Hammond injures knee as No. 14 Texas Tech puts Morton in uniform at halftime just in case

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LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Will Hammond exited No. 14 Texas Tech's game against Oklahoma State on Saturday with a knee injury, prompting injured starting quarterback Behren Morton to change from street clothes to his uniform at halftime in case he was needed to finish the game.

Morton was still on the sideline when third-stringer Mitch Griffis threw for a touchdown and ran for score in the third quarter, providing the final margin in a 42-0 victory.

Hammond injured his right knee without contact on a run in the second quarter. Coach Joey McGuire said an MRI was planned for Sunday. The Red Raiders play at Kansas State next Saturday.

“Everything is positive with Will, so it's hard to tell,” McGuire said. “He wasn't really down, to where you can read some guys.”

McGuire said Morton could have started, but Texas Tech chose another week of healing. Hammond was making his second consecutive start after Morton, who re-injured his right knee in a 41-17 victory over Kansas on Oct. 11. Hammond started Texas Tech's first loss, 26-22 at No. 24 Arizona State last week.

Hammond had a 26-yard touchdown pass to J'Koby Williams on a screen.

Griffis' first play was a 3-yard loss on a fourth-and-1 keeper, but he threw a 42-yard TD pass to Caleb Douglas on Texas Tech's first possession of the second half. Griffis' 1-yard scoring run came late in the third quarter.

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