Dakoda Fields played only three college football games in two seasons with the Oregon Ducks before he suddenly quit on his team. The newest defensive back at Oklahoma is now being sued over $10,000.
He allegedly failed to return the full amount of money he owed back to his former employer for leaving.
This is the business side of college football. In an era of collegiate athletics where money is largely unregulated, schools are forced to enforce their own financial agreements through legal channels.
Who is Dakoda Fields?
At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, Fields ranked as the No. 11 defensive back in the recruiting Class of 2024. He committed to Oregon as a four-star prospect out of Junipero Serra High School in California. Ohio State, USC, Alabama, LSU, Texas and Georgia were also in the mix. It was a whose who of suitors.
However, Dakoda Fields did not play for the Ducks in 2024. An injury forced him to miss his entire true freshman season so he took a redshirt.
With four years of eligibility remaining, Fields added ~15 pounds of muscle to his frame during the offseason. He expected to be a crucial part of the rotation for a team with national title hopes. Oregon had other plans. The Ducks ultimately pushed him toward the bottom of the depth chart.
Fields recorded only one tackle (assisted) against Montana State in Week 1 and played sparingly against Oklahoma State and Northwestern. He did not play a single snap against Oregon State, Penn State, Indiana Rutgers or Wisconsin. Not even one! It was a disappointing reality for a highly-touted recruit.
And then he stopped showing up to practice…
Fields did not formally announce his decision to leave the program. Head coach Dan Lanning did not speak to him before the unexpected departure. He just quit. Goodbye!
Although things did not end well in Eugene, Fields found a new home in Norman. Oklahoma scooped him up through the transfer portal during the offseason.
Why does he owe $10,000 to Oregon?
According to Reilly Norgren and Owen Murray of The Daily Emerald, the University of Oregon is suing former defensive back Dakoda Fields for a breach of contract. He owes an outstanding balance of ~$10,000 tied to a settlement agreement that stems from his sudden exit.
Court documents show that Fields and the Ducks came to a deal in February. The defensive back would pay $39,882 back to the university in exchange for a release from liability related to an “underlying dispute.”
That “underlying dispute” likely has to do with how he left the team. Oregon probably paid him X amount of money to play the 2025 college football season. But he didn’t play the 2025 college football season. The initial settlement presumably allowed him to keep a portion of the money if he paid back ~$40,000.
However, the two parties later agreed that if Fields paid back $29,882 on or before April 20, the additional $10,000 sum would be waived. He apparently did not do so.
According to the lawsuit, Fields did not meet the April 20 deadline and failed to make the discounted payment. As a result of the alleged missed payment, the total bumps back up to the full $39,882.
The University of Oregon is now suing Fields for the outstanding balance of $10,000, as well as the interest that has accumulated at a rate of 9%, dating back to April 21. The Ducks also want him to cover all of their associated attorney fees.