Tensions appear to be cooling between the SEC and LSU.
Wednesday’s scheduled court hearing regarding the conference’s lawsuit against the school and coach Lane Kiffin was continued to a later date. The continuance comes a day after LSU filled its final two open roster spots and will not be able to roster TE Dae’Quan Wright and DT Zxavian Harris during the 2026 season.
Sources told Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger that the decision to delay the hearing came after calls between LSU president Wade Rouse and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey.
The hearing's continuance not only follows LSU's decision to finalize its football roster without pro players, but LSU president Wade Rousse and Greg Sankey held positive calls recently as the school makes efforts to de-escalate the situation, sources tell . — Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger)
Harris and Wright were on NFL training camp rosters this summer and had committed to play for LSU following a Louisiana ruling that gave them a fifth year of eligibility. The two players were part of the 2022 recruiting class and among a group of players who had played four seasons in four years and unable to benefit from the NCAA’s new five-in-five rule announced in June.
As LSU and Kiffin moved to potentially add Wright and Harris, two former Ole Miss players, for this season, the SEC announced that players who had signed NFL contracts were barred from playing in the conference. The two players were also in violation of the league’s rule banning intraconference transfers from outside the transfer portal. Since they were plaintiffs in the Louisiana case, they were given a week after the ruling to transfer to a new school.
The SEC’s suit was filed ahead of Week 1 and before LSU had submitted its 2026 roster. The Tigers did so on Friday, and had 103 of their 105 scholarship spots filled. With Harris and Wright not on the roster ahead of LSU’s blowout win over Clemson, they could still be added at some point in the season.
However, now that the spots have been filled, there’s no pathway for them to play for the team in 2026.
After LSU filled the roster spots Tuesday night, the attorney for Wright and Harris told Dellenger that the players were reviewing their legal options. LSU’s basketball team also has a commitment from former St. John’s guard RJ Luis, who has appeared in three preseason NBA games.