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Inside the Helmet: Hutto's Hammond talks Elite 11, Texas Tech

A dream came true for one of Austin’s top quarterbacks in Hutto’s Will Hammond.

The senior-to-be was earned a prestigious Elite 11 Camp and participated with some of the nation’s top preps a few weeks back.

“It was special,” he said. “To compete with the top guys in the country and get coached by the best in the globe was a tremendous experience. What I really took away was the intellectual part of the game. Sure, I picked up some footwork and eye recognition tips, but it was really the mental toughness and leadership lessons that I really got the most out of.”

The Texas Tech-commit will have more tools in the belt as he enters his senior year from the experience in California. The three-year starter threw for over 2,700 yards and 30 TDs and rushed for over 700 yards as a junior but wants more.

“I'm really excited about my senior year,” he said. “We have underperformed the past two years and we have something to prove. Our summer workouts are going to get us prepared for a long season. We just need to do a better job at finishing games. Staying healthy will also be key. I have high expectations for us this year and I feel as ready as I ever have.”

Then it’s off to Texas Tech, where he is trying to recruit some additional offensive pieces to the puzzle for coach Joey McGuire.

“I’m really trying to keep tabs on the potential recruits and commits and get everyone excited about being a Red Raider,” he said. “I’m just out there building relationships because we are going to be teammates the next four years.”

Well, he's off to a good start.