Oregon Sues Oklahoma Transfer Over Alleged Unpaid $10K NIL Contract Buyout

The University of Oregon says one of its former football players owes it $10,000, and the school is willing to go to court to get it. The school filed a lawsuit in Lane County Circuit Court last week against Dakoda Fields, a defensive back who spent two years with the Ducks before transferring to Oklahoma in January. The lawsuit said Oregon and Fields agreed that Fields would pay the university $39,882 in exchange for a release of liability from his contract with the school. Under the agreement, if Fields paid the discounted amount of $29,882 on or before April 20, the school would waive the remaining $10,000. Fields missed the deadline, so the amount due reverted to the original $39,882. The lawsuit said that despite multiple requests, Fields has failed to pay the $10,000, the balance due as of April 21. The school is seeking $10,000, interest and reimbursement of attorney’s fees. A message seeking comment was left for Fields at Oklahoma. Fields was among the highest-ranked high school cornerback prospects coming out of Compton, California, two years ago. He redshirted at Oregon in 2024 and appeared in three games last season. Fields is the latest athlete who has faced or was threatened with legal action by their former school for allegedly reneging on a name, image and likeness contract. Georgia sued Damon Wilson for $390,000 after he left for Missouri, and Cincinnati sued Brendan Sorsby for $1 million when he went to Texas Tech. Before a settlement was reached, Duke argued that Darian Mensah owed it $8 million when he left for Miami. Washington threatened Demond Williams with a breach-of-contract lawsuit when he entered the transfer portal after last season. He decided to return to Washington. Reporting by the Associated Press