Will Hammond is expected to be cleared and ready for Texas Tech’s season opener.

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Texas Tech was a shock in the college football world last season, earning a first-round bye to the College Football Playoff as the No. 4 overall seed. Despite losing 23-0 to Oregon in the quarterfinals, clear progress and steps toward being a powerhouse program had been made, finishing the season with a 8.22 BiteScore that ranked 10th in the nation.

More progress was seemingly made after they added quarterback Brendan Sorsby from Cincinnati. That progress was obliterated when Sorsby and Texas Tech found themselves in the middle of a sports gambling investigation centered around Sorsby at his previous stops, giving the Red Raiders program and administration tons of negative attention. 

With no other choice but to move on from Sorsby, the Red Raiders still have a very talented roster with returning players and big-time transfer portal names. Running back Cameron Dickey boasts the ninth-best returning BiteScore of all running backs in the country at 7.73, with rising sophomore J’Koby Williams and former USC transfer Quinten Joyner behind him. 

The receiver room is looking stacked too after adding Malcolm Simmons from Auburn and Kenny Johnson from Pittsburgh. Mix in former five-star recruit Micah Hudson and Coy Eakin, along with tight end Terrance Carter Jr., who’s one of the best in the country, and that’s a lethal offense. 

There’s no reason to have any doubt about the skill position players that Joey McGuire has stacked up, but the quarterback position is obviously still a question mark. McGuire said that sophomore Will Hammond is primed to be the starter, assuming he’s healthy for Week 1. He’s obviously not Sorsby, but Hammond has tools (and plenty of weapons that could still lead the Red Raiders far.) 

“I think he could be, I really do,” McGuire said at Big 12 Media Days on July 7. “What I love about Will Hammond is, if this situation wouldn’t have happened, he would’ve told you he’s the starting quarterback at Texas Tech if he was sitting in this room, no matter who was in that quarterback room.”

With that being said, Texas Tech should and likely will be the top contender out of the Big 12. Losing Sorsby levels the playing field in the conference, but the numerous weapons, solid offensive line and savvy quarterback McGuire has on his roster should still prove to be one of the best teams in the country.

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