Brendan Sorsby's Texas Tech replacement: Is Will Hammond ready to take over CFP-hopeful Red Raiders?
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- Brendan Sorsby declared for the 2026 NFL supplemental draft on Monday, closing the door on a potential legal battle and clearing the path for Will Hammond to take over as Texas Tech's QB1.
- Will Hammond, a redshirt sophomore from Hutto, Texas and four-star recruit in the Class of 2024, completed 62.7% of his passes for 1,151 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions across two seasons before tearing his ACL against Oklahoma State in October.
- Hammond came off the bench against Utah to spark a 34-10 second-half rout after Behren Morton's injury, going 13-of-16 for 169 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman.
- Coach Joey McGuire said Hammond is on track to return by the Big 12 opener in Week 3 but could miss Texas Tech's first two games, calling him a starter who would have been a depth piece had he stayed healthy.
- As a senior at Hutto, Hammond led Texas with 3,901 passing yards and 1,077 rushing yards with 54 total touchdowns, and posted a legendary 719 passing yards, 88 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in an 82-80 loss to Liberty Hill that drew a tweet from Patrick Mahomes.
- Texas Tech returns running back Cameron Dickey (1,124 yards, 14 TDs), adds former USC back Quinten Joyner, and has reloaded its defense with pass rushers Trey White, Adam Trick and Mateen Ibirogba alongside defensive tackle A.J. Holmes.
Why it matters: Texas Tech is a Big 12 favorite eyeing a second consecutive title and a College Football Playoff run, but Hammond's recovery from a torn ACL — with two early-season games potentially in question — leaves the Red Raiders reliant on a quarterback who has never started a college game. If the offensive line (tackles Howard Sampson and Jacob Ponton, center Sheridan Wilson) holds up and Hammond returns on schedule, Texas Tech's title-window defense stays intact; if not, the offense leans heavily on Dickey and the new-look defense.
