Phenix City, Ala. mayor Eddie Lowe has long had a speaker in mind for his annual education and charity ball, but the NCAA won’t let it happen.

Lowe told Jordan D. Hill of The Ledger-Enquirer that the NCAA won’t allow LSU coach Ed Orgeron to speak at the event, citing the potential for it to be used for recruiting.

“Because we have ‘education’ in our name and we give scholarships, they said he could not go and speak,” Lowe said. “In their view, they think it’s a platform for recruiting, so they will not allow him to do it.”

Lowe said both parties gave it their best shot.

“We talked to Coach O last Wednesday,” Lowe said. “He pushed it, we pushed it, but the NCAA had the final say so. We’re not going to do anything to jeopardize his program as far as penalties, because that would have happened. He was apologetic and hated it to the highest. He really wanted to be here, but it did not work out.”

The connection between Lowe and Orgeron is LSU assistant coach Tommie Robinson, the mayor’s brother-in-law. Orgeron hired Robinson as LSU’s new running backs coach this offseason.

According to Hill, The Phenix City’s Mayor’s Annual Education and Charity Ball was created to offer scholarships and help the less fortunate. The ball is looking to raise $100,000 this year, and has topped every previous goal set.

In place of Orgeron, the attendees will hear from former Tiger and current SEC Network analyst Booger McFarland. Tickets for the event, which has moved across the state line to Columbus, Ga. due to an increase in attendees, are $85.