Duke University sued star quarterback Darian Mensah on Tuesday, seeking to stop him from entering the transfer portal and playing for another school next season.
Mensah, a second-team All-ACC selection who led Duke to the ACC championship in his first season with the Blue Devils, said last week that he would enter the transfer portal. Duke wrote in its lawsuit, filed in Durham County Superior Court, that Mensah signed a multi-year deal with the school that runs through the end of 2026.
Other WRAL Top Stories
Darren Heitner, a lawyer for Mensah, said that a judge in the case will allow Mensah to enter the portal.
"There is an injunction hearing in front of a new judge, who has no known ties to Duke, scheduled for February 2," Heitner wrote on social media. "We will seek to move that to an earlier date. In the meantime, the prior judge indicated from the bench that he will deny Duke's request that Darian Mensah be enjoined from entering into the transfer portal. But Mensah is not, for the time being, allowed to enroll at another school or play football at another school before the decision by the next judge."
On Wednesday, Duke released a statement: “Mr. Mensah has an existing contract with Duke which the university intends to honor, and we expect he will do the same. The court-ordered temporary restraining order (TRO) issued yesterday ensures he does not violate his contract. The university is committed to supporting all our student-athletes, while expecting each of them to abide by their contractual obligations.”
Duke says its contract with Mensah prohibited him from enrolling or playing sports at any other collegiate institution through Dec. 31, 2026. The university is asking that the quarterback be prevented from enrolling or competing elsewhere until that date.
"This case arises out of the decisions of a star quarterback in the increasingly complex world of college athletics,” the university’s lawyers wrote. “But, at its core, this is a simple case that involves the integrity of contracts.”
Mensah threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns for Duke. He posted a video on social media in December, reiterating his commitment to the program. But on Friday — the final day for players to enter the transfer portal — Mensah reversed course.
"I'm forever grateful for Duke and the coaching staff,” Mensah wrote on social media. “Thank you Duke family for everything. This wasn’t an easy decision, but after talking with my family, I believe it's in my best interest to enter the transfer portal."
His action, Duke said in its lawsuit, "repudiated the contract.”
The terms of Mensah's contract require that any disputes be resolved by arbitration, according to the lawsuit. Duke is asking that the player be prohibited from entering the portal, enrolling or playing elsewhere or licensing his name, image and likeness to any other institution until the case is resolved.
"To protect Duke University’s rights under the Mensah contract and in the arbitration process, and to protect the integrity of the arbitration process itself, the status quo must be preserved in which Mensah is not permitted to enter the transfer portal and commit further breaches of his contract."
The suit alleges that Mensah, his family or his representatives have been shopping around without telling Duke. Duke says that’s another breach of the contract.
Mensah is expected to transfer to Miami.