Overview
- The SEC told plaintiff attorneys on Saturday that it will comply with state-court orders, clearing the way for LSU to sign former NFL players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris.
- Louisiana and Texas judges issued temporary restraining orders that bar the SEC from enforcing its emergency ban against the named plaintiffs, and some orders require players to terminate pro contracts and repay wages before returning.
- Power conferences had adopted an emergency rule banning ex-pro signees and threatened penalties such as coach suspensions and large fines, but the SEC’s compliance does not remove the chance of later penalties through other court actions or at trial.
- Even where courts permit returns, schools face real limits this season because of roster caps, scholarship rules and conference transfer windows that restrict how many former pros can be added immediately.
- The dispute began after the NCAA’s June five-for-five rule excluded the high-school Class of 2022 and prompted hundreds of lawsuits, and preliminary-injunction hearings and expedited appeals in early September will determine whether current orders remain in force.