LSU's Lane Kiffin addresses roster decision ahead of Clemson matchup

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

'That wasn't easy': LSU's Lane Kiffin addresses roster decision ahead of Clemson matchup

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Sep 5, 2026 12:44 PM ET

Lane Kiffin's tenure with the LSU Tigers got off to a controversial start, so it only made sense that he made the rounds for anything other than his team's performance before Week 1.

The Tigers infamously tried to add multiple players who had participated in NFL training camps to their roster.

Unsurprisingly, this move prompted some serious backlash and even legal action, so Kiffin ultimately chose not to include them on the roster before the season opener.

And instead of just waiting for this story to go away, the former Ole Miss head coach attacked it right away, addressing how tough it was to leave them off the roster.

Lane Kiffin opens up on leaving NFL players off LSU's roster

"That wasn't easy. As much as I feel for the players, at the same time, I'm the head coach at LSU, and I had to make a decision for the bigger picture of LSU, considering the uncertainties of what could happen by adding them to the roster," Kiffin said on "College GameDay."

"That wasn't easy. As much as I feel for the players ... I had to make a decision that is for the big picture of LSU."

Lane Kiffin on the decision to not roster Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris for today's game against Clemson. pic.twitter.com/iPVHJTYoav
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 5, 2026

The Tigers brought back players who were on NFL teams' roster bubbles in TE Dae'Quan Wright (Cleveland Browns) and DT Zxavian Harris (New Orleans Saints).

Not only would that set a dangerous precedent for other programs, but it would've also been a gut punch to actual college athletes who've been working tirelessly to make the roster.

This story won't go away any time soon, but for now at least, it looks like Kiffin and the Tigers won't play pros against fellow college athletes.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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