Where does Texas Tech turn if Brendan Sorsby and Sam Leavitt head elsewhere?

Before the College Football Playoff even began, Texas Tech was going to need to find a new starting quarterback. Behren Morton is out of eligibility, and Will Hammond is going to be returning from a torn ACL, which makes his availability for 2026 questionable. When Texas Tech was shut out by Oregon in the College Football Playoff, it became clear that they needed to look to an even higher level of quarterback.

Given how aggressively Texas Tech approached the Transfer Portal last offseason, everyone expected the Red Raiders to come into the Transfer Portal and pick whichever quarterback they wanted to.

Texas Tech's top choice appeared to be Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby, who's one of the most highly sought-after players in the Transfer Portal. While everyone expected Brendan Sorsby to land in Lubbock, he made it off campus without committing, and now it appears to be LSU who's in the driver's seat.

The good news for Texas Tech is that the Red Raiders are also getting a visit from Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt. The Sun Devils QB has already lit up the Big 12 winning a conference championship. The bad news is that Texas Tech may have to beat out a massive field of suitors as he's one of the best quarterbacks on the market.

Where does Texas Tech turn if it's not Sorsby or Leavitt?

If Texas Tech isn't able to hit on either of their two top targets, there are still a few high-end quarterbacks they could go after. There's also always an option for Texas Tech to roll the dice on Will Hammond, who's shown plenty of flashes in his limited playing time, but he may not be available when Spring practice rolls around.

Josh Hoover could be the best pivot for Texas Tech after his successful tenure starting for the TCU Horned Frogs. Hoover has a massive market led by Indiana, which could end up hurting Texas Tech's chances, especially if he feels he was a backup plan.

DJ Lagway is expected to make a visit to Florida State on Sunday, but the Texas Native could be a good option for the Red Raiders. Landing Lagway would mean that Texas Tech would have to take a bigger swing on wide receivers to give him a chance to grow.

Dylan Raiola could prove to be another option as Louisville was an early favorite for the Nebraska quarterback, but the Cardinals added Ohio State's Lincoln Kienholz.

The Red Raiders best approach is going to be finding a way to land Brendan Sorsby or Sam Leavitt. There's a clear reason that those two quarterbacks were their top targets and having to pivot could end up being dangerous. The next day or two could quickly determine if Texas' Tech is a true contender in 2026.