Big XII options for sanctioning Texas Tech

[jdoggivjc]

Regarding Paxton's threat to sue on the grounds that it will injure Tech, can't the Big XII also argue that allowing Sorsby to play will damage the league's brand? The TRO does not force Texas Tech University to play Brendan Sorsby at quarterback.

I still think at some point, someone in power will realize there are 3 outcomes if Sorsby plays:

1. Tech goes 12-1 or 13-0 AND wins the B12 CGG. They are in the playoff and the committee does everything in their power to screw them in the bracket. Throughout this "magical" regular season, they are absolutely hammered by every opposing fanbase during road games. Every week, the national media takes shots at them. If their one loss is in a game they are favored to win and Sorsby has an off game...well, you know where that goes.

2. Tech goes 10-2 or 11-1 and doesn't win the conference's automatic bid. The committee flips them the bird, they go to the Alamo bowl and Sorsby opts out to prepare for the draft. They have basically dropped a deuce on their own brand for 10 wins and a bowl trip 200 miles to the east.

3. Tech goes 9-3 or worse. I actually think this is the best case if Sorsby plays. After the second loss, public opinion will A) forget about it to some degree and B) start to tick back towards sympathy for that scrappy little underdog from West Texas.

We're not talking about Peyton Manning. He's a good quarterback, but the risk he brings is massive and even if everything goes exactly as Cody Campbell dreams it will go when he lays his head down on his pillow every night, it will be remembered as a tainted championship.

The way the Taco Tech Longwhorns have embraced the villain role over the last year, especially over the Sorsby scandal, I don't think anybody's having sympathy for them anytime soon. At this point I actually hate them more than I hate Utah... and my feelings about the Eewtes haven't changed one bit.

 

[WIBadger]

The way the Taco Tech Longwhorns have embraced the villain role over the last year, especially over the Sorsby scandal, I don't think anybody's having sympathy for them anytime soon. At this point I actually hate them more than I hate Utah... and my feelings about the Eewtes haven't changed one bit.

At this point does it make sense to call them Cody Campbell University since they seem to only exist to his ego

 

[BCClone]

The conference(s) can levy fines for things like court storming or coaches criticizing officials. I'd say a $1M fine for every game you play a player that the NCAA deems ineligible sounds about right.

I hate to be the one but we need to be careful here. ISU is also in this same boat with wrestling.

It’s the betting on his own team that needs to be the main issue.

 

[BCClone]

Im with some of the others in the thought that this is a lot of time/energy for a mediocre QB. I realize that Tech has no one behind him and their 2026 season may depend on him playing but the ramifications go further than 2026.

If you can have players that gamble on their own games and there are no rules, why can’t a QB magically transfer to TT and play? Seems there aren’t really any rules that are solid.

 

[BCClone]

Have officials call every hint of holding on TT while Sorsby play. Put them in 1st and 30 non stop. If he isn’t in, let things go. You can call holding on every play basically so it’s just enforcing the rules.

 

[Die4Cy]

Texas Tech can saber rattle the Texas AG and bluster all they want about it, but it still seems as though the Big 12 can and should sanction the school on behalf of the NCAA if they play Sorsby.

 

[93CloneMoves]

Not sure how much this has been discussed yet, but the NCAA filing a notice of appeal, requesting an accelerated appeal in the 7th District of Tx could place this on a faster track. If they can show the appellate court that the Judge's ruling was legally flawed or capricious, the injunction could be overturned. Under Texas law, appeals of temporary injunctions are reviewed for abuse of discretion. The appellate court can overturn the order only if the trial court’s decision was arbitrary, unreasonable, and without reference to any guiding rules and principles or so arbitrary and unreasonable as to amount to a clear and prejudicial error of law.

Given the attention on this matter, I'd expect the appellate court would deal with this prior to September. I'd also expect the conference to let this play out and not react to the AG office threats...

 

[CtownCyclone]

Looks like Oklahoma isn't going to take that threat laying down!

 

[SCNCY]

Looks like Oklahoma isn't going to take that threat laying down!

The drama of this is getting to day time soap opera levels!

 

[HouClone]

Ken Paxton is the Republican party nominee for Senate this year who surprisedly, as Texas is deeply Red, may have a tough time winning the Senate seat against his Democratic challenger as Paxton has a lot of baggage. He's putting himself into the situation to get more of Cody Campbell's money for his election.

 

[Dork Diggler]

I am curious what options the Big XII has for sanctioning Texas Tech regarding the Sorsby situation. Tech is threatening litigation for any potential sanctions or penalties. Do you think the conference is able to impose anything? If the conference does nothing, does that tarnish Yormark's legacy as commissioner?

