Had we surveyed Texas Tech football fans a month ago, a fair number might have thought by now Micah Hudson would have nearly 20 catches for around 250 yards, checked off his first touchdown in a Red Raiders uniform and handled a couple of punts.

There is a Texas Tech wide receiver doing exactly that. It's just that it's Josh Kelly, the transfer from Washington State, and not Hudson, the Red Raiders' most ballyhooed signee in years.

Two games in, Hudson's been not just a non-factor, but almost invisible. The freshman from Temple Lake Belton got in for only a few plays each against Abilene Christian and Washington State. Not nearly enough to suit the populace.

Texas Tech football fans are still waiting for a Micah Hudson breakout

There's probably significant overlap between people demanding Hudson's involvement and people who looked forward all spring to the release of EA Sports College Football 25. In that world of alternate reality, a reputation via lofty recruiting ranking means a linear progression to instant success. Have highly graded skills on EA? Proceed to the end zone, no need to practice.

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(Pardon the confession here: My terminology could be off, as my interest in EA Sports College Football 25 is zero. Check that. Less than zero. The last video game controls these hands touched were on a Galaga.)

Anyhow, college coaches have to operate back here in the real world. In that one, Joey McGuire has Kelly first in the FBS in catches with 19, 10th in receiving yards at 251 and Florida transfer Caleb Douglas at eight catches for 113 yards, having made plays in each of the first two games. Coy Eakin finished 2023 in strong fashion, is particularly adept at the back-shoulder fade and has a connection with Behren Morton.

"Who do you take off the field?" McGuire asks.

I think at least one other factor has come into consideration, maybe a couple. The first is that Hudson wasn't cleared for full-volume workouts until the end of July, right before preseason practice started. Reasonable people can understand it would take him some time to get up to speed in the offense, let alone bump more experienced players.

I don't know what to think of what little we saw of Hudson in preseason practice. He made some nice catches, and I also saw him drop several, just concentration lapses. Those were in the 30-minute viewing windows in the first two weeks of practice, not in team settings, so it's risky to extrapolate but something to consider.

Regardless, freshmen aren't automatically placed at the front of the line after being "the highest-ranked recruit in school history," as Hudson is often referenced. (There's at least a half dozen who could argue for that title. Lloyd Hill and Jimmy Carmichael were ranked as high or higher, and Joe Barnes, Rodney Allison, Brad Hastings and Byron Hanspard, as recruits, were on the same tier.)

Which Texas Tech receiver gives way for Micah Hudson?

I suspect Hudson, with the time he needs, will catch up and become the performer he's cracked up to be. Fair, however, for people to hear McGuire call Hudson a "generational" talent, declare him better than four other wideouts he coached who made it to pro football and ask what gives.

"Without a doubt, we've got to get him more involved," McGuire said Monday, "but it's kind of like at what point? ... Do we take Josh Kelly off the field? Do we take Caleb Douglas off the field? Do we take Coy Eakin off the field, just to say, 'Hey, we've got Micah Hudson on the field?'

"I will tell you this: That guy is fired up. He will play more. I don't know what that looks like right now on Monday, but that guy's fired up. He's all in. He's got a great attitude. He's a great teammate, and he just wants to win."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football fans demand more Micah Hudson | Don Williams