Here’s a look at your 2025 Double Decker performers
on North Lamar Boulevard.
A&C Contributor
Unifying lovers of music, art and food, the Double Decker Arts Festival is scheduled for April 25-26 on the Oxford Square.
This year’s music lineup is loaded with electrifying, Grammy-nominated talent from across the country. In the 28th annual celebration of music, these artists will convey their craft on the Nicholas Air Stage
Opening the festival at 5 p.m. Friday will be Will Griffith, better known as The Great Dying. Griffith hails from Cleveland, Miss., and his music explores the hardship associated with heartbreak and struggles with sobriety through the sounds of dark country and alternative rock.
The critically acclaimed rock ‘n’ roll band The Band of Heathens will follow The Great Dying’s performance at 6:15 p.m.
Their latest album, “Simple Things,” topped the Americana music charts for two months, earning the group a “CBS Saturday Morning” appearance, and their song “Hurricane” has been certified gold by the RIAA. Day one of Double Decker will close with performances from Ole 60 at 7:30 p.m. and headliner Charley Crockett at 9 p.m. Hailing from Hawesville, Ky.,
The Associated Student Body elected eight new senators for the upcoming academic year during the ASB formal senate meeting in the Student Union Auditorium on Tuesday, April 22.
Five senators recently resigned from their seats, opening those spots for election. The other three were vacant following ASB elections in March.
Eleven candidates ran for the eight available seats, with each candidate making the case for their election to the sitting senators. Troy Christian, Sawyer Gates, Eron Hendrix, Corey Kingery, Dylan Quinn, Wesley Templet, William Thompson and Ethan
Williams were elected. Hendrix, a senior public health and public policy leadership major from Tupelo, Miss., served on the senate prior to her recent unsuccessful run for ASB president.
“I’m really excited to be elected again this year,” Hendrix said. “This is going to be my third term in the senate, and I’m really excited to be able to give back to the student body. This place has really given me so much. It truly is a home for me, and I’m so excited to continue to build upon that.”
During his run as the head coach of Ole Miss Men’s Basketball from 1992 to 1998, Rob Evans won two SEC West Division Championships and was the 1997 SEC Coach of the Year. In the documentary “Paving the Way: The Odyssey of Coach Rob Evans,” Evans reflects on his journey as an athlete, coach and mentor.
Evans remains one of the most impactful figures in Ole Miss Athletics history, remembered not only for his trailblazing role as the University of Mis -
sissippi’s first Black head coach but also for the legacy he built on and off the basketball court.
Part one of “Paving the Way” is available now on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube and STARZ. Part two is in production and will be released next year.
Damon Evans helped bring his father’s story to the screen after being inspired by a friend’s suggestion.
“A friend called me and said, ‘Man, your dad’s got a lot of stories. We should try to document this in some kind of way,’” Damon Evans said in an interview with The Daily Mississippian.
“Everyone just decided that it
would be a pretty cool project to do a documentary on his career.” That conversation sparked what would become a full-fledged film project chronicling Rob Evans’ groundbreaking coaching journey.
After 24 seasons as an assistant, Evans accepted his first Division I head coaching job at Ole Miss in 1992.
“I told my wife, ‘You know, I feel like we can go as a family to Mississippi, and we can make a difference in a lot of areas, not only in the basketball program but also in the lives of people,’” Rob Evans
SHAYNA BARNES
Happy Landing performs at Double Decker in April 2022.
HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
TEDDY KING Sports Staff Writer
Rob Evans cuts down the net after Ole Miss becomes SEC West Champions in 1997.
PHOTO COURTESY: ROB EVANS
HANNAH IVEY News Staff Writer
Ole 60 released their “Three Twenty Four” EP in 2023 and have amassed more than 150 million streams through a blend of Southern country, blues and grunge rock.
Crockett, a country artist with a distinctive, jazzy voice, also stays true to his Southern roots. Praised by Rolling Stone as a “must-see performer,” Crockett’s album “The Man from Waco” earned the No. 2 spot
on the publication’s ranking of Best Country Albums of 2022.
On Saturday morning, the groove of music will also start up at 10 with an opening performance from Rust College A’ Capella Choir based in Holly Springs, Miss.
Grammy nominee and Hill Country artist Cedric Burnside will perform at 11:30 a.m. Burnside brings traditional blues to a modern-day audience on his latest album, “Hill Country Love,” recorded in Tippah County, Miss.
At 1 p.m., the Seratones will serenade the audience with
songs from their genre-defying latest album “Love and Algorhythms.” This band’s mix of rock and soul, paired with their Louisiana background, will provide unique sounds for the audience.
Bringing things closer to home, the Water Valley, Miss., band Water Liars will take the Nicholas Air Stage at 2:30 p.m. The local indie rock band is praised for their immersive live performances that feature a stripped-back style.
The 4 p.m. slot is reserved for 2023 Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album Grammy nominee Cimafunk. Performing with his band La Tribu, Cimafunk’s music mixes punk, Afrobeat, hip-hop and Cuban influences.
At 5:30 and 7 p.m. respectively, The Record Company and Houndmouth will kick off the music for the evening, each offering a unique take on the blues genre. Both bands are anticipated to draw in a crowd, with The Record Company finding success through their Grammy nominations and Houndmouth rapidly gaining attention with performances at major shows and festivals.
