President Donald Trump honored the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers at the White House on Friday, days after the college football team beat Clemson in the national championships.
The Tigers capped off a 15-0 national championship season at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Monday night, beating Clemson 42-25 and winning the championship title for the first time in more than a decade.
“Your football program has inspired countless fans across the country,” Trump told the team at the Oval Office on Friday.
“It’s been there a long time, a lot of presidents, some good, some not so good. But you got a good one now!,” he said. “Got the greatest economy we ever had. ...We got the greatest military, we rebuilt it we took out those terrorists like your football team would have taken out those terrorists, right? We’re doing good.”
The president also praised the team for how it’s overcome adversities.
“And it’s not just for what you’ve done on the football field. In the face of heartbreaking tragedy you’ve rallied together behind offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger,” the president said, referring to LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, who lost his daughter-in-law and sports reporter Carley McCord last month in a plane crash.
Head coach Ed Orgeron also used the opportunity to praise his team.
“This is a player-driven program,” he said. “It’s about the men behind me and the men in front of me. You guys did it, you guys set out with a plan, last year Jan. 17 that you were going to win the National Championship. You never talked about it, you went about it through hard work and dedication and you did it and I’m so proud.”
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