ESPN’s College GameDay crew will be in Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday to put a national spotlight on Lane Kiffin’s debut for No. 11 LSU against Clemson.
That attention could extend beyond the field. Kiffin’s pursuit of former college players who spent part of the summer in NFL camps has become a major storyline ahead of the opener.
Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright participated in LSU’s Monday walk-through after stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns. Wright will not be eligible to play against Clemson because he must complete the NCAA’s seven-day acclimatization period.
Kiffin said he considered the effect that late roster additions could have on the players already in LSU’s program before deciding to pursue them.
“I probably am in the minority of how I make decisions and probably not what most coaches do,” Kiffin said. “I feel like my decision should always be made in the best interest of the players that sit in this team room — and not for my reputation and how decisions will play in the national media or with other fan bases… those players and the people that hire me always know he’s constantly trying to do the best thing for them.”
Kiffin suggested he struggled with the idea of bringing in players who tried to make an NFL roster this summer, perhaps because the SEC announced a rule last week forbidding such roster moves and imposing hefty penalties on head coaches, programs and schools that break the rule.
However, that rule has been blocked by a temporary restraining order (TRO) signed by a judge in Baton Rouge. The judge will rule Thursday on whether the TRO stays in effect — or the SEC’s rule resumes as law — when it comes to playing athletes who have signed a contract with the NFL, NBA or WNBA.
In the meantime, Kiffin will continue to heed his players’ call.
“I met with our leadership committee of our players,” Kiffin said. “I (said to) them, ‘It’s your team. What do you want to do? If these players are allowed to be added to rosters, what do you want to do?’ And every one of them was emphatic about, um, if they can help us win, bring ‘em.
“And, you know, we understand that, you know, we have a team that’s practiced together, worked together all offseason, but one of them said, ‘Hey, this is how it works at the next level. And this is how the real world works.’ “