Print Edition of The Observer for Friday, October 9, 2020 by The Observer

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The observer | FRIDAY, october 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

HEAD TO HEAD

7:30 p.m. ET notre dame stadium on nbc

notre dame (Jr.) Braden

Florida State

Lenzy

WR WR

(Gr.) Ben Skowronek 11

(Sr.) Avery

Davis

(Jr.) Lawrence Keys III

(So.) Kyren Williams 23 (Fr.) Chris Tyree 25

3 13

(Gr.) Liam Eichenberg 74

(So.) Andrew Kristofic 73

(Sr.) Aaron Banks 76 (Sr.) Dillan Gibbons 76

(Gr.) Ian Book

12 7

(So.) Brendon Clark

(Jr.) Jarrett Patterson 55

(So.) Zeke Correll 52

(Gr.) Tommy Kraemer 78 (Jr.) John Dirksen 56

(Jr.) Robert Hainsey 72

(Sr.) Josh Lugg

(Sr.) Brock Wright 89 (Jr.) Tommy Tremble 24

(Gr.) Javon

McKinley

(Jr.) Joe Wilkins Jr. 18

(Gr.) Nick McCloud 4 (So.) Cam Hart 5

(Sr.) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah 6

(Jr.) Paul Moala 13

(Gr.) Shaun Crawford

(Jr.) Houston Griffith 3

LT LG C RG RT TE WR

(So.) Kyle Hamilton

(Jr.) DJ Brown 12

(So..) Howard Cross III 57

(Sr.) Kurt Hinish 41 (So.) Jacob Lacey 54

(Gr.) Adetokunbo Ogundeji 91

(Jr.) Justin Ademilola 19

(Jr.) Shayne Simon

(So.) Marist Liufau 35

(Fr.) Clarence Lewis 26

(Gr.) Dawson Goepferich 39

(So.) Jay

Bramblett

(Gr.) Dawson Goepferich 39

(Jr.) Lawrence

Keys III

(Jr.) Matt Salerno 32

NOTRE DAME OFFENSE NOTRE DAME PASSING Given Ian Book’s status as a third-year starter and fifth-year senior captain, as well as Florida State’s recent struggles, it would easy to chalk this up as a Notre Dame advantage. That said, the perplexing thing about the Seminoles is their struggles in spite of how much talent they have, especially on the defensive side. Junior cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. has three interceptions through three contests for the Seminoles and senior Hamsah Nasirildeen got preseason love at safety. Book and the Irish receivers didn’t have a great connection in the first two games, and he’s lacked practice time with them and his running backs/tight ends the last two weeks, so Florida State seems to have an advantage here. EDGE: Florida State NOTRE DAME RUSHING Notre Dame surprised many by going to the ground game to trounce USF in their last game, and expect the Irish to keep pounding the rock. While Florida State has not given up a

PK P PR

Renardo Green (So.)

18 Travis Jay (R-Fr.)

Joshua Kaindoh (R-Jr.)

30 Quashon Fuller (R-Fr.)

Marvin Wilson (Sr.)

16 Corey Durden (R-Jr.)

Robert Cooper (Jr.)

0 Fabien Lovett (R-So.)

Janarius Robinson (R-Sr.)

39 Josh Griffis (Fr.)

Buck

DE DT NG DE

Buck

(Jr.) TaRiq Bracy 28

(Sr.) Jonathan Doerer 39

WLB Emmett Rice MLB Leonard Warner III STUD Amari Gainer 1

14 Jaleel McRae (So.)

32 Stephen Dix, Jr. (Fr.)

20 Kalen DeLoach (So.)

(R-Sr.)

(Sr.)

(R-So.)

Jaiden Lars-Woodbey (R-So.)

5 Hamsah Nasirildeen (Sr.)

Asante Samuel, Jr. (Jr.)

3 Jarvis Brownlee, Jr. (R-Fr.)

Ontaria Wilson (R-Jr.)

5 Tamorrion Terry (R-Jr.)

Rover

(Jr.) Jayson Ademilola 95 (Jr.) Bo Bauer 52

Jarrian Jones (So.)

27 Akeem Dent (So.)

(Jr.) Ovie Oghoufo 29

Mike

DE DT NG DE

(Gr.) Daelin Hayes 9

(Sr.) Drew White 40

(So.) Jay Bramblett 19 (Sr.) J.D. Carney 14

(Fr.) Chris Tyree 25 (Sr.) Jafar Armstrong

(Jr.) Michael Vinson 65 (Fr.) Alex Peitsch 44

100-yard rusher this year, they have struggled when faced with a multi-pronged attack, giving up 200 yards on the ground — on 5.4 yards per pop — to the Miami Hurricanes. The Irish can attack the Seminoles with Chris Tyree, Kyren Williams and C’Bo Flemister, while adding in the mobility of Book under center. There’s too much here for Florida State to handle effectively, given their defensive struggles so far. EDGE: Notre Dame NOTRE DAME OFFENSIVE COACHING Notre Dame went to a run-heavy scheme against USF, which has tended to be a strength of Florida State’s first-year defensive coordinator Adam Fuller. Fuller will have to counter a lot of Irish weapons, while figuring out how to account for Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees offensive scheme. Rees has used his tight ends abundantly through two games and gets transfer receiver Ben Skowronek back. His play calling has been pretty solid, and he’s getting some extra weapons. Rees gets the edge, given that Fuller’s unit just gave up 24 points to FCS opponent

H KR LS

RT RG C LG LT TE WR H KR LS

Devontay Love-Taylor (R-Sr.)

52 Robert Scott, Jr. (Fr.)

Baveon Johnson (R-Sr.)

59 Brady Scott (R-Jr.)

Maurice Smith (R-Fr.)

60 Andrew Boselli (R-Sr.)

Dontae Lucas (So.)

67 Thomas Shrader(Fr.)

RB 13

Jashaun Corbin (R-So.)

14 Deonté Sheffield (R-Jr.)

Jordan Travis (R-So.)

1 James Blackman (R-Jr.)

La’Damian Webb (So.)

9 Lawrance Toafili (Fr.)

Darius Washington (R-Fr.)

71 Chaz Neal (R-So.)

Camren McDonald (Jr.)

19 Wyatt Rector (R-So.)

Keyshawn Helton (Jr.)

11 Warren Thompson (R-So.)

Tommy Martin (R-Jr.)

49 Alex Mastromanno (Fr.)

Travis Jay (R-Fr.)

0 Jashaun Corbin (R-So.)

Garrett Murray (R-So.)

41 Grant Glennon (R-Jr.)

Jacksonville State. EDGE: Notre Dame FLORIDA STATE OFFENSE FLORIDA STATE PASSING This might be the most lopsided section, as the Irish have limited opposing quarterbacks to 49% passing through two games, and Florida State is on their third quarterback in the season, giving the start to Jordan Travis this weekend. Notre Dame returns stud sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton, and you have to figure Clark Lea’s unit will start forcing more turnovers than they have so far. Big edge to the Irish here. EDGE: Notre Dame FLORIDA STATE RUSHING Despite all the question marks that surround this Florida State offense, there’s one certainty — they will be running the ball and the Notre Dame defensive line ought to be prepared. With Jordan Travis at the helm, expect him to play out of the pocket, often scrambling when the Notre Dame defense closes in on him. In addition to Travis, Seminole freshman running

back Lawrence Toafili has recently emerged on the scene, recording nearly 100 yards against Jacksonville State. With a newfound confidence, Toafili could certainly give the Seminoles another look down the middle. This team certainly has talented but unproven pieces that could test the Irish line but ultimately Clark Lea and company will stand tall on this one. EDGE: Notre Dame FLORIDA STATE OFFENSIVE COACHING First-year offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kenny Dillingham has nothing short of a mess on his hands in Tallahassee. The era of redshirt junior quarterback James Blackman may be over as he was pulled against Miami for true freshman Tate Rodemaker, who was then pulled after starting against Jacksonville State in favor of redshirt sophomore Jordan Travis, now listed as QB1 against Notre Dame. Regardless of what Dillingham has to work with at the revolving door that is their quarterback position, their running backs haven’t shown anything

PK P PR

Ryan Fitzgerald (R-Fr.)

37 Parker Grothaus (R-Jr.)

Alex Mastromanno (Fr.)

30 Tommy Martin (R-Jr.)

Travis Jay (R-Fr.)

6 Keyshaun Helton (Jr.)

of worth other than against Jacksonville State, and even then it took them until the second half to figure it out on the ground. Defensive coordinator Clark Lea shouldn’t have too difficult a time corralling Florida State’s offense, if you can even call it that. EDGE: Notre Dame SEMINOLES (2-1)

SCHEDULE

Sept. 12 Georgia Tech (L 16-13) Sept. 26 @ Miami (L 52-10) Oct. 3 Florida Atlantic (W 41-24) Oct. 10 @ Notre Dame Oct. 17 North Carolina Oct. 24 @ Louisville Nov. 7 Pittsburgh Nov. 14 @ NC State Nov. 21 Clemson Nov. 28 Virginia Dec. 5 @ Duke

IRISH SCHEDULE (2-0) Sept. 12 Duke (W 27-13) Sept. 19 South Florida (W 52-0) Oct. 10 Florida State Oct. 17 Louisville Oct. 24 @ Pittsburgh Oct. 31 @ Georgia Tech Nov. 7 Clemson Nov. 14 @ Boston College Nov. 27 @ North Carolina Dec. 5 Syracuse

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Volume 55, Issue 22 | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Display protests migrant abuse Advocacy group’s visual demonstration initially disappears, prompts conversation By ISABELLA VOLMERT Associate News Editor

At the end of South Quad by O’Shaughnessy Hall lays the shape of a small body covered with a thin foil blanket within a wire cage. Posters asked passersby, “What are you voting for?” The visual demonstration, created by the Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy (SCIA), was constructed to spark conversation about immigration injustice in the U.S., especially regarding the practice of separating immigrant children from their parents. The installation was inspired by a similar demonstration called “#DontLookAway” and “#NoChildrenInCages,” which

was created a few years ago by the immigration reform advocacy group RAICES. Gonzalez said the demonstration was supposed to spark outrage about the conditions immigrants, especially children, face in detention centers. “The way people [are supposed to] react is the whole point,” Gonzalez said. “Don’t look away, this is our reality.” SCIA is a student club founded around seven years ago. The group bases their advocacy based on Catholic social teaching. “Our main mission is to foster the education of immigration and advocate a just immigration system,” Gonzalez said.

Photo courtesy of Odalis Gonzalez

Saint Mar y’s has canceled a ll study abroad programs for spring 2021 due to rising cases of COVID-19 across the world, provost Titi Ufomata announced in an email Wednesday. “Our policy stipulates that students cannot participate in study abroad programs in countries w ith high threat levels, t y pica lly Level 3 and

see PROTEST PAGE 4

The Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy’s installation on South Quad seeks to raise awareness about immigrant treatment.

see ABROAD PAGE 4

SDB discusses mental health By SHAYLA O’CONNOR News Writer

Saint Mar y’s Student Diversit y Board (SDB) held its first insta llment of its annua l spea ker series Thursday w ith guest spea kers senior Brianna Kinyanjui and a lumna Hanna h Simpson. Their inter v iew about menta l hea lth and stigmas was pre-recorded and presented in Stapleton Lounge. Kinyanjui said discussion is key in reducing stereot y pes about student menta l hea lth.

SMC cancels study abroad

“This event highlights the ways in which menta l hea lth rea lly impacts us a ll,” she said. “As college students, most of us are a lready on a prett y rigorous schedule. W hen you add in clubs, athletics, jobs and socia l life on top of that, it’s prett y easy to assume that many students may struggle to ba lance ever y thing a ll the time. It’s important to rea lize that ever yone has their ow n menta l hea lth journey, and no one’s is better than anyone see BOARD PAGE 4

Observer Staff Report

Professor’s post on Amy Coney Barrett goes viral By COLLEEN FISCHER News Writer

Saint Mary’s history professor Bill Svelmoe wrote a guide on Facebook on Sept. 27 for how he thinks Democrats should handle the Amy Coney Barrett confirmation hearings. As of Thursday, that Facebook post has been shared almost 50,000 times. It was tweeted out by Vanity Fair writer Joe Hagan, causing it to gain more attention. Svelmoe said he was confounded by the attention it got.

“When you sit down to type out a Facebook post on a Sunday afternoon, you don’t think about it going viral. You are just writing for your friends,” Svelmoe said. A week after he showed John Sebastian’s Woodstock set in his post-1960s history class, Sebastian’s wife posted Svelmoe’s writing, a moment he said was an especially “big deal.” He contributed some of the attention to the false relationship between him and Notre Dame. Some commentators

confused him for a Notre Dame professor, something he understands but also corrects. “I am trying to tell people, ‘No, I am not Notre Dame. I am Saint Mary’s; we are different,’” he said. Within the week, some of the circumstances around the post have already changed, with COVID-19 spreading through the White House. Regardless, Svelmoe said he stands by the main message of the post that Democrats should use the see BARRETT PAGE 5

ND COVID-19 dashboard given B+ rating As universities across the countr y opened for the first time since March, many implemented significant changes to reduce the potentia l spread of COVID-19 on their campus. One such tool many schools developed was

a COVID-19 dashboard, which aim to track coronav irus cases on a particular campus. We Rate COVID Dashboards aims to eva luate just how meaningful those dashboards are. Their team of professors and students from universities across the countr y has rated over 200 universit y dashboards on a letter sca le,

from D to A++. A n idea l dashboard is easy to read, frequently updated and highlights detailed data on testing, among other things. A n A++, however, seems to be an elusive score. As of now, the highest rated dashboard on the site belongs to Ohio State Universit y, which is the

only dashboard w ith an A+. The idea to rate universit y dashboards sprung from a belief that universities should be open and transparent about coronav irus cases as students return to campus, Car y Gross, professor of medicine and public hea lth at Ya le, said. Gross is one of the founders of We Rate COVID Dashboards,

a long w ith Dr. Howard P. Forman, professor of diagnostic radiolog y, public hea lth, economics and management at Ya le. However, they wanted to get diverse perspectives on the best way to eva luate dashboards, Gross said.

NEWS PAGE 3

VIEWPOINT PAGe 8

SCENE PAGE 9

football PAGE 16

volleyball PAGE 16

By TRINITY REILLY News Writer

see DASHBOARD PAGE 5

TODAY

The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

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Movie at home or movie at the theater?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556

Allison Taylor

Sam Koby

junior Cavanaugh Hall

sophomore Duncan Hall

“If it’s new, then I’d rather watch it at the theater. If I’ve already seen it, I’d rather watch it at home.”

“Definitely, I’d watch it at the movie theater.”

Laura Larrain

Charlie Murphy

sophomore Pangborn Hall

sophomore Duncan Hall

“It depends. If I’m going with a group of friends, I would rather go to the theater and hangout.”

