Judge Blocks SEC Penalties on Schools Playing Ex-Pros
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- SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is barred by a Louisiana state judge's temporary restraining order from punishing schools that play college football players who returned after signing NFL contracts this summer.
- SEC presidents approved 15-0 (LSU abstaining) a rule threatening half-season head coach suspensions and fines equal to 50% of a team's annual operating budget for playing former pros Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who left NFL training camps to join Lane Kiffin at LSU.
- The judge also signed a show-cause order requiring the SEC and NCAA to explain Thursday why the new penalties — which plaintiffs called "draconian" — don't violate his previous ruling and constitute contempt of court.
- Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris argue they signed pro contracts under prior NCAA rules when returning to school wasn't possible; the NCAA's June eligibility switch to five seasons in five years created a class of outgoing seniors denied an extra year.
- Plaintiffs' attorneys Tony Clayton and Ryan Downton contend the conferences are "acting in concert with the NCAA" to work around the judge's earlier order; a parallel Dallas order Thursday blocks three active NFL players — Cowboys' Jordan Hudson, Chiefs' Wesley Bissainthe and Omari Evans — from college games.
- Lane Kiffin, criticized for adding the former players to his LSU roster, defended himself on "The Pat McAfee Show," saying the first player to commit "was going to be the poster child" and warning his team the school was "doing something nobody else is doing."
- Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry called on the U.S. Senate to "quit politicking and start working" on fixing college sports rules, telling ESPN that "President Trump and [Nick] Saban were right" that the rules keep changing.
Why it matters: The SEC voted 15-0 this week to enact 50%-of-budget fines and half-season coach suspensions for playing ex-pros. A Louisiana judge ruled the conference is acting 'in concert with the NCAA' to defy his earlier order — with NFL cuts Sunday and LSU's opener Saturday, the TRO leaves Wright and Harris able to suit up for Kiffin's debut.
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