Texas Tech football surely expected outrage and insults to flood social media after it successfully fought for Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility, but the program has been working hard to avoid sanctions. Texas attorney general Ken Paxton wrote a letter to Big 12 brass that was intended to ward off any penalties or legal action. The league is standing firm and filed a 47-page complaint against the Red Raiders. The board of directors explained its reasoning later on Monday.
“Last night, the Big 12 filed a legal complaint asking a federal court to protect the constitutional and contractual rights of the Conference and our member institutions to take actions expressly permitted under our Bylaws,” the statement reads, per insider Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports. “The Big 12 has long spoken out about the dangers of sports wagering by student-athletes and remains committed to protecting the competitive integrity of conference competition.
“Universities should not field players who have bet on their own team’s games in college athletics. The situation is evolving with pending legal matters and the upcoming start of the football season, and the Conference hopes for a timely resolution of these issues. The Board continues to keep all options on the table.”
It sounds like the Sorsby saga is far from over. If faced with sanctions, Texas Tech football will argue that it did not know about the former Indiana and Cincinnati quarterback’s gambling violations when it pursued him in the transfer portal this past winter. The Red Raiders will also emphasize the pro-eligibility ruling made by Judge Ken Curry.
The Big 12 Conference will not accept any defense, however. League members believe Texas Tech is complicit in threatening the sport’s integrity and will now attempt to punish the university. Expect plenty of additional statements and letters before this fight concludes.
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