Carl Pelini files defamation suit over drug use allegations
Former Florida Atlantic head coach Carl Pelini has filed a lawsuit against the coach who he claims cost him his job.
Pelini, who joined his brother Bo’s staff at Youngstown State last week, filed a defamation lawsuit in Seneca County, Ohio, against Matt Edwards, the former FAU assistant who alleged that Pelini used drugs, which led to his resignation in October 2013.
According to SI.com, the lawsuit was filed on Monday.
In Carl Pelini’s lawsuit filed Monday against Matt Edwards, now the defensive coordinator at Tiffin (Ohio) University, Pelini alleges that Edwards knowingly signed an affidavit that was false and that Edwards also made verbal statements that caused "injury, harm, damage to reputation and other damage to [Pelini] as a result of these false statements." Pelini is seeking damages in excess of $25,000. In October 2013 Edwards provided an affidavit to Florida Atlantic officials alleging that he had observed Carl Pelini use marijuana and cocaine, claims Pelini has denied emphatically.
Pelini said he did not want a potential lawsuit to get in the way of job opportunities, so he waited until he was employed to proceed.
“It’s been a very frustrating time,” Pelini said. “An embarrassing time. There’s a lot of false information and misinformation out there. Everybody seems to have a theory as to what happened. I feel like this is going to be an opportunity for me to go under oath and state the facts as they really happened.”
Bo Pelini told SI.com that his brother “passed three drug tests” after he was accused of using drugs and that Youngstown State did its “due diligence” before Carl was hired.
Florida Atlantic investigated Carl Pelini’s alleged drug use and did not accept his resignation. Instead, the school said he was terminated because he “failed to timely report certain conduct of a member of your staff, as required under your contract” when another staff member was also accused of drug use.
Carl Pelini hasn’t coached since his tenure at Florida Atlantic ended and most recently taught English composition at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Neb. Before becoming head coach at FAU (where he was 5-15 in two seasons), Carl Pelini was defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Nebraska for four seasons under his brother.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
