[Lane Kiffin Keeps Former NFL Players Off LSU Roster as SEC Legal Battle Continues]
LSU opted against placing former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris on its roster for Saturday’s matchup against Clemson, creating a temporary pause in the long‑running dispute between the university and the SEC over whether those ex‑veterans should compete this season.
The SEC has publicly opposed rosters consisting of athletes who previously played in the NFL, yet a Louisiana pretrial injunction prevented the conference—and consequently the NCAA—from sanctions against any school that listed such players. In retaliation, the SEC has filed a federal lawsuit to block their participation, and LSU head coach Lane Kiffin called his choice a response to “the uncertainties of what could come,” keeping both Wright and Harris off the sidelines during an ESPN broadcast.
Coach K explained that his decision was intended to serve the school’s best interests, while noting that Wright and Harris could potentially be re‑added to the roster at a later date. A source from USA Today warned that the team could remain unconformably unranked on the SEC if the league’s governing bodies reject future membership attempts, a scenario described as unlikely now but still plausible.
Representative Ryan Downton, who fights for Wright and Harris, described the club’s action as a measured decision and urged everyone involved to temper speculation and base judgment on factual information. He highlighted that neither athlete appeared on a roster or entered any preseason contest before announcing hope that “level heads prevail.”
The underlying legal proceedings promise many additional turns as the 2026 college‑football season arrives, suggesting that this episode will remain a landmark moment for LSU and the wider sport.
