As LSU prepares to face Clemson this Saturday, the team has opted to exclude Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris from its Week 1 roster. This decision comes even after a recent court ruling that favored both players regarding their eligibility challenges. The roster was submitted to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) on Friday, as reported by ESPN.
On Thursday, LSU secured a significant legal victory when a judge ruled in favor of Harris and Wright against the SEC. This ruling allowed LSU the opportunity to include both players on its roster for the upcoming 2026 season, despite the SEC's opposition. However, in a surprising turn of events, the university chose to leave the players off the roster, likely to avoid potential repercussions from the SEC and its member institutions.
Despite being left off the initial roster, both Harris and Wright remain eligible to join the team at any point during the season, as they are currently enrolled at LSU. The team has two available roster spots, which could allow for their inclusion later on.
The SEC's recent legal actions against LSU and head coach Lane Kiffin may have played a role in the decision to exclude the players. The conference filed a lawsuit alleging that LSU and Kiffin had engaged in a coordinated effort to recruit professional athletes to play for the school during the 2026-27 season, including players who had previously signed contracts with NFL teams such as the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In its lawsuit, the SEC sought to assert its rights to enforce compliance among its members regarding its rules. This legal maneuvering follows a policy adopted by the SEC and other conferences in August that would prevent professional players from returning to college football. However, the policy did not apply to Wright and Harris, who had already received a temporary restraining order from a judge allowing them to return to college football in 2026.
Initially, Kiffin indicated that LSU would comply with the SEC's directives, but as the situation evolved, he expressed a willingness to wait and see how the court's ruling would affect the players' status. This created an opportunity for Kiffin to potentially add both players to the roster if LSU chose to challenge the SEC's stance.
Both Wright and Harris have NFL experience, with Harris signing with the New Orleans Saints earlier this year, while Wright had brief stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cleveland Browns before joining LSU. Kiffin's interest in having both players on his roster was evident during the legal proceedings, but the decision to exclude them at the last moment suggests a cautious approach given the SEC's strong opposition.
The judge's ruling on Thursday stated that LSU could not take actions to prevent the players from competing, which raises the possibility of future legal disputes if their absence from the roster continues for an extended period. Had LSU included Harris and Wright, the school could have faced significant backlash or additional legal challenges from the SEC and its member schools, many of whom were reportedly upset over LSU's attempts to integrate professional players into their program.
Leave a Comment