Texas Tech spent the spring dealing with a mess it never wanted, but Joey McGuire says the program is ready to turn the page with a talented roster and Will Hammond in the spotlight.
The Red Raiders have spent the last two years pushing their way into the national conversation, first by becoming a force on the recruiting trail and then by making a run to the college football playoff last season. That rise has fit the school’s rebellious image, the kind that matches tortilla tosses in the stands and a masked rider racing down the field on horseback.
But the offseason brought a very different kind of attention. News surfaced that prized transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility was in jeopardy because of a range of gambling allegations, and suddenly Texas Tech had a major problem on its hands.
What followed was a drawn-out fight that spilled into the courts, included temporary restraining orders and even threats of legal action from the state government. In the end, the two sides moved on from each other.
McGuire addressed the situation when he arrived at the THSCA Coaching Convention in Houston on July 18, where he was surrounded by familiar faces. The former Texas high school coach remains a favorite in rooms full of high school coaches, and he was everywhere that day, from the convention floor to the hotel lobby.
When he met with the media, McGuire pointed to his years in the high school coaching ranks as a key reason he was able to handle the chaos around the program.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Moves Closer To A Change Fans Will Definitely Notice
Texas Tech is getting ready for a new kind of look on the football field, and it will be one fans notice right away. With the NCAA now allowing sponsorship patches on uniforms beginning Aug. 1, athletics officials have confirmed there is significant interest from corporate partners as the department works through offers and looks for a long-term fit. The school is also moving ahead with a field branding plan that will put a Galaxy logo at midfield in Galaxy Stadium, adding another visible layer to the Red Raiders game-day presentation.
The uniform piece is still in the vetting stage, so nothing is finalized yet, but the push reflects how quickly college athletics is changing around revenue and sponsorship opportunities. Texas Tech also has another field sponsor in place through Learfield, though that name has not been announced, and the department is clearly trying to balance new commercial inventory with the look and feel of the program. Whether the jersey patch arrives soon or later, the broader shift is already underway. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Heads Into The Season With One Massive Offensive Question
College footballs calendar is about to turn, with Week 0 set to open in a month in Dublin, Ireland, and the playoff picture still carrying the expanded 12-team format that has changed how programs across the country think about September. Even beyond the usual preseason noise, there is a little more intrigue around the sport this year, with North Dakota States move to FBS adding another layer to the long list of teams trying to break into the conversation.
For Texas Tech, though, the bigger issue is much closer to home. The Red Raiders are staring at a season in which the offense has to answer a major question before the first meaningful snap, and the timing matters because this is a roster built to matter in a crowded Big 12 race. The pieces are there for optimism, but until the quarterback situation settles, the whole operation feels like it is waiting on the final, and most important, domino. [Read more 🡒]