The Texas Tech Red Raiders had Week 9 in control against the TCU Horned Frogs, with QB Behren Morton and the offense starting to hit their stride. But just before halftime, Morton exited with an apparent injury, cutting his game short.
After a post-game evaluation, there’s a promising update on Morton’s status—but will he be back against Iowa State?
What Happened to Behren Morton?
It wasn’t immediately clear when Morton got hurt, but after rewatching the first half, there’s a moment just before halftime that may hold the answer.
With less than a minute left in the second quarter, facing a 3rd & 9, Morton dropped back to pass. He was forced up into the pocket but found himself met by three TCU defenders. The hit wasn’t particularly hard, but Morton did come down on his left shoulder.
The play continued without stoppage, and TCU called a timeout shortly after. Oddly, no replay of the play aired on the broadcast.
When the teams returned for the second half, Morton was notably absent from the starting lineup. In his place, true freshman Jake Hammond stepped in and led the Red Raiders on an impressive scoring drive, completing all three of his passes, including a 13-yard touchdown to Coy Eakin to extend Tech’s lead to 10.
Hammond stayed in for Tech’s next possession, as it was confirmed Morton would be out for the rest of the game with a left shoulder injury.
Positive Behren Morton Injury Update
Following the weekend, Morton was scheduled to participate in practice this week with the Red Raiders. Not only did he participate, he apparently looked good enough on Tuesday for Texas Tech to run him with the starting offense.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Morton looks ‘strong in practice’ and following his Tuesday performance is ‘projected to start’ their upcoming game against the Cyclones.
This coincides with what head coach Joey McGuire said this week around Morton’s injury following the game. After meeting with doctors, McGuire gave this other positive note:
“Nothing structurally is wrong with Behren’s shoulder,” McGuire said. “He’s got a lot of movement back in it and we’ll see how he feels (Tuesday), if he’ll practice (Tuesday), if he’ll practice Wednesday.”
“We were nervous there was a break. Couldn’t see anything, so structurally, he’s good to go.”
Who Is Will Hammond?
A consensus four-star recruit and top-250 player, Hammond hails from Hutto High School in Hutto, Texas. A member of the Class of 2024, Hammond turned heads this preseason when it was said he could push for time in the starting lineup as a freshman.
After his first extended action of the season, it was clear why.
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During his final season at Hutto, Hammond totaled over 5,000 yards of total offense with nearly 4,000 passing yards and over 1,000 rushing yards. His 48 touchdowns included 35 passing touchdowns and 19 on the ground. He was awarded the title of Mr. Texas Football by Dave Campbell’s.
At 6’2″ and 205 pounds, with his dual-threat ability, it’s clear why pockets of Texas Tech faithful were wanting to turn to Hammond before the season. He’s the future of the program for sure, but now, awaiting Morton’s status, he may be the present.
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