“Change is going to take place” | Les Miles addresses tragedy during SportsCenter interview

Miles knew deceased officer Montrell Jackson

By JAMES MORAN
Tiger Rag Associate Editor

Les Miles cancelled his annual trip to Bristol for ESPN’s Car Wash, but the LSU coach appeared on SportsCenter just after 5 p.m. local time and explained his decision to remain in Baton Rouge following Sunday’s tragic shootings that left three law-enforcement officers dead.

Striking a deft tone, Miles discussed the mood across the city, how it’s been taken by his team and revealed that he knew Montrell Jackson, the 32-year-old new father who was one of three officers killed Sunday when a gunman ambushed authorities at the B-Quick gas station.

“He had a Facebook post that was kind of descriptive of what all is going on and how tired he was, but he said you can’t let hate infect your heart,” Miles said of Jackson. “Boy, he had it the exact right piece there to offer us all. There is no mechanism for change that is done through violence. Not in this country. Not now. Our society is too advanced.

“Change is going to take place, but it’s going to take place in a heartfelt, caring, where you’re at-position, kind of like Montrell would do. He would be a kind and wonderful person who would help direct you, and if we can all kind of not lose sight of that, it would make us all happy.”

Coach Miles spoke about Montrell Jackson on SportsCenter. Jackson was one of the officers killed on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/G8P9LGarCh

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) July 18, 2016

Here’s more highlights of Miles’ five-minute interview. You can find a full transcript of Miles’ responses courtesy of the fine folks over at 247Sports:

“It’s just very difficult to recognize that this is Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge is a spectacular community and the interactions there are great. I guy from Kansas City who is in Dallas and watched the Dallas event, he comes down the road and decides to end his life by attacking the Baton Rouge police department. It’s just been tragic.”

“Change will occur. This is a magnificent country and a great state and a beautiful community. It will change, and certainly for the best. It’s home. It has to.”

“I think we are going to have a little bit more outreach, and I think our guys will enjoy going to the grade school and being around. I think there is a wound that is community-wide, and it generally gets fixed when we all come together and really celebrate the Tigers playing and certainly playing well.”