“I’d rather watch a movie at home.”

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Steve Johnston

Editor-in-Chief

sophomore Holy Cross Hall

senior Dillon Hall

“Non-corona, theater for sure.”

“At home.”

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Notre Dame faculty and staff relax around a fire pit on South Quad, painting faces on pumpkins. South Quad recently incorporated extended seating options to create ‘South Lawn,’ so community members can socialize in a safe and socially distant way.

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MFA Open Studios virtual and Riley Hall of Art 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Explore Notre Dame’s MFA programs.

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A Conversation with Angela Davis virtual 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Registration required through Kroc.

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Saturday Scholar Series virtual Watch highlights from past series seasons on game day.

La Misa en Espanol Basilica of the Sacred Heart 4 p.m. Mass rooted in Hispanic tradition.

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Lecture: “The Sources of Forced Displacement” virtual 4:30 p.m.- 6 p.m. With Lisa M. Howard.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, October 9, 2020 | The Observer

“Love Your Brain” to raise mental health awareness By MEGAN FAHRNEY News Writer

The Notre Dame chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS), in collaboration with Access-ABLE club, will hold the first-ever “Love Your Brain” event from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday by the Clarke Memorial Fountain. Coordinators will hand out black and white bandanas with images of brains provided that read, “I love my brain.” Participants can fill in the blank with a word describing their brain and then color their bandana with sharpies. The bandana will then be dipped in rubbing alcohol to blend the colors, symbolizing the

beautiful messiness of our brains. Senior Lauren Ward, co-president of SPS, spearheaded Love Your Brain with the goal of raising awareness for mental health struggles and traumatic brain injury. “The idea is, even if your brain is messy, it’s still beautiful and it’s still worthy of love,” Ward said. Seeing her mental health and that of her classmates struggle as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it being Mental Health Awareness Week, Ward believed the timing was right for the event. Junior Colin Pifer, co-vice president of SPS, said his friend experienced a traumatic brain injury after an accident and still suffers from it.

“All our brains are messy and unique, and we just need to recognize that and reflect that within the bandanas,” Pifer said. Access-ABLE, which supports students with disabilities, is coordinating the event with the Society of Physics. Senior Emily Eagle, student advisory council representative for Access-ABLE, said Ward reached out to her and asked if she would like to partner with SPS for Love Your Brain. “[We are] just wanting to work to fight against the stigma that might exist surrounding mental illness,” Eagle said. Eagle hopes students feel empowered by the event, whether they

have a mental illness themselves or are a supporter of those who struggle. All students are invited to the table to color a bandana at Love Your Brain and are encouraged to wear them as a reminder to appreciate their brains. Senior Sierra Weyhmiller, copresident of SPS, said the organization took a special interest in mental health awareness because there is a high proportion of physicists who struggle with mental health. “We wanted to keep it open to the community because it’s a problem that a lot of people face from all different walks of life,” Weyhmiller said.

Pifer said he hopes the event will be an opportunity for people to express themselves artistically without the pressure of being graded. It has been approximately six months since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. Ward said the six-month marker is always difficult in times of hardship, so she hopes students are reminded through Love Your Brain to give their minds rest and love. “I just want [the student body] to kind of take a minute to appreciate how strong they’ve all been getting through this very, very crazy situation we’re in,” Ward said. Contact Megan Fahrney at mfahrney@nd.edu

student senate

Group formally denounces Jenkins’ actions By IVERSON SUN News Writer

The Notre Dame student senate gathered to discuss changes to the Executive Programming Board, adjustments concerning the spring 2021 schedule, a formal disapproval of University President Fr. John Jenkins’ actions during his visit to the White House and the adjustment of hall visitation policies in order for the betterment of student mental health during its weekly meeting Thursday evening. The meeting began with an executive announcement surrounding potential changes for the spring semester. The administration is currently working on a creating potential break during the spring semester, acknowledging that the condensed first semester is leading both faculty and students to experience feelings of burnout. Prior to the general orders of the meeting, members of the student senate discussed the University’s improved responses towards the

pandemic, specifically on aspects of adaptability, transparency, testing and mental health. The first order was a resolution to amend the constitution of the Undergraduate Student Body to transition the Executive Programming Board from a Student Union Branch to an Article II Board, presented by junior parliamentarian Thomas Davis. Senior and chief of staff Aaron Benavides said that while is not a trivial task to amend the article of the constitution, the new resolution did not align with the vision of the original proposal. “I don’t think that the executive committee was what I had envisioned and originally proposed,” Benavides said. “I think that’s something that the sponsors and I would be very happy to go back to, you know, accept some of them are recommendations of the Committee on the constitution and their wisdom that they offered to us. But again, I think it’s a middle path.” Ultimately, however, the senate rejected this order.

The second agenda item was an order to pass a resolution adjusting the spring semester schedule. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent modification of the academic calendar for the spring semester of 2021, this order was passed unanimously by the student senate. This allows for the suspension of class officer elections, election for senators and senate members serving a one-year term beginning on April 1. The calls for the action of the Judicial Council Election committee, which would make petitions available for the student body president and vice president elections on the first day of classes of the spring semester to be due at noon on the Friday of the following week, while completing the elections of class council officers and residence hall senators by March 25 and 30, respectively. The third order followed the previous week’s senate meeting regarding Jenkins’ noncompliance with University health and

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safety guidelines while attending the nomination of Notre Dame law professor Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court in the White House Rose Garden Sept. 26. The University announced that Jenkins had tested positive for COVID-19 Oct. 2. The order called for a resolution formally denouncing Jenkins’ violations of University health policy and encouraging further action. The issue of whether to pass a formal denouncement of Jenkins drew debate among the senators. Some agreed that while Jenkins should face consequences for failing to abide by health and safety guidelines, the call for him to resign was extreme. “I think everybody knows that actions should have consequences,” sophomore and Stanford Hall senator Patrick Lee said. “And while we did regard the resolution last week as slightly extreme, I thought there was a pretty valid point made — lots of students are going through disciplinary processes right now because they didn’t follow the rules. I think it’s important that we stand by the fact that

actions have consequences.” However, during the debate, others disagreed. Some argued that Jenkins threw Notre Dame into an unnecessary controversy. In the end, the order passed, with an estimated 75% of the senate voting “yes” on the resolution. Following up to the vote, Lee suggested some further areas for potential improvement regarding the University’s COVID-19 policies. “It is a really well written resolution — the student government is larger than the senate, and works with a lot of other departments as well and with other public spaces to open up a little bit more as the weather is cold,” Lee said. “Let’s strike while the iron is hot and pool all of the resources together and say, ‘How do we make the last few months of the semester as safe as possible?’” The senate further agreed that the idea of a town hall — where students voice their concerns directly to Jenkins — would be an effective way to foster conversation and offer constructive change. To wrap up the meeting, the senate called a resolution encouraging the further adjustment of current on-campus residence hall visitation policies to promote student well-being while continuing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As the weather gets colder, preventing students from socializing safely outside, the senate agreed unanimously that the Division of Student Affairs should further adjust residence hall visitor policies to allow non-resident visitors to be permitted in common spaces, all while observing health and safety guidelines. Contact Iverson Sun at csun7@nd.edu Paid Advertisement

NEWS

The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

SMC students react to changes in campus dining By EMMA BACON News Writer

In past years, campus dining at Saint Mar y’s consisted of students cramming a lmost 12 people around a table, enjoy ing mea ls and study ing for hours on end. Since August, dining at Saint Mar y’s has looked a little different — students laying out blankets, eating on the grass or dining in a tent on the Student Center lot. Some students eat their mea ls in the dorm lounges or even in their rooms. The College’s dining experience is changing once again, follow ing a Sept. 30 email from dean of student academic ser v ices Karen Chambers, announcing a return to indoor dining. The email explained if students w ish to dine inside, they are to ma ke reser vations through

Board Continued from page 1

else’s. I think we really made sure to emphasize that w ith our talk.” Simpson said the talk focused on inclusiv it y of all experiences. “[The inter v iew addressed] important topics from different angles,” she said. “Sometimes we tend to shy away from the hard topics such as mental health in the BIPOC communities, but it is important we have these conversations to uplift and validate others and start working towards raising awareness in these communities.” Both Belles discussed their experience w ith mental health during their time at Saint Mar y’s and shared examples

Protest Continued from page 1

On Tuesday, the New York Times reported Attorney General Jeff Sessions told prosecutors in May 2018 President Trump wanted all undocumented immigrants prosecuted, even if it meant separating them from their children. “’We need to take away children,’ Mr. Sessions told the prosecutors,” the Times reported. The demonstration was part of a larger series the group is sponsoring including dozens of events and demonstrations. The visual piece was intended to bring attention to a Thursday panel discussion titled the “2020 Election and Immigration Policy Panel.” The event featured Dr. Karen Richman, Dr. David Cortez and Alejandro Claure, and was hosted over Zoom at the Duncan Midfield Commons. The demonstration was years in the making, Gonzalez said,

PRISM — similar to signing up for a class — and are expected to appear w ithin the designated block of time. Students are now able to dine indoors w ith four to a table behind plex iglass barriers separating them from each other. W hile some students said they are grateful for the effort put forth, others are struggling to adapt to the new dining experience. Sophomore Erin Dotson emphasized that the plex iglass barriers are an impediment to hav ing an enjoyable conversation. “You can hear your voice reverberating through the glass, and it’s incredibly difficult to hear while tr y ing to have conversations w ith your friend group, even when at the same table,” Dotson said. Though indoor dining options offer an opportunit y to

escape the cooler weather, the glass partitions look strange and separate friends from each other, first year Emerson Henr y said. “I think it’s great to have indoor dining again since it’s getting cold, but I am a lso not a fan of the plex iglass,” Henr y said. “It’s k ind of hard to hear w ith the plex iglass, especia lly for being hearing impaired.” As the days get colder and more indiv idua ls might w ish to eat inside, Henr y said she’s worried the limited seating space might create problems for the student body. “We want to eat inside, but it’s just going to get harder as it’s gets colder and people are going to fight for tables,” she said. Juniors Isabella ThompsonDavoli and Sara h Frick agreed that the ha lf-hour time slots prov ide another cha llenge, as

norma lly mea ls are ver y casua l and people tend to meet up at arbitrar y times. “It is ver y difficult to plan and stay on a strict schedule of exactly when we should eat,” Frick said. Thompson-Davoli and Frick said they think a better approach would be to have a restaurant-like system, where a host directs you to a table, instead of the current system which requires that one abide by a strict schedule and routine. “The limit of only four people to a table due to the plex iglass barriers was difficult,” Thompson-Davoli said. Some students voiced concerns about the elimination of the ice cream machine, which was considered a dining ha ll staple in prev ious years. “I was expecting dining to be a foca l point of where you

meet your friends, where you interact and see other people that you didn’t see during the day,” first-year Reese Bauer said. “[The dining ha ll is] supposed to be a place to get away from any socia l drama or stress that we’re feeling and a place to just rela x. Especia lly during COV ID, there is no way to ‘get away,’ and this can’t ser ve as a getting away place either.” Despite these difficulties, Dotson said she is happy to have the opportunit y to eat indoors again. “I think the efforts put forth by the school are ta ken into consideration,” she said. “If they forced us to eat in our rooms, then I wouldn’t be able to do that. They are putting forth an effort and I am grateful.”

of resources students can utilize to get the support they need. Kinyanjui created a club called Active Minds w ith the express purpose of prov iding students w ith support for mental health problems. She and Simpson also discussed the new telehealth resource SMC Care. W hile neither have personally experienced the ser v ice, they promoted it by acknowledging how it has helped their friends. SMC Care was created as an additional resource to counselors at the Health and Counseling Center because the demand for counselors is ver y high and students who need help aren’t always able to get an appointment, Kinyanjui said. Simpson said that even when counselors are unavailable, it

is always important to reach out to someone and not internalize suffering. Simpson added that other resources, such as professors, friends and administration are good to take advantage of during students’ time at the College. She referenced indiv iduals such as Student Success program director Diane Fox, dean of student academic ser v ices Karen Chambers and her ow n professors as important people who helped her structure her classes and assignments in a manageable way so she could focus on her mental health and not get behind or over whelmed. Simpson also gave self-care tips regarding social media usage. “Take time for yourself,” she said. “Take a break from social media unapologetically. You

don’t owe anyone an explanation. You deser ve a couple moments to yourself.” Kinyanjui suggested using personal apps such as Head Space to keep track of mental health and learn to understand why some days are worse than others, which is useful in later learning how to avoid things that may unnecessarily make life harder. “I hope students understand that it’s important to be kind to yourself, especially during this time where ever yone is probably ver y burnt out and we’ve still got some weeks to go,” Kinyanjui said. “Give yourself grace, and reach out to others when you’re not feeling the greatest. A lso, stop telling yourself that others have it worse or harder than you; ever yone’s journey is different, and all of them are

valid.” Event attendee and senior Fran Monsisvais said she feels SBD’s speaker series is important because it educates students on how issues impact those w ith a variet y of backgrounds. “Not ever yone comes from the same background nor do people understand that,” she said. “It’s problematic to assume ever yone starts at the same point and ever yone is going to have the same ‘college experience.’ We’re in a day and age where diversit y and inclusion are just the beginning. It’s no longer about adding minorities into the mix, but now we’re educated and being educated on why it’s the right thing to do.”

and the group has been working with SAO for months to receive approval to move forward. Early this week, the art installation was constructed under the flag pole on South Quad late Monday night. However, due to miscommunication, a member of the Notre Dame maintenance staff removed the piece and disposed of it. After the demonstration went missing Tuesday morning, it was thought to be possibly stolen or vandalized, Gonzalez said. Gonzalez is a producer for Show Some Skin, and published a Thursday column in the form of a poem detailing the suspected theft. In a statement SCIA released Wednesday, the group said SAO had conducted their own investigation into the event and found the staff member accidentally discarded the demonstration, as he was not aware of the event. The statement said the staff member saw the demonstration late Monday or early Tuesday.

The sprinklers were turned on on South Quad at the time, and upon seeing the figure under the foil blanket, the staff member believed an actual person was inside the cage. “Upon approaching the demonstration, the staff [member] saw the cage was in ‘bad condition’ and didn’t know what the set up was about,” the statement said. “Attempting to do his due diligence, the staff member proceeded to discard the cage demonstration, as he claimed to not have any event on his calendar that would justify it being there without further investigation.” The second demonstration near O’Shaughnessy Hall was constructed Thursday at 8:30 a.m., and remained in place until 8:30 p.m. “Again, we thank you for walking with us as we searched for answers and for your support in our mission,” the SCIA board said in their statement. Contact Isabella Volmert at ivolmert@nd.edu

Abroad Continued from page 1

above,“ she said. “Currently, the CDC’s risk assessment for our destination countries is Level 3 (COVID-19 Risk is High).” The email acknowledged that it was necessary to make the call sooner rather than later. Students who were intending on studying abroad this spring should

Contact Emma Bacon at ebacon01@saintmarys.edu

Contact Shayla O’Connor at soconnor01@saintmarys.edu

expect an update on the Global Education website next week. The administration will make a decision regarding summer 2021 programs in the spring, contingent upon the global climate. “We relate to the disappointment that this cancellation brings and sympathize with students who might not have another opportunity to study abroad before they graduate,“ Ufomata said.

