Texas Tech HC Joey McGuire defends Brendan Sorsby situation: 'It’s not murder'

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are full steam ahead with Brendan Sorsby at quarterback.

Sorsby had to enter inpatient rehab for an admitted gambling addiction. He also admitted to betting on college football while being a college football player.

The NCAA ruled Sorsby ineligible to play for 2026, but the transfer quarterback was granted a temporary injunction allowing him to play for the Red Raiders this season by retired Tarrant County Judge Ken Curry.

The NCAA will appeal the injunction, but that likely won't be resolved until 2027 at the earliest. Other avenues are being openly explored when it comes to protecting the integrity of college football. That includes schools or entire conferences refusing to play Texas Tech. There's also an idea floating around that the College Football Playoff should rule Texas Tech ineligible if Sorsby is on the roster.

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire thinks people are overreacting, though. Speaking on Wednesday at a luncheon, McGuire tried to remind folks that it's not like Sorsby is being accused of domestic violence or even murder.

“Brendan Sorsby is recovering from an addiction — he’s recovering. Like, I’ve sat down with this young man multiple times and the things he’s going through and what he’s been through is serious,” McGuire said Wednesday (h/t On3). "As a society, we’ve been OK with other things that happened and allowing players to play, and this has been the one thing that has united people that they were against.

“And it’s crazy, because it’s not murder, it’s not beating somebody. So there’s a lot of things that we’re working through.”