Tensions in the legal standoff between LSU and the SEC spiked Thursday when a Louisiana judge cleared the way for a pair of former NFL signees to play for the Tigers, mere hours after the conference sued one of its charter members.<\/p>\n
The Louisiana judge, William Jorden, ruled in favor of a few dozen plaintiffs who sought a fifth year of eligibility after a recent NCAA rule change. The most notable ones: tight end Dae\u2019Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, former Ole Miss players under first-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin. Both previously signed NFL contracts as undrafted free agents.<\/p>\n
Wright and Harris told reporters at the courthouse that they expect to be on the official team roster for LSU this weekend. One of their lawyers clarified that they are legally able to play, but it\u2019s up to Kiffin whether they suit up and see the field. Harris told reporters he may need a couple of weeks to be available and hopes to be ready for the game against Ole Miss, his former team, on Sept. 19. Wright said he hopes to play Saturday against Clemson.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust putting on a college uniform again,\u201d said Wright when asked what he\u2019s most looking forward to about Saturday. \u201cGoing out there and having fun. Embracing my opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
In its own statement, the SEC said, \u201cWe disagree with the Court\u2019s decision. \u2026 The Conference and its member universities have the right to establish, through agreed-upon governance procedures, the rules under which they voluntarily compete and to expect those rules to be followed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJustice was served to the SEC,\u201d said Tony Clayton, the attorney for Louisiana\u2019s 18th Judicial District. \u201cIt was served like a cold cup of gumbo, and that judge forced them to eat it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thursday\u2019s decision, which lawyers for the SEC told reporters the league plans to appeal, sets up a fascinating drama that will play out over the next two days. LSU has until Friday night to decide whether to include both players on the roster \u2014 a move the SEC tried to block with its own legal move.<\/p>\n
During Thursday\u2019s hearing, the SEC separately filed a lawsuit in federal court against LSU, Kiffin and other school administrators. The SEC is seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction that would prohibit LSU from playing athletes who signed NFL contracts, arguing that doing so would violate the conference\u2019s First Amendment rights by associating the SEC with actions that undermine its rules and core values. A similar First Amendment argument was made by the Big 12 against Texas Tech in its federal filing earlier this summer around the eligibility of quarterback Brendan Sorsby. That case has yet to move forward, though the Big 12\u2019s argument impacted Sorsby\u2019s decision<\/a> to leave Texas Tech and accept permanent ineligibility status from the NCAA.<\/p>\n Essentially, the SEC wants the ability to enforce its own rules and sanctions against its member schools. The league recently approved penalties for rostering and playing athletes who signed professional contracts after leaving college, which include suspending the head coach for half the season, fines, and the loss of voting privileges on conference matters.<\/p>\n The SEC lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.<\/p>\n \u201cThe SEC is asking the federal court to affirm its First Amendment rights without being overridden by state court orders that may favor individual athletes,\u201d said Cal Stein, a sports law attorney. \u201cThe state court can interpret the Louisiana Constitution, for example, but a federal court will have the jurisdiction to rule on the United States Constitution and thus the First Amendment issue.\u201d<\/p>\n In the filing, the SEC says that despite its longstanding rules \u201cprohibiting professional athletes from returning to college athletics, Defendants saw this as an opportunity to be exploited. They began an orchestrated campaign to recruit professional athletes to join LSU\u2019s football roster for the 2026-27 season.\u201d<\/p>\n LSU\u2019s athletic department and office of the president declined to comment on the lawsuit to The Athletic.<\/p>\n