Tag: Frank Wilson

Report: LSU RB coach Frank Wilson accused of sexual harassment by former associate AD

Former LSU associate athletic director Sharon Lewis said that she was sexually harassed by Wilson during his previous stint with the program and that no action was taken.

According to a report from The Athletic’s Brody Miller, LSU running back coach Frank Wilson has been accused of sexual harassment by former Tigers associate athletic director Sharon Lewis. Per court documents filed on Thursday, Wilson allegedly exposed his genitalia to Lewis during a previous stint at LSU.

Lewis said that Wilson asked her to touch his genitalia and also attempted to kiss another female employee without consent.

Wilson spent six years as an assistant for the Tigers before serving as the head coach at Texas-San Antonio and McNeese State. He was brought back as part of coach Brian Kelly’s first staff this offseason.

Lewis said that she made the allegations known at the time to senior associate athletic director Miriam Segar and executive deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry. Per Lewis, there was no investigation and no action was taken. Segar and Ausberry were suspended in 2021 after an independent investigation found that they failed to properly handle reports of sexual misconduct.

In a statement, LSU said that any previous allegations against Wilson weren’t brought to the attention of the university.

“We are unaware of any prior allegations against Frank Wilson, and there is no evidence that any such allegations were ever reported to LSU officials. Further, none of these allegations were shared during the highly visible, independent Title IX review that LSU initiated last year.”

Lewis was fired in January as part of mass layoffs within the athletic staff. Her termination came just months after she filed a lawsuit against the university alleging that she faced retaliation for reporting incidents of sexual harassment by former head coach Les Miles toward several female athletics student workers. The incident with Wilson has been added to that lawsuit.

USA TODAY Sports spoke with three employees, who provided more details about the incident. One of them alleged that Wilson tried to kiss her during an after-hours meeting.

“Everybody knew how Frank was,” said one of the former staffers, who was in her 20s at the time. “It got to a point where we didn’t want any of the girls working with him. I dealt with Frank’s sexual harassment for years. His comments. His behavior. He always made, not only me, but so many of the girls feel so uncomfortable.”

It’s unclear how LSU plans to proceed as far as Wilson’s employment, but this is yet another damning report that comes on the heels of several years of reporting on sexual misconduct within the program, going all the way up to Miles himself.

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Running back John Emery back with LSU heading into spring camp

Emery was academically ineligible in 2021, but he’s back with the team and is working hard, according to the coaching staff.

LSU running back John Emery is back with the team and training hard, according to running back coach Frank Wilson. Emery missed all of last season after being ruled academically ineligible.

“He’s healthy; he’s practicing and improving,” Wilson said on Thursday, according to Sports Illustrated’s Glen West.

The running back tried to get multiple waivers to allow him to play last season, but he was denied every time. Emery was a five-star recruit coming out of high school.

As a freshman in 2019, Emery for 188 yards on 39 carries, he also had four rushing touchdowns. The following year, his numbers went up a little bit. He rushed for 378 yards on five yards per carry. Emery also caught 14 passes for 73 yards.

He was on track for an outstanding junior season but was deemed ineligible. Now, he should be ready to produce in the field for next season. In his two seasons at LSU, Emery showed the ability to be explosive between the tackles. In addition, he can also catch the ball out of the backfield, making him a possibly three-down running back.

Emery will join Penn State transfer Noah Cain, sophomores Corey Kiner and Armoni Goodwin. Both players played well as freshmen and turned heads. With Emery back in the running back room, it gives LSU some added depth and experience.

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Here’s how LSU’s running back situation shapes up heading into 2022 and beyond

The Tigers have a lot of budding talent at the position, but much of the group remains unproven heading into 2022.

When Brian Kelly initially took the job at LSU, perhaps his most daunting task was to rebuild the roster.

That’s what this is, after all: a rebuild. Building takes time, it was clear the roster wouldn’t turn around overnight.

In a short time, Kelly and staff have done a good job of steering the ship in the right direction. LSU has been active in the transfer portal and has done what it can do on the high school trail.

With all the movement that has gone on, it was easy to miss some things. The roster looks wildly different now than it did in November.

Now that signing day is in the books, we have some time to take a look at how this team is positioned heading into 2022 and the future.

The Tigers look good at some positions such as defensive line and quarterback. There are also position groups that are trending up, such as linebacker and safety. Some question marks remain, though, like cornerback and offensive line.

The pandemic combined with the new transfer rules has presented challenges to managing a roster over the last couple of years, which often involves planning years in advance. Recent turbulence in the sport has forced coaches to adjust.

Here, we’ll focus on the outlook for the running game for the near future.

Five freshmen most likely to see the field for LSU in 2022

Examining which of LSU’s newcomers will have a chance to make an immediate impact in 2022

With signing day now done, there is some clarity regarding what rosters may look like across college football in 2022.

It’s been a hectic couple of months all over the sport. With coaching changes, a flurry of transfers, and players declaring for the NFL draft. This off-season has provided more roster shakeup than any in recent memory.

That holds true for LSU as well.

