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University of Kansas athletic director Jeff Long is following former football coach Les Miles out the door.
The university has reportedly fired Long, per Brett McMurphy of Stadium.
Jeff Long is out as Kansas’ athletic director, sources told @Stadium. On Monday, football coach Les Miles & KU “mutually agreed” to part ways. Long hired Miles in 2018
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) March 10, 2021
The decision comes after Long failed to adequately answer questions regarding the athletic department's vetting of Miles prior to the former LSU head coach's hiring in 2018.
Miles was implicated for sexual misconduct and abuse in a recent, independent investigation into LSU's reporting — or lack thereof — of incidents. The investigation eventually uncovered Miles' inappropriate behavior as reason for his firing in 2013, though the Tigers failed to take adequate steps in reporting incidents.
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When asked about Kansas' vetting process, Long claimed his department ran “multiple background checks” on Miles.
But Long also said he himself asked Miles whether there were any past incidents that would be troublesome to the university, as if Miles was going to give a straight answer in that regard. Furthermore, Miles himself might not feel there was any wrongdoing in his part, in spite of numerous accusations against him.
#Kansas AD Jeff Long: "We ran multiple background checks on Coach Miles" before hiring him in 2018. He says he directly asked Miles if there was anything in his background that could embarrass the school. Received "no indications" of issues.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) March 9, 2021
Long then alluded to the potential need for a settlement. He was subsequently asked why Miles should be paid at all in light of the allegations against him and the fact he lied to Long during the purported background check. Long's only answer to that was it was “debatable” whether Miles lied.
Asked why Les Miles should be paid at all when he lied in 2018 about having something in his background that could embarrass Kansas, Jeff Long says it's "debatable" whether Miles lied.
Woo boy.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) March 9, 2021
Needless to say, Long was ridiculed for his responses during Tuesday's press conference. It is no surprise he is being shown the door at Kansas after essentially admitting to massive shortcomings in the vetting process.
