Les Miles Files Lawsuit Against LSU Over Vacated Wins

The NCAA wiped 37 wins from Miles' LSU tenure, affecting his candidacy for the College Football Hall of Fame.

Dec 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles holds the Texas Bowl trophy after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 56-27 at NRG Stadium. / Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

On Monday, longtime college football coach Les Miles filed a lawsuit against LSU, the NCAA, and the National Football Foundation (which manages the College Football Hall of Fame) over sanctions imposed last June that wiped away dozens of his wins at the university.

Miles, who coached at LSU for a decade and won a national title with the Tigers in 2007, lost 37 wins between 2012 and 2015 as the result of an investigation into illegal payments made to former LSU defensive tackle Vadal Alexander's father. The resulting drop in Miles' win percentage put him below the required threshold for the College Football Hall of Fame. He currently sits at 108-73 (.597), a hair below the .600 bar for entry.

As a result the coach is now suing the school, the NCAA, and the organization that manages the Hall of Fame. The first page of his complaint claims the defendants stripped Miles of his Hall of Fame eligibility "without an opportunity to be heard."

Former LSU coach Les Miles today filed a lawsuit against LSU, alleging the school's decision to vacate the wins his teams attained cost him the chance for College Football Hall of Fame qualification. News release called it "an irrational and unfair self-inflicted punishment."

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) June 17, 2024

Miles was hired by LSU in 2005 and ran the school's football program until September of 2016, when he was fired following a 2-2 start to that season. During his time with the Tigers, he won the national title in 2007 as well as two SEC championships. In 2011 he was named the AP's College Football Coach of the Year after leading LSU to an undefeated season. All in all Miles went 77-34 with LSU.

Miles last coached the Kansas Jayhawks in 2019 and 2020, going 3-18 over two seasons. He was placed on administrative leave and the school eventually bought out his contract in 2021.