Over the last couple of years, the previous coaching staff didn’t demonstrate much competence when it came to managing a roster. On top of that, coaching changes always lead to their own list of personnel shakeups.

There will be more moves to come throughout the spring and summer. It isn’t over yet. But the roster LSU has now should look close to the one it takes the field in the opener against Florida State.

All things considered, LSU will bring in a decent freshmen class. Given the inexperience all over the team, a lot of these guys will have opportunities to see the field right away.

Good teams usually need some contributions from first-year players if they want to have success. That could go even further for LSU, who’s just counting on these recruits to have enough athletes on scholarship.

Let’s look at the five freshmen most likely to see the field in 2022.

Running back TreVonte’ Citizen announces his commitment

TreVonte Citizen chose to leave Louisiana to continue his football career.

One of the best recruits in the state of Louisiana will be taking his talents elsewhere.

TreVonte’ Citizen, regarded as the best running back in the state, opted to sign with Miami on Wednesday morning.

Citizen choose Miami over LSU, Florida, and Auburn.

Citizen’s decision came as a bit of a surprise, with virtually all predictions having him slated to join Florida’s class.

There were some rumblings that Miami was also in a good position, with LSU and Auburn being out of the race.

LSU could have used a running back in this class. The Tigers added Noah Cain from the transfer portal and have Armoni Goodwin, Corey Kiner, and John Emery back, but now the pressure is on to add a couple of blue-chip running backs in next year’s class.

Citizen is yet another top 10 player in the state that won’t be staying home. This was to be expected in a transition year. What the new staff has done to this point is impressive, but they already lost too much ground with Citizen to make up.

It’s still never a good sight for LSU fans to see that many players leaving the state.

It’s an impressive get for Mario Cristobal’s staff at Miami, who is also putting a class together in a transition year.

What time are LSU targets announcing their commitments?

Who to watch for and when on National Signing Day.

A look at the top remaining targets ahead of signing day on Wednesday. We start with five-star safety Jacoby Mathews.

DB Jacoby Mathews

Mathews is scheduled to announce his commitment at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday.

Matthews was committed to LSU for a few months last year. Now, this is a three-horse race with LSU, Florida and Texas A&M.

It seems Mathews is a slight lean to LSU with Florida just behind. However, Corey Raymond now being in Gainesville can’t be discounted. Raymond is the position coach Mathews committed to at LSU last spring.

247Sports lists Tommie Robison, another former LSU staffer, as Matthews’ primary recruiter for A&M.

Matthews is rated as a five-star by Rivals and a four-star by 247 Sports.

Next, the top linebacker left

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LSU to make one final push as they host TreVonte’ Citizen this weekend

LSU set to host running back target.

It is coming down to the wire for a pair of 2022 recruiting targets for the LSU Tigers. This weekend Brian Kelly and the staff have their top remaining target coming to town for a visit. Lake Charles running back TreVonte’ Citizen has been busy with visits.

He recently came off another visit to Auburn, which remains one of the biggest threats to LSU for Citizen’s pledge. Citizen and his family will be in Baton Rouge. Associate head coach and running backs coach Frank Wilson is trying to reel him in. On3 believes that LSU is still firmly in the running but the loss of Kevin Faulk on staff has put them a bit behind.

Frank Wilson is key for LSU. Citizen is big on relationships and when Kevin Faulk was not retained by Kelly, that hurt LSU. It is far from over though. LSU is the in-state school, his family will spend this weekend in Baton Rouge, and the Tigers will work hard to swing the momentum. Citizen is set to take an unofficial visit to Florida and an official visit to Miami next week.

The other target is Ponchatoula safety Jacoby Mathews, who will visit Florida. Both Citizen and Mathews are being heavily recruited by new Gators head coach Billy Napier. Napier hired former LSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond, who has a strong relationship with Mathews. Both players could be playing elsewhere in 2022 due to their relationships with previous LSU assistants.

It could be a tough sell for the new staff but I wouldn’t count them out just yet with a couple of weeks left in the 2022 cycle.

Trevor Etienne likely to opt for Florida over LSU, Clemson

Might be time to scratch him from the list.

We are on commitment watch as Trevor Etienne of Jennings, Louisiana, is set to make his pledge for the 2022 class. The younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne narrowed down his list to Clemson, Florida, and the in-state LSU Tigers. Etienne will commit to his new team on Jan. 8.

The Clemson Tigers does make a lot of sense due to the fact that his brother won a national championship there with Dabo Swinney and Trevor Lawrence. LSU makes sense due to them being in the state he played high school football. And then we have the Florida Gators who hired former ULL head coach Billy Napier. He knows the recruiting grounds and likely why Etienne is looking at the Orange and Blue.

According to the latest crystal ball predictions from 247Sports, it appears that he is likely to pledge to the Gators. A knife right to the back of the LSU football team that is still looking for a running back commitment to their less than stellar 2022 recruiting class.

It isn’t just the recruiting analysts at 247Sports that have Etienne to the Gators either. On3 has the four-star running back at 95.3% to Florida. This might mean that Brian Kelly and associate head coach Frank Wilson will have to shift their sights elsewhere in the 2022 class if they want to add a running back.

