Urban Meyer had to deal with upheaval in his QB room on the way to Ohio State’s national championship in 2024. He lost his Heisman-contender QB to a season-ending injury. And before the news was public, speculations about his health became national news. Everyone wanted to know whether Ohio State’s ship would sink in 2014, and the QB’s injury status became a deciding factor. So, knowing the QB’s health status meant one could bet favorably on OSU games. However, Urban Meyer was unaware of the last part.

Baseball legend Pete Rose had a troubling history with gambling. He was permanently banned from MLB in 1989 for betting on baseball games while serving as the Cincinnati Reds manager. Meyer, though, was a huge Pete Rose fan and met him at a Reds event after he became OSU’s head coach. The duo exchanged numbers and talked for hours. Meyer was happy to have formed a lasting friendship, but he wasn’t aware that Rose had other intentions.

“He wanted to talk college football, and I’m pretty naive about the gambling thing,” Meyer said on his Triple Option podcast. “Every once in a while, I get a text from him, not every once in a while, but early in the season. ‘Hey, man, how’s the team look, and how’s Illinois look?’ How’s Braxton’s shoulder? I text it back. Yeah, we’re doing fine. And I told that to someone, they said, ‘You’re an idiot. He’s trying to get information from you for gambling.”

Braxton Miller had a persistent shoulder problem right from the 2011 season when Urban Meyer took over. Even though he rushed for 8,950 all-purpose yards in his OSU career, he didn’t play in the 2014 season due to a season-ending shoulder injury for the second time in his career. If not for Braxton’s injury, JT Barrett wouldn’t have gotten the chance to start, and Cardale Jones wouldn’t have won the 2014 title against Oregon after defeating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. For Pete Rose, though, Braxton’s on-and-off injury issues became a gambling opportunity.

“[Someone] said you could get into trouble. I was like, whoa, and so I never gave much [information]. But I mean, I was like, from that point forward, [when he said] how is Braxton’s shoulder? You know, I’d say, ‘How are the Reds doing?’ So, he just kind of moved on.”

Former Alabama baseball coach Brad Bohannon was fired in 2023 for providing inside information that benefited a bettor against LSU. But the NCAA wasn’t satisfied with his firing. The college athletics regulator issues a 15-year show-cause notice to Bohannon, effectively ending his college baseball career. That alone shows how seriously the NCAA takes the betting infraction. However, Urban Meyer might not have gotten the same punishment had he divulged information.

The NCAA strictly prohibits coaches and players from betting on games or engaging in any sports betting activity. The rule applies to all sports and covers all college football divisions. NCAA’s Bylaw 10.3, for instance, prohibits staff members from “knowingly” participating in gambling-related activities and even providing inside information. That includes injuries, strategies, and team morale. But since Urban Meyer would have relayed information “unknowingly,” he is probably safe from the NCAA Bylaw 10.3. However, Brendan Sorsby of Texas Tech does not share the same situation.

Urban Meyer shares sympathy with Brendan Sorsby

Last month, reports surfaced that Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby placed several bets during his time at Indiana and Cincinnati. The allegations became serious when it emerged that he also placed bets on his own teams, even though he didn’t play in those games. For now, the NCAA is investigating his case as he has taken an indefinite leave of absence to enter a residential treatment program for gambling addiction. Most reports indicate that Sorsby will lose his sole season’s eligibility due to his gambling exploits.

“Gambling is an addiction, and just to go full circle back to what we started (on), I really feel for this kid, man, I really do,” Meyer said about Sorsby’s situation. “It’s an addiction. I’ve witnessed it. I’ve seen people ruin their lives over it. … And whoever made these decisions to legalize gambling for young people, shame on you.”

Sorsby reportedly signed a whopping $5 million deal after transferring to Texas Tech. Now, the Red Raiders are without a QB1, and their backup QB appears to have a knee issue. By the looks of it, Joey McGuire might give up hope for this season and is likely planning for 2027 despite significant NIL investment in the roster. The only chance the head coach has is if Sorsby wins a legal battle if he loses eligibility. The QB does have a contingency plan and has hired prominent lawyer Jeffrey Kessler to potentially fight for his elegibility.