Are top-drawer college football teams and their name, image and likeness collectives simply trying to protect themselves from willy-nilly transfers or are they bullying players to stay put with threats of lawsuits?
Adding liquidated damage fee clauses to NIL contracts became all the rage in 2025, a year that will be remembered as the first time players have been paid directly by schools. But some experts say such fees cannot be used as a cudgel to punish players that break a contract and transfer.
It’s no surprise that the issue has resulted in a lawsuit — make that two lawsuits — before the calendar flipped to 2026.
Less than a month after Georgia filed a lawsuit against defensive end Damon Wilson II to obtain $390,000 in damages because he transferred to Missouri, Wilson went to court himself, claiming Georgia is misusing the liquidated damages clause to “punish Wilson for entering the portal.”
Wilson’s countersuit in Boone County, Mo., says he was among a small group of Bulldog stars pressured into signing the contract Dec. 21, 2024. The lawsuit also claims that Wilson was misused as an elite pass rusher, that the Georgia defensive scheme called for him to drop back into pass coverage. Wilson, who will be a senior next fall, led Missouri with nine sacks this season.
Georgia paid Wilson $30,000, the first monthly installment of his $500,000 NIL deal, before he entered the transfer portal on Jan. 6, four days after Georgia lost to Notre Dame in a College Football Playoffs quarterfinal.
Bulldogs brass was not pleased. Wilson alleges in his lawsuit that Georgia dragged its feet in putting his name in the portal and spread misinformation to other schools about him and his contractual obligations.
“When the University of Georgia Athletic Association enters binding agreements with student-athletes, we honor our commitments and expect student-athletes to do the same,” Georgia spokesperson Steven Drummond said in a statement after the school filed the lawsuit.
Wilson’s countersuit turned that comment on its head, claiming it injured his reputation because it implies he was dishonest. He is seeking unspecified damages in addition to not owing the Bulldogs anything. Georgia’s lawsuit asked that the dispute be resolved through arbitration.
A liquidated damage fee is a predetermined amount of money written into a contract that one party pays the other for specific breaches. The fee is intended to provide a fair estimate of anticipated losses when actual damages are difficult to calculate, and cannot be used to punish one party for breaking the contract.
Wilson’s case could have far-reaching implications because it is the first that could determine whether schools can enforce liquidated damage clauses. While it could be understandable that schools want to protect themselves from players transferring soon after receiving NIL money, legal experts say liquidated damage fees might not be the proper way to do so.
Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter where the final days of the college football season are upon us. I’ve spent the past week trying to catch up on shopping for Christmas, which — checks notes — is only 10 days away??
So what better time to consider what USC might need for the year to come and put together a transfer portal wishlist of sorts, with portal season fast approaching.
Fight on! Are you a true Trojans fan?
5. Offensive line
Returning starters: LT Elijah Paige, LG Tobias Raymond, C Kilian O’Connor, RG Alani Noa, RT Justin Tauanuu
Other expected returners: Elijah Vaikona, Aaron Dunn, Alex Payne, Kaylon Miller
Notable newcomers: OT Keenyi Pepe, OG Esun Tafa
Offensive line coach Zach Hanson did a great job this season with the hand he was dealt. USC had injuries up and down its line, as Paige and O’Connor missed half the season. With most of last year’s line potentially returning, and a lot of young linemen entering Year 2, USC should have more depth to work with up front.
That said, it could stand to upgrade on the interior. USC pursued a transfer center to start over O’Connor last year and struck out on J’Onre Reed. Could they take another swing at that spot? As this season proved, there’s no such thing as having too many capable linemen.
4. Wide receiver
Returning starters: Tanook Hines
Other expected returners: Zacharyus Williams, Corey Simms
Makai Lemon is on his way to the NFL, and my expectation is that Ja’Kobi Lane will follow him. That leaves USC with just one returning starter at receiver, albeit one with a lot of promise.
