HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� Top leadership at Texas Tech on Wednesday defended their plan to play next season while he treats his gambling addiction, insisting they are not trying to 鈥渆ngineer his eligibility鈥� through the courts and dismissing of the Red Raiders that includes school discussions of boycotting their teams.
Speaking to fans and boosters at the Houston Touchdown Club, coach Joey McGuire acknowledged the 鈥渞age鈥� surrounding the situation, with athletic directors across college football saying that the NCAA ban on players who gamble and a to restore his eligibility crossed a line that should never be crossed.
鈥淔or some reason, as a society, we鈥檝e been OK with other things that happen and allowing players to play, and this has been the one thing that has united people, that they were against,鈥� McGuire said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy because it鈥檚 not murder, it鈥檚 not beating somebody — so there鈥檚 a lot of things that we鈥檙e working through. None of this is OK.鈥�
Texas Tech officials canceled a news conference that was scheduled for before the luncheon. After his speech, McGuire said he’d only take questions from 鈥淩ed Raider fans鈥� and answered them for about 10 minutes.
According to court filingss earlier this year, Sorsby made on college and pro sports that were worth at least $90,000 while at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech. Those bets include the ones he made while a freshman with the Hoosiers in 2022, though none were on games in which he played. Sorsby sought the injunction against the NCAA in a lawsuit filed May 18, the same day Texas Tech ruled him ineligible, a necessary step before the school could pursue his reinstatement 鈥� an effort twice denied by the NCAA.
Three top Texas Tech leaders go on the offensive
Cody Campbell, the billionaire Texas Tech booster and chairman of its board of regents, issued a statement and so did athletic director Kirby Hocutt, who said he wanted to 鈥渙ffer a few facts that seem to be getting lost in the noise” and noting the school is not part of Sorsby’s lawsuit against the NCAA.
鈥淎 young man in treatment for a clinically diagnosed addiction exercised his legal right to seek a remedy in court and a judge agreed with him,鈥� Hocutt said. 鈥淥ur role has been to support his recovery, not to engineer his eligibility.鈥�
Under the court order, Sorsby will be suspended for the first two games of the season. The NCAA plans to appeal the ruling, with President Charlie Baker telling reporters in Las Vegas that the case illustrated 鈥渁 new low鈥� in college sports.
McGuire likened Sorsby recovering from his addiction to fellow Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond鈥檚 recovery from knee surgery. Both he and Hocutt said Sorsby would be evaluated 鈥� 鈥渉is recovery, compliance and readiness,” the athletic director said 鈥� before he would be cleared to play in Week 3 against Houston on Sept. 18 in the team’s Big 12 opener.
鈥淚鈥檝e sat down with this young man multiple times and the things that he is going through and what he鈥檚 been through, it鈥檚 serious,” McGuire said. 鈥淎nd I have a number of people in my family that were addicted to different stuff and so I鈥檝e seen what addiction does to people.鈥�
Billionaire booster says boycotting Texas Tech could lead to legal action
Campbell, a key figure in helping Texas Tech land top players over the past two years, took a far more aggressive and defiant stance on a podcast appearance with Dan Dakich.
鈥淎s it stands right now, the kid is eligible, so we don鈥檛 have a whole lot of choice but to play him,” he said. “Not only on a legal grounds, but ethically and morally. We told him we were going to back him up and support him, and Texas Tech does what it says it鈥檚 going to do and keeps the promises it makes.鈥�
He also addressed reports that schools have been talking about boycotting Texas Tech in light of the ruling, suggesting that could lead to legal action.
鈥淚 love when the Big Ten or the K-State AD comes out and says we鈥檝e all gotten together and we鈥檝e talked about how we鈥檙e not going to play Tech, because guess what? That鈥檚 collusion,鈥� he said. “That鈥檚 an antitrust violation. So have fun with that one, guys. You can鈥檛 do that.鈥�
Hocutt also struck back at those who questioned what this does to the integrity of college football.
鈥淭he integrity of sport matters,鈥� he said, 鈥淪o does the integrity of how we treat a 22-year-old who sought help, entered residential treatment, and is working every day toward recovery. Those two things don鈥檛 have to be in conflict.鈥�
McGuire was adamant that the most important thing in this story is supporting Sorsby in his 鈥渄arkest times.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 the first person to tell you it was his fault,鈥� McGuire said. 鈥淗e chose to do this, but when you know anything about addiction, there鈥檚 a point that you choose it and then all of a sudden you don鈥檛 choose it anymore. There鈥檚 not something that you can do by yourself to get past where you鈥檙e at. So I wasn鈥檛 going to turn my back on him.鈥�
McGuire added that Sorsby was 鈥渂ack in the building鈥� after spending some time away from the facilities while he was dealing with his issues.
鈥淒o I see a different person? I know it sounds crazy, but I do,鈥� McGuire said. 鈥淚 see a kid that feels like he鈥檚 got 1,000 pounds of weight lifted off of him. He鈥檚 made the statement that he feels like this is a moment that can actually change his life.鈥�
Sorsby may soon explain himself to fans, critics
The coach also said that Sorsby wants to address fans of his new school.
鈥淎t some point soon, I would expect Red Raiders will hear from Brendan Sorsby because I think it鈥檚 really important,鈥� McGuire said. 鈥淎nd I will tell you, he thinks it鈥檚 really important for him to get everybody to understand exactly where he鈥檚 at.鈥�
The injunction comes with conditions that Sorsby must continue counseling for his gambling and to participate in peer support through Gamblers Anonymous or a similar group. He also must continue treatment to address 鈥渢he underlying anxiety that served as the primary driver of (his) gambling behavior.鈥�
McGuire said Sorsby is working through many things right now and provided more details on restrictions that will be put in place for the quarterback in his return. He said that there will be technology on any device he has 鈥渇or us to know everything that鈥檚 going on.鈥� Sorsby, who reportedly signed a multimillion-dollar deal to join the Red Raiders after two years at Cincinnati and two years at Indiana, will have a person that will account for 鈥渆very single penny that he has.鈥�
鈥淭he proper steps are in place to get for him to get to the point where we can get him playing,鈥� McGuire said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of stuff to go through.鈥�
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