Paul Finebaum Calls Out a Major SEC Head Coach Over Eligibility Concerns

Paul Finebaum in attendance of the Mississippi Rebels against the Miami Hurricanes. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The major storyline heading into Week 1 of the college football season should be about the games this weekend, but instead it centers on the LSU Tigers and head coach Lane Kiffin.

Lane Kiffin Vs. the SEC

The Tigers are in a legal battle, hoping to gain eligibility for two players who were on NFL rosters this offseason. That would be tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris. Both are trying to return to college football after being cut by the NFL.

This is because the NCAA passed a "five-for-five" rule giving players five years to play five years, meaning there are no more redshirts. So, players who thought they were out of eligibility but would have another year due to this rule are trying to make a return. The SEC has put its foot down, saying teams are not allowed to add any player who has signed a professional contract.

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the press. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Paul Finebaum Sends Blunt Warning to Lane Kiffin

ESPN's Paul Finebaum has been critical of Kiffin during this process. He said that Kiffin will try to play the victim, but in reality, he is just trying to stack his roster.

"We all know what's going on here," Finebaum said on 'McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.' "Lane Kiffin is trying to stack his roster, using local judges. Anything you hear between now and Thursday should be ignored. The SEC is going to lay its markers down then. Ultimately, they'll have to do initially what the judge in Louisiana said. What they do after that will be fascinating."

LSU Has Become the Center of College Football's Eligibility Debate

LSU has become the test case for what happens when a rapidly changing college eligibility system collides with conference rules and the increasingly blurred lines between college and professional football.

Finebaum sees Kiffin's actions primarily as an attempt to add more talent. Kiffin sees an opportunity for players who were given another chance by the courts. The SEC has attempted to establish its own boundaries, only to see the legal landscape force another adjustment.

Whatever happens next, LSU has already pushed the debate into territory college football hasn't dealt with before. And with Kiffin at the center of it, the Tigers' first season under their new head coach is becoming about much more than what happens between the lines.

The Tigers open the season with a marquee matchup against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.