Les Miles, the former LSU Tigers coach who led the team to a national championship in 2007, has filed a lawsuit against LSU, the NCAA, and the College Football Hall of Fame. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Baton Rouge, challenges LSU’s decision to vacate 37 of his team’s victories from 2012 to 2015. Miles alleges that LSU did not provide him with an opportunity to defend himself before making a decision that significantly impacted his coaching record, preventing him from being considered for the College Football Hall of Fame.
The vacating of victories was based on an NCAA ruling that a former LSU player, Vadal Alexander, had received improper financial benefits during his time at the university. Miles argues that LSU’s actions were an attempt to mitigate broader NCAA violations, particularly those involving the men’s basketball program under coach Will Wade, which were unrelated to his tenure as football coach.
Miles’ lawyer, Peter Ginsberg, criticizes LSU’s decision as unjust and self-imposed punishment, highlighting that the NCAA did not attribute any responsibility to Miles for the violations that occurred during his tenure. The lawsuit demands the reinstatement of the vacated victories to Miles’ coaching record, emphasizing that a .600 career win percentage is required for eligibility into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Miles, who was fired by LSU in 2016 and subsequently coached at Oklahoma State and Kansas, where he was later dismissed due to misconduct allegations, contends that LSU’s actions were unfair and irrational. The lawsuit underscores the lack of involvement by Miles in the violations that led to the vacating of victories, positioning his case as a matter of procedural fairness and reputational damage caused by LSU’s actions.
