LSU football coach Brian Kelly responds…
Despite Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s request for universities to revoke scholarships from college athletes who do not attend the national anthem, LSU has decided to maintain its cherished football pregame tradition.
“There will not be any changes to our pre-game football processes this season,” LSU athletics spokesman Zach Greenwell stated in a message to the Illuminator.
Landry’s spokesperson, Kate Kelly, declined to comment on LSU’s decision.
Landry made this request to Louisiana’s four higher education systems in April after the LSU women’s basketball team did not appear on the court for the “Star Spangled Banner” before their NCAA Tournament game against Iowa. A video showing Iowa’s team on the court without LSU went viral on social media, primarily driven by conservative accounts.
“It is time that all college boards, including Regent[s], implement a policy requiring student athletes to be present for the national anthem or risk losing their athletic scholarships! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill,” Landry posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Landry’s request caused concern among LSU football and basketball fans, as the teams traditionally remain in the locker room during the anthem. His proposed policy could potentially strip scholarships from over a hundred student-athletes.
At the time, LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward released a statement saying, “we consistently look at our processes and will do so again,” leading to concerns that the football team might change its long-standing pregame routine.
Fifteen minutes before kickoff, LSU’s “Golden Band from Tigerland” assembles in the stadium’s south end zone. The band takes the field to perform “Tiger Rag,” an old jazz standard adopted by the university, followed by the alma mater and finally, the national anthem.
Afterward, the band lines up on both sides of the LSU locker room exit, and the Tigers charge onto the field just before the game begins.
This isn’t the first time a Louisiana conservative has shown interest in athletes’ anthem practices. In 2017, unnamed state legislators threatened to cut LSU’s funding if players knelt during the anthem. Kneeling during the anthem became a hotly debated issue after NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so in 2016 to protest police brutality against Black people.
The threat was retracted after then-LSU President F. King Alexander reminded lawmakers that the football team stays in the locker room during the anthem, as reported by The Advocate.
Such protests have been rare in major college athletics programs, with many keeping their athletes off the field or court during the anthem.
LSU’s football season kicks off Sunday with a game against the USC Trojans in Las Vegas.