This year’s Double Decker will conclude with second-year performer Grace Potter at 8:30 p.m. Her latest release, “Mother Road,” is inspired by a solo road trip Potter took in 2021
and incorporates genres such as blues, country and rock to tell a story of personal growth.
From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., shuttle services will run from Oxford High School and the South Oxford Center parking garage and cost $5 round trip.
Besides music, the Double Decker Festival will feature 180 art vendors and 26 food booths that open at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Saturday’s events will kick off with the 10k Double Decker Spring Run/Walk at 7:30 a.m., a 5K at 7:45 a.m. and a Kids Fun Run at 9 a.m. Nora Courtney, a soph-
omore public policy leadership major from Wiggins, Miss., eagerly awaits the annual festival this weekend for both music and studio artists.
“I am so excited about Double Decker,” Courtney said. “It’s the number one event I look forward to in the spring semester. I love Charley Crockett and all the art vendors. This year I am looking for new paintings for my apartment, and there’s no better place to look than the festival.”
Double Decker food vendors showcase quintessential Southern eats
P.B. JERNIGAN
A&C Staff Writer
Food has always been a staple of Oxford culture, and the 28th annual Double Decker Arts Festival will showcase the town’s variety with 19 unique vendors.
The vendors will set up at the center of the Square on Saturday, April 26. They operate from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Local popsicle vendor Oxsicles will return for their fourth year at Double Decker. Featured flavors will include best-sellers like strawberry, pink lemonade, blue grape, mango and non-dairy chocolate.
“It’s our biggest event of the year,” Oxsicles owner Elizabeth Speed said. “I love being the local popsicle company in
town, and everybody knows to come to me. I’ve been in the same spot for four years, right across from the Ajax corner.”
Speed said Oxsicles marks the occasion by decorating their booth to the nines.
“We pull out all the stops,” Speed said. “We get our flag out. We have our tent with our brand on it. We’re handing out stickers. We’ll also give away little items, whether it’s an insulated tote or a t-shirt.”
Mempops will also be at Double Decker, offering fruit, ice cream and popsicles. Snow Biz will have their classic snow cones as a frozen sweet treat. Baked goods will be served by Crumbl Cookies and Nothing Bundt Cakes.
Some familiar food trucks
for Ole Miss students will be featured vendors. Wiggly’s will serve their iconic burritos, and Hot Box Hibachi will have their signature chicken, steak and seafood hibachi. Festival-goers can get a caffeinated loaded tea at The Tea to stay energized for that night’s musical performances.
For the health-conscious attendees, Chicken Salad Chick and Living Foods will have fresh, healthy options. Chicken Salad Chick will serve their classic chicken salad among various other dishes on their menu. Living Foods will have organic, whole food options including sandwiches, juices and smoothie bowls.
A student favorite, Casa Mexicana will be among the vendors. Offering Tex-Mex cuisine, Casa Mexicana recently opened a new location on Highway 6. Junior biology major Justin Leis from Biloxi, Miss., is excited that Casa Mexicana will be one of the vendors.
“I love Casa (Mexicana) because it’s fairly priced, the people are always friendly and the food is always good,” Leis said.
Born to Pop, a business based in Byram, Miss., will sell gourmet popcorn and mixed nuts — quintessential festival foods.
Vatrice Harmon, owner of Born to Pop, is pleased to have her booth at Double Deck-
er for the first time.
“I have never been to Double Decker, but I have been just about everywhere else as a vendor,” Harmon said.
She is particularly looking forward to the environment of Double Decker.
“I am anticipating a lot of fun that’s family-oriented,” Harmon said. “I’m expecting a crowd because everyone is excited to be outside after the rainy weather we’ve had. I’m excited for the crowd, good food and entertainment.”
Harmon said to look out for their most popular flavors: Hot Cheeto dill, banana pudding and cinnamon roll.
Well-known food chains Domino’s Pizza and Chickfil-A will be among the vendors, providing quick, easy and familiar food on-the-go.
Savory options from vendors
include Taylor Grocery, The Grille, B&E BBQ, Sled Dog’s, Fergndan’s Wood Fired Pizza Cafe and Moe’s Original BBQ. John Elms, a senior Southern studies major from New Orleans, spoke about the versatility of the vendors.
“My favorite vendor is definitely Moe’s BBQ. I enjoy it so much because the food is fantastic, and there are Moe’s restaurants in New Orleans,” Elms said. “The lineup of vendors is pretty special because it offers a mixture of well-known restaurants and local places. So no matter who is visiting Oxford for Double Decker, everyone will be able to find food they enjoy eating.”
Born to Pop displays their various flavors of popcorn and nuts at previous festival.
VATRICE HARMON / BORN TO POP
Connor Smith performs at Double Decker on April 26, 2024.
RILEY MCCOY / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
The Square is busy with 2024 Double Decker Arts Festival attendees.
PHOTO COURTESY: LEE ANN STUBBS
Hendrix shared her plans for her new senate term.
“My biggest goal and plan for this year would be to get free period products in all of our athletic buildings on campus,” Hendrix said. “Having free period products in the football stadium on game days so that people don’t have to worry about that is one of my goals this year.”
Templet, a junior public policy leadership major from Vacherie, La., ran for ASB vice president earlier this semester. After losing that election, he decided to campaign to regain his senate seat.
