dallasnews
The reigning Big 12 champions from Texas Tech are set to kick off preseason practice at 9:05 a.m. Wednesday, but on Tuesday, the team was already looking forward, not back, regarding the Brendan Sorsby situation. Players and coaches alike have declared that chapter closed, focusing instead on the confidence they have in sophomore quarterback Will Hammond, who was elevated to the top spot on the depth chart when Sorsby and the program parted ways on June 15.
The only lingering concern, though a major one, was whether Hammond would be medically cleared after suffering a torn right ACL in October. Judging by his demeanor on Tuesday, there was little doubt he would be ready for the September 5 opener against Abilene Christian. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Hammond spoke with a commanding presence, reflecting the belief he has maintained even when the college football world assumed Sorsby would be the starter.
“The mentality has been the same the whole time: Never, never take a backseat,” Hammond said. “Always, always want to be that guy. I'm just glad to be in this position and have the team around me that I have, because that allows you to have the belief that you're going to do something special.”
Sorsby, a Lake Dallas product who threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns at Cincinnati last season, transferred to Tech in January for a reported $6 million in NIL money. However, after the NCAA began investigating an ESPN report that he had placed thousands of online bets, Sorsby took a leave of absence in late April to enter a gambling addiction program. By June 15, a series of lawsuits left him without college football options, opening the door for Hammond.
Hammond, part of coach Joey McGuire's highly touted 2022 recruiting class, stepped in last season when Behren Morton was injured. As a redshirt freshman, he threw for 680 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 299 yards and five scores before his season-ending injury against Oklahoma State on October 25. Offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich noted on Tuesday that had Hammond not been hurt so severely, the program might not have pursued a high-profile transfer like Sorsby.
Initially, Hammond was expected to return for Tech's Big 12 opener against Houston on September 18, but his relentless rehab and attention to detail accelerated his recovery. He confirmed that he has been cleared for 11-on-11 work when practice begins Wednesday, though Tech, like most programs, does not allow quarterbacks to be tackled during preseason drills.
Key Analysis
McGuire has repeatedly emphasized that Hammond's uniqueness is his greatest asset. “He is extremely unique. That's why people are so drawn to him,” McGuire said. “He is a different cat with his personality and his thought process. That's what's going to make him successful. He has all the athletic traits, but what's going to make him successful is him just being him and not trying to be somebody else.”
Over the summer, Hammond worked with renowned passing coach Jeff Christensen in the Grapevine-Colleyville area, the same mentor who has trained Patrick Mahomes, another Texas Tech quarterback recovering from ACL surgery. Hammond has also stayed connected with Mahomes, who offered advice and encouragement. “I was a month ahead of him in terms of surgery and whatnot, but just to hear the exercises and modalities they were using out there, just his mindset going through it [was helpful],” Hammond said. “And more recently, just 'Hey, man, go crush it in camp.'”
Despite the external noise surrounding Sorsby's departure, Hammond insists he never felt slighted by Tech's pursuit of the transfer. “Sorsby distraction? What distraction? I was really proud of the team and the way they handled it all,” Hammond said. “There's been so much external noise this off season. There's been a lot of headlines. And I think the team's done such a good job of keeping the main thing the main thing throughout May, June, July. When all that was going on, it was a hard time. You never know with something like that. It's a lot of pressure that's put on the guys, but they handled it really well, and they kept the workouts and the football the main focus. And those guys were always rallying behind me the whole time. I super-appreciated all those guys, and I'm just excited to get back on the field with them.”
Teammates have rallied around Hammond because he has proven himself as a leader. In last season's Big 12 opener against Utah, Hammond entered after Morton was injured and completed 13 of 16 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns, adding 61 rushing yards on eight carries, earning Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors. Receiver Micah Hudson said, “He's worked like he's been the starter every single day, even before the (Sorsby) news was announced. It's not like it's anything new to me. I know who Will is and what he's capable of doing.”
Originally reported by dallasnews.