Posted on 04/27/2026 6:14:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby, one of college football's top returning players, is checking into a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction, the school announced Monday.
Sorsby's decision to seek treatment, according to sources, came in the wake of the discovery of Sorsby making thousands of online bets on a variety of sports via a gambling app, which jeopardizes his eligibility with Texas Tech.
The NCAA is investigating Sorsby's gambling, according to sources, as the organization forbids athletes from betting on both college and pro sports.
Texas Tech said in a statement that the university "is committed to supporting Brendan through his recovery process and to ensure his long-term health and well-being."
According to sources, Sorsby bet on Indiana football while redshirting for the Hoosiers as a true freshman in 2022, a season in which he played in a single game as a reserve. The bets in 2022, according to sources, were on Indiana to win and none came in a game in which Sorsby appeared.
Sorsby's gambling has not drawn the attention of law enforcement, according to sources, nor has he been linked to anyone attempting to influence the outcome of a game. Sorsby's gambling, sources said, was a steady flurry of small bets over a period of time.
There's no timetable for Sorsby's treatment, as sources say that his situation is being treated as a mental health matter and that Sorsby will be afforded all the time he needs. His decision as a high-profile college athlete to enter a facility to treat his gambling addiction while enrolled is unprecedented.
"We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help," Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire said in a statement. "Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person. Our program is behind Brendan as he prioritizes his health."
Sorsby's transfer to Texas Tech this offseason positioned him as one of the faces of the sport for 2026, as he was No. 1 in ESPN's transfer portal rankings. Sorsby entered the 2026 season projected as a potential high-end NFL draft pick in 2027.
He projects as one of the highest-paid players in college football, as ESPN has reported he was in line to make more than $5 million this year at Texas Tech. He transferred to Texas Tech from Cincinnati , where he was one of the most sought-after players in the NCAA transfer portal this offseason.
As for his on-field future, the NCAA has a strict policy against any type of gambling by athletes on "intercollegiate, amateur or professional athletics competition," and violators are ineligible for competition subject to appeal.
"Due to confidentiality rules put in place by NCAA member schools, the NCAA will not comment on current, pending or potential investigations," the NCAA said in a statement. "However, the NCAA takes sports betting very seriously and is committed to the protection of student-athlete well-being and the integrity of competition. The Association works with integrity monitoring services, state regulators and other stakeholders to conduct appropriate due diligence whenever reports are received."
Any NCAA gambling case would be investigated by NCAA enforcement and then handled by the organization's Division I Committee on Infractions.
Betting on Indiana football while on the roster looms as a significant obstacle for Sorsby to return, according to the NCAA's punishment structure.
According to amended NCAA guidelines that came out in 2023, "student-athletes who wager on their own games or on other sports at their own schools" face "permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports."
Other potential gambling punishment guidelines include: If a college football player, for example, bets on a different school in their own sport, "the loss of 50-percent of one season of eligibility will be considered."
The guidelines in 2023 include guidance that wagers "greater than $800" would lead to the potential loss of 30% of a season of eligibility. For "cumulative wagering" that "greatly exceeded $800," the staff is directed to consider whether additional loss of eligibility, "including permanent ineligibility," is appropriate.
Sorsby threw for 27 touchdowns and just five interceptions last year as a redshirt junior at Cincinnati. He also rushed for nine touchdowns, and his dual-threat ability made him very coveted in the transfer market last year.
His transfer from Cincinnati has been controversial, as the school sued him for $1 million for breach of contract in late February after he left for Texas Tech.
Sorsby's attorneys filed a motion later Monday to dismiss Cincinnati's lawsuit, claiming the $1 million penalty for leaving is unlawful under Ohio law.
"The Agreement is nothing more than a pay-for-play employment contract," Sorby's lawyers wrote in the motion. "It is a way for UC to pay Mr. Sorsby for his on-field performance, but in purported conformance with the NCAA's current rules. The structure, terms, restrictions, and payments provided in the Agreement make this clear.
"The intent of the Agreement was to incentivize Mr. Sorsby's attendance at UC and reward him for playing football. Now that Mr. Sorsby has exercised his right to transfer to another school, UC is trying to punish Mr. Sorsby, and selectively send a chilling message to other student-athletes."
Sorsby has 22 career rushing touchdowns and 60 career passing touchdowns. He has thrown for 7,208 yards in his career, which places him among the most productive players returning in the sport.
Texas Tech's quarterback situation is tenuous, as backup Will Hammond is coming off an ACL tear in October. McGuire said recently that Hammond isn't expected to be ready for the season opener. McGuire told reporters earlier this month that a timeline for Hammond's return would be around Week 3 in the best-case scenario.
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Jim
The stock market is gambling, too.
bttt
Because its PUSHED NON STOP
at every Media level .
Unleashing Sports Gambling was a pure evil.
I see gambling being pushed on FOOD Channel last night .
I did not vote for this nor POT being peddled !
ITs Vegas being pushed on the entire country .
Pete did that.
Pete just needed to check into the Betty Ford for a few months and all of his troubles would have been excused away. But, his lawyers convinced him to wage war on Bart Giametti, the nicest guy one could find, who them promptly croaks and becomes a martyr.
Tbe problem...
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/transnational-organized-crime/integrity-in-sports-and-gaming
He’s getting out one step ahead of the posse.
I’ve been wondering when the FBI would get to NCAAF...
I remember opposing the state lottery (which was put in based on race). The next stop after the lottery is casinos and sports gambling. Here in our state, we have a major part of the Chinese Basketball Association gambling scandal that is currently under investigation in Pennsylvania (because the wagers in question were placed in a Philadelphia casino) because the gamblers later bet on SC State at Coppin State NCAA men’s basketball games.
First of all, he’s not 18. He’s 22. That’s an adult in my book. He’s got agents and lawyers who are supposed to parse out the legal language. Gee, maybe if you sign a contract that says you’re obligated to play four years with a school and, in return, we hand you this wad of cash that you should play the four years or hand back a portion of the cash. But then I’m old and it used to be that a contract was your bond.
In today’s world, where schools deliberately try to make their students unprepared to be adults?
I’ll bet $500 he doesn’t quit gambling.
ncalburt, you are 100% right.
Meth and fentanyl addicts aren’t addicted to losing?
I am sure he isn’t. But they don’t care.
I am sure he isn’t. But they don’t care.
No, they are addicted to the great feeling that drugs give them. They want to experience it all the time.
Those lies about “here is your brain on drugs” would never convince any person who has used Meth cocaine or heroin (or fentanyl). I had Fentanyl for a cardiac cath procedure and the 5 seconds of consciousness were exhilarating. Addicts keep that feeling going for hours.
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