Duke QB Darian Mensah Files Emergency Motion to Speed Up Transfer Portal Case

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah is trying to speed up the legal case that currently has him blocked from heading to another school.

An attorney for Mensah filed an emergency motion in Durham County Superior Court seeking a judge to "reconsider" the temporary restraining order (TRO) granted to the school that prohibits Mensah from enrolling elsewhere. That TRO sought by Duke runs through the next scheduled hearing Feb. 2, but Mensah's request argues that enrollment deadlines for other schools expire as early as Friday.

"Consequently, the TRO Order becomes more than ‘temporary,’ as it could permanently foreclose opportunities for Mensah to enroll at other collegiate institutions," the motion states.

Additionally, Mensah's motion sought to move up the February hearing date to Friday if a judge didn't reconsider the restraining order. There was no change to the case's hearing schedule listed on the court's online portal as of midday Friday.

The school filed its lawsuit Monday in Durham County Superior Court, pointing to terms in the two-season contract Mensah signed with Duke for payments tied to his name, image and likeness (NIL) rights in college football through 2026. Duke's complaint came three days after Mensah reversed his previously announced plan to return to the Blue Devils after leading them to the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

Specifically, Duke’s lawsuit argued that the contract requires parties to go through arbitration before any dispute can be resolved. The school has issued a statement saying it "intends to honor" its contract with Mensah "and we expect he will do the same."

A judge granted Duke’s request for the TRO, first verbally in a Tuesday hearing and then with a written order a day later, in an