“I served the past two years on the housing committee, but I’m looking to do a few more things this year besides housing,” Templet said. “I want to work on making sure the ASB Code of Constitution is updated and reflective of how we work
currently, how we can work better and more efficiently for students and making sure we’re working with the students the best we can.”
Templet talked about his other plans to improve various aspects of campus life.
“I want to work on mental health resources, especially promoting 988 as the mental health hotline around campus,” Templet said. “Another idea I have is to work on dead week. Right now we have a kind of dead week before finals, but I really want to make sure professors are following that and making sure that students don’t have exams and big projects due a week before finals just to have time to study and whatnot.”
Christian, a junior multidisciplinary studies major from Jackson, Miss., emphasized his plan to continue where he left off in the senate earlier this semester.
“As I step back into the role of ASB senator, I plan to continue the momentum of being a voice for our student body,” Christian said. “(I
plan) to continue pushing for advocacy for all students, including minority organizations and their leadership. I will also continue to achieve and excel in all aspects possible.”
Kingery expressed excitement about her election to the senate.
“I’m incredibly honored to be elected to the senate and grateful for the opportunity to serve,” Kingery, a sophomore public policy major, said.
Kingery, a native of Meridian, Miss., is eager to collaborate with her peers.
“I’m looking forward to working with fellow students and leaders to help make campus more inclusive, engaging and student-focused,” Kingery said. “Over the next year, I hope to bring fresh ideas to the table and help turn student feedback into meaningful action — including improving academic advising, evaluating our mental health policies, strengthening the university’s relationship with the LOU community and finding new ways to gather and elevate student voices.”
Quinn, a junior public policy leadership major from Fulton, Miss., voiced his plans for the next year.
“My first plan is to figure out a way for all advisers to be on the same page and understand transfer credits and how they work,” Quinn said. “My second plan is to make first-year student resources more available. A lot of times when people come to the university, they tend to be lost at the beginning.”
Thompson, a sophomore international studies major from Laurel, Miss., prioritized making college materials more affordable and accessible.
“One of my top priorities is to address the high cost of course materials,” Thompson said. “Students already pay so much to attend college, and we need more transparency about what materials are truly required for courses, more financial support and a greater use of open-source textbooks.”
Williams, a sophomore public policy major from Ocean
DJ Razzle Dazzle’s
Springs, Miss., stated that he was passionate about working to better the university.
“I’m so proud to have been chosen for this,” Williams said. “A perfect campus is impossible but should always be the end goal.” Williams further expressed a desire to improve the university’s infrastructure.
“Going forward, I plan to work with the senate to improve the infrastructure on our campus while also responding to the complaints many students have,” Williams said.
The Daily Mississippian reached out to Gates for comment but did not receive a response by time of publication.
In addition to electing new senators, ASB also confirmed their previously elected senators for the upcoming academic year.
2025 Double Decker Arts Festival playlist
Every year, the Double Decker Arts Festival features a lineup of musical artists that can range anywhere from regional Southern musicians to global, well-recognized artists. This year’s musical lineup includes 12 musical acts, 11 of which have music available to stream or purchase as festival attendees prepare for this weekend.
Here are some of those artists’ standout tracks to pay attention to.
The festival will kick off Friday at 5 p.m. with The Great Dying performing on the Nicholas Air Stage on North Lamar. The song recommended for listening is “Magnolia” from his 2018 album “Bloody Moses & Roses.” The instrumentation features beautiful acoustic guitar and calming nature sounds like birds chirping. Dreamy atmospherics are juxtaposed with the Mississippi native’s raspy vocals.
Texan rock ‘n’ roll group The Band of Heathens will take the stage at 6:15 p.m. Their most popular song is “Hurricane,” a track about the resilience of Louisiana and its people after disastrous storms. The dramatic intro featuring the piano and electric guitar gives the song an ominous feel, which is powerful when paired with lyrics like, “It takes a lot of water to wash away New Orleans.”
Next, Ole 60 is set to perform at 7:30 p.m. The group from
Hawesville, Ky., blends grunge, blues and country styles to create a unique sound that has captivated millions of listeners. Their song “Smoke & A Light” reflects on missing an ex-partner who has found a new man and turning to vices to ease the pain of heartbreak. The lyrics may seem like nothing special, but driving vocals from frontman Jacob Young and powerful orchestration help create a catchy and addictive country tune. Closing out the first day of the festival, Grammy-nominated Charley Crockett will perform at 9 p.m. For introductory listening, “I Am Not Afraid” is a good recommendation. The short and sweet tune about Crockett not being afraid to express his love for someone features tender lyrics and a simple guitar melody that is perfect for romantically swaying back and forth.
On Saturday at 11:30 a.m., blues musician Cedric Burnside will hit the stage. As the grandson of blues artist R.L. Burnside, Cedric Burnside grew up listening and playing blues music around his childhood home in Holly Springs, Miss. His song “We Made It” from his 2018 Grammy Award-winning record “Benton County Relic” is the perfect prefatory song. The lyrics are pretty straightforward, but they share an inspiring story of growing up poor and surviving off of what he had.
At 1 p.m., the Louisiana group Seratones will begin their set, best described as a soulful fusion of funk
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and R&B with strong vocals from frontwoman AJ Haynes. Their song “Over You,” arguably their most popular, consists of groovy, upbeat production and lyrics about getting over a past lover, seeing them in public and trying to avoid an interaction.
