Judge drops Ole Miss DT’s $40M suit vs

• Chris Low, ESPN Senior WriterJan 31, 2024, 07:50 PM ET

  Close

  • College football press reporter
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2007
  • Graduate of the University of Tennessee

Ole Miss defensive tackle DeSanto Rollins’ suit against head coach Lane Kiffin and the university was dismissed Wednesday by Judge Michael P. Wills in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, according to court documents.Rollins filed a suit versus Kiffin and Ole Miss last September for failure to provide equivalent defense, racial and sexual discrimination and numerous other claims. He said he was started the group for missing out on practices and meetings throughout a” psychological health crisis.”Rollins, who is still listed on the Ole Miss roster, declared in his suit that Kiffin intentionally took adverse action versus him “on account of race for asking for and taking a mental health break, however not taking adverse action against white student-athletes “for the exact same demand. The fit alleged sexual discrimination on the basis that Ole Miss has not taken”negative action versus female student-athletes for requesting and taking a psychological health break. “The match likewise claimed Rollins was moved from defensive line to the offensive line(on the scout team)because he refused to go into the transfer portal and that Kiffin”maliciously, deliberately, intentionally, and in outright disregard for the rights and health of Rollins verbally assaulted him”throughout a conference on Feb. 27, 2023. Rollins, whose career has actually been ruined by injuries, told ESPN on Wednesday he plans to appeal the decision. He was seeking$

10 million in offsetting damages and$30 million in punitive damages.Attorneys for Kiffin and Ole Miss applied for the case to be dismissed in November and cited that the coach and university were “immune” from some

of Rollins ‘claims which his” remaining accusations stop working to state a claim upon which relief can be given. “In Wednesday’s judgment, Mills composed that “the evidence shows that it depended on Rollins when or if he resumed group activities”

which”the decision was completely his own. “He wrote that claims of Kiffin’s carelessness “stops working because [Rollins] made no proving of discriminatory intent” and that Rollins did not allege any constitutional right offenses in his case.Mills also ruled against Rollins’claims that Kiffin purposefully caused emotional distress.”Although Kiffin’s conduct in the conferences was certainly offensive and unwise, it is more comparable to immature insults and indignities than to habits going ‘beyond all possible bounds of decency,'” Mills composed in his ruling.On March 21, 2023, Rollins lawfully tape-recorded a conference with Kiffin without the coach’s understanding, and a copy of the transcript was included in the lawsuit. ESPN obtained a copy of the audio in September. In the audio, Kiffin can be heard stating,”You’re off the team. You’re done. See ya. Go. And think what? We can kick you off the group. So go read your f– ing rights about psychological health. We can kick you off the group for disappointing up.” That meeting came after Rollins’mom, Connie Hollins, stated she called the school’s athletic trainer, Pat Jernigan, in late February and informed him Rollins was” suffering a mental health crisis.” She requested Jernigan get a counselor to speak to her son and screen him.According to the lawsuit, Jernigan arranged a meeting for Rollins with Josie Nicholson, the school’s assistant athletic director for sport psychology. She encouraged him to take an action back and set up a follow-up session for March 7. When he returned for his next session,

Nicholson informed him Kiffin wished to consult with him once again, but Rollins said he wasn’t prepared to see the head coach yet.Rollins didn’t meet with Kiffin again up until two weeks in the future March 21, despite duplicated demands from the football staff.During the audio exchange, Rollins is heard stating,”I suggest, you’re imitating my concerns aren’t genuine.””I didn’t state they’re not real,” Kiffin stated.”You show up when your head– when your boss wants to consult with you.

It wouldn’t have actually resembled this if you would’ve come here when you kept getting messages the head coach wants to talk to you, you say,’I’m

not prepared to speak with him.'”