Former LSU head football coach Les Miles has filed a lawsuit against the university, claiming that vacated wins from 2012-2015 are preventing him from being considered for the College Football Hall of Fame. The lawsuit alleges that the removal of 37 wins from his record has dropped his winning percentage below the .600 threshold required for consideration for induction into the Hall of Fame. Both the NCAA and the National Football Foundation, which oversee the Hall of Fame, are named as defendants in the suit.
The vacated wins in question were the result of a Level I recruiting violation that occurred in 2012 while Miles was the head coach at LSU. The violation involved a representative of the Tigers athletics program paying the father of a prospective athlete over $180,000 in an embezzlement scheme. As a result of the NCAA investigation, LSU self-imposed the vacation of the wins, which has had a significant impact on Miles’ coaching record. The lawsuit accuses the university of prematurely imposing the punishment and denying Miles the opportunity to defend himself.
Miles, who had a successful tenure at LSU that included a national championship in 2007, would have been eligible for the Hall of Fame last November when he turned 70 years old. However, no Division I school where he coached, including LSU, has nominated him for induction. With his overall record currently below the necessary threshold, Miles is seeking to have his wins reinstated to regain eligibility for the Hall of Fame. Despite a successful tenure at LSU, Miles struggled during his time at Kansas, where he went 3-18 over two seasons.
Miles began his head coaching career in Division I college football in 2001 with Oklahoma State, where he had a record of 28-21 over his first four seasons. He then moved to LSU in 2005, where he achieved considerable success, including two appearances in the BCS Championship game and a national title in 2007. However, due to the vacated wins, only 77 of his 114 wins at LSU currently count towards his official record. Miles’ lawsuit seeks to rectify the situation and restore his eligibility for the Hall of Fame, which he believes is being unjustly denied to him.
The lawsuit claims that Miles, who is considered one of the most esteemed college football coaches in the history of Louisiana, was unfairly stripped of his eligibility for the Hall of Fame without being given an opportunity to present his case. By challenging the vacating of his wins and seeking a remedy for the damage done to his reputation, Miles hopes to clear his name and regain his standing as a potential Hall of Fame candidate. The outcome of the lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for the consideration of coaches who have had wins vacated due to NCAA violations.
