Ted Cruz

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said it is “absolutely the Lane Kiffin Provision” when talking about a Senate bill that prohibits teams from hiring coaches until after the season.

Cruz and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) were both involved in the negotiations as the bill as it related to college athletics.

According to On3, the LSU and former Ole Miss coach’s name is not mentioned in the 111-page bill, but Cruz confirmed the rule is in place because of Kiffin.

“It is absolutely the Lane Kiffin provision,” Cruz said on Andy & Ari On3. “That is how we envisioned it and that’s what we drafted. It says that a university cannot recruit or hire a head coach or an offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, while the season is happening or during the playoffs.”

Cruz said the verbage of the provision is based on NFL rules and guidelines.

“I think what happened with Lane Kiffin was really unfair to the student-athletes,” Cruz said. “It’s not fair, if you’re playing, to suddenly have your coach leave in the middle of the season as you’re going into the playoffs and have your coach go to a competitor. I just think that’s bad for the system.

“It’s enforced by giving enforcement authority to prevent any other school from hiring them or bringing them on board. By the way, you can still compete for coaches. Just don’t do it in the middle of the season and screw up the season for the student-athletes and for the fans.”

The provision not only includes head coaches, but both the offensive and defensive coordinator positions.