Texas Tech says Brendan Sorsby will not be a Raider this fall

Monday night, Texas Tech issued a statement saying Brendan Sorsby will not be a member of the Red Raider football program this fall amid unresolved legal and eligibility issues and a looming NFL supplemental draft deadline. This comes as a Big 12 lawsuit against the university and others, plays out in court.  

In January, Sorsby, a Denton native, signed with Texas Tech to play quarterback for his fifth and final season of college eligibility. The agreement included millions of dollars in direct payments and fees tied to his name, image and likeness (NIL) rights.

In March, the NCAA began investigating after allegations surfaced that Sorsby placed bets on his own team when he was a member of the Indiana University Hoosiers in 2022. The investigation revealed that Sorsby bet on Indiana 40 times, among thousands of wagers on college sports totaling over $90,000.

The NCAA declared Sorsby ineligible due to its strict rules against athletes gambling on college sports. Last week, Judge Ken Curry granted Sorsby a temporary injunction preventing the NCAA from enforcing the suspension. 

University says it followed NCAA rules and acted with integrity  

Texas Tech Board of Regents Chair Cody Campbell says the university acted with "full integrity" in handling Sorsby's eligibility case, following NCAA rules and prioritizing his well-being.

"Texas Tech had absolutely no knowledge of any of his history of gambling activity until months after he arrived in Lubbock, and there was absolutely no indication that he was dealing with veiled issues of any kind," Campbell wrote. "However, when first confronted with the situation, Brendan immediately took full responsibility and there was never any indication that he was anything but honest with our administration or officials."  

Campbell, the co-founder and co-CEO of Double Eagle Energy Holdings, an oil and gas exploration and production company headquartered in Fort Worth, says Sorsby disclosed gambling addiction issues after arriving on campus and received support and treatment from the university. 

"As we further investigated, the data made it clear that Brendan has a bona fide mental health condition, in the form of a gambling addiction. He needed immediate help," wrote Campbell. "As an institution, whose primary charge is to better the lives and futures of its students, we stood behind him, helped him to find the best possible treatment, and continue to support his recovery to this day. Even though he has never taken a snap for us, we will continue to support him, as we do all Red Raiders."

Legal challenge filed by Sorsby, not university  

He emphasized that Sorsby himself, not Texas Tech, filed the legal challenge that temporarily restored his eligibility.

Despite supporting Sorsby's recovery and retaining his NIL payments, Campbell says he will not be part of the football program this fall due to unresolved legal and eligibility issues and a looming NFL supplemental draft deadline.

Campbell also uses the statement to call for major reform in college athletics, calling the current system "unsustainable" and backing federal legislation he says would restore order to college sports.

"Long before this matter, it was obvious to me that the current state of college sports was unsustainable," Campbell wrote. "On a personal note, I would like to make it clear that my perspective and motivations with respect to college sports reform have not changed, nor has my resolve to advance the interests of my own institution. These two efforts and sentiments are not in conflict.

"I am motivated to fix college sports because I want to make sure that the 500,000+ student athletes in this country are provided the same opportunity for education and personal development that I benefited from through college sports," he continued. "I have achieved success in my personal and professional life, largely because of this opportunity."   

NFL supplemental draft deadline looms  

Campbell said that Sorsby faces a June 22 deadline to be eligible to enter the NFL's supplemental draft.

"We wish our best to Brendan, and we offer our prayers to him and his family as he chases his dreams at the next level," said Campbell.