LSU coach Lane Kiffin will feel vindicated as SEC rivals sneakily try to add pros while nobody pays attention

Sep 2, 2026 - 17:15

LSU and Lane Kiffin have been taking plenty of heat for bringing back players who did not make NFL rosters back to the school. Kiffin has made his stance clear on trying to bring back former pro players.

Now Kiffin has some vindication for bringing in pro players, per Pete Nakos of On3.

“But despite all the focus on Louisiana, other SEC programs are exploring the possibility of adding former NFL players before the start of the 2026 season, sources have told On3. Like LSU, a deadline is approaching. SEC rosters have to be finalized and sent to the league office 24 hours before kickoff,” Nakos wrote.

Teams need to submit their 105-man roster 24 hours before kickoff. They can make later changes to the roster if the player is currently enrolled at the school. Still, this deadline is quickly approaching for some schools. Missouri is set to play at 8 pm ET on Thursday night, meaning the deadline will come Wednesday evening. Meanwhile, Oklahoma plays on Friday night, while the rest of the conference plays on Saturday. The first kickoff is Alabama hosting East Carolina at noon.

“It’s an absolute mess,” an SEC head coach told On3 earlier this week. “We play football in five days. I don’t even have time to think about adding a player.”

Currently, the SEC has a policy in place to prevent players who have appeared on a pro roster from returning to college. Meanwhile, the conference has also explained the punishment for schools that violate the policy. First, there will be a half-season suspension for the head coach. SEC voting privileges will be revoked on business matters for the school that violates the rule. The SEC will also impose a fine of 50% of the sport’s annual operating budget. Further, the league is reserving the right to impose other penalties as seen fit, which could include expulsion from the conference.

The post LSU coach Lane Kiffin will feel vindicated as SEC rivals sneakily try to add pros while nobody pays attention appeared first on ClutchPoints.