Despite a bad start, why Patrick Mahomes stayed at Texas Tech

Patrick Mahomes didn’t win many games as a freshman at Texas Tech, but he did earn plenty of bruises and never bailed on the program.

“In this day and age, you don’t see that much,” said SMU safeties coach Trey Haverty in a recent phone interview.

Haverty was the one who began the recruiting process of Mahomes from Whitehouse to Lubbock when he was a part of then coach Kliff Kingsbury’s staff.

“A lot of times ... when things don’t go right, they hit the [NCAA] transfer portal and they’re gone. You never saw that from Patrick,” Haverty said.

In this day and age, no one would have been surprised had Patrick Mahomes left Texas Tech for another school. Just like Baker Mayfield in 2013. Just like Vincent Testaverde in 2015. Just like Davis Webb 2016.

All of Texas Tech, and specifically Kingsbury, can thank Mahomes’ family for that one. Because there was a time when Patrick Mahomes thought maybe Lubbock was not where he was supposed to play.

This week, the pride of Texas Tech prepares to play in another Super Bowl as Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs will play Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in Super Bowl LV.

Mahomes’ Bad Start at Texas Tech

He may be the NFL’s most celebrated young quarterback now, but back on Aug. 30, 2014, Mahomes rode the bench for his first college game. He didn’t even get any pass attempts as Webb, the starter, struggled to lead Tech past little Central Arkansas in a 42-35 win.

Tech beat UTEP, 30-26, the following week, and after yet another narrow win against yet another inferior opponent, Mahomes started to think maybe this was not going to work out. He was not expecting to start, but he thought he would have seen a snap or two.

A text thread between family and loved ones back in Whitehouse started to circle.

“We understand if you want to transfer,” one message said.

Patrick Mahomes Sr. put a stop to that.

“We don’t transfer. We compete,” he wrote.

Mahomes did not play until the fourth game of that season, and the only reason he entered was because Webb sustained an injury during a third-quarter run against Oklahoma State on Sept. 25.

Kingsbury was hesistant to start a true freshman quarterback.

Mahomes’ first three plays of his college career were all carries. His first pass attempt came after he was stripped of the ball, picked it up, and then he threw an interception.

His next two pass attempts resulted in pass interference calls. And then he threw a touchdown.

The great Patrick Mahomes’ first official line of his college career reads: 2 of 5 passing, 20 yards, 1 TD, 1 interception, 7 carries, 29 yards. Tech lost, 45-35, and the star of the game was his opponent and future Chiefs teammate, Oklahoma State running back Tyreek Hill.

Mahomes didn’t start the next week at Kansas State. He entered the game with 3:54 remaining, and Tech down 45-13.

After that loss, he rode the bench the entire game, a close loss to West Virginia. The week after, on Oct. 25, Mahomes was relegated to mop-up duty in bucket time in the 82-27 loss to No. 10 TCU in Fort Worth.

Davis was hurt, but it was not until late in the week Kingsbury committed to Mahomes as the starter for the game on Nov. 1 against Texas.

In the second quarter he sustained a hit that resulted in a concussion that knocked him out of the game. He was relieved by Vincent Testaverde, the son of the former longtime NFL quarterback, Vinny.

Patrick Mahomes’ first career college start resulted in him getting knocked out in a 34-13 loss to Texas.

Mahomes found the right place in Texas Tech

Tech had three games remaining in the 2014 season, and Mahomes would start all three. In those final three games he started to produce the statistics of which we are now accustomed.

Mahomes completed 80 of 141 passes for 1,319 yards with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Tech went 1-2 against Oklahoma, Iowa State and Baylor. Against No. 5 Baylor, Mahomes nearly beat the Bears by himself as he threw for 598 yards with six touchdowns.

Although it was an injury that created his chance to play, he had earned the right to start at Texas Tech. The following year, in 2015, Mahomes was QB1 while Webb was QB2.

In 2016, Webb transferred to California, where he replaced Jared Goff. Webb was a thir- round pick of the New York Giants in the 2017 NFL Draft, and is currently as backup with the Buffalo Bills.

Testaverde eventually transferred to Miami, then Albany, and most recently was in the CFL.

“Patrick was the type of kid who was not going to pout about [playing time],” Haverty said. “Maybe his mom and dad knew about it, but that’s it.”

Rather than take off, Mahomes stayed at Texas Tech and competed. By the time he left Texas Tech early, it wasn’t for another school but rather the NFL.