Well, it looks like Joey McGuire and the Texas Tech Red Raiders might be doing something a little different at quarterback when they head to Tempe to face the Arizona State Sun Devils today. With the way Behren Morton has been a bit dinged up lately (and also throughout the season), it sounds like Texas Tech will have Will Hammond start vs. the Sun Devils.
Hammond, a redshirt freshman quarterback from Austin, Texas, has a ton of potential and talent. He’s played really well in moments for the Red Raiders, including the way that he elevated Texas Tech’s offense as it was struggling on the road against Utah.
So far this season, Hammond has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 411 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. But to go along with that, Hammond has also run for 231 yards at 9.6 yards per carry. Oh, and he has four rushing touchdowns.
Will Hammond set to start for Texas Tech as the Red Raiders face off against Arizona State
No. 7 Texas Tech is currently expected to start backup Will Hammond at QB tomorrow vs. Arizona State, sources tell me and @chris_hummer for @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) October 17, 2025
Starting QB Behren Morton didn’t practice all week due to an injury. Hammond was a Class of 2024 four-star recruit. pic.twitter.com/j8t1eb2DER
It’s going to be interesting to see what this might mean for Texas Tech down the stretch of the season. Morton is undeniably a great fit within Red Raider offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich’s offense, but Hammond brings a really impressive rushing dynamic to the table (and he’s also been healthier than Morton has been so far this season).
If Hammond plays well today, and with the understanding that he’s the future for Texas Tech at quarterback, it will be fascinating to see how Leftwich and McGuire choose to go forward at quarterback. Will the Red Raiders continue to trust Hammond and turn the offense over to him?
Or, are Leftwich and McGuire going to turn back to Morton once he’s a little healthier?
It’s definitely going to be something to watch. Given the way that Leftwich is able to craft and mold the offense to whichever quarterback is able to start for him (and also the fact that both Hammond and Morton have been really impressive at times this season), I don’t think there’s a “bad” option for Texas Tech at this point. And that’s exciting to see.