When attending one of Kliff Kingsbury’s press conferences, sometimes you have to double take and make sure it’s not New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick up there at the podium.
Texas Tech’s fourth year head coach kept things regarding his junior quarterback under wraps, saying that there was no update on Patrick Mahomes.
When pressed a second and third time, Kingsbury said that Mahomes is being treated as “day-to-day,” and diagnosed his injury as that of a “shoulder-area injury,” with still no timetable for his return.
As expected Kingsbury played things close to the vest.
Now a lot is made of Kingsbury’s injury policy. Most of the time resulting in a five second sound bit saying something along the lines of: ‘You’ll see when he trots out there,” or “He’s day-to-day.”
However, headed into really his first Big 12 test of the year, I don’t blame him.
Over the Red Raiders last two trips to Manhattan, KS, Tech’s offense has scored a measly average of 18.5 points per game.
So, making a Wildcats’ defense that is ranked fourth nationally, prepare for two quarterback, is not the worst idea.
And If it is indeed, Tech’s junior quarterback Nic Shimonek, who gets the nod this Saturday he will need all the help he can get, given it would be his first start since his days at Mildred High School in Corsicana, TX. At Monday’s press conference, Kingsbury said it’s the players around Shimonek that will have to help him most.
“I think you saw that last Saturday, or Thursday,” Kingsbury said. “I thought the defense stepped up and I though our playmakers around him really stepped up when he went in there, which is good to see.”
“We don’t feel like there is any more pressure,” Texas Tech sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Giles said. “We know that Nic is going to give everything he’s got on the field. So for us, it’s do the same for him. Just give everything we’ve got for him.”
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