Brett Yormark and the Big 12 are attempting to turn the page on the Brendan Sorsby drama around Texas Tech.
A new report from Ross Dellenger at Yahoo Sports details a recent visit by Yormark and school administrators to Fort Worth steakhouse in attempt to move forward from Sorsby’s ouster from Lubbock after a whirlwind offseason saga centered around the Cincinnati transfer’s past gambling habits. The league, ultimately, decided Sorsby wouldn’t play, and with the conference’s other 15 members behind them, forced Tech’s hand in parting ways with the quarterback ahead of the 2026 season.
The “reconciliation process,” as the Dellenger story outlines, isn’t black and white.
The Sorsby saga was indeed bad press, and while the league shifts forward, it’s a fact Texas Tech is reeling from the outcome with a somewhat comically-sized target on its back at Big 12 Football Media Days this week in Frisco, Texas. Tuesday included a testy moment between Yormark and Beyond the Mic host Sean Dillon, who asked the Big 12 commissioner whether Red Raiders fans should feel they’re getting a fair shake amid the retaliatory lawsuit in response to Sorsby’s eligibility ruling.
The clip broke out in Big 12 circles, and frankly, if you’re Sean Dillon, it’s gold for your podcast. The reactions from surrounding media say it all: there’s a true rift between Texas Tech and the rest of the conference. There’s a chip on their shoulder after this whole deal, and it makes for some damn good television.
There is solidarity in the conference, though. Our own Matthew Postins obtained video of Joey McGuire speaking on the support he received amid the Sorsby controversy and the legal process of battling for his quarterback. McGuire said there were some “funny jabs,” but ultimately received strong support from the likes of Oklahoma State’s Eric Morris and Kalani Sitake at BYU.
The tides are calming around the Sorsby saga, and it’s sunsetting at a time when the focus is on football and why August can’t come soon enough. It’s wholly understandable that Texas Tech expects a metered healing process with the Big 12, but fact is they came to the table – not just for a steak dinner – but for media days open-armed and welcomed all comers. That’s tough.
