ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia attorney general Chris Carr jumped into the controversy over LSU potentially using former pro players, urging the SEC to “take all measures available” if LSU does so, including banishment from the conference.
Carr wrote a letter to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey on Wednesday expressing “grave concern for the future of the conference system and college athletics at large.” Specifically, Carr worried about the ongoing court proceedings in Louisiana that could clear players who had been in NFL camps to play for the Tigers.
“If LSU does in fact roster one or more pro athletes or demonstrates concrete plans to do so, we would strongly encourage the SEC to take all measures available to address this conduct, up to and including suspending and/or removing LSU from the conference,” Carr wrote.
“… College sports are for college athletes only, and we are grateful that the SEC has taken swift action to maintain that standard. However, the rules cannot be ignored or twisted to benefit one coach, one institution, or one program, and we refuse to stand by while that happens.”
The letter came on the eve of a hearing that could end the controversy — or keep it going further.
A court in Louisiana, which has granted about 30 athletes a temporary restraining order against the NCAA and SEC, is set to hear whether they should be granted a preliminary injunction in advance of a trial. The players are seeking the option to return to college for a fifth season after the NCAA passed a rule that allowed a fifth year of eligibility without grandfathering in athletes from the 2022 class who had left school.
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The SEC, along with the other power conferences, reacted to the ruling in Louisiana and similar TROs in other states by announcing it would enforce rules against schools signing players who had turned pro. The SEC also adopted a penalty structure against teams that did so, including a fine, a suspension of the coach and the revocation of voting rights on business matters — but stopping short of suspending or banishing a team or school.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin has been outspoken about his belief that players should be able to return. Tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, who were at Ole Miss with Kiffin last year and then NFL camps this summer, are seeking to play for LSU, and Wright has been practicing with the team.
LSU’s administration has not commented on the matter since last week. Kiffin, speaking Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference, deflected involvement.
“We’ll wait to get more information (Thursday), and more guidance from the SEC,” Kiffin said.
The case has been a test run for the SEC’s ability to govern itself, essentially a form of breaking away from the NCAA, at least as far as rules. The conference has been discussing it for almost a year, and LSU’s effort to allow Wright and others to play could be a test case for the theory that individual conferences are less susceptible to legal challenges on antitrust grounds.
There is a potential scenario in which the Louisiana judge could grant a preliminary injunction allowing the athletes to be eligible pending trial without ruling against the SEC’s regulations or penalties. That would put the onus on LSU to decide if it wants to risk drawing penalties from the SEC by rostering the players. The roster deadline is Friday night for any team that plays Saturday (when LSU will face Clemson at home).
“Conference members have the freedom to associate with institutions committed to following NCAA and conference rules,” Carr wrote. “No institution should be allowed to ignore the obligations of conference membership while continuing to receive the benefits of membership. We reserve the right to use all legal means necessary to protect the University of Georgia, student athletes, and the integrity of college athletics.”
University of Georgia officials did not comment on the letter or whether they had any contact with Carr’s office: “Any questions on that letter would need to be directed to the AG’s office,” a school spokesman said.