Judge presiding over Brendan Sorsby’s NCAA lawsuit recuses himself
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Judge Phillip Hays, who was presiding over Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s lawsuit against the NCAA, has recused himself and will no longer oversee the case.
Hays did not provide an official reason for his recusal in the order he filed on Wednesday, but it’s not hard to put the pieces together. The Texas judge graduated with 2 degrees from Texas Tech and grew up in Lubbock, presenting an obvious conflict of interest.
Sorsby was considered one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal, having landed in Lubbock by way of Cincinnati. His lawsuit, which was filed on May 18, essentially asks the court system to force the NCAA to let him play this upcoming season.
The former Cincinnati and Indiana quarterback is currently suspended by Texas Tech for multiple sports betting infractions, including some wagers which were placed on Indiana football while he was a member of the team. While Sorsby’s actions are explicitly in violation of NCAA rules, the governing body has not publicly addressed his eligibility status for 2026-27.
According to a report from Bloomberg Law’s Ryan Autullo, Hays’ replacement will be selected by Ana Estevez, the presiding judge of the case’s administrative judicial region. Notably, Estevez holds degrees from Texas A&M and Baylor.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
