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ACL injury sidelines QB Will Hammond for rest of Texas Tech football season
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- ACL injury sidelines QB Will Hammond for rest of Texas Tech football season
This story has been updated with more information.
Quarterback Will Hammond will miss the rest of the season with a non-contact knee injury he suffered in the Texas Tech football game against Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 25.
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Hammond injured the anterior cruciate ligament, two sources with direct knowledge told The Avalanche-Journal on Sunday. The redshirt freshman from Hutto was making his third career start and first at Jones AT&T Stadium in Tech's 42-0 shutout .
In the midst of a 9-yard run midway through the second quarter, Hammond planted his right foot in the turf to dodge a defender, and his knee buckled. Sixth-year senior Mitch Griffis , the team's No. 3 quarterback, took over.
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Tech coach Joey McGuire said after the game that No. 1 quarterback Behren Morton will return to the lineup when the Red Raiders take on Kansas State on Nov. 1. That's a 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas .
Morton has missed the past two games resting a triceps strain he suffered during the Oct. 4 Tech-Houston game, McGuire said, and a lower-leg injury he aggravated in the Oct. 11 Tech-Kansas game. McGuire said Morton has recovered, threw the ball well in practice last week and could have played against Oklahoma State had it been a more competitive game.
Oct 25, 2025; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Will Hammond (15) passes against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
Morton spent the first half of Saturday's game in team attire and then, after Hammond's injury, suited up at halftime in case he was pressed into duty. Griffis completed 9 of 13 passes for 172 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown to Caleb Douglas . He also ran for a 1-yard touchdown.
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Tech's starting quarterback has left with an injury in four of the Red Raiders' eight games: Morton came out of the season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff with the lower-leg injury, left the Utah game when he took a high hit and came out of the Kansas game when he aggravated the lower-leg injury.
Hammond made his first start last year at the Liberty Bowl, a 39-26 Tech loss to Arkansas. He made his first start this season on Oct. 18 at Arizona State , a 26-22 loss. Before the Arizona State game, Morton had made 20 consecutive regular-season starts.
Hammond has appeared in all eight games this season. He's completed 69 of 109 passes for 680 yards with 7 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He ran 43 times for 299 yards and 5 TDs.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football QB Will Hammond's season over due to ACL injury
