Lane Kiffin and LSU, including Tigers hoops coach Will Wade, have set an unpopular precedent that players who spend time with a professional team should still be able to return to college sports if they were part of the 2022 high school recruiting class and haven't signed a pro contract. Former Auburn receiver Anthony Schwartz does not agree.
Schwartz weighed in on X on Wednesday, condemning the gross college football-to-NFL-to-college football and college basketball-to-NBA-to-college basketball pipelines that recent LSU players across both sports, like tight end Dae'Quan Wright, defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, and wing RJ Luis, took to return to college.
"If you signed an NFL contract of any kind you should not be allowed to go back and play college ball," Schwartz said.
Wright spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. Harris spent time with the New Orleans Saints. Luis spent time with the Boston Celtics' G League affiliate in Maine. What are we doing here?
Big Ten shuts down college football-to-NFL-to-college football pipeline
One Power 2 conference has shut down the football side of this blurred line between collegiate and pro competition.
"The Big Ten is expected to pass a rule Tuesday that forbids players from returning from the NFL to play for a Big Ten program, according to ESPN. If a player has declared for the NFL Draft, appeared on an NFL roster or signed a contract with a professional football league, their return to the Big Ten is prohibited," CBS Sports' Brad Crawford relayed.
"Sources confirmed to CBS Sports' Richard Johnson that the league and its athletic directors are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss player eligibility."
The SEC is currently meeting in Birmingham. The expectation is that the conference will follow suit, but we won't know until Greg Sankey weighs in with a ruling.
College sports is quickly becoming the minor leagues
Players moving between the pros and college sports like they're being moved from the majors to AAA ball has radically transformed the sports landscape. There's more money and opportunity for the players, which is a good thing.
Still, it's probably gotten to a point where there are clear competitive advantages for these players who get time in a pro organization that shouldn't be allowed. There needs to be some integrity left in college sports, even as amateurism and the concept of a "student-athlete" have become a thing of the past.
We'll see if Sankey backs Tony Petitti to bring back some sort of normalcy to the highest levels of college sports. The alternative is already starting to feel disorienting.
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