Thanks to the players who decided to make a U-turn to college football, the sport is drawing quite the backlash. But Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is standing like a strong wall, pushing for their hassle-free return and, in the process, calling out whoever tries to be a problem, including Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. 

“Calling them “NFL players” is at best disingenuous, and at worst intentionally deceptive @AGAlanWilson & @Georgia_AG,” Governor Landry wrote on X on September 3. “They are not professional football players circling back after years in the NFL. They are college players who were told, by the NCAA, that they were done. So they took the only door that was open—only to watch the NCAA change the lock behind them.”

A group of athletes from the class of 2022 is fighting the NCAA to try and return for another year of eligibility, now that the limit has been increased to five years and redshirt years removed. Players like Dae’Quan Wright and Jack Pyburn, who were part of the lawsuit, have been waived by their respective NFL teams, which they had joined only this year. Wright had also entered the transfer portal, and has agreement in place with LSU.

One of the biggest developments came in late July, when a Colorado federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in a class-action lawsuit filed by former Colorado basketball player Brock Wisne, which potentially allowed pro athletes to return to college. However, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the NCAA a stay, temporarily halting the lower court’s ruling.

At the center of this drama are the LSU Tigers, who are pursuing Wright in particular. Head coach Lane Kiffin continues to voice his support for these players despite the SEC stepping into the chaos and ruling these players ineligible. Georgia AG Chris Carr urged SEC commissioner Greg Sankey to take firm action against SEC rival LSU Tigers if they open the doors to these players recently cut by the NFL. 

“If LSU does in fact roster one or more pro athletes or demonstrates concrete plans to do so, we would strongly encourage the SEC to take all measures available to address this conduct, up to and including suspending and/or removing LSU from the Conference,” Carr wrote.

According to Kiffin, Wright has begun practicing with the LSU team already. The head coach has never wavered in his stance on recruiting these players.

“Even if it’s a couple players that don’t even start, if it makes your team better and it’s legal to do and your players want it, I’ll take the hit publicly for it,” Coach Kiffin said recently. “Because that’s my job, I told you guys when I got here. My job is not for other schools, for other people.”

Per On3, the SEC has filed a lawsuit against LSU, requesting the court to “enter a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting Defendants from violating the Conference’s First Amendment rights by compelling the Conference to associate with conduct that is contrary to the Conference’s purpose and mission.”

All depends on whatever decision is made by the judge at the preliminary injunction hearing in Baton Rouge.