Potts leads others to replace Harrell next season
By Don Williams | AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts can’t beef about the fact he’s played little for three years. Potts, after all, says Graham Harrell, the guy in front of him all that time, should have won the Heisman Trophy this season.
Potts is poised for his time to come, though. As soon as Harrell walks off the field at the Cotton Bowl, the Red Raiders will begin again the process of anointing another quarterback. Five on the roster have eligibility left, but one stands out, according to the guy who’ll make the choice.
“I think if we were to play today, Potts is ahead of all of them, experience-wise and skill-wise,” Tech coach Mike Leach said Monday. “But in the past I’ve had guys go dormant and not make the most of their time and get passed up. I don’t have any idea what’s going to happen.”
Of the candidates, Potts and Steven Sheffield will be juniors next season, Stefan Loucks will be a sophomore, and Seth Doege from Frenship and Garrett Riley from Muleshoe will be redshirt freshmen. Sheffield and Riley are former walk-ons.
Potts is the only one to have played significant time.
Though Leach has seen quarterbacks go dormant before, he said one of Potts’ best assets so far has been doing just the opposite.
“He’s talented as far as size and strong arm, but probably the biggest (positive) would be he’s a real coachable guy. He doesn’t regress,” Leach said. “The hardest thing for a backup is to sit there and wait and wait and wait for reps to come. It’s easy to fall asleep at the wheel. He does a good job of not doing that. He’s ready to go all the time.”
At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Potts is taller and more strong-armed than quarterbacks Leach has used since he arrived at Tech. Leach has always valued accuracy and decision making more than arm strength, but he gives Potts high marks on the traits in which places the highest priority.
In 13 games over two seasons, Potts has completed 55 of 85 passes for 669 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions.
Even without the benefit of extensive game time, Potts said he’s grown this season.
“I think I’ve gotten better mentally,” he said. “I think I’ve kind of dissected the game a little more and got smarter. I think this offseason will be a good time to work on a lot of physical stuff – a lot of throwing technique, as well as mental stuff. It’s important to build on both, but I think I’ve grown mentally.”
Leach has never been one to automatically hand over a job. He will set up a competition in spring practice, though the day-to-day structure hasn’t been mapped out. For game-preparation this fall, Harrell received two-thirds of the snaps and Potts one-third, and Potts takes snaps every day with the first team.
The other quarterbacks didn’t share in that. They got to play in the team’s weekly Thursday night scrimmages. The usual breakdown was 10 snaps apiece for Sheffield, Loucks, Doege and Riley. Leach said Sheffield, Loucks and Doege are “neck and neck” behind Potts.
Leach won’t keep allocating equal snaps to all five returnees. He wouldn’t have minded narrowing the competition by now.
“But the thing is, in my mind, none of them have really separated themselves,” he said. “I don’t think there is a clear leader (after Potts), and about the time I’m ready to write one of them off he outperforms the other guy. I would say there’s some talent there, but right now there’s not consistency.”
Doege foresees a healthy battle, but agreed that it’s “Potts’ job to lose.”
“I think he’s kind of earned it,” Doege said. “He’s going to be the leader of the pack right when the spring starts. Therefore, I think we’ve all got to compete for it. I think it’s going to be very competitive, and I think it’s going to be an exciting spring.”
For the last two seasons, Potts has been one injury – or one lopsided scoreboard – away from being in the game. There have been enough of the latter to get him in for a bunch of drives. He passed for 409 yards and three touchdowns last year and 260 yards and two TDs this season.
Plus, he’s sat in on a bunch of quarterback meetings with Leach and Harrell.
“I think I have it figured out,” he said. “I kind of know what’s happening, so I need to just go out there and execute each play.”
This story first appeared on our Web site at 11:00 p.m. Monday.
