SEC amendment opens door to remove LSU from conference

The SEC filed an amendment to its federal lawsuit against LSU administrators and Lane Kiffin on Tuesday, seeking authority to remove the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, school from the league.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel has reported the SEC is not expected to expel LSU from the league, but it does want to make clear and affirm its legal right to enforce its own rules.

“The SEC and its member universities have the right to establish, through agreed-upon governance procedures, the rules under which they voluntarily compete and to expect those rules to be followed,” the SEC said in a statement.

“A commitment to those rules, and to the core principles of the Southeastern Conference, is an essential element of SEC membership. Today’s filing is necessary to defend that right and preserve the Conference’s ability to govern competition among its members.”

The SEC filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of Alabama last Thursday that listed LSU, Kiffin, athletic director Verge Ausberry and president Wade Rouse as defendants.

The trigger for that lawsuit — a First Amendment claim — was LSU’s attempt to sign and roster players who had signed with NFL teams before being released.

This came after the SEC stood with the Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 on the issue of banning players who had signed a pro contract or been on a pro team.

LSU signed former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris last week, but it did not include them on its roster leading up to its 51-10 win over Clemson on Saturday night.

The Tigers did, however, leave two roster spots open for those professional players who could later be added.

The SEC amendment states that “both the NCAA and the SEC have long maintained rules that prohibit individuals who have entered a professional draft, signed professional contracts, or been rostered on a professional athletics team from competing in college athletics.”

Kiffin quipped to a TV reporter while leading Clemson 31-3 at half, “Imagine if we had pro players.”

The league took note of Kiffin’s public comments in its amended complaint, and further noted, “These rules are not in fine print. They are the governing framework that keeps college sports unique, protects opportunities for high school and college student-athletes and preserves competitive equity and fair competition.”

The SEC presidents and chancellors are scheduled to meet on Thursday to determine LSU’s future in the league. By SEC rules, at least two-thirds of the league presidents’ votes are required to eliminate LSU’s membership in the league.

The SEC’s action comes six days after Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr encouraged the league to take “all measures available” against LSU should the Tigers attempt to add former NFL players to their roster.