ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Tells Lane Kiffin to Stop Pretending to Be a “Paragon of Virtue” After LSU HC’s Damage Control Attempt
Yahoo Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- Lane Kiffin, newly hired LSU head coach, is embroiled in controversy over NCAA eligibility rules allowing former NFL players to return to college football, spotlighted ahead of LSU's season opener against Clemson.
- Former Ole Miss players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, both waived by NFL teams, sought to play for LSU under recent NCAA rule changes granting five years of eligibility to players starting college in 2023 or later, with a Louisiana court ruling extending this to some 2022 recruits.
- Kiffin defended LSU's decision to add these players, emphasizing they were legally eligible and that the team leadership council supported their inclusion despite concerns over playing time for existing players.
- The move has drawn criticism from prominent coaches like Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Texas' Steve Sarkisian, who questioned the ethics of former professionals returning to college sports, but Kiffin continues to support LSU's stance.
- Wright is currently practicing with LSU but is ineligible for the season opener due to NCAA acclimatization rules, while the controversy remains a significant distraction as Kiffin begins his tenure.
