LSU has finalized its roster for the upcoming season, deciding not to add two former professional athletes to the team. The decision comes as the Southeastern Conference (SEC) is set to ask a federal judge in Alabama for a temporary restraining order, which would allow the conference to enforce its rules regarding professional athletes returning to college athletics.
The two athletes in question, Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, were involved in a lawsuit against LSU, and their complaints were amended to include the SEC as a defendant. A judge granted an injunction last week, following a 12-hour hearing that featured SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey testifying in front of a packed courtroom in Baton Rouge.
The SEC has filed a lawsuit against LSU, Lane Kiffin, and other members of the Tigers athletic department, accusing them of letting Kiffin run wild and of a lack of institutional control. The conference is seeking a temporary restraining order to protect its right to govern itself and its member institutions, and to enforce its rules regarding professional athletes.
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin spoke about the decision not to add the two athletes to the team, saying that he believed the team was fighting for what was right for the kids. Kiffin has a personal relationship with Dae'Quan Wright, who stood up in a team gathering at Ole Miss to praise Kiffin's leadership.
The SEC is scheduled to ask for the temporary restraining order in a federal court in Birmingham, Alabama, on Wednesday. The outcome of this case is still uncertain, and it remains to be seen how far the kerfuffle between the SEC and LSU will go.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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