Les Miles gets emotional in defending Oklahoma State

This has not been a good week for LSU Coach Les Miles, who has had to defend the Oklahoma State program he coached from 2001 through 2004.

Sports Illustrated is unveiling a five-part series this week describing improprieties that took place in the program mostly under Miles’ watch. The SI story alleges Oklahoma State players were paid for performance, received sexual favors from official school hostesses and were also involved in academic scams.

Miles got emotional on Wednesday’s SEC Coaches teleconference, first describing his memories of 9/11 and the terrorist bombing, in 1995, of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

“I saw the strength of the Oklahoma people,” Miles said. “I revered my time at Stillwater.”

Miles challenged the idea that “somebody would characterize the program that was run there as anything but right and correct.”

Miles did not take questions on the call, saying he would “hold further comment because frankly I want to get a team ready to play against a very quality Kent State.”

LSU is 2-0 and ranked No. 8 in this week’s AP poll.

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