LSU athletic director Joe Alleva wanted the school to fire Les Miles three years earlier than it ultimately did.
Alleva's desire to fire Miles in 2013 after sexual harassment accusations against the coach was revealed on Friday in a law firm's report about the school's handling of sexual misconduct allegations. The report was released Friday after the existence of an investigation into Miles' behavior toward female students became public over the last two weeks.
The Husch Blackwell report details an email from Alleva in the summer of 2013 recommending that the school terminate Miles with cause. Firing Miles with cause would have allowed LSU to not pay the coach's buyout.
"Bob and King, thanks for call today ... one more time I want us to think about which scenario is worse for LSU. Explaining why we let him go or explaining why we let him stay. Proactive or reactive ... I always believe that people are innocent until proven guilty and in this case I believe he is guilty of insubordination, inappropriate behavior, putting the university, athletic dept and football program at great risk. I think we have cause. I specifically told him not to text, call or be alone with any student workers and he obviously didn't listen. I know there are many possible outcomes and much risk either way, but I believe it is in the best interest in the long run to make a break. The court of public opinion would favor us. The court room? On July 2nd we will know more but the facts will remain the same ... thanks."
Miles is currently the coach at Kansas. He was hired at KU ahead of the 2019 season after he was fired at LSU following a 2-2 start in 2016. KU athletic director Jeff Long hired Miles after the two worked together at Michigan long before Miles became LSU's head coach.
© Provided by Yahoo! SportsLes Miles was at LSU from 2005-16. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Miles allegedly kissed female student staffer
A 2013 investigation into accusations against Miles investigated an accusation by a female student that Miles kissed her twice and told her she was attractive.
That redacted report had been sealed but became public on Thursday. Miles denied the accusation to investigators and while the firm that made the report ultimately said it couldn't prove that Miles had kissed the student it didn't clear him either.
"Even accepting [Miles'] version of events, it appears that he has shown poor judgment in placing himself (and the student employee) in a situation in which the student employee might be uncomfortable and/or he can be subject to such complaint," the report said.
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