The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, naming Louisiana State University, its Board of Supervisors, President Wade Rousse, athletic director Verge Ausberry and former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin as defendants.
SEC Files Federal Lawsuit Against LSU and Coach Lane Kiffin
The complaint alleges that LSU orchestrated a coordinated campaign to recruit former professional football players for the 2026 season, a move the SEC says infringes on its First Amendment rights and creates an uneven playing field among conference schools.
The SEC is seeking both preliminary and permanent injunctions to stop the alleged interference and to protect the conference’s constitutional rights, citing concerns that the recruitment effort disrupts roster planning for other programs.
Two former NFL players, Dae’Quan Wright of the Philadelphia Eagles and Zxavian Harris of the New Orleans Saints, are already practicing with LSU’s football team, highlighting the tangible impact of the alleged breach.
The SEC emphasized that the lawsuit does not seek to declare any players ineligible, distinguishing it from an ongoing eligibility case involving 44 athletes that challenges NCAA rules.
Lane Kiffin’s public remarks about positioning LSU as the first school to secure former pros are cited in the filing, while LSU President Wade Rousse and athletic director Verge Ausberry are alleged to have facilitated the recruitment effort.
The lawsuit notes LSU’s prior support for SEC policies that penalized former professional athletes with fines and suspensions, raising questions about the consistency of its current actions.
The filing underscores the SEC’s effort to enforce its governance authority over member institutions and may shape future discussions about the limits of collegiate athletic regulation.