LSU leaves former pros Wright, Harris off opening-day roster, AP source says
LSU Leaves Former Pros Off Opening-Day Roster
Qwenews.com – LSU leaves former pros Wright and Harris off its active roster heading into Saturday night's season opener against Clemson, according to a person familiar with internal deliberations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the university had not yet made the decision public. The move effectively sidesteps the most contentious eligibility dispute in modern college football, allowing the Tigers to field a lineup without triggering the Southeastern Conference's newly adopted ban on former professional athletes.
Neither Dae'Quan Wright nor Zxavian Harris will suit up for the Tigers' first game. Both men spent portions of this summer in NFL training camps, a fact that places them squarely within the SEC's definition of a "former professional athlete." Because both remain enrolled at LSU, however, the door stays open: either player could theoretically be activated at a later date without violating the Louisiana court's interim order that froze the conference rule.
The Rule, the Ruling, and the Appeal
The controversy traces back to a new NCAA eligibility framework granting five seasons of playing eligibility to athletes who began their collegiate careers in 2023. Wright, Harris, and dozens of other student-athletes nationwide who entered college in 2022 have filed lawsuits arguing they are owed the same fifth-year window. Woven into that broader fight is a narrower question: whether members of that cohort who tried out for NFL, NBA, or WNBA teams retain the right to return to college competition.
Last week, the SEC's presidents and chancellors voted unanimously to adopt what the conference described as a "clear and reasonable standard" barring member schools from placing former professional athletes on their rosters. Under that rule, the league held the power to suspend head coach Lane Kiffin, levy a fine equal to half of LSU's football budget, and impose additional penalties should the Tigers activate either player. Within days, a Louisiana court issued an order putting the rule on hold, and the SEC lost its Thursday-night challenge in that same court.
"The SEC's presidents and chancellors unanimously adopted a clear and reasonable standard: Member universities should not place former professional athletes on their rosters," the conference said in a statement following Thursday night's loss in Louisiana court.
The conference is not finished fighting. It is preparing an appeal of the Louisiana ruling while simultaneously awaiting a decision on a federal lawsuit filed Thursday, in which the SEC asked a federal court to compel LSU into compliance with its pro-athlete ban. The legal track remains wide open even as the on-field question is temporarily parked.
Institutional Reaction and the Clemson Question
LSU issued its own statement Friday, saying it was reviewing the court's order and would "continue to work constructively with the SEC and NCAA as this matter moves forward." The language is deliberately measured — neither capitulation nor defiance — and it positions the university to act if the appellate process shifts the legal landscape before the season concludes. The College Football Playoff also weighed in, issuing a statement in support of the rules that keep former pros off the college gridiron. That alignment is hardly surprising: virtually every member of CFP management occupies the same presidential or chancellor seats at the schools that voted for the ban.
Hours before the roster decision became known, Clemson general counsel Chip Hood dispatched a letter to his LSU counterpart suggesting that the eligibility dispute sits in tension with the contractual agreement between the two programs to play the game. Clemson nonetheless plans to appear on Saturday night's field. Its coach, Dabo Swinney, had already made his frustration plain earlier in the week.
"I would just say it's kind of embarrassing," Swinney said. "I mean, honestly, it's just embarrassing that that's where we are. I don't blame the kids and people trying to take advantage of the system. I just think it's embarrassing where we are with college football."
For decades, the unwritten consensus in American college athletics was simple: once a player crossed into professional sport, the college door closed. The NCAA's expanded eligibility window has shattered that consensus, and the SEC's attempt to legislate a hard line — followed by a court's intervention — has turned a rules question into a multi-front legal and institutional standoff that will play out across multiple courtrooms before the season ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Wright or Harris still play for LSU this season? Yes. Because both remain enrolled at the university, either player could be added to the active roster at a later date without violating the Louisiana court's interim order that froze the SEC's ban. The decision not to list them on opening day does not permanently bar their participation.
What happens if the SEC's appeal succeeds? If a higher court reinstates the conference rule, LSU would face the penalties outlined in the original standard, including the potential suspension of head coach Lane Kiffin and a fine equal to half of the program's football budget. The university's measured Friday statement appears designed to preserve flexibility under either outcome.
Will the Clemson game still take place? Yes. Despite Chip Hood's letter questioning whether the eligibility dispute conflicts with the contractual agreement between the two programs, Clemson confirmed it will appear on Saturday night's field. Dabo Swinney publicly called the situation "embarrassing" but did not threaten to pull out.