The Morning Stake: August 9th

Photo via Kimberly Vardeman @ Flickr

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Football

ProFootballFocus’ Steve Palazzolo is taking a look at players that need to “play up to the hype” with better play on the field, with one of those players being Patrick Mahomes, noting that his receivers accounted for 62% of his passing yards after catch, stating that allowing the receivers to do the work should not equal the preseason hype.

Mahomes is a good quarterback, and perhaps his first year away from baseball will further his development as a quarterback, but he still has a ways to go as he had the 68th-lowest percentage of negatively-graded throws in the nation last season. There’s little doubt that Mahomes will once again put up monster numbers in Texas Tech’s system, but improving his efficiency on a throw-for-throw basis and improving his decision-making will make them that much better.

PFF has had a few articles stating that Mahomes isn’t quite up to his billing and I really don’t understand how he should be not quite as well thought of because he’s drilling receivers that are wide-ass open, but whatever. Mahomes will tell you, as probably the coaches as well, that he needs to pass with a higher completion percentage, but knocking him because the receivers are running crazy all over the field seems misguided.

FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman ranks the top 10 quarterback units in the nation and has Texas Tech 10th overall:

As good as the other three are, Kingsbury raves about Mahomes’ potential. He has a cannon and an uncanny ability to throw accurately from different arm slots going against his body and do so with plenty of velocity. If Mahomes can overcome the temptation to just taking over running so much, he could rip up the hefty Red Raiders record book. Iowa transfer Nic Shimonek came into camp as the likely No. 2, but keep an eye on Jett Duffey, a former big recruit with a load of play-making ability that Tech probably would prefer to redshirt.

Miscellaneous . . . DMN’s Brandon Soliz, who is the new blogger for the Dallas Morning News and is also still writing for the Daily Toreador, has 10 key players for Texas Tech and you’ll never guess who #1 is (you actually will guess this very easily) . . . Chron’s Benjamin Wermund and Joseph Duarte have the story on how Houston is literally banking on the Big 12 asking them to be part of the conference by spending more than they have with the hope that they’ll be added . . . speaking of expansion, a site called TMG Sports writes about expansion seems to know that UT may be a bit divided, the athletic department not wanting a thing to do with Houston, but the actual university may have to make a deal to get some things done. Also discussed is adding BYU as a football member only and that as of right now, there are more in favor of just adding two teams . . . Wichita Eagle’s Kellis Robinett talked to former Houston coach Dana Dimel and he said that Houston would be bad for the Big 12 because of recruiting and Dimel said he can’t believe that any of the Texas programs really would want Houston in the Big 12 . . . Newsday has the latest on former Red Raider footballer Jace Amaro, who has gone from fun-loving to dedicated after missing most of last year . . . The Phinsider’s Kevin NOgle has Jakeem Grant as one of the winners from Dolphin’s camp past week . . .

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