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Volume 56, Issue 21 | Monday, October 11, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
President Conboy officially inaugurated
ANYA RUFFINO and MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer
Saint Mary’s president reflects on unique tenure, goals during installation address By ISABELLA VOLMERT Assistant Managing Editor
During her remarks at the inauguration ceremony of Saint Mary’s College President Katie Conboy, Saint Mary’s Student Government Association president Elly Hanson said Conboy recently asked her if she could be called a “Smick.”
“For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term ‘Smick,’ it is used to describe the intelligent, driven and empowered women at Saint Mary’s,” Hanson said. “As the student body president of Saint Mary’s College, I would like to grant [President Conboy] the title ‘head Smick.’” President Katie Conboy
was officially installed as the 14th president of Saint Mary’s College during Saturday’s installation ceremony at O’Laughlin Auditorium. Even though she took office in June 2020 and has led the College through the reopening of in-person learning, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic delayed
SMC unveils new center By GENEVIEVE COLEMAN Saint Mary’s News Editor
A fter months of renovation, Saint Mar y’s College inv ited the communit y to tour the new Center for Integrative Hea lthcare Education (CIHE) housed in Regina Ha ll Friday morning. The event was part of a
NEWS PAGE 3
week to celebrate the inauguration of President Katie Conboy. Before the tour, College administrators and nursing department facult y spoke about the impact of the Center on students and future patients in what was formerly Regina Ha ll’s chapel space.
SCENE PAGE 5
Senior v ice president and provost Titilayo Ufomata began the presentation by discussing how the Center w ill be used by a ll hea lth and behav iora l science departments. “Today, we have a facilit y that prov ides students w ith see UNVEILING PAGE 4
VIEWPOINT PAGE 6
official ceremonies for over a year. A number of distinguished guests, Saint Mary’s students and community members attended to mark the occasion and listen to Conboy’s inaugural address. Provost and senior vice president of the College, Titilayo Ufomata, opened the ceremony with a speech.
She reflected on past leaders of the college and commended President Conboy on her accomplishments as president already. “[Conboy] has shown an audacity for dreams and a capacity for work,” Ufomata said.
see CONBOY PAGE 4
Alumnus appointed as ambassador Observer Staff Report President Joe Biden nominated Joe Donnelly, who holds two degrees from Notre Dame, as U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican. Donnelly earned an undergraduate degree in political
M SOCCER PAGE 8
science in 1977 and graduated from the Notre Dame Law School four years later, in 1981. He served as Indiana’s senator from 2013 to 2019 and will now oversee the relationship
see ALUMNUS PAGE 3
FOOTBALL PAGE 12
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TODAY
The observer | Monday, October 11, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
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What is your favorite on-campus activity?
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sophomore O’Neill Family Hall
“Volleyball with friends.”
“Milk and cookies on Wednesdays.”
Emily Collins
Liam Collins
first-year McGlinn Hall
junior O’Neill Family Hall
“Study sessions in Duncan with friends.”
“Midnight Drummers Circle.”
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Michael Barrett
Alex Aragon
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junior O’Neill Family Hall
sophomore Pangborn Hall
“Hallway golf.”
“Section snack.”
Editor-in-Chief Adriana Perez Managing Editor Evan McKenna
Asst. Managing Editor: Isabella Volmert Asst. Managing Editor: Colin Capece Asst. Managing Editor: Nelisha Silva
Notre Dame News Editor: Alysa Guffey Saint Mary’s News Editor: Genevieve Coleman Viewpoint Editor: Abby Patrick Sports Editor: Mannion McGinley Scene Editor: Aidan O’Malley Photo Editor: Allison Thornton Graphics Editor: Maggie Klaers Social Media Editor: Veronica Navarro Advertising Manager: Landry Kempf Ad Design Manager: Christopher Walsh Systems Administrator: Rachel Johnson Talent & Inclusion Manager: Siobhan Loughney Office Manager & General Info
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GABRIELLE PENNA | The Observer
As the sun set over God Quad on Saturday evening, students rallied inside their dorms to watch Notre Dame football take on Virginia Tech. The No. 14 Irish beat the unranked Hokies by a score of 32-29, sending the team into their bye week with a 5-1 record.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
“Roadmap for a Green Future” 1030 Jenkins Nanovic 12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. In-person and online.
Manuscript Viewing Hesburgh Library 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Medieval manuscript exhibit.
Tanzanian Music Lecture Bond Hall 334, MPR 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Cultural conversation.
An Evening with Paisley Rekdal online 7:00 p.m. Registration required.
Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 11:30 a.m. All are welcome.
Coming Out Day LGBTQ+ Center 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Giveaways and snacks provided.
Snite Sketches Snite Museum of Art 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sketch one of your favorite works of art.
Donuts & Cider Popup Library Entrance 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Grab some fall treats.
Drive-In Movie Night Commuter Lot 8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Popcorn and snacks served.
Workplace Diversity Lecture online 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Hosted by Klau Center.
News
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Writer discusses athletic protests By CLAIRE LYONS News Writer
The Klau Center for Civil and Human Rights hosted sports journalist Howard Br yant, who spoke about the legacy of athletic protests for its online lecture series, “Building an AntiRacist Vocabular y” on Friday. The series is led by Dor y Mitros Durham, associate director of the Klau Center and leader of the Keough School of Global Affairs’s Racial Justice Initiative, as a response to the acts of police brutality against George Floyd, A hmaud Arber y and Breonna Taylor in 2020. The program’s goal is to provide “students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University of Notre Dame with sustained, critical engagement on interdisciplinar y topics related to understanding systematic racism, and committing to the daily work of anti-racism.” Br yant is an author, sports journalist, senior w riter and columnist for ESPN. He is also a sports correspondent for The Sports Reporters talk show w ith ESPN and for Weekend Edition w ith NPR.
