Article: The landscape of college football has hit a new, litigious low as Duke University takes the unprecedented step of suing its own student-athlete to prevent a transfer. The Blue Devils have filed a lawsuit against quarterback Darian Mensah to stop his move to the University of Miami, a move that Coach JB and AJ McCarron are calling the inevitable result of a “broken system” with no guardrails.
While a judge recently denied Duke’s request to completely prohibit Mensah from entering the transfer portal, the university was granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). This legal maneuver prevents Mensah from enrolling at Miami—or any other institution—until a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for February 2nd. The move has sent shockwaves through the sport, signaling that universities may finally be pushing back against the “semester-to-semester” decision-making that has come to define the NIL era.
On the latest episode of The Coach JB Show, the panel didn’t hold back. “The game is the game, and unfortunately there are no guardrails,” said co-host Big Smitty. “Miami looks like they’re going to get the Duke quarterback and his number one receiver. This has become the Wild Wild West.”
Former Alabama standout AJ McCarron expressed deep frustration with the lack of loyalty in the modern game. McCarron highlighted a recent example at Ole Miss where a player was seen performing TikTok dances in LSU gear shortly after a loss, despite previously signing an extension. “It’s nothing but a shit show,” McCarron remarked. “It’s hard to even follow college football now with all the shit going on. Your word used to be your bond.”
Coach JB took the critique a step further, focusing on the long-term psychological impact on young athletes. “We are fucking these kids up mentally from a coddling standpoint,” JB argued. He suggested that by allowing players to flee any difficult situation for a bigger paycheck, the system is failing to prepare them for the “real world,” where they can’t simply transfer when they are unhappy with a job.
The panel also took aim at sports agents, accusing them of “back-channeling” and “tampering” without regard for a player’s development or happiness. “These agents don’t care about the university; they don’t even care if the player is happy,” one panelist noted. “They just want their percentage of the movement.”
As the February 2nd hearing approaches, the Mensah case stands as a potential landmark. If Duke succeeds in blocking the transfer, it could open the door for other universities to use the legal system to enforce what used to be a “40-year decision” rather than a financial transaction. For now, however, Coach JB and his guests agree: college football has officially entered an era of “anarchy” that was as predictable as it is difficult to watch.
