If you’re a pro athlete who wants to go back to college and play in the SEC, think again.The conference that has dominated college football for most of this century is putting its foot down with some draconian punishments for any professional athlete in football or basketball who wants to don a uniform in the SEC.Officials in the conference are poised to reveal several penalties for its member schools that try to sign former pro athletes, according to Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde.The head coach of a program that brings on a former professional? They would be suspended for half of their team’s season.Programs who bring on ex-pros? They’ll be issued a financial fine that would equal 50 percent of the sport’s entire budget.SEC schools who sign ex-pros and want to vote on conference business matters? Their vote will be revoked.Last but not least, the conference commissioner “has latitude to apply other sanctions” to such programs.Football isn’t the only sport covered by the prospective punishment, as men’s basketball players in the NBA and women’s basketball players in the WNBA are also mentioned.What the SEC is reacting toIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIt’s the latest twist in college football’s newest chaos, following a decision by a Louisiana judge to grant a temporary restraining order against the NCAA and allow some football players who were on NFL rosters this preseason to take part in a fifth year of eligibility.Including especially in the SEC, as former Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright revealed he had a plan in place to sign with LSU if he cleared NFL waivers this preseason. Wright is believed to be the first player who suited up in the NFL to return to college football.Despite a whirlwind of negative reaction from critics and fans around the development, LSU head coach Lane Kiffin defended the approach, noting court orders applied broadly and that multiple schools had interest in the player.But the SEC’s reported forthcoming punishments would effectively block former NFL players that LSU or other schools targeted from competing on the field this season, at least under current conference policy. Playing them would expose the schools to severe institutional penalties.Conferences quickly create new rulesUSA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectIn the midst of the confusion, the Big Ten intervened, unanimously banning players who had declared for the NFL Draft without withdrawing their name, signed professional contracts, or appeared on pro rosters, pairing the rule with coach suspensions and institutional fines.The SEC followed with a broader policy in a reported 16-0 vote, covering football and basketball, authorizing commissioner Greg Sankey to enforce the rule aggressively. Other conferences like the ACC and Big 12 have signaled similar intent.As of right now, it remains unclear if Kiffin or LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade will pursue former pro players in violation of the SEC’s new rule, if they’ll wait for courts to decide the matter, or if they’ll comply with the rule and not sign the prospects.The episode underscores college football’s latest anarchy. Eligibility rules seem to shift constantly, lawsuits multiply across the country, and conferences then have to race to impose their own rules while the NCAA’s seeming authority gets lost in the shuffle.(Forde)Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow