The Red Raider Contingency

August 28, 2025: Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) runs the ball for a first down during the second half of an NCAA, College League, USA football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. CSM Kansas City United States of America - ZUMAc04_ 20250828_zma_c04_141 Copyright: xDavidxSmithx

Two dollars and fifty cents. In today’s America, that’s usually enough to get you a vending machine soda. Maybe a small fry from McDonald’s. For Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby, it has become the number attached to a scandal that could threaten the rest of his football career. 

According to On3, Sorsby repeatedly attended Cincinnati Reds games and placed live wagers on individual pitches, bets as small as $2.50, and sometimes less than a dollar, on whether the next pitch would be called a ball or a strike. As inconsequential as that detail may be, the more serious allegation is not tied to any arm in the Reds’ rotation It is tied to 2022, when Sorsby was reportedly on Indiana’s roster and allegedly placed bets involving Indiana football. 

That is where this story moves from bizarre to potentially career-altering. Sorsby is now under NCAA investigation and has taken an indefinite leave from Texas Tech to enter a residential treatment program for gambling addiction. The NCAA’s own sports gambling guidelines lend to the possibility of severe penalties, including permanent loss of eligibility, when athletes wager on their own games or sports at their own school. 

So while this case reflects a larger battle between modern college athletics and the gambling culture it now lives in conjunction with, the immediate football question is much simpler; if Sorsby cannot play in 2026, who leads the Red Raiders this late into the portal cycle? 

Candidate Profile 

Offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich is entering his second season with the Red Raiders, utilizing his patented run-and-shoot offense that saw Texas Tech rank 7th in the nation in total offense a year ago. Leftwich’s scheme, while admittedly a more run-heavy flavor of the “RNS,” averaged 278.5 passing yards per game, 182.9 rushing yards per game, 461.4 total yards per game, and 6.22 yards per play. So what does Head Coach Joey Maguire need to look for in his next signal caller? 

For my money, an effective run-and-shoot quarterback must have elite command of four basic tennants. 

1. The ability to process quickly in a spread environment 

2. Automatic in the short game (RPO / Glance / Slant) 

3. Value in the run game on both designed QB runs and Scramble drills 4. The ability to create explosives without needing 40 passing attempts game in and game out 

Let's take a look at who could fit that mould.

Intriguing Transfer Dart Throws 

Cardell Williams - Sacramento State 

2025 - 1,621yds / 10 TDs / 7 INTs 

Ranked as one of the highest remaining uncommitted signal callers in the portal, Williams is coming off a season of sharing snaps with former 5-star Jaden Rashada at Sacramento State. Williams would bring immediate FBS experience to Lubbock, having played two seasons at Tulsa before transferring prior to 2025. Unfortunately, Williams does not bring a traditional plug-and-play air raid profile. While the rushing value (649yds and 19 TDs across three years) is undeniable, his arm leaves much to be desired at the Big 12 level. Texas Tech faces both Baylor and Utah in 2026, both top 30 passing defenses nationally just a year ago. The limited available tape on Williams shows an intriguing yet raw quarterback who could thrive in a system like Leftwich’s, but competition remains the largest question mark while evaluating his feasibility as a P4 starter. 

Hunter Watson - Sam Houston State 

2025 - 

If Texas Tech wants a more natural bridge through the portal, Sam Houston transfer Hunter Watson makes sense. Watson does not carry the same raw upside as Williams, but he brings a sturdier 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame and two years of FBS production as a starter. In 2024, Watson threw for 1,811yds and 12 touchdowns while adding 647 yards and nine scores on the ground, giving him the kind of run-game versatility Mack Leftwich can build around. Williams may be the more intriguing gamble, but for a team looking to repeat as Big 12 Champions, upside is a dangerous tool to evaluate on. Watson is potentially the cleanest emergency fit remaining in the portal; bringing more experience, physicality, and playability in a dynamic offense that stresses defense with more than just sheer passing volume. 

Internal Options 

Will Hammond 

A 4-star recruit and the in-house backup from a year ago, Hammond is the steady option in an otherwise whirlwind situation for the Red Raiders. Any evaluation of Hammond’s system viability does not exist in the hypothetical, as in limited action a year ago, the freshman played well in relief of starter Behrend Morton when called upon. Against Utah, Hammond gave Texas Tech 169 yards through the air, two touchdowns, and tacked on 61 on the ground in a road ranked win that proved pivotal for the team’s conference title push. With the most obvious option already residing in Lubbock, Texas Tech does not necessarily need to panic-buy a replacement in the portal; the concern is health. Hammond is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in October of 2025, and while there is hope he could be ready for week one against Albeline Christain, clearly, there was enough concern for the coaching staff to go to the portal in the first place. 

Kirk Francis 

With Hammond’s injury concerns in mind, Kirk Francis may prove to be the great stabilizer in this equation. The former Tulsa quarterback is already in the Texas Tech room, already enrolled, and already brings 2 years of starting experience. Schematically, Francis is possibly the least equipped on this list for Leftwich’s run-and-shoot. His profile reads more pocket-oriented, modest efficiency with no rushing upside (Francis has rushed for negative yards throughout his 3-year career). Texas Tech can win with Francis if the surrounding talent carries enough weight, which it can, but the lack of mobility negates any chance of complete execution of the system in place. 

So what’s the answer in Lubbock? 

I don’t believe a transfer is the right answer at this stage. Should health cooperate, Will Hammond will look to command Texas Tech’s march back to the College Football Playoff in 2026. Should he not be ready to start Week 1, Kirk Francis will be the stopgap Joey Maguire needs until Hammond is ready.