Quinten Joyner’s initial year with the Red Raiders will be postponed.
Joyner suffered an ACL tear following a noncontact knee injury during the team’s scrimmage on Saturday, as confirmed by head coach Joey McGuire on his podcast on Monday, according to ESPN. The No. 23 Texas Tech will now proceed without the running back for the entirety of the 2025 season.
Joyner transferred to Texas Tech this past offseason after dedicating his initial two years to USC. He accumulated 478 rushing yards and secured four total touchdowns while averaging 7.6 yards per carry with the Trojans last season while primarily supporting Woody Marks.
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Joyner, recognized as a four-star Rivals.com recruit originating from the Austin region in Texas, subsequently chose to return to the state and align with the Red Raiders. He was anticipated to commence and constitute a vital component of their offense this season. The team will now probably need to depend on Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams as replacements. Both athletes are returning from the previous season, although neither exceeded 250 rushing yards.
“I deeply regret it for him, especially considering his exceptional performance throughout the spring, summer, and camp,” McGuire expressed regarding Joyner. “He has genuinely arrived here and operated as a professional, and we have requested him to undertake numerous tasks that he hasn’t encountered previously. … He has genuinely embraced it, rendering it unfortunate.”
Texas Tech enters the season following an 8-5 record last fall under head coach Joey McGuire. The Red Raiders are situated within a fairly open Big 12 conference, featuring No. 11 Arizona State, No. 17 Kansas State, and No. 21 Iowa State. Texas Tech is slated to officially commence the season on Aug. 30 by hosting Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
While the Red Raiders retain the potential to advance in the Big 12 this fall, it will undoubtedly pose a greater challenge without Joyner’s presence.
