It appears that Texas Tech has appointed a new starting quarterback.
Just a week after the No. 13 Red Raiders faced their first defeat of the season against Cincinnati, Thomas Castellanos took over for Will Hammond and accumulated 117 rushing yards, leading Texas Tech to a 34-26 victory over the No. 22 Arizona.
This was the former Boston College and Florida State quarterback’s initial major start of the season, occurring the day after a Kentucky judge declined to grant the NCAA’s request for emergency intervention in an ongoing legal dispute involving fifth-year seniors. Castellanos is among the plaintiffs in this lawsuit. Had the NCAA’s plea been approved, he would have been ineligible to participate in Saturday’s game.
Instead, he partnered with J’Koby Williams, becoming the first quarterback and running back duo in Texas Tech history to each surpass 100 rushing yards in the same match.
When Texas Tech could have secured the victory with a first down, Williams dashed 64 yards for a touchdown, extending the Red Raiders’ lead to two scores.
Williams concluded the game with 14 carries totaling 175 yards as the Red Raiders accumulated 332 rushing yards collectively.
Texas Tech’s urgent need to enhance its quarterback position
The quest for a suitable quarterback has been ongoing for quite some time. Behren Morton showcased several impressive moments in 2025 during Texas Tech’s undefeated run, but the offense struggled significantly during the Red Raiders’ College Football Playoff defeat to Oregon.
Brendan Sorsby, the former Cincinnati quarterback, was anticipated to resolve Texas Tech’s quarterback dilemmas. However, this addition ultimately fell through — creating several adversaries for Texas Tech in the Big 12 along the way.
Hammond, who served as Morton’s backup in 2025, even had a handful of starts when Morton was sidelined due to injury. Unfortunately, he sustained a season-ending ACL tear and was unable to participate in the latter part of the season.
In the absence of Sorsby, Hammond was thrust into the starting role as Castellanos joined the team shortly before the season commenced. Castellanos had spent four seasons across four years at BC and FSU, but after going undrafted, he, like many others, sought to return to college through the legal system.
Before Saturday, Castellanos had limited participation in the Texas Tech offensive scheme. He took the initial snap in Week 3 against Houston but quickly threw an interception. Hammond had been the foremost quarterback for the team but had struggled to achieve multiple touchdown passes in any game throughout the season.
Following the defeat to Cincinnati, head coach Joey McGuire emphasized the necessity of simplifying Hammond’s passing reads after receiving the snap.
However, Texas Tech chose to completely switch quarterbacks instead. This decision revitalized the running game — Castellanos is a more formidable runner than Hammond. Still, the passing game yielded a mix of results. Castellanos struggles with the precision of deep passes, finishing 11-of-24 with 144 yards and two touchdowns.
With upcoming matchups against West Virginia, No. 24 Oklahoma State, Baylor, and TCU, can Castellanos provide enough support for Texas Tech to return to the Big 12 title match? The Red Raiders are in the running for another conference championship with four additional victories and a Utah win over BYU.
Nonetheless, this Texas Tech team has demonstrated that it harbors significantly larger ambitions than just another Big 12 title. Its pursuit of Sorsby reflects that desire. Yet, so far, this version of the Red Raiders does not appear to be a legitimate contender for the national championship.
