​Lane Kiffin’s attempt to add players recently cut from NFL camps to LSU’s roster was met with a swift action by the SEC with harsh penalties facing violators. (Michael Johnson/AP)
AUSTIN – While I got ya, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:1. The plot thickensOh, does it ever thicken. The on-again, off-again revolving door between the NFL and the college ranks appears to be off at the present time. The SEC followed suit with the Big Ten’s independent ban of any football player who has declared for an NFL team and did not withdraw, who has signed a contract with an an NFL team or even been listed on an NFL roster and adopted a proposal that effectively implements the harshest of penalties for SEC schools that take in former collegians waived by NFL teams. Hello, LSU. They’re talking to you, Lane Kiffin. The SEC schools voted unanimously 16-0 – yeah, sure they did; wink, wink – to effectively ban the pattern of accepting such NFL castoffs and gave commissioner Greg Sankey the authority to institute stiff penalties. If an SEC program does accept one of those players, the head coach would be suspended for half the season, and his school will lose 50% of the fiscal year’s football operating budget and all voting privileges on business matters. So, go ahead, Lane. Take tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, who were cut by Cleveland and New Orleans, respectively, and want to enroll at LSU and test how serious the league office is. We double-dog dare you, Lane. Gentlemen lawyers, start your affidavits. … The long and short of these actions is hurray. Finally, some people in authority took a stance. Some put some teeth in their decisions rather than just make a mamby-pamby statement of opposition. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte told the Houston Chronicle, “It just makes common sense. We are just enforcing the rules we have on the books. I applaud the leadership of the SEC, the board of directors and the efforts of the commissioner.” … The SEC also rules that this decision applies to any pro league, be it the NFL, NBA, WNBA or we assume pickleball. The Big 12 is seriously looking at also banning all NFL players from returning to college, ESPN reported. … The NFL also will inform its 32 teams that any player who returns to the college ranks will be prohibited from signing with an NFL team this season, ESPN reported. So it seems the pros and college ranks are in lockstep. … Listen. I believe Kiffin is dead wrong when he said the players who entered college in the 2022 class are entitled to a fifth year of eligibility, a ruling that actually goes into effect next year, because the rule wasn’t made retroactive. The LSU coach said these players were “wronged” because, had they known this five-for-five decision was going to be passed, some of them might have stayed in school rather than test the NFL waters, only to be cut. Let’s cry our eyes out. Pleazzzzzzzze. That’s like a guy divorces his wife, it becom