Well, it looks like the Texas Tech Red Raiders would really like the guy they expected to be their starting quarterback for this coming season to be available as their starting quarterback for this coming season. At least for most of it.
Texas Tech’s leadership has put together an appeal and the Red Raiders really seem to believe that Brendan Sorsby shouldn’t be banned from playing in the full season. Or at least they believe that it’d be great for Texas Tech’s chances of winning if Sorsby was available.
You can debate the motivation for this. Regardless of the exact motivation for the Red Raiders on this one, Texas Tech is putting together the case that Sorsby should only miss two games this coming season for all of the gambling that the NCAA has dug into.
On Friday, news broke that Texas Tech formally filed its appeal to the NCAA following the organization’s decision to bar Sorsby from being eligible for this coming season.
Texas Tech leaders make their case to the NCAA that Brendan Sorsby deserves a second chance
And the Red Raiders are arguing that Sorsby shouldn’t miss significant time. The university is requesting an overturning of the ruling and instead imposing that Texas Tech would be without Sorsby for the first two weeks of the season (Texas Tech’s home game against Abilene Christian and then the road game at Oregon State).
The Red Raiders haven’t denied that Sorsby has been gambling, but their arguments and logic largely seem to stem from “gambling addictions or other mental health challenges,” according to the appeal documents shared by Ross Dellenger on social media.
The documents include Texas Tech’s claim that this situation is "unprecedented" because “a high-profile athlete had the courage” to go pursue the “in-patient treatment for a gambling addiction.” And that’s one of the biggest focal points for Texas Tech in this. Sorsby’s treatment for the gambling addiction.
The Red Raiders also argued against “imposing a career-ending sanction on Sorsby” because they believe that would deter current and former athletes from seeking out help for “mental health challenges and addiction.”
Thus, Texas Tech's proposal for a two-game suspension. Step in, show that there are consequences, and provide the opportunity for grace and redemption. We'll see how that is received by the NCAA and if they feel that's an actually adequate sort of solution here.
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