Ole Miss files civil suits against Devin Harper and Princewill Umanmielen over $950,000 in transfer buyouts
In focus: a pair of civil lawsuits filed this week in Mississippi courts by the University of Mississippi against former players Devin Harper and Princewill Umanmielen, alleging breach of the revenue-sharing contracts…
In focus: a pair of civil lawsuits filed this week in Mississippi courts by the University of Mississippi against former players Devin Harper and Princewill Umanmielen, alleging breach of the revenue-sharing contracts both signed before transferring to LSU. The combined disputed amount sits at $950,000. What to watch: rulings from two Mississippi judges, with a September 19 home game against LSU already on Ole Miss's schedule in Oxford.
The contracts and what Ole Miss is claiming
Both Harper and Umanmielen signed revenue-sharing agreements with Ole Miss before their departures. Each contract included a buyout provision: if a player left before fulfilling his commitment, he owed the school a predetermined sum. The players completed Ole Miss's College Football Playoff run, which ended in a loss to Miami at the Fiesta Bowl, then entered the transfer portal and enrolled at LSU under Lane Kiffin, who had previously served as the Rebels' head coach.
Ole Miss says it attempted to resolve the dispute before filing suit. In a statement, the school said it "expects that same commitment from its student-athletes and their representatives in upholding their contracts," and noted its "responsibility to enforce its contractual terms," citing similar actions taken by other programs in college athletics.
Where the talks with LSU fell apart
Ole Miss contacted LSU in March seeking payment. According to court records, LSU declined, responding that it carried no obligation to cover the fees tied to the players' exits. That position is legally accurate. The buyout responsibility under these agreements rests with the athletes, not the receiving school.
The coaching side of Kiffin's departure played out differently. When he left Oxford for Baton Rouge, Ole Miss collected buyout payments from several assistants who followed him to LSU, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. Revenue-sharing agreements with players operate under different terms than coaching contracts, and that distinction appears central to why this case landed in court rather than settling quietly.
Programs across college athletics have begun drawing a harder line. Cincinnati sued former quarterback Brendan Sorsby after he transferred to Texas Tech, and Ole Miss now has two active cases of its own in the record. The September 19 game in Oxford will take place regardless of where either filing stands by then.
Related reading
Filed via foxnews.com