Texas Tech athletic director weighs in on Brendan Sorsby ruling: 'There is no perfect answer'

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College football was rocked Monday when a judge ruled Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby eligible to play in 2026 despite the quarterback gambling on games last year.

That decision was met with plenty of agita around the sport, with Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor calling it "f***ing bulls***." Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks took it a step further, suggesting teams should not play Texas Tech this season due to concerns over the "integrity" of those contests.

Texas Tech, meanwhile, took it all in stride. The program intends to move forward with Sorsby next season, a controversial decision despite Monday's ruling.

The university understands the frustration across the sport, but believes it has a duty to support a "22-year-old who has sought help, entered residential treatment, and is working every day toward recovery," Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said in a statement Wednesday.

In his statement, Hocutt said he views the university's role as one of support.

"Texas Tech is not a party to Brendan's lawsuit. We did not file it. We did not fund it. A 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. Our role has been to support his recovery, not to engineer his eligibility."

Hocutt also addressed Brooks' comment about integrity, saying Sorsby deserves to be treated with respect.

"I've heard the word 'integrity' used a great deal in the last 48 hours. As someone who has dedicated his career to college sports, I, too, believe integrity is central to our industry's success. I also think integrity applies on more than one front. The integrity of sport matters. So 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't have to be in conflict."

Near the end of his statement, Hocutt said Texas Tech is focused on making sure Sorsby receives the off-field care he deserves before the school thinks about his on-field impact. Hocutt added that he understands why others were frustrated, saying there was "no perfect answer" to the situation.

Sorsby was deemed permanently ineligible by the NCAA after he entered treatment for gambling addiction in April. Following that revelation, numerous reports emerged suggesting Cincinnati was aware of Sorsby's gambling activity before he joined the school and that Sorsby bet on his own team when he was with Indiana.

Sorsby tried to get reinstated by the NCAA in May, but it was denied. At that point, he filed a lawsuit in hopes he would be allowed to play for Texas Tech in 2026. After two seasons at Cincinnati, Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech in January.

While Sorsby on Monday was deemed eligible to play, his status could change in the coming days or weeks. The NCAA appealed the judge's decision and will now wait to see whether that ruling gets reversed.

For now, Sorsby expects to play for Texas Tech in 2026, and Texas Tech will do what it can to make sure the quarterback is supported as he works through his gambling addiction.

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