Bowman Puts On A Show, Man

When McLane Carter crumpled to the turf awkwardly in the early moments of Texas Tech’s season-opening loss to Ole Miss, an understandable sense of dread crept across the minds of Red Raider fans. There were now tons of questions surrounding this offense. Out trotted the true freshman Alan Bowman, whose last competitive snap came for Grapevine High School nine months ago. But now, just two weeks after being forced into the starting spot, the only question appears to be: why didn’t Bowman start from the beginning? The freshman was other-worldly in the Red Raiders’ offensive explosion against Houston, piling up 605 yards and five touchdowns while exhibiting excellent poise and command of the attack. He saved perhaps his best throw for last — a 33-yard dime to Antoine Wesley that seemingly weaved its way around the heavy coverage and into the waiting arms of the receiver. It was the kind of throw you expect from a seasoned veteran, not a guy who attended his senior prom less than six months ago. There were plenty of stars in Tech’s 704-yard avalanche on Saturday afternoon — running back Ta’zhawn Henry dazzled in a four-touchdown performance, and Wesley was sensational in his own right — but the headline is that Texas Tech has its quarterback, and the Big 12 has been warned.

Houston’s Other Ten Guys

Of course, Texas Tech didn’t top 700 total yards against air, although sometimes it seemed like it. Houston’s defense couldn’t do much of anything against the Red Raiders, allowing 700+ yards for the first time since 2003 and giving up 60+ points for the first time since 2012. The secondary couldn’t keep up with Tech’s receivers, the running defense was a mess, and at times, it seemed like everyone was waiting around for All-American defensive tackle Ed Oliver to do something. Oliver — who battled through cramps and saw his snaps limited as a result — was held more or less in check by a solid Tech offensive line, and it became apparent that without him wreaking havoc, this is a pretty ordinary group. It’s a non-conference game, and all of Houston’s goals remain in front of them (and the offense sure looks like it’s hitting on all cylinders), but it’s up to the ten guys not named Ed Oliver to get the Coogs where the want to go.

Chunky

If you are an old-school, three yards and a cloud of dust fan, avert your eyes. This game was not for the faint of heart or the defensive-minded, as these two teams threw haymaker after haymaker offensively. Texas Tech and Houston combined for 50 — FIFTY — plays of 10 or more yards, including five plays of 50 yards or more. To put that in perspective: entering this week, Hawaii led the nation in plays of 10+ yards…with 58 such plays through three games. The good news for both teams is that both offenses are functioning at a high level; the bad news is, the defenses have to catch up.