Hines has the ability to be the Trojans’ No. 1 wideout, but he won’t be able to hold down the passing attack alone. USC will need to add at least one starter to the mix to fill out a receiving corps that is suddenly quite thin. Fortunately, USC has never had trouble finding a transfer for that purpose.
Zacharyus Williams seemed primed to contribute in 2025, but injuries derailed his start to the season. He could step into a bigger role. Several freshmen could see opportunities early, too, the most intriguing to me being Mosley, whose shiftiness reminds me of Lemon.
3. Cornerback
Returning starters: Marcelles Williams
Other expected returners: Chasen Johnson, Alex Graham, RJ Sermons, Kevin Longstreet
Notable newcomers: Elbert Hill, Brandon Lockhart
Injuries decimated this group last season and made it difficult for the secondary to find its stride. Now the room will have to be mostly rebuilt, with several corners out of eligibility or leaving in the portal.
Marcelles Williams should be better. Chasen Johnson was primed to start in 2025 and should be expected to step into that spot in 2026, while other young players, like Alex Graham and RJ Sermons, could take a huge step in Year 2.
But if there’s a lockdown outside corner in the portal, USC needs to do whatever it can to get them to L.A.
2. Interior defensive line
Returning starters: Devan Thompkins, Jide Abasiri
Other expected returners: Jahkeem Stewart, Floyd Boucard, Jah Jarrett
USC was supposed to be much improved on the interior in 2025, and that simply wasn’t the case, especially against the run. Experienced tackles like Keeshawn Silver and Thompkins, who entered the season with a lot of hype, never lived up to expectations. Jarrett was a disappointment before getting hurt, and Abasiri was inconsistent.
Stewart and Boucard both showed glimpses of major potential in spite of injuries, and both need to be on the field more next season. But this group is in need of a game-wrecker against the run, a stopper who can clog up the interior and hold his own in the Big Ten.
Those tackles don’t grow on trees, unfortunately. USC has tried to find them — and failed — on multiple occasions, the latest being Silver. But unless USC wants to rely heavily on its youth at defensive tackle next season, it’s going to need to find reinforcements from the transfer portal, no matter what.
1. Linebacker
Returning starters: Desman Stephens
Other expected returners: Jadyn Walker, Ta’Mere Robinson, AJ Tuitele
Notable newcomers: Talanoa Ili, Shaun Scott
This group was rough in 2025, and it’s set to lose its leader in Eric Gentry. Stephens felt miscast as a middle linebacker this season, and Walker, while dynamic, was still trying to figure things out in his first full season.
Walker and Stephens should be better with another offseason under their belt. But would anyone feel good going into next season with both as the primary starters at linebacker? I doubt it.
USC has already been linked to North Carolina linebacker Khmori House, and I doubt he’ll be the last linebacker that’s talked about as a possible Trojan. USC may bring in multiple linebackers and also have no choice but to count on a few of its young guys making the leap. Ili, in particular, is intriguing as a top-100 recruit.
Where does Makai Lemon’s season rank?
Makai Lemon
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Makai Lemon’s coronation as college football’s top receiver in 2025 was made complete last week as he became the second Trojan wideout to be awarded the Biletnikoff.
The only other Biletnikoff winner in the award’s 30 years of existence was Marqise Lee, who finished the 2012 season with an NCAA-leading 118 catches, 1,721 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns. Lemon had 39 fewer catches and 565 fewer yards this season.
That’s largely a reflection of how prolific Lee was in 2012. But the fact that Lemon’s Biletnikoff-winning performance doesn’t rank in the top 10 statistically in any category in USC history shows just how many great receivers USC has had in the last quarter century.
Five USC receivers have caught over 100 passes in a season, four of which came in the last 15 years. Drake London would have made it six — and won his own Biletnikoff — if he hadn’t injured his ankle in 2021.
Lemon’s 79 catches rank 13th in USC history, his 11 touchdowns are tied for 11th.
