Texas Tech was riding high after the January transfer portal window closed. But Brendan Sorsby’s ongoing gambling investigation has left the Red Raiders scrambling at quarterback.
The Cincinnati transfer was supposed to be the program’s marquee addition. Now Joey McGuire’s team faces uncertainty at college football’s most critical position.
CBS Sports’ Cody Nagel captured the Red Raiders’ predicament perfectly. Texas Tech wishes another portal window existed to find quarterback depth beyond Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis.
That’s assuming Will Hammond doesn’t recover from his torn ACL from last October in time for the season.
“This is the most obvious example of a team wishing a spring transfer portal window still existed. The Red Raiders thought they upgraded at quarterback with Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby arriving as the No. 2 overall transfer of the cycle, but his 2026 availability is now in doubt amid an off-field betting investigation that has clouded his status. That leaves Texas Tech far less settled than expected,” Nagel wrote.
The situation gets worse when you consider the alternatives.
“Will Hammond, who saw action last season, is a quarterback the staff remains high on, but he is still working back from a torn ACL, and his Week 1 availability is uncertain. Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis is the only other quarterback on the roster with FBS experience. Under normal circumstances, that uncertainty would likely have prompted a spring portal search for insurance, but instead, Texas Tech is left to sort through internal options and injury recovery with no external fallback.”
Bad Luck Strikes Again
This marks the second straight year Texas Tech has been hit by brutal injury timing. Last season, the Red Raiders lost USC transfer Quinten Joyner to a knee injury in August.
Joyner was projected for a breakout campaign after transferring from the Trojans.
The running back bounced back with authority in 2024. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry in Big Ten play, showing he’s fully healthy and ready to dominate.
He’ll team with Cameron Dickey, who rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored 14 touchdowns last season. That 1-2 punch should overwhelm most Big 12 defenses Texas Tech faces this fall.
The offensive line provides excellent protection too. Howard Sampson and Jacob Ponton form an elite tackle combination, with Sheridan Wilson anchoring the center position.
That foundation creates an opportunity for any quarterback to step in and manage games effectively. The pieces are there for a Big 12 championship run if the QB position gets sorted out.
But without Sorsby’s experience and talent, most observers see that as Texas Tech’s ceiling right now. And it’s hard to argue with that assessment given the current uncertainty at the position.
