When Will Hammond stepped onto the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium last September, few could have predicted the impact the Texas Tech backup quarterback would have. The then-redshirt freshman entered a top-20 showdown against Utah after starter Behren Morton was knocked out by a hard hit from linebacker Johnathan Hall. After a shaky start, Hammond found his rhythm, and the No. 17 Red Raiders rolled to a 34-10 victory over the No. 16 Utes.

Hammond completed 13 of 16 passes for 169 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns, adding 61 rushing yards on eight carries—earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week honors in the process. "I thought he did a great job," Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said after the win. "We've got some big playmakers. They were going to give us some 1-on-1 shots, and we were able to take them and win enough to really stretch the lead and win the game."

Now, with the 2026 season on the horizon, Hammond may once again be called upon to steady the ship for the Red Raiders—this time under much different circumstances. Texas Tech brought in Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby this offseason to replace the graduating Morton, a move that seemed to solidify the quarterback room. Sorsby was rated the No. 2 overall transfer in the portal by 247 Sports after throwing for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns with just five interceptions last season.

But the landscape shifted dramatically a week and a half ago when the school announced Sorsby was taking an "immediate indefinite leave of absence" to enter a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction. "We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help," McGuire said in a statement. "Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person."

The NCAA is now investigating Sorsby for reportedly making "thousands of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app," according to ESPN. With Sorsby's eligibility hanging in the balance, Hammond—who missed the end of last season with a torn ACL—could find himself in the spotlight once again, potentially shaping the Big 12 race if he's called to lead the Red Raiders through uncertainty.