More from this category
- Examiner.com: Coaching change hurting Tech in realignment talks
- USA Today: Craig James still expected to call Big 12 games
- DMN: Harrell still pursuing NFL career
- Texas Sports Day DFW: Tech’s Tuberville still has roots in defense
- Tech ex Cure climbing ladder among top steer wrestlers
- SI.com: Texas Tech ushers in a new era with coach Tommy Tuberville
- You don’t know Darko: Texas Tech forward Cohadarevic talks soccer, Serbia
- Tech loses 83-64 to K-State
More from this author
- Texas advances on ninth-inning homers
- Texas beats TCU to earn College World Series berth
- Horns top Eagles in epic game
- Game-winning grand slam puts Longhorns in super regionals
- Clutch shot lifts Aggies to golf title
Subscribe to this author
Way to go Potts, I got the luxury of seeing you in a game in HIgh School and have been excited to see you play since then, I am glad you chose to be a Red Raider and look forward to battle in the big 12 and most of all pay back OU when the come to Lubbock
Report this comment
To save “Melvin Block” the time, Potts sucks, and the Tech QB future is grim. Actually, Tech is in better shape than other years with the returning QB’s. If the guy from Friendswood signs, it’ll be even better. Potts has a cannon for an arm.
Report this comment
Blaine, you are a moron, Potts is great, and you probably are some fat bellied beer drinking arm chair quarterback that never played a game, but thinks he knows more than everybody, shut up and support our team, or go find another team to plague with your stupidity. all idiots aside, Potts had a storied high school career, and we all are looking forward to seeing him lead our team to another double digit win season. Wreck ‘em Tech!
Report this comment
Raiderfan you have blaine all wrong. His first line is a sarcastic shot at another idiot that is always putting up moronic remarks on this page. The lines after that first line are blaine’s actual thoughts about our team.
Report this comment
Raiderfan, bet you’re really good at reading the fine print in contracts too. Read the entire comment next time before you put yourself in Melvin’s category. Thanks j-steed. Potts will be even better his senior year.
Report this comment
Sorry mentioning my name got you called such ugly things Blaine.
The posters on this supposed “discussion” board are too immature & insecure to handle much of anything but high praise and cheer-leading.
They are too dumb-downed to understand anything but GUNS UP! It’s confusing when I say GUNS POINTED (at Ole Miss).
They are on the edge of anger with no tolerance – as you learned (mistakenly).
I think Potts will be very successful. Especially to his old team-mate Lyle Leong. I’m hoping he will be a bit more mobile and faster on foot than Harrell was.
Report this comment
I hope Potts keeps his commitment to improving on both physical and mental development. Potts may not be as accurrate as Harrell, but I think that, with a bit of physical development, Potts will have an easier path to the pros, especially if Potts plays a little less like Harrell and a bit more like Cody Hodges.
IMO, the receivers should run their routes a bit further out–Lewis, Britton, Hawk, and Walker all have the speed to stretch their routes a couple yards without creating any significant work for our OL. This will spread the field and give Potts the opportunity to make some plays with his feet when things don’t develop. It will also give Potts some more space so he doesn’t have to throw into as much traffic. I think this is also a way to throw off teams like OU who have our routes down so well, they look like they’re fresh off of our scouting drills.
The Offensive line is the biggest question mark for me. The line has depth, but loosing three starting offensive linemen, two of whom will get serious shots at starting on Sundays, is going to be tough. Which brings me back to the original point: Potts is going to have to pull a Cody Hodges and make some plays with his feet.
Report this comment
Blaine,
Here is something to think about – Taylor Potts will lead the nation next year in passing. How does that set with you? Merry Christmas
Report this comment
Dear Santa,
All I want for Christmas is a Mike Leach contract extension.
Joey
Report this comment
Actually Melvin, with friends like you, who needs enemies. You’re not too sharp on the fine print either. Guess some people here mistake sarcasm for compliments. Mobility has its limits. Donovan McNabb, not exactly Mr. Lead-shoes, once said that he could throw a football farther than he could run with it. With an arm like he has, Mr. Potts just needs time in the pocket.
Report this comment
Aren’t we really just losing two starters on the line? I thought the senior center was a backup. I would assume that the right side of the line (Carter, Winn) will move to the left. Thoughts?
I’ve seen Jacob Karam play twice. He’s more mobile than any quarterback on our roster now. Strong arm, good leadership. I would like to see him grow another two to three inches.
Report this comment
I can’t wait to see Potts on Saturday’s for our Red Raiders he’s got the size and speed to make this offense a serious threat again. With the Red Baron and Crawford in the backfield look out Big 12. They’re taking ou and tu down next year. Looking forward to seeing them down here in whorn country.
