College football fans from the heart of Dixie to the West Coast are staring at their screens in disbelief as Lane Kiffin’s LSU program openly defies the SEC over its decision to deny eligibility to those 2022 class NFL rookies.
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The idea of the SEC actually kicking out one of its biggest crown jewels once seemed like pure fantasy. But according to the conference’s most trusted voice, Paul Finebaum, the threat may be very real.
“The one thing I keep getting asked by people is, do I think the SEC’s sentiment to toss LSU out is real?” Finebaum said on his show. “There is such a level of frustration by many key players in the SEC—and we’re not talking fans here. We’re talking about high-level, educated administrators who have put their trust in Greg Sankey and are repulsed by what they think could be happening here. It hasn’t happened yet. By Saturday night, it all may be moot.”
The SEC plans to fight the temporary restriction order by a Louisiana court that prevents the conference from punishing schools that bring on a player who already went pro. But according to Finebaum, there’s still a good chance the judge could rule in favor of the players this weekend. If that happens, it’s going to force SEC bosses to take action one way or another.
But while Finebaum reported that high-level university administrators are furious enough to discuss expulsion as a nuclear option, right now it is mostly being used as a legal scare tactic. Actually throwing LSU out would cost both the conference and its TV partners millions of dollars in broadcast revenue, making it a financial mess.
If LSU ignores the conference and puts the players on the field anyway, Lane Kiffin would reportedly face an automatic half-season suspension, and LSU could be hit with a fine equal to 50% of its football operating budget. Given those consequences, there is a strong possibility LSU backs down before things reach that point.
At the end of the day, risking the entire program just isn’t worth it for two NFL rookies, or for any number of players for that matter.
Still, it would be foolish to assume the SEC wouldn’t seriously consider expulsion if LSU pushes the issue too far or the conference members are ready to make the financial sacrifice.
Finebaum has also criticized Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry for turning the dispute into a personal battle with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
Meanwhile, Kiffin is dealing with another controversy of his own. A new book, Lane Being Lane by sports writer John Talty, claims that he helped Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney to push for an investigation into Ole Miss regarding the Luke Ferrelli matter.
It also reveals several wild stories from Kiffin’s time as Alabama’s offensive coordinator.
According to former assistants quoted in the book, Kiffin’s late-night partying in Tuscaloosa became such a problem that Nick Saban had to set strict boundaries. Saban reportedly instructed staff to keep Kiffin away from college and sorority girls and urged him to socialize only with women who had graduated or were working professionals.
The book also appears to confirm the long-running “Joey Freshwater” legend. For years, fans joked that Kiffin used the alias to approach women at bars. Talty recounts an incident at a Tuscaloosa pub where a student recognized Kiffin using the name. When confronted, Kiffin reportedly brushed it off and moved on.
Ultimately, Kiffin’s lack of maturity and total disregard for structure is what got him kicked out of Alabama. On top of his wild social life, he frustrated the staff by drawing up unscripted plays in the 2016 season’s semifinal game, which the team had never even practiced. Kiffin was fired the next week, before Alabama played the National Championship game.
Now, Kiffin finds himself facing another potentially explosive situation, this time with the entire SEC.