Brendan Sorsby did not play a snap for Texas Tech, but his presence at the program has dominated headlines since late April. Even after his departure, the Red Raiders and the Big 12 are yet to fully return to the status quo before the whole gambling scandal. While they are actively in the process of that, Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire has called out their critics, reminding the glasshouse residents to desist from throwing stones.

“The people that talked about it the most were the conferences and the ADs,” McGuire said to Andy and Ari of On3 on July 8. “I hate that President Schovanec and Kirby Hocutt, our AD, had to deal with that. The one thing, whenever people bring up the integrity… that was interesting, of a lot of people that said and used the word ‘integrity.’ Harry Miller was my principal at Cedar Hill, and he used to say, ‘When you open your mouth, you better make sure your closet is clean, when you start pointing at other people.’ And it’s interesting a couple people that use the word “integrity,” and I don’t think their closets are clean.”

“So, whenever I look at it, I could completely understand when people talk about the integrity of the game, betting on the game, and everything like that… But as far as our integrity and how we dealt with everything, there was nothing that Texas Tech ever did other than support our players.”

Last week, the Big 12 and Texas Tech took the first step towards reconciliation with a meeting at the Cattlemen’s Steakhouse. And while Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell claimed the conversation was positive, McGuire said that the healing from such a wound would definitely take some time.

While a majority of criticism was directed towards Sorsby after a Lubbock court ruled in his favor last month, the Red Raiders also came under fire. The Big 12 filed a lawsuit, asking a federal judge to allow the conference to take action against McGuire’s program if the QB plays. The ADs of programs like Georgia and Nebraska publicly ordered their programs not to schedule the Red Raiders, all claiming the latter was damaging the integrity of the sport.

For many who did not understand Texas Tech’s stance on all of this, McGuire clarified that the program only stood by a player who needed support at the time. He also told On3 that the Red Raiders were not involved in any of Sorsby’s lawsuits. They decided to play him only because a court deemed him eligible. But no matter the justification, many programs perceived it as the Red Raiders shielding him from punishment for his actions.

It helps college football that the QB withdrew his lawsuit against the NCAA and accepted his fate. After the NFL rejected him, he is expected to sit out the year and take his chance at the 2027 NFL draft.