It took three days for the nation's four powerful athletic conferences to dig in on banning players who were on NFL rosters from returning to college football. The hope is it offers order amid the chaos growing through legal challenges and the pursuit of loopholes to NCAA eligibility rules. The Atlantic Coast Conference joined its peers in the Big 12, Big Ten and Southeastern Conference on Thursday by approving a ban that also covers professional athletes seeking to return to college to play men's or women's college basketball.
The Big Ten and SEC implemented their plans Tuesday, while the Big 12’s ruling followed Wednesday. In its statement, the ACC said its board of directors had unanimously adopted its resolution. This all has been in response to a rule change passed by the NCAA granting future athletes five years of eligibility.
The change has spawned lawsuits seeking to open that rule to players whose four-year careers ended earlier this year — even leading to the once unthinkable notion of players leaving college, signing with professional teams and then returning to college. At least two players who signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents this offseason were hoping to play for No. 11 LSU. State football coach Dave Doeren said after Thursday’s practice and before the ACC adopted its policy.
And there shouldn’t be the ability to come back. If it’s the Big Ten, SEC — it doesn’t matter to me: it’s an amateurism rule." The ACC's plan lays out guidelines for ineligibility Under the ACC resolution, a school is not permitted to include an individual on its football or men’s or women’s basketball roster when he or she: — Has previously declared for an NFL, NBA, or WNBA draft and did not appropriately withdraw consistent with NCAA requirements to retain eligibility; — Signed a contract with the NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, WNBA (or affiliate) or any team that is a member of any such league. — Been listed on any roster for an NFL (or other professional football league), NBA/G-League, or WNBA (or affiliate) team. Generally, the conferences covering the top teams in college sports have all adopted a similar stance in seeking to head off the NFL issue with the college football season set to begin with Week Zero games this weekend.
But their structures vary. The Big 12's rule bars its schools from adding professional athletes in football or any other conference-sponsored sport. The league said its rule would apply independently of the status of NCAA eligibility determinations.
The SEC banned players who have been drafted by NFL, NBA or WNBA teams or listed on rosters in those leagues. The Big Ten only included football in its decision and was expected to later address other sports. On Wednesday, the NFL made it clear that players who leave the NFL to return to college won’t be allowed to come back to the league this season.
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