Duke’s lawsuit over Darian Mensah clouds Miami’s quarterback plans as the transfer window closes

A recruiting chase meets a courtroom test

Miami’s search for its next quarterback has been overtaken by a fast-moving legal dispute involving Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, a transfer target whose immediate eligibility is now tied to a North Carolina court calendar. Duke has filed suit seeking to enforce a name, image and likeness agreement it says binds Mensah through the end of 2026, creating uncertainty for any program that might attempt to enroll him for the 2026 season.

The case is being heard in Durham County Superior Court. A judge declined to grant Duke’s request for an emergency order to stop Mensah from entering the NCAA transfer portal. However, the court has also indicated Mensah cannot currently enroll or play football for another school while the dispute remains pending, with a hearing scheduled for February 2, 2026.

What Duke says the contract requires

Duke’s lawsuit centers on a two-year NIL contract signed in July 2025. In its filings, Duke argues the agreement gives the university exclusive rights to market Mensah’s NIL and sets arbitration as the mechanism for resolving disputes. Duke contends Mensah’s decision to leave breaches those terms and causes harm that cannot be remedied through damages alone.

• Mensah transferred to Duke after playing at Tulane.
• He is coming off a breakout 2025 season in which he was among the ACC’s most productive passers.
• Duke is seeking court intervention to prevent him from enrolling at another institution while the contract dispute proceeds.

Why timing matters for Miami

The legal dispute is unfolding against the NCAA’s updated winter transfer-portal schedule. The primary notification window for football ran from January 2 through January 16, 2026, with limited exceptions tied to postseason participation. Mensah entered at the end of that window, accelerating the stakes for roster planning across the ACC.

For Miami, the issue intersects with rapid change in its quarterback room. Backup Emory Williams has entered the transfer portal and is expected to land at East Carolina, leaving Miami’s near-term depth chart in flux. Any attempt to add a proven starter through the portal now depends not only on recruiting outcomes, but on whether Mensah is legally free to enroll and compete elsewhere before spring preparation intensifies.

What happens next

The February 2 hearing is positioned as a key procedural checkpoint. The court will weigh whether to preserve restrictions on Mensah’s ability to enroll at another school while the underlying contract questions—such as enforceability, scope of exclusive NIL rights, and the role of arbitration—are addressed.

The dispute has quickly become a case study in how NIL contracts, athlete mobility and transfer-portal deadlines can collide, with program-building consequences extending beyond one player and two schools.

Until the court clarifies Mensah’s status, Miami’s quarterback planning remains exposed to an outcome it cannot control: whether a sought-after transfer can legally arrive on campus in time to compete for the 2026 starting job.