Former LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles has filed a lawsuit against Louisiana State University over its decision to vacate 37 of his teams' victories between 2012 and 2015. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Baton Rouge, alleges that LSU did not provide Miles with an opportunity to defend himself before significantly altering his career record, which now disqualifies him from consideration for the College Football Hall of Fame.
The vacating of victories was a result of an NCAA ruling that former Tigers offensive lineman Vadal Alexander had received financial benefits that violated NCAA rules during his time at LSU. This decision led to Miles' official career record being changed from 145-73 to 108-73, falling below the .600 win percentage required for Hall of Fame eligibility.
The lawsuit also implicates the NCAA and the College Football Hall of Fame as defendants, demanding the reinstatement of the vacated victories to Miles' coaching record. LSU has refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation, while the other defendants have yet to respond to the lawsuit.
Miles' lawyer criticized LSU's decision to vacate the victories, attributing it to the university's attempt to mitigate NCAA sanctions related to violations in other sports programs, particularly men's basketball. The lawsuit argues that Miles should not be held accountable for violations that did not involve him directly.
Notably, the specific violation that led to the vacated victories was related to a booster providing cash to Alexander's father for a no-show hospital job. The NCAA did not find Miles responsible for this violation, as the booster was not affiliated with LSU's football program.
Les Miles, who was fired by LSU in 2016 with a record of 114-34, also coached at Oklahoma State and Kansas. His tenure at Kansas ended in 2020 following allegations of misconduct involving female students during his time at LSU.
As the legal battle unfolds, the football community awaits the resolution of this dispute that has cast a shadow over the coaching career of a national championship-winning coach.