He has w ritten five books including “The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism” and “Full Dissidence: Notes from an Uneven Playing Field.” Br yant began the lecture by discussing the histor y of politics in sports. He noted that it goes back as far back as the 1936 Olympics where Black sprinters like Jesse Owens and Mack Robinson “denounced the idea of white superiority which was obviously what Hitler was pushing.” Br yant referred to this is “the start of what I refer to as ‘The Heritage,’” which Br yant explained is a tradition of athletes using sports as an arena to make a political statement. Noting that the impact of sports on politics was “obvious,” Br yant noted that a problem came when “Black athletes themselves took the agency” to talk about racial injustice. Br yant continued by speaking about how Tommie Smith and John Carlos sacrificed their careers at the 1968 Olympics for raising their fists in the air on the Olympic podium as a sign of black solidarity. “The fact that the Olympic
Committee came dow n on Tommie Smith and John Carlos, just for that gesture, for the simple expression, tell you how much it meant,” he said. Br yant asked the audience, “W hy have we set up the dynamic that you risk ever ything just for supporting Black people? ” Despite this legacy of protest, some sports fans don’t want to see politics during games. Br yant says that there isn’t a difference between the protest we see demonstrated by Black athletes and the patriotism we see on the field. After 9/11, Br yant claims that patriotism was brought “into the ballpark full time.” He questioned why people don’t treat playing the national anthem “as if it’s not political.” Br yant thinks America set patriotism and protest against each other. Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the anthem shouldn’t be framed as disrespectful to the f lag or unpatriotic, he said. He argues that people shouldn’t frame protest as unpatriotic, but as a by product of patriotism. He expands on this issue
by exploring the activism people see in sports today. He asks, “W hat happens when the protester becomes the power? ” Howard doesn’t think we should attribute their individual wealth — like Lebron James’ net worth of $50 million — to actual activism. “Athletes are reaching a point where they are representing what they were protesting five years ago,” he said. Athletes are now the people in the board rooms making decisions about sports teams. Br yant questioned the future of sports activism, asking “Are athletes using their power for collective action or are they simply building their fortunes and empires? ” He urged athletes to focus on the bigger picture rather than themselves. Anyone interested in hearing more from upcoming speakers at the “Building an Anti-Racist Vocabular y” lecture series can register online at the Klau Center’s website. Contact Claire Lyons at clyons5@nd.edu
Alumnus Continued from page 1
between the United States and the Catholic Church. He will serve at the Embassy to the Holy See in Rome, working on issues ranging from democracy and security to human rights and religious dialogue. Donnelly also represented Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District in the House from 2007 to 2013. During the 2020 election, he publicly defended the President’s Catholic faith. Donnelly has also maintained connections to his alma matter. He taught a course for political science students in 2019 and honored the University in a speech submitted to the Congressional Record in 2012. University President John Jenkins congratulated Donnelly Friday afternoon. “Joe has been an exemplary public servant in Congress, an invaluable friend of Notre Dame and of me personally, and he is an ideal choice to represent the United States at the Vatican,” Jenkins said in a press release. “He will bring to this role a deep understanding of the issues currently facing our nation and the world, a genuine Catholic faith and an understanding of the role the Church can play in our world.”
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NEWS
The observer | Monday, October 11, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Unveiling Continued from page 1
an interdisciplinar y and interprofessiona l education w ith
access to multidisciplinar y simulation labs, classroom space and research opportunities,” she said. “The first to move into the building was the Department of Nursing Science. Later, as the Center continues to expand, all of Saint Mar y’s health science and behav ioral sciences w ill be housed here, including autism studies, social work and gerontolog y and speech language patholog y.” Saint Mar y’s President Katie Conboy then noted how the Sisters of the Holy Cross have always used Regina Hall as a center for education. “Since its inception, the Sisters of the Holy Cross built Regina to house their nov ices, and it represented the intersection of mission for the sisters and the College to form young women in the Holy Cross charism and to educate them in preparation to do God’s work in the world,” she said. Conboy continued by
Conboy Continued from page 1
Six distinguished guests representing different public and academic spheres then delivered “Calls to Service” speeches. Senior Eleanor “Elly” Hanson was the first to take the podium and expressed her gratitude for Conboy’s leadership through the pandemic. “You have been a beacon of light for our students,” Hanson said. Susan Olney Latham ’91 spoke on behalf of the facult y and was followed by Ann Kearns Davoren ’98, president of the alumnae association board of directors. Davoren highlights Conboy’s achievements in office thus far, including the new Div ision of Inclusion and Equit y, the renovation of Regina Hall and the introduction of t wo new graduate programs to the College. “W hat a proud day for Saint Mar y’s,” Davoren said. Universit y President Father John Jenkins then congratulated Conboy on her office and spoke of the long and historical partnership bet ween Notre Dame and Saint Mar y’s College, which began w ith the founding of the Holy Cross Sisters by Blessed Basil Moreau, and the two institutions’ affinit y for a common mission.
describing how Regina still fulfills the original mission of the Sisters. “Regina was later transformed into housing and education spaces for students,” she said. “It’s so fitting today that this building — while still housing our students in the t wo towers — is transformed yet again taking on its new role as an intersection of education and healthcare, which have been t wo pillars of the accomplishments of the Sisters.” Commending the resources available to students in the Center, Conboy stated she looked for ward to student success in the future. “The state-of-the-art facilities w ill prov ide [students] w ith incomparable tools, education and experience to make an immediate impact and to be leaders in contemporar y healthcare,” she said. “I can’t wait to see our students — undergraduate and graduate — as well as our facult y interacting and learning in new and innovative ways.” Conboy concluded by acknowledging the project’s benefactors including the $1
million grant from the Lily Endow ment Inc. “As Dr. Ufomata mentioned, plans for the Center have been years in the making,” Conboy said. “Because of the dedication of many people, we now stand in this incredible space. The Lilly Endow ment and their $1 million gift as part of the Charting the Future Grant gave us the abilit y to take our dreams and realize them in specific detail.” President of the Sisters of the Holy Cross Sr. Veronique Wiedower offered a blessing over the new space, as well as the people who w ill use it. Director of the Nursing Science program Dr. Sue Anderson then expressed her deep gratitude for the Center’s new technolog y. “This building truly means ever y thing to the nursing facult y and students,” she said. “We have moved from Hav ican Hall, where we had one ver y small simulation lab and one ver y outdated nursing skills lab,” she said. “The addition of these best-in-class simulation and nursing skills labs w ith the state-of-the-art equipment
elevate the Department of Nursing Science to the top of the nursing programs in the Midwest.” Anderson also emphasized the importance of prov iding students w ith learning opportunities, especially as they enter a world that needs their skills. “The educational opportunities that this facilit y offers are priceless,” she said. “The investment in health care comes at a time in our histor y when our nurses must be highly educated to meet the demands of a nation experiencing crisis.” The audience then toured the building complete w ith simulation labs, exam rooms, an 11-bed nursing lab, classrooms, facult y offices and student lounge areas. During the tour, nursing students and facult y members performed demonstrations on mannequins in the simulation lab rooms. Senior nursing student Taylor Murphy expressed her excitement about moving from Hav ican Hall to the Center to finish her education. “It’s so cool that we get
to be here because we were in Hav ican, so we started out our nursing education there,” she said. “W hile that was a good facilit y, it wasn’t super high tech, so we did a lot of pretending.” Murphy praised the technolog y embedded in the nursing simulation mannequins, which allow students to practice many relevant skills. “But now we don’t really have to pretend all that much because the mannequins are super high tech,” she said. “We can listen to their heart sounds, lung sounds, bowel sounds. We can change their heart rhy thm. We can feel their pulses. It’s super realistic.” Murphy said she was also impressed by how the Center’s facilities w ill prepare her to work in realworld settings. “The simulations rooms look just like a hospital room,” she said. “The exam rooms also look like real exam rooms, so I feel like it w ill make it easier to transition into a hospital.”
“Notre Dame would be far less a place w ithout the contributions of our Sisters, leaders, facult y, staff, students and alumni of Saint Mar y’s, yesterday and today,” Jenkins said. “I look for ward to continuing that relationship into the future under the guiding hand of Dr. Conboy.” Dr. Lori S. W hite, the recently installed president of Depauw Universit y in Indiana, commended Conboy for her leadership not only in face of the pandemic, but in what she described as a time and societ y that does not always understand the mission of a liberal arts college and education. “This is not an easy time to be a college president,” W hite said. Finally, the Mayor of South Bend,James Mueller addressed Conboy by saying Saint Mar y’s, while not a geographical or bureaucratic part of South Bend, is integral to the area because of its people and communit y. Mueller said he has always been connected w ith Saint Mar y’s as his w ife is a member of the class of 2006 and he himself attended the original Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) as a child. He added former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg was a
classmate at ECDC and said Conboy herself babysat Buttigieg as he grew up. “We are going through difficult times not just w ith the pandemic,” Mueller said “But we know we have the right leader in President Katie Conboy and we are delighted to have her be the one at the helm to nav igate us through these challenging times.” In her inaugural address, President Conboy acknowledged her unique position as a president who began her term in the middle of a global health crisis. “I’ve just been formally installed, bling and all, nine days into my seventeenth month as president,” she said gesturing to her presidential medal. “We are not just setting out together, we set out almost a year and a half ago, and we have already supported each other through a staggeringly difficult period.” Conboy used the metaphors of road maps and the permanency of old cave paintings to ref lect on the past, present and future of Saint Mar y’s College in addition to her term as president. She also acknowledged the 13 presidents who came before her and was grateful for their precedent and guiding presence.
