By Hunt Palmer
LSU practiced this week with a heavy heart.
In the hours following Kyren Lacy’s tragic death in Houston, head coach Brian Kelly called a team meeting. Though many players had already received word through text or social media, Kelly stood before the team and informed them of the circumstances.
“Everybody was quiet,” said sophomore offensive lineman Paul Mubenga. “We understood why. (Lacy) was such a good person, bringing the energy out here. It doesn’t matter what kind of day he had. He always put everybody else before himself. So, that kind of shook us back, made us realize that we have a lot to be happy about and a lot to look forward to. As you can see from these last two practices, we’re just trying to honor his legacy with the energy in practice.”
Lacy played three years for LSU, leading the team in touchdown catches in 2024. Following the departure of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas to the NFL, Lacy became the front man for the wide receiver group.
Understandably, that appears to have been the group to take the news the hardest.
“I know, personally, a lot of wide receivers asked themselves the question, what could they have done better to just reach out to him and make him feel like he still has a family,” Mubenga said.
LSU’s football program has a mental health specialist on staff. LaKeisha Poole, Assistant Athletic Director for Sport Psychology & Counseling, has held that position for three years.
Kelly spoke Tuesday about the difficulties of being a student-athlete under the bright lights at a place like LSU.
“Unfortunately, in my career, this is not the first time that this has happened,” Kelly said. “Mental health is part of one of the facets of player development that you’re working with in my field. Unfortunately, it’s happened before, and I never take a situation like this as one that could never happen. You’re always on guard for it.”
Lacy, by all accounts, was a high-energy personality. He was often smiling, laughing, playing. His on-field persona mirrored that. Mubenga recounted a personal situation that didn’t involve 100,000 in attendance or national television cameras.
“I remember my first start against Alabama. Something happened to my car. He was the first person to pull up and ask me if I needed any help,” Mubenga said. “He stayed with me for over an hour. That’s the kind of person he was.”
After Kelly spoke to the team on Sunday morning, senior safety Jardin Gilbert addressed the team.
“(Gilbert) told us if we ever need anything, just reach out. It doesn’t matter what position group, just reach out,” Mubenga said. “This is family.”
It’s now a family without one member. Lacy’s funeral was held Saturday morning in Thibodaux, his hometown.
“Kyren was a bright star,” Kelly said. “He had an incredible personality. I’ll remember him as somebody that had a love for the game, a love for being a Tiger, and was a guy that played with great emotion. When you think of Kyren, you’re going to smile most of the time because of the way he handled himself. He was a guy that was full of energy. I think a lot of his teammates will remember him that way as well.”
The LSU Football family mourns the loss of Kyren Lacy pic.twitter.com/Me2GBZ6Ao8
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) April 13, 2025