That’s not to take away from what Lemon has done this season. His ability to create yards after the catch is perhaps unlike any other receiver in school history. But in the annals of great seasons for USC receivers, Lemon may never look quite as impressive on paper as it felt in person.
Lindsay Gottlieb
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
—Waymond Jordan will return to USC in 2026. And that’s huge news for USC’s rushing attack, which will now be able to deploy one of the Big Ten’s most dynamic 1-2 punches with Jordan and King Miller. Jordan didn’t play the second half of the season after suffering an ankle injury that required surgery. Had he continued his pace from the first half of the season, Jordan probably wouldn’t be coming back to USC in 2026 … because he’d be on his way to the NFL. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Jordan comes into next season as arguably the best returning back in the Big Ten. If USC hopes to hold up during its gauntlet of a conference slate, the run game will have to lead the way.
—Notre Dame is losing its scheduling leverage. The tides have really started to turn on the Irish ever since they declined a bowl invite following their College Football Playoff snub. That didn’t sit well with the rest of the college football world. Neither did the news that Notre Dame, according to Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger, negotiated a deal for preferential playoff access starting next season. In fact, according to Dan Wolken, also of Yahoo, it has led athletic directors in other leagues to threaten to freeze Notre Dame out in the future. We’ll see if anyone actually follows through on that threat — I have my doubts — but it does seemingly give USC an upper hand when it comes to getting a deal done soon … if it wants one. It’s probably no coincidence that athletic director Pete Bevacqua now appears optimistic about getting a deal done quickly, after blaming USC for the hold-up. Bevacqua told The Echoes podcast last week that he thought the two schools would come to an agreement on a short-term extension, potentially with a gap in the series after that. That’s the deal that USC has been trying to sell Notre Dame on since August.
—USC did add a non-conference matchup to its 2026 slate. Louisiana will come to the Coliseum on Sept. 12, 2026, to face USC for the first time in program history. USC will pay the Ragin’ Cajuns $1.3 million for the rights to what should be an easy non-conference victory. The Trojans now have 11 of 12 games scheduled for 2026, with one very glaring opening remaining.
—Chad Baker-Mazara is leading the Big Ten in scoring and exceeding all preseason expectations. The sixth-year senior came to USC in search of a bigger scoring role, and with Rodney Rice out, he’s made the most of his opportunity. Baker-Mazara is averaging 25 points per game over USC’s last four, in the wake of Rice’s injury, and shooting the lights out, hitting 53% of his shots during that stretch. Even beyond his offensive output, Baker-Mazara’s energy has been an important part of USC’s identity early on. If he can keep scoring efficiently when Rice and freshman Alijah Arenas return from injury, USC could be a legitimate threat come March.
—Nike did a cool thing to honor Gigi Bryant during what would’ve been her freshman year at Connecticut. During Saturday’s USC-UConn matchup, every player on the court wore a different pair of Kobe’s. Even players who didn’t play wore different pairs of Kobe’s. Nike says that’s the first time it has ever done that in a college basketball game.
—I’ve always appreciated Lindsay Gottlieb’s willingness to be vulnerable. And she showed that part of herself again Saturday, in response to a mass shooting at her alma mater, Brown. She addressed the shooting before talking about USC’s loss to UConn and was clearly shaken by the situation. She said a former teammate at Brown was waiting to hear from a kid who was hiding in the basement of a library. Gottlieb didn’t pull any punches: “It’s the guns,” she said. “We’re the only country who lives this way.”
Poll results
We asked, “Which of these five options would you put at the top of USC’s transfer portal wish list?”
After 402 votes, the results:
Reinforcements at linebacker, 40.7% A run stopper on the interior, 39.7% A shutdown cornerback, 10.1% A standout edge rusher, 7.9% A No. 1 wide receiver, 1.6%
Top 5 … restaurants in L.A.
In honor of one of my favorite things we do at The Times — our 101 best restaurants list — here’s my take on the five best fine dining establishments in L.A. …
5. Funke. Really, I could choose any of Evan Funke’s restaurants in this position. Mostly because the focaccia bread, so deliciously dripping with olive oil, requires recognition.