“W hat does our stretch of the Saint Mar y’s journey entail? ” she asked the audience. “W hat mark, what signif y ing hand print, w ill we leave? ” In answer to these questions, she first affirmed that the foundation of Saint Mar y’s as a Catholic, residential, women’s, liberal arts college w ill never change, a remark which drew applause. She said colleges like Saint Mar y’s are needed to educate future leaders and generations to care for the world and earth, as well as prov ide “the ethical, social and economic empowerment of women” as a first priorit y. She then outlined goals for increasing internships and fellowship opportunities, career programming, education for working women, and research for students and facult y at Saint Mar y’s. Other important goals she said are increased engagement w ith the cit y and region, and additional engagement, support and opportunities for Saint Mar y’s alumnae around the world “Seventeen months and nine days into my presidency, I have unbound confidence in these goals,” she said. Before her tenure at Saint Mar y’s, Conboy ser ved as provost and senior v ice president at Simmons
Universit y, a women’s college in Boston, since 2013. Prior to Simmons, she was a professor of English literature then provost and v ice president for academic affairs at Stonehill College, a Holy Cross institution in North Easton, Massachusetts, for 13 years. Conboy earned her undergraduate degree at the Universit y of Kansas in 1981 and her doctoral degree in English literature at the Universit y of Notre Dame in 1986. She also attended the Universit y of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and the Nonprofit Financial Stewardship Program at Har vard Universit y’s Kennedy School of Government. “I fell in love w ith Saint Mar y’s, w ith the idea of Saint Mar y’s and w ith the possibilities of Saint Mar y’s before I even stepped foot on this campus,” Conboy said at the conclusion of her address. “And now, like so many of you gathered here today, I’m in love w ith the realit y of Saint Mar y’s.” t wo-page platform addresses and dumped in the hall. Another” she w rote, “these practices and the ideals that go w ith them w ill not change.”
Contact Genevieve Coleman at gcoleman01@saintmarys.edu
Contact Isabella Volmert at ivolmert@nd.edu
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The observer | Monday, October 11, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By JONATHAN BACHELOR Scene Writer
“Psychonauts 2,” a video game by Tim Schafer released this summer, follows a smart yet optimistically naïve protagonist, Razputin “Raz” Aquato. Raz must utilize his psychic powers to find the mole within the Psychonauts organization and stop an evil, hydrokinetically-powered woman named Maligula from rising again. The story of “Psychonauts 2" continues from where the first two games, the original “Psychonauts” and a virtual reality spinoff, left off (the VR game explains what happened between the first two games and I was not aware that it existed until I looked it up). Fortunately for you, I didn’t play those two games, so I can’t and don’t have to explain the entire context of this game! What I can say is that you don’t have to play the first two games to understand and enjoy this series entry because the story is fantastic on its own merits. For those of you who really care, though, here’s a quick summary — and before you ask, no, I didn’t steal the synopsis off Wikipedia. After rescuing the head of the Psychonaut organization, Truman Zanotto, from the clutches of Dr. Loboto in the Rhombus of Ruin, the game’s characters realizes that Loboto wasn’t bright enough to pull a kidnapping like this on his own. This means that in “Psychonauts 2,” it’s up to Raz to find the mole within the Psychonauts and get to the bottom of the recent increase in Deluginist activity. The Deluginists, for context, are followers of the aforementioned Maligula, who was believed to have been killed by another group called the “Psychic Six.” As you can probably tell from this brief synopsis, the
By LEXI KILCOIN Scene Writer
Warning: This review contains spoilers Oh, where to begin. Adam Driver has seen his fair share of intense, psychologically unnerving roles, the most wellknown being Kylo Ren. However, his role in a recentlyreleased musical, “Annette,” has shown a deeper, more disturbing facet of Driver’s skills. “Annette” might be a love story; or, it might be a psychological thriller; or, it might have created an entirely new genre with its mix of musical elements, dark romance, horror and murder. The film begins with a musical number called “So May We Start,” which introduces us to characters Henry McHenry (Adam Driver) and Ann (Marion Cotillard). Henry is a stand-up comedian with his one man show, “The Ape of God,” while Ann, his wife, has her own opera show. The film draws a stark contrast between the husband and wife, juxtaposing Henry’s dark, narcissistic tendencies and Ann’s light-hearted hope for the future, a hope which parallels her fear of her own husband. Interestingly, we rarely see interactions between the couple that are not either disturbing sex scenes or shot through odd camera angles from the perspective of Henry’s hands, apparently to suggest he is about to strangle Ann to death — this directing choice, of course, foreshadows the character’s eventual murder. The main lens through which we see the development of Ann’s
story in this game is great. It’s full of twists and turns that keep you on your toes, and the humor is top notch, serving up a creative blend of both dark and light humor that makes it perfect for pretty much everybody. While it’s all very good, my favorite part of the storytelling has to be the creative way the game’s creators handled the mental and psychological aspects of the premise. Characters and players are literally entering people’s minds as the game progresses, so I appreciated the light-hearted yet respectful way mental illness was approached throughout the story arc. Don’t worry, it’s not a super serious game: However, this makes it even more impressive (and surprising) that these topics were handled so well. Ultimately, the game contained a perfect balance between the serious and the comedic. You may be saying “Okay, cool story, bro. But how does it play? It is a game.” If this is you, I have some good news! The only thing stronger than the writing is the gameplay! The game controls smoothly and platforming feels very natural. The combat, while second to the platforming, still flows very smoothly and is an integral part of the overall experience. The game also introduces a variety of enemies, all of whom are susceptible to different mental abilities that you accrue as you progress throughout the game; this accumulation keeping combat interesting. However, many of the mental abilities can feel useless outside of being occasionally used on a single enemy type. For example, clairvoyance is only used against bad moods, an enemy that you don’t encounter until the last act of the game, even though you have this ability as soon as you start the game. This means that until you encounter that specific enemy,
clairvoyance is almost entirely useless. I often found myself sticking to the same four mental abilities throughout the game, even after I had upgraded all mental abilities to their max potential; with that being said, I do admit that this was a personal choice, and you could mix and match abilities at your own leisure. One or two remain useless outside of exploration. Still the gameplay here is amazing and enjoyable! I never found myself frustrated at a mechanic or an enemy. “Psychonauts 2” is also a feast for the senses. It’s unique, and the game’s cartoonish visuals always offer a fresh surprise for many of the levels with their distinct visual style and feel. Many of the environments feel unique and offer different challenges and collectibles. Even the soundtrack is fantastic, as it offers a distinct sound as well. Overall, I’d say “Psychonauts 2” was well worth the 16year wait (for those of you who played the original). If you haven’t yet, give the game a try, especially if you’re a fan of platformers or love a good story! It won’t disappoint!
