The SEC is seeking legal authority to expel LSU, according to an updated court filing obtained by CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello. The language is part of a federal suit first filed last week as the conference seeks legal coverage to enforce rules prohibiting pro athletes from returning to college sports. "Forced association with a member whose conduct is antithetical to the SEC's mission and core values violates the Conference's fundamental First Amendment rights," reads the SEC's updated filing.
"LSU has rejected those core values repeatedly and publicly. An injunction is necessary to prevent the irreparable harm that the SEC will suffer if it cannot remove a member to avoid association of the Conference's name, brand, championships, and media properties with the conduct and views that the Conference and its member institutions have condemned for decades." While booting the Tigers from the conference would still be an extraordinary step, CBS Sports' John Talty reported last week that multiple sources believed the league had the necessary votes to do so should the Tigers refused to de-escalate the situation. Amid rising tensions, LSU did not include Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris on its roster for its Saturday night beatdown of Clemson.
The two are at the center of a legal battle over whether players who have signed professional contracts should be able to return to college sports. A Louisiana judge granted a preliminary injunction clearing the way for them to play, a move that defies SEC rules. But the SEC's federal suit keeps their long-term eligibility in jeopardy.
With two open spots on its roster, LSU could still roster the duo at some point this season. The league's amended suit cites a Thursday "Special Meeting of the Conference" during which "potential termination" could be addressed. In a Tuesday statement, the SEC asserted that its stance is necessary to "preserve the Conference's ability to govern competition among its members" "The SEC and its member universities have the right to established, through agreed-upon governances procedures, the rules under which they voluntarily compete and to expect those rules to be followed," the league's statement said.
"A commitment to those rules, and to the core principles of the Southeastern Conference, is an essential element of SEC membership." LSU coach Lane Kiffin's efforts to roster players that the league classifies as former professionals is a central theme in the SEC's legal complaint. Kiffin's name is mentioned 32 times in a 44-page filing with numerous references to Kiffin's public statements about his recruiting efforts. An Aug. 25 article by CBS Sports' Talty and Chris Hummer is referenced in which it was reported that Kiffin had "reached out to multiple players on NFL rosters or their representatives" with the purpose of getting them to pursue litigation that could enable them to return to college."
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