South Carolina Looking to Enforce a Buyout On a Transfer Player Per Report

Per Jordan Kaye of The State, South Carolina is looking to enforce a buyout on edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu after he signed a contract to remain in Columbia for the 2026 season.

Desmond Umeozulu | Fisher Brewer

After signing a contract to play with South Carolina in 2026, edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu entered the transfer portal on Jan. 15, just 24 hours prior to the window closing, and ultimately committed to Alabama . The Gamecocks are now pursuing a buyout from the contract Umeozulu signed, per The State's Jordan Kaye.

Kaye writes "South Carolina is pursuing a six-figure buyout that was outlined in Umeozulu’s contract. The buyout can be paid by either Umeozulu or Alabama," per a university source.

Desmond Umeozulu is a former four-star and top 150 player overall in the 2023 class from C.H. Flowers High School in Upper Malboro, Maryland. At the time his commitment was a huge recruiting win for the team. While playing in a lot of games in his three seasons with the team, Umeozulu mainly served as a reserve edged rusher.In 36 games played, including one start, he recorded 30 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.

Ongoing Problem in College Football

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) looks to throw in the second quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This isn't new to the sport, especially this offseason. The University of Georgia came after former defender and at the time, Missouri Tiger, Damon Wilson for a buyout clause after he had signed a contract prior to entering the transfer portal. Wilson is also countersuing the school stating Georgia is suing to "punish Wilson for entering the portal."

Possibly the biggest news recently came as Duke quarterback Darian Mensah signed a contract of his own to return to the 2025 ACC champion Blue Devils before jumping into the transfer portal on Jan. 16. The school will be looking to go into arbitration against Mensah.

Duke's attorneys wrote that Mensah violated the terms of his NIL agreement by "disclosing its monetary terms, seeking to license his NIL in football and to another collegiate institution, seeking his enrollment at another institution, initiating contact with admissions or athletics staff at another institution, failing to notify Duke University if he is contacted by another institution or its representatives, and/or acting in way that has now harmed his image and the image of Duke University by ignoring the terms and conditions of his contract."

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