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ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, October 9, 2020 | The Observer

Barrett Continued from page 1

confirmation hearing strategically to win the election. Now that many members of Congress are becoming infected with COVID-19, maybe there might still be a way to block the confirmation hearing, he said. Svelmoe advises strategists to use the hearings to the Democrats’ advantage. “Don’t use the hearings to be something to fire up Trump’s base; use the hearings to fire up the Democratic base,” he said. “If you go after her religion … that is just going to fire up the Republicans’ base.” He specifies in the post that the hearings are not just a way to ensure Coney Barrett is an appropriate nominee for the Supreme Court, but also a way to rehash Trump’s presidency on national television for free. “Use [the confirmation hearings] to litigate the Trump administration, to go back through — what I think is the most corrupt — administration in our history and to go step-by-step through everything from the Emoluments Clause to the Hatch Act to the connection to Russia to his taxes … and have [Coney Barrett] respond to that,” he said. “That is something that would fire up the Democratic base, something I would like to see and it is something that would remind people of all this corruption in the Trump administration.” Coney Barrett’s nomination has come under attack because of her connections with People of Praise, a charismatic Christian congregation in the South Bend area. Svelmoe received his Ph.D. from Notre Dame specializing in the religious history of America and believes that pursuing this line of questioning will only be harmful to the Democratic cause and urges people to stop calling People of Praise a cult. He said that women criticizing his stance is understandable. “I tried to tell those folks, look I understand that I feel your pain,” he said. “I grew up in these kinds of groups. I understand these kinds of groups, and I understand the pain that it causes women who have come out of them, but my point is let’s just not call it a cult, and let’s not

focus on that in the hearings. If you want to focus on that somewhere else, then fine.” When asked about the historic precedent for Catholics in the courts, Svelmoe highlighted the fact that a majority of the current justices are Catholic. In fact, six sitting members of the Supreme Court were raised Roman Catholic. Five are practicing with the other two are Jewish. Despite this, Svelmoe still sees the concerns around Coney Barrett’s religion as legitimate, just not the best path of questioning during the confirmation hearings. “I understand people’s concerns,” he said. “Your religion is going to trump your reason, or you are going to be taking orders from some religious figure about how to vote on things. It is completely legitimate for any human being in any position of government to be guided by their religion. You just can’t separate that. That is who we are. That is what the confirmation is supposed to be about — you look at it and you say is she a good jurist or is she not.” He separates the legitimate concerns over religious influence from the less legitimate involving conspiracies around religious people taking direct orders from religious leaders. “There is doctrine and then there is how these things actually work on a human level,” Svelmoe said. “That’s not to say that there aren’t groups that are oppressive and use these doctrines to oppress women.” He understands people’s anxiety over the role her religion plays in her decision making and sees it as something worth bringing up in the confirmation hearings, just not as something Democrats should grill her on, especially if they are not well researched. Svelmoe wondered about the legacy her conservatism would have on the perception of Catholics across the country. “The problem for Catholics is ‘Do you want a Catholic who is already seen with suspicion on this issue; do you want her casting a deciding vote that ends gay marriage or that ends Roe v. Wade? Do you really want that?’” Svelmoe said. “Just [imagine] the outrage and the fury that would cause in the country. If she does get on and then starts being a

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key member in all these decisions, I’m not sure if that’s the type of notoriety Notre Dame, or Catholics in general, should long for.” Coney Barrett’s conservatism offers a strong juxtaposition to the last time Notre Dame was on the national political stage with Fr. Ted Hesburgh, an idea Svelmoe expanded on when asked. “Hesburgh was marching in Civil Rights [and] was finding ways to negotiate protests on campus in regards to the Vietnam War in what really seems like a really smart reasonable way,” he said. “You’re going from this image of real wisdom to [University President Fr. John] Jenkins sitting in the Rose Garden without a mask and [Amy Coney Barrett] standing there without a mask, standing next to Donald Trump without a mask, all her children without a mask, sitting next to Melania Trump without a mask.” Svelmoe’s post presented one way to effectively evaluate Amy Coney Barrett’s jurisprudence and ability to reason with law, and the internet responded with overwhelming support. At first, Svelmoe felt the need to respond to everybody who reached out through comments and messages. “There is no way I can begin to respond to it all. It all goes by so fast,” he said. “When it blew up it just overwhelmed my page, and it became impossible to respond to everybody.” Svelmoe said he has enjoyed the conversation around the subject with people he would have never otherwise s poken to. “I enjoy engaging with thoughtful responses,” Svelmoe said. “I think liberals, maybe just human beings in general are hungry for a space where there can be these really interesting conversations.” Not all responses have been positive along with the encouragement came trolls, accusations and justified criticism. While ignoring the unjustified criticism, Svlemoe has also enjoyed engaging with legitimate criticism. “People have made very good thoughts and criticism of that post and other posts before it, and that’s great,” he said. “Spend your time engaging with people who are engaging thoughtfully and don’t worry about the trolls.” Svelmoe said he has enjoyed the conversations that have come from the post, but he’s growing tired of the attention. “You don’t write something like that expecting it to go viral, and somehow there is just something in the Zeitgeist that it hits and it explodes,” he said. “When you look back on it you might have written something differently if you had known that it would get all those extra eyes on it. I hope that I am at minute 14 of my 15 minutes [of fame].” Contact Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu

Dashboard Continued from page 1

The two turned to Tw itter to gauge what the public seemed to think was most important in a dashboard. Gross said they got a large amount of feedback, including a many requests to rate particular dashboards. Gross and Forman formed a group of professors and students from universities around the countr y in order to gain a full perspective when rating school dashboards. From there, the website was born. Ayotomiwa Ojo, a medical student at Har vard, said she has worked w ith Forman for some time, and when she expressed an interest in the project, he inv ited her to join. “I was intrigued about thinking how comprehensive universities are being,” Ojo said. “Are they giv ing the whole picture? ” W hen rating dashboards, the team tries to keep in mind three groups, comprised of those either most likely to be affected or potentially forgotten: students, facult y and staff, and the surrounding communit y, Gross said. “In certain tow ns, colleges are bringing in these students from all over the world and it’s really important for colleges to have an understanding of what the COVID rate outside their campus walls are,” he said. The rating system then considers all of the factors that these groups should know to give out a score, Ojo said. W hile they consider a variet y of dashboard functions, she said there is always room to improve. “It’s difficult to read from a dashboard how the universit y is actually doing in implementing their plans,” she said. “Like, yes, we give them points if they tell how many tests are conducted, but we don’t evaluate if they are actually doing enough tests.” Regardless, Ojo said, the site is a good tool for any communit y member to assess the COVID situation in their area. Yet the site’s goal does not stop at simply giv ing out a grade. Ultimately, Gross said, they want ratings to encourage universities to rev isit and improve their dashboards. This may come from peer pressure – simply seeing that other universities are doing better may push a school to revamp their dashboard. Gross said the team is also hoping state health departments w ill see ratings and, potentially, set a baseline criteria for universit y dashboards. He also cited the power that

students hold in pushing for change. “We tr y to link the student newspapers when we rank each school,” Gross said. “Students have a lot of power, and I think students often under appreciate how much power they have w ithin an institution. If we can engage some students to advocate from w ithin, that’s another way to improve.” So far, their hopes are being fulfilled. Gross said some universities are reaching out to ask why they received a certain score. Fort y schools have even redone their dashboards and submitted them again in hopes of improv ing their rating. “It’s exciting to see that some schools see our ratings and then do better,” Ojo said. Notre Dame’s ow n dashboard is one of 42 to earn a B+. Not the worst, but still only the fifth-highest score a universit y can receive. The Notre Dame dashboard, which is updated daily at noon, has been active since students arrived on campus at the start of the school year. It highlights estimates of active and recovered cases, the number of tests given and has an interactive graph of campus cases since August 3. W hen rating Notre Dame’s dashboard, Gross said “we felt [it] was off to a good start when we rated it B+. We felt that more information about the testing strateg y that ND is using to keep its students safe, as well as further information about COVID status in the surrounding communit y, quarantine status, and overall campus COVID status would also be warranted.” Gross said the team is “looking for ward to re-rating the next iteration” of the Universit y’s dashboard. His motivation behind the project stems not only from his professional connection to public health, but also has a more personal connection. “I have two kids in two different colleges right now,” Gross said. “Frequently looking at our ow n kids’ dashboards also inspired me to start dow n this path. And one of their colleges is rated higher than the other – it’s become like a sibling rivalr y.” W hether or not the ratings cause competition, the team does hope they w ill change dashboards for the better. “Our goal is not to be tongue-in-cheek and have a nice little catchy comment,” Gross said. “Our goal is to really have an impact on inf luencing colleges to increase the transparency of their COVID testing and mitigation efforts.” Contact Trinity Reilly at treilly5@nd.edu

The observer | Friday, Octoer 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

Moving past the standardized test requirement Matthew Kellenberg Scene Writer

Notre Dame made an obv ious decision for the 2020-2021 application cycle: suspending the standardized test requirement. Testing centers had closed. Students had few options. Less obv ious, yet equally sound, was Notre Dame’s decision to make the new policy “part of a one-year pilot program w ith the option of expanding to future terms.” Test-optional admissions would be a strong step for ward for Notre Dame, a selective universit y working toward greater diversit y and inclusion. It’s no secret that standardized tests perpetuate inequalit y through college admissions. As of 2016, college-bound seniors w ith a family income of $140,000 – $200,000 outscored peers w ith a family income of $ 60,000 – $ 80,000 by 126 points on the former 2400-point SAT scale. In addition, white students outscored Black students by 302 points. Beyond school-level inequalities, test preparation inequalities are largely to blame. SAT and ACT tutor fees run into the thousands of dollars, test-prep classes run into the hundreds and even taking multiple tests can be prohibitively expensive. Another common criticism is that the test questions themselves are biased. An infamous SAT question, for example, once asked students which analog y most closely resembled “runner : marathon.” The correct answer, “oarsman : regatta,” was found by 53% percent of white students but just 22% of Black students. The SAT analog y section is now gone, but criticisms of cultural bias remain. Last year, the College Board tried to address these issues using an “adversit y score,” which measured a student’s “overall disadvantage level” on a 100-point scale. How that score was measured, the College Board would not say. Yet, they could not hide the inconvenient truth: There is no fair standardized measure of “disadvantage.” Under mounting criticism, the College Board eventually dropped the score. They did not, however, address the ex istential problem facing the SAT: There is no fair standardized measure of “scholarly aptitude.” A ll that said, standardized tests remain necessar y. At the t y pical high school Notre Dame v isits for recruiting events, the median family income is greater than $100,000 and more than 60% of students are white. For applicants outside that bubble, a high score on the SAT/ACT can be one of few ways to grab the admissions office’s attention. Therefore, test-optional admissions are Notre Dame’s best step for ward. Remov ing the test requirement gives power back to those whom the test has historically failed. And at the same time, keeping the test option gives power to students outside Notre Dame’s t y pical admissions bubble. W hile those t wo groups might often be one and the same, rendering the choice somewhat inconsequential, there currently remains no better policy option. After Notre Dame announced the test-optional pilot program, I saw a funny response from a former editor in chief of The Obser ver, Ben Padanilam, who tweeted, “But how w ill they know for sure that the class of 2025 is the best class yet then? ” It reminded me of my first days on campus, when I was told, ad nauseam, that my class was the best and brightest ever admitted. I hope this new policy, in addition to leveling the application field, helps reframe the narrative around Notre Dame admissions. Merit might guide admissions decisions — at least for the most part — but neither standardized testing nor even the admissions office is a perfect judge. At the end of the day, ever y Notre Dame student is luck y to have been accepted. In that sense, our presence at this Universit y is not a testament to our objective excellence. Rather, it’s a gift, one often inaccessible to those whom standardized admissions tests fail. You can contact Matthew at mkellenb@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Don’t let it define us A ll things considered, last week was not a great time to be affiliated w ith Notre Dame. Universit y President Fr. John Jenkins’ failure to wear a mask at the W hite House Rose Garden nomination ceremony was embarrassing, and the subsequent news that he tested positive for COV ID-19 on Friday was worrisome. First and foremost, we want to w ish Jenkins a full and speedy recover y. We hope he overcomes his infection w ithout long-term consequences and returns to the Notre Dame communit y healthy. As members of the Notre Dame communit y, it was truly disheartening to see our Universit y’s name so closely attached to this past week’s public debacle. Seeing Jenkins’ face in the New York Times alongside other attendees of the Rose Garden ceremony who had tested positive for coronav irus was troubling. Many current students and facult y, as well as alumni and friends of the Universit y, reacted w ith disdain, and some attempted to distance themselves from Notre Dame and its president. Those who defended Jenkins earlier in the semester either fell silent or doubled dow n, insisting the rapid test justified his actions — until it didn’t. W hile this situation paints a poor picture of Notre Dame, it is important to note that one leader’s public display of negligence does not represent our communit y as a whole. There are still a number of great things members of the tri-campus communit y are doing in the midst of this pandemic. We can still take pride in our ow n indiv idual efforts and those of other leaders. Numerous members of the tri-campus communit y lead by example daily, showing us how we can manage an exceedingly difficult semester while follow ing health and safet y protocols. W hile it may be her first year in the role, Saint Mar y’s President Katie Conboy has proven up to the task, standing first in line to receive her f lu shot. Others, such as

hall staff members, have demonstrated humilit y and diligence in their daily responsibilities. Our tri-campus continues to grow, evolve and do good work. The Saint Mar y’s theatre department produced a socially distanced version of “A lice in Wonderland” adapted for outdoor performance on Lake Marion. Volunteers from the Notre Dame communit y dedicated time and talent to sew ing face masks for South Bend students. Holy Cross w ill use the recently received $1 million Lilly Endow ment grant to combat the countr y’s teacher shortage w ith a new Teach for Indiana program. Notre Dame is present in the research conducted, the songs sang and the friendships built — not in the example set in the Rose Garden. To students, we want to emphasize that our ow n actions shouldn’t have to ref lect the problematic and even embarrassing actions of some of our leaders. The semester is only half way over, and while our reputation as a universit y is currently in the mud, we can mount “one of the great comebacks in Notre Dame histor y” by simply getting by — no more and no less. Finishing this semester itself would be an incredible accomplishment, and to do so we need to continue what we’ve been doing regardless of poor examples set by some leadership. Wear a mask, wash your hands, don’t throw a part y — you’ve heard these things countless times, and judging by the COV ID-19 dashboards, you’ve been listening. Keep it up. We’ve been told this semester rests on all of our shoulders. In the same way, we can’t let the actions of one person ref lect poorly on us all. It has been encouraging to see so many students diligently wear their masks, follow social distancing requirements and comply w ith testing procedures on campus. Nevertheless, let us continue to encourage one another to be safe and responsible. No matter what example our leaders may set — or fail to set — ultimately, we are Notre Dame, Saint Mar y’s and Holy Cross. Let’s represent the tri-campus well.

