LSU was the only SEC school not to approve of the league's new penalty structure for coaches, schools that play ex-professional players


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LSU opted not to support the SEC's push to penalize programs that play former professional players in a vote Wednesday among the league's university presidents and chancellors, sources tell CBS Sports.

The move comes a day after LSU's athletics director, Verge Ausberry, and president Wade Rousse, voted in favor of the new rule banning former NFL, NBA and WNBA players from playing on teams in the SEC. Rousse abstained from the vote to approve the penalty structure tied to the rule on Wednesday, which passed 15-0.

Rousse's office did not comment when reached by CBS Sports on Wednesday. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry's office did not immediately return a request for comment.

While not the only college football program attempting to do so, LSU has been perhaps the most aggressive in trying to sign players from professional ranks. A Colorado court was the first to open the potential loophole when it retroactively granted the NCAA's five-for-five eligibility to players from the 2022 recruiting class.

Before Wednesday's vote, LSU planned to add three former professional players: former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright, former Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and former Notre Dame defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka. As CBS Sports first reported Tuesday,

LSU reached out to multiple players on NFL rosters or their representatives to urge them to file a lawsuit against the NCAA and return to school, according to sources. This includes some of the players who ended up in a Louisiana lawsuit challenging the NCAA's ruling, which sources have pointed out wasn't tried in Baton Rouge by accident.

"At the end of the day, through these injunctions, they're going to play for you or play somewhere else around the country," Kiffin said Monday before the SEC's decision. "So (shrugs) we made the decision to recruit them, like most people probably are."

The SEC's new penalty structure for playing former NFL players includes suspending the head coach for 50% of the season and a financial penalty on the school equal to 50% of the sport's operations budget.

The SEC's new penalty structure for playing former NFL players includes a ban on the head coach for 50% of the season and a financial penalty on the school equal to 50% of the sport's operations budget. The SEC announced its new rule on Tuesday after a meeting at the conference's headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.

At the time, SEC athletic directors and presidents gave commissioner Greg Sankey power to develop the penalty structure in separate 16-0 unanimous votes, which included Rousse. After developing the penalty structure, the SEC took a separate vote Wednesday to approve it, and Rousse abstained.

The SEC's decision would impact not only LSU football but also Will Wade's basketball program. Former St. John's basketball player RJ Luis Jr., who recently was with the Boston Celtics, won a temporary injunction to play this season. Luis went undrafted in 2025 but signed multiple professional contracts and even played in NBA preseason games.

For now, the college athletics world holds its breath for what's next. Lawsuits may continue. If LSU opts to play the three football players, it could prepare to sue the NCAA. Similarly, the SEC could file a lawsuit against LSU, much like the Big 12 did in the spring when it sought affirmation from a judge to enforce the conference's rules when Texas Tech communicated its intent on playing quarterback Brendan Sorsby after he admitted to gambling on college football games during an NCAA investigation.

A preliminary injunction hearing for the ongoing eligibility case is scheduled for Aug. 31 in Louisiana.

On Tuesday, the Big Ten was the first conference to approve a new rule banning former NFL players, including those who were drafted or participated in preseason games. The SEC opted to include former NBA and WNBA players in its rule, which the Big Ten did not. The Big Ten's penalty structure, also approved Tuesday, includes a ban on head coaches for 50% of the season and an undetermined financial penalty on the school.

The Big Ten modeled its penalty structure after the NCAA's ghost transfer rule, which bans violators and suspends the coach for 50% of the season, plus a fine equal to 20% of the football program's budget, sources told CBS Sports.

The ACC and Big 12 are close to approving similar bans on NFL players, sources told CBS Sports. The ACC is also discussing a ban on former NBA and WNBA players, similar to the SEC's rule, sources said.

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