Whoa! Southeastern Conference members are going to discuss kicking LSU out of the conference Thursday.
The SEC sued LSU's President, Athletic Director, and Head Football Coach last week in federal court over LSU's recruiting of former college football players who signed NFL contracts but did not make rosters. The conference filed another creeping barrage of paperwork this morning, including an amended complaint. The new complaint announced:
Pursuant to Section 4.1.2 of the SEC Constitution, the Conference’s CEOs are vested with “plenary power and authority with respect to all affairs of the Conference of any type or nature whatsoever,” including the power to “[t]ake all actions specified and contemplated in Article 3 [of the Constitution] in their sole discretion.” Section 3.1.5 of the SEC Constitution and Bylaws provides in full that:Membership of a member may be terminated involuntarily at a meeting of the Chief Executive Officers. A vote of at least two-thirds of all the Chief Executive Officers is required to terminate membership. motion to terminate membership shall specify the effective date of the proposed termination.Pursuant to notice properly given under Section 5.1 contemporaneously with the filing of this First Amended Complaint, the CEOs will meet on September 10, 2026, to decide whether to terminate Louisiana State University (“LSU”) as an SEC member institution pursuant to Section 3.1.5 of the SEC Constitution and Bylaws.
The complaint also states the SEC will ask for a temporary restraining order stopping LSU from taking any action to block the scheduled meeting.
This mess about some mess began when the NCAA passed a rule giving athletes five years to complete their eligibility earlier this year. The NCAA later amended the rule to include players enrolled in 2022, a Covid year. Unfortunately for all, the NCAA bumbled things as it usually does and amended the rule after players signed contracts with NFL teams thinking they had exhausted their NCAA eligibility and therein lies the rub.
LSU Coach Lane Kiffin made no bones about signing such players and started recruiting said players to his roster.
Ex-LSU football player Jack Pyburn and 31 other former players sued the NCAA in District Court in Baton Rouge last week and obtained an injunction allowing them to sign with college teams. The SEC in turn sued LSU, LSU officials, and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in the northern district of Alabama in federal court Thursday.
The SEC claimed it had a right to freedom of association under the First Amendment. Such a right allows the conference to create rules and discipline members.
The TRO, argues the SEC, is a textbook case of prior restraint:
74. Neither the TRO, the Amended TRO, nor the Preliminary Injunction (when entered) impose or can impose prior restraints on speech in violation of the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech or impose a viewpoint- and content-based ban on speech by the SEC, its Commissioner, or its member institutions. Those orders similarly do not and cannot restrain the rights of the SEC and the 15 member institutions other than LSU to disassociate themselves from LSU by terminating LSU’s membership in the Conference.
Why was General Murrill added to the complaint? The SEC accuses the Louisiana Attorney General of helping LSU break SEC rules:
* General Murrill tweeted "Dae’Quan Wright, who played for Ole Miss, says he lost out on seven-figure NIL money in a fifth year. Mississippi didn’t fight for him, but Louisiana will.”
* The Attorney General told the media "Geaux Tigers" as she walked into the Baton Rouge hearing.
* The Attorney General filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the players.
* The defendant called the SEC was "legal garbage" and "frivolous"
* General Murill criticized the SEC Commissioner publicly.
(Warning to SEC: Unlike our Attorney General, General Murrill likes a good fight. Ask the folks in New Orleans.).
The SEC CEO's met Thursday and expressed great concerned over the Baton Rouge injunction.
The complaint accuses LSU President Wade Rousse and Athletic Director Verge Ausberry of having no meaningful control over the football program. The plaintiff takes particular exception to Dr. Rousse voting for the SEC's policy while his school took no action to comply with the policy. After eviscerating the LSU President, the SEC hit LSU with the dreaded "lack of institutional control" charge:
82. The consensus at the September 4 meeting was and continues to be that LSU’s demonstrated lack of institutional control at the University level—including complete lack of control over Defendant Kiffin’s actions—and other conduct alleged herein that is inconsistent with the principles and purposes of the Conference as set forth in Section 1.2 of the Constitution, made it imperative for a meeting to be called to consider the termination of LSU’s membership in the Conference pursuant to Section 3.1.5 of the Constitution.
The amended complaint charges the defendants with violating the SEC's first amendment rights and seeks injunctive relief protecting those rights.
So will the SEC kick out LSU? Stay tuned.
42 comments:
One keeps thinking the adults in charge at LSU would tell Kiffin no but that doesn't appear to be the case. And, for what? Lose your SEC membership and wreck your institution to feed Lane's ego?
