Thursday’s NCAA infractions ruling against the LSU football program includes nullifying its 37-win streak under former head coach Les Miles. Because the penalty reduces Miles’ official career record from 145-73 (. 665) to 108-73 (. 597), the former national championship coach no longer meets the . 600 career winning percentage needed to qualify for the College Football Hall of Fame.
The NCAA sanctions stem from a scandal involving former offensive lineman Vadal Alexander, who played for the Tigers from 2012 to 2015. Alexander was retroactively rendered ineligible because his father received $180,150 from a supporter who misappropriated money from Baton Rouge Children’s Hospital.
LSU previously imposed postseason bans and scholarship cuts in 2020. Additional punishment came Thursday by the resolution of the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Resolution Committee case that focused primarily on former men’s basketball coach Will Wade.
According to College Football Hall of Fame criteria, a coach becomes eligible for selection after three years of retirement or at age 70, after he has coached for at least 10 years and 100 games with a . 600 winning percentage. The Hall recognizes the NCAA’s official record for a coach.
Miles, 69, has been out of coaching since 2021, when Kansas parted ways with him following allegations of sexual misconduct while at LSU.
Miles coached for four seasons at Oklahoma State before transferring to LSU, where he spent 12 seasons, winning a national title in 2007 and playing another season in 2011. He won at least 10 games in seven of his first nine seasons and produced five season-highs. 10 teams.
However, in 2021, an investigation commissioned by the university uncovered previously unreported allegations of sexual harassment against Miles by a student assistant. Joe Alieva, LSU’s athletic director at the time, recommended to the LSU president and board in 2013 to terminate Miles, but he was allowed to keep his job. LSU fired Miles in September 2016 after a 2-2 start.
Miles was at the time at Kansas, going 3-18 in two seasons. The school and Miles part ways after LSU’s report is made public.
(Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)