Tennessee chancellor says SEC won't budge on NFL rule
Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman, president of the SEC executive committee, told ESPN on Tuesday, Sept. 1, that the Southeastern Conference will not budge on its rule banning NFL, NBA, and WNBA players from returning to college athletics. Plowman said the league is prepared to defend that policy and supports Commissioner Greg Sankey imposing significant penalties on violators. The dispute lands as fans check sports scores today with No. 11 LSU scheduled to host Clemson on Saturday in one of the season's biggest openers.
Key Takeaways
- Plowman said SEC presidents and chancellors are united: "This is not a rule we will budge on."
- LSU faces severe penalties after a 15-0 SEC vote; LSU reportedly abstained from that ballot.
- A Louisiana judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the SEC from enforcing the rule.
- A Thursday hearing in Baton Rouge could extend that order through a preliminary injunction.
- The SEC has never expelled a member school, though expulsion for LSU has been discussed.
Why is the SEC clashing with LSU over former NFL players?
The fight centers on whether athletes who signed professional contracts can return to campus. Plowman told ESPN the issue is "narrow" and separate from broader fifth-year eligibility lawsuits. "If you signed a contract, you signed a contract," she said. "You don't get to unsign it and come back."
LSU has drawn commitments from players who signed NFL deals, including aspiring Tigers Zxavian Harris and Dae'Quan Wright. Coach Lane Kiffin said Wright is practicing, but neither player has been formally added to the roster. LSU men's basketball also added former NBA G League player RJ Luis in May.
What penalties could LSU face if it adds pro players to its roster?
SEC presidents voted last week in Birmingham to impose stiff sanctions on any school that fields a player who previously signed with an NFL, NBA, or WNBA team. Penalties include suspending the head coach for half the season, cutting half of the sport's annual budget, and revoking league voting rights. Sankey also retains authority to add further sanctions.
Georgia President Jere Morehead, a past SEC president, called the standoff a "test" of whether the voluntary league can self-govern. "We've had a rule about not playing professional athletes," he told ESPN. "We set our rules and we expect our members to follow our rules."
Could LSU actually be expelled from the SEC?
When asked whether penalties could escalate to suspension or expulsion, Plowman called that an "extraordinary step" but noted the SEC handbook allows it. CBS Sports reported expulsion is on the table as LSU and Kiffin seek to add multiple players from NFL preseason rosters, though the league has never kicked out a member.
It has been roughly 60 years since an SEC school left the conference. Sewanee departed in 1940, Georgia Tech exited in 1964 over signing rules, and Tulane left in 1966. All were school-driven exits, not conference-imposed expulsions. Booting LSU would mean parting with one of college athletics' most valuable brands.
What happens next in court—and on the field?
A state court hearing is set for Thursday, Sept. 3, in Baton Rouge, where a judge will decide whether to issue a preliminary injunction covering the SEC and Sankey. If granted, LSU must weigh adding former pros to its roster against potential SEC legal action.
Plowman said she has not spoken with LSU officials since the Birmingham vote. "They were in the room when the vote was taken on the penalties," she told ESPN. "So they know." For broader coverage of breaking sports and market-moving news, see our Fintech & Crypto Alerts hub. Full reporting is available from ESPN.