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The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

There’s more to politics than this Edward Brunicardi There’s More

The highest political aspiration is that of a U.S. President. They lead the free world, guide our political parties and share with us a moral compass to follow into tomorrow. Because of this, one would think the debates for such a position might reflect the political character of this country. Unfortunately, during last week’s debate, that reflection was blinding. From the moment Trump and Biden got within six feet apart, the stage was a marathon of fighting, anger, interruptions and inconsistent offerings of a vision for the future. Anything good to be seen in our politics was outshined by each candidate’s tendency to harp on points that curried favor to their bases. And despite this effort to appeal and win over, over 88% of us watching left pessimistic and annoyed. It’s hard to remember, but as kids first learning about the world, politics wasn’t always like this. Rather, it was a system to be awestruck by for its potential for positive change. There were three branches of government, we had citizens voicing their concerns and with the help of a singing bill on Capitol Hill, boom, our laws were being made. For a time, this all seemed so simple, and honestly, quite beautiful. But somewhere along the way, that beautiful simplicity got replaced by an unrelenting cynicism. As we grew, our lives became dominated by TV pundits and politicians refusing to discuss and congregate, opting instead to hate the ideas of the other. We quickly learned the risks of sharing how we feel, and either tuned into channels we felt safe in, or tuned out entirely. And eventually, out of a desire to remove our frustration and retain our sanity, we chose to disengage. But what if we didn’t? What if in a time where our politics is seemingly the most divisive, we engage more than we ever have? Intentionally or not, I tried that out for myself this summer, joining an effort to pass a bill extending driving

privileges to undocumented residents here in Indiana. Getting the chance to write legislation and lobby to key members of the General Assembly — the work was beyond exciting. However, given the bill’s left-leaning nature, my feelings were also clouded in pessimism. Indiana’s government over the past decade has become one of the most red-elected bodies in the country, with a Republican trifecta occurring for 11 of the past 15 years. What’s more, the bill we were trying to pass had already been tried and failed seven times before. Despite all the excitement I should have mustered from a project that would give me first-hand political experience, my gut reaction was to not get too attached, understanding that our bill may very well die come January. However, that reaction was wrong. In the first congressional meeting of the summer, our team came Zoom-screen to Zoom-screen with one of the most conservative legislators in the House. Their voting record: a hardline on immigration. Their TV presence: not that impressive. Given all rational indicators, our goal was simply to not get hung up on within the first five minutes. It is also why I was surprised we talked for over an hour. Despite all my partisan worries, the representative from the beginning was taking detailed notes, asking informed questions and engaging the issue with open ears. They were showing interest in hearing our concerns and working us through possible opposition despite the fact they might never vote for the bill themselves. And by the very end, it was clear that for all the gaffes they made on TV and pressure they had to be divisive, it wasn’t really right to hold the cynicism I kept before. Because from what I saw, they had joined political life for the same reason many of us liked politics as kids: to create policies for positive change. Part of me realizes that as I discuss this, my youth and naivety are letting a few experiences to shape my view of politics. After all, there certainly exist those who took political office with nothing but the wrong intentions, striving solely

for power and self-gain. However, continuing this project into the semester has shown me that my experience here is far from an isolated one, and it goes far beyond just legislators. Also involved in this process of making our lives better are Chambers of Commerce, Insurance Agencies, Farm Bureaus, Immigration Advocacy Groups and dozens more. Certainly, none of these groups completely agree on the way to approach issues like the bill our team is proposing. But that isn’t the point. The point is that we shouldn’t judge politics as a whole based on two 70-year-olds yelling on a debate stage; politics is also a world of impassioned people who actively strive to better their communities every day. Just because these people aren’t televised doesn’t mean they aren’t out there, impacting the world in meaningful ways. It only means that to see it for ourselves, we have to be engaged. During the next presidential debate (if there is one), we might well again see the same divisiveness we saw in late September. And like any good political science student, I’ll encourage you to watch it, and you best believe I’ll pester you to vote. But as you do, just remember that the sample of politics you’re getting is not a representative one. Rather, to find the beauty that politics really holds, go out and volunteer for a campaign, advocate for a cause, spread awareness for a policy you believe in. Whatever it is, don’t let a U.S. President define the relationships you have with politics. The precedent for that should only be up to you. Edward Brunicardi is a sophomore at Notre Dame pursuing a major in political science and a minor with the Hesburgh Program of Public Service. Though he may have had all the creativity sucked out of him in high school, writing serves as Edward’s best chance at getting something back. He can be reached at ebrunica@nd.edu or @EdwardBrunicar1 on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Building through consensus Growing up, I have always felt a strong attraction to everything political, and ever since I can remember I would spend my time combing through the political pages of Nicaragua’s only two circulating newspapers, following the turbulent and sometimes chaotic political scene of the Central American nation I get to call home. I must confess that instead of following a sports league like my peers, I spent most of my time in secondary school following foreign elections. I dedicated countless hours seeking to understand the pressing issues in countries far away, even though I had no connection to them at all. In a way, I did this out of impatience. Not wanting to wait for one election every five years, I could switch freely between a presidential election down in South America, a rigged pantomime somewhere in Africa and a legislative nail-biter in Europe. Looking back, devoting so much time to political issues that I had no connection with helped me to gain some political objectivity, something desperately needed in today’s American political scene. My disconnect with a country’s social scene additionally meant I was disconnected from the shallow personalist divisions that tend to inflame voter’s passions so much, as well. Although I’m no political science major and probably have an amateurish understanding of some political concepts, I think looking at the way other countries do things can provide the frustrated American electorate with the solution to heal a country that ought to be called the Disunited States. The answer is straightforward: consensus. In the second half of the past decade, the Republican Party has tilted sharply to the right, embracing nationalism and hard right principles that would have been unthinkable in days past; similarly, the centrist, thirdway image the Democratic Party crafted for itself in the days of Clinton and Obama has conceded the spotlight to more progressive and leftist channels that challenge

the American political establishment as well. As extremes on both sides of the ideological spectrum hijack their party’s political machines, they force their national leadership to embrace intransigent and highly ideological positions that will never have a chance at becoming law. Just as it is politically impossible for conservatives to gut Obamacare or overturn same-sex marriage, the leftist dream of abolishing private healthcare and breaking up large corporations is equally unlikely. By focusing on political projects that have narrow chances of becoming public policy, politicians lose touch with the nation’s true imperatives and turn manageable problems into overwhelming ones. Case in point: The opioid crisis, the country’s ballooning debt, stagnating wages and a myriad of other issues that affect the average American far more than the amount of news coverage they receive would imply. Can a country continue to function without consensus? In the short run, it might seem that it can, at the cost of transforming the dignified duty of running a nation into a cheap sideshow act overrun with pettiness, empty theatrics and longstanding chaos. However, perpetual gridlock will never be sustainable, and the price we pay might be our democracy altogether. I like to tell my friends that Nicaragua’s history — filled to the brim with episodes of war, coups d’état, revolution and turmoil — always offers comparisons and solutions to the problems currently plaguing these United States, and it is through this history that I draw the basis for my previous statement. During Nicaragua’s brief romance with democracy between 1990 and the late 2000s, our political choices could not have been more different. On the left, the now incumbent Sandinistas offered voters a mixed-economy with elements of Marxist doctrine sprinkled throughout, paired with an international alignment with Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and the

long list of countries used to fearmonger the American electorate. On the right, the conservative and liberal parties paraded a radical embrace of free market capitalism, foreign direct investment and tight-knit partnerships with the United States and the West. The lack of cooperation paralyzed the country on nearly a yearly basis, and a barrage of protests, strikes and uprisings constantly threatened Nicaragua’s nascent democratic framework. The end result of all that was sufficient for us to once again backslide into authoritarianism, and trust me: You would not like to see the American political scene metamorphosize into my country’s. Finding common ground with the other side is one of the most crucial ingredients to a healthy political culture. More often than not, both sides seek the same thing through different means and basing conversations off of that fact will do wonders to foster stability and rational debate. We must work together to restore “red lines” dividing each side of the ideological spectrum, to cut off the extreme positions that threaten to poison the well and destabilize society altogether. After all, consensus gave the United Kingdom a fair chance to rebuild itself after the horrors of World War II, the United States the opportunity to enjoy the largest rates of peacetime economic growth through the late twentieth century and Germany the blessing to go from a boiling pot of radicalism to a model of political stability for Western Europe. Do not view the other side as your enemy, but as an adversary, and contribute to the much-needed healing of American politics by building consensus. In the leadup to November, engage in conversations that return civility to the nation’s political discourse … and never forget to VOTE! Pablo Lacayo sophomore Oct. 5

The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Cages It’s been two years and they are still separated, Because here, their dignity and life are hated.

Odalis Gonzalez Show Some Skin

I know why the caged kid cries. You would too if you only knew Tell me, when was the last time you saw the skies? The purity of white in the sea of blue That is what’s above your head But above the child’s is dread. Walls of wire, cold hard floors A frigid blanket on the child A body covered in sores The joy and simplicity of childhood defiled “It is so cold. I was shaking so hard” “Suck it up” responds the guard. A missing mother, age forty-five She promised her child safety in a new land “We will be trapped upon arrival, but at least we will be alive” That was the last time she held her child’s hand

People are sick, people are dying Hysterectomies are being forced Yet the government says they are all lying Why is pro-life here not enforced? You care more about the unborn than you do Anyone who doesn’t look like you. I know why the caged kid cries. You would too if this was you The American dream, just like hope, dies Another life lost at the hands of the red, white, and blue How unfortunate that their screams aren’t enough, nor their tears You demand their life for fleeing what would be your biggest fears. But you didn’t care to see any of it. You refused people the right to know. You stole the cage demonstration you chunk of sh-t

But refuse to take the real ones down you racist joe We asked you to hear their words and open your eyes You have no heart and the caged kid still cries. Student Coalition for Immigration Advocacy visual cage demonstration was stolen and destroyed because we asked people to realize what they are voting for. If this doesn’t say volumes of what this school and country believe in, then what does. Odalis Gonzalez is a senior at Notre Dame and Associate Producer for Show Some Skin. Show Some Skin is a student-run initiative committed to giving voice to unspoken narratives about identity and difference. Using the art of storytelling as a catalyst for positive social change across campus, we seek to make Notre Dame a more open and welcoming place for all. If you are interested in breaking the silence and getting involved with Show Some Skin, email s.someskin@gmail.com. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The complications of coming out Vincent Mallet Independent Idealist

National Coming Out Day is Sunday. The holiday was created in 1988 to celebrate publicly identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, etc. (LGBTQ). I certainly agree that it is an important day for celebration, but I also believe it provides a crucial opportunity to talk about what coming out means and the role it plays in the lives of LGBTQ people. And if you’re thinking, “I’m cisgender and straight so this doesn’t affect me,” you’re wrong — you have an LGBTQ loved one in your life, whether you know it or not, so you should care about our well-being. I’m a gay, cisgender, white man whose family supports and affirms him. This makes me a lot more privileged than many, if not most, LGBTQ people. When I talk about issues that affect our community, I know I’m seeing it through this lens, and I recommend listening to other voices in the community as well to get the full picture. I’m also privileged in that I can pass as straight when I choose to. If I don’t want someone to know I’m gay, I won’t tell them; it’s as simple as that. That’s not the case for many others in the community, who, for whatever reason, are presumed to be gay (or bisexual, or trangender, etc.) by most people they know. Whether someone is able to pass as cisgender and straight deeply affects coming out. Someone who doesn’t usually do so might have to deal with pre-existing prejudices against them, while someone who does has to deal with surprise on top of other emotions. There are two misconceptions about coming out that I believe we should do away with. First, celebrating coming out can create problems, especially for those who have not yet done so. I’m sure there are plenty of Notre Dame students who know they are LGBTQ and have not told a single soul. When the only message they hear is that coming out is that it’s “courageous,” they might think of themselves as cowards. They’re not cowards. One’s ability to come out depends on the people around them, the potential

consequences of doing so and whatever internal struggles someone might have with their identity. It has nothing to do with whether someone is brave, and messaging that says otherwise should be done away with. Second, coming out isn’t something that every LGBTQ person does once and then lives happily ever after. Coming out starts at a particular moment: When you first tell someone there’s something about you they don’t know. It never ends. There’s a significant chance that when I’m 70 years old I will be in an uncomfortable situation where I have to inform someone that I’m gay, and to that person, I will have just “come out” then. I came out to my friends in high school, but that didn’t exempt me from having to go through the same difficult process with my friends at Notre Dame. I come out to people all the time; it’s a recurring conversation I have, a regular aspect of my life. I’ve come out to a lot of people in 2020, even though I came out for the first time years ago. You might think coming out now would be easy given the state of the country. You would be wrong. To see why, we must discuss the situation surrounding LGBTQ people in America. Let’s look at the positive first. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of Americans say that homosexuality should be accepted by society. Same-sex marriages have been legal nationwide since the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015. Gay and lesbian men and women have been able to openly serve in the military since Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed in 2011, and federal law has been interpreted to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in employment since June. We also must acknowledge the negative. According to that same study from the Pew Research Center, over one in five Americans say that homosexuality should not be accepted by society. Over two in five Americans don’t believe transgender people should be able to use the bathroom of their choice. Transgender people are also banned from joining the military, and current transgender soldiers are forced to pretend as if they weren’t transgender. A 2015 study from the Center for Disease Control found that three out of every five LGB teens said they were so sad or hopeless that they

struggled to do their usual activities, and three out of every 10 had attempted suicide. Remember, these are the circumstances LGBTQ people live with in the United States. As of 2019, there were 13 countries where homosexuality was legally punishable by death. These facts, both the positive and the negative, color how LGBTQ people navigate coming out in 2020. On the one hand, things are probably easier for us than they’ve ever been. On the other hand, things still aren’t easy in the least. Whenever I meet someone new, two questions immediately race through my head: “Do they know that I’m gay?” “If they don’t, how will they react if they find out?” My internal answers to that second question might determine whether I decide to talk to that stranger again because I know many people at Notre Dame are not thrilled about my sexuality, to say the least. I decide to come out to someone not based on how “proud” of myself I am or how “brave” I am, but based on whether I believe I can simultaneously have a fruitful relationship with that person and be out to them. Coming out, even in 2020, means constantly opening yourself up to being hurt, in ways that most LGBTQ people have been hurt before. It should be celebrated, but it shouldn’t be demanded, and we must fight to make it easier.

