ESPN's Top Transfer Just Walked Away: Brendan Sorsby Enters Gambling Treatment and Takes Indefinite Leave

Brendan Sorsby was supposed to be Texas Tech's answer at quarterback. ESPN ranked him as the No. 1 transfer in this year's class. Instead, the Red Raiders announced Monday that their star QB is entering a treatment program for gambling addiction and taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team.

According to ESPN's reporting, Sorsby made thousands of dollars in bets on various sports through a gambling app after transferring from Cincinnati this offseason. The NCAA is now investigating those wagers, which included bets on Indiana football games back in 2022 when he was redshirting there. Here's the thing: all those bets were for Indiana to win, and he never appeared in any game he wagered on. That matters because NCAA athletes flat-out cannot bet on college or professional sports. If the investigation confirms these bets, it could jeopardize his eligibility moving forward.

What Sorsby Brings to the Table

Before this news, Sorsby looked like a potential game-changer for the Red Raiders. Over his last two seasons with Cincinnati, he threw for 5,613 yards and 45 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He also ran for 1,027 yards and 18 touchdowns across 24 games. Texas Tech won its first Big 12 championship in school history last season and made the College Football Playoff as a No. 4 seed, though they lost their quarterfinal matchup to No. 5 Oregon 23-0.

The Program's Response

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire released a statement saying "We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help. Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person. Our program is behind Brendan as he prioritizes his health."

It's a supportive message, and it's the right one. But it doesn't change the fact that Texas Tech loses its top transfer QB right as the program is trying to build on a Big 12 championship run. The NCAA investigation will tell us whether Sorsby's eligibility survives this. Until then, the Red Raiders move forward without their biggest offseason acquisition.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.