You need to listen to Miller and Condon. They have all the answers. Not to mention a holier than thou attitude regarding the b1g’s history.

 

[Kinch]

Ken Paxton is the Republican party nominee for Senate this year who surprisedly, as Texas is deeply Red, may have a tough time winning the Senate seat against his Democratic challenger as Paxton has a lot of baggage. He's putting himself into the situation to get more of Cody Campbell's money for his election.

And he is in a tight race.

 

[t-noah]

I had a thought on my way home about this. I think it would have been a bold move if Yormark had come out and said something along the lines of Sorsby won't be allowed to play IF all conference sign a contract to ban players for gambling. We all know that the Big 10 and SEC want to play by different rules, and if this happened to them (court ruling and everything) they'd be acting the same as Tech. The Big 10 and SEC are trying to be the good guys here when they are not. I'd like if Yormark called their bluff with the following proposal.

All conferences sign a contract banning playing players who gamble. To enforce this, all conference put money into an escrow account. If a conference fails to ban a player from playing who has broken the rules, the other conference receive a payout from the escrow of the conference who broke the rules portion of the escrow. Conference needs to refund escrow to continue competition. Essentially make the Big 10 and SEC put money where their mouth is.

Great idea. You know how that's gonna fly though.

 

[LarryISU]

My biggest concern is if a court shoots down any conference sanctions or penalties, it means that the sport has no governance.

That's my big question. Hasn't this ruling established that the NCAA cannot enforce its rules? So, no more penalties can be called during any game. You try to call my defender for targeting Soresby, eject my player? Nope, Soresby broke a rule and he gets to play. Now my player broke a rule, but he still gets to play, too.

How is that not where we are now?

 

[Cydewayz]

That's my big question. Hasn't this ruling established that the NCAA cannot enforce its rules? So, no more penalties can be called during any game. You try to call my defender for targeting Soresby, eject my player? Nope, Soresby broke a rule and he gets to play. Now my player broke a rule, but he still gets to play, too.

How is that not where we are now?

I've bad similar thoughts....of if there is a missed call and the league puts our an apology letter....can we sue for damages? Player needs to sit out for targeting, can their agent/school file as that will cost their athlete income and without paying, their mental health will be impacted?

 

[Cloneman89]

I hope the AG’s of every state besides TexAss band together and file a lawsuit against Texas AG Taco Tech for willful attempts to damage college athletics. Taco Tech is still butt hurt the SEC did not want them and is trying to be the big dog in B12. Lubbock is in the rear view mirror!

 

[FinalFourCy]

I hope the AG’s of every state besides TexAss band together and file a lawsuit against Texas AG Taco Tech for willful attempts to damage college athletics. Taco Tech is still butt hurt the SEC did not want them and is trying to be the big dog in B12. Lubbock is in the rear view mirror!

No, they have a persecution complex from the P2 being butthurt over Greenbloods like Tech buying players

Regardless, this is the future of college athletics if they go feudalism with conferences separating with self governance. Going to be intra-conference conflict and AG involvement

 

[flycy]

But would it have even gotten that far? It didn't at Iowa State and Iowa. Based on past experience, I think almost anywhere else they would have just cut the guy and moved on

Are you not familiar with the SEC, Iowa also may have acted differently if it was football players. Doubt it is actually true no football players were involved; authorities probably just looked the other way in that case.

 

[flycy]

We have seen gambling scandals in both the NBA and MLB in the last year. In those instances, players were suspended from future competition by the leagues. The players did not have any legal avenue to combat those suspensions because they are employees of the league who are bound to contractual obligations.

Because that sort of arrangement isn't allowed and does not exist in college sports, the players are able to go to the courts and claim their rights are violated, as happened with Sorsby.

It's not because they are employees, it's because they have an antitrust status.

 

[Loyalsonsince81]

But would it have even gotten that far? It didn't at Iowa State and Iowa. Based on past experience, I think almost anywhere else they would have just cut the guy and moved on

Actually, in 2024 Texas had 2 unnamed players that were self reported to have gambled. 1 left the program and the other had to donate winnings to a charity of his choice to stay on the team.

They didn't forfeit any games, they didnt name the player, they didnt even mention the punishments for the 3 staffers that were also caught and reported.

The fact that this is the big 12's best team and its TTUs leader is the only reason why this is blowing up for the SEC & B10. If the big 12 wants to play with the big boys they need to start looking the other way like the big boys do.
I dont know that sorsby is actually good enough to do anything special in the playoffs but he's got to be more capable than mohrton was so that's my guess why both the big boy leagues are threatened by this. The ACC is awfully quiet on this front.