KERRY SCHNEEMAN | The Observer

Vince Mallett is a senior majoring in philosophy, with a minor in Constitutional Studies. He currently lives off-campus, though he calls both New Jersey and Carroll Hall home. He can be reached at vmallett@nd.edu or @vince_mallett on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By NIA SYLVA Scene Writer

The state of bipartisan political relations in this country is dire, to say the very least. Anyone who had the pleasure of witnessing last week’s mudslinging presidential debate knows that to be true. It is easy to resign ourselves to this lack of civility, both on Capitol Hill and in our own lives and to assume that hatred and disrespect must be the default when that’s all we see represented in the media. But this is not our only option. Civility — and even genuine friendship, I think — can still be achieved. How, you might ask? Watching “Parks and Recreation” might be a start. The show’s depiction of Ron and Leslie’s relationship seems to provide a model for true dialogue between people of different political persuasions. Sometimes (not often) one or the other will soften on a particular view or even begin to see things differently. Mostly, though, the two just listen to one another without actively trying to change each other’s minds. Ron and Leslie spend more time eating waffles at J.J.’s Diner than dwelling on their vastly disparate conceptions of taxation, government spending and the ideal involvement of the State in its citizens’ lives. Both recognize that such things are part of their identities, sure, but Ron knows that Leslie is more than a big-government bureaucrat, and Leslie knows that Ron is more than an anti-tax curmudgeon.

By DESSI GOMEZ Scene Writer

LANY’s third album, “mama’s boy,” was released Friday, and it is just as emotional, nostalgic and sentimental as the past two. The difference is that it doesn’t deal as much with heartbreak. According to Paul Klein in an interview for the “LANY presents mama’s boy, the Enhanced Album” edition on Spotify, this album came from intense note-taking on situations he was in, as well as lots of journaling and all three of the band members’ roots of growing up in rural areas. To Klein and his bandmates, it became important to take ownership of “being from the middle of nowhere,” which is evident in the album cover. Tyler Johnson, who produced both of Harry Styles’ albums, worked on six of the songs on “mama’s boy.” Learning this didn’t immediately invoke comparison or point out similarities between the two albums — at least not for me — and I am okay with that, since I respect both artists as separate entities. Of the first couple singles released over the summer, “good guys” and “this is the last time” hinted at some familiarity in subject as well as sound. “good guys” addresses the interim of being in love while coming to terms with what different people want. “if this is the last time” returns to the theme of parents in the band’s

In fact, the two often balance each other out. Without Ron there to rein in Leslie’s elaborate, ambitious projects, she would probably run herself — and her department— into the ground. And despite the fact that his first act as city planner would be to eliminate all of the departments (including the Parks department), Ron recognizes how brilliant, driven and compassionate Leslie is; he even supports her campaign for city council because he knows her immense capability and respects her strength of conviction. For her part, Leslie accepts Ron’s belief in small government without accusing him of being callous, cruel or disinterested in others’ well-being. She even used his disdain for government spending to her advantage, bringing him along to meetings where budgets are discussed so that he can fight for other departments’ funding to be slashed. More broadly, the show does a rather impressive job of keeping Ron from becoming a caricature. While there are some jokes made about the extreme nature of his anti-government stance — which is especially funny, given that he works for the city of Pawnee — the character himself never becomes a joke, nor, I think, does his broader political stance. In one episode, he explains libertarianism to a grade schooler on a field trip (and is allowed to sound engaging and coherent as he does so); in another, he does the same for Andy, making sure to assert that libertarianism is neither a left nor a right-wing persuasion. Perhaps the most noteworthy thing “Parks and Rec”

does with its presentation of Leslie, Ron and their friendship is to show that political partisanship does not have to be black and white. Ron believes in small government, yes, but he is also a feminist who officiates a gay wedding. He is not a monstrous lover of capitalism. He is a human being with a complicated, multifaceted worldview. The show seems to be suggesting, then, that people with strong political philosophies are more than just caricatures. If you talk to people, they can surprise you. Political views are only one facet of a person’s identity, and the presence of diverse views can actually be an asset. This kind of diversity keeps your world from becoming an echo chamber, and it allows you both to challenge, reevaluate and strengthen your own convictions. All of this raises the question: Is “Parks and Rec” being overly idealistic? Is it presenting a version of political discourse that we want to exist rather than one that actually can? Maybe. One might even say that Leslie and Ron are Platonic ideals, rather than real people — allowed to be somewhat complex, but never in a way that compromises their fundamental, inoffensive goodness. That may all be true, at least to some extent. But the show’s writers seem to be saying that as long as you can find one thing in common — be it a common love of breakfast food or of a miniature horse named Lil’ Sebastian — then all the rest should be possible.

life, encouraging appreciation of time spent with family, which is not to be taken for granted. “You!” and “cowboy in l.a.” introduce new elements into LANY’s work, both sonically and thematically. “You!” could be seen as a song about God, family, friends or even a significant other. As the first track, it encouraged me as a listener, the resilient electric guitar bringing me a sense of comfort and hope at the same time. “cowboy in l.a.” takes the vein of electric guitar that LANY has become known for and tones it down for a track reminiscent of their early work, specifically the song “pink skies.” Klein croons how “the purple in the sky ain’t as pretty as your eyes,” which calls to mind “get ya under pink skies, I know exactly where we should go/cuz I love the way your green eyes mix with that malibu indigo.” The song title might be the most aligned with the inspiration for the album because it takes the cowboy trope and memories of growing up to Los Angeles, where the band is based. These famous guitar riffs and chords combine with supportive percussion in “heart won’t let me” and make way for new sonic elements. These, according to Klein, include acoustic guitar, a kids’ choir, organ, a gospel choir and slide guitar, which bring much variation to the songs compared to when the band first started out, making their music on a Dell computer. These new sounds can be found in “you!,” “i still talk to

jesus,” “paper,” “sharing you” and more. When the songs do deal with romance and relationships, it seems to be in retrospect or from angles that don’t involve being directly in a relationship yet or anymore. “heart won’t let me,” “sharing you,” “paper,” “when you’re drunk” and “anything 4 u” touch on the befores and afters and in betweens of relationships, which I find interesting as a recurring theme on this album. “mama’s boy” proves comfortingly familiar and refreshingly new at the same time. It reflects LANY’s maturity — aging like a fine wine — yet they still fit “like your favorite pair of jeans,” in Klein’s words.

Contact Nia Sylva at asylva@nd.edu

Contact Dessi Gomez at dgomez5@nd.edu

“mama’s boy” LANY Label: Polydor Records Favorite songs: “heart won’t let me,” “cowboy in l.a.,” “paper” If you liked: Harry Styles, LAUV, One Republic

JACKIE JUNCO | The Observer

The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

By COLLEEN FISCHER Scene Writer

We need to change how we talk about celebrity male producers in regard to female artists. Celebrity Male producers like Jack Anotonoff and Mark Ronson have offered an interesting perspective on the Creative process but it is important to recognize the gravity of their presence. Antonoff, who has produced albums for Saint Vincent, Christina Perry, Lorde, P!nk, Taylor Swift, SIA and the Chicks, has said that he imagines his music in a female voice while writing. Ronson has taken a similar position when talking about his work with Amy Winehouse, Camilla Cabello, Miley Cyrus, King Princess and Lady Gaga, saying that women tend to have the talent that he wants to work with. Both Antonoff and Ronson are musicians in their own right, making the appearance of their names in liner notes particularly noticeable; maybe that is where their names should stay. They don’t need to appear in music videos, “SNL” performances, stadium shows and interviews. Due to the widely accepted narrative surrounding women in art, one that limits them to merely the position of the muse, they need to be pushed forward in their own narrative. This is only possible by making male producers less visible — not more. Maybe it is a lot to ask them to step back, but their careers were built by powerful female voices. Ronson got his start producing Amy Winehouse’s album “Back to

By JIM MOSTER Scene Writer

The question of why we listen to music often goes unasked and unanswered. Without a doubt, some music fans would argue that a simple answer exists in plain sight: people listen to music for the music. We listen to music because something in our primate brains finds pleasure in melody and repetition. This answer is based in science, but I see it as heavily reductionist. The music itself is merely the beginning. Music is also the artists who create it and the listeners who integrate it into their lives. Everyone involved in the experience is a human being, and the music is the connective tissue between artist and listener. I call this the communal view of music. Music, therefore, has three components when viewed through a communal lens — the music itself, the artist and the listeners. The artist has a great deal of control over whether the communal aspect of music is perceived amongst fans. Artists who see themselves as equals with their fans tend to manifest the communal view. Artists who treat themselves and their fans as commodities tend to obscure the possibility of higher-order pleasure in music. One way that artists elevate the experience of music is by forming communities with their fans. These communities can take on many qualities, but I believe that the true community is oriented toward the common good. It supports equity and the good of all people. The artist uses one key tool to promote the common good in their community — their platform. In simple terms, someone has a platform when people care about what

Black” and Antonoff’s fame was instigated by Sara Bareilles’ track “Brave.” They have already benefited from their relationships with these women. They do not owe them more. When a team of artists work on a song, the question of who did what is sure to follow. The rise of the celebrity producer has only given further validity to the picking apart of the creative ownership of music. This process when applied to female artists creates a strong implication that the genius of Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Lorde and Lana Del Ray, among others, lies not in them but rather the man behind the glass. Ronson and Antonoff are constantly redirecting attention back to the artist, gushing about their female colleagues’ genius before telling stories about how their suggestions made the songs what they are. This may seem harmless at first glance, but journalists and fans too often write off the praise as boring and choose instead to talk about what the artist didn’t do, instead of what she did. It is clear that for both Ronson and Antonoff, the recording and creative experience is a pure relationship and never manipulative. How this experience is perceived from the outside is what casts a shadow. The Abbey Road Institute claimed that Antonoff is “bringing brutal honesty back to pop.” It isn’t his honesty to bring. The stories he helps to tell belong to women. Facilitating a place to be honest and being honest aren’t the same thing. I imagine Antonoff would be the first to tell you that. These men are talented and have signature styles: Antonoff has his full choruses and large ‘80s riffs, while

Ronson made a name with DJ-esque production and creative use of instruments. The two men have helped to define the last decade of pop, but the only reason I can identify these attributes as theirs is because they have told me about it in interviews and liner notes. I can’t pick out what parts of a Talking Heads album are Brian Eno’s and what bits belong to David Byrne. It is simply the music. Why do Ronson and Antonoff feel the need to claim segments of female work when the precedent is to fade in the background? If the explicit narrative offered — that the women Antonoff and Ronson work with are the real geniuses — is the widely accepted one and the subtextual narrative — that the female artists need a male genius in order to make good music — is imagined, then why aren’t there more female producers? Antonoff’s and Ronson’s success comes from empowering women within the role of performer. It would make sense to also expand this sort of empowerment into production, creating more spaces where women feel comfortable being honest. No woman has ever won a Grammy for best production on a nonclassical album, and no woman has been nominated for an album that wasn’t her own. It is only through ending the narrative that female genius comes from male producers that we can empower more female producers, something the music industry is desperate for.

they have to say. Artists often devote their platforms to selfpromotion, but every once in a while, you come across an exception. I know one band in particular that consistently uses its platform to promote the common good. That band is Glass Beach. Glass Beach is a post-emo rock band with one studio album, “the first glass beach album.” This masterpiece packs a musical career’s worth of talent into 60 minutes. Glass Beach explores themes such as abuse, devotion and queer identity while sampling an impressive variety of musical styles. Glass Beach has four members, and fans have no shortage of opportunities to get acquainted with them. The band’s primary means of communication is their Twitter account, which has over 6,000 followers. Glass Beach retweets and responds to the majority of tweets that mention their handle. They solicit feedback through polls, respond to DMs and host livestreams. The band creates inside jokes and provides fans with an honest look into their lives. These interactions form a personal connection between the band and fans, making both groups feel valued. In addition to interacting with fans, Glass Beach uses their platform to promote other small artists. Glass Beach regularly tweets out new releases from their musical friends and hosts livestreams with them. As a result, Glass Beach has fostered a network of artists that enjoy and support each other’s music. This network was crucial at the height of the pandemic when many small artists found themselves without a source of revenue. Like many of their friends, Glass Beach chafes under the high cost of living in America. The four members hold full-time jobs in addition to making music, so they recently

launched a Patreon to ease their financial burden. Unlike most Patreon owners, Glass Beach refuses to give exclusive benefits to people who commit more money. The band members believe that it would be unfair to give special privileges to people who pledge higher amounts. After all, many dedicated fans simply cannot afford to donate on a monthly basis. Glass Beach needs to generate profit in order to survive under capitalism, but the band rebels against capitalism’s norms at every opportunity. Finally, Glass Beach uses their platform to give voice to the voiceless. The band members have stated that Black Lives Matter. They participate in discussions with other musicians about racial justice. They loudly denounce the systems of oppression that perpetuate racism. The band actively promotes the LGBTQ+ community. They occasionally retweet links to crowdfunding pages for people who need to pay rent or get a vital surgery. Glass Beach uses their platform to actively oppose bigotry and promote compassion. Glass Beach provides an exemplary model for other bands to build true communities. By using their platform to promote the common good, Glass Beach proves that the joys of music can extend beyond the music itself. The duties of a platform should not be viewed as restrictions. After all, the true community liberates all of its members through its devotion to justice and empathy. Members of a musical community laugh in the face of those who claim “there is no such thing as society.” The proof of society — at least in music — lies in the links of empathy between artist and fan, all grounded in a love for good music.

