Amid the confetti and euphoria from LSU’s national championship victory Monday night, offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger shared an emotional moment with his son on the field at the Superdome.
The Tigers’ postseason run began on Dec. 28, the same day Steven Ensminger Jr.’s wife, Carley McCord, died in a plane crash in Lafayette, La., on the way to the Peach Bowl.
Just over two weeks later, after LSU beat Clemson 42-25, Ensminger and his son had a long, tear-filled hug as the celebration surrounded them in New Orleans.
A press box seat was reserved Monday night in remembrance of McCord, a Louisiana sports reporter.
Ensminger still coached in the Peach Bowl, just hours after calling his son to console him and tell him they would get through it together.
“I’m going to believe he did it for me, for Carley,” Ensminger Jr. told ESPN when asked why Ensminger coached in the Peach Bowl, a 63-28 LSU win over Oklahoma.
“She would have wanted him to coach that game and win,” Carley’s mother, Karen McCord, told ESPN in a feature that aired before Monday’s game. “And she wants him to win that national championship.”
