Former LSU offensive line coach James Cregg sues school over firing

Former LSU offensive line coach James Cregg is suing the university for breach of contract after his firing in June 2021.

Cregg was fired after the school said he violated NCAA rules. According to The Advocate’s Joe Gyan, Cregg’s lawsuit acknowledges that coach Ed Orgeron provided Cregg a letter June 2 stating LSU’s intent to fire him “for cause” because Cregg admitted to an NCAA enforcement official in May to “visiting with and providing gear to a team prospect during the COVID recruiting dead period.”

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Baton Rouge state court. James Cregg claims in the lawsuit that the NCAA “has never issued a ruling or decision that Coach Cregg has committed a Level I or Level II violation, or repeated Level III and/or Level IV violations, of the NCAA bylaws such that … the Employment Agreement could provide a for cause justification for LSU to terminate coach Cregg’s employment,”

According to Cregg’s (now terminated) contract with LSU, if he is terminated by LSU without cause, the university must pay him the total remaining base salary and supplemental compensation in monthly installments equal to the amount of time remaining in the term.

James Cregg had one year remaining on his contract at the time of his firing and was expected to nearly $700,000 from LSU.

Just one year ago, LSU’s offensive line was given the Joe Moore Award under the direction of Cregg.

James Cregg was hired by LSU in December 2017. Over his career, he has experience in the NFL and college. Prior to his time at LSU, Cregg spent four seasons as the assistant offensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. Cregg won a Super Bowl with the Broncos in 2015.

After Cregg’s firing, LSU hired Brad Davis to fill his position. Davis joins the LSU staff after spending the past four seasons at schools all over the SEC. Last year, he served as the offensive line coach at Arkansas. Davis coached at Florida in 2017, followed by two years at Missouri, before joining Sam Pittman’s staff at Arkansas in 2020.

Since his arrival, Davis has helped the Tigers on the recruiting trail. The Tigers landed a commitment from four-star offensive lineman Emery Jones in late July. LSU also holds offensive line commits from four-star offensive lineman Will Campbell and three-star Bo Bordelon. All three commits are from the state of Louisiana.

Davis has the Tigers involved in the recruitments of four-star prospects like four-star Julian Armella, Malik Agbo and Kam Dewberry.