Does anyone else think its a little fishy how a Shipley got that 6th year of elegibility? Typical whiny t-sip.
Does anyone know where that kid from Lake Travis is committed ? He just passed Harrells all time passing record on Saturday and won a State Championship doing it.
Report this comment
Another day and no word from Coach….Christmas may come and we still don’t know. Dang it! My employer sure would want an answer, so he can make plans to move on. I read somewhere that Leach doesn’t like fun raising and other CEO “duties” of modern coaches so why should he get paid for it like he does? Come on Leach be thankful and sign. I would be glad to take the offer. You listening Meyers? Hance?
Report this comment
We all have the right to not subscribe to what someone else thinks.
In the spirit of holiday cheer, let’s thank this nation we live in, for the right to freedom of speech.
Because of his experience, I personally hope that Potts is the man, but I hope he has to work his tail off to beat out the others.
In the spring game, I thought Loucks was the brightest spot on the offense.
Should be interesting!
Report this comment
Potts will be great. He has all the physical tools, very strong arm. Best attribute is that he is a leader. people want to play for him and do their best fro him. He has “it”, and he has been that way since before he ever played a down of varsity football at AHS. We will be fine.
Report this comment
R Blaine, Melvin, and the Chipmunks- Merry Christmas to you, too! Wern’t we all fraternity bros. Blaine was cool and Melvin , red neck from hell, you were the guy I finally could get along with about mid nite. Oh, well, we were on the same side – yeah,yeah, yeah and I know you would’ve given your life for me in ‘Nam and all that crap.
Back in the days of the Lone Ranger, Rin Tin Tin, Jim (I won’t take crap from anybody) Carlen and Spike (nobody beats Texas better than me!!!) Dykes when Tech men were men and Tech girls were, well NATIONAL CHAMPS, (we luv ya Swoopy!) there appeared a new kid in town at qb named Billy Joe Tolliver. He came along when Tech was in the rebuilding mode. He had a rocket for an arm! You know who I’m talkin about! If he had been here now with this group surrounding him he’d have stats to the moon and back, dude!!
Potts is a great young man and has probably as good an arm and more press clips being an All-State 5A qb than Rocket Ron. I saw him and Leong in a game in Midland where they just took control. You’d a thought it was J Unitas and R Berry. Anyway, he will have incredible competition to get on the field, but if he rises to the top – well, we are gonna need a bigger house!!
Report this comment
I agree Flash! But don’t you remember back in Lone Ranger days qb Tom Wilson? Great arm, great touch with the ball, and a brain to boot. What a QB he was!! Course he did have an All -American tail back, Donny Anderson. Now if we’d had an Anderson and a coach that would have used him you would not only needed a bigger house, but a bigger city limit!!!
Report this comment
You morons!! BJ was the best in the west! If he’d had more than just one yr stats would be still being totalled!
Report this comment
I can’t believe everyone has forgotten the great Matt Tittle, class of 1998. Nuff said.
Report this comment
did everyone finish the Oklahoma STATE game back in November?
That team is good and we stomped em,
but remember, Harrell came out for the final drive, Potts went in and NOBODY could tell the difference….
thats a good sign
it’ll take time and serious preparation, but he can do it behind a good O line
Report this comment
Potts has great potential to be an outstanding Air Raid qb. That always means that he will not use his feet much other than to buy a little time to find an open reciever.
Report this comment
Why is everyone worried about Leach? He’ll be here, I’ll bet $12 million on it
Report this comment
Thank goodness Potts did not go to N Dame. All QB’s mentioned before have brought back memories. Don’t forget Rodney Allison in the late 70′s. When Harrell gets drafted and make’s it, Potts lighting it up next year, the future QB pipeline to Tech will be flowing the bluest bluechips. We have to win the Cotton Bowl to build on momentum next year. Did Britton Sr jump ship? I would like to see at least one posting from him before the end of the year.
Report this comment
Flash….dude……how long were you in college? Tolliver got he starting QB job in ’85 and played four seasons. Swoopes played 2 years at South Plains 89/90 and 90/91 then moved on to Tech and played there. Sounds like you had the same college career I did.