Contact Colleen Fischer at cfischer01@saintmarys.edu

Contact Jim Moster at jmoster@nd.edu MARY O’REILLY | The Observer

Classifieds

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, October 9, 2020 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Follow your heart, and pursue your goals. Study, and prepare for the changes you want to make. Align yourself with people who share your concerns, interests and goals. Keep the peace, and distance yourself from people you find too demanding. Discipline, structure and common sense will lead to victory. Say no to excessive behavior and no-win situations. Your numbers are 6, 13, 24, 29, 32, 36, 44. ARIES (March 21-April 19): PControl your emotions and temper. Concentrate on taking care of your responsibilities and living up to your expectations. Work alone, if possible, to avoid interference, and don’t share your thoughts or secrets with colleagues. You are overdue for a change TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A unique idea will help you seal a deal or interest someone you find exceptional. A personal change you want to make can be accomplished. A work-related matter will encourage a lifestyle change. Romance is favored. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): KTake better care of your home and health. Doing the research will be vital if you want to avoid making a mistake. Refuse to let anyone take advantage of your kindness or skills. Question motives and expectations. CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Let your intuition guide you. A positive change will lead to an exciting opportunity. A partnership will turn out to be a blessing in disguise once you iron out your differences. Romance is in the stars. LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Get involved in something that concerns you. Choose to participate and make a difference instead of watching from the sidelines. A chance to do something that will benefit others will make you feel good about the contribution you make. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Concentrate on your priorities, and bring about the changes necessary to achieve what you set out to do. A change in the way you think will lead to an improved you and a positive lifestyle. Romance will enhance your relationship with someone special. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Use your energy wisely. Do your best to keep the peace. Consider where you will make the most progress, and funnel your time and expertise into something that will bring concrete results. Exercise discipline and common sense. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): top being so hard on yourself. Look at what you have accomplished. It’s time to do something that brings you peace, happiness and satisfaction. You are overdue for a change. Start doing whatever it takes to reach the destination you desire. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Energy and enthusiasm will help you excel. Don’t waste time on nonsense or trivial matters that aren’t going to benefit you -- trust in what you know, not hearsay. Someone will lead you astray if given the chance. Don’t neglect someone you love. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You may want to rethink how you handle your personal and professional affairs. Staying balanced will be necessary if you wish to bring about a change at home or work. Keep busy, and you’ll avoid a situation with someone who overreacts. AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be a leader, not a follower. Put time and effort into personal and relationship adjustments that will make your life more enjoyable. Don’t say anything you don’t mean or make promises you aren’t going to honor. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Spend more time nurturing meaningful relationships and making adjustments at home to bring you closer to the ones you love. Look for unique ways to help a cause or those in need. A financial opportunity is heading your way. Romance is favored. Birthday Baby: You are creative, smart and sophisticated. You are passionate and endearing.

Square Comic | XXX

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports

The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Sports Authority

Dissecting Twins’ losing streak Nate Moller Sports Writer

As a diehard Tw ins fan, it is a rough life. In my lifetime, the Tw ins have had their fair share of solid teams, but they haven’t won a playoff game since 2004, when I was just three years old. On top of that, the last time the Tw ins won a playoff series was in 2002 against the Oak land Athletics, when I was just one. This postseason, I was ver y confident. My Tw ins were facing an Astros team that finished the season below .500 and looked nothing like a serious contender. Despite this, my Tw ins managed to mess up in the playoffs again and score t wo runs in two games. With these losses, the Tw ins extended their postseason losing streak to a staggering 18 games. This record is by far the longest postseason losing streak in MLB histor y, and is now the longest of any major sports team. Watching the Tw ins lose the way they did this year was incredibly depressing. The Tw ins lineup was arguably one of the best in baseball, w ith names like Nelson Cruz, Eddie Rosario, Ma x Kepler, Miguel Sano, Josh Donaldson, Jorge Polanco and By ron Bu xton. A lthough Donaldson was injured for this year’s playoff series, one could argue that the Tw ins’ lineup is one of the deepest in baseball, w ith no obv ious weak link. Against the Astros, though, the Tw ins lineup was shut dow n. In the t wo games, the Tw ins only had seven total hits. Additionally, the Tw ins were not able to get clutch hits when it mattered most. In fact, the Tw ins had the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning in both games, but were unable to take advantage of the situation. The one good thing about this year’s postseason performance for the Tw ins was that their pitching was much better. In past playoffs, I have v iv id memories of the Yankees’ hitters pounding homerun after homerun off the Tw ins. The Yankees account for 15 of the Tw ins’ 18 postseason losses, which is one of the reasons

why I had faith that the Tw ins could snap their horrid streak against the Astros this year. Obv iously there is something clearly w rong w ith the Tw ins once they make the playoffs. So how do the Tw ins finally get over the hump and w in a playoff game, and maybe even a series? At this point, I think it is all mental. The Tw ins have the roster in place to be successful in the postseason, but they can’t let this losing streak get to their head. This year, the Tw ins had one of the better lineups in baseball, their starting pitching staff came a long way w ith Kenta Maeda and Jose Berrios hav ing good years, and they also possessed some strong arms in the bullpen. With all of these tools, the Tw ins should be able to w in a playoff game, but this year, they let the moment get to their heads again. There were multiple plays throughout the series that showed this. As I mentioned before, clutch hitting in the series was non-ex istent, and it’s hard to w in a series when that happens. Additionally, the Tw ins gave up the decisive run in the first game off of an error from Jorge Polanco. I’ll admit that Polanco is one of the worst fielding shortstops in the MLB, but his error was absolutely inexcusable in that situation. The worst part of the series, though, was seeing the Tw ins hitters basically give up towards the end of the second game. A lmost ever y player would get annoyed when they fouled off a good pitch, and you could sense the frustration was building among the team. Additionally, Eddie Rosario, who is supposed to be one of the team’s leaders, was ejected for arguing a call. A ll in all, the reason for the Tw ins’ abysmal playoff losing streak is themselves. If they are going to finally break through soon, they need to get their heads straight. Until they can do that, success in October is impossible. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Miami Heat’s misson provides model for teams Liam Coolican Sports Writer

W hen Lebron James left Miami, Heat president Pat Riley had a plan. James’ departure may have caught him by surprise, but he didn’t show it. Instead of f loundering for years, like the Cavaliers did when James departed Cleveland for the first time — and it appears to be happening a second time — the Heat went out and kept competing. They were left with two aging stars, Chris Bosh and Dw yane Wade, and limited roster f lexibility. It was a situation where many, if not most organizations would consider tanking in order to secure a high draft pick. But the Heat kept trying to win. For the first few years after James’ departure, the Heat wasn’t a very good team. They didn’t have the talent to make the playoffs, but they weren’t bad enough to draft in the top few picks. In 2015, the Heat traded two first round picks for point guard Goran Dragic, who is now playing a pivotal role on this year’s team. W hen many teams would have stockpiled draft assets, the Heat traded them away for the opportunity to acquire a proven winner. They signed Hassan W hiteside and drafted Justise Winslow who were eventually used in trades to acquire Jimmy Butler and Andre Igoudala, both pivotal pieces in this year’s finals run. They made countless other smaller moves, each of which contributed to the team that has challenged the Lakers in the finals this year. They seemed to be in an unenviable situation again last offseason as they didn’t have very much salary cap f lexibility, and it didn’t seem possible they could make a major move to put them over the hump. Despite that, Riley figured out a way to engineer a move for Jimmy Butler, one of the best players in the league, proving once again that he will do whatever it takes to win. Tanking isn’t a good strateg y in the NBA, even though many teams seem to think it is. W hether it is done on purpose, such as Philadelphia’s “Trust the Process” or as a consequence of management ineptitude, like the Knicks, it doesn’t work. Philadelphia

is left with two stars, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, who don’t complement each other and one of the worst salary cap situations in the league, while teams like the Knicks, Kings and Cavaliers are left to wallow in misery due to a combination of bad luck and front offices who mismanage the franchises year after year. A big reason why this is the case is that top draft picks are somewhat of a crap shoot in the NBA. The Cavaliers took Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins in back to back years in 2012 and 2013, and Markelle Fultz, the 76ers number one overall pick in 2017, played just 33 games with the team. Additionally, with the draft lottery, designed to discourage tanking, the worst teams don’t always end up with the best picks. On the other hand, some top draft picks have panned out exceptionally well, such as Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. However, Irving is the first number one pick since Tim Duncan to win a championship with the team he was drafted by, and this was in large part due to Lebron James, showing that it takes more than draft picks to win. Compare this with the Heat, who, rather than trying to select a transcendent talent, drafted players who fit well with their culture. Neither Bam Adebayo nor Tyler Herro, their two most recent first round picks, were exceptional players at Kentucky where they both played their college ball. The Heat, however, saw them for their work ethic and drive and their potential to be developed into stars, which other teams often overlook. Duncan Robinson, who played at Division III Williams College before transferring to Michigan, didn’t look like an NBA player, but the Heat saw his dedication and desire to improve and took a chance on him. Now, he’s starting in the NBA finals. Almost every player on the Heat fits this mold: overlooked at some point by every other team in the NBA. However, the Heat aren’t opposed to having a proven superstar on their team. It is quite the opposite: They have attracted more stars than perhaps any other team in the NBA. From Shaquille O’Neal to James to Wade

and now Jimmy Butler, with many in between, the Heat have signed and retained star talent at a rate few other teams can match. However, the player doesn’t choose the Heat, except in rare cases like James. The Heat chooses players who fit their winning culture. They also value a strong veteran presence from players like Dragic and Igoudala and even guys who don’t get as many minutes, such as Udonis Haslem. They play a key role in developing the younger players, and it’s something that a lot of other organizations lack. The culture of the organization is what was so attractive to Butler. He fits in perfectly with the Heat’s mission. He’s a superstar who doesn’t ask for special treatment and who works harder than anybody else. He’s been known to be difficult in locker rooms in the past, famously getting into an altercation with teammates and coaches at practice when he played for Minnesota. Much of this can be attributed to his relentless drive to win and the standards he holds those around him, as well as himself, too, but he fits right in on a Heat team which holds everyone to those same standards. While often assigned the blame for the shortcomings of the Timberwolves and 76ers, it is now evident that the problem wasn’t with him. It was with the organizations. No matter what happens in Friday’s game five, the Heat have proven themselves to be one of the top teams in the league, and with young talent such as Adebayo and Herro, they’ll be competitive for years to come. The Heat are providing a model for other teams to follow and the failures of teams who have tanked recently serve as warnings. If you’re a fan of basketball, Pat Riley should be your favorite executive, and you should cheer for, or at least appreciate, the Heat. A league in which all 30 teams are competing for a championship year in and year out would be incredibly exciting, and the Heat are moving us closer to that goal.. Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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Roundtable Continued from page 14

played. The Chanticleers’ quarterback, Grayson McCall has thrown for over 700 yards and nine touchdowns on the season, and he shows no signs of slowing down. I think this will be a very close game, but Coastal Carolina has been more consistent this year, so I expect that they will get the job done.

Liam Coolican Miami is undoubtedly a good team, and D’Eriq King is one of the best quarterbacks in college football, but they haven’t really been tested yet. That will change this week as they head to Clemson in one of the biggest games of the year. The Hurricanes had a bye week to prepare, but it won’t matter. They won’t be able to slow down Trevor Lawrence or Travis Ettienne, and the Tigers will win big and show why they’re the top ranked team in the country. Clemson wins and covers. Tennessee seems to be perpetually overrated in the first few weeks of the season, and this year doesn’t appear to be any different. Georgia impressed me last week, dominating a very good Auburn team. Their defense is suffocating, and Tennessee will struggle to move the ball. Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano has impressed so far, but his numbers have been inf lated against weak secondaries. His counterpart, Stetson Bennett will continue to surprise everyone with his play, and Georgia wins and covers. The Red River rivalry

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, October 9, 2020 | The Observer

lacks its usual luster this year, but we should be in for an exciting game nonetheless. One of these teams has to bounce back, and I think it will be the Sooners. Spencer Rattler is settling into his role, and while he is no Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray or Jalen Hurts, he is steadily improving. I have no faith left in Texas after losing against a bad TCU team, and I at least have a little left in the Sooners solely based on their talent. Oklahoma wins and covers. Pick the Browns at your own risk. They have won three in a row by barely sneaking by subpar opponents. It will be a lot tougher for them to put together quality drives against a Colts defense that is one of the best in the league, and the Browns secondary has been porous. Expect Phillip Rivers to continue his resurgence this week and lead the Colts to their fourth straight win. Colts win and cover. The Chiefs looked shaky at times last week against a Patriots team that was missing its star quarterback. As he always does, Patrick Mahomes came through when he was needed most, and the Chiefs got the win. He’ll have it easier this week against a struggling Raiders defense, but Derek Carr and Josh Jacobs lead a high powered offense. Expect the Raiders to keep it close enough to cover the spread, but Chiefs still get the win easily. The Eagles have looked very poor recently, tying with a bad Bengals team and barely defeating what was essentially the 49ers third string. However, the Eagles still have a lot of talent, especially on defense, and this seven point spread is a lot. The Steelers, despite

being 3-0, have played an easy schedule, and they have had a limited practice schedule this week. I’ll take the Steelers to win but not cover. For my upset pick, I’ll take Kansas State to keep rolling. I don’t buy the TCU hype, and since the season opening loss, Kansas State has played like one of the best teams in the Big 12. Their quarterback situation is uncertain after an injury to starter Skylar Thompson, but the offense still looked good last week even without him. TCU has had two close games against good teams, but the Wildcats will prove they are contenders in a wide open Big 12, and defeat TCU on the road this week.

Nate Moller This is a big one in the ACC this week with two top teams facing off in what figures to be a solid game. W hile Miami has looked very solid so far this year, we will find out what the Canes are truly made of when they face this potent Clemson team. I think the Canes will stick around at first, but I just don’t see them being able to stop Clemson on offense. Lawrence and Etienne will have big games, and when all is said and done this one won’t be close. I firmly expect Clemson to cement themselves as the best team in college football and cover the spread. The Volunteers head to Athens in what figures to be a big SEC East showdown. This is the highest ranking the Vols have had in awhile, and I’m sure that their team will be ready to play. Georgia still has a lot of question marks on the offensive side of the ball, but they seem to have figured

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some of that out in their emphatic win over Auburn last week. I think Tennessee comes to play, but the Dawgs are clearly the better team here. Georgia wins but doesn’t cover. Wow. If you would have told me this Red River showdown would feature a two loss Oklahoma team and a one loss Texas team at the beginning of the year, I would have told you that you were crazy. Nevertheless, here we are. Both of these teams are basically out of playoff contention, but their seasons can be salvaged by some extent by beating their foe across the river. W hile neither team has lived up to its potential, I think Oklahoma still is the better team when they are at their best. I expect Spencer Rattler to finally make some plays, I will take Oklahoma to win and cover. The Colts and Browns have been two of the more surprising teams so far this year in the NFL. W hile the Browns’ record is solid right now, I am not quite believing the hype yet. Kareem Hunt has been great for them, but Baker Mayfield is definitely still a question mark at quarterback for the Browns. I picked against the Colts last week, and I am not going to do that again. The Colts are by no means f lashy, but they are solid in all areas. Colts win and cover. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu, Liam Coolican at loolica@nd.edu, Patrick Gallagher at pgallag4@nd.edu, and Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Thomas Continued from page 16

into the mix is a game-changer, the cupcake game against USF would have been a great opportunity to give guys like juniors Joe Wilkins and Lawrence Keys a chance to haul in some catches at the receiver position (although the latter was listed as absent for the game against USF). Rather, the Irish went for a run-heavy approach, demonstrating the depth of their backfield in the process. Ultimately, I think this approach is a great change for the Irish offense, and it’s one that is much more sustainable for a potential playoff run. If you want to dredge up painful memories, think about Notre Dame’s ugly loss to Michigan last year. In a rainy, cold game in which passing the ball was a struggle, the Irish were not equipped to run the ball well. They got 29 yards from their top two running backs on 13 attempts, paving the way to a blowout loss. In their loss to Georgia, the Irish mustered just 46 yards on the ground. The theme stays with the Irish over the past few years, as Notre Dame has consistently failed to spark their running attack in big games, relying on its quarterback and defense to bring home the win. Notre Dame has not proven to be successful with this form and as good as Book can be, his inconsistencies keep him off the same level as guys like Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, elite quarterbacks on national championship contenders. The early-season trend in Notre Dame’s playcalling suggests that Kelly and Rees are attempting to buck this curse by establishing a dynamic ground game early in the year. An adaptable coaching staff is a sight for sore eyes after years of watching Notre Dame develop an approach that would consistently beat lower-level teams while struggling to even be competitive against top-tier opponents. This weekend, the theory that Notre Dame is becoming a runfirst team will be put to the test as Notre Dame hosts Florida State. As bad as the Seminoles have been this year, they have not given up more than 64 rushing yards to an individual back. However, they gave up 200 total rushing yards to Miami as five different players ran the ball at least four times, combining to average 5.4 yards per pop. The Irish boast a versatile set of backs, and if they come out pounding the rock against the Seminoles on Saturday, expect that this offense is entering a new age built towards achieving the glory that hasn’t graced this program since 1988. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

Roundtable

Observer Roundtable: Hurricanes-Tigers, Volunteers-Bulldogs headline top-25 matchups Aidan Thomas, Nate Moller, Liam Coolican, Patrick Gallagher Sports Writers

The consistency is real. Knocking dow n his third straight upset pick, Patrick Gallagher has posted 18 points in each of the first three weeks of the roundtable, establishing a 13-point advantage on a crowded leaderboard. He was one of three sportsw riters, joining Aidan Thomas and Nate Moller, to nab 18 points this past week, as four of five contributors nailed their upset picks to make for a high-scoring week. The squad is red-hot right now, as ever yone notched at least 10 points last week heading into week four. Check out the leaderboard and this week’s picks !

