GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU will be without projected starting safety A.J. Haulcy, one of the best players in its No. 1-ranked NCAA Transfer Portal class, for the season opener at No. 4 Clemson Saturday, if NCAA Rule 5.1b on ejections for fighting is followed.
Haulcy was ejected from Houston’s 30-18 loss in its season finale at Brigham Young in a Big 12 game on Nov. 30, 2024, apparently for fighting as was BYU wide receiver Darius Lassiter (No. 5) with 2:52 to play in the game. Haulcy (No. 2) can be seen obviously swinging and landing punches in the game video.
NCAA Rule 5.1b states if a player is ejected for fighting in the second half of a game, that player must serve a first-half suspension in the next game in which they are eligible. The NCAA makes no exception for that game being the next season or if that play transfers to another school.
“For fighting in the last game of a season, those with remaining eligibility shall serve suspensions during the first game of the next season for which the are eligible,” the NCAA Manual states.
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Houston finished 4-8 in the 2024 season after the loss to BYU. Haulcy since transferred to LSU as the No. 3 safety in the portal for his senior season. No. 9 LSU opens its season at 81,500-seat Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC.
LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette had no comment on Haulcy, but told Tiger Rag that LSU coach Brian Kelly would address Haulcy’s status at his regularly scheduled game-week press conference at 4:45 p.m. Thursday.
LSU was hoping that Haulcy’s ejection was for unsportsmanlike conduct, which does not always carry a suspension for the first half of the next game, even when it happens in the second half of the player’s previous game. Ejections for fighting in the second half of a game, however, automatically carry a suspension for said players in the first half of the next game.
“By rule, fighting in the second half always does mean a suspension of the next half,” NCAA coordinator of officials Steve Shaw told Tiger Rag on Thursday, speaking in general about the rule.
“Unsportsmanlike conduct ejections in a second half can mean a suspension in the first half of the next game, but not necessarily. Conferences can look at that,” Shaw said. “But if it’s fighting, and if it’s designated by the conference as fighting, then that carries the first-half suspension for the next game when the fight happens in the second half.”
Efforts to confirm if the Big 12 Conference designated Haulcy’s ejection for fighting last year were unsuccessful Thursday. Big 12 coordinator of officials Greg Burks did not immediately return a call to Tiger Rag. But if you watch the video, it sure looks like fighting.
But the game official on the microphone at the Houston-BYU game did not say the players were ejected for “fighting,” giving LSU people hope that Haulcy could play the whole game Saturday.
“After the play was over, unsportsmanlike conduct No. 2, Houston (Haulcy),” the official said. “That player is ejected. Unsportsmanlike conduct No. 5, BYU, (Lassiter), that player is also ejected.”
But despite that official’s wording of the penalty, Lassiter served a first-half suspension in BYU’s next game in the Alamo Bowl against Colorado last Dec. 28.
“Yes, A.J. Haulcy was ejected for fighting,” Houston sports information director Fletcher Like clarified to Tiger Rag on Thursday. “So, that would mean he would have to miss the first half of his next game.”
Like was at the game in Provo, Utah, last season.
LSU had feared it may also lose transfer sophomore safety Tamarcus Cooley, another top performer in camp and a projected starter from North Carolina State. Cooley was involved in a fight against East Carolina very late in the Military Bowl last season, and media reports at the time said Cooley was ejected for fighting. That would mean he would have to miss the first half at Clemson on Saturday.
But Southeastern Conference associate commissioner Herb Vincent and the NCAA’s Shaw both told Tiger Rag on Wednesday that Cooley was not ejected from that game. So, Cooley can play the whole game for LSU on Saturday.
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