and Henry’s relationship is through strange interruptions of news announcements from the local station, SBN. SBN News shares the couple’s life updates and misfortunes, including news of the birth of their new baby, Annette. Annette is introduced in the second half of the film and is born as a puppet — more specifically, a very creepy puppet with red hair. Luckily, though, this doll/child character does not resemble the infamous Chucky doll in any way. Annette is appears as a puppet until the very last scene of the film, during which she visits Henry in his prison cell. The film’s director, Leos Carax, no doubt had a plan for this portrayal of Annette. However, this plan was left (rather unpleasantly) obscure to viewers until Ann’s eventual death, when Annette almost immediately adapts an innate ability to sing opera as if keeping her mother alive. But there’s a catch to Annette's newfound talent: The character can only sing when there is a light shining on her. The symbolism in Annette’s presence is the only thing that seems to keep the film a thematically coherent unity. Initially, Henry is starstruck by Annette’s voice and nurtures her like a loving father should. Then, he seems to undergo a drastic change in perspective, not only exploiting Annette but becoming a raging alcoholic as well. The puppet imagery suddenly makes sense because we now see the way that Henry uses his own daughter and commands her to do as he wishes, just like a puppeteer would. Not only, then, does Annette's characterization symbolize her father’s narcissistic tendencies, but also
her mother’s light, which has gone missing due to her death. It would be impossible to explain the rest of the symbolism in this film without writing a novel, but suffice it to say that the film’s symbols make it slightly more watchable. Apart from its title character, the film’s only other redeeming quality is its cinematography. While “Annette” does jump from scene to scene in confusing and disconcerting ways, this chaos does a phenomenal job of reflecting the disarray of the plot while also allowing the viewer to see the story from a variety of perspectives. If I could summarize ‘Annette’ in one word, that word would be: Disturbing. The only reason I managed to finish the film was so I could give it a proper review, and I would not recommend it to anyone who would like a good night’s sleep or their sanity.
Contact Jonathan at jbachelor@hcc-nd.edu
“Psychonauts 2” Developer: Double Fine Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S Genre: Action/Adventure, Platformer
Contact Lexi at akilcoin01@saintmarys.edu
“Annette” Directors: Leos Carax Starring: Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg If you like: “La La Land”
DOUG ABELL | The Observer
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The observer | monday, october 11, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Inside Column
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
On Saint Mary’s College Response letter over and feminism neighborhood dispute Kylie Henry Facebook Platform Manager
Personally, I’ve never declared myself to be a feminist in good faith. Once, when asked what I love about feminism — I turned to womanism. I turned to histor y and asked, what would white feminism have done for the black, the queer and the other in me? The only thing I’ve ever done is declare that I’m a wom x n. The “x” marking the other in me, which I’ve never been able to describe. I regard my identit y to be that of an actual womanist and a pseudo feminist because mainstream feminism in itself is ingenuine. I, like many other students of color and queer-identif y ing students, are often failed by the institutions that educate us and the social movements that mobilize us. Both of which lack the full enforcement of the principles behind intersectionalit y. Intersectionalit y is a term originally coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, as a means to make a distinction that Black woman are subject to oppression by being both Black and being a woman, and often face discrimination under those identities both indiv idually and collectively. Once pushed into mainstream, the phrase has been used to acknowledge the disregard social movements have for the multitude of intersecting identities w ithin their census. By failing to acknowledge intersectionalit y, they begin to struggle w ith inclusivit y. Realizing this has pushed me to consider how student-run organizations are used as a substitute to the institution fulfilling its responsibilities to serv icing not only marginalized students, but all students and their intersecting identities. W hile I must admit, “Smick’s for Choice,” an unsanctioned organization, assists in filling the void of educational resources on reproductive health and sex for the Saint Mar y’s communit y, it is a conversation for another time. As someone who attended the “Is Sex Good? ” talk, hosted by the Belles Against Violence Office, Campus Ministr y and the Department of Religious Studies & Theolog y on Aug. 31, 2021, I can say it was a missed opportunit y. At its foundation, the program covered romantic relationships and theolog y, rather than sex itself. I believe this was the perfect forum to discuss what healthy sexual relationships look like compared to abusive ones, making the choice to be abstinent or sexually active as it relates to one’s faith, sex bet ween non-heterosexual partners and how to use contraceptive methods to protect yourself during sex. To my knowledge, the Saint Mar y’s Health and Counseling center does not offer condoms, which is a contraceptive that is used among heterosexual and homosexual partners alike. However, I have received resources for safe sex and on reproductive health from “Smicks for Choice.” The neglectful actions of the institution to prov ide such information and resources to the student body, certainly does not embody women empowerment. Once again, outside of my chosen coursework, it is through student organizations that I’ve gained insight on gun-v iolence inter vention, Hispanic and Asian heritage and culture and on being a woman of color in a position of power. I cannot count the number of conversations I’ve had w ith my fellow students of color, facult y and professors on implementing a course requirement that engages students in civ il discourse, as well as being centered around race and ethnic studies. It would prov ide the knowledge to analyze the demographic orientation of Saint Mar y’s Campus, and the tools to create social change. W hile this is something we do not have, what we do have is Student Diversit y Board, La Fuerza, Sexualit y and Gender Equit y (SAGE) and Black Student’s Association, although I do have the tendency to sprint dow n the Avenue onto St. Mar y’s Road to embrace Notre Dame’s Black population, for mine is sparse. In my first semester at Saint Mar y’s, I recall thinking “this was an experiment for those that account for the ‘predominantly white’ part of the institution, to interact w ith different ethnic backgrounds, possibly for the first time. They are the test subjects, and I am the treatment.” It is the responsibilit y of the institution to ensure that its minorit y population does not feel like the treatment imposed upon its majorit y. W hile the thought that provoked this piece was the need for a feminist organization at a women’s college, I changed the trajector y of my w riting because the answer was simple: There isn’t a need. This women’s college simply needs to become more of a feminist institution. Nearly ever y student-run organization is centered around the empowerment, education and the general interest of the student body, and the “forces that be” need to keep that same energ y. I’ll end w ith two equally thought-provoking questions. W hat does Saint Mar y’s College need to do to be a “feminist” institution? Are its white Catholic roots interfering w ith its journey to becoming one? You can contact Kylie at khenry01@saintmarys.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
No, “Liam” Finn, we are not the bunch of bingo players who live in the “quaint” retirement home across the street: the stereot y pe on which you base the closing of your recent letter to the editor. In fact, many of us here have — years ago — traveled paths that you who read this now w ill follow in future. We are retired professors, administrators, department heads, teachers, physicians, pastors, Brothers of Holy Cross, professional musicians, founders of charitable institutions, engineers, grandmothers, grandfathers, parents and w riters. Here we actually do NOT have bingo on our activ ities lists, but we DO have other games: bridge, mah-jongg, euchre. Our residents can choose from 2 book clubs,
