The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the content favorite entering next week’s Big 12 Football Media Days with plenty to discuss ahead of kickoff in September, including the all-too-dramatic Brendan Sorsby saga.
Joey McGuire and Texas Tech lead the Big 12 with an over/under of 10.5 wins this season by BetMGM, and enter the 2026 regular-season as arguably the conference’s best shot at returning to the College Football Playoff for a fifth consecutive year.
All-American tight end Terrance Carter Jr., defensive tackle A.J. Holmes Jr., wide receiver Coy Eakin, cornerback Brice Pollock, linebacker Ben Roberts and center Sheridan Wilson are headed to Frisco, Texas, to represent the Red Raiders onstage.
Here are five questions for McGuire and Tech to answer next week during Big 12 Football Media Days:
The Obvious QB Debacle
As juicy as it may be to some, I’m not interested in the immediate fallout of the Sorsby thing. I’m more interested in Will Hammond and how the team’s taking steps to address competition between returner Hammond and Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis, who completed 53 passes for 493 yards and three touchdowns last year. Likewise, Hammond appeared eight different times (starting twice against Arizona State and Oklahoma State) for 69 completions, 680 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s likely the frontrunner entering fall camp with Francis battling for snaps.
Which Loss Worries You More?
The New York Jets selected Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey second overall at the 2026 NFL Draft, and the loss of the Stanford transfer’s 23 tackles-for-loss will be felt as the Red Raiders search for leadership in Holmes, Roberts or Wilson. Is this a bigger hurdle than the loss of Behren Morton orchestrating the offense? Is that defensive line the bigger project now with Imarjaye Albury entering his first season coaching the defensive trenches?
How Heavy is the Target on Your Back?
Texas Tech hasn’t been in this position before, and now walking into this room with 15 other programs full knowing everyone’s coming after you hard. That’s even more true considering the Sorsby fallout and the coalition that forced the Big 12’s hand in ousting the Cincinnati transfer from your roster. How does Tech keep the preseason-favorite designation from becoming a distraction this close to fall camp and Week 1?
Chasing History
Only two other Big 12 programs – Oklahoma and Baylor – have strung together back-to-back football titles. What’s the biggest difference between building last year’s roster and now assembling a group that can defend the 2025 campaign?
