Last week, members of the LSU football team marched through campus joining athletes across the nation in protesting police brutality and racial injustice following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin by police officers.
The players marched to the university president's office and met with LSU's interim president Tom Galligan where they were joined by Tigers head football coach Ed Orgeron.
Orgeron said the demonstration was completely organized by LSU's players.
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"That was a players only deal," he said. "So I went with them when they call me and that was in the president's office, and I'm glad I did."
Orgeron said he's met with the players to discuss the social issues concerning them and said he's focused on being part of the solution.
"I thought it was a good growing experience for both of us, for me as a head coach and for our football team," Orgeron said. "For me to listen to what things are going on with them and why they did it, and being a part of the solution.
"So I thought that it ended up being a very productive day."
Orgeron said he also reached out to his mentor, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who he worked for at USC and Carroll gave him some advice on how to handle the off-field issues his players are confronted with on a daily basis.
"I think for me is you know, when I say block out the noise, I mean when we come in to work we focus on the task at hand, but it's not being oblivious to what's going on out there because, obviously, it's affecting our players," Orgeron said. "So if it's affecting our players I need to be educated or what's going on, why it's going on, listen to them, open up some dialogue and find some solutions."