Water Liars, a rock band from Water Valley, Miss., will perform at 2:30 p.m. My recommended listen is “Let it Breathe” from their 2014 self-titled album. The track is traditionally more folk in sound compared to the rest of the tracks on the album. However, it shines the most out of the tracklist.
At 4 p.m., Cuban Grammy-nominated artist Cimafunk will take the stage. He is the only artist of the festival’s lineup to feature songs sung in Spanish. Cimafunk showcases elements of his Afro and Cuban identities in his music by combining funk, jazz, afrobeats and traditional aspects of Latin music. Our song pick,“Parar el Tiempo,” which translates to “Stop the Time,” is about wanting to freeze time to be with a loved one longer.
Blues band The Record Company will perform at 5:30 p.m. Opening for artists such as previous Double Decker performers Blackberry Smoke, The Record Company has made a name for themselves since debuting in 2011. Their song “Off the Ground” is a catchy tune about getting up when you have been kicked down repeatedly.
Houndmouth, an alternative blues band from Indiana, will be
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performing at 7 p.m. Their song “Sedona” features lyrics about an elusive girl, who seems to be an adventure waiting to happen, with bouncy and bright guitar-led instrumentals.
The final artist of the festival’s lineup is Grammy-nominated Grace Potter at 8:30 p.m. Potter’s commercially successful music career includes writing songs for popular show “One Tree Hill,” and movies including Tim Bur-
ton’s “Alice in Wonderland” and Disney’s “Tangled.” Her song “Something That I Want” that was featured in “Tangled” is a cheerful, easy-to-sing-along tune about not feeling satisfied and desiring to explore the wonders of life.
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New pre-law and government fraternity remains open for new members
TAYLOR HILL A&C Staff Writer
A new professional fraternity has been established at the University of Mississippi, offering opportunities and a platform for students interested in careers in law, government and public service. Kappa Alpha Pi (KAPi), a co-ed pre-law and government fraternity, has recently launched its Alpha Beta chapter on campus.
The fraternity is open to students of all majors. Founded nationally in 2007 at the University of Michigan by a group of pre-law students, the fraternity seeks to create a supportive and inclusive environment for those pursuing legal careers.
Since its founding, KAPi has found a home at universities across the United States, aiming to build national networks for like-minded students and professionals.
The Alpha Beta chapter started in January 2025, when the CEO of the national organization reached out to a group of students who have been interested in bringing the organization to UM since 2023.
The student leaders have since built an executive board, completed their first initial
round of recruitment and are preparing for their first full semester in the fall. However, the chapter is still accepting applications into the upcoming fall semester.
Loria Williams, a freshman international studies and Spanish major from Madison, Miss., serves as the vice president of communications for KAPi.
“We really want to have a good presence on campus and to have an organization where pre-law and pre-government students can come together and talk to each other in the environment of very like-minded people,” Williams said.
The fraternity plans to provide resources and opportunities to its students. These include tools to access LSAT preparation, academic workshops, professional connections in government fields and professional development events.
“Especially with legal careers, not a lot of people know how to (find) the right direction, so we have a goal of doing that,” Williams said. “I’m hoping through the resources we already have and people I’ll meet through KAPi, I can get on the right track to go into law.”
Guest speakers are expected to play a big role in the chap-
ter’s regular programming, including legal professionals such as attorneys, judges and government officials.
The chapter also hopes to provide opportunities to participate in workshops and networking events. These include social gatherings and collaborations with other on-campus professional organizations to build community and increase outreach.
Cait Mayo, a freshman public policy leadership major from Oxford, who serves as the chapter’s executive vice president, noted that the organization encourages involvement from students with a variety of academic backgrounds.
“We would like to attract more people, and people who have other majors and aspire to be involved in government or law are also welcome,” Mayo said.
The fraternity also encourages civic engagement in politics on the Ole Miss campus. The group also aims to inform students about current events.
The executive board hopes that as the chapter grows, it will serve as a long-term resource for students. From academic support to professional development, the Alpha Beta chapter aims to bring com-
‘Warfare’ defies clichés of typical combat movies
“Why?”
An innocent bystander uttered this line repeatedly while watching horrible events unfold during the final act of “Warfare,” the latest film distributed by A24. It is also a question critics have asked approaching the film’s release, challenging whether the story should be told through a cinematic production.
“Warfare,” directed by former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza and author Alex Garland, follows the true story of an operation Mendoza took part in while deployed in Iraq in 2006. However, the characters are given fictional aliases, aside from Mendoza portrayed by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and Elliot Miller portrayed by Cosmo Jarvis. Other notable cast members include Joseph Quinn, Charles Melton, Will Poulter, Kit Connor and Noah Centineo.
From its opening moments, the film immerses viewers in the lives of these soldiers. Their backstories and often their names are not given. We are simply presented the actions of the mission that left them trapped together in a home in enemy territory.
The film depicts the events precisely as they happened within its 90-minute run time minus the bells and whistles that have plagued most films of the genre, such as the cliche of tragic backstories.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with this prem-
ise, the film’s marketing tactics were questionable and, in many cases, downright insulting, leading to assumptions that the film did not have much more to say than “war happens sometimes.”
