ATLANTA — The death of a New Orleans-based sports reporter in a Louisiana plane crash Saturday darkened the mood at the Peach Bowl, where her father-in-law was one of the coaches.
Carley McCord, a freelance sideline reporter who worked for ESPN among other networks, was among five people killed. She was reportedly on her way to Atlanta, where LSU defeated Oklahoma in a College Football Playoff semifinal Saturday.
The Lafayette Fire Department confirmed that McCord was one of the victims.
McCord’s husband is Steven Ensminger Jr.; Ensminger’s father, Steve Ensminger, is the offensive coordinator for LSU. The elder Ensminger still coached in the Peach Bowl, and LSU head coach Ed Orgeron said there was no hesitation from Ensminger about that decision. Orgeron said he and Ensminger didn’t want the players to know but that some still heard.
About 50 minutes before kickoff, Ensminger came onto the field with LSU’s quarterbacks and centers. He wiped his eyes a few times as he watched pregame warmups. A few LSU players came over to hug him.
“It says a lot about him and a lot about his character for him to go out there and still call the game and call such a good game,” LSU tight end Thaddeus Moss said after the game. “I’m just so happy we went out there and executed, had one of our best games offensively for him and his family.”
Orgeron found out about McCord’s death around 12:30 p.m. and said he was the one who told Ensminger.
“And here’s what he said: ‘Coach, we’re going to get through this,’ ” Orgeron said. “And, obviously, he was distraught, but he called a great game today. So just goes to show you the integrity and the grit and the character of the men on our football team.”
The plane, identified by the Federal Aviation Administration as a two-engine Piper Cheyenne, crashed into the parking lot of a post office a mile west of Lafayette Regional Airport around 9:22 a.m.
One surviving passenger and three bystanders were taken to a hospital, Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit told reporters. The survivor, a 37-year-old man, was in critical condition.
The fire department identified the other deceased victims as pilot Ian Biggs, 51; Robert Crisp II, 59; Gretchen Vincent, 51; and Michael Vincent, 15.
Representatives of the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were en route to the crash site.
McCord, 30, covered the New Orleans Pelicans, the New Orleans Saints and other sports. She also worked as a sports reporter for New Orleans television station WDSU.
“We are devastated by the loss of such an amazing talent and valued member of our WDSU family,” WDSU president and general manager Joel Vilmenay said in a statement. “Carley’s passion for sports journalism and her deep knowledge of Louisiana sports, from high school to the professional ranks, made her an exceptional journalist. As we reflect on her impressive body of work, we offer our deepest condolences to her family.”
McCord was born and raised in Baton Rouge, according to a biography on her personal website. She studied at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., and LSU before she got her first broadcast job as an in-house reporter for the Cleveland Browns. She also worked for CBS Radio Cleveland.
Two years later, McCord moved home to Baton Rouge and worked as a radio host for Guaranty Media for three years before she decided to pursue sports television full time. In addition to her freelance reporting, McCord did advertising work for several businesses, spoke at schools and conferences and hosted fundraisers.
The Pelicans and Saints said in a joint statement that McCord’s “infectious personality and knowledge of both teams” entertained fans. “Not only was Carley an excellent representative of the Saints and Pelicans organizations, she was also a highly respected member of the media covering sports ... with utmost professionalism,” the teams wrote.
Washington Redskins running back Derrius Guice, a former LSU player and Baton Rouge native, shared a photo of McCord conducting an on-field interview.
“Such a sweet soul,” he wrote, adding a broken-heart emoji. “you’ll be missed Carley”
Hannah Knowles contributed to this report.
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