Texas Tech running back Quinten Joyner is set to return from an ACL injury, giving the Red Raiders one of the most explosive backfields in the Big 12.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders could be getting a major offensive weapon back just in time for the 2026 season.
Head coach Joey McGuire confirmed that running back Quinten Joyner is expected to participate in summer camp beginning June 1, marking a key step in his return from the ACL injury that sidelined him throughout Tech’s historic 2025 campaign.
For a program that made a College Football Playoff run and finished among the nation’s most explosive offenses, the return of Joyner could make the Texas Tech backfield even more dangerous in 2026.
Joyner, a sophomore from Austin, Texas, transferred to Tech from USC before the 2025 season but never got the chance to show what he could do in Lubbock after suffering a torn ACL during a preseason scrimmage.
Now nearly a year removed from the injury, the coaching staff says he’s progressing well and already back to running and cutting.
His return adds another dynamic option to what may become one of the deepest running back rooms in the Big 12.
The headliner of the group remains Cameron Dickey, who exploded onto the national stage in 2025.
The Red Raiders’ lead back carried the ball 209 times for 1,124 yards and 14 touchdowns, earning First-Team All-Big 12 honors while serving as the centerpiece of the offense.
One of Dickey’s most memorable performances came against Kansas, when he torched the Jayhawks for 263 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a dominant 42–17 victory.
Tech also returns J’Koby Williams, giving McGuire a trio of backs capable of producing explosive plays.
Joyner himself proved he can be a versatile offensive weapon before transferring. While at USC in 2024, he rushed for 478 yards and three touchdowns while also contributing in the passing game with 12 receptions for 89 yards and a receiving score.
That dual-threat ability could make him a perfect complement to Dickey’s physical running style.
The backfield boost comes at a perfect time for a Red Raiders offense entering a new era under quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the transfer from Cincinnati.
Last season, Texas Tech averaged 278.5 passing yards per game, ranking 17th nationally, and the addition of another explosive running threat could make the offense even more difficult for defenses to stop.
If Joyner returns at full strength, Texas Tech’s offense may not just replicate last year’s success ... it could be even more dangerous.
The Red Raiders will kick off the 2026 season on September 5 when they host Abilene Christian in Lubbock, with one of the most intriguing backfields in college football ready to take the field.