EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe chair of the SEC's presidents and chancellors, Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman, told ESPN on Tuesday that the league "will not budge" on its rule that NFL players cannot return to college. Speaking on behalf of the SEC's presidents and chancellors, she made clear that the SEC is "prepared to defend our rules" and wants commissioner Greg Sankey to feel empowered to levy significant penalties."We have a responsibility to try and lead the best we can in this time of chaos," Plowman said. "Our group is united on this. This is not a rule we will budge on." She added: "Enough is enough."Plowman's comments come amid a gripping potential showdown between LSU and the SEC over the eligibility of former NFL players who've committed to the Tigers but have yet to be formally added to the roster.If the SEC takes immediate action to punish LSU, the league would be violating a standing court order issued by a state judge in Louisiana that prohibits the SEC and Sankey from enforcing any rules -- including conference-wide bans on pro players -- that would keep the players involved in an ongoing lawsuit off the field.Plowman stressed that the SEC presidents and chancellors are most concerned with the "narrow" issue of players returning from the NFL to college, which has emerged amid a flurry of eligibility lawsuits of players seeking a fifth year of eligibility in the wake of the NCAA's new eligibility rules. She called the return to college a "line in the sand" for the presidents and chancellors."It's not a new rule," Plowman said of pros not being able to return to college. "We didn't just cook up a rule. It's not a new rule. The way we see it. We are a voluntary membership organization, and we have a right to set and enforce our rules. We want to clarify - this is not about the five-for-five."This is about - if you signed a contract, you signed a contract. That's always been the bottom line. You don't get to un-sign it and come back."That opportunity may loom at LSU this week for aspiring LSU players Zxavian Harris and Dae'Quan Wright, who both signed NFL deals and have since indicated that they are planning to play at LSU. Tigers coach Lane Kiffin said this week that Wright is practicing with LSU, but neither has been announced as formally being signed or added to the roster.There's a court hearing Thursday in state court in Baton Rouge where a judge will decide whether or not to issue a preliminary injunction, which would continue to enable the potentially for eligibility for Harris and Wright. The injunction would be expected to also cover both the SEC and Sankey, who were named in an amended TRO on Friday.If the judge issues an injunction, LSU will then have to decide to risk potential consequences and potential legal action from the SEC if they are formally added to the roster. No. 11 LSU hosts Clemson in what's regarded as the biggest game on the college football calendar on Saturday."SEC membership comes with shared rules and shared responsibilities," Georgia president Jere Morehead said. "We expect every university to honor them, and we know there are consequences when we do not honor our rules."Morehead, a past president of the SEC and chairman of the SEC Executive Committee, called the current situation involving professional athletes trying to return to college athletics as a "test" of the league's ability to self-govern."The SEC is a voluntary league," Morehead said. "All 16 universities chose to be members of this league. Can we establish rules and can we follow the rules that we establish? We've had a rule about not playing professional athletes. That's always been a part of the Southeastern Conference, that professional athletes are not to be participating in college sports. That's a standard we've agreed upon as members of the SEC. To me, it's a very simple rule, and we set our rules and we expect our members to follow our rules."Plowman said that the presidents and chancellors have articulated to the SEC and Sankey that they support his ability to punish any violators of the rule. The SEC passed strong penalties last week in Birmingham for breaking the NFL-to-college rule that include suspending a coach for half the season, loss of half of the sport's annual budget and a revocation of league voting rights. Sankey also has the authority for additional sanctions."He has the full spectrum of penalties that he can use," Plowman said. "He needs to feel he has our authority to use those."Plowman said that she, speaking as the chair of the SEC presidents and chancellors, has not been in contact with anyone from LSU to let them know how serious they are about enforcing the rule."I have not been in conversations with anyone from LSU since we left the meeting," Plowman told ESPN, referencing the meetings in Birmingham last week. "They were there. They were in the room when the vote was taken on the penalties. So they know."When asked if those penalties could escalate to LSU being suspended from the league or kicked out, Plowman said that would be an "extraordinary step" and cautioned getting ahead on decisions that have yet to be made. She then referenced the SEC handbook by saying: "That would be a huge step, but obviously that's in there as a possibility."She said she hopes that "people can come to their senses" and "avoid something that would be really unfortunate for college football."Plowman added: "We are prepared to defend our rules and our authority to defend our rules."When asked specifically about a potential federal SEC filing, Plowman said that she hasn't been in the loop on the specific legal conversations regarding options. There's been considerable speculation in the legal community that the SEC may follow a similar path of a federal first-amendment suit following that the Big 12 did to catalyze an end to the saga around Brendan Sorsby's eligibility.She said the 15 SEC presidents and chancellors have been "on and off Zooms" chatting about options among themselves."It's a really serious matter," Plowman said. "We are highly engaged and we will continue to do so until we have more information."Plowman ended the conversation with ESPN with a twinge of emotion. She said she was at Tennessee's stadium on Tuesday and there wasn't the same emotion tied to the start of the season."This should be the time we're excited," she said. "Instead, we have this ridiculous confusions and sense of chaos. It's kind of sad, to be honest."ESPN's Dan Murphy contributed to this report.
