The sports industry as a whole was shocked with news of Brendan Sorsby becoming eligible, but Texas Tech needs to cut him to salvage the 2026 season. Neither the university or coach Joey McGuire are equipped to handle the intense media scrutiny that will follow them all season, and that will almost certainly affect the performance of the Red Raiders. The program has other viable options at quarterback, and one of the easiest schedules in major college football. There’s no reason why Tech can’t cut their problematic QB and make a push for the College Football Playoff.
Why Texas Tech Needs To Cut Brendan Sorsby
The chief reason Sorsby needs to be let go is that Texas Tech will not survive a year-long media circus. This is a team that has legitimate national championship aspirations, but the quarterback and team officials will have to defend its decision to keep Sorsby every week in the media. It’s hard to believe the Red Raiders can keep the program together during this intense period of scrutiny, especially when most of the players in Lubbock are just there for the cushy NIL deals.
Tech’s decision to stick by the maligned passer is an odd one. Sorsby had uneven production at Cincinnati on top of his gambling problem, so it’s not like he’s a massive upgrade at the position. The important question is what happens if the transfer underperforms? Will the support he’s getting from the program right now continue if he ends up getting benched? It’s difficult to see how the relationship with the Red Raiders will benefit him in any way.
It’s not like the quarterback room in Lubbock is completely bare, either. Redshirt junior Kirk Francis saw limited action at Tulsa, with 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Lloyd Jones III and Will Hammond were both four-star prospects coming into last season, while true freshman Stephen Cannon was a three-star QB in the 2026 recruiting class. One could argue that one of the redshirt freshmen gives the Red Raiders a higher ceiling in 2026 if they decided to cut ties with Sorsby.
The 2026 schedule is set up favorably for Texas Tech to break in a new passer. Their most difficult non-conference match-up is Houston at home in Week 3. The Red Raiders’ Big 12 slate only has a few noteworthy games, as the conference misses Texas and Oklahoma badly. Having to travel to Cincinnati if they keep Sorsby around is the most noteworthy contest, with home games against improved West Virginia and TCU squads rounding out the interesting match-ups. Being in a weak Big 12 is a good thing for Tech, because they can try anyone at QB and be in contention for a league title, as Texas coach Steve Sarkisian alluded to earlier in the offseason.
At the end of the day, the university needs to cut ties with Sorsby to salvage what would otherwise be a promising 2026 season. He’s not an elite talent that can’t be replaced, and the headache of having to defend the university’s integrity at every press appearance wouldn’t be worth it. It wouldn’t be the first time that Texas Tech made a decision that stunted the growth of its football program (i.e. school officials forcing out Mike Leach and becoming mediocre at best for a decade).
Tech could save their season by cutting the passer. If they don’t cut the QB, it sets a dangerous precedent for programs to exploit the courts and players’ well-being for a few wins. The Red Raiders will cause irreparable damage to the university, college sports, and Sorsby himself if they don’t cut him.
