The Signal Vol 83. No. 1

AUGUST 25 - SEPT 1, 2015

VOL. 83 | NO. 1

Welcome Back

Transition from summer: Welcome back to textbooks, assignments and Atlanta. It’s a new year and something new to explore, find out more inside.

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON THE SIGNAL It’s time to make the transition from beach wear to school wear.

InsideInside SECTION A like us! facebook.com/gsusignal

follow us! twitter.com/gsusignal

Trashcan Trauma

How a Michael Jordan backpack landed a panther in jail.

News | Page A5

DAILY NEWS AT WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

The ponce market

SGA Voting

Football Preview

Voting can be hard. Here are a few reasons to vote in the SGA elections next year.

Ponce is growing with new shops and resturants. Check out Ponce de Leon’s new addition.

Georgia State football looks to shock the world and student body in 2015.

Opinions| Page A8

A&L | page A9

Sports |Section B

News A2

Opinions A8

Arts & Living A9

Sports B1

A2

NEWS

blotter

3.

4.

Aug. 19 Poppin’ bottles underage

University Lofts There were some minors sippin’ on some alcohol around 9 p.m. at the University Lofts. Georgia State police arrested a student [or students] after the incident.

17 1. Aug. Blunt blowin’ University Lofts

Georgia State police reported the stench of cannabis in the University Lofts during that evening.

Tokers be warned, they’re looking for you.

Aug. Student 18 [attempted] suicide

2.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

S Parking Deck

A human being committed [or attempted] suicide in Georgia State’s S Parking Deck. The subject in question is not a Georgia State student.

Said human will not face charges.

20 4. Aug. Petty thief

University Commons

1.

Somebody at the University Commons stole something from somebody else. GSUPD knows the item(s) stolen cost less than $500, but there has yet to be any arrest. The suspect [or victim] is a Georgia State student.

CTW

5.

2.

Theft Possession

Photo of the week PHOTO BY NADIA DELJOU| THE SIGNAL Sudents returned to school, Saturday, Aug. 22, for a welcome back luau. Activities included riding a great white shark, dancing games and good times. The event was hosted by Georgia State’s Residence Hall Association.”

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NEWS iti

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www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

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A glimpse at five things you might have missed while on summer vacation.

PHOTO SIGNAL ARCHIVES Georgia State University expressed an interest in Turner Field, potentially beneficial to student athletes.

MIRANDA HAWKINS Staff Reporter

G

eorgia State and the City of Atlanta haven’t quit progressing since the spring semester

ended.

Newspapers, magazines and social media have plastered their publications with ongoing city and university developments. Here is an overview of five big events - from campus transformations to transportation upgrades to possible sports facilities - that happened during the span of summer.

Georgia State renamed buildings and went digital for event reservations Georgia State attempted to improve its accessibility and efficiency this summer.

The university renamed its University Center and Student Center to Student Center West (SCW) and Student Center East (SCE), according to a Georgia State press release. Rooms have also been assigned new numbers.

Boyd Beckwith, director of the Georgia State Student Center, told The Signal in an earlier report that the name change should make it easier and clearer for incoming students and visitors to find their destinations.

“The new room numbers are clearer by identifying which building they are in, the floor they are on and they will be in sequential order. If you see SCE 203 but are looking for SCE 201, you know you are in the right vicinity,” he said.

For returning students who might struggle with the changes, new signs have been posted around campus and a map can be found online.

Georgia State student Esteban Vazquez said he feels indifferent about new names for the buildings and rooms but understands the need for renaming.

“I think the school should also explicitly disclose office and department locations, just so it doesn’t get more

confusing than it already is,” he said.

“It’s easy to get lost on campus, especially for new students.”

Students and professors can also reserve space for events online instead of filing paperwork since the launch of the Virtual Event Management System (EMS). Student Center Event Planning Manager Jeannie Cho said students can access EMS through the Student Center’s event page.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said. “Everyone is intrigued and excited about [the system’s] capability to accept reservation requests any time of day from the comfort of one’s own home or office.”

Cho said there are still hurdles remaining to get the system running smoothly. Many students still don’t know about the new system and student organizations have struggled with remembering to have an advisor approve their request. Requests must also be submitted through EMS three full days prior to an event.

Tuition fees inch ever higher Students beginning and ending their college career this year at Georgia State have one thing in common higher tuition fees.

The Board of Regents (BOR), the governing body for Georgia’s universities, approved a 5.5 percent hike in Georgia State’s tuition this past April, according to a press release from the University System of Georgia (USG).

Georgia State is one of 30 institutions experiencing the tuition hike, according to the press release. Twenty schools received a 2.5 percent increase while the remaining 10 schools, including Georgia State, received varying rates between three and nine percent.

This is the fourth consecutive year the BOR has approved tuition hikes, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC).

For Georgia State students like Vazquez, who is still considered an out-of-state student even though this is his third year at the university, tuition raises aren’t taken lightly.

“For me, it’s a huge blow to my pocket,” he said. “As we become upperclassmen, we slowly detach from our

PHOTO SIGNAL ARCHIVES The recent developments for MARTA will make it easier for travelers and customers.

parent’s financial support. So raises in tuition impose a lot of pressure on me to borrow more and therefore get a better-paying job.”

Hank Huckaby, chancellor of the USG, said in the press release the increase in tuition was to “invest in our institutions” and to “continue to offer quality public higher education.”

USG Marketing and Communication Coordinator Sonja Roberts told The Signal in May that the extra cash is necessary for Georgia State to continue expanding its academic programs that lead to student success.

MARTA explores last-mile connectivity MARTA has been making big moves in changing the landscape of Atlanta’s public transportation system.

This July, MARTA announced an $8 billion expansion proposal, a partnership with Uber and the addition of Wi-Fi on buses and trains.

The $8 billion plan seeks to stretch rail lines two times farther in each direction from where it currently ends, according to the AJC. The plan could welcome an influx of job opportunities to Atlanta, but MARTA still needs financial backing and the approval of state lawmakers before moving forward.

Spokesperson for MARTA Alisa Jackson said the partnership with Uber enables riders to reach destinations outside of MARTA’s range by picking up riders from MARTA stops. Jackson also said riders can use MARTA’s On the Go mobile app to have an Uber waiting for them when they get off the bus or train.

Georgia State senior Trevor White said he believes MARTA and Uber’s partnership is a result of a lack of funding to build new rails.

“I assume [MARTA and Uber] were merging because the city budget doesn’t have any money to invest in MARTA like they should,” he said. “[The city] is just outsourcing to a private company to invest and expand MARTA.” First time Uber riders will get a $20 dollar discount off their first Uber ride, according to The Signal. But regular

rates will still apply for MARTA and Uber separately.

However, the 4G, ad-free Wi-Fi will be a free service, according to Jackson.

Jackson said the Wi-Fi will be debuted on 50 pilot buses. She said if all goes well with the pilot buses, the remainder of the buses will be equipped with Wi-Fi and trains would follow in the upcoming year.

White said MARTA is also launching Wi-Fi because of its partnership with Uber.

Music venues are “dropping like flies” The Masquerade and Smith’s Olde Bar, popular Atlanta music venues that have hosted countless bands and screaming fans, might have to find new homes in the future.

Southeast Capital, the real-estate firm that owns the Masquerade and its surrounding property along Northside Avenue, desires to redevelop the area into a 228-unit apartment complex overlooking a 4,500-square-foot restaurant, according to Creative Loafing.

The public’s roaring response against possible closure prompted Masquerade owners to post a message on their social media streams thanking the public for their concern and support. The venue did not address whether or not they will be vacating the premises, but their message affirmed they will continue booking shows through 2016.

Smith’s Olde Bar, which is nestled on the corner of Piedmont Avenue, has already been given a 60-day notice to vacate, according to City Reality’s - the company managing the sale - property package.

Morningside Strip Center, which includes Smith’s along with an antique shop, will be sold at an auction on Aug. 28, according to the property package.

Tim Holdroyd, a real estate agent managing the sale, said there are a number of parties interested in purchasing the Morningside Strip Center property, and he expects the sale to close by the end of the year.

However, Smith’s is currently in the middle of disputing the eviction no-

tice, according to the Daily Report.

Is Turner Field Georgia State’s next big development?

Turner Field is officially up for grabs since the Atlanta Braves announced their decision to not renew their lease at the end of next year, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Georgia State hasn’t kept it a secret that it wants to acquire the 77-acre lot housing Turner Field. This past May, the university unveiled blueprints for a $300 million dollar redevelopment project, according to WABE. The project would include a new baseball stadium and an overhaul for Turner Field to be the Panther’s new home field. Student housing, single family homes and retail spaces are also included in the design, according to the conceptual plan.

Georgia State student Alex Morrison said he approves of the university’s plan to purchase and redevelop Turner Field, because it could lead to better gains for the school.

“The reality is any big school worth a damn gets its funding from alumni,” he said. “Georgia State has a great alumni base, but stronger alumni bases come from higher student count and a stronger sense of school pride.”

Morrison said accumulating Turner Field would boost alumni donations at Georgia State by giving the Panther sports teams a place to call home.

However in July, three major casino companies expressed interest in revamping the area into a casino, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Casino gambling is illegal in Georgia. If city officials chose to build casinos on the soon-to-be vacant lot, Georgia would have to amend its laws, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Although Governor Nathan Deal and Mayor Kasim Reed have expressed their distaste for casinos, Mayor Reed said this was not the type of deal to “reject over the phone,” according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

NEWS

A4

COLLEGE SEXUAL ASSAULT UPDATE CHARLES BAILEY Staff Reporter

R

ape continues to be an issue in higher learning, and a recent study says who the perpetrator is cannot be assumed.

Kevin Swartout of Georgia State’s psychology department led a study to investigate the motives of college rapists and found that college men who rape are not serial rapists, according to JAMA Pediatrics.

Swartout said he believes college men rape because of a physiological and psycological stimuli.

“It’s [men’s] attitude toward women, sex, or sense of entitlement or external factors, such as perceived opportunity or alcohol use by either victim or perpetrator,” he said.

