Wearing an LSU visor and a light purple shirt with an LSU logo, h Gov. Jeff Landry took to Fox News on Thursday to blast the Southeastern Conference for against the state’s flagship university.
“What the SEC is doing — it’s ridiculous,” Landry told America Reports host Sandra Smith.
“The SEC sued us,” Landry continued. “It’s extremely dangerous for Greg Sankey and them to continue this.”
Landry argued the SEC doesn’t have a right to sue LSU officials on First Amendment grounds, which underpin the claims in the lawsuit the conference filed in federal court in Alabama last week against a slew of university and state officials, including football coach Lane Kiffin.
The h governor also argued it is impractical — as well as legally and financially risky — to kick a member school out of the league, which the SEC in legal filings said was under serious consideration. The league’s threats to boot LSU after LSU chose not to add two players’ whose eligibility was in question to its football roster.
Kicking a school out of the conference could open the door to lawsuits by student athletes against member schools, Landry said.
“In today’s world, that’s extremely complicated with media rights, with media contacts, and then with NIL also looming over college sports,” he said. “We don’t want to infect this thing with litigation that costs universities hundreds if not billions of dollars worth of liabilities.”
Landry also bemoaned the SEC’s focus on , Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, contending that many other schools have also recruited former pros.
“All of a sudden Lane has a discussion with those two players and it becomes a big deal. This is about LSU, and it’s dangerous,” he said. “It’s just stupid. It’s time to just go play football.”