“Great Courses,” in-house concerts, spiritual discussion groups, yoga, tai chi, Interactive Learning lectures, One Day Universit y presentations and in-house mov ies. We are still on the go w ith transport to ND football games, operas, sy mphonies, theaters, lectures on campuses, trips to historical and cultural ex hibits (sometimes overnight). So thank you for recognizing our presence on campus. W hen encountering stereot y pical comments about my ow n life in retirement, I often smile and think to myself: “They’ll catch up.” Barb Ziliak Holy Cross Village resident Oct. 5
South Bend resident response to student party housing issue Dea r Editor, Readers of The Obser ver owe you a g reat dea l of t ha n ks for publishing Lia m Finn’s response to t he neighbor on East Washing ton. Mr. Finn’s missive i l lust rated sa id neighbor’s point better t ha n a nyone cou ld have ex pected. It is disappoint ing t hat a n a lum of “g reatest Universit y [sic] in t he world” wou ld sneer at his erst while neighbors in such a n immature ma nner. A nd it is beneat h a n a lum of Our Lady’s universit y to tell a nyone “You live in Sout h Bend because of Not re Da me.” I suspect t he neighbor lives in Sout h Bend because it’s his home. Fina l ly, if we a re ta l k ing
tone-dea f, let us ag ree t hat student residents of t his g reat cit y have litt le sta nding to condescend to t hose who have been here for decades. I don’t k now t he g uy who was quoted a l l over tow n a nd maybe he’s not ever yone’s favorite neighbor. But his att itude is beside t he point. Mr. Finn’s letter achieves t he opposite of its pur pose a nd one hopes a lums wou ld favor better tow n a nd gow n relat ionships over “if you don’t li ke it, move.” Sincerely yours in Not re Da me, Michael Skaggs MA ’13, PhD ’17 Oct. 3
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7
Pro-life and anti-COVID vaccine mandate? Andrew Sveda Church and State
W hen it comes to vaccine mandates, many conser vatives are borrow ing a pro-choice mantra: “My body, my choice.” On one hand, this is a smart tactic. It points out a logical inconsistency in the pro-choice, pro-COV ID-19 vaccine mandate camp. If what I do w ith my body is my choice, how can you force someone to take the vaccine? But some on the right have gone beyond this and use the slogan as an actual argument against the vaccine mandate. This is obv iously ver y strange because they have become inconsistent while pointing out inconsistency among liberals (there is much more room for nuance and discussion here, but I must move on). So how can a conser vative be pro-life, antiCOV ID vaccine mandate and still be consistent? One way would be to note we are draw ing a false equivalency between abortion and COV ID vaccines. It seems that the main, unspoken and often unrealized error is that the question assumes abortion, like deciding whether or not to have the COV ID vaccine, is a healthcare decision. It is concerned w ith the body (bodies, actually), but it is not healthcare. A simple dictionar y definition of healthcare is enough to prove my point: “Efforts made to maintain or restore physical, mental, or emotional well-being especially by trained and licensed professionals.” Except when the mother’s life is in danger, maintaining and improv ing health is neither the intention (what abortion is intended to do) or the consequence of abortion. Taking a child’s life is not supporting health but is doing the opposite. Therefore, abortion is not a healthcare decision. But deciding whether or not to take the COV ID vaccine clearly is. The intention is not to injure or kill but rather to promote the health and wellness of the patient in question. W hile not getting the vaccine can increase the chances of hospitalizations and death (for themselves and others), these potential results are not necessarily the case and have not been the case for the over whelming majorit y of people. Being unvaccinated is indeed a risk,
but it is quite w rong to put not hav ing a COV ID vaccine and hav ing an abortion on the same plane. One is an actual healthcare decision; the other is not. One carries risks; the other is only successful if it guarantees death. These two actions are in separate categories. It is perfectly logical, then, to be pro-life and anti-COV ID vaccine mandates. “Sure, there is a categorical difference that allows you to deal w ith abortion and a COV ID vaccine mandate differently,” I can imagine someone saying. “But the point you’re not addressing is that you’re pro-life, yet you oppose a vaccine mandate which would save lives. How can you do that? ” The objection suggests that if one were really pro-life, they would support any law that would save lives. But this is not actually the pro-life position. If it were, then we should mask up, social distance and quarantine if we have even a slight cough (after all, it could be more than a cough) until Kingdom come and never go back to school, the office, restaurants or the homes of the elderly for as long as we live. These efforts would no doubt save lives. But we cringe at the mere suggestion of it. It’s just not right, even if it saves lives. W hy? For one thing, it’s a gross overreach of governmental power. If we were to really have a societ y that legislated ever y thing where lives could be saved, we’d have an authoritarian state where ever y single part of our day would be dictated and regulated. The government should certainly prioritize sav ing lives whenever it can, but it must not overstep its powers and boundaries, even when its intentions are noble. This brings us to a second and more important reason: Life is more than just liv ing; there are things in life more important than mere sur v ival. W hen we make sur v ival our ultimate goal, our god, we cease to truly live. We w ill have lost sight of that thing which makes life meaningful. In the words of C.S. Lew is, “Nothing is more likely to destroy a species or a nation than a determination to sur v ive at all costs. Those who care for something more than civ ilization are the only people by whom civ ilization is at all likely to be preser ved.” I am no longer talking about vaccine mandates
but only the principle for warded in the objection. To apply our discussion to the mandate, we need to determine if a COV ID vaccine mandate is an overreach of government power. If it is, then pro-lifers should have no problem opposing it, despite its benefits. So it is overreach? It’s quite possible. It’s a healthcare decision where there are legitimate reasons one may decide to hold off on the vaccine. The lack of five and ten-year studies could lead one, especially one already at a lower risk for hospitalization and death, to wonder if the pros truly do outweigh the cons. W hile I did receive the vaccine, I understand this concern, and we should encourage those who have these misgiv ings to talk w ith their doctor and determine what’s best for them. I think it’s important that the government promote the vaccine and strongly urge the public to take it, but I don’t think a mandate should be in play here. In this way, I mirror Joe Biden’s stance last December. In discussing the vaccine, we must not demonize the unvaccinated and shut them dow n before they even speak. Some objections to the vaccine don’t hold much water, but others may surprise us by their reasonableness. It’s lazy to simply label the unvaccinated as uncaring or conspiracy theorists. You can be reasonably cautious about getting the vaccine. If we believe this to be true, we should not enact a broad mandate but should allow families and indiv iduals the room to weigh the risks themselves and seek medical adv ice from trusted sources. Not imposing a mandate doesn’t mean this decision is unimportant. The most important decisions of your life have not been decided by the government for you. It simply means it’s a decision beyond the scope of governmental authorit y and should be left to informed personal choice. Andrew Sveda is a junior at Notre Dame from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, majoring in political science with a supplementary major in theology. In his free time, he enjoys writing (obviously), reading and playing the piano. He can be reached at asveda@nd.edu or @SvedaAndrew on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
8
Sports
