BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The presidents and chancellors of the SEC’s member universities gathered by video conference on Thursday to discuss recent conference expectations and responsibilities. The meeting, held after a federal court hearing was postponed, did not include a vote on whether LSU should remain in the league.
LSU’s roster change ends lawsuit trigger
LSU President Wade Rousse sent a one‑page letter to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey stating that the league’s claims in its federal lawsuit are now moot. Coach Lane Kiffin removed two former professional players – tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris – from the football roster, bringing the team into compliance with the SEC’s longstanding rule prohibiting players with major professional experience.
Wright had spent part of the offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns, while Harris had been with the New Orleans Saints. Their removal satisfied the conference’s ban and removed the immediate legal dispute.
SEC enforcement authority clarified
In recent weeks the SEC announced updated enforcement provisions giving the commissioner power to suspend coaches, fine universities up to half of a sport’s budget, and restrict a member school’s voting privileges on conference matters. Sankey has emphasized that SEC presidents are concerned LSU’s president and athletic director Verge Ausberry lack “meaningful control” over Coach Kiffin and the football program.
Broader context of LSU’s athletic leadership
Kiffin’s hiring was one of two high‑profile coaching changes at LSU. The university also reinstated men’s basketball coach Will Wade, a move supported by Governor Jeff Landry and former McNeese State president Wade. Wade, after serving an NCAA suspension, returned to LSU following a stint at N.C. State.
Wade is pursuing former Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr., who spent parts of the 2025 NBA offseason with the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics but never appeared in an NBA game. A preliminary injunction issued on Aug. 24 temporarily blocks the NCAA from penalizing LSU if Luis plays, a decision that also intersects with the SEC’s eligibility dispute.
LSU’s season outlook
LSU opened the season with a 51‑10 victory over Clemson, moving the Tigers to eighth in the AP poll. The team will host Louisiana Tech next Saturday before traveling to No. 9 Ole Miss, where Coach Kiffin will face the squad he coached a year earlier.
The SEC’s decision to postpone a vote reflects a desire to resolve the eligibility issue through compliance rather than punitive action, allowing the conference to focus on its broader mission of fair competition and academic integrity.
Original reporting: Alabama News Network — read the source article.
