Could you imagine seeing guys who literally signed NFL contracts, who played in legitimate preseason games, suddenly suit up for a college team? Sounds totally wild, right? Well, that was the nightmare college football was facing, and while the SEC was just sitting there wringing its hands, the Big Ten stepped up and shut that whole eligibility loophole down. Big time.
Coaches Are Fuming, And They’re Not Wrong
Look, nobody in college football actually likes this idea of pros coming back. Oregon coach Dan Lanning put it perfectly, saying once you declare for the Draft, you’re a professional. Letting those guys come back? He thinks it’s unfair to the sport itself, and even worse, it’s unfair to all the players already on current college teams. And honestly, who can argue with that? Even Lane Kiffin, a guy who usually pushes every boundary, went on The Pat McAfee Show to say pros shouldn’t be coming back to college sports. He knows it, everyone knows it.
The “Five-for-Five” Rule and Kiffin’s Wild Gambit
So why was this even happening? Kiffin’s got his reasons, pointing to this specific class of players who got caught in an NCAA rule limbo. We’re talking about the “five-for-five” rule, where a player gets five years to play five seasons. But the high school class of 2022 wasn’t covered by the COVID-19 extra year, and they weren’t grandfathered into the current rule change either. It’s a mess, but Kiffin and his Tigers were reportedly even encouraging players to sue the NCAA to get eligible. Kiffin himself was trying to snag tight end Dae’Quan Wright after the Eagles released him, plus New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, and Arizona Cardinals safety Wydett Williams. These guys were initially granted a court order to get back to college ball. Kiffin’s argument is that it’s a one-time deal, but we all know how these “one-time deals” keep popping up.
This whole situation shows you how quickly college sports can spiral into pure chaos, with loopholes, lawsuits, and coaches defending their actions on “competitive grounds.” But for now, the Big Ten drew a line in the sand. They acted fast, and it closed a door that honestly should have never even been open. The SEC, still messing around, now has to deal with the fallout.
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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