I know it won't happen, but kicking LSU out of the SEC to spite Lane Kiffin would be the unifying, healing event this nation so badly needs.
Lane Kiffin gets LSU (Lie down with dog named Kiffin, get fleas) kicked out of the SEC?
HOTTY DAMN TODDY!
Maybe he will be gone before they come to Oxford. Dont know if our defense can stop him, or anything for that matter.
Greg Sankey is the epitome of a petulant child. He has let his personal vendetta against Kiffin to spill over into a public spectacle.
Does he really think 11 schools are going to vote in favor of expelling one of the largest money makers in the conference's history?
Does he really think Disney is going to roll over on their multi-billion deal for the exclusive rights to broadcast SEC football, only to have one of the largest money makers kicked out?
Please. This is nothing but posturing. Sankey needs to GEAUX!
Kiffin probably grew up hearing his father Monte say on a daily basis how truly full of shit the whole bureaucracy is - both college and pro - and advised him to break the rules as he sees fit. There aren't any actual grownups in the world anymore, and Lane is ahead of everyone in knowing this wisdom applies more today than even in Monte's time. Anything goes in Clownworld 2026. No one one gets in trouble anymore, except the little guy.
I have no great love for Greg Sankey, but I support this 100%. Kiffin's behavior since the departure from Ole Miss has been just gross. He apparently has made it his personal crusade to turn the entire SEC into his bitch. He's decided that *HE* is more important than any player, any team, or any conference. LSU signed up to be his enabler, which is unfortunate. But the SEC needs to cut the Kiffin cancer out.
Lack of institutional control is the definition of LSU athletics. The governor, the University president, the Louisiana Attorney General, all have control over the Athletics Director and the "institution".
@12:21 This is a test of who has the biggest balls. LSU thinks it's are bigger than the SEC's.I think LSU is in for a big surprise.
I agree with SEC removing LSU. Kiffin has ruined these players in college by the way he carries himself. He is not Bear Bryant or Nick Sabine!
Given that the Big 10, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 have voted for their members to NOT play teams that accept pro players who have signed a contract play collegiate ball again, it's only a matter of time before the G6 adopts that also..(in order to keep the 'money games' flowing).. LSU may end up out of the conference, and not be able to schedule any football games. (or others for that matter). LSU needs to put on some big boy pants and dismiss the former pros before they ruin their own athletic department.
"The complaint accuses LSU President Wade Rousse and Athletic Director Verge Ausberry of having no meaningful control over the football program."
Kiffin has a direct line to Gov. Jeff Landry, because that's who brought him to LSU. Landry and Kiffin run the football program.
Landry wants to be the next Huey P. Long. Managing the LSU football team while winning national championships is the quickest and surest way to do that.
The guy never played a snap in the NFL...I fail to see how it is materially different from Chambliss getting granted an extra year of eligibility by the Lafayette County Traffic Court or whatever.
12:56, You obviously have the governor and AG of Louisiana backing your play.
But you really think Disney needs you? And is actually willing to step into college football politics and active litigation to back you up?
Damn, the self-importance is (almost) unbelievable.
Face it this ain’t happening, The TV networks will be looking to redo their contracts with the SEC. The Big 10, ACC and all the others would welcome them and their 100k stadium over night .
Yeah! Yall know the lyrics to NECK!
@12:56 -- answer to your first question. YES. Answer to your second question: YES. And correction to your postulate: There are 15 schools other than LSU in the conference, and I believe all 15 will say yes, not just the 11 you offer.
I don't personally know Bradley Arant's lawyers, Warburton or Proctor, but I bet they'll never again have to pay for their own beer in the State of Alabama. Nor will they ever be able to safely travel to or through Louisiana.
@1256 Lmao, the SEC already has the votes to expel LSU if they need to and would have the Miami Hurricanes and that Miami tv market locked up within a day. You know the TV market about triple the size of the entire state of Louisiana?
Sometimes the neighborhood needs a refresh.
Cry harder - LSU is living in your head. You all witnessed what Kiffin will do to the SEC. So go buy a bigger dog.
"I fail to see how it is materially different from Chambliss getting granted an extra year of eligibility . . . "
That's because you failed to actually read/learn anything about the Chambliss case.
Chambliss missed an entire year due to medical disability, which was supported by his medical records and treating physician. The NCAA denied his claim based solely on a hyper-technical reading of its own rules, which allowed it to completely disregard the medical proof.
The only thing these two cases have in common is litigation over player eligibility.
That said, the goofball who gave the opening prayer in court really didn't do the State of Mississippi any favors, as far any challenging anyone's preconceived notions about this state.
