The judge presiding over the case of Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby vs. the NCAA recused himself Wednesday. Judge Phillip Hays, who was assigned the case, is a Texas Tech alum. On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed Bloomberg Law’s Ryan Autullo’s original report.
“Breaking: Judge in Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s lawsuit against NCAA recused himself,” Autullo wrote on Twitter/X. “Judge Phillip Hays, a Lubbock native with two Tech degrees, didn’t give a reason. Replacement to be picked by administrative judge with degrees from A&M and Baylor, but not Tech.”
Sorsby’s suing the NCAA is a move to expedite the process and get a final decision from the governing body on his eligibility quickly amid his indefinite leave from Texas Tech football due to a gambling addiction. Texas Tech is expected to rule Sorsby ineligible and file for reinstatement with the NCAA for the 2026 season.
Sorsby is requesting that a judge grant an injunction so he can play the 2026 season. The filing states Sorsby suffers from a “clinically diagnosed” gambling disorder, which is “a mental health condition.”
The NCAA opened an investigation into Sorsby’s alleged gambling activities, including bets reportedly placed on Indiana football games in 2022, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. Sorsby, 22, recently retained noted antitrust lawyer and NCAA nemesis Jeffrey Kessler, who was among the lead attorneys in the landmark Alston v. NCAA and House v. NCAA cases over the past few years, both of which resulted in significant losses for the NCAA and ushered in widespread changes to college athletics.
Brendan Sorsby vs. NCAA: Texas Tech alumni recuses himself as judge of case
Of course, the NCAA isn’t the only entity investigating Sorsby’s gambling. State gaming commissions in Indiana and Ohio also reportedly opened investigations into Sorsby’s betting activities, according to ESPN. Also at issue is that many of these bets, especially those made while he was a student at Indiana, were allegedly made before Sorsby turned 21, which could eventually involve law enforcement. State gaming regulators can ban bettors, fine operators, and refer investigations to law enforcement.
As of yet, Sorsby’s gambling has yet to draw the attention of law enforcement, nor has it been linked to any attempt to influence the outcome of games. It was reportedly just a steady flurry of small bets over a period of time. As of now, there is no timetable for Sorsby’s treatment nor any additional information on his potential return to the Texas Tech football program.
NCAA guidelines from 2023 on sports betting say: “Student-athletes who engage in activities to influence the outcomes of their own games or knowingly provide information to individuals involved in sports betting activities will potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports. This would also apply to student-athletes who wager on their own games or on other sports at their own schools.”
Sorsby’s bets on Indiana football games in 2022 are at the crux of the NCAA investigation, according to Nakos, and leave his eligibility for the upcoming 2026 season in serious question. Sorsby reportedly placed bets across multiple states, using a range of gambling apps, including Hard Rock Bet, BetMGM, DraftKings, PrizePicks, and bet365, among others, per Nakos.
Pete Nakos and Alex Byington contributed to this report