Scooter Hobbs

Ed Orgeron said in a radio interview Tuesday that he does not remember speaking to an elderly woman who testified before state lawmakers last week that the LSU head coach had turned down her request to punish former running back Derrius Guice for sexually harassing her in 2017.

Gloria Scott, 74, was working as a security guard at the Superdome in New Orleans during the high school football championships when she said Guice, accompanied by several other young men, began make lewd comments and gestures toward her with strong sexual overtones.

The alleged incident occurred shortly after Orgeron was named permanent head coach between the end of the 2017 regular season and the Tigers’ appearance in the 2018 Citrus Bowl.

Scott testified before the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children that, after she called other LSU officials to report the incident, Orgeron later called her asking her to forgive Guice.

She said Orgeron said Guice was a “troubled child” and was “just kidding” with his crude remarks. She also testified that Orgeron tried to put Guice on the phone to apologize but that she refused to speak to him.

A statement released by LSU shortly after her testimony Friday said Orgeron “never had any direct communications” with Scott, which was what he told investigators about the incident during the Husch Blackwell law firm’s probe into Title IX violations at the school.

The report said it was not able to identify the coach who called Scott on Guice’s behalf.

Orgeron repeated that account on his weekly appearance on a Baton Rouge radio show Tuesday morning.

“I truthfully do not remember speaking with Ms. Scott three years ago,” he said. “But I do know Ms. Scott deserves to be heard and admired for her courage.”

He said he was deeply upset watching her testimony before lawmakers as “It was the first time that I’d heard of all the horrible details of her encounter with Derrius. I am sickened by what she went through. Heartbroken.

“No person, woman, or grandmother should ever be addressed in such a disgusting manner. It’s 100 percent unacceptable. I’m devastated that it happened to her.

“I want Ms. Scott, her family and the others to know that. I completely cooperated with Husch Blackwell investigation and will continue to cooperate with LSU’s internal investigation.”

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron says he doesn’t remember meeting with an elderly woman who said Derrius Guice sexually harassed her in 2017.

Associated Press