Title: LSU Tigers Under Renewed NCAA Scrutiny Amid Past Violations and the Changing NIL Landscape
By CBS News Staff.
April 20, 2025.
The NCAA is once again looking into the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers athletic department, as worries grow over potential Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) infractions and the program’s history of compliance. This fresh focus follows recent punishments imposed on fellow Southeastern teams, the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Longhorns, reflecting the NCAA’s increased emphasis on regulatory compliance in collegiate athletics.
The NCAA’s Independent Resolution Panel (IRP) imposed a three-year probation sentence on LSU’s football program, which expired in June 2023. The sanctions were imposed in response to a number of offences, including a Level I infringement involving a booster who gave a potential athlete’s father $180,150 between 2012 and 2016. As a result, LSU’s 37 wins from the 2012-15 season were annulled, jeopardising former head coach Les Miles’ candidacy for the College Football Hall of Fame.
The program also faced fines for a Level II violation when former LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. delivered around $2,000 in cash to participants on the field following the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship. LSU self-reported the event and issued Beckham a two-year ban from all non-public parts of its facilities.
The men’s basketball program also suffered consequences, with former head coach Will Wade serving a 10-game suspension and a two-year show-cause order for Level I violations. These offences included paying recruits and refusing to comply with NCAA investigators.
While LSU has made steps to resolve previous transgressions, the NCAA’s continuous emphasis on compliance, particularly with regard to NIL activities, puts the program under constant scrutiny. The changing NIL landscape creates new problems for athletic departments, necessitating strong compliance processes to negotiate the complexity of athlete remuneration and recruitment restrictions.
As the NCAA continues to enforce regulations and monitor athletic programs, LSU’s proactive efforts and dedication to compliance may operate as a deterrent to prospective punishments. However, the increased scrutiny following the penalties imposed on Georgia and Texas emphasises the significance of continued attention and adherence to NCAA regulations.