders than their quarterback.
“They’re both good players,” he said of Sheffield and Potts. “They’ve both shown they can make good plays. We’re going to defend their offense. They’re just one cog in the offense. They’ve shown they can be productive no matter who’s back there.”
Potts played backup for two years to two-time 5,000-yard passer Graham Harrell, who last year led the Red Raiders to one of their best seasons. Sheffield, a junior, was the Tech’s scout team quarterback last year.
Matt Monzingo, Sheffield’s coach at Connally High School in Pflugerville, Texas, said his former charge played with enthusiasm and it was infectious with teammates.
And, he said, Sheffield’s seven touchdowns last week wasn’t a first. Sheffield threw seven in one half during a high school game in 2005.
“For a guy to have that kind of ability and that kind of leadership on the field is just a coach’s dream,” Monzingo said. “He enjoys football to the fullest.”
Sheffield has been eager for a chance to play going back to spring workouts, Monzingo said.
“He said he’d hoped he’d get a chance to prove he could do the job,” he said. “He said, ‘When it comes my time, I’ll be prepared.”’
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