SEC Photo
Baton Rouge Judge William Jorden granted LSU football commits Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, along with 42 other athletes from the high school class of 2022, a preliminary injunction against the NCAA and Southeastern Conference. The players will now be eligible to return for a fifth season of eligibility. Attorney Ryan Downton, who represented the athletes, said the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility rules grant athletes five seasons of eligibility.
“There is no exclusion in the NCAA rule book to keep these athletes off the court and off the field simply because they’re in their fifth year,” Downton said. “They’re still within the age limit. They should play.”
LSU will now be allowed to officially roster Wright, Harris and Notre Dame Transfer Junior Tuihalamaka. Wright and Harris both signed NFL contracts and had brief stints in NFL training camps this summer. Wright and Tuihalamaka both began practicing with the team Monday. Harris has not but said this ruling is a step towards that, and he hopes to be ready for LSU’s Week 3 clash against his former school, Ole Miss.
The SEC presidents unanimously approved a policy prohibiting schools from rostering former professional football and basketball players, as well as severe punishments for any school that does so. One of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, Tony Clayton, said that rule has now been blocked by the preliminary injunction.
“The judge’s injunction carries effect to any of the NCAA employees, agents or persons that act in concert with the NCAA,” Clayton said. “That’s what the NCAA did. They acted in concert.”
LSU was enjoined with the SEC and NCAA in the injunction and is prevented from doing anything to negatively impact the players. Downton said he would ask the Court to hold LSU in contempt if they do not add the players. Clayton says he requested LSU be enjoined.
“I asked that they be brought on so that the SEC would not force them to act in concert with the way Mr. Sankey has just totally, totally disrespected the courts of the state of Louisiana,” he said.
The LSU football team has until 24 hours before their season opener at 6:30 on Saturday to submit its roster to the SEC. Concerns remain that the school could face later punishments if the SEC wins its federal lawsuit against LSU or an appeal of the injunction. Clayton says this is far from over.
“We’ll wait for the next chapter, and if they continue to pick on these children, we will continue to be here to fight for them to make sure that the rules are applied fairly. That’s all we ask for,” Clayton said.
The SEC released a statement Thursday night stating it disagreed with the ruling and that member universities have the right to govern themselves and enforce agreed-upon rules. The conference pledged to continue to defend fair competition and its authority.
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