Editor’s Note: This story has been edited to correctly report which players broke into a WCA apartment.
The LSU Athletic Department reported Thursday that LSU football coach Les Miles dismissed freshman defensive back Troy Giddens, freshman offensive lineman Zhamal Thomas and sophomore offensive lineman Kyle Anderson from the team.
In a statement released by the Athletic Department, Miles said these three players failed to meet the “standards” set for members of the team.
“There is a standard that we insist upon with members of our football team when representing this University, our community and the state of Louisiana,” Miles said in a press release. “When that standard isn’t met some adjustments must be made. In this instance, it’s the dismissal of these three players. It’s unfortunate, but this action is necessary. I wish these young men well in their future endeavors.”
The release of Giddens, Thomas and Anderson comes three days after Anderson was arrested and booked with a second degree battery charge.
Anderson was charged for his involvement in a bar fight with Michael Duarte, pre-business administration student, at Fred’s Bar and Grill in Tigerland.
It was reported that Duarte received a broken nose and chipped teeth as a result of the scuffle.
Giddens and Zhamal were arrested April 9 after the two broke into LSU freshman golfer Nicole Crochet’s apartment in the West Campus Apartment complex.
Both individuals were charged with counts of simple burglary. Giddens was also charged with identity theft after charging $209.18 to Crochet’s credit card.
LSU Sports Information Director Michael Bonnette said Miles met with the three players to discuss his decision and said any future incidents will be handled accordingly.
“Every incident is separate and will be judged on the situation,” Bonnette said. “There’s no precedence, and these incidences were judged on what happened this time. And if something were to happen in the future, we will take it on a case-by-case basis. Everything is its own separate case, and [Miles] will handle them accordingly.”
Trindon Holliday, who will be a sophomore wide receiver this upcoming season, told The Daily Reveille he believes Miles could have handled the situation differently.
“I don’t agree with what Coach Miles did,” Holliday said. “In one point I do, but then I don’t agree with his decision to kick them off. He could have suspended them for a certain amount of time, but he didn’t have to kick them off.”
Holliday also said the actions of the past two weeks were out of character.
He said although he was not shocked to hear about the punishments, he sympathizes with Anderson, Giddens and Thomas.
“When I heard about it, I felt bad about it, but then again you have to learn from your mistakes,” Holliday said. “They all have great personalities, and they were never troublemakers. They were always doing positive stuff, and how this came about, I don’t know. I think they were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
The release of these players comes almost two years after former defensive end Chase Pittman was arrested for second degree battery.
Pittman was involved in a fight July 7, 2005 at Bogies Bar and Grill and was suspended from the team until the charges were cleared.
He was allowed to rejoin the team before the start of fall practices Aug. 7, 2005.
When asked why Pittman was allowed to rejoin the team, Bonnette would not comment and added none of the three players will be allowed to rejoin the team.
“I don’t know why he was allowed back on the team,” he said.
Miles was unable to comment on the situation.
—–Contact Jay St. Pierre [email protected]