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08/26 20:27 CDT QB Tommy Castellanos commits to No. 12 Texas Tech with
court-granted 5th season before Big 12 ruling
QB Tommy Castellanos commits to No. 12 Texas Tech with court-granted 5th season
before Big 12 ruling
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) --- Well-traveled quarterback Tommy Castellanos plans to
play this season for No. 12 Texas Tech, the Big 12 Conference favorite that is
set for returner Will Hammond to be its starter after transfer Brendan Sorsby
was declared ineligible because of gambling.
A Big 12 ruling later Wednesday, however, made it uncertain if Castellanos
would be able to play for the defending league champion Red Raiders.
Castellanos told ESPN earlier in the day that he had committed to Texas Tech.
On the quarterback's verified X account, in which the bio included the phrase
professional athlete, there was a photo posted with him in a Texas Tech uniform.
The Big 12, after similar decisions by the Southeastern and Big Ten
conferences, also is banning players who were on NFL rosters from returning to
college. The rule unanimously adopted Wednesday by the Big 12 also makes
ineligible any player that declared for the NFL draft and didn't timely
withdraw before the draft.
Castellanos, who played last season at Florida State, went undrafted four
months ago before a tryout as a receiver with the Miami Dolphins during their
rookie minicamp. He was never on an NFL roster, but went through the draft
process.
He had declared for the NFL draft last December after dropping his appeal for
another year of college eligibility. The NCAA had denied his waiver request to
play another season.
Castellanos was granted 5th season of eligibility by a court last week Last Friday, Castellanos was among 10 athletes granted a temporary restraining order by a Kentucky judge to get a fifth season of college football. The NCAA announced a rule change in June allowing players who began college in 2023 or later to have five years to play five years of sports in college. Castellanos, whose college career began at UCF in 2022, transferred last season to Florida State following two at Boston College. His fifth game at UCF as a freshman was the American Athletic Conference championship game after the starter got hurt. In 38 college games, Castellanos completed 477 of 816 passes (58.5%) for 6,449 yards with 48 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He was 180-of-309 (58.3%) for 2,760 yards, 15 TDs and nine interceptions last year in his 12 games for the Seminoles.
Hammond was in line to be 2026 start before getting hurt Hammond played in eight games for Big 12 champion Texas Tech behind graduated Behren Morton last season before an ACL injury on Oct. 25. After no setbacks in his recovery, Hammond has been part of fall camp. The Red Raiders open the season at home Sept. 5 against FCS team Abilene Christian. Sorsby transferred to Tech in January after two seasons at Cincinnati, and was expected to start instead before an NCAA gambling investigation and since-dropped lawsuit over his eligibility. ___ AP college football: Football: Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here
Castellanos was granted 5th season of eligibility by a court last week Last Friday, Castellanos was among 10 athletes granted a temporary restraining order by a Kentucky judge to get a fifth season of college football. The NCAA announced a rule change in June allowing players who began college in 2023 or later to have five years to play five years of sports in college. Castellanos, whose college career began at UCF in 2022, transferred last season to Florida State following two at Boston College. His fifth game at UCF as a freshman was the American Athletic Conference championship game after the starter got hurt. In 38 college games, Castellanos completed 477 of 816 passes (58.5%) for 6,449 yards with 48 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He was 180-of-309 (58.3%) for 2,760 yards, 15 TDs and nine interceptions last year in his 12 games for the Seminoles.
Hammond was in line to be 2026 start before getting hurt Hammond played in eight games for Big 12 champion Texas Tech behind graduated Behren Morton last season before an ACL injury on Oct. 25. After no setbacks in his recovery, Hammond has been part of fall camp. The Red Raiders open the season at home Sept. 5 against FCS team Abilene Christian. Sorsby transferred to Tech in January after two seasons at Cincinnati, and was expected to start instead before an NCAA gambling investigation and since-dropped lawsuit over his eligibility. ___ AP college football: Football: Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here
