Ole Miss Sues LSU Transfers Devin Harper, Princewill Umanmielen for Nearly $1 Million
The University of Mississippi has filed lawsuits against LSU offensive lineman Devin Harper and defensive end Princewill Umanmielen, seeking nearly $1 million in unpaid contract buyouts after both players transferred to Baton Rouge, according to On3's The Ole Miss Spirit.
Ole Miss announced the civil complaints Tuesday, escalating a dispute that had been brewing for the last couple of weeks. In a July 14 report, The Clarion-Ledger reported that Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said the university had not received buyout payments from either player after both signed revenue-sharing agreements to return to Oxford in early January before reversing course and following coach Lane Kiffin to LSU.
Judge Kelly Luther will preside over Umanmielen's case, while Judge Kent E. Smith will oversee Harper's. Both cases will be heard in Mississippi's Third Circuit Judicial District.
Ole Miss alleges both players violated the terms of their revenue-sharing agreements by transferring without paying the required buyouts.
"The University of Mississippi values its student-athletes and is committed to honoring all obligations made to them. In return, the university expects that same commitment from its student-athletes and their representatives in upholding their contracts," the university said in a statement.
The lawsuits are the latest escalation in the growing tension between LSU and Ole Miss since Kiffin left Oxford for Baton Rouge. What began as social media barbs between the two fan bases has evolved into a legal battle, adding another layer to a rivalry that had largely cooled before Kiffin revitalized it during his tenure at Ole Miss beginning in 2020. Ironically, the coach who helped reignite the rivalry in Oxford is now the central figure fueling Rebels fans' animosity toward both LSU and Kiffin himself.
The on-field showdown is set for Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m. CT at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, where the SEC rivals will meet in one of the season's most anticipated matchups.
