Nick Saban has watched college football change in ways that would have sounded ridiculous a decade ago. The transfer portal, NIL money, and a game that looks a lot more like professional sports. But there is one development the retired coach still finds hard to wrap his head around. And that’s former NFL players returning to college football.

Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Nick Saban called the idea “unfathomable” while discussing LSU’s legal fight with the SEC.

“Five or 10 years ago, it was not even anything that could ever be a thought in your mind that a pro player would come back and play college football,” he said. “It was unfathomable.”

Then he turned his attention toward Lane Kiffin and LSU. “If I was LSU, I’d be very careful about how I proceed here,” he said. 

Nick Saban’s warning came just after a Louisiana judge sided with LSU. The ruling lets the Tigers keep working on deals for former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris without the SEC stepping in for now. It’s a big break for Lane Kiffin. But the SEC fight is far from over. The concern is what happens after the courtroom celebration. He stresses that taking this legal battle too far could backfire terribly on LSU in the long run.

“They may win this case in Louisiana, but if people keep appealing it, it may get changed down the road, and they may have consequences relative to that,” he said. “So, sometimes you can win, but also lose in the end.”

Winning today doesn’t necessarily mean winning later. The SEC unanimously adopted a rule prohibiting former professional athletes from competing in the conference. LSU has challenged that position, as lawsuits around additional eligibility continue to create openings for players who otherwise would have exhausted their college careers.

The SEC responded with its own lawsuit against LSU, Lane Kiffin, and other school officials. The conference argues that the Tigers deliberately recruited former professionals despite the league’s rule and wants the court to prevent the school from forcing the SEC to accept that arrangement.

While LSU is stepping into uncharted territory by opening its doors to ex-pros, they are not completely alone in court. Across the country, over three hundred college athletes have used similar injunctions to gain extra years of playing time. But LSU is pushing the line further than anyone else by challenging its own conference rules to get former NFL players onto a Saturday field.

Lane Kiffin, for his part, has said LSU will follow the rules. The problem is that the rules are now being fought over in court. And LSU isn’t standing still while that gets sorted out. Wright and Harris have been practicing with the Tigers as LSU works through the eligibility battle. 

Now, there could be another former professional joining the conversation. Former Utah DB Blake Cotton has reportedly drawn LSU’s interest after being released by the Denver Broncos in August. His eligibility remains unresolved.

Meanwhile, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has urged the SEC to consider “all measures available” if LSU allows former professionals to play, including suspension or expulsion. Other SEC programs have reportedly discussed further legal action. The conference has said it will comply with the court order while continuing to fight the case. But Nick Saban’s warning hangs over all of this.

“We have all kinds of issues that need to be addressed, and I think antitrust legislation and making it law from a federal standpoint is the only way that you can do that,” he said.

LSU won Thursday’s battle. But Nick Saban made it clear. What’s the point of winning the battle when you lose the war in the end?