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 for gambling addiction, 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 his situation is being treated as a mental health issue and 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 projecting as a potential high-end NFL draft pick in 2027.
Sorsby 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.
The NCAA declined comment when contacted by ESPN.
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 back 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 so coveted in the transfer market last year.
Sorsby’s 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 has 22 career rushing touchdowns and 60 career passing touchdowns. He’s 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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