Hammond suffered the injury last season, but as talk of a potential return begins, he's got eyes on Week 1.
Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond is doing everything in his power to make sure he is ready for Week 1 as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury.
Having torn his ACL last season, we have heard reports and timelines for when Hammond could return, and given the uncertainty at the quarterback position, the Red Raiders would be sweating Hammond's fitness.
We have heard coach Joey McGuire state that Hammond could return ahead of the loose timeline of a Week 3 return, which got fans excited.
Not too many games missed for Will.
But now we have some new information that will ease a lot of fears in Lubbock, and it comes from Hammond himself.
In a sit-down interview with Cory Mose of KVUE News, Hammond made a rather bold statement about potentially returning for Week 1.
"I think at the end of the day, it's all up to the training staff to see how they're viewing me," Hammond said. "But my mentality is always going to be to play in every single game, regardless of the competition.
"My body's prepared for week 1 at this point, and we haven't even started camp yet. So now it's just honing in on little details and make sure I'm feeling really good going into that game."
That is a big update as Texas Tech's starter, you imagine, barring any setbacks, should be on the field to begin the new college season.
Of course, there will be checkpoints that Hammond has to work through over the coming weeks, but right now, all signs are pointing to Texas Tech's starter being on the field taking the first snaps of the new season.
Yes, the training staff will have the final say, and if there is any doubt over Hammond's fitness as the season gets closer, they won't push him. The last thing the team wants is for Hammond to be red-lining and then break down.
That's nightmare fuel.
After months of thinking that the Red Raiders might not have their starter to begin the new year, over the past week, we have gotten two huge updates that now put Hammond on the field in Week 1.
Yes, there's a lot of water to go under the bridge, but right now, confidence is high that Will can take the field early in 2026.
