Argument over turnover distribution led to Xavier Lucas leaving Wisconsin for Miami

After a battle with the Wisconsin Badgers over the past month over having his name entered on the transfer portal after signing a revenue-sharing agreement with the school, wide receiver Xavier Lucas has decommitted and enrolled in Miami.

This has the makings of one of the most groundbreaking moves we’ve seen in college athletics when it comes to how the transfer portal works, and could lead to significant changes in the future. This whole ordeal started when Xavier Lucas decided what he wanted transfer from Wisconsinlooking to find a school closer to home in the eyes of a wide receiver.

But Lucas had a problem, and it all centered around a two-year agreement he signed with the school that involved a future revenue-sharing model that has yet to be approved by a judge, according to his attorney, Darren Heitner.

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As such, the school felt it had a financial agreement in place and would not enter his name into the transfer portal database.

If you are not familiar with how the portal works, it is the school’s responsibility to enter the player’s name into the database after he or she completes the proper paperwork required for entry. As we’ve seen over the past few years, the transfer portal continues to be one of the most talked about topics in all of college athletics.

Just this year, the regulatory committee decided to reduce the time period in which the portal will be open, starting from December 9th to December 24th.

Players in the postseason get a five-day extension after the season ends, which helped those still in the College Football Playoff.

Xavier Lucas’ attorney speaks with OutKick’s Trey Wallace

Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) is shown during the first quarter of their game against South Dakota on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

In the case of Xavier Lucas, he submitted his documents on time, but the school insisted that his name not be entered into the database due to a revenue sharing agreement that both parties signed before Lucas attempted to enter his name into the portal.

The contractual agreement at the center of this dispute was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that gives the school all rights related to that player’s name, image and likeness, meaning that Wisconsin or any other school can use his name for those purposes and Lucas will be paid .

OutKick spoke with Darren Heitner, who represents Xavier Lucas in the matter, about the deal.

“The memorandum of understanding was concluded upon approval House settlement (which has not yet received final approval) and Xavier attends classes no later than the spring of 2025 (he withdrew from the institution), Hytner noted. The institution wrongfully denied him that right, a violation of NCAA rules. Despite this, the Institution has not paid him any money, and therefore he should not compensate the Institution.”

Hytner also noted that Xavier Lucas’ father is currently dealing with health issues, which is why the former Badger wants to move closer to home.

Long story short, the school and Xavier Lucas agreed to a deal that is not currently legal because House vs. NCAA there was no settlement approved by the judge.

This sets a new precedent for a transfer portal in collegiate athletics

Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) is followed by a member of the practice staff during the fourth quarter of the game against South Dakota, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK)

One of the main takeaways from this whole ordeal is that former Wisconsin wide receiver Xavier Lucas decided not to go through the transfer portal on his way to Miami. After waiting for the school to enter his name in the database, Lucas simply transferred out of Wisconsin and is now enrolled at Miami.

Yes, there have been other schools that have signed players to agreements under the impression that the revenue-sharing agreement would be approved by a judge, but this issue, where the player and the program are fighting over the legality of the contract, is the first that has become publicly discussed.

Now we could see a huge change in how players decide to transition, outside of the actual dates of the portal period. Now, if a player wants to transfer, they will have to do it as a “graduate transfer”. But Xavier Lucas’ decision not to use the portal and enroll at another school outside the window sets a new precedent for how players can potentially leave.

“NCAA rules do not prevent student-athletes from withdrawing from an institution, enrolling at a new institution and immediately competing,” an NCAA spokesman noted in a statement tonight.

Darren Hytner mentioned to Yahoo Sports that when Xavier Lucas last tried to discuss the matter with Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell, he tried to talk Lucas into staying.

Obviously, this is a big development for players in all sports. As for whether Wisconsin will sue Xavier Lucas for his NIL rights while he’s in Miami, attorney Darren Heitner told OutKick’s Trey Wallace that it would only further tarnish the school’s reputation.

“The most short-sighted move for Wisconsin is to sue,” Hytner noted. “This institution has no leg and this will only further tarnish a reputation that they have already damaged enough with their own crimes.”

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As for the rest of Xavier Lucas’ college career, he will look to put that behind him and contribute to the Miami Hurricanes.

But it’s an unconventional way to get to Miami that could change the rules surrounding the transfer portal, or for that matter, the lack of actual need for a time period attached to the window itself.

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