One in five college women have been sexually assaulted, and are usually the victims of “incapacitated assault,” which is when they are raped while intoxicated, drugged or passed out, according to a 2014 White House report.

In 2012, Emory University police cited an increase in on-campus sexual offense cases, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Georgia State police department (GSUPD) reported eight forcible sex offenses in 2012, according to The Signal. GSUPD has also reported five forcible sexual offenses for 2013, according to GSUPD statistical reports.

GSUPD Deputy Chief Carlton Mullis said the 2015 annual report

will reflect campus crime statistics for 2014, and the report is valid for a calendar year starting and ending in October.

Challenging the “college rape assumption” The study challenged the widely held assumption that college rapists are repeat offenders based on a 2002 study that found 6.4 percent of college men committed or attempted rape; two in three college men committed repeat rapes, according to The Huffington Post.

“Several brave survivors have spoken out and pushed back against systems that have failed to support them.

College administrators have been working very hard to prevent campus sexual violence and to support survivors,” Swartout said.

The researchers found among two samples collected over a 15 year time frame, 74.7 percent of the college rapists studied only completed rape during one academic year.

“These facts will allow researchers, campus administrators, policymakers and advocates to develop effective prevention and intervention programs and initiatives,” he said.

Sexual assault and the University’s initiatives Georgia State junior political science major Diamond Danner said he believes personal history, revenge and control can be the instigators of rape.

“I think it gives that person more power to know at that moment, [they] have control over your body,” he said.

GSUPD has a safety escort officer on duty to escort students from Georgia State buildings, Five Points, Geor-

gia State and Peachtree Center MARTA stations and nearby commercial parking lots.

Danner said he believes Georgia State is doing well at keeping the student body aware of sexual assault cases.

“Some institutions don’t want information like that leaking to the public, because they’re scared it’ll hurt the number of people applying to that school,” Danner said.

Lokyee Lee, Georgia State senior, said the university should use counseling to help rape victims and thinks education is imperative.

“Rape is never the victim’s fault; it’s always the offender,” she said.

The Crime Prevention Unit offers a “Fight to Flight” program to teach women preventative and escape techniques, and to identify and take necessary steps following an attack or sexual assault, according to Georgia State’s Safety and Security website.

“The most important thing is that the victim gets the help he or she needs,” Mullis said.

Other support services Georgia State offers include Student Victim Assistance and the Counseling and Testing Center.

Haven-Understanding Sexual online education module is also provided to inform students about healthy relationships.

Danner said cautious measures can be used to reduce rape.

“Be wary of who you are interacting with, even strangers. Establish sexual boundaries,” he said.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

Research say college men who rape are not serial rapists

1 in 5

COLLEGE WOMEN

have been

RAPED

INFOGRAPHIC BY TAMMY HUYNH | THE SIGNAL

A5

NEWS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

TAKING FROM THE TRASH

A wastebasket discovery leads to confusion with university police SEAN KEENAN

Associate News Editor

J

ustin Avery munched on chicken pasta while he lugged boxes, helping his girlfriend Ameera Hill move out of the University Lofts on Aug. 2 after a long summer semester.

The couple carried clothes and books through the Loft’s industrial, white halls traversing to and from the 14th floor elevator corridor. During the many trips down to Ameera’s car, Avery noticed something in the trashcan near Hill’s door.

He retrieved a black Michael Jordan bookbag, something he figured his brother, Xavier, could use -- they had been sharing Justin’s back pack. But Avery never guessed that his curiosity would land him two nights in jail and a criminal theft charge.

“I come [to Georgia State] to get an education,” Avery said. “Now I’ve got a record.”

The backpack in question belonged to Jonathan Jones of the Loft’s custodial staff. Jones told Georgia State University Police (GSUPD) his backpack was missing from his janitorial cart when he returned from lunch. Jones declined to comment for the article.

Three hours after his lunch break, Jones and the reporting officer, Danny Williams, deemed the backpack stolen.

And Loft security footage showed Avery carrying it down the hall. This whodunit seemed pretty open and shut.

The next day Avery’s friend Chelsea Mann was hanging out with him at his Loft apartment when his phone

rang from GSUPD’s Detective Cheryl Lowman informing him of the charges pending.

Mann said Avery remained poised through the troubling news.

“He seemed cool, calm and collected,” Mann said. “But he told me the backpack owner wanted to press charges.”

Avery had just begun scheduling classes for his fall semester, but he dropped everything to march to the police station for some explanation.

However, his face-to-face with Lowman was less enlightening than expected. Although Avery tried to iron out the misunderstanding, he claimed Lowman was dismissive and belittling.

He told her to check the camera footage to prove he just found Jones’ bag in the trash. “[Lowman] didn’t believe me,” he said. “She just said, ‘I’m gonna throw the charges on you.’”

Lowman refused to provide a comment to The Signal. But Avery filed a formal complaint against her with her colleague, GSUPD Lieutenant Brian Lawton. Lawton ensured the investigation of Avery’s theft charge would look closely at all the evidence at hand.

Avery claims Lawton also told him that if he did in fact pull the backpack from the trash, the misunderstanding would be cleared up promptly. Lawton also declined to go on-record for the story.

“He told me, if I got [the backpack] out of the trashcan, ...don’t worry about nothing,” Avery said.

But by Aug. 4, things had not been cleared up. Avery opened his apartment door to a knock from a Loft hall

director and GSUPD Officer Jerome Williams.

Lowman had put out a warrant for Avery’s arrest. After a brief and civil discussion, Avery succumbed to the handcuffs, charged with theft by taking.

Avery took a squad car ride from the Lofts to Fulton County Jail. He claimed the phones in his cell block were out of service, leading to a delay in processing his arrest. The setback kept Avery behind bars for two nights.

He was released Aug. 6 on a $500 surety bond, contingent upon his appearance in court.

“That money I paid to get out of jail is money that could have paid for my housing,” Avery said.

His first order of business upon release was sorting out this mass of confusion so it doesn’t happen to anyone again.

“I can’t allow this to be swept under the rug,” he said. “This is corruption.

And it can happen to anybody.”

And while there is no proof of malicious intent from Georgia State police, the investigation did not assess all the relevant evidence as promised.

Before this case evolved, Avery was sure security footage would absolve him of guilt. But police only cited video footage of him carrying the backpack toward the elevator. They neglected to address the camera pointing at the trash cart by Hill’s apartment.

In fact, no one from the university’s police department has yet acknowledged that the “stolen” bag was taken from the depths of a trash receptacle.

Although no officers would go onrecord for The Signal, police have said

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL Georgia State Student, Justin Avery, holds in his hand the police report that details the events of his arrest. the janitor’s trash cart was not being used for waste disposal, but rather storage. One officer likened the custodian’s cart to a businessman’s office, claiming Avery had invaded Jones’ “place of business.”

But Aug. 2 was move-out day for those who hadn’t paid for a fall stay at the Lofts. And students had been dumping dog-eared folders and last semester’s syllabi on top of this nice Jordan knapsack.

“You tend to think that stuff in the trash is trash,” Avery said.

But apparently, at that time, the trashcan was being used as a storage facility, according to Georgia State police.

And the way things transpired has left

Avery wondering if he wants to stay at Georgia State.

On Aug. 19, Avery went to Georgia’s State magistrate court. His charges will be dismissed upon the completion of eight hours of community service. But Avery left thinking he should have fought the charges. He said feels defeated.

“After this whole situation here; the humiliation, the pain, the injustice; I don’t want to be a student here any longer,” he said. “It’s kind of humiliating when people just write you off as a thief. I don’t feel welcome.”

GSUPD’s Deputy Chief Carlton Mullis did not respond to The Signal’s inquiries.

SGA PLANS BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR News Editor

E

ven though the funding budget for Georgia State’s Student Government Association (SGA) has decreased for the coming year, the association plans to gain more student visibility in the approaching months.

Sabastian Parra, SGA president, said he wants the association to build on traditions and create new ones through making apps and fostering partnerships.

“When I came into SGA three years ago, we kind of did some things here and there with departments. But this year we are doing partnerships with athletics, Organizations of the Game, [and] we are co-sponsorship the first game of the semester next weekend...” he said. “We are looking to make investments for the long run that can stay here for at least five years.”

Learning from last year Last year SGA’s 2015 fiscal budget said the association planned to spend $86,577, but it went over budget $5,000, according to Beckwith. He said it was planned.

“Overall, the $5,000 that this budget went over doesn’t affect anything, because the money would have went back into university reserves,” he said. “There’s money that was left over in another budget that’s not directly tied to student government.”

More than $29,000 went to SGA’s public relations, even though the association originally planned to spend about $12,000, according to SGA’s budget for FY2015.

Beckwith said $12,000 went towards

buying 5,000 mugs, and the rest paid for t-shirts, sunglasses and vertical banners.

The mugs are free of charge for students and gives discounts in the Student Center, College of Law and Centennial Café, according to Beckwith.

“It is mutually beneficial,” he said.

“It’s one less mug that’s going in the landfill because they are being reused now.

That’s why its go green and stay green.

You are helping the environment and saving money.”

SGA also overspent to provide Blue Books and Scantrons to students in their office, the library and Information Center, according to Beckwith.

“They have done a much better job at letting students know that they exist,” he said.

Beckwith said SGA didn’t spend as much money last fiscal year on co-sponsorships as they planned, and some organizations didn’t follow through with their co-sponsorship.

“What I know is we agreed to pay the security for The Alliance drag show at the Rialto, and they never submitted the bill. So, that is $500 we allocated but never got sent,” he said.

What SGA is planning for this year SGA is bringing a new app, called The Buzz, to students this fall that will be loaded with issues of The Signal Newspaper, New York Times and USA Today, according to Beckwith. He said WRAS and GSTV could be added later.

“It is much cheaper than the hard copies were, and since people weren’t really picking up copies like we wanted them to, the Student Activity Fee Committee thought it would be better used to invest in this app instead,” he said.

Issues of the New York Times and USA Today will no longer be on the stands at Georgia State, according to Beckwith.

