Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton will practice without a boot starting Wednesday. It will be his first week of practice without the boot since suffering a lower-leg injury on Oct. 11.
The senior quarterback missed two games while rehabbing the injury but has started in Texas Tech’s previous four wins. Head coach Joey McGuire required Morton to practice with the boot, despite proving his health in the games for precautionary reasons.
“I’m feeling better. We’re just being cautious about it, which I understand,” Morton said. “There’s no reason to really rush back into it.”
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Morton has done mental reps and air routes during practice weeks while wearing the boot. He will continue with mental reps Tuesday before a day of full movement Wednesday.
“Wednesday we’ll take off the boot, put some cleats on and move around a little bit,” Morton said. “And then Friday, for our fast Friday practice stay in cleats.”
McGuire said Morton has been persistent in taking the boot off prior, but has been talked down to understand the necessity of it. Morton’s last reported MRI on Oct. 12 came back negative.
During their tenure together, McGuire said Morton has spent countless weeks during a regular season without a full week of practice. The fifth-year quarterback has undergone shoulder surgery, suffered multiple lower-leg injuries, dealt with a tricep strain and has been sidelined for concussion protocol over his two-and-a-half years starting.
“Behren Morton’s played hurt, literally hurt, for three years,” said Kenny Perry, Texas Tech special teams coordinator. “Nobody outside of our coaches and players realize what that kid’s gone through for three years pain wise.”
Morton will start Saturday in the Big 12 Championship against BYU. A win could warrant a bye from the first round of the College Football Playoff, which McGuire said he is hopeful will give Morton further time to practice without the boot.
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