The observer | Monday, October 11, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND MEN’s Soccer | ND 2, CLEMSON 0
HOCKEy | ND 5, LIU 2
ND forces OT to seal season opener By JAMISON COOK Sports Writer
The Notre Dame men’s soccer team recorded a huge ACC victory by upsetting ninth-ranked Clemson by a score of 2-0 on the road on Saturday, Oct. 9. It is the fourth win in a row for the Irish (7-4-1, 3-1-1 ACC) and their sixth win in their last seven games. Notre Dame was on the defensive for the majority of the first half, as the Tigers (9-3, 3-2 ACC) outshot the Irish 8-2 in the first 45 minutes. Notre Dame sophomore goalkeeper Bryan Dowd was called on early and often to make big saves, and he delivered time and time again. He made a spectacular diving save in the 29th minute to preserve the scoreless tie and was ultimately responsible for the level score line at halftime. Whatever head coach Chad Riley said at halftime worked. Notre Dame came out looking like a completely different team offensively, nearly scoring in the first minute of secondhalf action. Freshman forward Matthew Roou hit the crossbar just 38 seconds into the second half, but that would not be the last time the Irish heard from Roou in this match. Continuing Notre Dame’s recent scoring dominance on set pieces, sophomore forward Daniel Russo fired home a goal off a corner kick to open the scoring in the 64th minute. Senior midfielder Mohammed Omar redirected freshman defender Kyle Genebacher’s corner kick towards Russo, and he did the rest. Just over 20 minutes later, Roou once again hit the woodwork, but this time the ball
found the back of the net after glancing off the post. The Irish defense was able to solidify the win and keep a quality Clemson attack off the scoresheet for the entire 90 minutes. This ability to close games is something with which Coach Riley is very pleased. “We’ve just cleaned up some of the details of the game — closing out games when we’ve had the lead — I think has been a big thing,” Riley said. “I think it’s been a pretty natural progression for the team with just taking care of some of the details a little bit better over the last few games.” The win was a big one for the Irish, vaulting them into a two-way tie for third in the ACC Coastal Division. Notre Dame and Virginia Tech sit at 3-1-1 in conference play, just behind Duke and Pitt, who are 4-1 in the ACC. Coach Riley told UND that he was “[v]ery proud of the team tonight. Clemson is a very good team and we did what we had to do to win and credit to the guys they competed at a very high level. We were a little tentative in the first half but were solid. In the second half, we came out much more aggressive and earned the victory away from home.” Notre Dame will look to keep their four-game winning streak alive when they host No. 13 Pitt at Alumni Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 16. Given that the Irish are just behind the Panthers in the ACC Coastal standings, it will be a massive game for seeding as the ACC Tournament approaches. Contact Jamison Cook at jcook@nd.edu
Notre Dame hockey starts season with 5-2 victory By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Writer
As the say ing goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. The Notre Dame men’s hockey team (1-00-0, 0-0-0 Big Ten) did just that on Saturday night, kicking off their 2021-22 regular season w ith a 5-2 v ictor y over the Long Island Universit y Sharks (0-3-0-0, Independent). Better yet, they did so in front of over 3,000 fans, the first ones allowed in Compton Family Ice Arena since Februar y 2020. After dropping in an ex hibition contest last weekend to the U.S. National Team Development Program, the Irish took a step for ward Saturday night, particularly in transition, according to Irish head coach Jeff Jackson. “We were much more intelligent as far as not making decisions that led to odd-man rushes, and that was something we practiced this week. I thought we did some good things; (LIU is) a hard team to play against,” Jackson said. It didn’t take long for the Irish to make that great first impression. After Janicke nearly buried a backdoor feed off an early rush opportunit y, senior defenseman and alternate captain Nick Leivermann let a w rist shot go that found t w ine just 54 seconds in. The goal was initially waved off, likely due to suspected goaltender interference on junior for ward Solag Bakich. But the call was overturned on rev iew, giv ing the Irish an early lead. Though it took a while for Notre Dame to grow their lead, it was not for a lack of chances. The Irish drew the game’s first t wo power-plays, producing a couple of close calls — most notably junior right w inger Ma x Ellis chipping a back hander off the post. Sophomore right-w inger Ryder Rolston struck iron on a breakaway chance that appeared to also knick LIU goaltender Vincent Purpura. Though the shots in the first period were prett y
close (8-6 in favor of Notre Dame), there was no mistaking that the Irish were clearly the better team. It seemed like the Irish were going to grab firm control of the game when they doubled their lead w ith less than 90 seconds remaining in the first period. Courtesy of a backdoor feed from senior center and captain Graham Slaggert to his brother, sophomore for ward Landon Slaggert, who f lew dow n the ice to redirect Graham’s feed past Purpura. The Irish vaulted to a well-earned 2-0 lead. But seemingly before their celebration even ended, LIU got back in the game when Billy Jerr y def lected a centering feed from pinching defender Jake Stevens past Notre Dame graduate student goaltender Matthew Galajda w ith just under a minute left in the first period. But the Irish didn’t let that late goal get to them, scoring nearly as many goals (three) as there were Long Island shots (four) in the second period. Notre Dame restored their t wo-goal lead on the shoulders of Rolston, who circled from the left boards all the way to the high slot before taking a shot that resulted in a rebound goal for senior center Cam Burke. Notre Dame’s fourth power-play opportunit y proved to be the charm, as graduate student right-w inger Jack Adams threaded the needle to freshman center Hunter Strand, who buried his first collegiate goal far-side. Just t wo minutes later, after failing to convert on a breakaway and a slot shot seconds earlier, junior left w inger Solag Bakich buried a feed from junior center Trevor Janicke at pointblank range, putting the Irish in the driver’s seat. It’s rare that a team gets a goal from all four lines, but that’s exactly what happened for the Irish. “We’ve got some holes right now due to injuries,” Jackson said, “And it’s good to see guys be able to
elevate and play important roles that maybe haven’t done it in the past. That’s encouraging.” The Sharks got one back a few minutes into the third, w ith Jerr y beating Galajda on a clean look from the slot for his second of the contest. It certainly wasn’t a busy night for the new Irish goaltender Galajda. Making his first start in t wo years, the grad transfer faced just 17 shots but looked solid when called upon in his Irish debut. “I thought he did a good job,” Jackson said of Galajda’s performance. “He did what he needed to do to help us w in, and that’s all you can ask for your goaltender to do.” Terr y’s goal was the last notable event of the night, save for a scrum in the final 90 seconds that resulted in three penalties, including majors assessed LIU’s Isaiah Fox for boarding and to Notre Dame freshman right-w inger Justin Janicke for grabbing the facemask of an LIU player. But when the final horn sounded, the teams still shook hands, and the Irish swayed to the alma mater behind a pile of hockey sticks and in front of what remained of the 3,156 person crowd, capping off the night w ith a Carolina Hurricanes Storm Surge-esque sy nchronized leap into the glass in front of the band. There was no better way to end the first ND hockey game back from COV ID. If the return of normal times across the world includes the return of the hockey excellence Notre Dame has made seem normal under Jackson, there should be plent y of similar scenes taking place over the months to come. The Irish w ill be back in action next weekend, w ith road contests at Michigan Tech (2-0-0-0, 2-0-0 WCH A) on Friday at 7 p.m. and Northern Michigan (2-0-0-0, 2-0-0 CCH A) on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu
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Irish graduate student midfielder Michael Lynch slide tackles an NIU player during Notre Dame’s 2-0 home win on Aug. 30.