The marketing featured the allstar cast taking part in activities that can only be described as tone deaf, given the context of the film they are representing. The press tour included the cast getting matching tattoos and proudly showing them off in a playful photo-op as well as a handful of distasteful photo shoots.
For these reasons, I had mixed feelings going into the film and found it hard to imagine the film would be anything more than a display of Garland’s technical prowess.
Marketing aside, “Warfare” proved itself to me as not only a good film but a striking condemnation of the industrial military complex and the concept of war entirely.
The shot selection and immaculate sound design work in
munity to students during their time as undergraduates.
we hope whatever that is becomes our next top priority.”
tandem to create a heart-pounding and immersive theatrical experience. The brutality of war is on full display with little to no attempt to either elevate or disparage the actions of those involved, letting them speak for themselves.
The performances are exemplary across the board, with Quinn offering a particularly haunting performance. Despite the controversy surrounding its press tour, the film shows no signs of lacking awareness of the toll that war takes.
While not much is presented in regards to characterization or thematic ideas, this lack of a real message is the message itself. War is often meaningless and cruel, showcasing the worst that humanity has to offer.
“Warfare” is now playing in theaters worldwide.
“We hope to offer an experience that our members want,” Mayo said. “That’s important to all of us. We want to hear what people in KAPi want to do, and
AARON BARROW
A&C Staff Writer
A scene from ‘Warfare’
PHOTO COURTESY: A24
Founding executive members of the Alpha Beta chapter of Kappa Alpha Pi include, left to right, Witt Weston, Lauren Graves, Jillian Gillis, Cait Mayo, Loria Williams and Eli Keel.
PHOTO COURTESY: LORIA WILLIAMS
said to The Daily Mississippian. “There was just no interest in basketball at Ole Miss. I felt like we needed to come in and create a lot of positive change there. And so we went to work.”
When Evans moved to Ole Miss, his family followed. His son, Damon, studied banking and finance at the university, while his daughter, Amber, studied radio and TV broadcasting.
While Evans had plenty of success on the court, he wanted to create more than just winners. He wanted to coach his players to become good people.
Joezon Darby, an Ole Miss Men’s Basketball player from 1995-98, described the person that Evans was to him on and off the court.
“Coach Evans was a mentor and father figure for a lot of us who didn’t have physical dads in their lives at the time,” Darby said. “Everything that he did, I watched. I watched how he handled the media, I watched how he handled the administration and I just watched his overall day-to-day movements around campus. You know, you want to emulate those men who impact your life the most, and Coach Evans was that individual for me.”
Darby also emphasized how important academics and pursuing a degree was to Evans if you played for him — it was a nonnegotiable.
“If we didn’t take care of our business academically, he wasn’t going to play us, no matter how big the game was,” Darby said. “He told my grandmother and my mom that if they allowed me to go to Ole Miss and play for him, I would graduate.”
During Darby’s senior year, Evans left Ole Miss to coach
at Arizona State University.
“I wasn’t going to graduate because I said, ‘Man, this guy left me.’ (At graduation) I looked up and guess who was there? Coach Evans. When I walked across that stage, I saw him, and I just broke down,” Darby said.
ASU first reached out to Evans in 1997, when the Rebels won their first SEC West Division Title. ASU’s Athletic Director Kevin White’s son, Michael, played on the Ole Miss team.
“(Kevin) had called me and said, ‘It looks like I’m going to have an opening here at Arizona State. Would you be interested?’” Evans said.
What was most important to Evans at the time was loyalty to the Ole Miss program, as well as his players.
Evans spent another year at Ole Miss and accepted White’s job offer after the 1998 season. Prior to the announcement, Kevin White confided in his son to ensure he was okay with Evans’ leaving Ole Miss.
“Michael (White) told him, ‘I don’t want to lose coach Evans, but if it’s something that’s good for coach Evans and his family, and if it’s good for you and Arizona State, I’m good with it,” Evans said.
UM Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter was a part of Evan’s two SEC West titles teams in the 1997-98 seasons. He emphasized the improvements Rob made to the program.
“(I have) so much respect for coach Evans. As a coach that came here, the first African American men’s head coach here at Ole Miss, (he) just did an awesome job of building a culture,” Carter said.
“It took him a few years to put all the pieces together, but (he) built something really cool.
The 1997 NCAA Tournament season was a pretty big turning point for Ole Miss Basketball.”
In addition to highlighting Evans’ coaching success, the documentary also touches on his own athletic career, where he excelled in basketball, baseball and football.
After turning down a professional baseball offer from the Houston Colt 45’s (now the Astros) to pursue a college degree, Rob Evans played basketball at Lubbock Christian before captaining two New Mexico State teams from 1966–67. Following his collegiate career, he signed as a free agent with the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association, now the San Antonio Spurs.
In 1968, Evans signed a twoyear free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders as a wide receiver and cornerback under legendary coach John Madden.
When Evans’ basketball eligibility ran out, the New Mexico State football team reached out and asked if he would be interested in using his fifth
year of athletic eligibility to play football. Madden was there watching other players when the football staff at New Mexico State asked Madden to persuade Evans for them.
“(Madden) said, ‘Would you mind going out and running a 40-yard dash for me?’ And I went out and ran a 40-yard dash on the football field, and he clocked it,” Evans said. “(Madden said,) ‘If we offer you a contract, would you be willing to come to the Oakland Raiders?’”
