Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt said he understands the concerns of his colleagues regarding the case of Brendan Sorsby but backed the school's commitment to seeing the quarterback through treatment for a gambling addiction.
Hocutt made his extensive comments in a statement issued Wednesday.
Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech in the offseason for a reported $5 million payday, was ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA after it was discovered he placed $90,000 in bets on sports -- including
on his own Indiana team in 2022. On Monday, a Lubbock County district court judge granted a temporary injunction that allows him to play in the 2026 season.
The NCAA issued an immediate appeal over the decision, which outraged athletic directors and coaches from programs across the country.
"I've watched the reaction to Monday's court ruling with great respect for my colleagues across college athletics," Hocutt began his statement. "Many of them are people I admire. But I also owe it to Texas Tech, and frankly to the truth, to offer a few facts that seem to be getting lost in the noise."
Sorsby filed a suit seeking the injunction to allow him to play, with a trial set for next year -- after the conclusion of the season. But if the NCAA's appeal is unsuccessful, he will play for the Red Raiders.
Hocutt said the university is not a party to the lawsuit and is not funding 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 said.
"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 sports 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."
Still, NCAA member institutions - including the Big 12, Texas Tech's conference - are trying to figure out their next steps.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark led a call with conference athletic directors on Tuesday and has scheduled calls with the league's executive committee and campus presidents in the coming days.
"We will continue to have open and honest dialog amongst the group and until there is something to report, these conversations will remain within the conference," Yormark said in a statement.
The Big 12 and the College Football Playoff, which is independent from the NCAA, also must consider what legal options are open to them should Sorsby ultimately be allowed to play by the courts.
The Athletic reported that coaches in all sports have been told by officials at Nebraska and Georgia not to schedule competitions against the Red Raiders. The Big Ten is expected to take up the issue on Wednesday with its member universities, per the report.
Hocutt said Texas Tech has a duty to assist Sorsby.
"Let me be direct about what Texas Tech's position actually is: we are glad Brendan is still part of our community, because that is where we can extend him the best possible support in his ongoing recovery," Hocutt said. "Clinical care, device monitoring, financial oversight, outpatient therapy - that infrastructure exists because we take our responsibility to this young man seriously."
Sorsby spent his past two seasons at Cincinnati before leaving for Texas Tech. He also played at Indiana for two seasons (2022-23).
--Field Level Media
