Texas Tech expected to start freshman QB Will Hammond vs. Arizona State, per report

The undefeated Red Raiders will be without their starting quarterback for one of their most important games of the season.

With starter Behren Morton still recovering from a leg injury, No. 7 Texas Tech (6-0, 3-0 in Big 12) is expected to start redshirt freshman Will Hammond against Arizona State on Saturday, according to multiple media reports.

Morton has been banged up for much of the Red Raiders’ season, most recently suffering a leg injury in Tech’s win over Kansas last weekend. He underwent X-rays and MRI testing on Sunday afternoon and was listed as questionable on Tech’s most recent injury report, though the team declined to comment on the result of Morton’s testing.

Hammond has been on backup duty for Morton this season but has seen the field in all six of the team’s games thus far, including when Morton injured the same leg in the season opener. But Saturday would be Hammond’s first career start.

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The four-star recruit out of Hutto has been quite good in the sporadic playing time he’s received. He played plenty of garbage time in Tech’s first three weeks, all blowout wins, and took over in the third quarter for Tech vs. No. 16 Utah when Morton was knocked out of the game. He helped lead the Red Raiders to a 34-10 win, completing 13 of 16 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns, and adding another 61 yards on the ground.

Hammond will step into the fire on the road against a talented Arizona State squad, currently tied for second in the Big 12 with a 4-2 record overall.

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