Report this comment
Don’t forget the name Stefan Loucks… He is the sleeper…
Report this comment
Got to see Potts in person once…first time I could actually hear a ball “whiz” through the air…and when it hit receivers, I felt sorry for them. They didn’t catch it with their hands…it impaled them in the chest! The “thump” was audible…oh, and he’s accurate too.
Report this comment
I am very excited about the prospect of Potts as our QB next year. He throws some very strong and accurate passes. Also been impressed with Loucks, Doege and Sheffield, but we haven’t gotten to see much of them yet. Good things are in store for the future!
Wreck ‘em Tech!
Report this comment
beer koozie- Was I in college? Oh, yeah, guess I was. I have annuals from 71 til 76, and good Lord my pictures are there for evidence. Who are all those guys in tuxes anyway??? You know what they say about the 60′s and 70′s – if you can remember them then you probably weren’t really there….. But I have been there thru it all with my Raiders and there was a bunch of good ones that just needed two or three others as good to be the champ.
P of the P- you mentioned Rodney Allison. We were seniors together in 76. I still remember my date getting so p-off at me for flipping double birds at the Uof H band – and that was for about two minutes straight before she caught me!! Their stinkin’ band actually came up the walkways of the west side and down the isles a little playing there fight song.
Our guys played em for the SWC championship that day. We were ranked 4th in nation and I think they were 7th. We dug a hole and were down 13-0 or something like that. The second half was all us ,but we ran out of time. Rodney only needed maybe another 60 seconds to win that game. But time ran out. Of course a couple yrs later it also came to public view that two-thirds or more of the Cougars were only taking 3 hrs so they could be all football. I think that was cheating, however, Bill Yeoman wanted to win so bad he broke alot of the rules. But Rodney Allison – MAN!!- if all our qb’s had his heart and guts wouldn’t much matter the level of their ability. He showed over and over how to be a winner.
Report this comment
So that’s it Raiders! Win one for the ROD!!!
Report this comment
Look at all the terrific free advertising Zach Thomas is giving Tech by starting for the Cowboys. Talk about a champ – win one for the Zach!
Report this comment
Joe Barnes is the most prolific qb in the pros Tech ever had. He led Tech to a couple of bowls around 73 and 74 before going on to being an all-pro in the Canadian football league where he played 11 or 12 yrs. His teams won the Grey Cup (that’s their Super Bowl) 4 or 5 times!! Not bad for a kid from Big Lake, Tx . And, he might not have developed into the qb he became had it not been for the 2nd string qb at Tech that pushed him hard for 3 solid years and never got a shot at starting. That is Jimmy Carmichael who at the time of being signed by Tech was the all-time passing leader in Texas high school football history. Both Carmichael and Barnes got their pictures on cover together of Texas Football that year. Gee- we all knew had Jimmy signed with UT or Arkansas or OU he probably would’ve led them to a national championship. I heard he went into banking but lost track of him long time ago.
Report this comment
DRAFT
Would Bradford make it in the NFL? After one good year as a QB (National Championship and Heisman) I still don’t think that he is NFL caliber. I am alone on this for the most part, but really this guy is surrounded by OU talent and coached by one the best. Alone on a team like the Seahawks, Lions, or other teams with early picks I don’t think he would be any good.
Colt McCoy is staying at Texas. I doubt he ever makes it at the NFL level.
Matt Stafford (from Georgia) Yes, to the Lions he will likely go.
Not on the QB list, Tebow and Harrell: Tebow would make a better RB or TE. Put him on the Bengals and have him minister those heathens back to normality. Harrell would be great at Seattle. Start him as a Seahawk QB and get that program back on track.
So the best QB in draft is Harrell… Why am I the only one seeing this?
I think Potts will work great as the QB. Like I posted above, the OSU game, he proved himself to me.
Report this comment
With Potts size and arm strength. I look forward to going down the field more. Pete…I am with you…there was no difference in the OSU game.
As far as Bradford goes, I think once he gets a decent line around him in the NFL he will be good. He will not be an immediate superstar. I think the advantage for Harrell is he knows how to get rid of the ball quickly and with the speed of the NFL that will benefit him. He should definitely go ahead of any others, but you know the politics down stop with the BCS.
Report this comment