Duke Blue Devils transfer quarterback Darian Mensah enters the portal, facing legal hurdles but eyeing the Miami Hurricanes' championship aspirations with a loaded offensive arsenal.
After the Miami Hurricanes suffered a heartbreaking loss in the National Championship game against the Indiana Hoosiers, with a final score of 27-21, it marked the finale of quarterback Carson Beck in college football. After a six-year career, the 23-year-old has no eligibility left and is very likely to declare for the upcoming NFL draft.
He completed 338 of 467 passes, 72.4 percent, for 3,813 yards, throwing for 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Despite a sour ending, Beck will leave the program better than it was before. The Hurricanes may have found the next successor to take over, but it may take time.
It was reported on Wednesday that quarterback Darian Mensah has officially entered the transfer portal, despite facing a lawsuit with the Duke Blue Devils in an attempt to retain him. However, the likelihood of the program succeeding is slim since Mensah is not an official Duke employee, which is significantly different from contracts in professional sports.
The Blue Devils were denied a request for a temporary restraining order that would've kept Mensah from entering the transfer portal. However, the 20-year-old is prohibited from enrolling with a different university, such as the Hurricanes, which he's been linked to.
A hearing has been scheduled on Jan. 29, between Mensah and the Blue Devils' representatives, which is the earliest the case could be resolved. It’s moved from the original date, Feb. 2.
The California native is coming off an excellent season: completing 344 of 500 passes, 66.8 percent, 3,973 yards, which led the ACC, throwing for 34 touchdowns and six interceptions in 14 games. Mensah earned Second-Team All-ACC honors. He played a crucial role in the Blue Devils winning the ACC championship for the first time since 1989 over the Virginia Cavaliers, with a final score of 27-20 in overtime.
Mensah, if cleared from court, could carry over a recent Hurricanes tradition with transfer portal quarterbacks. They found tremendous success with Cam Ward, who finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting and was the first pick of last year's draft, and Beck competing for a National Championship.
The former three-star recruit would be surrounded by excellent weapons, such as wide receivers Malachi Toney, Cam Vaughn, and Vadrevius Jacobs. Also, running backs Mark Fletcher Jr., CharMar Brown, and Girard Pringle Jr.
It's worth noting that wide receiver Cooper Barkate, Mensah's teammate, has officially entered the transfer portal. He had a successful season with the Blue Devils, catching 72 passes for 1,106 yards, second in the ACC, only behind Toney, 15.4 yards per reception, scoring seven total touchdowns in 14 games.
There's no lawsuit regarding the 23-year-old.
Mensah and Barkate could be a package deal for the Hurricanes, once cleared, and strive for National Championship contention.
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