ESPN’s College GameDay is in Baton Rouge for LSU’s Week 1 showdown against Clemson. During Lane Kiffin’s appearance on the show, Pat McAfee touched a raw nerve with the LSU head coach. The ESPN broadcaster asked him how he balanced his duties as a head coach, taking in the opposing team, and fighting the SEC over NFL returnee eligibility.
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“It’s what I’ve really appreciated: our friendship this week, your guidance with me about, you know, because between you and me, we’re about the two most hated people there are. Hey, just focus on it. Don’t worry about the noise. A lot of times, to do great things, you’re going to be hated,” answered Kiffin.
McAfee could only laugh as he heard the LSU head coach’s answer. Well, their friendship has always remained intact, with Pat McAfee praising Kiffin time and again. The ESPN broadcaster had his share of controversy recently with the release of his new album. McAfee’s songs drew polarizing opinions from fans but earned widespread praise from his colleagues at ESPN.
But that doesn’t compare with the headlines that Kiffin has generated even before he took over as LSU’s head coach. His exit from Ole Miss was messy enough, and then he didn’t help himself with his comments about the Rebels in March. The latest fiasco has only increased the list of Kiffin naysayers.
A legal showdown is brewing between the SEC and LSU after the conference filed a federal lawsuit against the school. The defendants include LSU President Wade Rousse, Athletic Director Verge Ausberry, and head coach Lane Kiffin, with the SEC accusing them of recruiting former NFL players in a way that allegedly infringed upon the conference’s First Amendment rights.
However, a Louisiana judge cleared LSU to roster Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris on Sept. 3, dealing a setback to the SEC. Despite the ruling, the Tigers have opted not to include them on the roster for now, saying they will not play against Clemson.
“That wasn’t easy. As much as I feel for the players, and I believe that you fight for what you believe in, and I believe that these kids have an opportunity to play, just like all the other kids around the country who are winning court cases and being put on rosters,” Kiffin said on College GameDay on Saturday. Kiffin later added that the decision he made was in the “best interest of the team and university.”
So, does that mean LSU has agreed with the SEC? Well, not exactly. For now, the Tigers have chosen not to place the two players on their 105-man roster, preserving two vacancies that could facilitate their eventual inclusion. Whether Wright and Harris can ultimately be added to the roster or remain off it should become clearer as proceedings continue in the SEC’s lawsuit against LSU and Lane Kiffin in federal court in Alabama.