Kansas puts football coach Miles on leave after LSU report

Kansas placed coach Les Miles on administrative leave Friday night, hours after a report released by LSU revealed school officials there considered firing him in 2013 because of his behavior with female student workers.

“Even though the allegations against him occurred at LSU, we take these matters very seriously at KU,” Kansas athletic director Jeff Long said in a statement. “Now that we have access to this information, we will take the coming days to fully review the material and to see if any additional information is available.”

Miles is entering his third year as Kansas coach, and coming off a winless 2020 season. He was coach at LSU for 11-plus years before being fired four games into the 2016 season.

The 67-year-old Miles has denied allegations he made sexual advances toward students and has said he merely sought to serve as a mentor for students who expressed an interest in pursuing careers in sports.

Earlier in the day, LSU released a law firm’s 148-page review of how the university has handled sexual misconduct complaints. Thenathletic director Joe Alleva’s 2013 recommendation to former LSU President F. King Alexander to fire Miles is detailed in the report by the Husch Blackwell law firm. The report offers a scathing view of the resources and attention LSU has dedicated to complaints of sexual misconduct and violence against women campus-wide.

Miles was investigated after two female student workers in LSU’s football program accused the coach of inappropriate behavior.

While that 2013 investigation by the Taylor Porter law firm found Miles showed poor judgment, it did not find violations of law or that he had a sexual relationship with any students.

Washington releases QB Alex Smith

Washington released AP Comeback Player of the Year Alex Smith, a move that was expected but still provides a cold ending to the veteran quarterback’s storybook tenure with the organization.

Smith made a triumphant return to NFL action last season, two years after breaking two bones in his right leg and requiring 17 surgeries to repair it.

• The Buffalo Bills signed veteran safety Micah Hyde to a two-year contract extension. A person with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press that it averages close to $9.6 million a year.

• Prosecutors said that Denver Broncos star linebacker Von Miller won’t face criminal charges following an investigation by police in a Denver suburb. In a statement, the District Attorney’s Office of the 18th Judicial District said it decided not to file charges after reviewing the findings of a criminal case submitted by police in Parker. Police confirmed their investigation in January but did not provide details about what they were looking into.

• The NFL has hired Maia Chaka as the first Black female official in league history. She will work games during the 2021 season.

‘Miracle on Ice’ player Pavelich dies

Mark Pavelich, a member of the “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team, has died at a treatment center for mental illness. Officials in Anoka County, Minnesota, confirmed that 63-year-old Pavelich died at the Eagle’s Healing Nest in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, on Thursday. The cause and manner of death are still pending.

Pavelich was undergoing treatment at the home as part of a civil commitment for assaulting his neighbor in Cook County, Minnesota, in August 2019, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Pavelich thought the man had spiked his beer. He was charged with felony assault but a judge found he was incompetent to stand trial because he was mentally ill and dangerous.

Conners takes 1-shot advantage at Bay Hill

Corey Conners spent more time grinding out pars than chasing birdies, and that proved to be the right recipe at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Orlando, Fla., as Bay Hill began to bake under a warm sun. Conners surged into the lead with a 25-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th hole — his second eagle on that hole in two days — for a 3-under 69 and a one-shot advantage over Martin Laird (67).

• Jennifer Kupcho and Austin Ernst each shot their second straight 5-under 67 to share the second-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s Drive On Championship at Ocala, Fla.

No. 20 Loyola wins in MVC Tournament

Freshman Jacob Hutson had 13 points and Lucas Williamson and Braden Norris each added 11 and No. 20 Loyola beat Southern Illinois 73-49 in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

Ledecky wins third title at TYR meet

Katie Ledecky led all the way in winning the 200-meter freestyle at the TYR Pro Swim Series meet, earning her third title in three days. She touched in 1 minute, 56.62 seconds, adding the 200 free to earlier wins in the 400 free and 1,500 free. She finished third in the 100 free on Thursday.

Ryan Lochte is bidding to make his fifth Olympic team at age 36. He finished eighth in the 200 free final. Andrew Seliskar won in 1:47.01; Lochte touched last in 1:50.27. Lochte didn’t make it out of the 100 butterfly preliminaries, finishing 31st.

Nemechek wins NASCAR Trucks race

John Hunter Nemechek beat boss Kyle Busch, ending Busch’s three-race winning streak at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with a victory in the NASCAR Truck Series race. Nemechek this year stepped down two levels from the Cup Series to drive a truck for Kyle Busch Motorsports. In just his third race driving for Busch, Nemecheck led Busch across the finish line for a 1-2 KBM finish. It was Nemechek’s sixth career Truck Series victory, and his first since 2018.