The chancellor of the University of Kansas, Douglas A. Girod announced on Wednesday that athletic director Jeff Long has resigned. Long, who called himself a friend of Les Miles, hired him as head football coach in 2018. Miles and Kansas ‘mutually parted ways’ on Monday after the Husch Blackwell report was reviewed. 
Girod and Long released open letters on KU’s official website. 
“Jeff and I spoke at length last night,” Girod said. “While I know he [Long] would have loved to stay here many more years, I respect his selfless decision to step down so that we can move Kansas Athletics in a different direction.”
Long said that his tenure with Kansas was “driven by his desire to impact young lives through a common-bond — athletics.”  
“It was in the best interest of our student-athletes and program for me to step down as of today,” Long said. “Even though this is extremely difficult for me, this is what is best for KU, for me and for my family, and I am at peace with this decision.” 
Long has faced criticism recently for his involvement in the hiring process of Miles. 
“I also asked coach Miles directly during the interview process whether there was anything in the past that could potentially embarrass the university, or himself or our program, and he said no,” Long said.
Kurt Watson, a University of Kansas alum and donor has been named interim athletic director, according to Sports Illustrated. 
On Monday night, Long released a statement terminating Miles from his head coach position and officially beginning the department’s search for a replacement. 
“I am disappointed for our university, fans and everyone involved with our football program,” Long said. “We will begin the search for a new head coach immediately with an outside firm to assist in this process.”
Miles commented, “This is certainly a difficult day for me and my family. I love this university [Kansas] and the young men in our football program.”
Miles’ employment contract with Kansas included several situations where the university would have “just cause” to terminate Miles’ employment, including if he had “discreditable conduct that is inconsistent with the professional standards expected of a head coach of a collegiate sports team” or any conduct that “brings Head Coach and/or KU into public disrepute, embarrassment, contempt or ridicule.”
The specific terms of the separation agreement will be released in the coming days, per the university’s statement Monday night.
“Even though the allegations against him occurred at LSU, we take these matters very seriously at KU,” Long said. “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. 
An email in June 2013 from former Athletic Director Joe Alleva recommended to then incoming President F. King Alexander that there was cause for firing Miles, Husch Blackwell found in its investigation.
“I believe he is guilty of insubordination, inappropriate behavior, putting the university, athletic dept. and football program at great risk,” the email from Alleva said. 
The email further showed cause that Miles did not listen to Alleva’s recommendations of ceasing “text, call, or be alone with any student workers, he obviously didn’t listen.” 
Alleva continued in the email that by making a break with Miles: “The court of public opinion would favor us.” 
An internal investigative report released by LSU on Thursday found that Miles is accused of “texting female students, taking them to his condo alone, making them feel uncomfortable and, on at least one occasion, kissing a student and suggesting they go to a hotel after telling her he could help her career,” USA TODAY reported Thursday. 
Miles also was accused by Athletic Department staff of saying female student workers in the recruiting office should be “attractive, blonde and fit,” according to the 2013 report.
LSU, Alleva and Alexander, hired the law firm of Taylor Porter in 2013 to investigate the allegations against Miles. The firm found that Miles had not been in any sexual relationships with any of the women but still found his conduct to be inappropriate. Miles denied kissing the student and instead insisted that he was “mentoring” her.  
As a result of these allegations, Miles was barred by the University from hiring student employees as babysitters and being alone with them. He was also required to attend eight, one-hour sessions with an attorney and pay for them himself. 
Miles was fired by the University three years later in 2016 as a result of the football team’s subpar record. His attorneys said that his firing was “wholly unrelated” to the 2013 allegations. He is now employed as the University of Kansas’ head football coach and is the highest-paid public employee in the state.