The Leaderboard week three:

after

Patrick Gallagher — 54 points (18) Liam Coolican — 41 points (14) Dominic Gibson — 39 points (10) Aidan Thomas — 36 points (18) Nate Moller — 32 points (18)

NCAAF #7 Miami @ #1 Clemson (-14.0) #14 Tennessee @ #3 Georgia (-12.5) #22 Texas @ Ok lahoma (-2)

NFL Indianapolis Colts (-1) @ Cleveland Brow ns Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas Cit y Chiefs (-11.5) Philadelphia Eagles @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-7.0)

Aidan Thomas It’s been a lmost t hree yea rs since Mia mi beat Not re Da me 41-8 to move to 9-0 a nd cement t hemselves in t he playof f conversat ion. The “U is Back” cha nts were at a n a ll-t ime high. A late season collapse, blowout loss in t he ACC Cha mpionship a nd t wo under whelming seasons punctuated by a 14-0 loss to Louisia na Tech in t heir bowl ga me, t he Hurrica nes

a re f ina lly look ing like a da ngerous squad aga in, propelled by t he a rriva l of t ra nsfer qua r terback D’Eriq K ing. Winning at Deat h Va lley is a daunt ing proposit ion, but t his Mia mi of fense has t he ta lent to at least ma ke t hat a possibi lit y. They’re averag ing 43 points per ga me while g iv ing up 19. Clemson’s defense st r uggled w it h a dua l-t hreat QB at Virg inia, but t hey st ill haven’t g iven up more t ha n 23 points in a conference ga me since 2017. I t hin k Mia mi cha nges t hat Saturday, but I don’t t hin k t he defense picks up t he stops to pu ll of f t he upset. Clemson w ins but does not cover. Since beat ing Georg ia on a miracu lous Ha il Ma r y, t he Vols have lost t heir past t hree clashes w it h t he Bu lldogs by a n average of 32 points per contest. From a l l appea ra nces, Tennessee is much better t his yea r, a nd t hey enter t he ga me on a n eight-ga me w inning st rea k t hat’s t ied for t he longest in t he FBS. Winning at At hens is a daunt ing task, a nd t his Georg ia defense is rea lly good. I ca n’t see Tennessee notching more t ha n 17 or 20 points, a nd while t his Georg ia offense isn’t elect ric, t heir g rind-it-out st yle shou ld be enough aga inst a suspect Tennessee defense. Georg ia w ins but does not cover. Fina lly, we have t he RedRiver showdow n. However, rat her t ha n a batt le of 2-0 Big 12 squads, we have t he 0-2 Sooners, f resh of f a pa ir of upset losses, versus t he 1-1 Longhorns, who suffered a loss to TCU t his past weekend. In a clash of t wo under per forming tea ms I don’t wa nt to pick to w in, I’m going w it h Texas here, as t he more ex perienced qua r terback has t radit iona lly had more success in t his riva lr y, a nd Eh linger has established himself as a better qua r terback t ha n Spencer Ratt ler, whose clutch-t ime per forma nce has been horrendous. Hook ’em — Longhorns out right. This has t he potent ia l to be a high ly enter ta ining batt le bet ween t wo red-hot tea ms. The Brow ns a nd Colts a re bot h 3-1 a f ter opening day losses, hav ing done so in ent irely dif ferent ways. Clevela nd has overcome poor defense w it h ex plosive of fense, while India napolis has a llowed 29 points in t heir last t hree ga mes. Philip Rivers a nd

compa ny has done enough on of fense, a nd I t hin k a wea k Clevela nd defense a f fords t hem more oppor tunit y to put up points, while Ba ker May f ield w ill have to ma neuver t he Colts’ tough defense. I see t his being a t ight one, but u lt imately t he Colts w in a nd cover t he sma ll spread. W hen t he Ra iders a nd Chiefs meet on t he g ridiron Sunday, it w ill of f icia lly be over 11 mont hs since Ka nsas Cit y last suf fered a loss. However, lookout for a midseason slump, as t he Chiefs sta r ted last season 4-0, before losing four of t heir nex t si x ga mes. However, I’m not sure t he Ra iders a re t he tea m to do it, hav ing lost t wo st ra ight ga mes a nd g iv ing up 30 points per ga me on defense. Their of fense has been decent, but Ka nsas Cit y’s defense is g iv ing up just 17 points a contest. Add t hat to t he fact t hat KC has won 10 of 11 aga inst Las Vegas, a nd I don’t see t he Chiefs losing. The 13-point spread is a not her topic, as I don’t t r ust t he of fense ent irely, a f ter t wo prett y inconsistent per forma nces aga inst t he Pats a nd Cha rgers. Go w it h KC w inning, but not covering. This one is a rea lly tough one, as t he Eagles a re unbeaten in t heir past t wo ga mes. However, t hey’ve ma naged to look t horoughly unimpressive, a nd t heir let ha rg ic of fense shou ld st r uggle aga inst a vaunted Pittsburgh defense. Philly loses last week had it not been for Nick Mu llens’ ba ll securit y, a nd I didn’t forget how t hird-st ring qua r terback C.J. Beat ha rd diced t he Eagles’ D in t he f ina l minutes. Steelers w in a nd cover. A nd f ina lly, for t he upset pick. I broke my t wo-pick losing st rea k by na iling t he A ir Force upset last week, so t he pressure is on to t r y a nd keep up my hot st rea k. I’m steering away f rom t he Power-5 aga in, a nd I’m going w it h t he Texas State Bobcats to nab a w in as seven-point ‘dogs aga inst Troy. Texas State played Boston College w it hin t hree points a re u lt imately 1-2 w it h a pa ir of t hree-point losses. Troy is coming of f a 41-point loss to BY U, a nd I t hin k t hey w ill fa ll to t he Bobcats on Saturday.

Patrick Gallagher In what cou ld be t heir

most impor ta nt ga me in yea rs, I t hin k t he Hurrica nes w i l l sur prise some people. The Clemson defense did not look as domina nt as usua l aga inst Virg inia where t hey a l lowed 270 passing ya rds. If t he Cava liers’ qua r terback did not t hrow t hree intercept ions, t he score wou ld have been much closer, a nd t he Hurrica nes shou ld prove to be a tougher cha l lenge t his week. D’Eriq K ing keeps improv ing ever y ga me, a nd his sta r power at t he qua rterback posit ion w i l l keep t he ga me close. However, Clemson is just too ta lented to bet aga inst, so I believe t he Tigers w i l l ea rn t he v ictor y but w i l l not cover. Last week, Georg ia put most of my doubts to rest. They a re a n elite tea m t his yea r, a nd may even be t he new f ront r unner in t he SEC East. The Bu l ldogs held Auburn to a pa lt r y 39 r ushing ya rds whi le a lso on ly a llow ing a n average of 3.5 ya rds per play. Tennessee is usua l ly somewhat relia nt on hav ing a st rong r un ga me, so Georg ia’s sta lwa r t defense w i l l cause t hem ma ny issues Saturday. Stetson Bennett a lso seems to be better t ha n I t hought, so I t hin k t he Bu l ldogs w i l l look impressive on bot h sides of t he ba l l w inning a nd covering t he spread. The Big 12 is a mess t his yea r. On ly t hree tea ms a re ra n ked in t he top 25, st rong defensive per forma nces have been nonex istent, a nd, w it h t he Big Ten set to sta r t play ing soon, a playof f spot is pract ica l ly out of t he quest ion. Texas’ Sa m Eh linger has t hrow n for 924 ya rds a nd 14 touchdow ns ; however, his defense has cer ta in ly let him dow n as ever y conference opponent has scored at least 30 points aga inst t hem t his season. Spencer Ratt ler has performed at a simi la r level for Ok la homa, but he has t hrow n more intercept ions. Since bot h defenses a re equa lly mediocre, I believe t he Longhorns’ more ex plosive of fense g ives t hem t he edge as t hey ea rn a n upset v ictor y. A f ter a memorable v ictor y over Da l las, Clevela nd is of f to a sur prising 3-1 sta r t to 2020. Coach Kev in Stefa nsk i has f ina l ly seemed to click w it h his of fense, a nd Odel l Beck ha m Jr. may yet return to sta rdom if he susta ins his momentum f rom last week. Ba ker May f ield a lso

appea rs to be improv ing as he has not t hrow n a n intercept ion in his prev ious t wo ga mes. Nick Chubb may be injured, but I believe t hat t his unfor tunate development w i l l a l low Ka reem Hunt to become a domina nt r usher once aga in. The Colts a nd Phi l lip Rivers w i l l ta ke adva ntage of Clevela nd’s wea k seconda r y; however, t he Brow ns of fense w i l l be too st rong to overcome. Ex pect Clevela nd to upset India napolis. The Ra iders need a v ictor y t his week bot h to improve mora le a nd to avoid losing t hree st ra ight ga mes a f ter a 2-0 sta r t. Unfor tunately, Las Vegas has to play t he 4-0 Ka nsas Cit y Chiefs. Ma homes has cont inued to impress, t hrow ing for 236 ya rds a nd t wo touchdow ns last week, a nd I do not ex pect t he Ra iders to be able to stop him. The key to Vegas’ success w i l l be t he performa nce of t heir r unning back, Josh Jacobs. He fa i led to brea k 50 ya rds in his last ga me aga inst Buf fa lo a nd w i l l need to reach at least 80 ya rds for t he Ra iders to w in. Ka nsas Cit y’s r ush defense does leave much to be desired; however, I do t hin k t hat t he Chiefs w i l l ha nd le t heir div ision riva l covering t he spread. W hi le t r ust ing in Phi ladelphia did end up work ing out for me last week, I a m st i l l not overly impressed w it h Ca rson Went z or t he tea m as a whole. Big Ben Roet h lisberger is a signif ica nt ly more da ngerous of fensive force t ha n Nick Mu l lens, a nd I t hin k t hat Pittsburgh w i l l score ea rly a nd of ten aga inst a n Eagles defense t hat a l lowed 37 points aga inst t he Ra ms t wo weeks ago. The Steelers defense is a lso one of t he best in t he leag ue, so Went z w i l l probably t hrow at least t wo intercept ions. Ex pect Pittsburgh to dominate easi ly covering t he spread. For my upset pick, I believe t hat Coasta l Ca rolina w i l l rema in undefeated by beat ing No. 23 Louisia na. The Rag in’ Cajuns sta r ted of f t he yea r w it h a huge blowout v ictor y aga inst Iowa State but have st r uggled since t hen — on ly defeat ing wea ker conference rivals by a few points each. On the other hand, Coastal Carolina has dominated every team that they have see ROUNDTABLE PAGE 13

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ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, October 9, 2020 | The Observer

OPPONENT

Norvell to break routine vs. Irish By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Senior Sports Writer

Heading into their biggest game of the season so far, Florida State head coach Mike Nor vell isn’t afraid to shake things up. Nor vell, who is currently starting his first year in Tallahassee, announced Monday that redshirt sophomore quarterback Jordan Trav is would be starting for the Seminoles this Saturday against the Irish. Trav is, who spent one season at Louisv ille before transferring to Florida State, w ill lead an offense that relies heav ily on their run game. Florida State has featured three quarterbacks in as many games this season, including veteran James Blackman, who started both his freshman and junior season before getting benched follow ing last week’s second-half rally over Jacksonv ille State. Trav is appeared in the final four games of last season and has continued to emerge as a strong candidate to lead the Seminoles offense. Nor vell said when evaluating a quarterback’s performance, he pays close attention to their feet and their abilit y to stay calm under pressure, something that Trav is has continued to impress him w ith. “W hen you saw Jordan in rhy thm ... ever y thing was under control,” Nor vell said. “He trusted what he saw.” Trav is is the team’s second leading rusher w ith an average of 46.3 yards per game, and even found his way into the end zone against the Gamecock. Meanwhile, he’s demonstrated he can do more than just run, recording a teamhigh 164.7 passing efficiency to go along w ith 222 passing yards on the season. This dual threat gives Nor vell the confidence that Trav is is the right pick to take on the Irish. “Jordan prov ides a lot of versatilit y and f lex ibilit y of what we want to do and what we can do,” he said. Irish sophomore safet y Kyle Hamilton races to the end zone after an interception in his first game at Notre Dame Stadium on Sep. 14 where they beat New Mex ico 66-14 at Notre Dame Stadium. That said, Nor vell made it clear that Blackman and freshman quarterback Tate

Rodemaker should prepare to take the field come Saturday. “Guys w ill go to work and be ready and prepare for whatever might come their way,” Novell said. “Jordan has established himself as the starter this week and I think he’s going to go out there and play the game the way he’s been play ing it. I’m excited about him being able to assume that role this week and go make the most of it.” As Trav is looks to beat the Irish both on the ground and in the air, he’ll rely heav ily on redshirt junior w ide receiver Tamorrion Terr y. The 6-foot-4 target out of Ashburn, Georgia has continued to put up impressive numbers averaging nearly 11 yards a catch. Nor vell commented on Terr y’s grow th throughout the offseason and his potential going for ward, saying he has the chance to be “one of the most dominant receivers in college football.” “He challenged himself, he sets expectations,” Nor vell said. “Some of his best plays are when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands, which is an exciting thing to say about a w ide receiver, so he’s got to continue to push, continue to improve but I see him embracing that challenge.” W hile Trav is is clearly a key piece to the Seminole’s run game, the Irish defensive line w ill certainly have to watch the running back trio of Law rence Toafili, Jashaun Corbin and La’Damien Webb, all of whom have recorded 100 yards or more throughout this season. Nor vell credited his coaching staff for their progression. “With great coaches, you’re able to bring out the best of what those guys have,” he said. In arguably the biggest game of Nor vell’s young career thus far, he recognizes the challenges he’s up against. “We have to be relentless w ith ever y snap that we play. Our best players have to play their best game,” he said. “I’m excited about the challenge in front of us and the opportunit y that’s there Saturday night.” Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu

Football

38, FSU 10

Continued from page 16

Ellen Geyer — Senior Sports Writer

FSU. The only way the Seminoles would muster up a w in would be if the Irish were not able to handle this t wo week break well and they hand a w in directly to their opponent. Unless Nor vell has a trick up his sleeve w ith his shift y redshirt sophomore quarterback Jordan Trav is, I cannot see how he w ill come out of South Bend in a better situation than he is in now: fighting to keep his team above water.

