After battling with the Wisconsin Badgers over the past month to get his name into the transfer portal, after signing an agreement with the school regarding revenue sharing, wide receiver Xavier Lucas has now opted out of school and enrolled in Miami.
This could be one of the most revolutionary moves we’ve seen in college sports when it comes to how the transfer portal works, and it could lead to significant changes in the future. This whole ordeal started when Xavier Lucas decided to leave Wisconsin, looking to find a school closer to home, in the wide receiver’s eyes.
But there was a problem for Lucas, and it all centered around a two-year deal he signed with the school that was tied to the upcoming revenue-sharing model that has yet to be approved by a judge , according to his lawyer, Darren Heitner.
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So the school felt like it had a financial deal and didn’t want to enter his name into the transfer portal database.
If you are unfamiliar with how the portal works, the school is required to enter a player’s name into the database once the player has completed the necessary paperwork to participate. As we’ve seen over the past few years, the transfer portal continues to be one of the most talked about topics in all of college sports.
This year again, the regulations committee decided to shorten the opening period of the portal, from December 9 to December 24.
Players who make the playoffs get a five-day extension after their season ends, which helped those who were still in the College Football Playoff.
Xavier Lucas’ lawyer speaks with OutKick’s Trey Wallace
Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) is shown during the first quarter of their game against South Dakota on Saturday, September 7, 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
In the case of Xavier Lucas, he had submitted his documents on time, but the school held firm not to enter his name in the database, due to a revenue sharing agreement that both parties signed before Lucas tried to enter his name into the portal. .
The contractual agreement in the middle of this dispute was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that gives the school all rights to that player’s name, image and likeness, meaning Wisconsin, or any other school, could use his name for these purposes and Lucas would be paid in return.
OutKick spoke with Darren Heitner, who represents Xavier Lucas in this case about the deal.
“The memorandum of understanding is conditional on the approval of the Home “(which has not yet received final approval) and Xavier attending classes no later than spring 2025 (he has disenrolled from the institution),” Heitner noted. “Furthermore, he sought to enter his name into the transfer portal, but the Institution wrongly denied him the right to do so, which constitutes a violation of NCAA rules. Despite this, the Institution did not pay him any money and he therefore owes no reimbursement to the Institution.
Heitner also noted that Xavier Lucas’ father is currently dealing with a health issue that has led the former Badger to want to move closer to home.
In short, the school and Xavier Lucas entered into an agreement which is not currently legal, because the Home vs. NCAA the settlement was not approved by a judge.
This sets a new precedent for the transfer portal in college athletics
Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) is escorted by a member of the training staff during the fourth quarter of their game against South Dakota on Saturday, September 7, 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK)
One of the biggest takeaways from this whole ordeal is that former Wisconsin wide receiver Xavier Lucas decided not to go through the transfer portal on his way to Miami. After waiting for the school to enter his name into the database, Lucas simply left Wisconsin and has now enrolled at Miami.
Yes, there have been other schools that have signed player deals under the impression that the revenue sharing agreement would be approved by a judge, but this issue of a player and a program arguing the legality of a contract is the first to be made public. discussed.
Now we could see a monster shift in how players decide to transfer, outside of the actual portal period dates. Currently, if a player wishes to transfer, they must do so as a “graduate transfer.” But, with Xavier Lucas deciding not to use the portal and enroll at another institution outside of the window, it sets a new precedent for how players could potentially leave.
“NCAA rules do not prevent a student-athlete from deregistering from one institution, enrolling at a new institution and competing immediately,” an NCAA spokesperson noted in a statement this evening .
Darren Heitner mentioned to Yahoo Sports that when Xavier Lucas made a last-ditch effort to discuss the matter with Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell, he tried to convince Lucas to stay.
This is obviously a huge development for players across all sports. As for whether Wisconsin will sue Xavier Lucas for his NIL rights while he’s at Miami, attorney Darren Heitner told OutKick’s Trey Wallace that doing so would only further tarnish the school’s reputation.
“The most myopic decision Wisconsin could make would be to sue,” Heitner noted. “The institution has no standing to stand on and this will only further tarnish a reputation to which it has already done enough damage through its own misdeeds.”
As for the rest of Xavier Lucas’ college career, he will look to put that behind him and contribute to the Miami Hurricanes.
But it’s a non-traditional way to get to Miami that could change the rules surrounding the transfer portal, or therefore the lack of need for a time period attached to the window itself.
