LSU leaves former pros Wright, Harris off opening-day roster, AP source says

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LSU did not place one-time pros Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris on its roster in advance of its season opener, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Friday night.

The move appears to avoid an immediate confrontation with the Southeastern Conference, which had passed a rule forbidding former pros on rosters only to see that rule put on hold by a court in Louisiana.

It means LSU will open its season against Clemson on Saturday night without Wright and Harris — each of whom spent time in NFL training camps this summer — according to the person who spoke to AP. The person did not want to be identified because the school had not released the details publicly.

Both players have said they are enrolled at LSU, which means they could be eligible to be added to the roster later. Legal action is ongoing, with the SEC planning an appeal of the Louisiana ruling and also awaiting word on a federal lawsuit it filed Thursday asking the court to force LSU into following its rules banning pro athletes.

The roster decision marked the latest move in a bizarre, wide-ranging disagreement over something most people used to agree on: that players who had moved on to pro sports from college could not return to college.

Under the rules the SEC passed last week that were subsequently shut down by the Louisiana court, the league could suspend coach Lane Kiffin, fine LSU half its football budget and more if it puts Wright and Harris on the roster.

The case stems from a new NCAA rule that granted five seasons of eligibility for players who started college in 2023. Wright, Harris and dozens of others across the country who started in 2022 have filed lawsuits saying they also deserve a fifth year of eligibility.

Embedded within that argument is whether players among that class who tried out for NFL, NBA or WNBA teams should be able to come back to college and play.

“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 after Thursday night’s loss in Louisiana court.

In its own statement Friday, LSU said it was reviewing the court’s order and would “continue to work constructively with the SEC and NCAA as this matter moves forward.”

Also chiming in was the College Football Playoff, which came out in support of the rules barring former pros from the college gridiron. It wasn’t a surprising stance, considering virtually all of CFP management is made up of the same school leaders who adopted the rules.

Meanwhile, the LSU decision came hours after Clemson general counsel Chip Hood sent a letter to his LSU counterpart suggesting the eligibility issue is in conflict with the contract between the teams to play. Clemson still plans to show up, though its coach, Dabo Swinney, left little doubt over his feelings earlier in the week.

“I would just say it’s kind of embarrassing,” he 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.”

盖蒂图片社，路透社

一位知情人士周五晚间告诉美联社，路易斯安那州立大学在赛季揭幕战前并没有将前职业球员达奎恩·赖特和泽萨维安·哈里斯列入球队名单。

此举似乎是为了避免与东南联盟立即发生冲突。东南联盟曾通过一项规则，禁止前职业球员进入球队名单，但该规则已被路易斯安那州的一家法院暂停执行。

这意味着路易斯安那州立大学（LSU）将在周六晚对阵克莱姆森大学的赛季揭幕战中缺少赖特和哈里斯这两位球员——他们两人今年夏天都参加了NFL的训练营——据一位知情人士向美联社透露。由于学校尚未公开相关细节，这位知情人士不愿透露姓名。

这两名球员都表示他们已在路易斯安那州立大学注册，这意味着他们之后有可能被加入球队名单。目前法律诉讼仍在进行中，美国证券交易委员会（SEC）计划就路易斯安那州的裁决提起上诉，同时也在等待周四提交的联邦诉讼的结果。该诉讼要求法院强制路易斯安那州立大学遵守其禁止职业运动员参赛的规定。

这份名单决定标志着一场离奇的、范围广泛的争论的最新进展，这场争论的焦点在于大多数人过去都认同的一件事：从大学进入职业体育界的球员不能再回到大学。

根据美国证券交易委员会上周通过的规则（该规则随后被路易斯安那州法院驳回），如果路易斯安那州立大学将赖特和哈里斯列入球队名单，该联盟可以暂停教练莱恩·基芬的职务，并对其处以一半的橄榄球预算罚款，甚至更多。

此案源于NCAA的一项新规，该规定允许2023年入学的球员获得五个赛季的参赛资格。赖特、哈里斯以及全国其他数十名2022年入学的球员提起诉讼，称他们也应该获得第五年的参赛资格。

该争论的核心问题是，那些参加过 NFL、NBA 或 WNBA 球队选拔的球员是否应该能够回到大学继续打球。

“SEC联盟的校长和教务长一致通过了一项明确合理的标准：成员大学不应将前职业运动员列入其球员名单，”该联盟在周四晚路易斯安那州法院败诉后发表声明称。

路易斯安那州立大学周五发表声明称，他们正在审查法院的命令，并将“继续与美国证券交易委员会和美国大学体育协会进行建设性合作，以推进此事”。

大学橄榄球季后赛也加入了声援行列，支持禁止前职业球员参加大学橄榄球比赛的规则。考虑到大学橄榄球季后赛的几乎所有管理人员都来自制定这些规则的同一批学校领导，这一立场并不令人意外。

与此同时，路易斯安那州立大学的决定是在克莱姆森大学总法律顾问奇普·胡德致信路易斯安那州立大学总法律顾问数小时后做出的。胡德在信中暗示，参赛资格问题与两队之间的比赛合同存在冲突。克莱姆森大学仍计划参赛，尽管其主教练达博·斯威尼在本周早些时候已明确表达了他的立场。

“我只能说，这有点丢人，”他说。“说实话，我们现在的处境实在令人尴尬。我不责怪那些试图钻空子的孩子和人。我只是觉得大学橄榄球的现状令人羞耻。”