Kansas Athletics and football coach Les Miles have decided to mutually part ways, they announced in a joint statement late Monday.

Miles, who was hired as KU’s football coach in November 2018, was 3-18 in two seasons with the Jayhawks.

KU athletic director Jeff Long said a national search would start immediately for Miles’ replacement, with an outside firm to assist in the process.

“I am extremely disappointed for our university, fans and everyone involved with our football program,” Long said. “There is a lot of young talent on this football team, and I have no doubt we will identify the right individual to lead this program.”

KU and Miles said the terms of their agreement would be released in the coming days.

“This is certainly a difficult day for me and for my family,” Miles said in a statement. “I love this university and the young men in our football program. I have truly enjoyed being the head coach at KU and know that it is in a better place now than when I arrived. To our student-athletes, I want you to remember that you came to play for KU and earn a degree here. So, I implore you to stay and build on what we started and do all of the things we talked about doing together. There is a bright future for all of you and for KU football.”

Miles, who was set to enter his third season as KU’s football coach, was cited frequently in LSU’s Husch Blackwell report Friday, which included former LSU athletic director Joe Alleva suggesting in an email to the school’s president in 2013 that Miles should be fired because of his alleged conduct with female student workers.

According to the investigation, one LSU student worker reported to the athletic department she was “very upset” about what happened to her during a time when she was alone with Miles. When given a later meeting with Miles, the woman repeated, “You know what you did to me,” with multiple LSU employees reporting that she appeared traumatized.

The report also said Miles was heavily involved with the hiring of LSU student workers, with employees stating he wanted “to sexualize the staff.” Miles allegedly demanded that he wanted “blondes with the big boobs” and “pretty girls.”

According to a 2013 investigation by another LSU-hired law firm, Taylor Porter, released Thursday, Miles also was accused of kissing a different student twice in his parked car while also suggesting at times they go to a hotel or his condo, with the two parties eventually signing a settlement agreement that was first reported by The Times-Picayune and New Orleans Advocate.

Miles coached at LSU from 2005 until he was fired for the team’s performance after a 2-2 start in 2016.

Long originally announced he was putting Miles on administrative leave Friday night, saying it was done “as we conduct a full review to determine the appropriate next steps.” He said then that KU did not have access to either the Husch Blackwell or Taylor Porter reports until they were released to the public last week.

Miles’ lawyer, Peter Ginsberg, followed with a statement Saturday afternoon that questioned KU’s motives and suggested Long and KU had more awareness about the allegations than they were letting on.

“Before the release of the reports this week, Kansas had been provided with significant information supporting Taylor Porter’s conclusions. KU also had performed thorough due diligence before hiring Coach Miles,” Ginsberg said Saturday. “Kansas’ decision to put Les Miles on administrative leave is both disturbing and unfair.”

KU finished 0-9 in 2020 under Miles.

“We need to win football games,” Long said, “and that is exactly what we’re going to do.”

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