Brendan Sorsby eligibility ruling sparks talk of Texas Tech boycotts

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After a judge granted an injunction allowing quarterback Brendan Sorsby to play despite betting on his own team, some athletic directors are reportedly threatening a nuclear option: refusing to play against Texas Tech.

The reporting comes from Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports. According to court documents, Sorsby admitted to placing bets on his own team 40 times, totaling $90,000 over four years.

The court allowing Sorsby to play has major ramifications for the NCAA. The NCAA has long held significant power over determining student-athlete eligibility. Now, students are increasingly appealing unfavorable NCAA decisions to state judges.

“You can’t have localized decisions move past NCAA rules,” former Clemson, Miami and Georgia Tech athletic director Dan Radakovich told Yahoo Sports.

Multiple athletic directors told Yahoo they would consider whether to proceed with future games against Texas Tech if courts continue to override NCAA eligibility decisions.

“There is still a lot to be discussed,” Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor told Yahoo. “We aren’t scheduled to play them this year, but it’s something we have to look at from a college football perspective. This is greater than the Big 12.”

“It’s f*cking bullsh*t,” added Taylor. “I know the kid has a problem. Well, get well and focus on your problem. It is absolutely devastating for him to be able to play when every other sport, no matter the level, deems an athlete ineligible or they are punished severely for betting on their team.”

“I think there needs to be serious conversations about not playing Texas Tech in any sports,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks told Yahoo Sports. “This is not about Texas Tech. It’s about protecting our own locker room. We cannot in good conscience put our student-athletes on a field where the competitive integrity of the contest is compromised and overridden by the courts. If a state court wants to dictate eligibility rules, they can play themselves.”

According to Dellenger, one anonymous Big 12 athletic director called it the “lowest point in my time in college sports” and said Texas Tech “should be ashamed of itself.”

There is legislation up for a vote in Congress that could help solve these issues, but that’s easier said than done. The “Protect College Sports Act,” which would grant the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption to enforce its rules and pool media rights, is reportedly opposed by the SEC and Big Ten, who fear it would prevent future expansion by the two conferences.

With the legislation facing an uphill battle, refusing to play against universities that roster players deemed eligible by a judge may become a serious option for schools in order to ensure NCAA authority.

Without congressional action, it’s not clear what other options schools and the NCAA have.

The post Brendan Sorsby eligibility ruling sparks talk of Texas Tech boycotts appeared first on Awful Announcing.

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