Behren Morton Injury Updates on Leg Ahead of Texas Tech vs. Oregon in CFP Bracket

Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton told reporters Monday he's about 85 percent healthy ahead of Thursday's College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Oregon.

Morton, who suffered a hairline fracture in his right fibula on Oct. 11, is no longer in a walking boot as he prepares for the Orange Bowl, per ESPN's Eli Lederman.

"It's been great, getting the 20-something days that we got," Morton said Monday. "But I'm feeling closer to 80, 85 percent. But it's been good. We've got guys healthy this week. So, it's been a good week of prep."

When asked if he was as close "as possible" to his mobility goals, Morton answered: "As close as I want to be, for sure. Not 100 percent. But it's a close percent to 100, for sure."

Morton also said he's been "basically a hundred percent in practice as far as team reps," per Lederman.

"This whole bowl prep has been really good for me... I haven't been able to do team reps really all season long," Morton said.

Texas Tech is set to kick off against Oregon on noon Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Morton's estimate of his health has improved since he last played for the Red Raiders back on Dec. 6.

Morton said after Texas Tech's Big 12 Championship game win over BYU that day he felt "about 70 percent" healthy, per ESPN's Max Olson.

Thanks to the Red Raiders clinching a first-round bye, he has now gotten more than three weeks off before his team's first playoff game.

Offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich told reporters Saturday that Morton had been practicing in a walking boot since Texas Tech and BYU played back on Nov. 8.

"He wasn't doing the Tuesday and Wednesday practices, but he was doing our walkthrough periods in the boot, and he was throwing it," Leftwich said. "I mean, we'd go through 40 plays, and he wouldn't have a ball on the ground in the boot."

Leftwich concluded, "I think now that he's back feeling good again, and feeling really healthy, I think he's as confident as he's ever been."

Despite spending most of the regular season limited with his leg injury, Morton has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,643 yards and 22 touchdowns with four interceptions to help the Red Raiders win their first Big 12 conference title.

Texas Tech meanwhile finished the season ranked ninth in the FBS with 289.4 passing yards per game.

The Red Raiders will hope the practice Morton was able to get with his boot on, in addition to his improved health, will help Texas Tech defeat a Oregon passing defense that ranks top six in the country when the Orange Bowl kicks off on New Year's Day.