Although Evans had the chance to play football at the highest level, his true passion lay elsewhere — he wanted to pursue a career in coaching rather than continuing as a player.
“When I made the team I thought, ‘Man, I really want to coach,’” Evans said. “So, I talked to Madden and finally convinced him that that’s what I wanted to do. I went back to New Mexico State, and
that’s when Lou Henson hired me as a graduate assistant.” When Evans was asked what message he wanted to send to the documentary audience, he said he wanted people to feel inspired.
“I’ve always felt that way, that I have a responsibility, and when God put me on this earth to make a difference in people’s lives, I spent my whole career wanting to win,” Evans said. “It’s not all about winning. For me, it’s about making a difference in people’s lives. And I want the documentary to show that we made a difference, my wife and my kids, we all made a difference in all the people that we touched.”
Former Ole Miss Football star A.J. Brown to speak at Commencement Convocation
A.J. Brown, an alumnus of Ole Miss Football and a wide receiver for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles, will be the keynote speaker for the University of Mississippi’s 2025 Commencement Convocation on Saturday, May 10.
In a press statement, Chancellor Glenn Boyce shared his enthusiasm for Brown.
“It is an honor to welcome A.J. Brown back to campus as our 2025 Commencement speaker,” Boyce said. “He is the epitome of excellence, determination and service — all characteristics that our graduates will need as they embark on the next steps in their own journeys.”
Brown, a Starkville native, was the 47th-ranked player nationally in the 2016 recruiting class when he committed to play for Ole Miss. He played in all 12 games as a freshman that year, recording 29 receptions for 412 yards and two
touchdowns. In his sophomore year, he led the Southeastern Conference with 1,252 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns en route to a First-team All-SEC selection.
Brown broke the university’s single-season record for both receiving yards and receptions in his junior year, totaling 85 receptions for 1,320 yards for another Firstteam All-SEC selection. By the end of the season, Brown held the university record for career receiving yards.
In December 2018, Brown declared for the 2019 NFL Draft and was selected by the Tennessee Titans. With the Titans, Brown finished third in AP Rookie of the Year voting before being selected to the Pro Bowl in his second season.
In 2022, Brown was sent to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a First- and thirdround draft pick. That season, Brown was named to the Pro Bowl and was a Second-team All-Pro, finishing ninth in Most Valuable Player voting. Brown
was again named to the Pro Bowl and was a Second-team All-Pro in his 2023 campaign.
Beyond his football career, Brown launched the A. J. Brown Foundation in 2023. Through the foundation, Brown has advocated for literacy and for education and mentorship for young people. The Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy named him the 2024 Emerging Young Philanthropist for his impact on Oxford and the surrounding area.
“I think it’s super cool that A.J. Brown is giving the commencement speech this year,” Billy Kuhl, a freshman journalism major, said. “I am personally a big fan of him, not just for being an Ole Miss alumni and his abilities on the field, but for the person he is off the field, which is what makes him such a great choice to speak this year.”
Previous Commencement speakers include Bradford Cobb, a 1996 Ole Miss alumnus and music industry executive, in 2022; UM
and
alumna Stephanie Hickman, president and CEO of Trice Construction Co., in 2023;
Wright Thompson, an award-winning se
nior writer for ESPN, in 2024.
Rob Evans with his wife Carolyn and children Damon and Amber
PHOTO COURTESY: ROB EVANS
AIDAN PONIATOWSKI News Editor
Brown holds the Egg Bowl trophy after a game against Mississippi State on Nov. 23, 2017.
Opinion: Why evangelicals need to feel the heat on climate change
“To tell a climate denier that acting on climate change is the equitable thing to do is like telling Danny DeVito to enter the next NBA draft — not only is DeVito 4-foot-10, but he
KADIN COLLIER Opinion Editor
Fire, brimstone and tortured souls are a few of the cattle calls employed by movements at extreme odds: Tree-hugging climate advocates and overzealous evangelicals.
Concerning the global climate crisis, Earth-lovers point to the rapidly increasing frequency of wildfires traceable to droughts and declining ecological diversity, while hardcore evangelicals allude to Dante’s Inferno-style visions of soul-scorching flames and underworldly retribution.
Both evangelical protestants and environmentalists demonize the consequences of inaction — for die-hard Baptists, the price is eternity in hell, and for the climate-concerned, it is an uninhabitable world.
The same depictions of fiery catastrophe that terrify Greta Thunberg and her legion of European schoolchildren are ingrained into the Christian consciousness as early as Sunday school. For many Christians, however, preventing environmental collapse is fruitless when Jesus is returning regardless.
In fact, evangelical protestants are the least likely demographic to feel the heat of global warming: the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication reports that 70% of Americans recognize the indisputably human role in climate change, while Pew Research reports that only 32% of evangelicals do.
According to Pew Research, 78 million predominantly white
Opinion Policies:
wired to score three-pointers.”
and Republican Americans ascribe to some form of evangelical protestantism and compose a stunning chunk of the electorate. Despite President Donald Trump’s sacrilegious inability to name a single Bible verse, MAGA Christians look to him as a beacon of Christ-like masculinity, and denialist rhetoric erodes fundamental conventions of truth.
Current political messaging attempts to persuade action and acknowledgement of climate change by employing modern, left-leaning values — equality of opportunity, scientific thinking and secularism, to name a few.