“The Student Activity Fee Committee has allocated significantly less money for the digital app because it’s cheaper because there’s no paper and no printing expense to it,” he said. “ They reallocated the other part of that to other things that student government doesn’t oversee.”

SGA has also partnered with the Student Alumni Association to fund a traditions promoting app that will be available within the next two weeks, according to Parra.

“Students will be able to have 100 things they are supposed to do at Georgia State before graduating and they take a picture and you post it,” he said. “Also we can send notifications when events

SGA BUDGET

LAUREN BOOKER

are happening.”

The association budgeted to spend $85,202 for the 2016 fiscal year, according to the SGA budget proposal for FY16.

SGA’s VP of Budget & Finance Tobi Soyebo said the association will be spending less money on co-sponsorships this year because they weren’t used as widely as anticipated.

“We want to work to have more cosponsorships because in the past we haven’t really been able to use that total funding,” he said.

Organizations United, which provides funding information to student organizations and university departments, will also receive a funding cut down to $2,000 from last year’s $4,000, according to SGA’s 2016 fiscal year budget.

“We will probably have two events, one in the spring and one for the fall,” BUDGET FOR FY 2015

BLUE BOOKS & SCANTRONS

Soyebo said. “We would have one event for $1,000 just to pay for the room reservation. We would do the same thing for the following semester.”

But SGA will be spending over $6,000 on buying Blue Books and Scantrons, according to the budget.

“Because a lot of people have been asking us if we are going to start providing the blue Scantrons. So that is what we wanted to do with that,” Soyebo said.

SGA also plans to spend $13,000 this fiscal year for public relations, according to the budget.

The association plans to redesign their brand, according to Soyebo.

“We want to make sure that we are keeping ourselves creative...making sure that everything we do is something new [and] not something [that] is the same every year,” he said.

ACTUALLY SPENT 2015

BUDGET FOR FY 2016

$ 5,966.00

$ 13,055.96

$ 6,389.00

$ 17,311.00

$ 14,999.02

$ 13,000.00

$ 4,000.00

$ 3,639.46

$ 4,000.00

$ 14,641.00

$ 6,763.04

$ 16,226.00

$ 15,194.00

$ 16,311.06

$ 15,194.00

$ 12,535.00

$ 29,873.78

$ 13,000.00

SGA RETREAT

$ 9,750.00

$ 9,249.50

N/A

SENATE BUDGET

$ 4,143.05

$ 2,110.71

$ 4143.05

TRAVEL

$ 3,037.00

$ 1,572.29

$ 1.250.00

CO-SPONSORSHIPS ELECTION COMMISSION SPECIAL EVENTS (FOOD FOR PROGRAMS/ROOM& EQUIPTMENT) OFFICE EXPENSES PUBLIC RELATIONS

PANT

ME CO

H

W R E E L

2 0 15

August 19 September 4

Events and information at pantherwelcome.gsu.edu @PantherWelcome /PantherWelcome

For additional information: Student Involvement - New Student Orientation Student Center East, Suite 304 404 - 413-1580 To request disability accommodations at this event, please contact Disability Services, 404-413-1560 or via email: dismail@gsu.edu.

OPINIONS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions

How voter apathy affects Georgia State Student Government Association Elections JOHN MILLER Columnist

U

nfortunately, voter turnout for Georgia State’s Student Government (SGA) elections was staggeringly low this year. This past SGA election saw a turnout of 1,282 votes out of the goal of at least 6,000 votes.

According to our report, this might have been partially due to a problem with OrgSync, an event management system SGA uses for its voting platform, but this small glitch can’t be the only reason the numbers were so low.

If we take those numbers as a general estimate of voters, we can see that very few students cared to vote for SGA candidates. That’s 1,282 out of roughly of 33,000 students who go to Georgia State. If 6,000 was a compromise, they fell short of even that.

When so few voters choose to vote, it’s a result of a phenomenon called Voter Apathy, which is generally defined by exactly what it sounds like: those who are eligible to vote are disinterested in doing so. That is, Georgia State students just don’t care about elections.

It’s hard work to make an informed decision about who to vote for, and more often than not, people feel like they have more important things to do. Many people end up voting for

last week

Local

Georgia State readies to take on Turner Field

Georgia State University is ready to move in on Turner Field, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Once the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority makes a final decision on whether the 77-acre property is up for sale or not, Georgia State will present its offer. After the Braves announced their move, President Mark Becker announced Georgia State’s interest in the property back in May 2014, making the university the first to go public with their intentions. In a $300 million plan, Turner Field would be refitted into a new sports facility for the Panthers. However, after much conversation with the residents of local neighborhoods, the plan might be revised to turn the area into a retail environment with a new 25,00030,000 seat stadium, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

National

St. Louis shooting stirs

candidates simply based on whether they’ve been in office before, or based on their popularity.

Because of voter apathy, there is a consistently low voter turnout rate in national elections. And the number seems to be dropping. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, voting dropped from around 62 percent of United States citizens in 2008 to roughly 58 percent in 2012.

Yet among young voters (aged 1829) there was, surprisingly, a lot of participation. Nineteen percent of all voters fit within this age group.

Professor Chandler of New York City’s Hunter College attributes voter apathy to a number of factors, including “the way political parties and candidates engage voters.�

In SGA’s case, their failure to engage voters might have to do with their visibility. Just sending out emails during the campaigning dates (March 23-April 12, 2015) might not have incentivised voting as much as was originally intended.

It might also have to do with Georgia State’s status as a commuter school.

Students might not feel a connection with campus life if they only spend a few hours on campus every week, and therefore would feel very little reason to vote.

Resulting from SGA’s relative invisibility, students don’t know how the organization serves the student body.

Of course, one can simply look at their home page to get a cursory look at

their campus operations.

There are many things SGA can do to increase their engagement with voters preceding elections, such as meeting with students directly in the courtyard or by holding better-publicized debates that meet before 7:15 p.m. on a weekday, as was the case during this past election.

After personally attending the debates this past year, I saw that the small venue was at much less than full capacity, and those who showed up seemed to be close friends of the candidates. I was also exhausted because I had been at class all day, and found it hard to pay close attention to what was being said.

Yet another phenomenon comes into play when considering candidates lower on the ballot: Voter Fatigue, which is when voters can’t put forth the mental energy enough to care for lower-ballot candidates such as the Vice President for Public Relations and Senators.

During the aforementioned debates, there was a throng of lower-ballot candidates who introduced themselves to the audience by all saying the exact same thing: that they were happy to be there, and that they supported Team I.M.P.A.C.T. (a political organization within SGA that saw a striking uniformity of supporters). After about twenty candidates parroting off the same party line, the debates quick-

ly became tedious.

Given all this, it’s undeniably certain that SGA elections suffer from their share of voter apathy and voter fatigue. Students participating might feel like candidates running for office within SGA lack engagement with the student body and indeed with the responsibilities of the organization itself.

And apathy is hard to combat.

How can you get someone to vote when they are certain they would prefer not to, or just don’t care to at all?

Besides, what difference does it make anyway?

Well, first off, it makes a lot of difference, as SGA is extremely crucial to the wellbeing of the student body.

They act as the voice of the students and as the mediators between us and the school’s administration.

They have deciding power over how student fees are spent, over what restaurants can appear in the cafeterias, and over public events held on campus, among many other things.

You know that restaurant in the food court you like so much? Chick-fil-A or that Wok place? Well, it might disappear if the wrong candidate is elected.

It’s up to both SGA and students to reify their connection and incentivise more involvement with student government, SGA by becoming more engaged with students, and students by voting.

Because Georgia State is such a

large school, students might feel lost in the crowd, so to speak. But we need to remember we have a voice. Believe it or not, we’re choosing even if we think we’re not participating. By choosing not to vote, we effectively double the vote of someone who votes for the wrong candidate, someone you would hate to see in any form of public office at any point.

This creates a major problem in the voting system. If the voters who know better remain silent, then the vote becomes a popularity contest, as only those with a very close bond with the candidates submit their votes, and the fewer the voters, the more slanted the election becomes.

Unfortunately, this was the case with this past election. I’m not saying that the candidates elected in this past election were subpar, I’m simply outlining the danger of voter apathy and fatigue and how SGA can work to combat this situation.

And though the responsibility rests on SGA’s shoulders some, it’s ultimately up to the voters to find these things out for themselves and to know their responsibilities when they enter the student body.

When we don’t vote, we give up that small reserve of power that we could have had, and passively allow others to make decisions that can affect our college lives immensely.

racial unrest in Louisiana

St. Louis police shot and killed a black teenager who they say pointed a gun at them on Wednesday, according to USA Today. Coming short on the heels of the one year anniversary of Michael Brown’s death, which caused an outreach of awareness about police brutality, this sparks more racial unrest in Louisiana. The teenager, named Mansur Ball-Bey, aged 18, was accused of carrying a gun that did not belong to him by St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson, according to Yahoo News. The shooting took place in the morning when officers were carrying out a search warrant and two young black men ran out the back door. Dotson said that when officers chased them, the teenager pointed a gun at the officers, shooting four times, killing the suspect.

Global

Cairo bombing leaves six injured

A northern Egyptian security building was bombed on the morning of Aug. 20, according to BBC World News. The building, located in Cairo, was attacked around 2 a.m.

A man jumped out of his car in front of the building, then fled from the scene on a motorcycle that had been following, according to a ministry statement. The explosion wounded six policemen and partially destroyed the building, leaving a crater in the street. The bombing comes days after the approval of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi’s new counterterrorism laws.

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ARTS & LIVING

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

The One-Stop-Shop Atlanta’s New Market

Ponce City Market, located in a local historic building, offers local retail shops, restaurants, residential units and more.

CHANTE FOSTER

Staff Writer

O

ut with the old and in with the new, the historic Sears Roebuck & CO. is now the redeveloped Ponce City Market.

This massive building is open to the public with a wide variety of stores ranging from furnishing, clothing, food and more.

