Why Ole Miss is suing two former players who followed Lane Kiffin to LSU

Mississippi is suing two former football players who transferred to LSU this offseason, alleging both failed to repay portions of their NIL compensation after leaving the program.

According to the Clarion Ledger — part of the USA TODAY Network —  the Rebels filed civil complaints against defensive end Princewill Umanmielen and offensive lineman Devin Harper on Monday, July 27 in a Lafayette County Circuit Court.

The Rebels are seeking almost $1 million between the two lawsuits combined for unreceived payments —$550,000 for Umanmielen’s early termination penalty and $400,000 for Harper’s early termination penalty — as well as litigation fees resulting from the lawsuit.

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“The University of Mississippi values its student-athletes and is committed to honoring all obligations made to them,” Ole Miss said in a statement to the Clarion Ledger. “In return, the university expects that same commitment from its student-athletes and their representatives in upholding their contracts.

“Before transferring to another institution, student-athletes Devin Harper and Princewill Umanmielen signed revenue-sharing agreements that included a provision requiring them to compensate the university with a predetermined amount if they departed before fulfilling their commitment. The University of Mississippi has a responsibility to enforce its contractual terms, and this position is consistent with the actions of other institutions in the current landscape of college athletics.”

LSU had no comment about the lawsuit, according to multiple reports and the Clarion Ledger.

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Court documents, obtained by the Clarion Ledger, noted Umanmielen signed an updated revenue-sharing agreement with Ole Miss on or around Jan. 3 to stay with the Rebels for the 2026 season. Harper signed a similar updated revenue-sharing agreement with Ole Miss on Jan. 6, according to court filings.

Both ended up breaking those agreements by joining former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin in Baton Rouge to play for the Tigers. Harper signed an agreement with LSU on Jan. 16, according to the lawsuit, and Umanmielen did the same on Jan. 21.

This isn’t the first time a program has sued a former player for breaking their NIL agreement, as Cincinnati filed a lawsuit against former quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech this past offseason. Sorsby, of course, is no longer a member of the Red Raiders’ roster after parting ways with the program following a gambling addiction situation.

Ole Miss will host LSU on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the first return to Oxford for Kiffin.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Ole Miss is suing two former players who followed Lane Kiffin to LSU