Former LSU football coach Les Miles was put on administrative leave for his coaching job at the University of Kansas on Friday after a report released that day showed a pattern of “inappropriate behavior” with sex students female at LSU.
Kansas sports director Jeff Long announced in a statement late on Friday that Miles was placed on administrative leave “while we conduct a thorough review to determine the next appropriate steps”.
No timetable was provided for when a final decision would be made, and Long noted that Kansas officials have only been able to access reports on the charges against Miles in the past two days.
“Even though the allegations against him took place at LSU, we take these issues very seriously at KU,” said Long in the statement. “Now that we have access to this information, it will take us the next few days to completely review the material and see if any additional information is available. I don’t want to speculate on a timeline for our review because it is imperative that we do our due diligence. We will be able to comment further when our review is completed. ”
In the report by the law firm Husch Blackwell that was commissioned by LSU, former LSU athletic director Joe Alleva recommended firing Miles in 2013 because of allegations of sexual harassment.
The months-long investigation led to several personnel and policy changes at LSU. Acting President Tom Galligan announced Friday morning that the university is suspending unpaid executive vice director of sports, Verge Ausberry, and senior associate sports director, Miriam Segar, based on the findings.
The analysis also revealed that Miles had been investigated by the Taylor Porter law firm hired by LSU in 2013, as recent news revealed. The company found emails that showed that Alleva, the highest-ranking official in the sports department, thought Miles should be fired based on this investigation.
Miles had been accused of kissing a student twice, “unwanted touch”, telling her that he was attracted to her and suggesting that they go together to a hotel or condo. Miles repeatedly denied kissing the student or any other inappropriate behavior. Some of the other allegations in Taylor Porter’s investigation remain secret; they are completely written.
Several LSU sports department officials also told Taylor Porter that Miles insisted that LSU hire “attractive, blond and fit” female students to work on recruitment. Miles ended up being banned from having individual meetings or interactions with student staff.
But Alleva’s recommendation to fire Miles – who was flying high at the time and had just received a new six-year contract – did not work. The coach was fired not for bad conduct, but for disappointing results on the pitch, at the beginning of the 2016 season.
In 2013, his supervisors instructed him to stop texting, calling and sending messages to student staff. LSU also ordered the coach to stop hiring female students to look after their children and to stop being alone with them. He was also required to attend eight one-hour sessions that he had to pay for and to appear with a lawyer.
But Alleva, who was ousted by LSU in 2019, made it clear that he thought there should be greater consequences.
“I think the continuity of his job needs to be taken seriously,” Alleva wrote in an email to former LSU Chancellor William Jenkins on April 19, 2013. “When reviewing the use of a secret personal phone, the messages text, the fact that I had already advised him against such behavior, the night meeting off campus, etc. that worries me a lot about the future. “
Husch Blackwell investigators were unable to locate a response to that email. Alleva did not return messages for several weeks.
Alleva also sent an email to former LSU president F. King Alexander on June 21, 2013, in which he said he believed people were “innocent until proven guilty”, but “in this case, I I believe that (Miles) is guilty of insubordination, inappropriate behavior, putting the university, athletics department and football program at great risk.
“I think we have a reason,” added Alleva. “I specifically told him not to text, call or be alone with any student worker and he obviously didn’t listen. I know there are many possible outcomes and many risks anyway, but I believe it is in the long-term interest to run. to take a break. “
Husch Blackwell investigators were also unable to find an answer to that email.