LSU Coach Ed Orgeron Releases Statement Denying Former Player's Claim He Knew of Guice Rape Allegations

Orgeron says sexual assault allegations against Guice should be taken "very seriously"

LSU coach Ed Orgeron has released a statement following a USA Today investigation stemming from rape allegations against former running back Derrius Guice. The story included an alleged quote from a conversation between Orgeron and an anonymous former player, one which the Tigers' coach said in his statement "is not accurate."

"Out of respect for the young man's privacy, I will not reveal the full details of the conversation," Orgeron wrote. "What I will say is that a player came into my office to discuss transferring from our program. We also discussed the player's relationship challenges with his girlfriend. I told him what I would tell my own sons: 'We all experience heartbreak growing up. Do not throw away a promising academic and football career at LSU because of a personal obstacle.' Any insinuation that I had knowledge of Derrius Guice and his girlfriend is completely false."

My Statement: pic.twitter.com/8jGVuNiclx

— Coach Ed Orgeron (@Coach_EdOrgeron) August 21, 2020

"The sexual assault allegations made against Derrius Guice should be taken very seriously and the alleged victims must be heard and supported. I will always stand up for what is right and without question, I have complied---and will continue to comply---with all university Title IX protocols and procedures."

The statement comes a day after two former students went public with rape allegations against Guice that occurred within months of each other back in 2016. According to the report, an anonymous former player recalled Orgeron telling him, "Everybody's girlfriend sleeps with other people."

The former player told USA Today that he didn't know how Orgeron knew of the allegations but that, "I lost all respect for him." Neither woman reported the alleged incidents to local or campus police, according to the report. The two students reportedly did tell two LSU coaches, an administrator and a nurse.

LSU interim president Tom Galligan told WAFB on Thursday that the university had launched an investigation into the incidents.

"I can't say too much about the details, but I can say given my time at LSU that I would be surprised if we did not follow our procedures and our policies," Galligan told WAFB. "Of course I would also be concerned if we did not follow our procedures and our policies."