LSU just pulled a move that has the entire SEC buzzing, and not in a good way for the Tigers. In a Wednesday vote among the league’s university presidents and chancellors, LSU was the *only* SEC school that abstained from approving the conference’s new penalty structure for coaches and programs that play former professional athletes. This isn’t some minor procedural hiccup, folks, this is a glaring spotlight on how aggressive LSU has been chasing players from the pro ranks.
LSU’s Lone Stand on the SEC’s Tough New Rules
Get this: Just one day before, on Tuesday, LSU’s athletics director Verge Ausberry and president Wade Rousse actually voted *in favor* of the new rule banning former NFL, NBA, and WNBA players from suiting up in the SEC. Sounds like they were on board, right? But then Rousse turned around on Wednesday and abstained from the vote to approve the actual *penalty structure* tied to that rule. The rest of the league passed it 15-0, leaving LSU standing all by themselves. Rousse’s office stayed silent when asked for comment, and Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s office didn’t return a request either. It just screams “something’s up” when you’re the only one not nodding along with everyone else on a penalty system.
The Tigers’ All-Out Blitz for Pro Talent
Why the sudden cold feet on penalties? Look, LSU has been arguably the most aggressive college football program out there trying to sign players straight from the professional ranks. We’re talking serious hustle. Before Wednesday’s vote, the Tigers were already planning to add three former professional players to their roster: ex-Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright, former Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, and ex-Notre Dame defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka. And it gets crazier. Sources reported that LSU even reached out to players on active NFL rosters, or their reps, urging them to file lawsuits against the NCAA so they could come back to school. There’s even talk that a Louisiana lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s ruling wasn’t tried in Baton Rouge by accident. Lane Kiffin summed it up before the SEC’s decision, saying, “At the end of the day, through these injunctions, they’re going to play for you or play somewhere else around the country…So (shrugs) we made the decision to recruit them, like most people probably are.” LSU’s actions show they were serious about this path.
The High Cost of Playing Outside the Lines
Now, the SEC isn’t messing around with these new penalties. For any school caught playing former professional players, the head coach faces a suspension for a full 50% of the season. Ouch! On top of that, the school itself gets hit with a financial penalty equal to 50% of that sport’s operations budget. That’s a massive hit, not just a slap on the wrist. This isn’t just a football thing, either; the decision would impact LSU football and Will Wade, who is named in the context of the impact. The SEC approved the ban itself with unanimous 16-0 votes on Tuesday, giving Commissioner Greg Sankey the power to develop these stiff penalties. But when it came time to actually approve the pain, LSU’s president chose to look the other way. This isn’t over.
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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