Goodman: Lane Kiffin spits in the face of college football

This is an opinion column.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the SEC’s leadership is powerless to stop Lane Kiffin from weaponizing NFL castoffs to bolster his roster. A recent statement from the league’s presidents and chancellors did little to clarify how they intend to block former professionals from infiltrating the college ranks this season.

The Pro-College Pipeline

The SEC made its stance known on Monday, stating, "College athletes, not former professional athletes, have been at the heart of the Southeastern Conference." The league argued that allowing pros to return blurs the lines of competition and diminishes opportunities for current student-athletes. However, pinning hopes on the "Protect College Sports Act" feels like a long shot at best. If federal intervention is the only barrier, the arrival of a "College Football Super League" may be closer than anyone anticipated.

The NCAA is essentially toothless, and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey finds himself without the leverage to stop the trend. With the recent NCAA ruling granting five years of eligibility to the freshman class of 2023, athletes who entered the pros after their 2022 freshman season are now aggressively litigating for a return to campus. This has opened a door that coaches like Kiffin are more than happy to walk through.

Escalation in the SEC

LSU is already looking to use court injunctions to add as many as five former pros to its roster. Among those is 6-8, 330-pound defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, who was recently waived by the Saints. It creates a massive competitive disparity when 23-year-old former pros line up against true freshmen like Tennessee’s Faizon Brandon.

As Kiffin continues to push these boundaries, rivals like Alabama and Auburn must adapt or fall behind. With high-stakes TV contracts and revenue on the line, boycotting games is not an option. Kalen DeBoer acknowledged Monday that Alabama is already considering adding players to its own roster, and if the Tide want to stay competitive, they need to start scouring NFL practice squads immediately.

The Saban Standard

In these volatile times, one has to wonder: What would Nick Saban do? While the legendary coach might publicly denounce the presence of pros in college, those who know him understand that he would be on the phone today, leveraging every possible loophole to secure the best talent available. Kiffin, who learned under the best, is simply applying that ruthless, advantage-seeking philosophy to a new era.

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