Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby Steps Away from College Football
Brendan Sorsby has made the tough decision to step back from playing college football at Texas Tech this season after a complicated legal battle that lasted a week. His choice comes at a challenging time, as the Big 12 conference has filed a lawsuit in a Texas federal court seeking to penalize Texas Tech for their plans to play Sorsby, despite the NCAA ruling him ineligible.
For the past few months, Sorsby has been under the NCAA’s scrutiny due to an investigation involving numerous bets placed during his college career, with some occurring while he was a player at Indiana. These bets were flagged by law enforcement and reported to the NCAA.
Recently, Sorsby had taken the step of suing the NCAA in Lubbock district court. He received a temporary injunction that allowed him to potentially play this season. However, the situation quickly became controversial, drawing criticism from across the college sports world. The Big 12 was actively searching for ways to impose sanctions on Texas Tech.
According to sources, Sorsby is expected to drop his lawsuit against the NCAA soon. Despite the legal troubles, Texas Tech continues to support Sorsby, particularly as he faces challenges with a gambling addiction. The university’s officials have also stated that they will not demand a return of funds already paid to Sorsby through his NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) agreements.
Cody Campbell, chair of the Board of Regents, confirmed this decision late Monday, stating, “Texas Tech will not seek a return of any amounts already paid to Brendan through his NIL agreements with the University.”
As tensions grew, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton warned Big 12 officials against punishing Texas Tech for Sorsby’s situation, threatening legal action from the state if they did. Sorsby’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, also expressed that legal action might be pursued against the Big 12 if penalties were imposed.
Adding to the complexity, Texas Tech released a detailed video discussing the protocols put in place for Sorsby after the injunction was granted. However, this effort was met with backlash from leaders within the Big 12, intensifying the scrutiny on the school.
With the Big 12 preparing to initiate further legal action, there was considerable pressure on Sorsby from those close to him to consider declaring for the NFL Supplemental Draft, steering clear of ongoing turmoil.
The situation has sparked debates among athletic directors, with some criticizing Texas Tech’s handling of the matter. They believe the school should have acted sooner once NCAA rules were violated.
Due to the ongoing challenges, Sorsby is now shifting his focus towards a professional career, while simultaneously battling his gambling addiction. Meanwhile, Texas Tech is working to mend relationships within the Big 12 that may have been strained by this incident.
