CINCINNATI (AP) — The University of Cincinnati athletic department disputes a claim from Brendan Sorsby’s agent, who says the school knew about the quarterback’s gambling and didn’t do anything about it.
“All of our student-athletes receive extensive gambling education multiple times throughout the year, and we would never knowingly play an athlete who violated NCAA sports wagering regulations,” the school’s athletic department said in a statement Wednesday. “If we ever became aware of impermissible wagering, we would report to the NCAA and comply with sanctions.”
Sorsby’s agent, Ron Slavin, made the claims in an interview with KRLD radio in Dallas.
The NCAA banished Sorsby from competition for gambling activity that included wagers on his own team while on the roster at Indiana in 2022 and betting on pro sports. He dropped his unprecedented legal battle to play for Texas Tech this year.
Sorsby declared for the NFL supplemental draft Tuesday and has until Monday to file. His attempt to speed up his professional career leans heavily on a rarely used offseason process designed for prospects not eligible for the league’s primary draft.
Sorsby spent a month in a residential treatment program for a diagnosed addiction. Then he sued the NCAA and gained a court-ordered reinstatement that prompted nationwide backlash toward Texas Tech.
He is tentatively planning to work out for NFL teams on July 10 at a Dallas-area high school, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the process for conducting the supplemental draft wasn’t complete.
The University of Cincinnati is suing Sorsby, accusing him of breaching his name, image and likeness contract following his transfer to Texas Tech. The university filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in February.
Slavin has said pursuing legal action against his client is misguided and that Sorsby intends to fight the lawsuit and any resulting damages.
Sorsby passed for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions last season for the Bearcats and also ran for 580 yards and nine scores.
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AP Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon contributed to this report.
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