4. Bavel/Bestia. Cheating, I know, but I love both of these restaurants equally. The Peruvian scallop crudo at Bestia is one of the best appetizers I’ve ever had. Meanwhile anything involving lamb at Bavel is out of this world.
3. Republique. It’s the most breathtaking setting of any restaurant in L.A., built into an old church, and the pastries and bread are unforgettable. Any trip requires ordering pan drippings on a baguette, as strange as that may sound.
2. Providence. The ultimate special occasion spot. I still think about the 12-course meal I had there 10 years ago.
1. Dunsmoor. This is a new top restaurant for me within the last year, but I was absolutely blown away by Dunsmoor. The cornbread is an all-time dish for me, and there’s just something about eating your entire meal from a hearth that does it for me. It was so good that I had to mention it in a previous newsletter, and here I am, writing about it again.
It’s not often these days that a show delivers a story so unexpected that I have no idea where it’s headed. But “Pluribus” is one of those shows. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised given that Vince Gilligan, the writer and showrunner, is a master of storytelling.
The story follows Carol, played by Rhea Seehorn, whose world is turned upside down suddenly by a humanity-altering event that mysteriously does not affect her. Seehorn is terrific as always, and the story has been genuinely gripping so far.
Until next time …
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is set to join Dutch giants Ajax on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
The Japan international is scheduled to undergo a medical on Tuesday.
BBC Sport revealed in July that Tomiyasu and Arsenal had reached a mutual agreement to terminate the versatile defender’s contract a year early, making him a free agent.
Arsenal signed defenders Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera in the summer, meaning Tomiyasu’s first team opportunities would be limited.
The 27-year-old has been completing a rehabilitation programme following knee surgery in February, but is now back training and poised to restart his career in Amsterdam, provided he passes a medical.
Sources have indicated his agreement with Ajax does not include an extension option.
Tomiyasu, who joined Arsenal from Bologna in 2021, made 84 appearances for the Gunners. His final game for the club was in October 2024 in a 3-1 win over Southampton.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Additional much-needed MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters are likely headed to Ukraine, with Poland in talks to provide the country with its last remaining examples. Poland already donated 14 of its MiG-29s to Ukraine, after becoming the first country to commit to supplying combat jets to Kyiv. The new package should also involve the transfer of drone and missile technology from Ukraine to Poland.
In a statement on X, the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces confirmed that talks regarding the exchange of MiG-29s are underway.
Informujemy, że trwają rozmowy ze stroną ukraińską na temat przekazania samolotów MIG-29. Przekazywanie samolotów związane jest z osiąganiem przez nie docelowych resursów eksploatacyjnych oraz brakiem perspektywy ich dalszej modernizacji w Siłach Zbrojnych RP. Informujemy… pic.twitter.com/35obeH37rP
“The transfer of these aircraft is related to the fact that they have reached their target service life and there are no prospects for their further modernization in the Polish Armed Forces,” the statement says.
The General Staff states that no final decision has been made, but notes that the donation of the fighters is in line with NATO policy of supporting Ukraine and maintaining security on NATO’s eastern flank.
The statement adds that tasks of the MiG-29 aircraft being withdrawn from service will be carried out by Polish Air Force F-16 fighters and FA-50 light combat aircraft.
One of Poland’s F-16Ds with its conformal fuel tanks and enlarged spine prominently visible. Polish Ministry of Defense
Interestingly, the talks also involve the transfer of “selected drone and missile technologies” to Poland.
“The aim is not only to compensate for the equipment, but above all to acquire and jointly develop new defense and industrial capabilities,” the General Staff emphasizes.
Discussions around the possible transfer of Poland’s last MiG-29 jets to Ukraine began back in July 2024.
As of now, the Polish Air Force has 14 Fulcrums, comprising 11 single-seat MiG-29 fighters and three two-seat MiG-29UB combat trainers.