On the other hand, conservative Republicans, specifically protestant evangelical Republicans, value individual liberty, minimal government intervention and justice.
To tell a climate denier that acting on climate change is the equitable thing to do is like telling Danny DeVito to enter the next NBA draft — not only is DeVito 4-foot10, but he probably is not wired to score three-pointers.
The evangelical game relies on entirely different rules. Climate advocates have preached action based on values that closely align with the largely secular Democratic party, which is counterintuitive. A more effective approach would be to exploit the rules of 21st century protestantism.
For one, point to Biblical theology — Revelation 11:18 speaks of God “destroying those who destroy the Earth” (perhaps a prophetic allusion
to big oil), Proverbs 12:10 confers righteousness upon those who “take care of the needs of their animals” and most canonically, Genesis 2:15 displays when God “took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work and take care of it.”
On a less scriptural level, consider history’s most famous modern evangelist: the late Billy Graham, whose six-decadelong career reached 215 million people in 185 countries and territories and included spiritual counsel to 12 sitting presidents. Graham argued that “when we fail to see the world as God’s creation, we will end up abusing it.” Both scripture and scholars explicitly command good stewardship of the Earth. Allow climate deniers the benefit of the doubt — maybe they do recycle their plastic straws, never, ever litter and most importantly, repost cute earth graphics for Earth Day. Even then, personal action barely scratches the surface compared to policy action.
According to the Alliance for Science, more than 99.99% of peer-reviewed research admits in the existence of climate change and humanity’s contributions to it, including a liturgically whopping 90% of Christian religious leaders.
At the end of the day, climate change is already terrifying, and planetary skeptics pose an additional barrier. Given that Mississippi boasts the third-highest evangelical protestant population, as reported by the Association of Religious Data Archives, reframing cli-
Columns do not represent the views of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian. The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor, which should be emailed to thedmopinion@gmail.com. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. They may be edited for clarity, brevity and libel. Third-party letters and those with pseudonyms or no name will not be published. Letters are limited to one per individual per month. Letters should include contact information, including relationship to the university, if applicable.
mate change as a Christian duty is tangibly relevant to our state.
So, the next time you find yourself in a heated discussion with an evangelical climate denier, there are a few points to keep in the back of your brain.
First, walk in their Sunday-best shoes: Argue, for example, that acting on climate change is as pro-life as you can get. Voting for pro-life policies is, after all, in the interest of the archetypal American conservative.
Second, point out that just because the world will end one day does not mean that action on climate advocacy should be abandoned. Shouldn’t the earth be clean and tidy when the Son of God returns?
Finally, and most important-
Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 with no repeats.
is
ly, be kind. Not only is altruism a basic human duty, but people are far more receptive to sweet talk than derogatory quips. While acting on an issue that humanity can barely wrap their fingers around seems impossible, knowing that you are making an effort, whether through replanting trees to fight deforestation or convincing your climate denying meemaw after church on Sunday about global warming, the time is now.
Kadin Collier is an international studies and Arabic major from Hattiesburg, Miss.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE BROUGHT TO YOU BY DOMINO’S
What to expect from the Rebels in the 2025 NFL Draft
Sports
Staff Writer
Ole Miss Football has several players in this year’s NFL Draft. Fans can watch the first round tonight at 7 p.m. Rounds two and three are tomorrow beginning at 6 p.m., and rounds four through seven are Saturday at 11 a.m. The draft can be seen on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.
Here is where several Rebels are projected to land in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Day one (round one)
Walter Nolen
Former No. 1 high school recruit Nolen was a force for the Rebels this season, and he has the potential to be not only a first round pick but also a top 20 selection. He led Ole Miss with 14 tackles for a loss and added 6.5 sacks.
Nolen was a First-Team AP All-American, First-Team All-SEC and a finalist for the Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top offensive lineman or defensive lineman.
Nolen has been widely regarded as a top defensive tackle in a class of quality and highly touted players. He is competing with Michigan’s Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and Oregon’s Derrick Harmon to be the first defensive tackle selected
Jaxson Dart
One of the most discussed positions in this draft has been quarterback. Three signal-callers stand out from the pack: Miami’s Cam Ward, Colorado’s She-
deur Sanders and Ole Miss’ Dart.
There is no consensus among prognosticators about a clear draft order, so Dart could go as high as top 10 — most likely to the New Orleans Saints with the ninth overall pick, or he could fall all the way to the second round. Considering that Dart recently withdrew his name from the list of players attending the NFL Draft event in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this will be one of the most polarizing players to watch during the draft.
Day two
(rounds two and three)
Trey Amos Amos followed defensive coordinator Pete Golding to Ole Miss from Alabama last season and showed out for the Rebels. He finished the season as a FirstTeam All-SEC cornerback and a Second-Team All-American. Amos comes in with five years of college football experience. He played for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for three years before transferring to Alabama for one year in 2023 and finally landed with the Rebels for the 2024 season. Amos could break into the first round as a late flier. He is widely regarded as a top 7 cornerback in the draft, but he most likely will fall into the second round with potential to slip into the third.
Tre Harris III
Last season, Harris was a Second-Team AP All-American and a Third-Team All-SEC selection. He racked up more than 1,000 receiving yards and seven touchdowns despite missing five games. However, this is a knock for Harris, as his injury history in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons have created cause for concern.
