Behren Morton Finally Shut Everyone Up and I’m Not Okay

I need to talk about Behren Morton for a second. Or maybe an hour. I don’t know, I’ve had three beers and I’m still riding the high from the championship game.

For two years — TWO YEARS — I’ve listened to everyone tell me Morton wasn’t the guy. Too inconsistent. Makes bad decisions. Can’t win big games. My own brother said it to my face at Thanksgiving last year. Said Tech would never win anything with Morton at quarterback.

Well Mike, how’s that take aging?

Here’s what people don’t understand about Behren. Yeah, he had some rough games early in his career. Yeah, he threw some picks that made me want to throw my TV out the window. But the dude never stopped working. Never made excuses. Never pointed fingers at the O-line when they were getting him killed.

And this year? This year he put it all together.

The BYU game was the best quarterback performance I’ve ever seen from a Tech QB. And I’m including Mahomes in that conversation. Don’t @ me. Mahomes was electric but he also threw picks at the worst possible times. Morton against BYU was surgical. 22 of 31. 287 yards. Two touchdowns. Zero turnovers. Zero.

The third down conversions are what got me. Nine of fourteen. Every time we needed a play, he made one. That scramble on third and twelve in the fourth quarter? I lost my mind. My neighbors probably think I’m insane. They’re not wrong.

But here’s the thing that really gets me about Morton. And I’m gonna get a little emotional here so bear with me.

This kid transferred to Tech when we were a mess. Absolute mess. We’d just gone through the whole Matt Wells disaster, Joey McGuire was brand new, nobody knew what the hell was happening. Morton could’ve gone anywhere. He chose Lubbock.

He chose US.

And people forget he beat out Tyler Shough for the starting job. Shough was the guy everyone thought would start. Morton said nah, that’s my spot, and he took it.

The leadership thing is real too. I talked to a buddy who knows some people in the program — and look, I’m not gonna pretend I have inside sources or whatever, I’m just a guy with a blog and too many opinions — but apparently Morton is the first guy in the building every morning. Film room at 6 AM. Works with the receivers after practice. Does all the little stuff that doesn’t show up on highlight reels.

That’s why the team rallied around him. That’s why when we were down 10-7 to Kansas State in the third quarter, nobody panicked. Because Morton doesn’t panic. He just… executes.

God, I sound like a coach. I hate when I sound like a coach.

Anyway. The point is this: Behren Morton is a Big 12 champion. He’s going to the playoff. And everyone who said he wasn’t good enough can kindly shut the hell up.

Including you, Mike.

Mike’s response: I said he was inconsistent, which he was. I also said he was improving, which you conveniently forget. But yes, fine, he played great in the championship. I’ll give you that one. Just one though.

Whatever. We’re going to Notre Dame. NOTRE DAME. I still can’t believe I’m typing that.

Wreck ‘Em.

— Jake