Carl Pelini files defamation suit against former FAU assistant

Former head coach Carl Pelini is suing his ex-assistant for claiming Pelini used drugs while in his position with Florida Atlantic, ultimately costing him his job. 

Pelini, now the defensive line coach at Youngstown State under his brother Bo, filed a defamation suit against Matt Edwards in Seneca County, Ohio seeking over $25,000 in damages. Pelini's lawsuit alleges that Edwards signed an affidavit that he knew was false, and that Edwards made verbal statements causing "injury, harm, damage to reputation and other damage to (Pelini) as a result of these false statements," according to Sports Illustrated's Thayer Evans. 

Pelini explained to Sports Illustrated that he waited to file the suit because he did not want to hinder potential job opportunities.

"It's been a very frustrating time," said Carl Pelini. "An embarrassing time. There's a lot of false information and misinformation out there. Everybody seems to have a theory as to what happened. I feel like this is going to be an opportunity for me to go under oath and state the facts as they really happened."

Bo Pelini told SI that Carl passed three drug tests and gave Youngstown State additional information to dispel allegations that he used drugs before he was hired. Bo gave SI two negative test results. 

Carl was fired from FAU for failing to report the conduct of staff, not for drug use. Carl told SI in a March 2014 interview that Edwards manufactured the drug allegations after he confronted Edwards on suspicion that he was engaged in an inappropriate relationship.

"Carl is a phenomenal addition to this staff with his experience and character," said Bo. "It's time he got back in this profession because there's so much he can add. It's unfortunate that he's had to live under a cloud due to some false accusations that were made over a year ago."