Texas Tech faces Joey McGuire decision amid Brendan Sorby final punishment looming

The NCAA has learned their lesson, maybe, in trying to stop players from transferring. They realize it is just a losing proposition, and the players need to be left alone. But the coaches and the schools are a different matter entirely. The coaches are employees of the schools, and the schools are under the NCAA umbrella. In other words, they are fair game and can be penalized.

If a school signs a player, or if a player signs and then decommits and enrolls at another institution, both the school and the head coach will be punished financially and with roster limit reductions. These penalties are specifically designed to avoid the situation we had in 2025 when Xavier Lucas was refused his release from Wisconsin because he wanted to transfer to Miami. Wisconsin felt that he was illegally tampered with and thus would not allow it.

Instead of transferring, Lucas simply un-enrolled at Wisconsin and immediately enrolled with Miami. He joined the football team and was given an NIL package. It was obvious tampering, much like Darian Mensah moving from Duke to Miami before this season. Now it will stop, or the offending school will be hampered.

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With the offending team losing five roster spots, 20 percent of its operating budget and having the head coach suspended for six games, schools will think hard before making a similar move. But not Texas Tech. The five-player reduction will be tough with the already limited number of players being allowed on the roster. The fact is, these will just be the last five walk-on players, and they are not going to play this season.

The 20 percent reduction in operating budget might seem steep. But it is only 20 percent of the stipend being given to players on the team. It does not count any donations. This amounts to $4 million. For Texas Tech, with mega donor Cody Campbell footing the bill, he would just take on less vacation and give the money to the athletics department. Texas Tech is the last school which needs to worry about finding the money. The largest issue for some teams will be not having a head coach for six games.

Unlike the Michigan debacle with Jim Harbaugh, this suspension will be a suspension. The head coach will not be allowed to speak with any member of the staff, team or department. Whether it be during the week or on game day. Where Harbaugh was allowed around the team all week, the new rule will attempt to prevent the same. It is a wait and see approach to whether it will work, or whether there will be relays from the coach to the team. Like Paulie in Goodfellas.

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If Texas Tech and Campbell decide that they can get a good QB and that the roster is talented enough to do without Joey McGuire for the first six games, there will be a new signal-caller in Lubbock before the season.

If the school thinks that McGuire is part of the magic and not Erik Spoelstra in Miami with Lebron, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, then the team will see how long Sorsby is suspended for and see what the prognosis is on Hammond.

Oh, and don’t worry about McGuire, he will get his salary no matter what happens.

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