A week after a Texas judge granted Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby an injunction that will allow him to play this year despite repeatedly violating the NCAA’s prohibitions on gambling, the Big 12 and the NCAA have struck back.
The NCAA seeks a stay of the injunction provided by the Lubbock court, which is situated in the same area where Texas Tech is based. The injunction would allow Sorsby to play this season after serving a two-game suspension. While the NCAA has the right to appeal the decision, the hearing is scheduled for after this year’s national championship game.
Meaning, after serving the two-game suspension, Sorsby would have no legal barrier to playing. An expedited appeal could be filed, but even then, it wouldn’t be heard until as much as two months into the season.
Pursuant to that, the NCAA has sought not only a stay but an expedited briefing schedule that would allow it to resolve the appeals process before the start of the season.
The danger for Sorsby, should the NCAA be granted the expedited appeal, is grave.
The deadline for declaring the NFL Supplemental Draft is June 22. He cannot declare for the draft and maintain college eligibility. As a result, should he not declare and lose the appeal, he will not be able to play in college or the NFL in 2026.
A simple and considerate remedy to avoid a massive showdown in court would be for Sorsby, a highly touted quarterback prospect, to forgo college and declare for the NFL Supplemental Draft.
However, that entails Sorsby walking away from his $5 million NIL deal at Tech, a contract considerably more lucrative than the one he would receive in the NFL as a supplemental draft pick.
So, no one should hold their breath on that one.