Brendan Sorsby’s gambling investigation leaves Texas Tech with major QB questions as the Red Raiders chase another Big 12 title.
Texas Tech’s 2026 season suddenly has a quarterback problem.
Brendan Sorsby, the transfer quarterback expected to lead the Red Raiders into another Big 12 title chase, is entering a residential treatment program for gambling addiction, the school announced Monday.
The move comes after thousands of online bets were reportedly discovered on a gambling app, creating serious NCAA eligibility questions for one of college football’s biggest offseason additions.
Texas Tech said it “is committed to supporting Brendan through his recovery process and to ensure his long-term health and well-being.”
Sorsby was supposed to be the centerpiece of Texas Tech’s reload after the Red Raiders won their first Big 12 championship and reached the College Football Playoff with Behren Morton.
Instead, his availability is now uncertain while the NCAA investigates.
That matters because NCAA rules prohibit athletes from betting on college or professional sports. The toughest penalties are tied to athletes wagering on their own games or other teams at their own school.
That could be a major issue here, with reports indicating Sorsby bet on Indiana football while he was on the Hoosiers roster in 2022.
Sorsby, who later starred at Cincinnati, arrived in Lubbock as one of the nation’s top transfers. Texas Tech beat out LSU for his commitment, hoping his dual-threat skill set could push the program into national title contention.
Last season, he threw for 27 touchdowns with just five interceptions and added nine rushing scores. For his career, Sorsby has 7,208 passing yards, 60 passing touchdowns and 22 rushing touchdowns.
Now, Texas Tech may need to pivot quickly.
Backup quarterback Will Hammond is recovering from a torn ACL suffered Oct. 25 against Oklahoma State. Coach Joey McGuire has already said the best-case scenario is a Week 3 return against Houston.
“As far as when we get him back, game wise, we won’t let him get ahead of schedule, but he’s ahead of schedule,” McGuire said. “And I knew he would be. He’s a different dude. But it’s still going to be Week 3 at best when you count out from when he had surgery.”
Hammond showed real promise in 2025. He helped beat No. 16 Utah on the road after replacing an injured Morton, completing 13 of 16 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns while adding 61 rushing yards. He also started against Arizona State, totaling 167 passing yards, 47 rushing yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a 26-22 loss.
McGuire has been extremely high on Hammond’s future.
“It’s crazy to say this, but Will may set every record in the history books at Texas Tech in his career,” McGuire said last season.
Until Hammond is ready, Tulsa transfer Kirk Francis could become the opening-day option. Francis started 12 games at Tulsa, throwing for 3,045 yards, 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Texas Tech also has Lloyd Jones III and true freshman Stephen Cannon, though Francis took most of the second-team work this spring.
Adding another quarterback won’t be easy. With no spring transfer window, Texas Tech’s options are limited. New NCAA rules also create severe penalties for programs trying to add players who didn’t properly enter the portal.
The Red Raiders still have enough talent to stay dangerous. Cameron Dickey, J’Koby Williams and Quinten Joyner give Texas Tech a strong running back trio, tight end Terrance Carter Jr. is one of the best in the country, and three offensive line starters return.
But Sorsby was the ceiling-raiser. Without him, the Big 12 race feels a lot messier.
BYU, Houston, Arizona, TCU, Utah and Oklahoma State all have reasons to believe they can contend. Texas Tech still has playoff-level talent, but its quarterback situation has gone from loaded to uncertain in a hurry.