In recent years, fans have seen scrambles for position groups; however, in an excellent 2025 receiver class headlined by players like Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan, Harris is unlikely to break into the first round and likely will be taken in the second or third round.
Princely Umanmielen
Umanmielen came to Ole Miss as the second-ranked defensive end in the 2023 transfer cycle. He transferred from Florida after four years with the Gators.
Umanmielen is an intriguing prospect. He is a great edge rusher, but his ability to defend the run raises questions. Regardless, Umanmielen finished on the Second-Team All-SEC with Florida in 2023 and then improved to First-Team All-SEC with Ole Miss in 2024. Look for Umanmielen to be selected in the third round with potential to slip to a day three pick.
Day three (rounds four through seven)
Chris Paul Jr.
shined throughout his collegiate career. Paul was a Freshman All-American and was on the SEC All-Freshman Team at Arkansas in 2022, before transferring to Ole Miss in 2024 to finish as a Third-Team AP All-American and Second-Team All-SEC.
Additionally, he was a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the top linebackers across high school, collegiate and professional levels of football.
more intrigue than usual as a prospect because of the hype surrounding him as an offensive weapon.
A cornerstone of the Ole Miss offense, wide receiver Harris also comes in with five years of college experience. He played at Louisiana Tech for three years before transferring to Ole Miss, where he played two seasons.
Paul played well in college, but scouts are concerned about his transition to the NFL. Being only 6-feet-1 and 222 pounds, Paul lacks the ideal linebacker size.
Many scouts do not believe that his game will transfer well to the NFL, even though he plays as a weakside linebacker, especially when considering his below-average ability to get off blocks. Do not be surprised if he slips into rounds four-five.
JJ Pegues
When lined up at running back, Pegues gained a first down or touchdown on 18 of his 21 rush attempts. This has been a theme for Pegues throughout his career as he has been a Swiss army knife at Auburn and Ole Miss, where he has played as both a tight end and defensive tackle, while also lining up in the backfield for the occasional rush attempt.
Despite the intrigue, Pegues does not shine in any particular area as a prospect and will likely be taken as a late-round flier with potential as a rotational defensive tackle. He could also line up in the backfield for certain offensive packages. WILSON
Despite his stature, he has
Despite being an average defensive tackle, the fan favorite “Mayor of Oxford” has attracted
Ole Miss walks off MSU 8-7 in extra innings of Governor’s Cup
IAN SPARKS Sports Staff Writer
Ole Miss entered its midweek matchup with Mississippi State in need of a win. The Rebels dropped their series to a below-par South Carolina team the previous weekend, lost their midweek game to Little Rock last week and dropped a heartbreaker to Tennessee the weekend before that.
Despite the game not technically being a “must-win” contest, since it does not count as a conference win or loss, it is still viewed as a league win by the NCAA Tournament committee.
Freshman Cade Townsend got the start on the bump for Ole Miss. His last outing came in the loss to Little Rock, where he pitched four innings, giving up three runs on just two hits and striking out seven Trojans. Townsend was looking at another quality start on Tuesday.
Townsend allowed one run in the first inning after a double and wild pitch moved the runner to third followed by a sac fly. A flawless second inning of work instilled confidence into the righty before he trotted back out for the third. However, a near 45-minute weather
delay did not help Townsend’s rhythm as the Bulldogs jumped on him early in the third inning.
Two singles, a double and a wild pitch saw the Bulldogs’ lead go to 3-0 before Townsend was pulled.
Ole Miss’ offense may have had a slow start, but the team came through when needed. A two-run fourth inning and a three-run fifth inning gave the Rebels a 5-3 lead going into the sixth inning.
That lead, however, was short-lived. A four-run State sixth gave the Bulldogs the lead in a quick response to the Rebels’ offensive burst.
The seventh, eight and top of the ninth went scoreless. The game boiled down to three outs in the Ole Miss half of the ninth.
An Isaac Humphrey single with one gone brought up the hottest bat in the Rebel lineup, Austin Fawley. Something about the Rebels “getting hot” always seems to bring trouble to whoever is the opposing team. Fawley sent a moonshot to left field to tie the game in the ninth.
Another performance that should not go unnoticed is Hudson Calhoun’s relief effort out of the bullpen. Calhoun pitched three innings,
struck out seven and faced only 10 batters because of an error in the top of the ninth.
A flawless 10th inning from the sophomore where he struck out two batters on 3-2 counts sent the game to the bottom half still knotted up.
The bottom of the 10th would not disappoint. A leadoff single by Brayden Randle followed by a wild pitch had a runner at second with nobody out for the top
of the lineup. The Rebels had left more than 10 runners on base already, a somewhat common theme in recent weeks.
A strikeout of Mitchell Sanford followed by a Luke Hill foulout suddenly drained almost all momentum in the inning but not all. Another wild pitch advanced Randle to third with Will Furniss at the plate. Furniss sent a liner into left-center to score Randle and walk it off.
Who is next?
The comeback win gave the Rebels momentum heading into a big series with Vanderbilt in Oxford. Game one against No. 9 Vanderbilt is Friday at 6:30 p.m at Swayze Field. SEC Network+ will broadcast the game.
Connor Spencer pitches during a game against Tennessee on April 12.
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Weight Loss