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Crossword | Will Shortz
9
Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Take a walk on the wild side to find out what you are truly capable of doing. Explore, expand and embrace what life has to offer. Spend time with people who excite you and motivate you to challenge yourself and rise to any occasion that looks promising. It’s time to gather your experience, knowledge and enthusiasm, and shoot for the stars. Your numbers are 5, 11, 17, 24, 35, 42, 46. ARIES (March 21-April 19): An open-minded approach to life and love will lead to happiness. Financial gains are within reach, and the chance to use your skills the way you envision will unfold. Romance is favored and will bring you closer to someone you love. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Sit tight and observe. Focus on building, securing and maintaining what you have. Upsetting the apple cart unnecessarily will lead to unwanted expenses. Keep your money in a safe place, and don’t feel obligated to pay for other people’s mistakes. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You can turn the tables on a situation that arises if you use your intelligence and experience to banter. Safe socializing will lead to electrifying connections that will encourage exciting prospects. Love is on the rise. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Stick to what you know and do best, and avoid getting into a debate over something you cannot win. You’ll do best if you explore avenues that interest you and you use your imagination to make personal improvements. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take advantage when opportunity knocks. Be ready to wheel and deal, and express your feelings with friends and relatives. The more you talk, the easier it will be to convince others to participate in your plans. Romance will enhance your life. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Be careful what you say to certain people. Someone will twist your words. Your emotions will get scrambled if you aren’t direct. Discipline will help you avoid a risky position that can affect your health or personal life. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Make plans with someone you love to be around, and enjoy your day. The discussions will spark your imagination and encourage you to say what’s on your mind and make your feelings known. Love and romance will enhance your life. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Avoid change when uncertainty prevails. Talk to someone you trust to give insight into a situation you face. Don’t limit your chance to advance by embedding yourself in someone’s plans. Pace yourself to avoid emotional interference. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Question anything that smells fishy. Do your due diligence, and get to the bottom of any situation you face involving people who live or work with you. Emotional instability will surface, causing difficulties in deciding what to do next. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look at every avenue carefully before you decide to make a move. Talk to experts, friends and family. Review all the information offered, and you will find the path that meets your needs. Physical activities will relieve stress. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take care of your needs. Look over your financial affairs, and you’ll come up with a budget or plan that will lead to greater cash flow. Follow a path that makes sense to you. Make romance and love priorities. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take better care of your emotional and physical well-being. Avoid crowds and situations that are indulgent or risky. Be honest with yourself regarding your relationships with others. Play by the rules to avoid getting into trouble. Listen to reason. Birthday Baby: You are intelligent, fun-loving and loyal. You are original and proactive.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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VA Tech Continued from page 12
A few drives later, Buchner found graduate student w ide receiver Aver y Dav is dow n the middle for a 37yard completion to set the Irish up at the Virginia Tech 40-yard line. After a key holding call and a couple of short passes, the Irish were on the Hokies’ eightyard line w ith just over half a minute to play in the half. Buchner would then find junior running back Ky ren Williams in the end zone on an eight-yard passing play to give the Irish a 14-10 lead. The Hokies weren’t done in the first half just yet, though, as Burmeister found receiver Tay v ion Robinson on consecutive plays to put the Hokies at the Irish 35-yard line w ith 3 seconds remaining. Hokie kicker John Parker Romo then nailed a 52-yard field goal to bring the Hokies w ithin one of the Irish at halftime. The Irish had the Hokies’ offense on the ropes early in the opening drive of the second half, but a crucial missed tack le on third dow n by junior cornerback Cam Hart set the Hokies’ offense up inside Irish territor y. The Hokies would then turn to their ground game to get the job done w ith Blackshear rushing the ball multiple times to bring the Hokies inside the Irish red zone. It appeared as if the Hokies had scored a touchdow n, but an ineligible receiver dow nfield call set the Hokies back. The Hokies would ultimately settle for a 26-yard field goal to regain the lead at 16-14. On the ensuing Irish drive, the Irish would have a quick three and out. It could have been a lot worse for the Irish, however, as Buchner’s pass should have been intercepted if it weren’t for a drop by the Hokies. The Irish defense would come up huge, though, w ith senior cornerback TaRiq Bracy intercepting Burmeister’s pass to give the Irish the ball at the Virginia Tech 29-yard line. The Irish would capitalize off the turnover quick ly, scoring on just four plays. The drive was capped by a Ky ren Williams tenyard touchdow n run, giv ing the Irish a 21-16 lead w ith four and a half minutes to go in the third quarter. After forcing the Hokies to punt, the Irish were pinned at their ow n 2-yard line. After getting a first
ndsmcobserver.com | Monday, October 11, 2021 | The Observer
dow n, disaster ensued for the Irish w ith Tyler Buchner throw ing an interception to Jermaine Waller, who returned it for a touchdow n. The t wo-point conversion for the Hokies was no good, but the Hokies regained the lead at 22-21 w ith just under a minute to play in the third quarter. On the follow ing Irish drive, the Irish were set back due to an illegal blindside block that disqualified freshman tight end, Mitchell Evans, for targeting. The Irish drive would stall a couple of plays later, forcing the Irish to punt. After forcing a quick three and out, the Irish got the ball back at their ow n 20yard line. The Irish moved the ball into Hokie territor y quick ly behind some solid runs by freshman running back Logan Diggs and a couple of short completions from Buchner. The drive ended up going to nothing for the Irish, though, as Tyler Buchner threw another interception, giv ing the Hokies the ball near midfield. Head coach Brian Kelly praised Buchner for sparking the team despite his miscues late in the game. “He did some nice things, but you saw, he’s really young,” Kelly said. “He is going to be really good. He’s getting there, but he is not there yet.” On the follow ing drive, the Hokies were able to convert on some key third dow ns and quick ly drive dow n to the Irish 14-yard line. It looked like the Irish were going to keep the Hokies out of the end zone, but a 14-yard touchdow n run from Burmeister on third and long gave the Hokies a commanding 29-21 lead w ith just under four minutes to play. On the ensuing Irish drive, Coan took over the quarterback spot again and immediately sparked the offense. A targeting call set the Irish up at midfield, and after multiple completions to Kev in Austin and Aver y Dav is, the Irish found themselves inside the red zone w ith just over three minutes to play. A couple of plays later, Coan found Dav is in the end zone for a four-yard touchdow n. Coan then scrambled on the t wo-point conversion, finding Kev in Austin in the end zone for the t wo-point conversion to tie the game up at 29 apiece w ith 2:26 to play. Kelly praised Coan for his abilit y to come in and play despite being benched earlier in the game. “He prepared himself mentally to go back into the