The new stores opening this fall are a combination of mainstream retailer, mom and pop restaurants which will be located in the food hall and furniture stores, according to the Ponce City Market website.

Michael Stars is a retail shop that recently moved from Phipps Plaza to the Ponce City Market. As a clothing store company originally based in Los Angeles, Michael Stars has an urban vibe with modern yet chic clothing for both men and women.

Chanel Taylor is a Sales Lead at Michael Stars, and she projects a good year for the store once the construction is complete.

“We changed locations and came here July 17, and it’s been a great change so far,” said Taylor, “we [have] a lot of walk-ins and a lot of people [who] [care] about Ponce

City Market. That’s [what] [keeps] us excited about the coming months.”

The construction is hindering the flow of business, but Taylor says the store is getting a lot of new shoppers who are curious about the Ponce City Market.

“I just hope that we get a really good following as far as the market.

A lot of people are curious about Ponce City Market,” said Taylor.

On Sept. 10, they will be having a grand opening party, and they are excited to get business going.

“They took into consideration everything that is already here and enhanced it,” Taylor said. “Now that I’m [apart] of the redevelopment process, I work here, and I see what’s going on and the different events [so] I want to be in this area.”

Shopping, Food and Entertainment The Ponce City Market is a retail hub with restaurants, entertainment and much more. At first glance, the main plaza is spacious with plenty of places to sit in the shade.

The food hall is a fusion of traditional and ethnic comfort food such as H&F Burgers, TON TON, which is a Japanese spin on ramen. Other restaurants include Dancing Goats Coffee Bar, HoneySuckle Gelato,

Farm to Ladle and more.

When it comes to clothing, you can find something to fit any style or trend. From the urban décor of Michael Stars, to a more classic accessories found in Goorin Bros. Hat Shop. High-quality suites such as Q Clother, and outdoor gear from Mountain High Outfitters.

Going Green It’s only natural to be curious about what’s to come for the Ponce City Market. For the shoppers and food lovers, it’s everything you want or need in one convenient location.

The reconstruction of PCM was done by Jamestown Development.

The marketplace is made of recycled material, original steel framework and windows, energy saving led lights and more. With less energy, gas and materials, the new market should save about 1,000,000 gallons of water a year. The new structure is designed to make the PCM a ecofriendly market, according to the PCM website.

Location What makes the Ponce City Market stand out is the location. Visitors can drive, bike, or take public transportation.

PHOTO BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL

Visitors that need parking have the option of downloading the Parkmobile app on their mobile phone.

Once the app is downloaded, the vehicle is registered, and users can select their desired parking time and pay before arrival. There are also bike racks located around the entrances of the market.

Since the market is currently under construction, there is not much to do, but there are a few retail store that are open such Anthropologie, which features jazzy home decor, clothing and accessories. To The Frye Company, which sells Leather boots, Karoo specializes in prescription eyewear, and six other retail stores that sells accessories, clothing and more.

It’s still unclear as to the exact date that the PCM will finish with construction. During the fall of 2015 the food hall and certain retail shops should be open to the public on Sept. 1.

There will be a free concert on Oct.10, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Performances will be at 8 p.m. with appearances from Grammy award winning folk-rock duo Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, David Ryan Harris and surprise talent.

Side Bar

-Some of the retail stores are hiring, as you walk through signs have already been posted. The PCM directory http://www. poncecitymarket.com/directory/ provides a detailed list for all of the stores that are opening this fall.

Location: 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE Atlanta Georgia 30308

- For more information about upcoming events check out the Ponce City Market website at http:// www.poncecitymarket. co m /eve nt s /p o n ce - c i t y nights

ARTS & LIVING

A10

Pounce Around Atlanta

Connect with Pounce

The events planned may be on the schedule, but potential options in the future could be in the student’s hands.

“We’re always open to suggestions from our students of places they’d like us to take them,” Ibisanmi said.

Anyone interested in being a part of Pounce Around Atlanta committee, have questions or any suggestions should contact Temitope Ibisanmi or Phillip Smith, at spotlightpounceatl@gmail.com

Get reintroduced to your city

SYDNEY CUNNINGHAM

Staff Reporter

Blue at the Zoo Students, faculty, staff and guests will have the entire Zoo Atlanta to themselves for a night that will include live music, a caricature artist, free food and more.

Georgia State’s Pounce has been in attendance in the past.

The Atlanta Braves At Turner Field, The Atlanta Braves only has up until December of 2016 before they vacate the Atlanta stadium. Through Pounce Around Atlanta, students have the opportunity to catch one of this season’s home stretches in Downtown Atlanta.

GSU Night at Six Flags For one night each school year, Georgia State has had a night at Six Flags Over Georgia. This year, Pounce Around Atlanta will host a private night at Six Flags where students can purchase heavily discounted tickets and enjoy the amusement park from 5 p.m. to midnight.

F

or any students this year who feel they have never truly taken advantage of living in the city of Downtown Atlanta, Spotlight is making this year the year to start.

Spotlight Programs Board and Campus Events have merged in the past year and now operate under Spotlight. With that, comes new committees and additions such as Pounce Around Atlanta.

Directed by Temitope Ibisanmi, the Pounce Around Atlanta Committee is dedicated to showing Georgia State students a compelling time around downtown.

“We take students to places they may have never been before using their student funds,” Ibisanmi said.

“So that they can explore and enjoy time with either their family or their friends.”

Those places include Atlanta Zoo, the Atlanta Braves, the Atlanta Hawks, Netherworld Haunted House, Main Event and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens: Garden Lights.

Their biggest event is “GSU Night at Six Flags.”

“Just because we live in Atlanta, just because our school isn’t a traditional campus, just because it’s stationed here, doesn’t mean we can’t get out and explore,” Ibisanmi said.

Pounce Around Atlanta launched this summer, with their first program being a Georgia State night with the

“

Atlanta Braves. Currently, there are 11 events scheduled on their calendar for 2015 - 2016.

The fusion of both Spotlight and Campus Events doesn’t change how things are run as much as it seems. The events and programs that are planned and are traditionally slated will go on as just simply a larger organization.

“Spotlight takes over the events that Campus Events may have had in the past,” Ibisanmi said. “Campus Events and Spotlight were doing the same thing before, just as separate entities. This way, we are reaching more students, but under one platform.”

The objective of Pounce Around Atlanta is to allow Georgia State students to utilize what all Atlanta has to offer and to go even then out on their volition and discover different places around the city.

“For those who are uncomfortable doing that, we provide the shuttles, and we provide a friendly atmosphere,” Ibisanmi said.

The target so far has been a success with over 200 tickets being sold at the Georgia State night with the Atlanta Braves. Coming up, 3,000 people are expected for Blue at the Zoo. “My goal is to get students comfortable with Atlanta and to understand how great of a city they have around them,” Ibisanmi said. “Because we don’t have a traditional campus, doesn’t mean that we can’t go out and explore the city for our own.”

Just because we live in Atlanta, just because our school isn’t a traditional campus, just because it’s stationed here, doesn’t mean we can’t get out and explore,” - Ibisanmi said.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

The Atlanta Hawks The city’s NBA team, the Atlanta Hawks, have basketball games planned this season that last into late fall. Home games are played at the Philips Arena.

Netherworld Haunted House Opening this year Sept. 25, Netherworld Haunted House will remain open for business until November. At Netherworld, there is walk through interactive Haunted Mansion filled with special effects and life-like monsters.

Main Event Located off of Cobb Parkway, Main Event is a interactive arcade and bowling alley. Main Event houses games of bowling, laser tag, billiards, arcade games, gravity ropes, food and drinks.

The Atlanta Botanical Gardens: Garden Lights From Nov. 14 to Jan. 9, The Atlanta Botanical Gardens has its annual extravaganza of lights and holiday decorations throughout the garden. The intricate show includes new features such as the massive Tunnel of Light and regulars like Glittering Galaxy to get people in the holiday spirit.

ARTS & LIVING

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

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Dazed and Confused Transitioning from summer to school NICHOLE PLACE

Staff Reporter

T

he last few days of summer force us to soak in the last bits of freedom before the school

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year quickly closes in. And when that time comes, we find ourselves ill prepared for the wave of knowledge coming our way. So this year, instead of scrambling around last minute like a scene from “Ratatouille,” here are a couple of ways you can be better prepared this year.

Plan your weeks out: During summer it is unbelievably easy to lose track of what day or month it is. So to get yourself out of that bad habit, get a calendar and make sure you know what your week has in store for you.

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Find your groove:

3

Get to know your professor:

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Make a playlist: Walking to class or even getting ready for class can be awful so make a playlist. Set up your favorite songs on your phone, so you can feel a little motivated to get to class.

Parking spots: It can sometimes be a struggle to find a parking spot on campus. I suggest planning out where you are going to park the first week of school. That way you won’t ever be surprised how far it takes to get to your class from your car.

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Lunch spot:

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Set up a space:

Once you get the syllabi from your classes, it is smart to go ahead and figure out what you will need for the class; whether it be supplies or the amount of effort you need to put forth.

A lot of people are usually too scared to talk to their professors, and a majority of the time professors are more than willing to help students.

So take the time to get to know your professor, it could be the difference between a B and an A.

Hit the ground running: Don’t wait around until the middle of the semester to care about your classes. Start the semester off oozing with effort that way you won’t have to pick up the slack half way through the year.

Set your alarm: Summer is the college student hibernation season.

The time when students rarely wake up before 11 a.m., unless they absolutely have to. So to make sure you wake up on time set an alarm for everyday of the week. That way you won’t be kicking yourself because you are late for class.

If you’re lucky you can end up with a perfect schedule, but sometimes you are left with awkward gaps.

Unlike in the summer, you can’t always eat wherever or whenever you want in between classes. So try to find your perfect lunch or hang out spot on campus to study or to simply relax.

It’s pretty un-motivating to study at a desk that is covered in junk or surrounded by blank walls. So decorate your desk area to push yourself to study there. It may just cause you to sit at your desk, scrolling Facebook, but at least you are in a spot where you could possibly do your work.

Got questions?

WE’VE GOT answers.

