Texas Tech Quarterback Struggles Explain Fight Over Sorsby Eligibility
The short version
- Texas Tech went 11-1 in 2025 and won the Big 12 title, but narrowly beat Houston 28-26 in 2026.
- Brendan Sorsby was suspended indefinitely by the NCAA for betting on his own team as an Indiana backup.
- A judge's injunction made Sorsby eligible, but he left Texas Tech after other programs threatened lawsuits and scheduling blacklists.
- Will Hammond and Thomas Castellanos have struggled at quarterback this season.
Three weeks into the 2026 season, Texas Tech's shaky quarterback play has clarified why the program pushed so hard to keep Brendan Sorsby eligible.
Texas Tech enters the 2026 season as a heavy betting favorite to repeat as Big 12 champions after finishing 11-1 in the 2025 regular season and beating BYU in the conference title game. But a narrow 28-26 home win over Houston has raised questions about the Red Raiders, who won their league games by an average of 27 points a year ago.
The offseason centered on quarterback Brendan Sorsby, a transfer from Cincinnati who was suspended indefinitely by the NCAA after it emerged he had placed numerous bets on his own team while a backup at Indiana. Backed by booster Cody Campbell and a well-funded NIL operation, Texas Tech hired a lawyer and obtained a local judge's injunction that made Sorsby eligible to play this season.
The ruling triggered a backlash, with other programs threatening legal action, a possible exit from the Big 12, or blacklisting Texas Tech from their schedules. Sorsby subsequently left the school quietly to avoid further controversy.
With Sorsby gone, the job fell to Will Hammond, who started the Red Raiders' only 2025 regular-season loss to Arizona State and ended last year with a torn ACL. Hammond accounted for one touchdown against Houston, and Texas Tech also brought in Thomas Castellanos, formerly a criticized starter at Florida State. Castellanos started the Houston game and threw an interception on the offense's first play.
Through three weeks, the quarterback position has been a clear weakness, which explains why Texas Tech was willing to endure national scrutiny in its effort to keep Sorsby on the field.
