Will Hammond returned from ACL surgery to throw for 298 yards in Texas Tech’s 33-10 win over Abilene Christian, making a strong case as the Red Raiders’ QB1.
Will Hammond waited a long time for this moment.
After recovering from a torn ACL and watching Texas Tech’s quarterback room become one of the biggest offseason stories in college football, Hammond finally got the offense to himself Saturday night. He responded by completing 26 of 33 passes for 298 yards and a touchdown in No. 12 Texas Tech’s 33-10 win over Abilene Christian.
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For a player making just his fourth career start, it looked remarkably calm.
Hammond opened the game by completing his first 14 passes before finally throwing an interception on attempt No. 15. He finished at nearly 79 percent passing and capped the night with a 64-yard touchdown strike to Malcolm Simmons late in the fourth quarter.
The performance mattered because of everything Hammond had to overcome to get there.
He tore the ACL in his right knee last October against Oklahoma State while filling in for Behren Morton. That injury played a major role in Texas Tech pursuing Brendan Sorsby through the transfer portal, but the situation changed dramatically after Sorsby’s gambling-related eligibility controversy eventually ended his time with the program.
That reopened the door for Hammond. He didn’t waste it.
Joey McGuire said before kickoff he simply wanted Hammond to settle down and trust himself after the long rehab process. The quarterback did exactly that, showing accuracy, patience and enough mobility to prove the knee is functional again.
Hammond rushed only twice for 11 yards, but that appeared intentional. He said afterward he’ll still use his legs when necessary while being smarter about protecting himself.
The bigger concern was Texas Tech’s red-zone execution.
The Red Raiders piled up 471 yards but settled for four Stone Harrington field goals. Three of those came after drives reached the red zone, something both Hammond and McGuire acknowledged has to improve.
Texas Tech’s defense gave the offense plenty of room to operate, holding ACU to 194 total yards and just 119 through the air. The Wildcats’ only touchdown came on a 98-yard kickoff return.
The opener wasn’t flawless.
But for Hammond, it was significant.
He’s healthy, he’s the starter, and after months of uncertainty, Texas Tech now has a quarterback who looks ready to own the job.
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