LSU has not even played its first game under Lane Kiffin, yet the Tigers already find themselves embroiled in a legal fight with the SEC.
The conference filed a federal lawsuit Thursday over LSU’s use of former NFL players, but a Louisiana judge later granted a preliminary injunction in a ruling that opened the door for Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to return to college football.
Kiffin has also stood behind the decision, arguing that bringing back the players can strengthen LSU’s roster. Still, a number of people believe it will disrupt college football, and former SEC star Aaron Murray is one among that choir.
Aaron Murray Feels NFL Players Should Not Return To College Despite Lane Kiffin’s Push
During his appearance on “The Jim Rome Show,” Murray questioned the idea of NFL players returning to college. He believes players who have already entered the professional game should live with that chapter of their careers.
“I think once you move on and you sign an NFL contract, you’re in an NFL camp, you’re participating on an NFL team, you have moved on past college football,” he said.
“I get that maybe it’s unfair that these guys just missed out on this five-for-five rule, but at the end of the day, that’s life. I guess what I missed out on at NIL, I missed out on five for five.”
For Murray, the issue also comes down to timing. He pointed to his own college career at Georgia and the money he could have made under today’s NIL system.
“I would have loved to play quarterback at the University of Georgia and been paid $4 million. You don’t see me going out there and suing the University of Georgia or the SEC that they took advantage of my name and likeness.”
His point gives the controversy another angle. Meanwhile, the dispute continues to grow more serious by the day.
PREDICT THE CFB SEASON: PFN’s Free CFB Playoff Predictor
SEC leaders have discussed severe consequences for LSU, including probation, game boycotts, and even expulsion. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr also urged the conference to consider “all measures available” if LSU fields former professionals.
However, Kiffin has kept his focus on winning rather than the legal noise surrounding his roster. Earlier this week, he said LSU’s player leadership committee backed the move to add the returnees.
“If they can help us win, bring ’em,” he said of their decision.
Thursday’s ruling gave him and LSU a quick legal boost in that fight. East Baton Rouge Parish Judge William Jorden granted a preliminary injunction, allowing Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to join the Tigers while the eligibility case continues.
However, the SEC rejected the decision and vowed to keep defending its authority over conference rules. The conference also filed a federal lawsuit in Alabama, which names LSU, Kiffin, university president Wade Rousse, and athletic director Verge Ausberry as defendants.
Kiffin has since pushed back against the SEC’s stance, arguing that courts have granted athletes another year of eligibility and conferences cannot ignore those orders simply because they dislike the outcome.
