Petre Thomas-Imagn Images/Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Former Ole Miss football players Princewill Umanmielen and Devin Harper
LSU and Ole Miss are rivals with a history stretching back to the end of the 19th century, and we were treated to a new chapter after Lane Kiffin abandoned the Rebels before the start of last season’s College Football Playoff to join the Tigers. He was joined by four players who also defected, and two of them have been hit by a lawsuit filed by their former school.
The Big Ten might currently have the upper hand on the SEC when it comes to college football championships, but it’s hard to argue there’s any conference in the country that lives and dies with that particular pastime more than the one where It Just Means More™.
It can be counted to produce plenty of drama both on and off the field, and that second box was firmly checked last season thanks to the saga concerning Lane Kiffin’s defection to LSU.
By now, most college football fans are aware of the circumstances surrounding the departure of the man who led Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff for the first time since its inception before accepting an offer to take over as the head coach at LSU before it got underway.
Ole Miss somewhat understandably refused to let him finish out the season after he allegedly issued an ultimatum, and the acrimonious divorce has only cemented the disdain both schools have historically had for each other.
The Rebels were able to avoid a mass exodus of players, but the university has decided to go after a couple of guys who opted to join Kiffin at LSU.
Ole Miss is suing Princewill Umanmielen and Devin Harper for breach of contract after they transferred to LSU
Pete Golding was tapped to replace Kiffin at Ole Miss, and earlier this month, he shed some light on the blunt sales pitch he harnessed in a largely successful effort to prevent players from fleeing across the border to follow him.
However, there were four guys who ultimately decided to go that route: WR Winnie Watkins, LB TJ Dottery, DE Princewill Umanmielen, and LB Devin Harper.
The departure of the last two players on that list was not without some controversy, as Umanmielen and Harper had already inked revenue-sharing contracts with Ole Miss before entering the transfer portal and taking their talents to LSU.
According to the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, both men are now listed as defendants in a lawsuit filed by Ole Miss in a circuit court in Lafayette County on Monday, as the school is seeking an early termination penalty from Umanmielen to the tune of $500,000 as well as the $400,000 it alleges Harper owes.
The outlet notes Ole Miss has already covered the cost of contract violations for transfers who’ve broken an agreement to transfer to Oxford, and it does not seem like a stretch to suggest LSU will foot the bill to put the matter to rest. However, it’s worth noting the school did previously decline to do so when Ole Miss offered to settle the matter back in March.
The two schools will have the chance to settle some of their differences on the football field on September 19th, and Kiffin will undoubtedly be getting a very rude welcome when he heads back to Ole Miss for the first time since the split.