Joey McGuire faced Sorsby fallout, Will Hammond questions and sky-high Big 12 expectations as Texas Tech opened its title defense talk in Frisco now.
FRISCO - Texas Tech football didn’t walk into Big 12 Media Days as some cute little underdog story anymore.
The Red Raiders arrived in Frisco as defending Big 12 champions, playoff-tested, drama-scarred and suddenly carrying the kind of expectations this program has spent decades chasing.
That’s the new reality for Joey McGuire.
After leading Texas Tech to its first Big 12 title, McGuire stepped to the microphone with confidence, energy and a message that sounded bigger than coach-speak.
The Red Raiders have been through a brutal offseason, headlined by the Brendan Sorsby gambling-related saga that eventually ended with the quarterback’s dismissal.
Yet McGuire made it clear he believes the locker room didn’t crack.
Texas Tech is less than two months away from trying to defend a conference crown while also proving last year’s ugly College Football Playoff exit wasn’t the real final word on this team.
The quarterback conversation now swings back toward Will Hammond, whose injury last season helped push Texas Tech into the transfer market in the first place.
McGuire sounded encouraged about Hammond’s recovery and said there’s a chance he could be ready for the opener. That’s huge. If Hammond is healthy, the Red Raiders don’t need a reset button. They need rhythm.
But this roster isn’t built around one player. McGuire also pointed to names outside the obvious spotlight, including outside linebackers Trey White and Adam Trick.
White arrives after earning first-team All-Mountain West honors at San Diego State, while Trick brings real pass-rush credibility after posting 13 sacks at Miami (Ohio) in 2025. Safety Breden Jordan also returns after starting all 14 games last season.
It's that depth that keeps the Red Raiders dangerous.
Still, the headline from McGuire’s Frisco appearance was simple: Texas Tech expects to win the Big 12 again. No hiding. No soft landing. No “we’ll see how it goes” routine.
He also didn’t duck the bigger state-of-Texas conversation. McGuire wants Texas Tech playing Texas, Texas A&M and SMU. And honestly, he’s right. Those games should matter. Those rivalries should breathe.
Texas Tech has the trophy. Now comes the hard part.
Defending it. Proving it. And making sure the Red Raiders aren’t remembered as a one-year explosion.
