College Sports: Jett Duffey is a new generation of quarterback for Texas Tech, but will he lead the Red Raiders in the future?

FORT WORTH – Jett Duffey, McLane Carter and Alan Bowman, arrived by land, as well as Johnny Manziel of Canada, were among the quarterbacks of the Kliff Kingsbury team at Amon Carter Stadium. Coach Cool did not get anything like Heisman, or even Raider, but it was still enough for a 17-14 win against TCU.

Warning: Of course, the Raiders have mostly clashed directly against Lamar, but at 77-0, everyone is just trying to finish and go home.

Duffey, who made his first start on Thursday, showed a radically different type of quarterback Raider: he ran (16 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown) as effectively as he pitched (13 out of 24 for 190). yards and a touchdown).

Frankly, this is not the kind of line of statistics that we are used to since the last century.

But that might have given Kingsbury a head start on his consecutive bowls for the first time in six years, let alone his paid job.

"I'm really proud of Jett," said Kingsbury. "It's a difficult situation. First departure. Dig deep, be mentally strong enough to handle that. Make enough games to win the game.

"I can not say enough about his mental strength."

The underperforming Raiders defense so far also helped. At the beginning of the season, David Gibbs' group has 10 starters and one of the most experienced of the Big 12. This is only a classification until Thursday, it is a ranking last at ranking among the 12 best.

However, in the last game of the Frogs, Tech lobbied Shawn Robinson of TCU for a crazy sprint through the midfield. The football escaped him and fell into the hands of Adrian Frye, technician.

Officially, this has been an interception. Also an end for TCU, now 3-3 and spiral.

Tech, 4-2, took advantage of three turnovers from TCU, a scourge for the Frogs this season, and has now won four of its last five games.

Not a moment too soon either, because after Kansas next week in Lubbock, the Raiders will travel to Ames for Iowa State; play Oklahoma and Texas at home; go on the Kansas State Road; and finish at JerryWorld against Baylor.

According to my calculations, this is a goal (Kansas), three difficult attempts (Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas) and two coin throws (Kansas State and Baylor).

Of course, if the Big 12 taught us something this year is that there is no absolute. Always the same thing, two more wins and Tech goes back to bowling.

Now the question is: who is the quarterback from now?

Before Duffey won Thursday's win, you would not have thought he could be in the running. His inability to get it right after McLane Carter got injured in the first game led to the first-ever, surprising appearance of Bowman, a Grapevine freshman who scored 1,284 yards and nine touchdowns in three starts before suffer a collapse of the lung against West Virginia.

Bowman's injury was so discouraging that he was not even allowed to travel to Fort Worth for the match.

A four-and-a-half-hour drive is a long drive to finally stand up and cheer.

The last time we saw Duffey, relieved Bowman against West Virginia, he launched two interceptions, including a choice of six in a 42-34 loss. He added another interception on Thursday. Even missed the first set of the second half after only generating a field goal in the first.

Kingsbury gave Carter exactly one set to see if he could do anything, then returned to Duffey.

The second year of Mansfield Lake Ridge is not what you call a disciplined smuggler. But it would have been hard to miss Ja'Deion High, who was running alone in the middle of the pack for a 62-yard touchdown in the third quarter. For the rest, Duffey used his feet.

His touchdown, a 38-yard thunder pass on a draw with 7:02 left in the game, gave Tech the lead.

In general, any technical team only goes to the extent of his quarterback. The last time Kingsbury considered viable options during the season, Oklahoma, Cal and Virginia Tech were not long ago with good quarters.

Of course, the difference between Baker Mayfield, Davis Webb and Michael Brewer, as opposed to the current generation of tech quarterbacks, remains to be determined.

After the game, Kingsbury said he would have a better idea on Sunday if Bowman will be available for Kansas. Bet when he's ready, he'll be the starter. If nothing else, Duffey showed Thursday that he could replace.

Even when you have proven that you only need a quarter, do not hurt to have a couple.

Twitter: @KSherringtonDMN