OXFORD — The judge in Ole Miss football quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ injunction hearing wants the lawyers from the NCAA back in his Pittsboro courtroom.
Judge Robert Whitwell issued a show cause order to the three lawyers who represented the NCAA in the case, per a document filed Feb. 18.
The reason for the order is that the attorneys, J. Douglas Minor, Taylor Askew and Daniel Zeitlin, left the courtroom before Whitwell issued his final decision on Feb. 12.
“The attorneys’ departure was made without obtaining this court’s prior permission and approval,” Whitwell said in the Feb. 19 order.
The decision was in favor of Chambliss. He secured an injunction against the NCAA and will likely be the Ole Miss quarterback in 2026. It sets the table for Ole Miss to make another run at the College Football Playoff in 2026.
Whitwell read his ruling for about 90 minutes. He was clearly perturbed by the absence of the NCAA’s lawyers. He said before his ruling that it’s “not how we do things here.”
“This matter will be addressed at a later proceeding at which the court will decide whether some form of sanctions against the aforementioned attorneys, if any, are appropriate under the circumstances,” Whitwell said in the order.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
