Texas coach Steve Sarkisian just went off, blasting players trying to return to college after playing in NFL preseason games. He thinks it’s completely out of line. He even dropped the line, “That morally is wrong.” But here’s the wild part: his Longhorns are already relying on offensive lineman Cole Hutson, who did pretty much exactly that, all thanks to a court challenge that somehow got his eligibility back!
The NFL-to-College War Zone Is Heating Up
Sarkisian didn’t hold back, saying, “These players on all of our rosters have been working for nine months for this moment on Saturday, which will then lead into the next five to six months. The fact that somebody is going to take somebody off of an NFL roster and tell somebody who has been doing it for nine months to kick rocks, that doesn’t sit well with me. That morally is wrong.” Can you believe that? The dude is fired up! Multiple players are trying to pull this move right now. Tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris are both attempting to follow coach Lane Kiffin to LSU after playing for Ole Miss last season.
This whole stunt has gotten so much attention that all the Power Four leagues have passed rules to ban players from returning to college. LSU, though, abstained from the SEC’s vote. Those rules are actually facing a court challenge this Thursday, just two days before LSU’s season opener against Clemson. Talk about drama, right?
Texas’s Own Double Standard
Now, for all of Sarkisian’s talk, Texas was actually one of the teams that started this whole strategy over the offseason. Offensive lineman Cole Hutson became one of the first major college football players to sue for his fifth year of eligibility. This happened after the NCAA passed its “five-for-five” model, which guarantees every active player five years of on-field eligibility. The NCAA did not grandfather in members of the Class of 2022, like Hutson, who technically exhausted their eligibility after last season.
Hutson played 48 games for the Longhorns over the past four years, including 10 starts at center and left guard in 2025. After going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, he participated in rookie minicamps with both the Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys. He ultimately failed to land a permanent contract. Weeks after the “five-for-five” model passed, and with Texas facing injury and depth questions on their offensive line, Hutson filed a lawsuit to gain eligibility. He was granted a temporary restraining order, joining a wave of college athletes who have returned to the field through the courts. His case doesn’t even fall under the SEC’s specific ban because he never officially signed an NFL contract, even though he received stipends for participating in minicamps. Still, his return absolutely violates the most basic eligibility rules out there.
This whole saga is coming to a head with that court challenge on Thursday. Imagine the chaos if these rules get tossed out right before LSU’s season opener against Clemson on Saturday? It’s gonna be wild to see how this plays out and what it means for the rest of the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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