Polish Fulcrums came from a variety of sources, as you can read about here. As well as original deliveries from the Soviet Union, Poland acquired former Czechoslovakian MiG-29s inherited by the Czech Republic, as well as upgraded examples that had previously been flown by the German Luftwaffe (and, before that, by East Germany).
The remaining Polish aircraft are very much still active on the front line and in support of NATO.
On two occasions in late October of this year, for example, Polish MiG-29s intercepted a Russian Il-20 Coot intelligence-gathering aircraft over the Baltic Sea.
For the second time this week, a pair of MiG-29As with the Polish Air Force were scrambled earlier this morning from the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork, in order to intercept and track a Russian Il-20M “Coot-A” Electronic Surveillance Aircraft operating over the Baltic Sea.… pic.twitter.com/ZQdlYN9RKV
In March 2023, Warsaw announced it would transfer the first batch of 14 MiG-29s to Ukraine. The first four of these MiG-29s are reported to have arrived in Ukraine the following month.
They were preceded by MiG-29s provided by Slovakia, which confirmed its donation soon after Poland. The Slovakian government approved the transfer of 13 MiG-29s to Ukraine, and the first arrived there in March 2023 — the first tactical jets to be officially supplied to Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Ukraine has apparently also received MiG-29 spare parts from other sources, too, with speculation that former Moldovan Fulcrums acquired by the United States might have been involved.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, additional fighters are in great demand, with steady attrition since the conflict began.
Ukraine started the war with around 50 MiG-29s in operational service, assigned to two regiments. According to the Oryx open-source tracking group, since the start of the current conflict, 33 Ukrainian MiG-29s have been confirmed destroyed, and more damaged. The actual figure is almost certainly higher, as Oryx only tallies losses that are confirmed with visual evidence.
A fully armed Ukrainian MiG-29 performs a combat mission in eastern Ukraine on August 1, 2023. Photo by Libkos/Getty Images LIBKOS
The situation as regards the Su-27 Flanker is even more serious, with the Ukrainian Air Force having begun the war with around 32 operational examples, at least 19 of which have been confirmed as destroyed — the most recent one earlier this week. Unlike the MiG-29, there is no potential source to help replace Flanker losses.
Russia shot down another Su-27 over eastern Ukraine on Sunday. Lt. Col. Yevhenii Ivanov, the pilot, was killed. It’s the 19th Su-27 loss since February 2022.
Ukraine may have only 12-23 left. And unlike MiGs or F-16s, no ally operates Su-27s—so there’s no donor pipeline.
It’s worth noting that additional examples of both these types have also been brought back to airworthiness after local overhauls. At least some of these were returned to action after long periods standing dormant or in storage.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has introduced more modern and capable F-16s and Mirage 2000s, but it’s significant that the MiG-29, in particular, remains a highly prized asset. This is a fact reflected in its continued adaptation to carry new weaponry, both Western-supplied and locally developed. With significant stocks of spares, weapons, and well-trained maintenance crews, the MiG-29 is regarded as easy to maintain and adapt. It is also well-suited to more austere operations, with the Ukrainian Air Force regularly moving the jets around between different operating locations, making it harder for the Russians to target them.
A Ukrainian F-16AM takes off with a full load of six AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Ukrainian Air Force
Kyiv’s need for more MiG-29s, from whatever source, was underscored by the appearance of at least one former Azerbaijani example earlier this year. As you can read about here, this was likely one of three Azerbaijani MiG-29s that were undergoing repair in Ukraine and were left stranded there after the full-scale invasion began.
Should the final 14 Polish MiG-29s be supplied to Ukraine, which would appear to be a formality, the last source of NATO-owned Fulcrums is Bulgaria, which operates around a dozen examples.