The Tigers are also competing with division rivals Auburn for Lake Charles running back TreVonte’ Citizen. He originally committed to LSU on Jul. 19 and backed off his pledge on Nov. 28. LSU has remained in the hunt but the Auburn Tigers and Texas Longhorns among others have stayed in contact. Feels as though this will come down to the battle of the Tigers.

For as much talent as is in the transfer portal, running back isn’t one of them. The top guys are slated to join Alabama (Jahmyr Gibbs) and Ole Miss (Zach Evans). It won’t be the worse thing if the Tigers don’t land a running back in this class as they do have options with John Emery Jr, Corey Kiner, Armoni Goodwin, and Josh Williams among others.

It likely would put an emphasis on the 2023 class where the Tigers have offered a total of seven backs, three of which are ranked among the top five at the position. Top Louisiana running back hails from Baton Rouge with four-star Kaleb Jackson of Liberty Magnet.

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Jacoby Mathews is a ‘must-get’ recruit for LSU according to On3

This is one in-state prospect they can’t whiff on.

The LSU Tigers once held a commitment from Jacoby Mathews of Ponchatoula, but he decided to re-open his recruitment. The loss of Ed Orgeron, Mickey Joseph, and Corey Raymond certainly didn’t help matter on that front. It opened the doors for Alabama, Texas, and Texas A&M. However, with the recent addition of Frank Wilson, it could be LSU’s to lose.

National recruiting analyst Gerry Hamilton of On3 Sports (subscription required) believes that Brian Kelly needs to land the top safety in the state of Louisiana.

Jacoby Mathews, Safety: Ponchatoula (LA)

Michael DeMocker-The Daily Advertiser/USA TODAY Network

What On3 Says…

The LSU Tigers need some positive momentum quickly. Jacoby Mathews, a four-year starter at Ponchatoula High, can do that. He is a must-get recruit for Brian Kelly. The problem is, Mickey Joseph and Corey Raymond have departed from the LSU program. Joseph played for Mathews’ head coach in high school. Enter Texas, as Longhorns assistant Terry Joseph also played for Hank Tierney in high school. Then there is Alabama. Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Pete Golding is from very close to Ponchatoula and has serious ties in this recruitment. LSU’s Frank Wilson has his work cut out for him on this one. Mathews said Tuesday he won’t sign until February. He was originally scheduled to announce his decision on Jan. 2 at the Under Armour All-America Game.

Jacoby Mathews’ Profile

Recruiting Site Stars National State Position
247Sports 4 64 2 8
Rivals 5 28 1 2
ESPN 4 47 5 2
On3 4 31 1 1
Composite 4 36 3 4

Vitals

Hometown Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Height 6-2
Weight 193
Position Safety
Class 2022

Crystal Ball Prediction

Recruitment Information

  • Commitment Date: Jan. 2, 2022
  • LSU offered on Mar. 19, 2019
  • Committed to LSU on Apr. 23, 2021, Decommitted on Jul. 30, 2021
  • Unofficial visits on Jun. 1, Jun. 22, and Nov. 27, 2021

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LSU announces Frank Wilson returns to the Tigers as associate head coach

Frank Wilson returns to LSU.

In a stunning turn of events, the LSU Tigers announced that Frank Wilson will return to the staff as the associate head coach. Wilson has spent the last two seasons with McNeese, prior to that he was the head coach of UTSA from 2016-19.

It was announced this morning that Wilson would be stepping down from his post at McNeese. It was speculated that it could mean a return to the Tigers. He was the associate head coach, recruiting coordinator, and running back coach for LSU from 2010-15 under Les Miles.

This will be a move that is well received by many current and former players. Wilson is very well respected in the state of Louisiana and a huge addition for Brian Kelly.

Per the LSU Press Release:

The New Orleans native and two-time national recruiter of the year has been tabbed as associate head coach for the Tigers, head coach Brian Kelly announced on Tuesday.

“Frank Wilson has a proven track record of identifying, recruiting, and developing elite student-athletes everywhere he has been,” Kelly said. “No one knows the recruiting landscape in Louisiana better than Frank, and his experience and character will be tremendous resources for our staff and student-athletes. His impact on our staff at LSU will be immediate and immense. We are thrilled he is returning home to ensure that we continue to sign the best student-athletes in Louisiana and throughout the country.”

Wilson previously spent six years on the LSU coaching staff, serving as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. During that time, Wilson helped LSU lure some of the nation’s top players to Baton Rouge, as the Tigers had four Top 10 recruiting classes, including the No. 2 class in 2014 and the No. 5 class in 2015.

Wilson helped LSU to six bowl appearances, including the 2012 BCS National Championship game, the 2011 SEC Championship, and an overall mark of 61-17.

“I will forever be grateful to the coaches, staff, and student-athletes I have been fortunate to work with at McNeese State, and I will always remember the lessons I have learned in my six seasons as a head coach. But the opportunity to return home to LSU and join Coach Kelly’s staff was one my family and I simply could not pass up. I could not be more excited to return to Baton Rouge and do whatever I can to help the Tigers consistently compete for and win championships.” – Frank Wilson.