MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin alleged the University of Miami football program had “impermissible contact” with one of its former players who recently withdrew from the school and enrolled at Miami without entering the transfer portal after signing a name, image and likeness deal with the Badgers.
In a statement released Saturday regarding the unusual situation surrounding former Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas, Wisconsin said it will “review facts” in the matter and “evaluate all options going forward to determine the appropriate course of action.”
“Under the transfer provision used by Xavier this past week, any contact between a student-athlete enrolled at one institution and the football program to which they are transferring is prohibited per NCAA rules,” Wisconsin said. “We have credible information indicating impermissible contact between Xavier and University of Miami football program personnel prior to Xavier’s request to enter the transfer portal. Direct interference with another institution’s committed player and contractual interests is prohibited by NCAA tampering rules and the law.”
The statement comes one day after Lucas’ attorney, Darren Heitner, told The Athletic his client’s move from Wisconsin followed a prolonged standoff with the Badgers in which they declined to enter him into the portal after he requested a transfer. Yahoo! Sports first reported that news Friday.
The initial impasse stemmed from a signed name, image and likeness-related agreement that Lucas entered into in December before he returned home to Florida for school break. Lucas subsequently announced on his X account Dec. 19 that he would be entering the transfer portal. NCAA protocol requires schools to adhere to a player’s transfer request by submitting paperwork within two business days, but Lucas’ name never appeared in the portal.
Lucas said at the time that Wisconsin denied his request to enter the portal.
Wisconsin, in its statement Saturday, said Lucas and the school’s athletics department entered into a “binding two-year NIL agreement” on Dec. 2, 2024, which included “substantial financial compensation” for Lucas. The program contends that agreement remains in effect and enforceable.
“Badger student-athletes who have signed these agreements expect Wisconsin Athletics to honor the terms. In turn, Wisconsin Athletics relies on the student-athlete representations in signing these agreements that they will do the same,” Wisconsin said. “A request to enter the transfer portal after entering into such an agreement is inconsistent with the representations and mutual understanding of the agreement and explains the reason for not processing a transfer portal request under these circumstances.”
Wisconsin also said Lucas “executed a separate agreement with the Varsity Collective.”
Rob Master, executive chair for the collective, declined to comment Friday.
Because Lucas was never in the portal, he said schools were not able to communicate with him. The transfer portal window closed for Wisconsin players on Dec. 28, with 23 scholarship players and two walk-ons entering the portal. Lucas, meanwhile, remained in limbo.
“I still intend to transfer, but at the moment Wisconsin is refusing to release me into the transfer portal,” Lucas posted Dec. 27 on X. “I’ve met all NCAA requirements of the transfer portal process. I’ve yet to be put into the transfer portal by Wisconsin which is impeding my ability to speak with schools.”
Now, he has taken matters into his own hands by enrolling at Miami.
On Jan. 7, Lucas and his family hired Heitner to represent Lucas in his battle against Wisconsin. Heitner also serves as an adjunct professor of NIL at the University of Miami School of Law. He argued that Wisconsin was violating NCAA rules by not putting Lucas into the transfer portal, calling it “an illegal restraint.”
Heitner said he spoke to representatives at Wisconsin in an attempt to broker a resolution but said it ultimately was not going to be possible. Heitner said Lucas and his family reached out to Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell last week to express their case for wanting to be closer to home but instead were given reasons why he should remain at Wisconsin. Heitner said he has since sent a notice to Wisconsin to terminate the signed agreement.
“I still to this day don’t quite understand what Wisconsin believes or understands its position to be,” Heitner said. “I gathered in the process that it didn’t even seem like they were fully aware of what they were relying upon to not put the player in the portal. I don’t know what the connect or disconnect is between the school and the collective.
“It seemed like there was a lot of misinformation and I’m not confident that the school and or the Big Ten appreciates the myriad holes in the agreement that was executed, which we don’t believe is valid or binding.”
Heitner said Lucas signed a memorandum of understanding with Wisconsin contingent on approval of the House vs. NCAA settlement, which has yet to receive final approval, as well as him attending classes there no later than spring 2025. He also noted Wisconsin had not paid Lucas any money so Lucas did not owe the school any reimbursement.
The school, however, called its agreement “binding.” The Big Ten also released a statement Saturday supporting Wisconsin’s position.
“As student-athletes become active participants in revenue sharing, it is critical that agreed-to obligations be respected, honored, and enforced,” the conference said. “In light of current laws and association rules, information suggesting tampering and contract interference in this case by the University of Miami is very troubling. These actions undermine the efforts of its own conference as the ACC continues its collaboration with the other A4 conferences in developing a sustainable framework for college sports. This situation is just the latest example of the critical need for substantive governance reform.”
Lucas, his father and his mother did not respond to requests for comment. Miami did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Lucas, a four-star prospect from Pompano Beach, Fla., signed with Wisconsin in December 2023 despite a late recruiting push from Miami. He appeared in 11 of 12 games for Wisconsin as a freshman with one start and finished with 18 tackles, one sack and one interception. Lucas was in line for a potential starting role next season.
Lucas did not officially sign with Miami’s football program and therefore could avoid NCAA transfer rules entirely as part of this rare situation. Heitner said Friday he is confident Lucas, who initially enrolled for the fall 2025 semester, will be able to reclassify to the spring semester.
“The transfer portal really isn’t needed in order for a player to change schools,” Heitner said. “All one has to do is unenroll and then decide to enroll elsewhere. And if that next school will accept that student, then really the portal loses a lot of its purpose.”
Heitner said he would be prepared if Wisconsin attempts to litigate the matter further.
“I would have never expected Wisconsin to maintain its completely irresponsible position throughout,” Heitner said. “So in a normal circumstance I would say I’m convinced that they understand the worst possible thing that they could do for their reputation would be to try to escalate this. But they haven’t used logic from the start, so I don’t know what they will do.”
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(Photo: Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
