(LAWRENCE, Kan.) — Les Miles will no longer serve as the University of Kansas’ head football coach, the school announced on Monday.
In a statement, the university said both sides have mutually agreed to part ways. The separation, effective immediately, comes after Miles was placed on administrative leave over allegations that he behaved inappropriately toward female students.
“I am extremely disappointed for our university, fans and everyone involved with our football program,” Kansas athletic director Jeff Long said in a statement. “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.”
Long said the Jayhawks “will begin the search for a new head coach immediately with an outside firm to assist in this process.” In the meantime, Mike DeBord will serve as the acting head coach.
Miles reacted to his ouster, saying in a statement that it was a “difficult day for me and for my family.”
“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,” Miles said. “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.”
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Minnesota 2, Vegas 0 Edmonton 3, Ottawa 2 Arizona 3, Colorado 2 San Jose 3, St. Louis 2 (OT) Anaheim 6, Los Angeles 5 (OT) Vancouver 2, Montreal 1 (SO)
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Gonzaga 78, Saint Mary’s (Cal) 55
AlexFerrariMaren Morris is one of only three country artists who’ll perform on the 63rd Annual Grammys on Sunday, alongside her fellow female vocalists Miranda Lambert and Mickey Guyton.
Like lots of folks, Maren’s wondering what the night will look like in the era of COVID-19, as the Recording Academy hasn’t revealed much, other than that “Artists will be coming together, while still safely apart.”
“I’m kind of interested in how the Grammys will do their ceremony, because obviously it’s still pretty crazy with COVID,” Maren says. “And I mean, we’re just kind of hearing little bits of information every other day or so about how they’re gonna do it.
With one Grammy win already for Best Country Solo Performance for “My Church” in 2016, Maren could take home another trophy for Best Country Song at the Grammys.
“Being nominated in a year where there were a lot of great country songs,” Maren observes, “like, all of our friends are in this category — like ‘The Bones,’ and then my band, The Highwaymen, also is nominated with ‘Crowded Table.’ So I’m like competing against my own band.”
“And then ‘Some People Do,’ Old Dominion,” she continues. “I mean, there’s so many amazing songs in that category. So, yeah, being nominated this year is fun.”
Completing that category are Miranda’s “Bluebird,” as well as “More Hearts Than Mine” by Ingrid Andress, who’s also up for the prestigious all-genre Best New Artist honor.
You can tune in to see how this year’s Grammys play out Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
ABC/Craig Sjodin(LOS ANGELES) — It was time for fantasy suites on Monday’s episode of The Bachelor, with Matt going on one-on-one dates with the three remaining women, before facing the big question — were they ready to spend the night together?
Before Matt could move forward though, he needed to address a longstanding rift between him and his father, whose infidelity led to the breakup of his parents’ marriage. Matt said the lack of a father figure in his life ultimately affected his own relationships. Following an emotional and brutally honest conversation, Matt found some needed closure and was confident that he would not make the same mistakes as his dad.
The first date went to Michelle, who joined Matt for a “traditional Pennsylvania Dutch spa” date, which involved a foot soak in oatmeal and a rubdown with butter, followed by a milk bath and a serious conversation about Michelle’s formula for a lasting relationship.
At dinner, it was Matt’s turn to open up about his fears and hopes for the future, after which Michelle assured him that even though he didn’t experience the stable family life that she had, Matt still brought “just as much to the table,” and she looked at him as “her person.”
Michelle accepted his invitation to explore their relationship even further with a night in the fantasy suite. Interestingly, after telling Matt more than once that she was in love with him, the strongest response he could muster was, “Thanks for sharing that.”
Next it was Bri’s turn to see if Matt was ready to take their relationship to the next level. The date began with a hike in the woods, a true test of their compatibility since Bri is not exactly an outdoor person. Lucky for her, as Matt confessed — out of earshot to Bri — neither was he.
Bri, in a private interview, revealed her hope that the night would end with a proposal, and made sure that Matt knew exactly how prepared she was to spend the rest of her life with him.
Bri described her overnight with Matt in the fantasy suite as possibly “life-changing” and that she “got to know really intimate parts about him.” Matt, for his part, said privately that he could see a life with Bri… but he still had some tough decisions to make.
Needless to say, all three women were uncomfortable that Matt would be spending an entire night alone and sharing intimate conversations with their competition, particularly Rachael, who was “sick to her stomach” that she could possibly lose him to another finalist.