A Bulgarian MiG-29 at Graf Ignatievo, Bulgaria, on February 17, 2022. Photo by Hristo Rusev/Getty Images Hristo Rusev
In the past, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense ruled out a transfer of the jets to Ukraine, stating that such a move “would lead to a deficit of capabilities.”
Now that the Bulgarian Air Force has started to receive the 16 F-16C/D Block 70 fighters that it has ordered, that situation could change.
.@LockheedMartin’s first F-16 Block 70 jet for Bulgaria has arrived. With upgraded radar, avionics and weapon systems, the Fighting Falcon will deliver upgraded airpower to the Bulgarian Air Force and strengthen global security for decades to come. https://t.co/MYP08pQvUd
Returning to the Polish Air Force, once the last MiG-29s have gone, it will be left with a combat fleet spearheaded by 47 F-16C/D Block 52+ fighters, which will be upgraded to the F-16V configuration, as you can read about here.
A Polish Air Force MiG-29, in the foreground, and one of its Block 52+ F-16Cs, in the background. Polish Armed Forces
These are bolstered by 12 South Korean-made FA-50GFs that were delivered to Poland between July and December 2023. Another 36 of the more advanced FA-50PL aircraft are also on order.
The Polish Air Force presents MiG-29 and FA-50 aircraft during a military parade to celebrate Polish Army Day in Warsaw, on August 15, 2023. Photo by Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto Dominika Zarzycka
Starting next year, the first operational Polish fifth-generation fighter squadron is due to be established, with 32 F-35As on order and training already underway in the United States.
There is also the possibility that Poland might further increase its fighter inventory, adding another new type in the shape of the F-15EX, the latest version of the Eagle.
Exactly what kinds of drone and missile technologies might find their way from Ukraine to Poland is unclear.
However, the Polish Air Force is currently on something of a drone push, introducing the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 uncrewed aerial system, as also used by Ukraine, and these will ultimately be joined by three MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, providing much expanded capabilities.
Whatever the case, the military relationship between Warsaw and Kyiv looks set to deepen further, both on a strategic level and, more immediately, with the likely transfer of badly needed MiG-29s for the Ukrainian Air Force.
Jennifer Shah, a former star on “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” has been moved from a federal prison into a community confinement program after serving less than half of her sentence for defrauding thousands of people.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson confirmed that Shah was transferred Wednesday morning from the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, to the program overseen by the Phoenix Residential Reentry Management Office. The transfer means that Shah is either being held in home confinement or in a halfway house. Her projected release date is Aug. 30.
“For privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not discuss the conditions of confinement for any individual, including reasons for transfers or release plans, nor do we specify an individual’s specific location while in community confinement,” BOP spokesperson Emery Nelson wrote in an email to the Associated Press.
Shah, 52, was sentenced in 2023 to six and a half years in prison for defrauding people in a telemarketing scam that stretched nearly a decade. At the time, Assistant U.S. Atty. Robert Sobelman said she was the most culpable of more than 30 defendants accused of participating in the nationwide fraud targeting people who were often vulnerable, older or unsophisticated electronically. The fraud involved bogus services that were promoted as enabling people to make substantial amounts of money through online businesses.
Shah pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in July 2022, and during her sentencing she apologized to the “innocent people” she said she’d hurt and pledged to pay $6.5 million in restitution and forfeiture once she is released from prison.
Prosecutors said she used profits from the fraud on luxuries that included living in a nearly 10,000-square-foot mansion in Utah dubbed “Shah Ski Chalet,” an apartment in midtown Manhattan and leasing a Porsche Panamera. The government said she also seemed to mock the charges against her by claiming that the “only thing I’m guilty of is being Shah-mazing” and then she profited from it by marketing “Justice for Jen” merchandise after her arrest.
At the sentencing, Shah apologized and said the proceeds from the merchandise would go toward victims.
“I alone am responsible for my terrible decisions. It was all my fault and all my wrongdoing,” Shah said, later continuing, “I wish I could have stood outside myself and seen the harm I was causing and changed course. I am profoundly and deeply sorry.”