Why wait in line or on the phone for answers when there’s PANTHER ANSWER.

?

What is Panther Answer?

The resource for your registration, financial aid and student account questions.

How do I access it?

Log into PAWS and look for the icon.

When can I use it?

24/7. Whenever you have questions, you can find the answer.

The system that keeps getting better.

The more you use it the better it will become. Questions and answers are monitored to enhance and create new answers — all to serve you better.

ENROLLMENT.GSU.EDU

reviews

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

ALBUM REVIEW

Chelsea Wolfe perfects melancholy on the stunning ‘Abyss’ ALEX KUGACZEWSKI

Staff Reviewer

A

sk me to point you towards an artist that could be described as oppressive, and I’d point you towards Chelsea Wolfe. That isn’t meant as an insult given her stylistic playbook. Since her debut The Grime and the Glow, Wolfe has been perfecting a menacing concoction of doom, dreary folk and mired electronics.

It’s the type of combination that sounds gloriously miserable on paper and sounds even moreso when put to practice. Even so, the ride through Wolfe’s discography hasn’t been without its issues. Her last album, Pain is Beauty, suffered from an identity crisis. Approximately half the record played to throatcrushing atmospherics while the other worked in quirk-riddled, murky pop tunes, leaving some fans wondering which side of Wolfe would appear on her follow up.

Turns out it’s the former. With

Abyss, Wolfe buries all traces of uncertainty behind the shed. It’s uncompromising, unrelenting and unsettling. To put it in other terms: it’s pure Chelsea Wolfe. Welcome to the mire.

Abyss immediately sets itself apart from its predecessor in numerous ways, none more obvious than the bold songwriting decisions littering the record. Though she has often opted for the slowburner opener, “Carrion Flowers” marks a clear departure for Wolfe.

Hideous waves of distortion wash over mechanical, militaristic drums as her ghostly vocals soar and crash against the cacophony.

“Iron Moon” is an equally abrasive cut, hammering the audience before Wolfe’s vocals play out over soft, acoustic strums. Stark contrasts like these are part and parcel on Abyss, and they work wonders.

At this point in her run, Wolfe is a seasoned artist – seasoned enough to know the subtle difference in sustaining real power and creating monotony. “Maw,” oddly enough, may be the perfect exam-

ple of Wolfe’s penchant for power, though not in the way you might expect. It’s a slow, surrealistic dirge of a song that is as obfuscated as it is beautiful.

Finding the right mix of ethereal synth and acoustic guitars, Wolfe draws the audience in like a whirlpool. Her music might tap into natural beauty from time to time, but don’t let it fool you; there’s a sick, emotional violence beneath that will swallow you if you let it.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a murky undertow without the proper production, and Wolfe delivers here as well. Tracks like “Grey Days” showcase this fidelity best. Running through obscured, muddied lows in proportion to crystal-clear highs, the track truly shines and earns its spot as one of the album’s best. Just when the song seems like it’s about to slip into an inescapable muck of solemn distortion and pounding rhythms, Wolfe’s vocals pierce the fog with a tremendous relief. Moments later, ethereal strings lift the veil.

Here, songwriting and engineer-

ing work in tandem to create something special. Sure, Wolfe’s been playing with this song-meets-sound approach for years, but it’s never resounded quite like this.

Wolfe’s fourth album feels like a mission statement in many ways: tightened songwriting, consistent aesthetics and keen talent in the sound room come together in spectacular ways on Abyss. If 2011’s Apokalypsis showcased an artist coming into her own, Abyss is that artist pushing past the pack.

Abyss Verdict: A-

FILM REVIEW

‘Straight Outta Compton’

Cultural and socially relevant, Straight Outta Compton is a solid work.

FERNANDO MATTOS

Staff Reviewer

I

n 1989, Spike Lee released a masterpiece, “Do the Right Thing”, where race, violence, love and hate boiled up in a hot summer day and generated an unforgettable film.

Is “Straight Outta Compton” equally unforgettable? Some may attempt to answer, but run the risk of either under or overestimating it.

It is possible to say that the film itself is neither extraordinary nor bad.

The most appropriate answer right now is that, culturally, this new work could be an open door for others to follow, which is a good thing.

“Straight Outta Compton” tells the story of N.W.A, a hip hop group that revolutionized the genre in the late 1980s. Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Eazy E were some of the famous names in this group. The movie chronicles their rise to success and

their up-and-down relationship when beginning to ascend to the top of music charts.

The movie does a good job in portraying the highly charged social relations of that time, similarly to what Lee did in 1989. Two years later, police brutality against the African American man Rodney King in 1991 sparked riots. The movie director, F. Gary Gray, brings in actual footage from that attack, placing it on TV sets being watched by the characters.

The footage is well-used, as it helps develop the characters in the film, instead of just being placed randomly. In one scene, the disgust of Eazy E is clear as he watches the news story about King. This interweaving of reality and a fictional recreation of these music icons is balanced and never overdone.

Speaking about characters, their development is good throughout the film. It is clear, for example, when a nuanced Eazy E (played by Jason Mitchell) goes from nothing to success while trying to balance

now playing at

money and friendships. His conflicts are well-portrayed as viewers see him struggle to make a difference in the world, but also make several mistakes as well.

Likewise, the camera tends to be handheld and jerky, which shows these imperfect characters’ living situations, which are harsh and unfair, while striving to bring about change. This type of photography – such as in the opening scenes when police abuse their power over Ice Cube – adds a layer of realism to the film. These imperfections – not typical of Hollywood films – remind viewers that what is shown is real and must be fixed.

The greatest sin of “Straight Outta Compton”, however, is the excess.

At 147 minutes, the movie is almost half-an-hour longer than average.

This excessive time dilutes the film’s message, as the second half drags on for too long. Ironically, key confrontation scenes against the police escalate too quickly. They rely on the audience’s preconceived notions of who’s right and who’s wrong without

making too much effort in building tension or suspense.

“Straight Outta Compton” is an important film, culturally, which shouldn’t be confused as a very good movie. It is, instead, a good film plagued by a few exaggerations and a story where some “villains” – cops – are not built as characters, but more as mere figures in a documentary. If the film, however, opens the door for more African American stories in Hollywood, it can be considered a good step in the right direction.

Straight Outta Compton Rated: R Grade: B Verdict: Despite not being free from flaws and exaggerations, Straight Outta Compton is a positive step for African American history in film.

Avengers: Age of Ultron SYNOPSIS:

When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) jump-starts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go terribly awry, forcing him, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the rest of the Avengers to reassemble.

1

MAC DEMARCO Another One

2

VICTOR ST. BALOO Odes

3

LA LUZ Weirdo Shrine

4

MY PANDA SHALL FLY Too

5

NOVELISS Toonami Tsunamis EP

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SIR Seven Sundays

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STRANGE WILDS Subjective Concepts

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WESTKUST Last Forever

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THE INTERNET Ego Death

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ELAQUENT

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MATILDE DAVOLI I’m Calling You From My Dreams

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AZEKEL Raw, Vol. 1 EP

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CREEPING PINK Mirror Woods

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SPRAY PAINT Pnters On a Barge

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WALTER TV Blessed

Good Karma

SHOWTIMES:

Wednesday- Friday 1p.m., 3:30p.m., 6:00p.m., 8:30p.m.

Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 141 minutes

THE SIGNAL’S

2015 FOOTBALL SPORTS SECTION B

www.georgiastatesignal.com/ sports

A King’s Journey Georgia State’s record breaking quarterback enters his last season on the turf

PAGE B6-B7

Who’s house Senior wide reciever Donovan Harden aims to erase receiver expectations

PAGE B2

Football Forecast The staff explains why you should anticipate multiple victories

pages B5

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

PREVIEW ISSUE

SPORTS

B2

Donovan Harden, wide receiver, approaches the season with a target on his back from opposing defenses.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

Harden looks to continue his performance on the field JARED OLIVER

Staff Reporter

T

he Georgia State Panthers reported to their first official practice Aug. 6. Entering his third year as head coach, Trent Miles has created his best roster thus far.

Miles’s wide receiver group is the strongest position by far on the team, led by the school’s all-time single-game receiving (2014 vs.

Georgia Southern) record holder Donovan Harden and Robert Davis.

The depth and talent of the wide receiver core is a luxury and strong suit for Harden and company to be able to get open and make plays.

“You can’t really focus on one [receiver], You know there’s so many different guys out there,” Harden said. “You can’t really double team someone, because if they’re in single coverage hopefully they can take advantage of it,” Harden said.

Harden, the Illinois State transfer, was named to midseason Biletnikoff Award Watch List. The award is given to the most outstanding wide receiver in the country.

At a Georgia State facility, Donovan described a set of personal goals for the upcoming season. “I talk with [Kansas City Chiefs Receiver and All-Time Georgia State Receiving Leader] Albert [Wilson] every now and then and I tell him I’m coming for all of his single season records,” Harden said.

Donovan emerged as the most dangerous wide out on the team and shattered multiple records during his 2014 campaign. Against Georgia Southern, Harden grabbed a record-breaking 186 yards, while also tying the most receptions in a single game record with 11. Not to mention he found the end-zone four times against the Eagles.

In the competitive atmosphere of College Football, Donovan Harden said he gained the respect of his teammates with his performance last season.

“I think my performance definitely, helped me have a voice, and I earned those guys respect,” Harden said.

Donovan Harden’s performance prior was just as impressive. He finished with 10 catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns against South Alabama.

Now, Harden is well-known by other opponents in and out of the Sun Belt Conference. It will be stirring to see how the Pre-Season All- Sun Belt First team wide-out performs when coaches and players have a full offseason to strategize his aptitude to get open against defenders.

“People were telling me I might get double-teamed coming out in the season,” Harden said. But, I feel like that might end quickly when Robert Davis starts to see them,” Harden said.

Harden said there was some smack talk going on during the Sun Belt media day in New Orleans.

“Guys were talking a little but, I’m not sure if they know what really have in store,” Harden said.

Harden made it imperative to gain size and strength to adjust his game. “Lifting power strength,” Harden said.

