The Brendan Sorsby story refuses to die. 

When it comes to the Big 12’s relationship with Texas Tech, the intense back-and-forth between Brett Yormark and a Texas Tech media personality drew most of the attention on day one of Big 12 media days. But Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger uncovered the real story. 

Dellenger was in Frisco on Tuesday and filed a strong report about a meeting last week between Texas Tech and Big 12 officials to bury the hatchet after the Brendan Sorsby saga. 

I would highly recommend reading the entire thing. Dellenger makes it clear things are not perfectly harmonious between the two sides, but it was a step in the right direction.

It is a good sign that the two sides are breaking bread and attempting to move forward. Yormark’s refusal to address any questions about the Sorsby saga, and Cody Campbell staying away from Big 12 media days, make more sense with the knowledge that they are trying to come together behind the scenes.

Tech fans may not be satisfied with what Yormark has said, or not said, publicly. But what really matters is how things heal behind the scenes.

Campbell also gave Dellenger a revealing quote about what Texas Tech wants to see from the Big 12.

"We don't have a problem with the Big 12," Campbell said. "We want to find a way to get all other Big 12 schools to elevate themselves. Everybody needs to do some version of what we've done. That's the path forward for this conference. A rising tide lifts all boats. People not on board with that and those that want everyone worse so they can be relatively better, we'll have a problem with those institutions."

I’m completely on board with this line of thinking. It does feel like some schools in the Big 12 would rather pull Tech’s spending back than propel their own programs forward.

Not every school has the financial power of Cody Campbell and Texas Tech’s Matador Club, but there are creative ways of finding the necessary cash. Utah took the leap into an innovative private equity deal that can create multiple revenue streams in addition to the initial cash infusion.

Better to take a financial chance now than wait and get left behind. 

Then came the Cincinnati piece of Dellenger’s report.

Dellenger dropped the bomb that the NCAA sent Cincinnati a letter of inquiry related to Sorsby’s time at the school, finally answering the fairest question Texas Tech fans have been asking for weeks: What about Cincinnati?

I do need to stress that this does not mean the Bearcats are guilty of anything. Here is how Dellenger put it:

An inquiry letter is not uncommon and doesn't necessarily signal wrongdoing, but it is often the start of an investigative process over possible rules violations, one that often is a collaborative effort with the school itself.

Cincy has long maintained it wasn’t aware of any specific sports gambling Sorsby engaged in, though Sorsby’s agent would beg to differ.  

Bearcats head coach Scott Satterfield said he couldn’t comment on the letter of inquiry. 

I’m on board with investigating what Cincinnati knew and when it knew it. League ADs clearly feel very strongly that betting on your own team is a problem, so shouldn’t those same ADs feel just as strongly about covering all the bases here?

Plus, if the Bearcats had caught wind of Sorsby’s gambling issues and brought them to light, Tech would have taken a different portal quarterback and avoided this mess.

But the Bearcats don’t appear to be taking the NCAA notice and “whatabout Cincinnati” cries from Tech fans lying down.  

Satterfield told The Athletic’s Chris Vannini that the Red Raiders tampered with Sorsby during the late stages of last season.

So much for moving toward Big 12 harmony. 

Tampering allegations rarely seem to lead to any NCAA punishment. And can the NCAA actually punish anybody for anything these days without getting legally neutered?

For instance, can the NCAA even drop the hammer on the Bearcats if it finds anything? Or will an Ohio judge shut it all down anyway?

I’m not sure where I expect this to end. The only thing that seems certain is that we desperately need the season to get here, because that may be the only way to finally put the Sorsby story in the past.

I go more in-depth on Sorsby and Tech in the below video from Big 12 media days in Frisco.

What You Need to Know

• BYU AD Brian Santiago tells me that the BYU-Notre Dame series could continue beyond 2026 and 2027. That would be huge for the conference.

• I sat down with Houston head coach Willie Fritz to talk about his team and what he learned from legendary K-State coach Bill Snyder.

• Here’s what K-State QB Avery Johnson and RB Joe Jackson think of former teammate Dylan Edwards transferring to Kansas. 

• Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire had some pointed words for any Big 12 coaches or administrators who criticized the Red Raiders over their stance on Brendan Sorsby. 

• The Big 12 is taking some heat over its deal with Monster Energy. Did the league not get enough money?

• Kansas signed a lucrative jersey patch deal itself. But some won’t love the type of company they’re partnering with. 

• Some of the biggest college football reporters in the country think one Big 12 school can come close to Texas Tech’s NIL money.

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