game and lead t wo drives,” Kelly said. “That doesn’t happen ver y often. For me, it was incredibly enjoyable to watch him play.” On the ensuing Hokies’ possession, the Irish forced a three and out and got the ball back at their ow n 25-yard line. They then marched dow n the field to the Virginia Tech 30yard line, setting up a 48yard field goal for senior kicker Jonathan Doerer. Doerer nailed the kick, giving the Irish a 32-29 lead w ith just seventeen seconds to play. The Irish would stop the Hokies in their tracks on the next t wo plays to prevail and w in the football game. Kelly discussed how the atmosphere did not phase Doerer. “I was ner vous on the sideline,” Kelly said. “He’s done that time and time again. The moment is not too big for him, and he loves those opportunities.” Kelly discussed the impact Coan made on the last drives of the game. “He was decisive. The ball came out of his hands. The reads were correct,” Kelly said. “We see him ever y day and we know that’s what he does.” Kelly praised the abilit y of his players to step up when their name is called. “To see [senior] George Takacs catch a ball dow n the seam that was intended for Mike Mayer. Or to watch [freshman] Logan Diggs have to come in because [sophomore] Chris Ty ree couldn’t answer the bell because of turf toe and Ky ren was banged up,” Kelly said. “There are so many stories about players persevering.” Kelly played a plethora of true freshmen and young players in Saturday night’s v ictor y. “On the road in this env ironment we were poised to get them this experience,” Kelly said. “We got to get these guys in this game and get this experience if we want to w in the rest of the games we play. They have to feel it and be part of it and contribute.” Saturday night’s thrilling v ictor y was largely due to Jack Coan. Because of that, Kelly ultimately compared him to MLB Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera. “We had to go to the bullpen today. Enter Sandman. Enter Mariano Rivera. [Coan] closed it out for us,” Kelly said. The Irish w ill have a bye next week before playing against USC at home in t wo weeks, on Saturday, Oct. 23. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu
Williams Continued from page 12
Doerer’s 51-yard field goal. “We were in the tunnel examining if I am going to be able to go back in or not,” Williams said. “I told him [the person doing his physical exam] ‘I am going back in’ and we made it happen.” Williams did have to watch the t wo-point conversion that tied the game from the sidelines, which was a cra zy experience for him. “We originally had a t wopoint play planned, but they didn’t run it probably because I wasn’t in there. We have play makers all around on the offense and you saw what happens. We threw the ball up and [senior w ide receiver] Kev in [Austin] came dow n w ith it. It was like he f lew in the air and caught that ball,” Williams said. Williams discussed the play of freshman running back Logan Diggs, who received plent y of play ing time w ith sophomore running back Chris Ty ree out and Williams banged up at times. “He showed up. We expected that from Logan. We always knew that he had that in him, and he came out tonight and proved himself when he needed to prove himself,” Williams said. “On the last drive when the crowd was going cra zy on the t wo-minute drive, you could see how even-keeled he was. He caught that angle route and he proved himself.” Williams credited much of his success on Saturday night to the offensive line that looked much improved in the run game compared to prev ious weeks. “I feel like we are taking steps each and ever y game. That gel that we were always talking about was there,” Williams said. “I feel like we were averaging 4 or 5 yards ever y play. It wasn’t any thing like t wo yards or any negatives. We found runs that were productive and we stuck to them. Shout out to the [offensive linemen] and the coaches for doing what they do best and giving me, as a running back, a chance.”
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Williams discussed the quarterback situation and how the brotherhood nature of the team bonds ever yone together. “We are always ready when our time is called no matter what. We are always proud of our brothers who are in there. We just know [graduate student quarterback] Jack [Coan] is for the brotherhood. W hen Tyler Buchner got hurt, Jack was the first person out there. We all do this for each other,” Williams said. “That’s a common relationship w ith ever ybody on this team. We just got to keep play ing ball and mov ing for ward.” Williams liked the physicalit y that his team played w ith on Saturday night. “Being able to display our physicalit y on our opponent each and ever y dow n is going to wear and tear on them,” Williams said. “They’re going to fold eventually, and we know that. We are still getting there, and we are still getting to that.” Williams discussed how much he feeds off the jabbering that goes back and forth among teams. “I like to talk. That’s what gets me going. W henever I’m locked in the zone and I know my boys are feeling that it’s just all-around football when we are playing like that and we have an edge to ourselves,” Williams said. Williams plans to take a breather from football and rela x in the team’s upcoming bye week. “I’m definitely not doing any thing football-w ise. As soon as we get done Thursday, I am kicking my feet up, and I’m done. I’m chilling until Monday comes, and we are back it,” Williams said. After an emotional, comeback road v ictor y and difficult stretch of games, Williams is thankful for the timing of the bye week. “This is the perfect time for a bye week because I’m hurting,” Williams said. Williams and the Irish w ill be back in action at home in t wo weeks against the USC Trojans. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu
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The observer | Monday, October 11, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Football | ND 32, VT 29
Coan leads Irish comeback to topple Hokies By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer
RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer
Irish graduate student Avery Davis runs up the field after a catch during Notre Dame’s 32-29 win over the Virginia Tech Hokies on Saturday. The Irish are headed into a bye week and will face USC the week after.
The Irish hit the road Saturday night to face the Virginia Tech Hokies in front of a cra zy loud crowd at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia where they escaped w ith a 32-29 w in in thrilling, comeback fashion. It was a slow start for the Irish w ith graduate student quarterback Jack Coan not able to spark the Irish offense early. The Hokies would start the scoring off Saturday night, marching 80 yards dow n the field on just seven plays in their second drive of the game. The drive was capped by an eight-yard rushing touchdow n from Hokie running back Raheem Blackshear. The Irish offense would continue to struggle, as Coan was sacked again on a third and long situation. That marked the third Irish punt in the first quarter. Hokie quarterback Bra xton Burmeister’s
mobilit y proved to be an issue for the Irish defense on the ensuing drive, as he eluded the Irish defense on multiple occasions for big yardage plays. The Hokies would march all the way dow n to the Irish 1-yard line, but the Irish defense had a huge goal-line stand to force a 19-yard field goal to give the Hokies a 10-0 lead. Freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner was finally able to spark the Irish on the ensuing offensive drive. After a few run plays generated positive yardage, Buchner found senior w ide receiver Kev in Austin Jr. dow n the field for a 46-yard gain to set the Irish up at the Virginia Tech 4-yard line. It was then Buchner who finished the drive off himself w ith a three-yard touchdow n run to bring the score to 10-7 and cap a 7 play, 75-yard drive for the Irish. That touchdow n marked Buchner’s first touchdow n run of his career. see VA TECH PAGE 11
Football
Running with an edge: Kyren Williams fuels offense in Virginia Tech victory By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer
Junior running back Ky ren Williams is at the heart and soul of this year’s Notre Dame football team and that was on full display in Saturday’s 32-29 v ictor y over Virginia Tech. Williams finished the game w ith a rushing and receiv ing touchdow n and had 74 yards on the ground off 19 carries and 26 receiv ing yards. Before his ten-yard rushing touchdow n, Williams knew that he could score if the ball was given to him. “The play really was RPO. I wasn’t supposed to get the ball. It was supposed to be a fake to me, but I told [freshman quarterback Tyler] Buchner pre-snap to get me the ball. There was one backer in the box in the side I was running to, so I told Buchner ‘Give me the ball.
Do not pull it. Do not throw it. Let me get this,’” Williams said. “I made it happen.” Williams had plent y of room to run at first, but he evaded multiple defenders over the last four yards to force his way into the end zone. Head coach Brian Kelly noticed Williams’ edge today, especially in his rushing touchdow n. “Ky ren ran w ith an edge today,” Kelly said. “That run was beast mode for him.” With the Irish dow n 29-21 late in the fourth quarter, Williams was targeted by linebacker Da x Hollifeld, which took him off the field for part of the game. A lthough Williams missed some plays and had to get checked in the tunnel, he was ultimately able to make it back in for the game-w inning drive that would set up senior kicker Jonathan see WILLIAMS PAGE 11
RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer
Irish junior running back Kyren Williams prepares to stiff arm an oncoming defender in order to gain a few more yards during Notre Dame’s 32-29 win over Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on Saturday.