“Our strength and conditioning coach not only focusing on us physically but mentally. He helps our mental approach to the game, so that’s definitely something we need this season,” Harden said.

The wide receiver core is the best group on the Georgia State ros-

ter and Harden believes so.

“Yes, most definitely,” Harden said. Nothing more nothing less.

The audience of the media laughed, but Harden seems to be straight forward with his remark.

But Harden’s biggest competition is counter partner Robert Davis.

“He (Robert Davis) pushes me, and I’m always going to be competing with that guy and I am looking forward to it.”

A weapon most may not know or heard of is the incoming freshman Ari Werts out of Stone Mountain, GA. Werts is big 6’4 guy who can run and catch like a number one option receiver. Harden seemed to be fairly impressed with the young prodigy.

“First thing I’ve noticed is that he has great hands. He can catch a ball with one hand as easily as he can catching with two,” Harden said.

Donovan Harden is the most looked at receiver in the bunch, but do not forget there is an abundance of talent at the position just to focus on one player.

Foot Injury Harden broke a bone in his foot near the start of fall camp, and is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks.

This possibly means Harden, who is the panther’s most explosive option at the wide receiver position in 2014, could be out for the first two games of the season if he makes it back at the earliest time in six weeks. The Panthers think they will have players that will step up and pick up the slack in Harden’s absence. It won’t just be one player it will be a group effort to replace such a big playmaker.

SPORTS

B4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

Bold

Predictions for 2015

Will Lutz, Kicker, is among a group of senior Panthers who could become professionals next year.

JEREMY JOHNSON Staff Reporter

rity gained from last season and put them in the program’s first bowl game.

1.

The Panthers will go to their first bowl game.

2.

The Panthers will have the school’s first 1,000 yard rusher

ere’s why. Georgia State has an established quarterback in senior Nick Arbuckle who is entering his second year in the offense. Most of the offensive players around Arbuckle are coming back.

The Panthers also return most of the defense from last year including leading tackler from the last three seasons Joseph Peterson along with the addition of UAB transfer Alonzo McGee. Georgia State also added another newcomer, junior college transfer and former Michigan Wolverine, Kaleb Ringer.

The linebacker core is going to steady the defense in conjunction with an already potent offense. The Panthers have talent throughout the roster and now have the depth and experience due to the injury riddled 2014 season where young players were thrust into action to learn.

Georgia State was competitive last season playing in plenty of close games. In 2014, the team lost four games by 10 or less points. The Panthers also held leads in all of those games that were lost by less than 10 points in 2014. This is the year the Panthers will find ways to win those close games with the matu-

The team has a full stable of very talented running backs coming into 2015. The group includes redshirt sophomore Kyler Neal who ran for 211 yards last season in four games before being sidelined with a knee injury.

The Panthers also picked up a UAB transfer redshirt freshman Demarcus Kirk. Other possible impact additions are junior college transfers Kendrick Dorn from San Bernardino Valley junior college, California and Taz Bateman from Long Beach California City College.

Dorn brings size and athleticism to the backfield and will be able to go in between the tackles and get on the edges as well. Bateman brings a different skillset. Bateman is a smaller in stature than any of his backfield partners as he stands 5 foot 8 inches tall and is listed at 185 pounds. Bateman will be a long run candidate and a solid passcatching threat out of the backfield as he caught 36 pass for 452 yards in 2014.

Bateman, Dorn and Neal have been the rotation early in the preseason with Kirk not far behind giving the Panthers a solid rotation that can go four backs deep. These

H

four will combine into a four headed running back monster in 2015.

The Panthers could be relying heavily on four different running backs to carry the load this fall. This may be the only thing keeping one individual player from reaching the 1,000 yard mark.

Sharing carries may pull down individual statistics but the running attack has received a huge boost this off-season after freshman Krysten Hammond transfered during last season. Also, having Neal go down with injury last season.

The circumstances required for the coaching staff to bring Marcus Caffey over to offense from the cornerback position. Caffey was reliable and productive rushing for 384 yards on 93 attempts with three touchdowns. The Panthers will look to utilize three reliable options at the position and take some of the pressure off of Arbuckle and open up some space for players like Ruiz,Davis and Harden in the passing game.

3.

The Panthers will have the first 1,000 yard receiver since Albert Wilson

Arbuckle and offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski have a lot of talented receiving options to get the ball to. The gun slinging Arbuckle doesn’t mind throwing the football around the field on Saturdays as he broke Georgia State’s record for most passing attempts in a season

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

in 2014. Couple that with some top notch receiving talent and you get gaudy offensive statistics.

There will be three legitimate candidates that could potentially reach 1,000 receiving yards. The first is the leading receiver from last season senior Donavan Harden.

Harden put up 885 yards on 60 receptions with seven touchdowns.

The next candidate is junior Robert Davis. Davis had 50 receptions last season with 732 yards and two touchdowns.

Davis is a big target standing 6 foot 3 inches. The next target is senior tight end Joel Ruiz. Ruiz caught 39 passes for 478 yards and three touchdowns last season. Coming off a knee surgery, Ruiz in the offseason and Harden’s availability is in doubt for a few weeks, which now requires that other players be ready to step into the fold if need be.

The Panthers have plenty of depth at wide receiver to step in Harden’s absence. Players like sophomore wide receiver Glenn Smith, who will be looking to replace Lynquez Blair in the slot, and University of Alabama Birmingham transfer Nyiakki Height will get plenty of opportunities in the passing game.

The trio of Harden, Davis and Ruiz will benefit from an improved running game, Arbuckle’s second year growth, familiarity with their roles and knowledge of the offensive system. The Panthers’ stars on the outside will definitely be fun to watch.

4.

At the End of the season the Panthers will see multiple players heading to the NFL Georgia State’s coaching staff has done a good job bringing in young talent and developing them. The team is now deep and there will be NFL scouts taking a look into some of the team’s promising talent.

The Panthers have had two players drafted into the NFL along with multiple players signing undrafted free agent contracts. The first two draft picks included Christo Bilukidi (Defensive End) who was drafted in the Sixth round in 2012 by the Oakland Raiders and Ulrick John (Offensive Tackle) who was drafted last season in the seventh round in 2014 by the Indianapolis Colts.

Players such as Theo Agnew (DE), Albert Wilson (WR), Donald Russell (RB), Jake Muasau (OLB) and Emmanuel Ogbuehi (TE) all signed with teams following their respective drafts. With big seasons from a few seniors, these current Panthers could continue this professional trend with even more potential draft picks the following season.

Players like Harden, Ruiz, Arbuckle, Peterson, Caffey, Tarris Batiste, Will Lutz and Bruce Dukes have put themselves in position to make an NFL roster.

Georgia State Football Finishes Ninth in Preseason Polls

Sat, Oct. 31 TBA

Charlotte

finished 5-6 last year losing six consecutive in the middle of their campaign last year. In four of their five wins, they won by huge margins. Their most impressive win came against Coastal Carolina, who finished 12-2. Essentially a ‘toss-up’ matchup pending on the performance of the Panthers revamped defense.

Sat, Sep. 12 8:00 p.m. Las Cruces, N.M

New Mexico State Georgia State

gave this game away last year being up 17-7 in the first half. NM State quarterback Tyler Rodgers and Pre-Season All-Sun Belt Wide Receiver Teldrick Morgan will be back and more experienced. Georgia State will be able to put points on the board, but defense will have to close out this game on the road to pull it out.

15 season 7-6. Seems like a disappointing season, but the strength of their schedule and talent they face week after week can camouflage how they stack up with the rest of the Sun Belt Conference.

Georgia State’s match-up with the Red Wolves wasn’t pretty losing 52-10. Likely will not be a difference in the results.

Should be a closer game due to more experience on Panthers offense and transformation of defense.

Sat, Sep. 19 2:00 p.m. Eugene, Ore.

Oregon will be waiting for the Pan-

thers in Eugene, Oregon—the bright side of this match-up will be for players like Nick Arbuckle, Robert Davis, Donovan Harden, Tarris Batsiste, Joel Ruiz and Joseph Peterson. Due to Oregon being a high-profile College Football program, scouts will be in attendance to see what the Panthers can do against elite competition.

Liberty

will be in the Georgia Dome on homecoming day. Liberty finished 9-5 overall and 4-1 in Big South Conference. A well-coached team by Turner Gill who’s accustomed to winning could be a challenge for the Panthers to win.

Sat, Nov. 21 TBA

Georgia Dome

against Georgia State was a brilliant game especially for wide receiver Donovan Harden, who finished with 10 receptions, 132 yards and two touchdowns. With the Panthers having the home field advantage this year along with their expected improvements, this should be a win for Georgia State.

Sat, Oct. 10 TBA Georgia Dome

Appalachian State

will play in the Georgia Dome, following last year’s embarrassing performance losing 44-0. Panthers front seven will have a challenge stopping the run. If they can contain, then this match-up could be a more competitive game.

Sat, Oct. 17 TBA Sat, Oct. 3 (Homecoming) TBA Georgia Dome

Jonesboro, Ark.

Arkansas State finished the 2014- South Alabama

Pre-Season Polls Puts Football Team At The Bottom Again

Fri, Sep. 4 3:30 p.m. Georgia Dome

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015

Muncie, Ind.

Sat, Nov. 7 TBA

Georgia Dome

Georgia Dome

UL Lafayette is arguably one of Troy the best teams in the Sun Belt. Last year’s match-up in the Rajin’ Cajuns backyard was a close one. The Panthers came up just short 34-31. Due to the Panthers being more experienced, along with having more depth, Georgia State will win this match-up considering having the home field advantage.

Sat, Nov. 14 TBA San Marcos, Tex.

Ball State didn’t have an impres- Texas State will host the Panthers sive 2013-14 campaign finishing 5-7 overall. Ball State is losing their horse at running back Jahwan Edwards, who averaged 104.4 yards per game. The Panthers should be the favorite in this to win due to the off-season transfers to improve Panthers defense. Let alone Panthers are expecting to add a solid running game to compliment to the air-raid attack led by quarterback Arbuckle.

