SEC Seeks to Expel LSU Over Eligibility Dispute and Coach Actions

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has announced a special meeting on September 10 to discuss the potential termination of Louisiana State University's (LSU) membership following a legal dispute involving former professional athletes playing for the LSU football team. The conflict centers on LSU head coach Lane Kiffin's efforts to include players who signed NFL contracts on the team's roster, violating SEC rules prohibiting such players from competing in college football. Scroll To Continue with Content A Baton Rouge judge granted a preliminary injunction on September 3 allowing two players, Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who signed free agent contracts after going undrafted, to seek a fifth year of eligibility. Despite this, LSU chose not to add them to the roster for the season opener against Clemson, avoiding SEC penalties including a half-season coaching suspension and large fines. The SEC's amended complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama accuses LSU of a "demonstrated lack of institutional control," particularly over Coach Kiffin's actions. The filing states the SEC is empowered to consider expelling LSU from the conference for violating its constitution and policies. "The consensus at the September 4 meeting was and continues to be that LSU's demonstrated lack of institutional control at the university level—including complete lack of control over Coach Kiffin's actions—and other conduct alleged herein that is inconsistent with the principles and purposes of the Conference as set forth in Section 1.2 of the Constitution, made it imperative for a meeting to be called to consider the termination of LSU's membership in the Conference pursuant," the SEC complaint states. Lane Kiffin expressed frustration during halftime of the Clemson game, telling ESPN, "it took everything for me not to say 'imagine if we had pros.'" The SEC filing highlights silence from LSU President Wade Rousse on Kiffin's conduct as confirmation of the lack of control over the athletics program required by SEC rules. LSU did add junior edge rusher Junior Tuihalamaka, who did not sign an NFL contract, to the roster. He participated in the season opener, contributing mostly on special teams and as a rotational defensive end. Kiffin declined to comment on future roster decisions involving Wright and Harris after the Clemson game, emphasizing the night was a celebration for fans. The SEC's legal efforts follow a similar case earlier this year involving Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby and the Big 12 conference, focusing on enforcing league rules through voluntary membership agreements rather than NCAA-wide regulations. The dispute underscores ongoing tensions between conferences and the NCAA, highlighting a push for conferences to assert governance over their member schools and athletes, especially as legal challenges to NCAA rules increase.