Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is once again the main talking point in college football after he was granted a temporary injunction against the NCAA’s initial withdrawal of his eligibility due to a gambling addiction. The Sorsby saga has captured the interest of both college and pro football due to the ramifications on the talented quarterback’s future.
Kirk Herbstreit Slams Brendan Sorsby Eligibility Decision
Sorsby made thousands of impermissible bets totaling almost $90,000, including wagers on his own Indiana Hoosiers team, which was the final nail in the coffin when the NCAA decided to withdraw his eligibility.
During an appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Friday, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit blasted Lubbock County district court Judge Ken Curry’s decision to grant Sorsby a temporary injunction.
“It’s sickening that if you don’t hear what you like, you can just go to your local judge and find the answer that you want,” Herbstreit said. “I don’t know where this ends. If this is where we are right now, you can do whatever the hell you want to do in this sport, and if anybody says anything, just find a local judge to tell you the answer you want to get.”
Sorsby will not play in the Red Raiders’ first two games of the season against Abilene Christian and Oregon State, but will be available to play against the Houston Cougars on Sept. 18. In addition, the quarterback will have to take part in peer-support work, counseling and be available for treatment related to anxiety connected to gambling.
Schools in the Big 12 have expressed outrage over the Sorsby ruling, with some threatening to boycott games against the Red Raiders to register protest over the quarterback breaking one of the most sacred rules in college and professional sports and seemingly getting away with it.
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NCAA President Charlie Baker further detailed the snowball effect of Sorsby’s ruling in a lengthy post on X on Saturday after Clemson wide receiver Tristan Smith was granted a temporary injunction in South Carolina, allowing him to play for the Tigers next season.
“The Sorsby decision was never about only one student-athlete,” Baker tweeted. “We are already seeing downhill effects in other eligibility cases in which state courts are allowing student-athletes to circumvent longstanding eligibility rules, citing Sorsby outcome as part of the court’s precedent.
“Another example of why we need Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act, authorizing the association to apply common sense eligibility rules consistently for all student-athletes and schools, regardless of the state or local court system.”
Sorsby’s attorneys had asked for an expedited hearing in the quarterback’s eligibility case due to the deadline for filing for the NFL Supplemental Draft falling on Jun. 22.
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The Texas Tech star was one of the most highly sought-after quarterbacks in the transfer portal after tallying 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions, while adding 580 rushing yards and nine scores for the Cincinnati Bearcats last season. He earned a PFSN QB Impact score of 88.2.
