Jun 23, 2026 5:00 PM
Brendan Sorsby is gone before ever playing for Texas Tech, but the Red Raiders still have the roster, schedule and QB answers to rule the Big 12.
Brendan Sorsby’s Texas Tech career ended before it ever really started, but don’t bury the Red Raiders just yet.
The former Cincinnati quarterback and high-profile transfer is headed to the NFL supplemental draft after an offseason clouded by his admitted gambling addiction, leaving Lubbock without the player many expected to headline its 2026 title defense.
That’s messy. It’s dramatic. It’s also not fatal.
Texas Tech football still looks like the Big 12 favorite because Joey McGuire’s roster wasn’t built around one quarterback. It was built with depth, defense, speed and one of the most forgiving schedules in the league.
The Red Raiders get seven home games, avoid BYU and Utah in the regular season, and host several of their toughest Big 12 challengers, including Houston, Arizona State, Arizona and TCU. That’s a gift for a team replacing a quarterback before fall camp even gets rolling.
Brandon Judd of Deseret News postulated that Tech can survive the loss of Sorsby. The savior? Will Hammond.
Before tearing his ACL last October, Hammond flashed like a legitimate long-term answer.
In eight games last season, he completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 680 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran for 299 yards and five scores while averaging 7.0 yards per carry.
His breakout moment came at Utah, when he stepped in for Behren Morton and changed the game.
Hammond completed 13 of 16 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns, added 61 rushing yards, and helped turn a tight 10-3 halftime battle into a 34-10 Texas Tech statement win.
Now the only real question is health.
McGuire has indicated Hammond is trending well, and The Athletic reported he’s been cleared for 7-on-7 work. One team source also said Hammond hit 20.5 miles per hour in a straight-line sprint in May.
“I’m pretty hopeful that he’ll be back for Week 1,” the source told The Athletic.
If Hammond isn’t ready immediately, Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis gives Texas Tech a bridge option against an early schedule that starts with Abilene Christian, Oregon State and Sam Houston around a critical home Big 12 opener against Houston.
And the roster around the quarterback is loaded.
Cameron Dickey is back after a 1,000-yard rushing season. J’koby Williams brings more than 1,200 all-purpose yards.
Quinten Joyner returns from injury. Terrance Carter Jr. is an All-Big 12 tight end candidate. Coy Eakin and Micah Hudson give the offense receiving juice, while Howard Sampson, Sheridan Wilson and Jacob Ponton anchor an experienced offensive line.
Defensively, losing six NFL Draft picks hurts, but Brice Pollock, AJ Holmes Jr. and Ben Roberts keep the unit dangerous.
Add transfer defenders Mateen Ibirogba, Adam Trick, Austin Romaine and Davin Martin, and Texas Tech still has teeth.
Sorsby’s exit is a headline. It’s not a collapse. The Red Raiders are still built to win the Big 12.
Join Our Roundtable Community For Free!
Share your takes, connect with our Roundtable writers, and talk sports with fellow fans. Download the free Roundtable App today and stay closer to the conversation.
Comments
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy