When LSU football coach Les Miles addressed the media for the first time following the now-infamous Shady’s Bar brawl, the Unity Council stood behind him.
Senior offensive lineman Josh Dworaczyk apologized to coaches and the LSU community on behalf of the council during the Aug. 20 press conference regarding the bar fight.
“We just stayed focused and kept everybody together and said we were going to give a public apology,” senior safety Brandon Taylor said of the conference. “We did that and just moved on and put it behind us. We’ve got to focus on the time.”
Unity Councils are prevalent in programs as large as Nebraska and as small as Augusta Christian of Martinez, Ga.
For LSU, Taylor wears No. 18 as a sign of leadership, which is what the 23-member council is intended to provide. Miles and other No. 18 players, including former running back Jacob Hester and former tight end Richard Dickson, selected Taylor to wear the number, which in a new tradition signifies the player that best exudes what it means to be a Tiger in all aspects, including football and life.
“We look over our [position] room with academics, things off the field with school and practice,” Taylor said. “The coaches trust me to be a leader and oversee things, so I hold myself teammates.”
 
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