LSU Makes Unexpected Move as SEC Presidents Unanimously Confirm New Penalties

LSU made a surprising decision in amid the SEC's push to ban the return of professional athletes to sports.

Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU president Wade Rousse, left, LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry stand together at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Due to a lack of guidance from the NCAA, individual conferences have begun advocating against the return of professional athletes to college sports.

The Big Ten's athletics directors unanimously voted to ban NFL players from joining college football programs within the conference on Tuesday. The SEC and Notre Dame voted in favor of similar rules on Tuesday, and the ACC is trending in a similar direction.

The NFL has also weighed in on the return of its players to college football. On Wednesday afternoon, the league decided to ban players who left it for college football from signing with any team in the 2026 season.

The SEC officially outlined its punishments for athletic programs that bring in professional athletes on Wednesday. These include a suspension of the head coach for half of the season, a fine worth 50% of the school's budget for that sport and voting privileges revoked on business matters within the conference.

Original reports indicated that the presidents of the SEC's 16-member schools voted in favor of banning professional athletes from joining athletic programs. Subsequent reports revealed that only 15 presidents voted on the matter, as LSU abstained from the vote.

Why did LSU abstain from the vote against professional athletes returning to college sports?

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Mississippi Rebels tight end Dae'Quan Wright (8) scores a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No athletic program in the country is working harder to reel in athletes who have exhausted their college eligibility than LSU.

In football, the Tigers first made waves with their acquisition of former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae'Quan Wright on Sunday. Wright spent a pair of seasons with Virginia Tech and Ole Miss each, finishing 2025 with 39 receptions for 635 yards and five touchdowns for the Rebels.

24 hours later, New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Zxavian Harris announced his commitment to LSU. Harris played under Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss for four seasons; he finished 2025 with 58 total tackles, three sacks and three pass breakups.

Wright and Harris are the only two former NFL players LSU is known to be pursuing for its 2026 football roster, but its targeting of professional athletes to join its teams extends beyond the realm of football.

On Monday, former St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. was granted a preliminary injunction to play for LSU's basketball team in the 2026-27 season. Luis has been out of college basketball for a year; he previously signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz and was traded to the Boston Celtics before joining the Tigers.