Texas A&M coach Mike Elko had a colorful way of describing the SEC’s clash with LSU after the conference briefly floated the idea of removing the Tigers.
Elko framed the situation as a parent stepping in after a child pushes too far. “This is a little bit like the son figuring out where the limits are until Dad comes home and raises his voice, and then the son goes, ‘I was just kidding; I didn’t mean any of that.’”
Elko said, via On3's CarterKarels. “I think that’s what you’re seeing.
LSU will be in the SEC... This is just a little bit of parenting going on right now.”
The tension grew after the SEC threatened to kick LSU out of the conference for a “lack of institutional control over the athletics program.” That threat was tied to the ongoing courthouse chaos in Baton Rouge, where opinions had been flying about Lane Kiffin’s controversial decision to add NFL players to an already loaded roster.
Kiffin kept pressing forward with the move, with the former pros attending practice and hoping to play in the season’s first games. The SEC had already taken a hard line, voting against NFL players in the NCAA and handing down strict punishments. But the situation shifted after a Baton Rouge judge issued a temporary restraining order for the class of 2022 athletes, giving them another year of eligibility and allowing them to return to the NCAA and transfer in during the window.
That made the move legal for anyone, and Kiffin was simply the first to act. Once the SEC responded with the threat of serious consequences, including the possibility of removing LSU from the conference, Kiffin backed off.
He did not put the two former pros, Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, on the roster for the season opener vs. Clemson.
With no vote scheduled to take place on Thursday, the situation appears to be easing for now. But in Elko’s telling, it only got there after the SEC laid down the law.
In Other News...
Kentuckys New Offense Just Unlocked A Weapon Fans Havent Seen Enough
Will Stein wasted little time putting his stamp on Kentuckys offense, and one of the clearest signs came through the tight end room. In the season opener, three tight ends combined for nine catches, 140 yards and two touchdowns, a workload and production level that stood out sharply from what the Wildcats had leaned on in recent years under Mark Stoops. It was the kind of shift that gives an offense a different shape, especially for a team trying to find more answers in the passing game.
The encouraging part for Kentucky is that this did not look like a one-off wrinkle. Players and coaches praised the tight ends performance and pointed to their value as real pieces of the system, which suggests Stein sees them as more than just check-down options or red-zone targets. If that usage holds, it could change the way defenses have to prepare for the Wildcats, and it may only be the beginning of how often these weapons show up. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Landed A Huge Big Blue Madness Recruiting Opportunity
Big Blue Madness is still a little ways off, but Kentucky already has one of the nights biggest recruiting storylines in place. The Wildcats are set to open the basketball season on Oct. 2, and five-star power forward CJ Rosser is expected to be there, giving Mark Popes staff a prime chance to put Kentucky in front of one of the elite prospects in the 2027 class.
Rosser, ranked No. 2 nationally by 247Sports, brings the kind of profile Kentucky has long targeted at the frontcourt: a 6-foot-10 forward with versatile skills and plenty of upside. He has visits lined up with several schools, but the chance to see the program in one of its most electric settings gives the Wildcats an important early opportunity to make their case and keep building momentum in a recruitment that figures to stay closely watched. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Heads Into Alabama Opener With Big Availability Questions
The first SEC test of the season is already taking shape as both Kentucky and Alabama sort through a long list of availability concerns heading into their Week 2 matchup. The second report of the week left each side dealing with significant uncertainty, with Alabama carrying several players on the out or doubtful lists and Kentucky also trying to piece together who will be ready for a road opener that suddenly looks a lot more complicated than a standard conference debut.
For Kentucky, the biggest concern is the mix of uncertainty along the offensive line and in the secondary, the kind of personnel questions that can change both protection plans and coverage looks in a hurry. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has already pointed to the Wildcats' offensive front and his familiarity with Will Stein's schemes, which only adds to the intrigue as both teams try to keep their cards close and survive the week with as many healthy bodies as possible. [Read more 🡒]