Fri, Nov. 27 TBA

in San Marcos Texas this year. Last year’s match-up wasn’t pretty for the Panthers losing 54-31. The Bobcats leading rusher, Robert Lowe, finished the season rushing for 1091 yards and 12 touchdowns and will be returning along with David Mims, Pre-Season Sun Belt Defensive Player of The Year.

Georgia State should be able to win a game like this if new back Kendrick Dorn and company can be proficient.

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had just as much of a disappointing year as the Georgia State had, although the Trojans were able to pull out two more wins, one being against the Panthers winning 45-21. The Trojans have one of the toughest schedules in the Sun Belt and selected to be close with the Panthers to finish near the bottom of the conference standings.

Sat, Dec 5 TBA

Statesboro, Ga.

Georgia Southern brought the town of Statesboro, GA to the Georgia Dome last year for their first ever match-up. The Eagles showed why they were the best team in the conference scoring 69 points compared to the Panthers 31 points. Harden had a game the program and Sun Belt will never forget, hauling in 11 receptions for 186 yards and four touchdowns.

But, it wasn’t enough. It’ll be very difficult for the Panthers to upset the Eagles in Statesboro.

Face of the

Panthers:

Georgia State’s quarterback is now the face of the program after 2014, could be more in 2015.

NICK ARBUCKLE JEREMY JOHNSON

Staff Reporter

H

eading into the spring practice for the 2014 college football season, the Georgia State Panthers opened up the competition for the starting quarterback slot.

The Panthers, fresh off a 0-12 season, started then redshirt sophomore Ronnie Bell at quarterback.

The six foot one inch Camarillo, California native Nick

Arbuckle emerged to win the Quarterback competition.

Arbuckle came to Georgia State from Pierce College in Los Angeles after a highly productive two seasons for the Brahmas. Arbuckle assumed the starting position and never looked back in 2014.

He took the field for the Panthers and led them to a win during the first game of the season against Abilene Christian on a late game-winning drive in his first start as a Panther.

Arbuckle threw for 413-yards on opening night along with four touchdown passes and continued his suc-

cess throughout 2014. His name now lies throughout the young Georgia State football record book for his 2014 season.

He broke the school’s record for passing yards in a season with 3,283 yards, 23 touchdowns and completions with 259, along with total offense 3,293 total yards and touchdown responsibility with 25 total touchdowns. With all that production on the field, Arbuckle will look to be even better in 2015 for the Panthers.

Comfort Equals Confidence

Arbuckle appears to be more settled in and comfortable with everything going on around him, the offensive system, the coaching staff, his abilities and his teammates’ abilities.

He is now in his second season in the offense, which means he

will be making decisions at a faster pace because of the familiarity of assignments and knowledge of what the players around him are capable of.

“I think he feels a little bit more comfortable as far as making decisions,”Offensive Coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. “We need to make sure he cuts down on his interceptions. It’s going to happen, [and] you’re going to have interceptions, but not make bad ones where you’re just throwing the ball away.”

This comfort means con-

fidence. Confidence is important to any athlete. A confident athlete will be able to accomplish great feats. Some of the greatest athletes of all time such as Muhammed Ali, Michael Jordan, Deion Sanders, were known for their supreme confidence and ability to bet on themselves and back it up.

This confidence figures to make Arbuckle even more dangerous to opponents in 2015 and one of best quarterbacks in the world of college football.

3 0

This off-season, Arbuckle went looking for ways to improve that best quarterback season in Georgia State football’s brief history. He felt he needed to cut down on his interceptions.

“I had to focus mostly on not turning the ball over,” Arbuckle said. “So I studied a lot on the things that caused those turnovers,” Arbuckle said. Arbuckle threw 17 interceptions last season.

This can partly be attributed to the Panthers struggling running attack that allowed defenses to anticipate passing situations and the high volume of usage of the pass.

But Arbuckle studied himself this offseason and found things that he could do mechanically to improve in 2015 and fulfill his goal of lowering his turnovers.

Arbuckle noticed that his feet and eyes were not on the same page last season and that led to the ball being a little off at times and sometimes a bit late.

“I would see a throw, and I’d throw it, but my feet wouldn’t be in there. So I wouldn’t be as accurate and as powerful as I could be because my feet weren’t in place,” Arbuckle said.

For a quarterback, rhythm and timing are vital to being successful as there is limited time to get what needs to be done on a given play.

“One of the biggest things I’ve worked on this whole off-season is getting my eyes and my feet to work together,” Arbuckle said.

“That wherever my feet go, my eyes go and vice versa. To make sure I’m always in a good position to make an accurate throw

PHOTOS BY JADE JOHNSON

Nick Arbuckle, Quarterback, expects for his senior year to be his best one yet.

Follow the leader Playing the quarterback position requires a player that has the leader factor. The player must also be able to show his teammates that he is worth following.

Thus, the right to lead a group of peers must be earned on the field. Arbuckle‘s 2014 solidified his teammates believe in him.

The 2014 season earned the right for Arbuckle to show one of his strongest attributes as a player; his leadership.

“He’s a leader, and he knows the game,” coach Jagodzinski said, “he’s a guy everybody can look up to.”

Arbuckle admits he feels his role as a leader has changed because he now has the trust of the team after 2014. He acknowledged that being new to the program called for him to be a leader by example at first, rather than being the vocal leader he is now.

“Whenever you’re first into a program, it’s kind of feeling where even if guys think you do something you have to show them first,” Arbuckle said “You first have to lead by example before they start following everything you say.”

Seeing Arbuckle’s huge impact on the field has convinced his teammates to follow his lead. Arbuckle’s hard work leads Coach Jagodzinski to describe him as a “gym rat.”

He’s famous for being the first guy into and last guy out of the

Georgia State football facilities on a daily basis.

“He’s the epitome of a hard working quarterback and everything a quarterback should be.

He knows his stuff,” Ruiz said.

“They turn the lights off on him watching a film, [and] you’ve got to drag him out of here.”

This type of work ethic in a star player can be contagious and rub off on the younger players, young quarterbacks especially.

Arbuckle is a good player for the present, but the foundation that he is putting down and the example he is setting will bode well for the program in the future.

The young quarterbacks on the team’s roster freshman Aaron Winchester, redshirt sophomore Brett Sheehan, redshirt freshman Emiere Scaife are all getting to bear witness to how the day to day operations of being a college quarterback work.

These same lessons that can be learned watching Arbuckle will help the Panthers in their search for his heir as the starting quarterback for the Georgia State Panthers in 2016 and beyond.

At present, Arbuckle and all his attributes have him squarely entrenched as a mainstay in the panther’s offense and the face of the program.

and that’s done a tremendous job cutting down turnovers.”

The results have been evident early as turnovers in camp have been limited not just for Arbuckle but the entire offense. Arbuckle doesn’t recall there being many turnovers thus far in the pre-season camp.

“I think as an offense we’ve only had one or two interceptions all fall camp,”Arbuckle said.

The work Arbuckle put into his throwing mechanics this offseason has been noticed by his tight end, Joel Ruiz. Ruiz sees the difference in Arbuckle and thinks he is more comfortable and confident.

“He’s definetly getting more confident in his deep balls, and his touch is better too,” Ruiz said.

2 0

New and Improved

SPORTS SPORTS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013 B8

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

COLUMN

Former Player Says Trent Miles job is “.500 or bust” PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

Head Coach, Trent Miles, enters the 2015 season focused on improving on his team while ignoring speculations JARED OLIVER

Sports Reporter

T

his could be the year for Georgia State football. Now, Trent Miles has a bigger and more athletic defensive front seven, he’s got Nick Arbuckle at the head of his offense and arguably the best wide receiver crew in the Sun Belt, not to mention he has defensive backs who have a bunch of experience.

Trent Miles may very well still be on the hot seat. Hearing students and alumni speak about their frustration and disgust with the team’s performance thus far, and that seat is flaming hot.

Miles was named the head coach Nov. 2012. He signed a 5-year-deal with $450,000 guaranteed a year.

His contract is set to end Dec. 31, 2017.

So the only thing Trent Miles and his players need to do now is go win some football games right?

Miles is entering into his third

season as the head ball coach while his last two weren’t so impressive due to injuries, lack of depth, size and everything else. Georgia State football has unfortunately been one of the laughing stocks of FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) football.

Those who know very little about Georgia State (before the NCAA Tournament) will bring up the two games when the Panthers took trips to Tuscaloosa to face Nick Saban and his defending national champion team in 2010, losing 63-7 and No. 1-ranked team in 2013 losing 45-3.

That same crowd might also remember the 2013 “catch of the year” Alabama wide receiver DeAndrew White made over former Panther, DeMarious Matthews to put more salt on the wound.

So far Trent Miles is 1-23 as head coach for the Panthers. Students are frustrated with the team’s performance in the new programs early years. But, little by little Miles has put some pieces together to form more of a competitive team.

Last year we saw the emergence of the offense with Nick Arbuckle,

Robert Davis, Donovan Harden and Joel Ruiz. Years before it was very difficult to get the ball moving on the offensive side of the ball, (aside from Albert Wilson’s one-man show) but last years offense finished 26th in the country for averaging 279 passing yards per game.

Kelton Hill, former quarterback and wide receiver, thinks Miles’ third year is vital.

“It’s bowl or bust,” Hill told me.

“I think this year is the put up or shut up year, and if he doesn’t put up, then he might be on the hot seat. If he wins one or two games then that’s not really progressing,” Hill said.

I asked Hill if he had to predict a record that will protect Miles job for sure for the following season what would he say: “At least .500 (meaning winning percentage) or bust,” Hill said.

Kelton spent two years with Trent Miles, so he now sees the program looking from the outside in.

“I see the team as still rebuilding,” Hill said.

“It doesn’t come down to who likes who? It’s about who’s winning

ball games if you’re not winning ball games, you know why are you here,” Hill said.

Last year it was obvious the defense and the offensive running game was the problem. The defense gave up and an average of 43.3 points per game, which resulted in being ranked 128th in the country (mind you there are only 128 teams in FBS football).

