Texas Tech Announces Quarterback Change for WVU Game

Speaking with the media Wednesday afternoon, Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells announced that the Red Raiders would be making a change at quarterback.

Matt Wells says, "We're going to make a change at quarterback. Henry Colombi is going to start against West Virginia. I think he's played well."

— Don Williams (@AJ_DonWilliams) October 14, 2020

Off this week, Wells announced that Henry Colombi will replace Alan Bowman in TTU’s (1-3, 0-3 Big 12) next game against West Virginia (2-1, 1-1) on Oct. 24.

Bowman, a redshirt-sophomore, has started all four of Texas Tech’s games this season, throwing for 881 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Bowman played well in the team’s first two games, throwing for 430 yards and two scores against Houston Baptist and 331 yards and five touchdowns against Texas, but has not finished either of TTU’s two most recent games.

“Alan has played okay, he has not played bad,” Wells said. “He is not the reason we’re 1-3…Playing the quarterback position, I understand that quarterbacks usually get too much credit and they get too much blame.”

Bowman suffered an ankle injury that limited him to just seven pass attempts against Kansas State on Oct. 3, but was pulled in the team’s most recent game against Iowa State on Oct. 10. Against the Cyclones, Bowman completed 13-22 passes for just 97 yards. Colombi played in relief of Bowman in both games, completing 40-54 pass attempts for 359 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the two games.

Colombi, a redshirt-junior, is in his first season in Lubbock after transferring from Utah State over the offseason. in two seasons backing up Jordan Love with the Aggies, Colombi played in 13 games, completing 53-69 passes for 460 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Bowman has had an up-and-down career with the Red Raiders over three seasons. He started eight games as a true freshman, passing for 2,638 yards and 17 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He bacame the starter in week two but fell to injuries late in the season.

He suffered a season-ending injury last season, limiting him to just three games and so he redshirted. In those games, Bowman Threw for 1,020 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.

Back up Jett Duffey played well in Bowman’s place last season, throwing for 2,840 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions last season. Although with Bowman returning as the presumed starter, Duffey entered into the transfer portal, where legal trouble kept him from finding a new team for this season.

“That number two quarterback has to be ready and at some point, Alan Bowman will get another chance,” Wells said. “I just don’t know when that is.”

WVU and Texas Tech will play at 5:30 p.m. EST in Lubbock on Oct. 24. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.