Manti Te'o has resumed his workouts in Florida in preparation for the NFL draft. (Photo: J. Meric, Getty Images) Manti Te'o told Katie Couric that the most egregious falsehood that the Notre Dame All-American linebacker told regarding a now-infamous hoax involving a fake girlfriend was something he said to his father. "The biggest lie I'm sorry for is the lie that I told my dad,'' Te'o said during his first televised interview Thursday since the Lennay Kekua scandal broke. "He asked me, 'Did you see her?' I said, 'No. . . . I mean, yes.' As a child, your biggest thing is to get approval of your parents.'' But, he added, he was "invested in Lennay.'' MORE: All the coverage of Manti Te'o girlfriend hoax BRENNAN: Te'o caught in seemingly well-rehearsed lie Later, Couric asked the former Irish star linebacker if a popular rumor that he might be gay was true. "No, far from it'' he quickly replied before laughing. "Far from it.'' Te'o insisted never lied to anyone about his non-existent girlfriend, even after he found out the entire ordeal was a ruse. "I wasn't as forthcoming, but I didn't lie,'' he said. "I never was asked, 'Did you see her in person?' '' The Heisman Trophy finalist discussed Kekua with various media on Dec. 8 and Dec. 10. The Heisman ceremony was Dec. 8 in New York. Te'o finished second. TE'O TO COURIC: Says what he went through was real ALSO DUPED: Te'o's spiritual adviser also spoke with Kekua 'many times' Te'o appeared Thursday on a taped interview with Couric that was shown at various times across the country on her syndicated show, Katie. The interview was Te'o's first on camera since news of the hoax came out. Deadspin.com first reported the hoax on Jan. 16, when it released a long and detailed account of how Te'o had fallen victim to a "catfishing" scheme created by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, an acquaintance of Te'o's and a pastor at a California church. While Deadspin quoted a friend of Tuiasosopo's as saying he was "80 percent sure" that Te'o was "in on it," and that "the two perpetrated Lennay Kekua's death with publicity in mind," Te'o and his family have adamantly denied any involvement in or knowledge of the hoax. In an off-camera interview with ESPN's Jeremy Schaap on Jan. 18, Te'o said he had no inkling that his relationship with Kekua was a sham until Dec. 6, when Kekua called him to say that she was not dead. These calls persisted over the following weeks, Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick said at a press conference Jan. 17. Even then, Te'o said, he was not convinced that Kekua didn't exist until Jan. 16, when Tuiasosopo called him to confess and apologize. Notre Dame first learned of the hoax Dec. 26, when Te'o called coach Brian Kelly and defensive coordinator Bob Diaco and informed them of the calls he had been receiving from Kekua over the previous 20 days. Kelly and Diaco then told Swarbrick, who met with Te'o on Dec. 27 and Te'o's parents, Brian and Ottilia, a day later. In earlier excerpts released by Katie, Te'o acknowledged that he briefly lied about the nature of his relationship with Kekua in the days following the initial phone call Dec. 6. Te'o mentioned Kekua two days later, when he was in Manhattan for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. "Now I get a phone call on Dec. 6, saying that she's alive and then I'm going be put on national TV two days later," Te'o told Couric. "And to ask me about the same question. You know, what would you do?" The pain he felt when he learned Kekua had died Sept. 12 was all real, Te'o said to Couric. "What I went through was real. The feelings, the pain, the sorrow. That was all real," Te'o said. Contributing: Paul Myerberg PHOTOS: MANTI TE'O'S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Story Highlights
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Te'o says 'biggest lie' was one he told his dad
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o finished second in the 2012 Heisman Trophy voting to Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. Winslow Townson, AP
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Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, linebacker Manti Te'o and safety Zeke Motta talk to the press after the 2013 BCS Championship game. Alabama won 42-14. Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o is escorted by Miss Texas Ali Nugent as he carries the Lombardi Award to an interview room after a ceremony Dec. 5. Melissa Phillip, AP
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o leaves the field after his team's defeat to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2013 BCS Championship game. Alabama won 42-14. Matt Cashore, USA TODAY Sports
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Notre Dame's Manti Te'o reacts in action during the second half of the 2013 BCS Championship game against Alabama. Matt Cashore, USA TODAY Sports
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o speaks during a press conference for the 2013 BCS Championship game. Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports
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One thing that has been remarkably steady in a season full of surprises has been the performance of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, center, taking aim at a Wake Forest ballcarrier Saturday. Matt Cashore, US Presswire
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Te'o against Washington as a freshman in 2009. Michael Conroy, AP
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If the USA TODAY Sports Media Group survey is any indicator, Notre Dame senior Manti Te'o at the very least will have the highest Heisman Trophy finish ever by a linebacker. Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports
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Notre Dame's Manti Te'o reacts after Notre Dame defeated Michigan 13-6 on Sept. 22, 2012. Darron Cummings, AP
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o played with a heavy heart against Michigan State after the loss of his girlfriend and grandmother. By Matt Cashore, US Presswire
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o (5) celebrates after Notre Dame defeated the Stanford Cardinal 20-13 in overtime at Notre Dame Stadium. Matt Cashore-US PRESSWIRE US PRESSWIRE
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o collars Miami running back Duke Johnson in the Irish's 41-3 win. Matt Cashore, US Presswire
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o waits for the snap during the second half of Notre Dame's 21-6 win over Boston College in a NCAA college football game in Boston Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. Winslow Townson AP
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, right, trying to slow down Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor in South Bend. Michael Conroy, AP
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o gives a salute as he enters practice at the LaBar Practice Complex in August 2011. Matt Cashore, USA TODAY Sports
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, left, celebrates with defensive end Justin Utupo (53) after a Notre Dame win. Nam Y. Huh, AP
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Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o (5) reacts during the second half of a game against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium. Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE US PRESSWIRE
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o runs the ball after an interception in the first quarter against the BYU Cougars. Matt Cashore, US Presswire
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o leaves the field after his final game at Notre Dame Stadium, a 38-0 win against Wake Forest that helped propel the Irish to the No. 1 ranking for the first time in 19 years. Matt Cashore, US Presswire
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Manti Te'o celebrates Notre Dame's 38-0 win over Wake Forest. Matt Cashore, US Presswire
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o returns one of five interceptions by the Irish during the first half against Michigan. Matt Cashore, US Presswire
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o (5) and wide receiver John Goodman (81) celebrate in the fourth quarter against USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Notre Dame won 22-13. Matt Cashore, US Presswire
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Manti Te'o, Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish linebacker looks to become the first defensive Heisman winner since Charles Woodson in 1997. Matt Cashore, USA TODAY Sports
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Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o won the Nagurski Award, given to the nation's top defensive player. Matt Cashore, USA TODAY Sports
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