The three-man quarterback battle at Texas Tech between Tyler Shough, Donovan Smith, and Behren Morton was settled Sunday afternoon when head coach Joey McGuire named Shough the starting quarterback. The trio competed for the job throughout the spring and summer with McGuire and new offensive coordinator Zach Kittley overwatching the process for months. McGuire maintains that all three quarterbacks will play for the Red Raiders in the opener against Murray State at home on Sept. 3. Three of the Red Raiders' first four games of the season are at home. 

Shough transferred from Oregon before the start of the 2021 season. He was named the starter coming out of fall camp by the previous staff, and led the Red Raiders offense for the first four games of the season until a broken collarbone forced him out for the rest of the season. Smith stepped in late in the season to start at quarterback for the final four games of the year, including a thrilling home-win over Iowa State and in the bowl victory over Mike Leach's Mississippi State program. Morton is a redshirt freshman who was four-star recruit coming out of Eastland High School.