Heading into spring practice, there was little doubt that, barring injury, Davis Webb would exit the 15 sessions -- and enter the 2014 regular season -- as Texas Tech’s starting quarterback. The past few months, Webb was named the MVP of the Red Raiders’ bowl win while the two main competitors for the job, Baker Mayfield and Michael Brewer, both transferred out of the program.
Still, Webb had yet to be given the official nod. The day before Tech’s spring game, however, that little dance came to an end.
As expected, head coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed Friday that Webb is his starting quarterback for the 2014 season. In addition to his record-setting bowl performance and attrition at the position, Webb was in “competition” with a pair of walk-on quarterbacks this spring -- no other scholarship player at the position is currently on the roster.
Add it all up, and Webb is the unquestioned starter -- unlike last season’s merry-go-round at the position.
“It’ll never be harder for him mentally than it was last year with that kind of yo-yo of starting, not starting,” Kingsbury said. “That was as tough as it will ever be for him. It’s downhill from here for him as far as mentally.”
Entering summer camp last year, Brewer was the favorite to win the job. When a back issue flared up and sidelined Brewer, it was Mayfield, not Webb, who would replace the starter. Webb didn’t get his first start until the sixth game of the season, but by the end of the year, and after one benching in favor of Mayfield, it was patently obvious -- see the twin transfers -- that he was Kingsbury’s best option under center.
In 2014, unlike the previous year, the weight of Tech’s passing attack will be solely on Webb’s shoulder... and that’s exactly how the player prefers it.
“That’s where I want it to be because I feel like it’s either do or die with me, and that’s what I want,” Webb said. “I feel so much more confident this year than I did last year.”