Minimum number of drug tests Tyrann Mathieu says he failed before being suspended by LSU.
Ex-LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu continues to attempt to rehab his reputation, but perhaps LSU needs just as much help.
In a USA Today story published Thursday, Honey Badger, who says he's been clean since his arrest in October, admitted to an assistant coach for one NFL team that he quit counting the number of drug tests he failed after 10 flunks.
The 5-foot-9-inch player earned his nickname for his tough play against much larger opponents and knack for making big plays in big games, all of which led to him being a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2011. That same year Mathieu received the Chuck Bednarik Award, recognizing him as the best defensive player in college football. The following August he was dismissed from the LSU team; while coach Les Miles would only say Mathieu had violated team rules, it was widely reported that Mathieu had failed drug tests.
The story notes that Mathieu is on a 10-stop, cross-country tour to convince NFL teams he's turned his life around since being kicked off the LSU squad, after which he was arrested on a marijuana charge.
The coach, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to comment about the evaluation, doesn't dump all of the blame on Mathieu. He points a finger at LSU.
"If he flunked 10 tests before they suspended him, it shows that he got no kind of help," the coach said.
What say you LSU?
Read the story here.