How Brendan Sorsby's Eligibility Problems Affect Big 12 Predictions

May 6, 2026, 18:54

Introduction

The Big 12 college football season has changed significantly after the announcement that Brendan Sorsby is taking an indefinite leave of absence to receive treatment for gambling addiction.

Main Body

Texas Tech is currently facing instability because Sorsby is missing. His ability to play is at risk due to investigations by the NCAA and gaming commissions in Indiana and Ohio. Reports suggest that Sorsby placed many small bets, including a bet on an Indiana University game while he played there, sometimes using fake accounts. Because NCAA rules strictly forbid betting on any official sport, he may be banned from playing permanently. Furthermore, the situation is worse because backup quarterback Will Hammond is recovering from an ACL injury. Consequently, Texas Tech's chances of success in the postseason have decreased, even though they were originally seen as favorites. As a result, other teams now have a better chance to succeed. BYU, Houston, and Utah are well-positioned to take advantage of this situation. Houston has the experience needed to move up the standings, while BYU has improved its team by adding transfer Kyler Kasper. Meanwhile, Utah is going through a transition under coach Morgan Scalley, who is focusing on new staff and a strong defense. Other changes include TCU moving toward a run-heavy offense and Kentucky restructuring its defense under Brent Brennan. Additional instability is visible across the conference due to many players leaving their teams. For example, West Virginia has added 69 new players under Rich Rodriguez, and Oklahoma State is trying to recover from a poor season with new leadership. In contrast, Iowa State is struggling after coach Matt Campbell left for Penn State, leaving Jimmy Rogers to lead a program in transition.

Conclusion

The Big 12 remains unpredictable as teams adapt to the loss of a key player and widespread changes in coaching and rosters.

Learning

🧩 The 'Cause-and-Effect' Chain

At an A2 level, you likely use 'because' and 'so' for everything. To reach B2, you need Connectors of Consequence. These words act like bridges, showing the reader how one event leads to another without sounding repetitive.

🚀 Leveling Up Your Logic

Look at how the text moves from a problem to a result. Instead of saying "Sorsby is gone, so Texas Tech is sad," the article uses these sophisticated tools:

Consequently $\rightarrow$ $\to$ Used when a result is a direct, logical outcome.
- Example: "...backup quarterback Will Hammond is recovering... Consequently, Texas Tech's chances... have decreased."
As a result $\rightarrow$ $\to$ A strong way to start a new sentence that summarizes the effect of the previous paragraph.
- Example: "As a result, other teams now have a better chance to succeed."
Due to $\rightarrow$ $\to$ A professional replacement for 'because of' when followed by a noun.
- Example: "His ability to play is at risk due to investigations..."

🛠️ The B2 Transformation Map

A2 (Basic)	B2 (Bridge)	Why it's better
Because of...	Due to...	More formal and concise.
So...	Consequently...	Shows a professional logical link.
That's why...	As a result...	Creates a clearer transition between ideas.

Pro Tip: To sound like a B2 speaker, stop starting every 'result' sentence with 'So'. Try placing 'Consequently' at the start of your sentence followed by a comma. It immediately changes the tone from 'conversational' to 'academic'.

Vocabulary Learning

indefinite

lasting or continuing for an unknown or unspecified period of time

Example:The team was put on indefinite leave until further notice.

absence

the state of being away or not present

Example:Her absence from the game was felt by the whole team.

addiction

a strong craving for a substance or activity that causes harm

Example:He struggled with gambling addiction for years.

instability

lack of steady or reliable conditions; unpredictability

Example:The team's instability led to poor performance.

investigations

formal inquiries or examinations into a matter

Example:The investigations revealed several violations.

commissions

official bodies that oversee or regulate activities

Example:The gaming commissions set strict rules for betting.

strictly

in a very precise or rigid manner

Example:The rules are strictly enforced.

forbid

prohibit or disallow

Example:The coach forbids any form of cheating.

banned

prohibited; not allowed

Example:Players who are banned cannot return to the league.

permanently

for an indefinite or entire period; forever

Example:He was permanently suspended from the team.

backup

serving as a substitute or replacement

Example:The backup quarterback stepped in during the injury.

quarterback

the player who directs the offense in American football

Example:The quarterback threw a winning touchdown.

recovering

getting back to a normal state after illness or injury

Example:The player is recovering from a serious injury.

injury

damage or harm to the body

Example:The injury forced him to miss the season.

postseason

relating to the period after the regular season, often for playoffs

Example:The team's postseason hopes were dashed.

decreased

made smaller or less in amount

Example:Their chances of success decreased after the injury.

favorites

people or teams expected to win or succeed

Example:They were the favorites to win the championship.

experience

practical knowledge gained through involvement

Example:Her experience helped her lead the team.

transition

a process of change from one state to another

Example:The transition to a new coach was smooth.

unpredictable

not able to be predicted; uncertain

Example:The season was unpredictable due to injuries.