For those saying or even thinking that this couldn't happen, just read the court filings... I wouldn't say it is certain, but the odds are really good. Oh yeah, HYDR
Prove me wrong the hate for Lane Kiffin is the new Trump derangement syndrome.
@12:58 - Lane didn’t learn a damned thing from his daddy. That apple fell off the tree, rolled down a hill, fell into a river, ran into an ocean, and ended up on the opposite side of the planet.
Answer this what would Ole Miss be doing now if Lane had stayed there. lol They would be all over the message boards defending him. Did you ever bother to think the President and AD agree with what Lane is doing. The SEC has said nothing while all hell broke loose on college sports now they want to make an example. Bunch of clowns
@2:27 - you’ve witnessed what Lane Kiffin does to a program. You chose poorly.
@ 12:46 don't forget you laid down with that same dog. He didn't get that way when he bolted for a bigger university, he was the same Kiffin that was loved and adored at UM.
Sankey would have a coronary if they actually voted to dismiss L.S.U. This is why I have no respect for Sankey. He is putting on a show. L.S.U. is worth too much to the conference. L.S.U. folks are laughiung out loud about this petulant child[ Sankey ] There obviously are very few adults in the league office. ALL these players are p[ofessionals. Why does Sankey support going to court for Chambliss to be eligible but oppose these kids so vehemently. It is all hypocrisy.....................
Correct. A local yokel hick Judge granted Chambliss another year but Sankey has no problem with that kangaroo court action. It is all just sad and performative......
Let’s say they get kicked out. Who do they play? We can assume whatever conference they join makes up the majority of their schedule, but rest assured that no SEC will play them in any sport.
81. Although no official action was taken at the September 4 meeting, the consensus of the CEOs was and continues to be that LSU’s continued membership in the Conference would be inconsistent with the publicly stated values and principles of the Conference and its remaining member institutions, whether or not LSU ever includes Harris, Wright, or other football players who are ineligible under the Professionalism Rules on its football team roster.
86. Based on the significant concerns expressed by the CEOs, the
Conference’s President has directed the Commissioner to give formal notice that a previously scheduled meeting of the CEOs on September 10, 2026, will be a Special Meeting of the Conference for the purpose of considering termination of LSU’s membership in the SEC pursuant to Section 3.1.5 of the Constitution.
So, maybe we'll know more on Friday.
There's no way on earth this would ever happen in a million years. A program like LSU is one of the SEC's crown jewels. Like them or hate them, they are part of the power/strength profile that the SEC touts. LSU has nothing to worry about. That said, if the SEC is starting to toy with the idea of kicking teams out of the league, it's the programs closer to the bottom who should be worried. There are all sorts of reasons the league could do this for getting itself stronger as a league.
President Rouse had the right to change his mind based on the facts. These guys aren’t pros all the member schools know it. Yall are just afraid to face that Beast that is LSU!
@12.56 has it right: This ends pretty quickly with LSU remaining solidly and securely in the SEC. If Disney/ESPN so much as hints at legal action to reduce or cancel its contract with the SEC should they kick LSU out, Sankey & Co. will reverse course so fast, they'll risk getting whiplash. The SEC may get LSU to agree to walk way from the NFL rejects they were recruiting, but that will be the extent of it. The SEC will remain intact, Kiffin/LSU will win a bunch of games and the rest of the SEC will bitch and whine about him just like they did when he was at Ole Miss - only worse, because it's LSU.
I doubt a vote to remove LSU would be scheduled, if the votes weren't already there.
LSU has plenty of options. The Sun Belt would be a perfect fit. They could play all of their in-state rivals in conference games and they would be a lock for thhe Group of 5 playoff spot. I say boot LSU and invite Florida State to the league.
Even if Chambliss lost a year for medical reasons he is now playing his 5th year of college ball. Wright is also trying to play his 5th year. Both of them got a podunk local court to give them a favorable ruling. Samsies.
If Kiffin was still at Ole Miss and this was going on, the Rebel nation would be 100% supporting him and arguing against the SEC.
KF, if I recall correctly, you are an LSU fan. Can you weigh in on Kiffin's antics, the AD, the president, and the governor's acquiescence?
RMQ
Adieu, mes amis. Passe une bonne journée!
no one ever thought the sears catalog would be no more. blockbuster either. lsu needs to watch themselves. the SEC will just add a fsu/miami/unc trio and join up with the big 10 for the super league. lsu can fight central florida, west virginia, and umass for the ncaa title..
They won't do it because of basketball, but I'd like to see UNC join the conference.
Post a Comment