Texas Tech President announces Tech will appeal NCAA's decision to permanently suspend QB Brendan Sorsby

In a letter addressed to the Texas Tech community, Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec wrote that the university will "appeal" the NCAA’s decision to suspend senior quarterback Brendan Sorsby indefinitely on Tuesday.

Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec speaks during the 2025 State of the University address on the university campus on Sept. 24, 2025 in Lubbock, Texas. The president touted the successes the university saw over the past year in research. | Mateo Rosiles/ Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LUBBOCK, Texas – In a letter addressed to the Texas Tech community. Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec wrote that the university will be "appealing" the NCAA’s decision to indefinitely suspend senior quarterback Brendan Sorsby on Tuesday. The move comes after the league’s investigation into Sorsby’s violations of the NCAA sports-betting guidelines. In his letter, Schovanec called for the ruling to be overturned or adjusted, given the “facts and context” of the 22-year-old's case. 

“Recently, the NCAA issued an initial ruling that Brendan is permanently ineligible to compete. Texas Tech will be appealing that decision. We believe that given the facts and the context of Brendan’s case, the NCAA’s ruling should be reversed or modified,” wrote Schoveanec.

Also in the letter, Schoveanec confirmed that Sorsby’s will return to campus this week following the completion of his treatment program for “a gambling addiction and anxiety disorder” that Sorsby entered toward the end of April after stepping away from the team to seek treatment. The Tech quarterback himself released his own statement via Instagram, writing that the completion of his treatment program. 

“Last Friday, I completed a residential treatment program for a diagnosed gambling addiction and anxiety disorder. While I accept responsibility for my behaviors and know that I have a lot of work ahead of me," read Sorsby’s statement. “For the first time in many years, I feel more free and no longer fully at the mercy of my addiction.”

Additionally, Sorsby separately filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against the NCAA to grant him an additional fifth-year final season in college football. That hearing is set for Monday, June 1st, in the 99th District in Lubbock County. 

With that, the decision on what happens in the courtroom on paper is the smoothest road for Sorsby to see action in the 2026 College Football season. Sorsby was one of the highly rated players to hit the transfer portal this offseason, which saw him land in Lubbock from Cincinnati. 

If in court, Sorsby is not granted an injunction for an additional year, the next option for Sorsby seems to be to enter the NFL’s Supplemental Draft in the summer. With that, the deadline to register to enter said draft is June 22nd, according to multiple reports. ​

Sorby’s future in collegiate athletics is at a standstill until the results of his court hearing are known. An expert from Schoveanec’s letter reads densely on the reality that the future holds. Not just of the relationship between sports gambling and college football, but the impact of the widespread legalized sports betting era will have on other athletes, no matter the sport, league, or age.

“The NCAA bylaws governing Brendan’s case have not adapted to the era of widespread legalized sports betting that this generation of college athletes now has to navigate. He is not the first college athlete to face gambling addiction, and unfortunately, he will not be the last,” wrote Schovenac. “Our responsibility as higher education leaders is to create environments that support young people’s growth, maturation, and success, fit for the times in which they live.”

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