Will Hammond Or Tommy Castellanos? Texas Tech QB Question Gets Interesting
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Texas Tech doesn't officially have a quarterback controversy. Not yet, anyway.
Joey McGuire has made it clear that Will Hammond is the Red Raiders' starting quarterback, while veteran transfer Tommy Castellanos has a package designed to take advantage of his unique skill set.
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But after Hammond threw three interceptions in the first half of Saturday's 49-14 win over Sam Houston, the conversation isn't going away.
Hammond's strengths are obvious.
The junior knows Texas Tech's offense, throws with accuracy when he's in rhythm and offers legitimate mobility.
Through four games, Hammond has completed 80 of 116 passes for 968 yards and four touchdowns.
He also showed his athleticism Saturday with a 23-yard touchdown run. The concern is decision-making.
Hammond has now thrown five interceptions, including three against a Sam Houston defense that shouldn't have been able to create that kind of trouble.
Against Oregon State, McGuire also publicly emphasized the need for better decisions and fewer negative plays.
That's where Castellanos becomes interesting.
The fifth-year quarterback arrived from Florida State only a week before the season opener, so Texas Tech has understandably brought him along slowly.
But few backup quarterbacks in college football have his resume.
Castellanos entered Tech with 32 career starts, 6,449 passing yards, 48 touchdown passes, 1,984 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns.
His biggest advantage is explosiveness.
At Florida State in 2025, Castellanos threw for 2,760 yards and rushed for 557 more, setting Seminoles quarterback records with nine rushing touchdowns.
His ability to run quarterback power, zone-read concepts and scramble when plays break down forces defenses to prepare for an entirely different offense.
The weaknesses are there, too.
Castellanos has completed only 58.5 percent of his career passes, and his aggressive style can create turnovers.
His first Texas Tech start against Houston began with an interception while attempting to throw the ball away under pressure.
That's why Hammond still deserves to be QB1.
He offers greater familiarity with the system and, at his best, better consistency as a passer.
But Castellanos shouldn't simply disappear into a handful of gadget plays.
MORE: Texas Tech's Offense Struggles vs. Sam Houston, But Red Raiders Survive in 49-14 Win
As Texas Tech moves deeper into Big 12 play, McGuire has two quarterbacks capable of winning games in very different ways.
Hammond has the job. Castellanos has given him a reason to protect it.
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