The DJ Wingfield eligibility saga with the NCAA has turned into one of college football’s most frustrating legal dramas. Wingfield, an offensive lineman who joined USC, couldn’t secure the extra year of eligibility from the NCAA. The one that Diego Pavia won after a court battle. The one that was added by the NCAA due to COVID-19. Now what? A similar theme to how Pavia’s case played out, but Wingfield’s lawyers have filed another lawsuit.
Wingfield’s journey began at junior college, El Camino. He played his freshman season there but had to take the entire 2020 season off during the pandemic to care for his mother. He resumed playing at El Camino in 2021. In the spring of 2022, Wingfield transferred to the University of New Mexico. And again, his 2022 season was cut short due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sustained in the season opener. He participated in nine games in 2023 for the Lobos. After the 2023 season, Wingfield entered the transfer portal and moved to Purdue, where he earned a starting job on the offensive line for the 2024 season.
By this point, it had been five years since he began his college football journey. Looking to finish his collegiate career with a high-profile opportunity, Wingfield transferred again in early 2025 to USC. This waiver was vital, alongside a spot in USC’s thin offensive line. Wingfield was also set to earn a sizable $210,000 NIL deal, a career-changing payday for him. But the NCAA rejected his waiver request not once but twice. Now, DJ and the Trojans are scrambling for lawyers to fight for his eligibility. The desperation forced Wingfield and his attorney to file a lawsuit seeking a temporary order that would let him practice and play under Lincoln Riley while the legal battle unfolds.
“DJ Wingfield and his attorney filed for a temporary restraining order with the court on Thursday, in a bid to be able to practice/play at USC. A hearing is set for August 8.” Trojans’ writer posts on X. Wingfield’s bid to wear the USC jersey this fall has become a legal thriller. But DJ and his attorney, Darren Heitner, wouldn’t just walk away. Instead, they charged right up the courthouse steps, filing a lawsuit this week. And also an emergency request for a temporary restraining order. The basis of this clash stems from the NCAA’s “five-year rule,” which limits athletes to four seasons of competition within five years.
DJ Wingfield and his attorney filed for a temporary restraining order with the court on Thursday, in a bid to be able to practice/play at USC.
A hearing is set for August 8.
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) August 2, 2025
Wingfield’s argument hinges on the fact that time spent at junior college and a pandemic-related pause (when he cared for his mother) shouldn’t count against his eligibility. His case draws on recent legal rulings favoring other players, notably Vanderbilt’s quarterback Diego Pavia. His lawsuit challenged the NCAA’s application of this rule. Pavia’s successful fight to get an extra year of eligibility due to pandemic disruptions set a precedent that Wingfield hoped would smooth his path, but the NCAA has stubbornly denied the waiver this time.
But if we put this into perspective. It’s quite fair for him to fight this wholeheartedly and with extreme desperation. Because he’s also fighting for $210,000 in NIL money promised by USC, a life-changing sum by anyone’s standards. And with no answers coming from the NCAA and the clock ticking toward opening kickoff, DJ’s only shot at the legal Hail Mary was the restraining order.
All of this is unfolding in the most public, pressure-cooker way possible. Lincoln Riley, USC’s head coach, has publicly expressed his frustration with the NCAA’s stance. “He’s not doing very good,” Riley said. “I’m not supposed to comment on these things. But what’s happening with that, and not just DJ, across the country, just isn’t right. I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years of coaching. I’ve been a part of a lot of different, unique situations that come up, and this one’s a new one.” At least the bossman is speaking up about the immense mental strain riding on Wingfield’s shoulders. In the locker room and on the field, DJ’s story is less about technicalities and more about a young man stuck in a legal staring contest with an organization slow to budge.
Rallying after the DJ Wingfield fallout
As soon as the DJ Wingfield eligibility chaos exploded, Lincoln Riley and the USC staff knew they couldn’t just wait for the NCAA or the courts to hand them a lifeline. The college football calendar stops for no one. And USC’s offense couldn’t afford to stall out waiting for a verdict. Enter Micah Banuelos, a redshirt sophomore who’s quietly been biding his time. Now he suddenly finds his number getting called. Banuelos didn’t have much on-field experience last season, except for two games as a freshman. But he’s well-regarded from his high school days in Washington.
He racked up awards like the 2022 4A NPSL Offensive Lineman of the Year and received an invitation to the Under Armour All-America Game. USC recruited him for these moments, and now, thanks to bureaucratic gridlock, he might go from bench to battleground at warp speed. But it’s not a solo mission. Alongside Banuelos, Riley’s got options in Elijah Paige, the 2024 Freshman All-American who locked down left tackle all of last season. Next up is Tobias Raymond, another sophomore who saw the field in 13 games, even starting one.
Lastly, anchoring the group is junior Alani Noa, a returning starter at right guard with 13 games under his belt. It’s a scramble, but it’s not panic. Riley’s not new to reworking a depth chart on the fly. Thus, he’s stacking the offensive line with everyone from proven starters to hungry underclassmen. Sure, everyone would prefer the stability and experience Wingfield promised. But with NCAA drama swirling, Riley’s focus is now on instilling resilience and the next-man-up theory in true USC fashion.
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