Duke University is taking its star quarterback, Darian Mensah, to court in a move that’s shaking up the college football world. Basically, Mensah decided to jump into the transfer portal right at the last second on January 16, 2026, even though he’d previously promised to stay. Duke isn’t entertaining it in the least today.

The university claims that Darian Mensah is breaking a multiyear contract that’s supposed to keep him in Durham through the end of 2026. The drama centers on a huge NIL deal that reportedly pays Mensah about $4 million a year.

Duke claims that because they are paying him top dollar for the “exclusive” rights to his football brand, he can’t transfer that brand to another school like Miami. Essentially, they are asserting, ‘We purchased these rights, and they become useless if you compete against us.’

In their 44-page lawsuit, Duke alleges that Mensah and his team were “shopping around” and talking to other schools behind Duke’s back, which was a big no-no under his contract. They also claim he leaked the private financial details of his deal. Duke football is hell-bent on the “integrity of contracts” and ensuring players stick to the deals they sign.

Moreover, Duke tried to get an immediate “stop order” to block him from even entering the transfer portal. But a judge turned that down on January 20. Interestingly, that judge had to step down from the case afterward because he’s a huge Duke basketball fan and season-ticket holder. This was seen as a conflict of interest.

Since the initial request was denied, Duke is expected to officially add Mensah’s name to the portal by Wednesday, January 21, 2026. However, the legal battle continues, with a larger hearing set for February 2. The new judge will determine whether Mensah can enroll or play for another school while the arbitration is ongoing.

For what it’s worth, Mensah is the top target left in the portal. But any school that is ready to take him understands just how good Mensah can be. That’s why the Miami Hurricanes are hell-bent on landing him.

The Miami Hurricanes are the ones to watch

Miami is going all-in on Darian Mensah. They are in “win-now” mode. They desperately need a superstar to lead them back to the National Championship in 2026. After losing the title game to Indiana last night, the Hurricanes now find themselves without a starting quarterback as Carson Beck has officially run out of eligibility.

You can count the number of gunslingers who are better than Mensah on one hand. The former Tulane QB led the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 TDs.

The timing is a crucial factor behind Miami’s aggressive approach. Mensah entered the transfer portal on January 16, the final day of the winter transfer window. With most top-tier quarterbacks already reserving new teams, Miami was focused on its national championship efforts.

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To make sure they didn’t miss out, they offered a deal worth well over $6 million. Not to mention additional perks like country club housing, an Adidas campaign, and even a scholarship for his sister.

Mario Cristobal believes Mensah is the missing piece for their 2026 title run, even though Duke has filed a lawsuit claiming he’s breaking a contract. The Hurricanes are reportedly prepared to pay a $10 million buyout to make the transfer happen and clear his legal path.

By moving their own backup, Emory Williams, to the portal on January 20, they’ve made it crystal clear that they’ve already bet the house on Mensah being their next QB1.