LSU beginning security A.J. Haulcy will likely be suspended for the primary half of Saturday’s sport at No. 4 Clemson, the NCAA advised ESPN on Thursday.

Haulcy, who transferred to LSU in Could and was thought of one of many prime defensive gamers obtainable within the portal, was suspended for a struggle in his last regular-season sport final 12 months whereas taking part in for Houston.

The information got here as a shock to No. 9 LSU, as crew officers weren’t knowledgeable of the suspension till Wednesday, sources advised ESPN. The suspension leaves LSU and not using a key member of its secondary in a street sport in opposition to Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, one of many nation’s prime quarterbacks.

Haulcy was ejected for his function in a fracas late in Houston’s 30-18 loss to BYU in November.

A couple of components might need led to a few of the ambiguity and confusion across the suspension. Haulcy was initially ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct, a penalty that wouldn’t usually yield a suspension. Nevertheless, officers clarified after the sport that Haulcy was ejected for preventing, which does lead to a suspension.

Houston’s teaching workers was made conscious of the classification of his ejection and the first-half suspension in December 2024 in a proper letter from the NCAA. In accordance with sources, Haulcy says he was not knowledgeable.

Haulcy’s switch to LSU in Can also seems to have prompted some communication points on the suspension, although NCAA guidelines are clear {that a} suspension follows a participant after a switch and there’s no attraction course of.

Clemson completed No. 15 within the nation in cross offense final season and returns Klubnik and a majority of its offensive weapons. LSU’s secondary was a weak spot final 12 months, because the Tigers completed No. 76 nationally in cross protection.