Ole Miss sues LSU's Umanmielen, Harper for breach of contract - ESPN

Ole Miss is seeking close to $1 million in penalties from two of its former football players who signed revenue sharing contracts to return to the Rebels this season before joining former coach Lane Kiffin at LSU.

According to the lawsuit filed Monday in the Circuit Court of Lafayette County in Oxford, Mississippi, the Rebels are seeking $550,000 from former defensive end Princewill Umanmielen and $400,000 from former guard Devin Harper, plus attorneys' fees and court costs, in a breach of contract complaint.

«The University of Mississippi values its student-athletes and is committed to honoring all obligations made to them,» the university said in a statement provided to ESPN on Tuesday. «In return, the university expects that same commitment from its student-athletes and their representatives in upholding their contracts. Before transferring to another institution, student-athletes Devin Harper and Princewill Umanmielen signed revenue sharing agreements that included a provision requiring them to compensate the university with a predetermined amount if they departed before fulfilling their commitment.

»The University of Mississippi has a responsibility to enforce its contractual terms, and this position is consistent with the actions of other institutions in the current landscape of college athletics. The university attempted to amicably resolve this matter prior to filing."

According to a timeline provided to ESPN by an Ole Miss spokesperson Tuesday, Umanmielen signed a revenue sharing contract to return to Ole Miss on Jan. 3. He entered the transfer portal Jan. 20 and signed with LSU the next day.

Harper signed a deal to remain at Ole Miss on Jan. 6 and entered the transfer portal eight days later. He signed with the