Moss wrote in a sworn statement that he has “already spent a lot of time” reviewing the settlement agreement, awaiting objections and oppositions to those objections.
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- The House v. NCAA class action lawsuit was settled this summer, establishing a revenue-sharing system in college sports where schools can pay athletes directly.
- Moss wrote his senior thesis at USC on “the changing definition of ‘amateurism’ under NCAA rules, including changes created by the Alston litigation” and the House case.
Louisville quarterback Miller Moss is the newest class representative in the House-NCAA injunctive relief agreement.
The House v. The NCAA was originally introduced in June 2020 and resolved this summer, creating a new system in college athletics whereby schools could pay athletes directly below a cap of $20.5 million per institution. The original group of class representatives included former Arizona State swimmer Grant House, Illinois football player Tymir Oliver and basketball player Sedona Prince, all of whom attended Texas, Oregon and TCU. While those three still serve as class representatives, they are no longer in school experiencing life as college athletes. That’s where Moss comes in.
“We had told the court that we would work to try to add class representatives over the 10-year period of this system that is part of our court order, so that we would always have a fresh voice that was in the school now to share their views with us about what’s going on,” plaintiff attorney Jeffrey Kessler told The Courier Journal. “In that process, we identified Miller as someone who we think is very articulate, very interested in these issues and really willing to step up and do this work on behalf of all the other athletes without compensation. Simply because he wants to do the right thing for everyone else.”
In simpler terms, Kessler said a class representative provides advice with an idea of ​​what is important to class members. In an antitrust class action lawsuit like this, class representatives participate in the litigation, advise attorneys, and review objections.
How does the new athlete compensation revenue sharing system really work? How is it not like that? What issues need to be raised with the NCAA to improve it? What issues should be raised before the court? Having someone like Moss, who is “currently receiving new categories of compensation and benefits” as a result of the deal, which he attested to in an affidavit executed on Oct. 28, helps answer those questions.
Moss said in that same statement that before moving to Louisville this year, he wrote his undergraduate thesis at the University of Southern California on “the evolving definition of ‘amateurism’ under NCAA rules, including changes created by the alston litigation” and the ongoing House case. The quarterback actually thanked his senior thesis professor Nathan Perl-Rosenthal in his transfer portal announcement on December 2.
His academic interest in these lawsuits, his enthusiasm for advising, and his status as a high-profile athlete led Kessler and his co-counsel Steve Berman to view Moss as “an ideal candidate.” A starting quarterback playing Power Four football draws a lot of attention to the case and earns the respect of other athletes.
Moss said in his affidavit that he “has already spent a lot of time” reviewing the settlement agreement, awaiting objections and oppositions to those objections. Kessler said he couldn’t share what kind of information Moss has provided about the deal so far because of attorney-client privilege. But Kessler said they have had conversations.
“He’s already been engaged, I can assure you.
“And by the way, he has to prepare for a game this week,” Kessler added with a laugh, “like he does every week. So we have to work around his schedule, too.”
Louisville football is 7-1, including 4-1 in ACC play. Moss has thrown for 1,929 yards, six interceptions and 11 touchdowns. He also ran for six additional touchdowns and connected on 65.3% of his pass attempts.
The Cardinals are competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff with games against unranked Cal, Clemson, SMU and Kentucky remaining on their schedule. U of L was ranked 15th in the first CFP rankings, which were released Tuesday night.
While Kessler didn’t say when he and Berman began talking to Moss about being added as a class representative, it appears they connected sometime after Louisville’s only loss of the season to Virginia on Oct. 4.
“Since we first contacted him,” Kessler said, “they’ve done nothing but win. So maybe he’ll have good luck.”
“Let’s see if we can keep the streak going.”
Contact college sports reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com and follow her on X @petitus25. Subscribe to your “Full Court Press” newsletter here for a behind-the-scenes look at how the biggest stories in college sports are impacting Louisville and Kentucky athletics.