Texas Tech football officially opens fall camp on Tuesday, August 5th. This marks the final stretch before the Red Raiders chase their second straight Big 12 title.
After a season that ended with a College Football Playoff run and a wild offseason full of headlines, Joey McGuire’s team hits the practice fields as a program many still expect to be the class of the Big 12. Here are the four biggest storylines to watch as the pads come on.
1. Week one availability for Will Hammond
The Texas Tech quarterback room dominated the entire offseason conversation, both in Lubbock and across the college football landscape.
After Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility saga, which included an NCAA suspension over sports gambling, a Lubbock courtroom injunction, and an eventual mutual parting of ways with the program, Texas Tech turned the keys back over to redshirt sophomore Will Hammond.
Hammond tore his ACL last October against Oklahoma State while filling in for an injured Behren Morton. The questions now shift from “who starts” to “is he 100 percent?” Hammond has said his body feels ready for Week 1, but fall camp will be the real test of his health, timing, and command of the offense.
McGurie also believes Hammond will be ready for the start of the season. Behind him, Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis and redshirt freshman Lloyd Jones III give the Red Raiders experienced insurance if Hammond needs to be brought along carefully.
2. Can the backfield carry the offense?
With Hammond working his way back from injury, Texas Tech’s run game may need to shoulder extra weight in the season’s opening weeks. The leader of the stacked running back group is Cameron Dickey, who is collecting big-time preseason watch list nominations.
Combining Dickey’s 2025 totals with J’Koby Williams means the Red Raiders return nearly 2,000 rushing yards and 25 total touchdowns from a season ago. Texas Tech will also have former USC transfer Quinten Joyner back from injury, providing a true three-headed attack from the backfield.
Watching how much the coaching staff leans on that trio, and how the offensive line rounds into shape in front of them, will be one of the more telling storylines to watch in fall camp.
3. How quickly can reloaded defense gel?
While the offense put up massive numbers in 2025, the Texas Tech defense was the calling card. However, that defense saw six starters drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Red Raiders went back to the transfer portal to help plug gaps as the high school recruiting is starting to provide significant depth. Defensive lineman Mateen Ibirogba (Wake Forest), defensive end Adam Trick (Miami-Ohio), and linebacker Austin Romaine (Kansas State) headline a group of newcomers tasked with keeping the pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Camp will show how quickly those transfers mesh with returning pieces and whether the front seven can be as disruptive as it was during last year’s playoff push.
4. Repeat quest
Texas Tech is trying to become the first Big 12 team since 2020 to repeat as conference champion. The expectations across the league and nationally still point to Lubbock as the team to beat.
That target on the Red Raiders’ back adds the potential of new distractions that can leak into camp. But McGuire is maintaining a “hunting” mentality to keep his team focused. The week one opener against Abilene Christian on September 5th will be here quickly.
While that game shouldn’t provide a big test for the Red Raiders, Big 12 play opens quickly and possibly against their toughest conference foe when Houston comes to Lubbock on Friday, September 18th.
Fall camp will set the tone for how realistic those expectations are. Hammond will need to build chemistry with his receivers. A loaded backfield will require the staff to figure out how to get everyone involved.
Finally, a defense retooled through the portal needs to mesh with the veterans on the team. The next few weeks in Lubbock will go a long way toward answering whether Texas Tech is built to defend its Big 12 crown and make another run at the College Football Playoff.
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This article originally appeared on Red Raiders Wire: Four biggest Texas Tech storylines to watch in fall camp
Reporting by Andrew McCleary, Red Raiders Wire / Red Raiders Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Andrew McCleary, Red Raiders Wire | USA TODAY Network
