Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, like all civil litigants, would like to find some home cooking in court. As it turns out, the cooking in Sorsby’s case was a little too close to home.
As reported by Ryan Autollo of Bloomberg, Judge Phillip Hays has recused himself from Sorsby’s lawsuit against the NCAA. Sorsby seeks the restoration of his college eligibility at Texas Tech.
The one-page order didn’t give a reason for the judge’s decision to step down. Hays holds a pair of degrees from Texas Tech, including a law degree.
The next judge will be selected by Ana Estevez, the presiding judge in the ninth administrative judicial region, which includes Lubbock County — where the suit was filed and where Texas Tech is located. The key question will be whether the selected judge comes from a county with residents who would be partial to the interests of Texas Tech. If so, that judge will have a built-in bias based on his or her interest in being re-elected.
That’s one of the built-in benefits of suing the NCAA in state court. More often than not, the state-court judge will be inclined to exercise discretion in a way that helps, not hurts, the institution with a direct interest in the outcome.
For Texas Tech, there’s a clear interest in Sorsby’s case. If he regains his availability, he’ll be able to play for Texas Tech in 2026.
Sorsby’s lawsuit seeks a hearing on his motion for a preliminary injunction by June 15. If he doesn’t regain his eligibility, he’ll have until June 22 to apply for the NFL’s supplemental draft.
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