In a decision that could end up being groundbreaking for college athletics, standout defensive back Xavier Lucas decided enough is enough and he has committed to Miami despite Wisconsin never submitting his paperwork to enter the transfer portal.
This is surely a situation that is going to be talked about for weeks, as Wisconsin could decide to take legal action to prevent Lucas from suiting up for the Canes after he signed a two-year deal with Wisconsin, according to reporter Ross Dellenger.
For now, though, Lucas is all set to make plays for Mario Cristobal and people in Coral Gables are fired up about the youngster's potential with the team. The list includes Miami Executive Director Dennis Smith, who took to social media right as the Lucas news dropped. If you've seen the movie 'The Shawshank Redemption,' then it's easy to see what he's trying to tell us all here:
— DENNIS SMITH (@dtrain2901) January 17, 2025
Xavier Lucas committing to Miami has Canes fans everywhere fired up
Red landing on the beach and enjoying being a free man. This was posted right after Lucas' attorney Darren Heitner posted on X that, 'XAVIER LUCAS IS A FREE MAN.' Yup, you can go ahead and connect the dots. This is priceless from Smith and the replies to his post show a lot of thrilled Miami supporters.
This was a long process for Lucas. He originally announced he was going to enter the transfer portal last month, but then he called out the Badgers for not letting him do so. Per Dellenger, Lucas and his family reached out to Luke Fickell last week to push for something to get done, with Fickell trying to convince the talented CB to return to Madison.
Those efforts fell short, as Lucas withdrew from UW and he has already enrolled at Miami. With spring ball around the corner, Lucas will get a chance to play for the Canes and get going on this next chapter of his career. That is unless Wisconsin decides they want to keep playing hard ball, but Miami fans are hopeful that won't happen.