NCAA denied Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby request for reinstatement and Texas Tech has announced that they would appeal that decision:
Recently, the NCAA issued an initial ruling that Brendan is permanently ineligible to compete. Texas Tech will be appealing that decision. We believe that given the facts and the context of Brendan’s case, the NCAA’s ruling should be reversed or modified. As a generation of college athletes face the legalization and rapid proliferation of sports betting in our country, gambling addiction is rising to the point of epidemic among college aged men in particular. The NCAA’s stated mission includes “fostering [student-athletes’] lifelong well-being”, and they have claimed their goal is to promote a “culture of care” for student athletes’ mental health. Gambling addiction is a clinically recognized behavioral disorder, as defined in the DSM-5.
The NCAA’s own Chief Medical Officer has called for a “harm reduction approach” in dealing with problem gambling so that student-athletes can “seek support without fear of impacting their eligibility.” The NCAA’s own policies and procedures for reinstatement call for “reaching an outcome that considers the well-being of the involved student-athlete.” We are asking that the NCAA follow their own stated principles in this case. Ignoring these facts in this ruling puts the letter of their rules ahead of the spirit of their mission.
The NCAA bylaws governing Brendan’s case have not adapted to the era of widespread legalized sports betting that this generation of college athletes now has to navigate. He is not the first college athlete to face gambling addiction, and unfortunately, he will not be the last. Our responsibility as higher education leaders is to create environments that support young people’s growth, maturation, and success, fit for the times in which they live. Given that Brendan has taken accountability for his addiction and actions, a brave act in any circumstance, but especially under the intense scrutiny of a national spotlight, we believe that the best path forward for him is on campus, among his teammates, embraced by the strength of this community.
Via On3, Sorsby released a statement:
“This is the start of a new beginning that I feel fortunate to have,” Sorsby said, in part. “I know recovery from addiction is a long road and I hope that my experience has in even some small way reduced the stigma associated with speaking up about addiction and getting help. I am committed to my ongoing treatment and being a resource to many other student-athletes and other kids out there dealing with gambling addiction and other mental health issues.
“With the support of my coaches, teammates and the university, I’m looking forward to returning to campus in Lubbock. If I’m blessed and fortunate enough to have the opportunity to continue my college career at Texas Tech, I know I will get the support I need, including through the school’s Center for Students in Addiction Recovery. I am deeply sorry to everyone I’ve disappointed and am committed to the hard and necessary work ahead.”
I understand all of the arguments, including where Texas Tech is going with all of this, but imagine the precedent this sets if the NCAA doesn’t deny this request and permits Sorsby to play despite betting on his team. I understand the catastrophic nature of gambling and how it can become insidious and part of lives. I understand how this is all it is wrong for the NCAA to profit from gambling money via advertising and to then have such strict rules regarding gambling is contradictory. With all of that being said, the result to permit Sorsby to continue to play when he bet on a team he played for, regardless of the outcome is not the path that the NCAA or any sporting institution can go down. It just seems that the precedent that would be set, where you then have to create rules, carveouts, caveats to allow for these instances, seems like an impossible task for the NCAA to then enforce. Don’t bet on your team or where you play. And don’t get me wrong, the list of college football players who have bet on their team is likely long and illustrious, but those players haven’t been caught. If they are and they bet on their own team, then I’m fine with the same result, which is losing their eligibility. I also feel like I’m in the minority here, but I’m okay with that.
Oh yeah, don’t forget the football.
Reporting for summer 🫡 pic.twitter.com/lW7m1s2fXy
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) May 27, 2026