Her date with Matt started with a ceramics lesson, but her mind was only on Matt, and if his feelings for her had changed after his other overnights. She interrupted the lesson to “get answers” from him, rather than “wait around for the heartbreak.”
He reiterated his earlier assertion from a previous date that he was, indeed, “falling in love” with Rachael and she reciprocated his feelings.
Their night in the fantasy suite started off with a fireworks display. The next time we would see them was at the final rose ceremony.
When the moment arrived, Bachelor Nation learned that Michelle and Rachael would move on to meet Matt’s family and a possible engagement, while Bri’s long journey would end with a tearful goodbye.
The Bachelor season 25 finale airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
The Black Conservative PreacherBY: OLIVIA RUBIN, AARON KATERSKY, AND ALEXANDER MALLIN, ABC NEWS
(NEW YORK) — A New York man with ties to the Oath Keepers militia group and former President Donald Trump’s longtime adviser Roger Stone has been arrested and charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Roberto Minuta, of Newburgh, New York, was seen in a video first unearthed by ABC News flanking Roger Stone on the morning of Jan. 6 outside a Washington, D.C., hotel.
In the video, Minuta can be seen standing with Stone wearing a baseball hat and military-style vest branded with the Oath Keeper logo.
Minuta, who was spotted on video later that day in the gathering crowd approaching the Capitol, has been charged with obstruction of Congress and unlawful entry.
“Minuta and others affiliated with the Oath Keepers breached the U.S. Capitol grounds, where Minuta aggressively berated and taunted U.S. Capitol police officers responsible for protecting the Capitol and the representatives inside of the Capitol,” according to charging documents.
The FBI arrested Minuta in Newburgh on Saturday, the official told ABC News.
In February, Minuta’s wife confirmed to ABC News that her husband had gone to the Capitol on the day of the insurrection, but said that he never went inside the Capitol building.
He was “another patriot outside the Capitol Building … standing up for freedom,” she said.
Attempts to reach her Monday were unsuccessful.
Federal prosecutors characterized Minuta as a dangerous flight risk and requested that he be held until trial. They also referenced a May episode in which Minuta opened his tattoo parlor in Newburgh in defiance of state coronavirus restrictions.
“There’s evidence this man does not respect the law,” said assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gianforti.
But defense attorney Sam Gold said Minuta has strong ties to the community and that “this is not someone who is going to leave his family, leave his children, to evade these charges.”
Magistrate Judge Andrew Krause ultimately ordered Minuta released on bail, saying, “Mr. Minuta was not engaged in any acts of violence on Jan. 6. I think it is an overstatement of the situation to say that because Mr. Minuta was wearing particular gear he is predisposed to particular acts of violence.”
Gianforti also said Minuta had provided “freelance security for various high profile individuals” on the morning of the insurrection.
Stone, in a statement to ABC News, said that he does not know Minuta, nor was he “familiar with his name prior to his being identified in earlier media stories where it was alleged that he was involved in illegal events up at the Capitol.”
“If he was indeed among those who volunteered to provide security while I visited Washington DC I was unaware of it,” Stone said.
The longtime GOP operative has maintained that he played “no role whatsoever in the Jan. 6 events” and has repeatedly said that he “never left the site of my hotel until leaving for Dulles Airport” that afternoon. He has also decried attempts to ascribe to him the motives of the people around him.
Stone also said that while he has acknowledged that the Oath Keepers provided security for him on Jan. 5, they did so for a number of speakers that day, and “that does not in any way provide proof or evidence” that he was involved in or had advance knowledge “of the illegal acts at the Capitol on January 6.”
“I could not even tell you the names of those who volunteered to provide security for me, required because of the many threats against me and my family,” Stone previously told ABC News.
Oath Keepers were known to be providing security for Stone during his D.C. visit. Reports surfaced in January that militia members were traveling with Stone on the day before the Capitol assault as the Trump loyalist helped set the stage for the “Stop the Steal” events that were intended to give a forum to the president’s false claims that the 2020 election had been rigged.
Minuta’s arrest comes as the Department of Justice continues to pursue individuals who participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Dozens of individuals with ties to extremist groups have been arrested for their role, including at least five people associated with the Oath Keepers — three of whom have been charged with conspiracy.
The FBI said in one court filing that some members of the Oath Keepers “took steps to plan an operation to stop, delay, and hinder Congress’ certification of the Electoral College vote.”
33ft/iStockBy JEANETTE TORRES-PEREZ, ABC News
