Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is making a power move in his fight against an NCAA gambling investigation—hiring none other than Jeffrey Kessler, the legal heavyweight who led the historic House v. NCAA victory that reshaped college sports with revenue-sharing for players.
Kessler confirmed to CBS Sports that he's now representing Sorsby, who is seeking a negotiated resolution with the NCAA. But if talks fall through, sources say Kessler is ready to take the governing body to court. It's a bold strategy for a player whose college career—and potentially his NFL dreams—hang in the balance.
The investigation centers on bets Sorsby placed in 2022, including wagers on Indiana football while he was still on the Hoosiers' roster, as well as bets on other sports. Sources indicate he averaged 20 bets per day at times during that period. In response, Sorsby has voluntarily entered a residential treatment program for gambling addiction, where he's expected to remain for several weeks as the NCAA probe continues.
The stakes are enormous—not just for Sorsby, but for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders entered spring practice as the Big 12 favorites, having built their offense around the blue-chip quarterback transfer. Texas Tech invested heavily to land Sorsby, paying upwards of $5 million to bring him from Cincinnati after a standout 2025 season where he threw for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns, and just five interceptions, while adding nine rushing scores. Ranked No. 2 overall in the transfer portal, Sorsby was widely considered a potential first-round NFL Draft pick before this investigation became public.
Texas Tech has retained its own legal counsel for discussions with the NCAA, but Sorsby sought independent representation with Kessler, whose track record against the NCAA is formidable. Under NCAA bylaws, wagering on your own school's games carries the harshest possible penalty: permanent loss of eligibility. The NCAA hasn't provided Sorsby or Texas Tech a timeline for completing the investigation—a point of contention as the start of next season looms less than four months away.