Why Les Miles is suing LSU, NCAA over College Football Hall of Fame case

Former LSU coach Les Miles is suing his former employer over the vacating of wins due to NCAA infractions that occurred at the end of his tenure.

Miles’ lawsuit argues that LSU deprived him of property rights connected to his vacated wins and his potential induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a coach needs a winning percentage of at least .600. Without the vacated wins, Miles’ career winning percentage falls to .597, making him ineligible.

Miles has also included the NCAA and the National Football Foundation, which oversees the College Football Hall of Fame, in his lawsuit.

 

Why did LSU vacate wins?

Former LSU coach Les Miles is suing his former employer over vacated wins resulting from NCAA infractions tied to impermissible benefits given to the father of offensive lineman Vadal Alexander.

LSU vacated wins from 2012 to 2015 after it was revealed that James Alexander, Vadal Alexander’s father, received $180,000 from LSU booster John Paul Funes. According to The Baton Rouge Advocate, the money had been stolen from the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation, part of a children’s hospital in Baton Rouge. Funes, who was in charge of the foundation, admitted to embezzling $550,000.

Due to these impermissible benefits, Vadal Alexander was retroactively declared ineligible, leading to the vacating of all LSU wins during his time on the team. These penalties were part of broader sanctions imposed on LSU’s football and men’s basketball programs by the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Resolution Process, which the school accepted.

Miles’ lawsuit argues that LSU deprived him of property rights associated with his vacated wins and the potential to be nominated for the College Football Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame requires a winning percentage of at least .600 for eligibility, but the vacated wins dropped Miles’ career winning percentage to .597.

Additionally, Miles claims that LSU’s decision not to provide him with due process was made in agreement with the NCAA. This, he alleges, was part of LSU’s negotiations with the NCAA to avoid more severe penalties that could have been imposed on the school’s athletics program.

Miles is also suing the NCAA and the National Football Foundation, which manages the College Football Hall of Fame, as part of his legal battle. His lawsuit seeks to restore the vacated wins and his eligibility for the Hall of Fame.

 

 

How many wins did LSU vacate when Les Miles was coach?

Les Miles’ coaching career has been significantly affected by LSU’s decision to vacate 37 wins from his tenure, stemming from NCAA violations related to impermissible benefits given to Vadal Alexander’s father. This action has had profound implications for Miles, especially concerning his eligibility for the College Football Hall of Fame.

Between 2012 and 2015, LSU’s football program accrued a record of 37 wins and 12 losses, including two consecutive 10-3 seasons during Vadal Alexander’s early years with the team. While these wins were nullified, Miles’ 12 losses from that period still stand, dropping his career winning percentage below the critical .600 mark required for Hall of Fame consideration.