Lane Kiffin got the opening he wanted Thursday night, and LSU wasted little time moving through it.
A Louisiana judge granted former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, along with others, a preliminary injunction against the NCAA and SEC, clearing the way for them to be rostered by LSU if the school chooses to add them. That matters because Friday is the deadline for the Tigers to make roster additions, and Pete Thamel reported that both Wright and Harris will be added on Friday.
Dae’Quan Wright says he expects to both be added to the LSU roster and to play against Clemson on Saturday. He said he’s practiced two days.
The ruling also left LSU protected in the case, meaning the school cannot take action to block the players from competing. In practical terms, that gives the Tigers a path to bring in former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright and former Ole Miss defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, with Lane Kiffin’s push for roster additions now very much front and center.
The hearing itself was messy and high-stakes. Greg Sankey took the stand, and the SEC moved to sue LSU in federal court during the process. By the end of the day, Judge William Jorden granted the preliminary injunction, and the athletes were declared free to be rostered by schools.
The Tigers weren’t done there. Shortly after the decision, LSU began working to add former Utah cornerback and former Denver Broncos cornerback Blake Cotton to the roster as well, though that deal was not finalized and still had things to be worked through before he could be added.
The SEC has already said it will appeal as soon as possible, and the league remains committed to keeping former pros out of college football. For now, though, LSU has the opening, Kiffin is pushing through it, and the roster deadline is arriving fast.
In Other News...
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What makes the battle worth watching is that the competition does not stop with the two veterans. London Merritt, Darien Mayo, C.J. Wesley, Armon Mason and Caden Story have all taken steps forward and are expected to be part of the rotation this season, giving Clemson a long list of options to sort through. For a defense that wants disruption off the edge, the question is not whether there will be talent there, but which names will separate themselves once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Clemsons LSU Opener Just Got A Lot More Complicated
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The conference has already taken LSU to court over the issue, and attorneys for the SEC plan to appeal the injunction. For Clemson, it adds another layer of uncertainty to a season opener that was already going to draw plenty of attention, with a possible eligibility fight now hanging over a matchup that had not needed any more complications. [Read more 🡒]
Dabos Clemson Reset Starts With A Staff Shakeup Fans Will Notice
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The two most eye-catching moves, though, were on the offensive and special teams sides, where Clemson turned to familiar and proven names to help steady the programs next phase. Swinneys latest round of changes suggests a deliberate attempt to reshape the operation from several angles at once, and the real question now is how quickly those additions can translate into a cleaner, more functional team by the time fall arrives. [Read more 🡒]