Les Miles denies SI report of cheating at Oklahoma State, reiterates “this thing was done right”
LSU coach Les Miles re-emphasized Wednesday that during his tenure at Oklahoma State that things were done "right" during his turn during the SEC teleconference.
Miles was addressing the five-part series by Sports Illustrated about alleged improprieties at Oklahoma State while he was the coach there. On Wednesday, SI released the second part of the five-part series, the section that focuses on academics. SI interviewed 12 players who alleged academic misconduct from 2000-2011.
When asked, Miles echoed what he had said after LSU's win Saturday against UAB, and that he would withhold further comment after defending his program.
"I revered my time in Stillwater, The idea that someone would characterize the program that was run there as anything but right and correct . . .did we work hard? You betcha," Miles said. "Did we make tough decisions about starting lineups? You betcha. But every guy was encouraged to get his degree, stay the course and fight."
"I can tell you that people that were commenting on the state of the program weren't there long enough to figure it out. They heard me tell them attend class, do the right things and heard me routinely. I'm going to withhold further comment. I can tell you that staff, family and friends, anybody that sat in our meeting rooms, knew that this thing was done right. I want to withhold further comment to get my team ready to play against a quality Kent State. That's my push."
Wednesday's part says that Miles would say "academics first" while holding up two fingers and "football second" while holding up one, something Miles said to SI was done in humor.
It also reports that according to former safety Victor Johnson and an assistant coach, former OSU WR and current Dallas Cowboy Dez Bryant wouldn't go to class unless he was "shepherded, often by a football staff member" and that tutors did a lot of his schoolwork.
Before last season, Bryant was reported to have been given a number of restrictions by the Cowboys, including a midnight curfew.
According to the Tulsa World, nine of the 12 players quoted "either were kicked out of school, dismissed from the program, transferred for playing time issues or just quit. Of those, several had criminal records."
Many former players -- as well as T. Boone Pickens -- have come out in defense of Oklahoma State. Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden called the article "comical."
