Heading into the 2024 season, the Texas Tech football team faces a significant question mark concerning the condition of quarterback Behren Morton’s throwing shoulder. However, there’s been a positive development for Texas Tech fans as Morton recently shared two videos on social media showcasing his ability to throw deep passes of 50 yards or more with apparent ease. In one video, he even flexes his right arm towards the camera, exclaiming “We’re back Red Raider nation”.
While these offseason workout displays don’t guarantee Morton a Heisman Trophy, they are noteworthy considering his recent injury history. Earlier in April, Texas Tech had to halt Morton’s participation in spring practices to allow his shoulder more time to recover from an AC joint sprain sustained during the 2023 season, which continued to trouble him throughout last fall.
Morton’s compromised shoulder clearly impacted his performance last season, as evidenced by his decreased average yards per pass attempt (6.0 compared to 6.6 in 2022) and reduced passing attempts per game (29.3 compared to 47 in 2022). Consequently, he failed to achieve any 300-yard passing games, with his highest passing yardage being 282 against TCU.
Moreover, Morton missed a game against BYU due to his shoulder injury, and the toll on his shoulder became increasingly evident with each game played. As a result, the Red Raiders heavily relied on running back Tahj Brooks to carry the ball, surpassing the ideal workload for a college-level ball carrier.
Initially, there were expectations that Morton would fully recover by spring practice. However, when he was sidelined, concerns arose among fans regarding the severity of his injury and the possibility of surgery.
I’ll see yall August 31st in the Jones… 🤫#ATFA pic.twitter.com/8NhwZf8jK8
— Behren MorŦon🌵 (@BehrenMorton) June 7, 2024
Now, with Morton demonstrating his throwing abilities in summer workouts similar to those showcased in the recent social media videos, there is optimism that he is nearing full recovery. This progress suggests that he could potentially be back at 100% by August, which is undoubtedly welcomed news for Red Raider fans.
