Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond drops back to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Chase Seabolt)
Chase Seabolt/AP
Texas Tech‘s quarterback situation is all of a sudden completely up in the air.
Brendan Sorsby, the Red Raiders’ $6 million transfer quarterback from Cincinnati, is taking a leave of absence to enter a treatment program for gambling addiction. ESPN reported he made “thousands of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app.”
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Where does that leave Joey McGuire’s Texas Tech team? See the Red Raiders’ QB options below, according to their spring football roster.
Brendan Sorsby
Future Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby shouts during the first half of the game between the Houston Cougars and the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena on January 24, 2026 in Lubbock, Texas.
John E. Moore III/Getty Images
Not only is Sorsby’s situation a personal crisis, but his eligibility to suit up for Texas Tech is now in question.
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The NCAA explicitly forbids gambling on college sports and ESPN’s report cited sources that said he bet on Indiana football while redshirting there as a true freshman in 2022. The wagers were on Indiana to win and none of them came in the game he played in that season. The NCAA is investigating his gambling, and its strict policy says violators who gamble on “intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition” are ineligible.
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“We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help,” Head Coach Joey McGuire said in a Texas Tech press release. “Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person. Our program is behind Brendan as he prioritizes his health.”
So if the Red Raiders are without Sorsby in 2026, what are their options?
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RELATED: What is NCAA’s gambling policy and how could it impact Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility?
Will Hammond
Hammond would seem to be the obvious option to replace Sorsby. He backed up Behren Morton last season and flashed his talent while Morton was out with injury.
The caveat with Hammond is he tore his ACL last October in a win over Oklahoma State. He missed the entire spring, but On3’s Pete Nakos reported Hammond has returned to throwing in recent days and that there is optimism he should be healthy by Week 1 against Abilene Christian.
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In eight appearances for Texas Tech last season, Hammond completed 63.3% of his passes for 680 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. He also carried the ball 43 times for 299 yards and five rushing scores.
Others
Lloyd Jones III
Jones is a redshirt freshman who appeared in one game for Texas Tech last season. He completed 4 of his 5 passes against West Virginia for 74 yards and two touchdowns.
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According to 247Sports, the Hitchcock, Texas native was the No. 28 quarterback in the Class of 2025 and the No. 60 player in Texas. He chose the Red Raiders over Colorado State, North Texas, Texas State and UTSA.
Kirk Francis
Sorsby isn’t the only transfer QB that Texas Tech added this offseason. Francis transferred to Texas Tech this offseason after three years at Tulsa.
He appeared in 18 games with Tulsa, completing 58.4% of his passes for 3,045 yards and 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He started his time there as a walk-on and worked his way up the depth chart, earning 10 starts over his three seasons at Tulsa. Francis signed with Texas Tech in what appeared to be a depth role, but he suddenly has become much more important to the Red Raiders’ success in 2026.
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Stephen Cannon
Cannon is a true freshman from the Class of 2026. 247Sports rated him as the No. 32 quarterback in his class and No. 62 player in Georgia. He chose Texas Tech over USF, Virginia, Miami (OH), Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, UCF and some others.
Ideally for Texas Tech, things never reach a point that Cannon has to see the field in his true freshman season.
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Holden Phillips
Similarly to Cannon, the Red Raiders are probably hoping this quarterback crisis doesn’t reach a point that Phillips has to play significant snaps.
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A preferred walk-on from the Class of 2025, the redshirt freshman from Lubbock only appeared in one game last year, completing one pass for eight yards and carrying the ball once for three yards.