Former USC freshman All American Zachariah Branch is headed to Miami hurricanes over Tennessee, Arizona Auburn welcome to Miami..👇👇
Former USC freshman All American Zachariah Branch is headed to Miami hurricanes over Tennessee, Arizona Auburn welcome to Miami..👇👇
Miami fans point to hypocrisy as Wisconsin lands Hurricanes transfer amidst Xavier Lucas standoff image© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Wisconsin has added Miami Hurricanes cornerback D’Yoni Hill through the transfer portal, but the move has sparked controversy due to the unresolved saga surrounding Xavier Lucas, a Wisconsin cornerback who has been blocked from entering the portal.
Hill, who transferred to Miami from Marshall in 2024, started five games for the Hurricanes and tallied 33 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass breakup. Hill’s transfer marks the sixth departure from Miami’s defensive backfield this offseason, and 15th overall.
Wisconsin’s decision to accept Hill’s transfer comes while the program continues to hold Lucas in limbo. Lucas, a highly regarded cornerback, publicly expressed his frustration back in late December.
“I still intend to transfer, but at the moment Wisconsin is refusing to release me into the transfer portal,.” Lucas said. “I’ve met all NCAA requirements of the transfer portal process.”
Lucas had been heavily linked to Miami, making the situation even more ironic for fans.
Social media quickly erupted after Hill’s transfer to Wisconsin was announced. Fans called out the Badgers for their contradictory actions, with one post reading, “So they held Lucas from us and then got a DB from us?”
Another fan commented, “Oh really… but yet they hold Xavier Lucas hostage,” highlighting the hypocrisy of the situation.
“Can we get Lucas now and call it even…?” another posted, while tagging Wisconsin football’s x account.
The addition of Hill has only fueled criticism of Wisconsin’s handling of Lucas, who remains unable to explore his transfer options.
Miami has added defensive backs Charles Brantley from Michigan State and Emmanuel Karnley from Arizona, along with several highly touted recruits, including four-star cornerbacks Jaboree Antoine, Chris Ewald, and Amari Wallace. O.J. Frederique, Damari Brown, and Jadais Richard are expected to return, forming a strong foundation for the Hurricanes in 2025.
Still, the Lucas saga continues to overshadow some of these moves, with fans and analysts questioning Wisconsin’s approach. The irony of the Badgers adding a Miami player while blocking one of their own from leaving has turned this into one of the offseason’s more unusual stories.