Miles turned around a program at Indiana State going 11-2 in 2012, ranked as high as No. 14 in the national polls and beating No. 1-ranked North Dakota State who were defending FCS champs.

That’s good and all, but Panther fans, students, etc. want to see the benefits come to Atlanta. This is expected to be the first year the program looks more competitive and can make some noise in the Sun Belt Rankings.

Andrew Weaver, a Georgia State student said he is certainly on the hot seat. “I think he should be gone the second game he loses out of five.

He has a 1-23 record, that’s not really good,” Weaver said.

The Sun Belt does not expect

Season by season

Indiana State Overall

Georgia State Overall 2013

2014

0-12

1-11

Conference 0-7

0-8

much—yet again from Georgia State, according to the Sun Belt PreSeason rankings, but I think No. 9 is fairly low. However, you cannot justify it due to last year’s nightmare.

They don’t rank you based on what you might do Looking into the future, things look brighter for that defense. Miles and staff snatched some UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) and junior college transfers to beef up the defense and bring more athleticism also.

The defense will be a 3-4 base this year under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Minters Linebacker core is the best it has ever appeared.

UAB transfer Alonzo McGee and Kaleb Ringer (Butler C.C) join leading tackler Joseph Peterson to clog the second level of the defense. Former UAB Safety Bobby Brown is a player who has great ball skills and adds depth to the Panthers secondary.

Trent and his staff have worked hard to put the team they have together as I am sure. Every coach works hard, but if you’re not winning then, it doesn’t really matter.

Standing 8th

11th

Conference

Standing

2008

0-12

0-8

9th

2009

1-10

1-7

8th

2010

6-5

4-4

T-3rd

2011

6-5

4-4

T-4th

2012

7-4

5-3

T-3rd

K E Y

JEREMY JOHNSON Staff Reporter

Georgia State Panthers Key players Senior Nick Arbuckle Quarterback 6-1 215

A P A N T H EFO R R 2015 S

rbuckle broke a lot of records for the Panthers last season and is now entering his second year at the helm of the offense. Arbuckle enters his second season with a better understanding of the offensive schemes and another full offseason with his offensive teammates to develop the needed chemistry to perform at a high level this season.

Arbuckle also will face a lot of the same opponents from last season and have a better grasp of what to look for in facing those opponents.

For the Panthers to compete in 2015, the team must have Arbuckle playing at a high level again at what is considered the most important position in the sport of football.

Here are some key players for the Georgia State football team this season

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON } THE SIGNAL Senior Tight End Joel Ruiz is one of many players who are either injured or coming back from offseason surgery.

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015

Harden is last season’s leading receiver. Harden had 885 yards with seven touchdowns on 60 catches last season and the panther’s big play threat. Harden’s 14.8 yards per reception last season and his longest play of 2014 was a 68 yard gain.

Harden’s 2015 may have to be delayed a bit as he is dealing with a foot injury that may keep him sidelined for the first bit of the season. Whenever Harden does return to the field, he will be one of the most explosive parts of an explosive offense.

Senior Joseph Peterson Linebacker 6-0 225 Peterson is the model of consistency at Georgia State, and he will again be the rock in the middle of the panther’s defense. Peterson has been the team’s leading tackler for the last three seasons. The Panthers will count on Peterson to do more of the same on a far deeper defense than he’s had around him in the past with the additions of Alonzo McGee from UAB and junior college transfer Kaleb Ringer.

Senior Donavan Harden Wide Receiver 5-11 175

Junior Michael Ivory Offensive Tackle 6-5 340

Harden also enters his second season at Georgia State as a starter in the offensive system. He has had another full off-season to gel with his quarterback, find his fit in the system, and he also looks to push his production to new heights.

Ivory started the 2014 season as the panther’s starting left tackle protecting the blind side of quarterback Nick Arbuckle. Ivory was sidelined last season in the fifth game of the season and is now returning to the fold in 2015 looking to pick up his

development where he left off last season. Ivory flashed tremendous ability in his abbreviated season in 2014 and will be looked to continue and improve helping his dangerous quarterback Arbuckle stay upright and healthy enough to hurt opposing defenses.

Redshirt Sophomore Mackendy Cheridor Defensive End 6-5 250 The Panthers recorded only 12 total sacks last season. Only one came from a defensive lineman as defensive end Shawayne Lawrence recorded one sack for the season.

The Panthers are undergoing a defensive system change, and some of the moving parts include familiar faces in new roles. One of these faces is Cheridor. Cheridor started four games last season at outside linebacker in the panther’s 3-4 scheme before sidelined with a knee injury and ultimately redshirting in 2014.

Cheridor recorded one sack in those four games. Cheridor will be putting his hand in the dirt this season for the Panthers and moving to the defensive end position. This will allow Cheridor to play more aggressive going forward with less responsibility.

The Panthers will have possibly the team’s best pass rushing threat being turned loose on opposing quarterbacks. Cheridor has the chance to be a game wrecking asset off the edge for the Panthers and

having that kind of heat on a team’s passing attack can make life a lot easier for the rest of the defensive unit.

Senior Joel Ruiz Tight End 6-4 240 Ruiz also is working his way back from a knee injury and looks to be ready for the 2015 season opener against Charlotte.

Ruiz caught 39 passes in 10 games for the Panthers last season.

Ruiz has a rare skill set of being a tight end that is a matchup nightmare for linebackers and defensive backs alike.

Ruiz stands 6 foot 4 inches tall and is too big and physical to be covered by smaller defensive backs and too fast for linebackers in space. Ruiz was a high school quarterback, so his football IQ is high.

Ruiz is coming into 2015 looking to play a larger role in the offense after getting the complete grasp of the tight end position and learning more of the nuances of the position. He will also be an attractive prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft as his blend of size and speed have NFL scouts taking notice and looking to potentially add the 6 foot 4 inch tight end’s services to their roster in a league all about matchups, creating many mismatches that NFL coaches covet.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013 B10

SPORTS SPORTS

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

Sports Calendar VOLLEYBALL Friday, Aug. 28

Monday, Aug. 24 Kennesaw State

Western Carolina Western Carolina Tournament

at GSU Soccer Complex

Friday, Aug. 28

6:30 p.m.

Jacksonville

at Cullowhee, N.C.

at Jacksonville, Fla. 6 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 30 North Florida at Jacksonville, Fla 2 p.m.

11 a.m.

Saturday, Aug. 29 Murray State Western Carolina Tournament

MENS SOCCER Friday Aug. 28 Jacksonville at Jacksonville, Fla. 8 p.m.

at Cullowhee, N.C.

Sunday Aug. 30 North Florida

4:30 p.m.

at Jacksonville, Fla. 5 p.m.

*conference games

WOMEN’S SOCCER

calendar Welcoming the LGBTQIQA Community

Aug. 25 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Student Center East Georgia State’s Multicultural Center is hosting their yearly invitation to all members of the LGBTQIQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Questioning and Asexual) community to connect and mingle, along with their straight allies. At the event there will be music by the International Sound Therapy Asssociation. First 50 in attendence and to complete the meet and greet will recieve a prize.

Try Me Week: Instructional Clinics

Aug. 24 - 29 Recreation Center For the week, all Instructional Clinics at the Recreation Center are free for students to come and try as many classes as possible. Clinics include belly dancing, ballroom dancing, Tai Chi, Lotus Self Defense, Fenching and various types of Yoga.

On Campus Part Time Job Fair Aug. 27 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Dahlberg Hall, Veterans Memorial Hall For undergraduates or graduate students seeking a job, Georgia State is offering a party-time job fair. Representatives from various Georgia State departments and programs will be in attendance to discuess available or potential job openings.

The jobs are on campus only.

Stay Alive!

Aug. 27 Would you be able to survive the cholera outbreak of 1854? Test your survival skills when you take part in a simulation of life portrayed in the book “The Ghost map”. Keep updated on Georgia States event calendar to find out the location.

Jurassic World Panther Prowl

Aug. 28 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Student Center The Spotlight Program Board will be throwing the first Panther Prowl of the year, with free admissions for Georgia State students and $5 for guests. This is a great way to get to know your peers while playing games and enjoying a party after.

Sorry Chris Pratt will not be attending.

B11

Staff Predictions

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

Falcons v Dolphins

Jamaal

at 7 p.m.

at Cullowhee, N.C.

Saturday, Aug. 29 Fresno State Western Carolina Tournament

SPORTS

GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Kwaku Adu Soccer

With a 2-0 exhibition game record, the men’s soccer team should have plenty of confidence heading into their 2015 season and that’s thanks in large part to Kwaku Adu. Adu, a freshman from Cumming, Ga., celebrated his recent 18th birthday by scoring the goahead (and his first in college) goal with 23 minutes left against Oglethorpe University. Scoring goals is exactly why Adu was recruited by Georgia State, as the West Forsyth graduate scored the winning goal in the state finals his senior season. The five foot nine midfielder even scored a hat trick plus one (four goals) in a game while playing for West Forsyth.

Kwaku plans to major in Biology at Georgia State and ultimately use his degree once his playing career is over. He chose to sign with Georgia State after receiving interest from Wake Forest, Davidson, George Mason and Georgia Southern among other schools.

• • • • • •

Dolphins Serena Women’s GSU Men’s North Florida Portland, Ore Dom. Rep.

Mike • • • • • •

Falcons Serena Women’s North Florida Men’s North Florida Bonita, California Los Bravos de Pontezulla LL.

Serena v the field

Women’s SOC GSU v North Florida

Men’s SOC GSU v North Florida

Rashad • • • • • •

Falcons Serena Women’s North Florida Men’s GSU Bowling Green, Ky Japan

US Little League Series

International Little League Series

{ here } your ad

Our most coveted back page is up for grabs, darlings. imagine this being shared on a fancy yacht. with mojitos.

For more information, visit www.georgiastatesignal.com/advertising If you have any questions, contact our advertising coordinator at signaladvertisingco@gmail.com

cheers!