In a movement filed on Wednesday, legal professionals for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss laid out a half-dozen the explanation why the lawsuit filed by a Rebels participant in September ought to be dismissed. 

DeSanto Rollins, who stays on scholarship on the college, alleged within the federal lawsuit that seeks $40 million in damages that Kiffin “ignored” indications Rollins suffered from melancholy and subjected Rollins to “grossly reckless, and indifferent” remedy.

“Plaintiff has not alleged Kiffin treated him differently than other similarly situated individuals, much less that he did so with discriminatory intent because of Plaintiff’s race or sex,” attorneys Paul B. Watkins, Jr. and Walter G. Watkins, Jr. wrote in a brief in support of the motion to dismiss. 

Those “similarly situated individuals” that Rollins alleged within the lawsuit embody “a white football player,” “white female softball players,” and “female volleyball players” who allegedly didn’t face punishment for taking psychological well being breaks. 

“Plaintiff does not allege Kiffin coached these volleyball or softball student-athletes or was involved in decisions about their alleged ‘mental breaks,” the legal professionals wrote within the movement to dismiss. “Kiffin, in his individual capacity, cannot be said to have discriminated against Plaintiff absent such facts.”

At a Feb. 27 assembly, Rollins alleged that Kiffin was upset he didn’t enter the switch portal after the 2022 season. He stated he was “being moved from his defensive tackle position to the scout team on the offensive line.” Rollins stated he advised Kiffin on the finish of the assembly “he was going to take a mental health break.”

Rollins’ mom contacted Ole Miss athletic coach Pat Jernigan after the Feb. 27 assembly, and advised Jernigan her son “was suffering a mental health crisis,” in keeping with the lawsuit.

Rollins stated he was affected by melancholy following an damage final season that was compounded by the loss of life of his grandmother. He was subsequent to his grandmother “she drew her last breath.”

According to the movement to dismiss, line of defense coach Randall Joyner advised Rollins to satisfy with Kiffin on March 1. Josie Nicholson, Ole Miss’ assistant athletic director for sport psychology, advised Rollins on March 7 that Kiffin wished to satisfy with him.

“Rollins did not want to meet with him yet because he was not in a good place,” in keeping with the lawsuit.

That assembly didn’t happen till March 21, resulting in a contentious alternate that was transcribed within the lawsuit. 

“You have a f—ing head coach,” Kiffin stated. “This is a job. Guess what? If I have mental issues  — and I’m not diminishing them — I can’t not see my f—ing boss, when you were told again and again the head coach needs to see you.”

Front Office Sports completely obtained the audio recorded by Rollins. Warning: Contains robust language. The dialog begins on the 26-second mark. 

“There is no statutory duty for a football coach to manage his team roster or speak to his players in any particular way,” the legal professionals wrote within the movement. “To the contrary, Mississippi courts have recognized that coaching decisions are largely discretionary because ‘coaches know their players and must be able to control their teams.’ Nor has Plaintiff identified a legal duty to ‘have written institutional procedures for routine mental health referrals.’” 

Messages left with Ole Miss, and the legal professionals representing the college and Kiffin weren’t returned.

Rollins, who’s Black, alleged he was denied his 14th Amendment rights of equal safety. Ole Miss’ legal professionals wrote that Kiffin couldn’t be the goal of such an allegation as a person. 

Lawyers for Ole Miss and Kiffin additionally declare that Rollins’ declare that rights below Title IX have been violated ought to be dismissed as a result of Rollins “may not seek reputational or emotional distress damages for his claims under Title VI, Title IX, and the Rehab Act.” 

The legal professionals additionally wrote that Rollins’ negligence declare in opposition to Kiffin can’t be pursued in federal court docket due to the Mississippi Tort Claims Act.