Texas Tech Transfer QB Leaves Program for Gambling Rehab
Texas Tech made the College Football Playoff last season, but getting back may be tougher, as transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby recently left the program to enter rehab to fight problem gambling.
Transfer QB leaves program to treat gambling addiction
Sorsby was the prized transfer that Texas Tech landed just days after losing to Oregon in last season’s College Football Playoff. Now he has left the Red Raiders to enter gambling rehab for an indefinite time.
In a statement released by Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire, he said, “We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help. Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person.”
Sorsby transferred from Cincinnati, where he led the Bearcats to a 7-6 record last season, passing for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions, ranking 11th in the nation in QBR. According to the ESPN transfer portal ratings, he was the top player available.
Sorsby’s college career may be over
Not only has Sorsby left the Texas Tech program and entered rehab, but he has other issues as well. The NCAA is investigating the pivot for allegedly making thousands of bets through a sportsbook app. One of the bets was for Indiana to win a college football game, and that was made while he was on the team in 2022.
The NCAA has a strict policy prohibiting college players from gambling on college athletics, and violators are ineligible to play. According to the NCAA guidelines, "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."
Reports also state Sorsby allegedly placed numerous bets on individual pitches on Cincinnati Reds games.
Sorsby also has a current court case: his former school Cincinnati, sued him for $1 million for refusing to pay the $1 million exit fee.
Red Raiders now have a quarterback issue
With Sorsby out indefinitely and the other issues he is dealing with, it does not look like he will be donning a Texas Tech uniform next season. He was penciled in to be their starting quarterback and, in a spring game, lit it up with four touchdown passes.
While the school has billionaire alum Cody Campbell, who has ponied up a lot of NIL money for the Tech football program, the cupboard in the transfer portal is pretty bare. Most of the top transfers have already committed to new schools. The NIL deal to lure Sorsby away from Cincinnati was reported to be for $5 million.
Little experience
As of late April, Texas Tech currently has four quarterbacks on the roster. There are three freshmen, and the only one with experience is former Wake Forest transfer and senior Mitch Griffis, who passed for 357 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in limited action for the Red Raiders last season.
Redshirt freshman Will Hammond is seen as the top of the three freshman signal callers. However, he is recovering from a torn ACL, and while he has started to throw, he missed spring practice.
