Texas Tech started redshirt freshman Will Hammond for the second consecutive week Saturday, as the 14th-ranked Red Raiders coasted past Oklahoma State 42-0 at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Hammond, who started last week in a 26-22 loss at Arizona State, entered the matchup after completing 22 of 37 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns while adding 47 rushing yards and another score on the ground. The freshman has seen extended playing time throughout the season as Behren Morton continues to recover from multiple leg injuries.
Joey McGuire speaks on Behren Morton.
Head coach Joey McGuire confirmed after the game that Morton was “fully ready to play,” but the staff opted to rest him for another week while Hammond and transfer Mitch Griffis handled quarterback duties.
"We felt good about Will and Mitch. We wanted to get him as healthy as we can. If he would've had to go in, if something crazy would've happened with Mitch and he had to go in and it was a competitive game, then he would've been able to go in."
Texas Tech jumped to an early lead when J’Koby Williams returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and later caught a 26-yard pass for another score. The Red Raiders improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12 after delivering their first home conference shutout since 2005.
Hammond left the game in the second quarter with a right knee injury and is scheduled to have an MRI on Sunday, according to McGuire. Morton suited up at halftime as precautionary depth, though Griffis finished the game with two touchdowns — one passing and one rushing — to preserve the shutout. "We'll know a lot tomorrow," McGuire said.
Texas Tech will travel to Manhattan next weekend for a road test against Kansas State, with Morton expected to reclaim the starting role.
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