Judge Grants Quarterback Temporary Injunction Allowing Limited 2026 Play Despite NCAA Ineligibility Ruling
Kirby Hocutt said the school is not a party to Brendan Sorsby's lawsuit and will continue to prioritize his recovery from a gambling addiction while complying with a temporary injunction.
winnipegfreepress.comTexas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt issued a statement on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, addressing the reaction to a Lubbock County judge's ruling that granted transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby a temporary injunction against the NCAA. The ruling allows Sorsby to play for the Red Raiders in the 2026 season despite the NCAA's declaration of ineligibility for wagering on college sports.
Under the court order, Sorsby will miss the first two games of the season at home against Abilene Christian in September 2026.
Hocutt wrote on X that the situation is hard, new, and has no perfect answer. He confirmed that what happens after the first two games will depend in part on how Sorsby's recovery continues to progress. The NCAA ruled Sorsby ineligible after discovering he wagered approximately $90,000 on professional and college sports over four years, including 40 bets involving Indiana football when he was a freshman with the Hoosiers in 2022.
The NCAA denied Texas Tech's appeal for reinstatement on Friday. Hocutt stated that Texas Tech is not a party to Sorsby's lawsuit. He said the school's role has been to support his recovery, not to engineer his eligibility.
Before the lawsuit was filed, Sorsby committed to a comprehensive clinical and compliance structure as a condition of his return to the team. Texas Tech provides clinical care, device monitoring, financial oversight, and outpatient therapy for the 22-year-old. Hocutt said the school spent Monday after the judge's ruling making sure those recovery resources were in place.
He wrote that pulling Sorsby out of a structured environment would not protect anyone. The NCAA has appealed Judge Ken Curry's ruling to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas in Amarillo. Big 12 athletic directors held a conference call on Tuesday with commissioner Brett Yormark.
TCU athletic director Mike Buddie and Kansas State AD Gene Taylor have suggested that other league teams might elect not to play the Red Raiders this season. Hocutt addressed his colleagues directly, writing that he understands the frustration and that the system is binary but the situation is not.
