It's Over! Brendan Sorsby and Tech Back Down, Sorsby Headed to NFL Supplemental Draft

STILLWATER – Texas Tech’s expected starting quarterback for this season has declared that he will make himself available for an NFL Supplemental Draft later this summer. That news broke on Monday night following a trail of legal manuevering.

Brendan Sorsby is a talented dual threat quarterback who Texas Tech rightfully paid a large sum of money to lure out of the transfer portal to Lubbock, Texas. Once it was learned that Sorsby had a gambling addiction that included more than 9,000 wagers for more than $90,000 and included wagers on his own football squad at Indiana in 2023, Sorsby wasn’t as great an answer for the Red Raiders. 

A local state court with transfer judge Kenneth Curry granted an injunction from an NCAA suspension that allowed him to play. The overwhelming sentiment in college athletics was against Sorsby playing and Texas Tech playing him. It appears a Big 12 lawsuit filed in federal court in Dallas that would have paved the way for the conference to take action against Texas Tech if they played Sorsby was the breaking point. 

Tom Marrs, a very respected sports lawyer said that the Big 12 Conference’s action was as creative a legal move as he had seen out of left field in a long time. That says something and immediately gives the Big 12, Commissioner Brett Yormark, and their attorneys sizeable street cred in college athletics.

The remaining question isn’t who Texas Tech will play at quarterback as they have Will Hammond (recovering from an ACL surgery last season) and former Tulsa quarterback Kirk Francis as candidates. The major question is how long it will take or will it ever happen that the Big 12 and Texas Tech get back to smooth and congenial relations?

There are responses from both sides in the aftermath.

Brendan Sorsby:

“I am grateful for the support from my family, my Tech coaching staff, teammates, the community, and so many others who have encouraged me to address and learn more about this important issue,” Brendan Sorsby said. “As my journey continues, I remain fully committed to and focused on being the best I can be, both on and off the field.”

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark:

“It’s been a challenging week for both our Conference and the college athletics landscape. The Big 12 looks forward to moving ahead as 16 strong. We wish Brendan Sorsby success in his future endeavors.” 

Here is the letter from Texas Tech uber donor and Chairman of the Texas Tech University Borad of Regents Cody Campbell.

Joint statement from Texas Tech President Dr. Lawrence Schovanec and athletics director Kirby Hocutt.