LSU has chosen caution over confrontation in the eligibility fight hanging over Saturday night’s season opener against Clemson.
Lane Kiffin said Saturday that Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris were left off the Tigers’ official roster, even after a Louisiana judge issued an injunction that would have allowed both former professional players to suit up.
“That wasn’t easy,” Kiffin said. “As much as I feel for the players… I believe that you fight for what you believe in, and I believe these kids have an opportunity to play, just like all the other kids around the country that are winning court cases and being put on rosters. But at the same time, I’m the head coach of LSU and I had to make a decision that is for the big picture of LSU and the LSU football program, with the uncertainties of what potentially could have come by adding them to the roster.”
The decision came with real risk attached. The SEC has already warned schools about possible major penalties for listing former NFL players on a college roster, and the conference recently took legal action against LSU. Clemson also flagged the issue, warning that using former pro players could run afoul of the contract for Saturday night’s game.
LSU submitted a 103-player roster and still had two open spots, which leaves the door open for Wright or Harris to be added later in the season. Both players are enrolled at LSU.
Wright previously played tight end at Ole Miss and spent time with the Cleveland Browns after being claimed off waivers. Harris, also a former Ole Miss player, was a defensive tackle who signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent before being released.
For Clemson, though, the matter is closed for Saturday night.
In Other News...
LSU Just Got Caught In College Footballs Eligibility Chaos
A Baton Rouge judge was weighing whether two former NFL players could suit up for LSU this fall, another sign of how unsettled college footballs eligibility rules have become. For the Tigers, it is part of a wider mess that now stretches well beyond campus and into courtrooms, where questions about who can play, when they can play and under what conditions are being argued almost as often as they are decided on the field.
Now the issue is heading to Washington, where Sen. Ted Cruz has been pushing the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act as a way to set federal standards for eligibility, NIL and transfers while giving the NCAA limited antitrust protection to enforce its rules. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill between Sept. 15 and 23, and LSU's latest brush with the chaos shows why college sports leaders are under growing pressure to find something more stable before every roster question turns into another legal fight. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Clemson Statement Just Sparked A Bigger Early Season Question
LSUs season-opening rout of Clemson did more than announce the Tigers as a team to watch, it also put several of its best players in the league spotlight. After the 51-10 win, three LSU players were recognized by the SEC, with Sam Leavitt earning Offensive Player of the Week honors, Jordan Seaton landing Lineman of the Week on offense and Jordan Ross taking home Defensive Lineman of the Week.
The awards only sharpen the early-season conversation around LSU, because a performance that dominant tends to raise the bar quickly. When three different players are honored after one game, it suggests the Tigers were not just sharp in one area, but carried the kind of balance and physical edge that can travel into the rest of September and beyond. [Read more 🡒]
Former LSU Tigers Took The Clemson Rout Into The Saints Locker Room
LSUs 51-10 win over Clemson did not stay on the field for long. By the time several former Tigers who now play for the New Orleans Saints got back around their own locker room, the victory had turned into a bit of cross-team mischief, with Saints players using the result to needle a couple of former Clemson teammates in a way only pro athletes seem to appreciate.
Travis Etienne Jr. and Bryan Bresee came back to decorated lockers, with LSU-themed items waiting for them courtesy of Saints teammates Barion Brown, Davon Godchaux and Will Clapp. Brown and Godchaux are still active players, while Clapp has moved into a coaching role on the Saints offensive line, and the whole thing added a little extra local flavor to a win LSU fans were already enjoying. [Read more 🡒]