NOTE: There are few rules on this site, but I am about to break one of our most sacred by linking to things written by the LSU beat writer from the fictional town of Gannett, Louisiana. I sincerely apologize for any distress I may cause.
As we told you last week, LSU is cooperating with the NCAA's now nationwide investigation into all matters concerning former recruiting scout and current Spec's employee Willie Lyles. While Mr. Lyles' dealings with Oregon are the big headline grabber, the information so far released by his other 2 clients last year, LSU and Cal, have only proven that Lyles didn't run the greatest of scouting services in his first year as a solo businessman.
As part of LSU's cooperation with the NCAA's investigation, LSU can not discuss the matter further until the investigation is complete. This is standard practice for all ongoing NCAA investigations. Until the matter is settled, you can expect no comment from any of the schools involved without the NCAAs consent.
But that hasn't stopped our favorite beat writer from trying to paint the impending doom and gloom headed to Baton Rouge. Mr. G has been quite busy the last few days posting the same story for the Northeastern and Northwestern Louisiana papers of record and has even gotten himself into the USA Today (and fooled SB Nation's own beat writers), with a tone that paints LSU as a program out of control, entering another investigation just as a previous one is ending.
The truth, of course, is that in Les Miles' now 7 years as head coach there has been only one significant incident, the violations tied to former coach DJ McCarthy and Akiem Hicks. In that matter, as they are in the current Lyles matter, LSU was upfront and candid with the NCAA during it's internal investigation and immediately took steps to remove the offending coach and player from the program and begin self imposed penalties (penalties that are giving us a significant roster problem this year). Under Les MIles, The Most Compliant Program in The World has worked with the NCAA every step of the way, in stark contrast to the coverups at other programs that are now feeling the wrath of the newly awakened NCAA enforcement division.
The point is, LSU is in no worse or better shape than it was at this time last week. The NCAA is looking into all 3 schools Lyles had dealings with and LSU is one of those schools. Until they get to the bottom of just what Lyles was doing, the NCAA will be asking question and requesting documentation until they are satisfied. As long as the department is forthcoming with the information requested and cooperative in interview requests, there's nothing to worry about. According to Coach Miles, LSU is doing just that:
I think it's fundamental. I think it's necessary. We're going to comply. We're going to be very cooperative. That's really all I can say.