The first day of Big 12 Media Days has brought optimism out of everyone in attendance, and you can count Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire as a part of the bunch.
He heaped praise onto true freshman WR Micah Hudson and QB Will Hammond, effectively raising expectations even higher than their recruit billing has achieved.
Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire Praises Freshman WR Micah Hudson at Big 12 Media Days
When asked how soon Red Raiders fans will see Hudson’s impact, McGuire quickly responded, “Week 1.”
And with the contest being in Lubbock against FCS-level Abilene Christian, we could see the five-star Hudson explode in his first collegiate contest.
According to 247Sports, Hudson is Texas Tech’s highest-ranked signee ever. He chose the Red Raiders over Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, and several other blueblood programs.
His addition comes at an opportune time, as leading WRs Xavier White (NFL), Jerand Bradley (Boston College), and Myles Price (Indiana) are all gone.
Hudson generated over 3,500 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns in high school, and he has the frame (6’0″, 185 pounds) and movement skills to operate inside or outside from Day 1. In fact, McGuire said multiple coaches have already begun speaking about the Texas native as a “generational player.”
Learning from sixth-year Washington State transfer Josh Kelly has certainly helped Hudson hit the ground running. Kelly isn’t just a veteran at the position — in 2023, he caught 61 passes for 923 yards and eight TDs, highlighting his playmaking ability on the boundary.
But Hudson isn’t the only true freshman turning heads with the Red Raiders.
Fellow True Freshman QB Will Hammond Also Impressing Early
Texas Tech has endured seven consecutive seasons in which their starting QB went down due to injury. All signs point to Behren Morton, the named starter, entering the 2024 campaign healthy.
Nevertheless, there’s a high probability we’ll see four-star QB Will Hammond on the field at some point this season.
It might not just be due to injury, either, as Hammond has already earned recognition from the coaching staff. Hammond threw 25 TDs to just four INTs during spring practices, which McGuire said he has “never seen a freshman do that.”
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Making the feat even more impressive, Hammond worked with the starters, second-teamers, and third-teamers, finding success with each unit. The No. 13 QB in the 2024 recruiting class clearly has the talent to thrive with the Red Raiders, and they may need him sooner rather than later.
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