Brian Kelly profusely defends LSU assistant Frank Wilson against 'unfounded' allegations

New LSU football head coach Brian Kelly is profusely defending Tigers’ associate head coach and running backs coach Frank Wilson against what Kelly labels as ‘unfounded’ allegations, which accuse Wilson of sexual harassment.

According to a March 3 story from Brody Miller of The Athletic, Wilson has been accused of sexual harassment towards former LSU associate athletic director Sharon Lewis, who alleges that Wilson exposed his genitalia to her and asked her to touch it. Additionally, Wilson has been accused of trying to kiss a separate female employee without consent.

Despite the sexual harassment allegations, Kelly said he defends Wilson because the allegations are “egregious” and “unfounded.”

“We know of no lawsuit that has been filed,” Kelly said of Wilson, as shared on Twitter by Leah Vann of The Advocate. “His status here is unchanged. We consider those allegations being egregious that were unfounded. It does not affect Frank Wilson and the person that we know, and we stand behind him firmly as a member of our staff.”

In addition to the allegations Lewis made of Wilson, she had previously filed a lawsuit against LSU – alleging that the university retaliated after she reported claims that former head football coach Les Miles was sexually harassing student workers. The allegations brought upon Wilson were added to that ongoing suit.

Wilson is currently the associate head coach and running backs coach at LSU, but it’s his second stint with the Tigers. He came to Baton Rouge from McNeese State, where he served as head coach for 2020 and 2021, and he last served as associate head coach and running backs coach at LSU from 2010-2015. The alleged incident happened during his first stint with the Tigers.

Wilson helped LSU to six bowl appearances, including the 2012 BCS National Championship game. As a head coach at UTSA and McNeese State, Wilson went 26-40 in six seasons.

On3’s Simon Gibbs contributed to this report.