LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – With the 2026 season opener three weeks away, the Red Raiders took the field at Galaxy Stadium Saturday for a closed-door scrimmage, the first of two. Head football coach Joey McGuire says the first outing was a success- especially in the summer heat. <\/p>\n
This year\u2019s team is welcoming back quarterback Will Hammond, who suffered a season-ending injury last year against Oklahoma State. He is readjusting back to his role as the team\u2019s lead signal caller, and with a new receiver corps. <\/p>\n
\u201cI thought the more and more Will gets in these (game day) situations, the better. I think he\u2019s doing a good job, he\u2019s staying in there, he\u2019s moving in the pocket,\u201d said McGuire. \u201cAnd I think we got weapons because when you got two big tight ends and then you have some really athletic receivers and Micah Hudson and Kenny Johnson and Dante Lee that can really go get the football\u201d <\/p>\n
One of Hammond\u2019s drives also led to a 64-yeard field goal from returning kicker Stone Harrington. <\/p>\n
While the team has been emphasizing red zone efficiency in Saturday\u2019s practice, tight ends Terrance Carter, Jr and Jett Carpenter (transferred from Nevada) both accounted for touchdowns. This is also the first time in a year Quinten Joyner, who was unable to play last year because of a preseason ACL injury, was able to join Cameron Dickey and J\u2019Koby Williams in the backfield. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe were in a lot of two-back sets at least once or twice in every series today, and so J\u2019Koby and Cam were out there, or J\u2019Koby and Q were out there together, and we\u2019ve got a lot of stuff that we could do with that,\u201d McGuire said \u201cAnd a lot of it has to do with, guys we feel really good about J\u2019Koby doing a lot of different things in the slot, and then having Jalen Jones (RB\/WR hybrid) makes a big difference, a body more comparable to Jacoby, being able to play that position too.\u201d <\/p>\n
Linebacker and Lubbock-native John Curry is expected to have a greater role in Tech\u2019s defense this year. His defensive performance Saturday was one of Coach McGuire\u2019s main takeaways. <\/p>\n
\u201cSome guys that really stood out, John Curry had a big interception in our end-of-game two-minute scenario. It was a must. Will (Hammond) had to throw it up because it was 4th down and John did a great job. He was in the middle run through and did a great job of intercepting the ball.\u201d <\/p>\n
With last year\u2019s defensive leader Jacob Rodriguez now playing for the Miami Dolphins, Kansas State transfer Austin Romaine has come in to fill his spot as middle linebacker. Coach McGuire says in the last few months, he\u2019s successfully made the transition with teammates Ben Roberts and Curry, both on and off the field. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d never been around a group of guys that were closer than those three, and Austin has come in and fit in great. I know he\u2019s not Jacob, but it\u2019s as far as personality, man, they really have connected,\u201d he said. \u201cAnything I\u2019m sending to Ben, I send to Austin and John, anything I\u2019m sending to any one of them, they\u2019re always in a group. I was really fired up that all three of them got recognized pre-season for the Butkus Award. They play really well off each other and it\u2019s fun also to see Austin Romaine is getting more and more and more and more comfortable in his defense, how fast he\u2019s playing and the impact he\u2019s having defensively.\u201d <\/p>\n
The second and final scrimmage is set for next Saturday and will be closed to spectators and media. The Red Raiders\u2019 season opener vs. Abilene Christian is set for 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Galaxy Stadium- formerly known as Jones AT&T Stadium.<\/p>\n
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