Life has felt kind of meaningless the past few weeks w ithout Notre Dame football. Finally, hope has returned w ith the daw n of this week’s matchup against Florida State. I could see this game going one of t wo ways: 1. Notre Dame comes out f lat, much like in the season opener against Duke, because a w in’s a w in, but the offense looks lack luster and there’s nothing to w rite home about. 2. Notre Dame comes out on a COV ID revenge-tour, scoring early and often, much the way it did against USF. I hope for the second option, and in my past life I’d say the first is more likely, but I’m tr y ing to be more optimistic this year (what can I say, maybe I’ve gone soft w ith age). So for all intents and purposes, let’s say we’re going through door number t wo. To be blunt, Florida State is bad. Head coach Mike Nor vell has yet to find a rhy thm in his first season w ith a tenure disrupted by his ow n bout of coronav irus in mid-September. His squad’s 0-2 in-conference, and the season’s single v ictor y came against FCS opponent Jacksonv ille State, who still managed to put up 24 points in the loss. That seems prett y concerning, considering the Seminoles pride themselves on being “DBU.” Though the Irish offense hasn’t quite found its rhy thm through the air. A few weeks off have hopefully given Ian Book a chance to get comfortable w ith his new receivers. Add in the return of Kyle Hamilton on the other side of the ball and Notre Dame w ill be a force to be reckoned w ith. Under the lights in South Bend,

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 42, FSU 10

pa ndemic, a nd study ing f ilm, according to Johnson. It seems to have worked so fa r. They a ren’t slow ing dow n eit her. W hen asked about t he emot ion in t he locker room a f ter t he Sy racuse sweep. “There’s st i l l so much more out t here for t his g roup,” he sa id. Players a nd coaches a li ke a re committed to cont inue improv ing, a nd toget her indiv idua ls a re a lready being recog ni zed for t heir play. This week a lone junior Cha rley Niego was na med t he ACCs Player of t he Week, whi le f reshma n Lindsey Mi l ler was chosen as t he ACCs Freshma n of

t he Week. Across t he pa ir of w ins aga inst Sy racuse, t he t wo players tota led 54 k i l ls. Johnson says t hat he “wou ld li ke to t hin k t hat our tea m is li ke a fa mi ly, a nd when you’re in a fa mi ly you f ight for your fa mi ly.” The Not re Da me women’s vol leyba l l tea m is going to keep f ight ing. The 2020 Fa l l NC A A Cha mpionships may have been moved to t he spring a nd cut by 16 tea ms, but t he Irish a re certa in ly ma k ing t heir case for a spot. They a re yet to be beaten, a nd t hey ta ke on Pitt nex t weekend at home.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 42, FSU 16

Charlotte Edmonds Senior Sports Writer

—

Has it actually been three weeks?! I feel like I just emerged from an alternate universe and somehow time froze in bet ween. That frozen time w ill certainly be the hope for Notre Dame football as they tr y to fend off any rust they may have built up since routing USF 52-0. W hile there are bound to be some hiccups, it looks like the team is essentially back in full force just as the schedule is getting into full sw ing. I expect Florida State w ill tr y to assert themselves from the first snap, maybe give Notre Dame a scare or t wo, but as the game goes on the Irish w ill continue to wear dow n the Seminoles. This is Florida State we’re talking about, so certainly nothing to scoff at, but they’ve lost the luster they once had in their prime. Not even a few token recruits can change this outcome. Irish cover the spread and move on to Louisv ille. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame

Volleyball Continued from page 16

control is our effort, we control our att itude, we cont rol our improvement, a nd we’ll put our energ y t here, a nd let t he ra n k ings ta ke ca re of t hemselves,” he sa id. The Fight ing Irish have been doing just t hat. Despite losing t heir spring t ra ining due to t he coronav ir us, t he coaching sta f f a nd players looked for t he oppor tunit y in ever y cha llenge t hat t hey faced. Of f t he cour t a nd on t heir ow n, t hey focused on ma x imi zing physica l f it ness, coming toget her as a tea m despite t he oddit ies of t he

I think the Irish w ill take care of business quick ly.

Aidan Thomas — Sports Writer Is it dra mat ic to say t hat if Not re Da me loses t his ga me, I’l l t ra nsfer? Maybe a litt le bit, but t his wou ld be a n absolutely devastat ing defeat to a t ra in w reck of a squad in Florida State. The Seminoles have been at rocious t his yea r, a nd t hey a re yet to beat a n FBS opponent. A nd one of t hose FBS opponents was Georg ia Tech ... who lost by 17 points to a n abysma l Sy racuse tea m. In t wo FBS contests, Florida State has combined for 23 points whi le surrendering 68. Ex pect Not re Da me’s defense, which has g iven up 13 points in t wo ga mes, to completely shut dow n t he Seminoles, whi le t he Irish pound t he rock w it h r unning backs li ke sophomore Ky ren Wi l lia ms, f reshma n Chris Ty ree a nd junior C’Bo Flemister. Graduate student qua r terback Ia n Book gets junior receiver Kev in Aust in back, as wel l as g raduate t ra nsfer receiver Ben Skow ronek, so t he t hird-yea r sta r ter w i l l have some more weapons to ut i li ze, a nd I a nt icipate Not re Da me gett ing on t he boa rd ea rly a nd of ten. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 41, FSU 10 Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu, Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu, Charlotte Edmonds cedmond3@nd.edu, and Ellen Geyer at egeyer1@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Contact Riley Walsh at rwalsh22@nd.edu

The observer | Friday, October 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

FOOTBALL

Staff predictions: Florida State Seminoles Observer Sports Staff

Hayden Adams — Sports Editor And we’re back! It’s been a long two weeks since the Irish postponed their game against Wake Forest. Now they’re looking dow n the barrel at Florida State. The Seminoles are presumably looking dow n their ow n barrel, but theirs is essentially the barrel of a BB or Nerf gun. Remember when Louisv ille went 2-10 two seasons ago when Bobby Petrino got fired and their players all quit on the season? Bet money the Seminoles players would have done the exact same thing three games in if they lost to FCS opponent Jacksonv ille State this past weekend, and w ith games against Notre Dame, North Carolina, Louisv ille and Pitt in succession, I don’t think it w ill be too long before they eventually do take a mulligan on the year. FSU dropped a 16-13

decision to Georgia Tech, a game in which they blocked two field goals and intercepted two passes and still came out the losing end. Their talent eventually overwhelmed JSU, but against archival Miami they laid dow n and got run over to the tune of 317 passing yards and 200 rushing in a 52-10 trouncing. Put bluntly, there’s no conceivable way Notre Dame should lose this game, and they could probably have won w ith 39 players in quarantine and isolation. FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 34, FSU 17

Jimmy Ward — Associate Sports Editor No. 5-ranked, yes — number: five; nationally: ranked — Notre Dame, against ... an unranked Florida State. This game would be a lot more exciting if the Seminoles were as intimidating as they were under Jimbo Fisher. But that’s not the

case here. The situation at FSU is turbulent to say the least. Mike Nor vell had to w in over not just his fan base but his ow n roster, and now, as he sits at 1-2, he faces a tough match in Notre Dame. That is, if this Notre Dame team is in the same place it was t wo week ago. But the last t wo weeks for the Irish could be described as turbulent, too. Notre Dame football was overshadowed by one of the w ildest national news stories in our countr y’s histor y that its Universit y was directly involved in. This football team has certainly seen a thing or t wo in the past couple of weeks. To echo probably just about ever y coach in the countr y right now, the biggest opponent for ever y team is not necessarily one that is on their schedule. But the fact of the matter is Notre Dame is the fifth best college football team in

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

see FOOTBALL PAGE 15

Irish graduate student quarterback Ian Book shakes a defender while he carries the ball during Notre Dame’s win against Navy Nov. 16.

COLUMN

VOLLEYBALL

No. 5 Notre Dame sweeps New Irish offense built for long-term top-ranked Syracuse By RILEY WALSH

Aidan Thomas

Sports Writer

Fifth in the nation after sweeping nationally ranked Sy racuse, the Notre Dame women’s volleyball team is off to an undefeated start to the season, and they are just warming up, according to head coach Mike Johnson. Last weekend, the team overcame then No. 5 ranked Sy racuse handily in back to back games. On Friday, they took the first match three games to one, and when they returned on Saturday, they knocked dow n the Orange in three consecutive sets. Now sitting at 3-0, the volleyball team has claimed Sy racuse’s former spot at the fifth rank in the NCA A, but Coach Mike Johnson and the players aren’t focusing on the rankings. Johnson says that the see VOLLEYBALL PAGE 15

CONNERY MCFADDEN | The Observer

Irish junior setter Zoe Nunez sets the ball during Notre Dame’s 3-1 win over Wake Forest on Oct. 6, 2019 in the Purcell Pavilion.

Last season, after a somewhat underwhelming season opener, Notre Dame welcomed an overmatched New Mexico State squad to Notre Dame Stadium, where the Irish pounded the Lobos 6614. After struggling to establish offensive consistency at Louisville 12 days earlier, then-senior quarterback Ian Book tossed for 360 yards and five touchdowns. Ten different Irish players had a reception as Notre Dame worked out the kinks in its passing game, taking deep shots and opening up its offensive scheme. Meanwhile, the rushing attack took a relative backseat. They accumulated just 157 yards on the ground — 87 of which came from the three different Irish quarterbacks to play in the game. This season, after underwhelming in a 27-13 victory over Duke to start the year, Notre Dame hosted its lone non-conference opponent of the year: South Florida. Many expected to see offensive coordinator Tommy Rees open up the

passing game once more against an inferior squad, allowing thirdyear starter Book to establish a connection with a largely unproven wide receiver corps. Rather, Book attempted just 19 passes in a little more than one half of action, completing 12 of them for 144 yards. He didn’t deliver a scoring strike with his arm, running for three short touchdown runs. He let his backfield do much of the damage, as sophomore Kyren Williams, freshman Chris Tyree and junior C’Bo Flemister combined for 254 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The result was largely the same, as Notre Dame thrashed USF 52-0, but the showing raised a lot of questions. Is this run-heavy approach the new-look Irish attack? And, if so, is that a good thing or a bad thing? To me, it seems likely that Brian Kelly and Rees are putting an emphasis on the run game this year given their scheme against the Bulls. While it’s possible that getting graduate transfer receiver Ben Skowronek back see THOMAS PAGE 13

Insider

ndsmcobserver.com | FRIDAY, october 9, 2020 | The Observer

Notre Dame looks to make gains in recruiting, on gridiron against Florida State By JIMMY WARD Sports Editor

Although Notre Dame football has flown under the radar for the past couple of weeks, work on the recruiting trail has not been stymied. And as the Irish gear up for Florida State, it is important to remember just how much of a recruiting influence this game may have. The Seminoles (1-2, 0-2 ACC) have not been on an upward trend since 2014, when Jameis Winston led them to the program’s first College Football Playoff. That said, a marquee win for them on the national stage against a top-ranked opponent would be huge for them in terms of recruiting. Irish Breakdown publisher Bryan Driskell emphasized how a big win could change things on the recruiting trail in Tallahassee. “I think sometimes we get wrapped up into the record of the opponent, you know. Florida State is 1-2 and they’re coming off a down year, but with recruits [it’s] still Florida State,” Driskell said. “For Florida State, they so desperately need a signature [win].

Doerer Continued from page 4

when they needed him to. A few games later, he would step up even further. In another night matchup, this time against archrival USC, Doerer converted on three field goals, including a 52-yarder into the wind. It was the first 50-yard field goal for the Irish since Yoon kicked one against Navy in 2015. That conversion was of the utmost importance considering Notre Dame escaped with a threepoint victory. “I realized I had to make a lot of technical advancements in my game if I wanted to play at the level that I wanted to, [that I] needed to,” Doerer said in regard to his preparation for the 2019 season. “And so, that was just a lot of time working on a lot of fundamentals, whether it be … shortening my steps, being more compact in my swing, working on ball striking, all those little things that add up to … make a difference on Saturdays.” It made a difference against

Lenzy Continued from page 4

is listed as a second-string wide receiver, backing up both junior Braden Lenzy and graduate student Javon McKinley. He will almost certainly be

They need a win that shows, ‘Hey, this new coaching staff is getting things turned around, they’re going to be okay, they’re going to get Florida State back.’” The Irish are heavily favored against FSU and have much more to lose than to gain heading into this weekend. A win might not look overwhelmingly impressive from the outside, but it could be significant for Notre Dame’s recruiting scene in the state of Florida and the south as a whole, an area of the country which takes high school football far more seriously than most, and never fails to churn out elite talent year after year. Driskell likened this weekend’s matchup to a past Notre Dame win over another Florida team. “This game reminds me a lot of the 2010 Miami bowl game where Notre Dame beat Miami,” he said. “That was a 7-6 Miami team going through a coaching change and it still is carrying a lot of weight on the recruiting trail because it’s Miami. And this is a similar situation. It’s Florida State ... And if Notre Dame can really take control this series and have

an impressive win against Florida State on Saturday, that’s gonna have an impact as Notre Dame tries to get back down in the southeast, and continue recruiting in Georgia and also in the state of Florida and Louisiana, states where they’ve tried to pay a lot more attention in recent seasons.” In the grand scheme of things, Notre Dame is doing a solid job building a recruiting class, despite the dead period that is in effect until Jan. 1. that prohibits recruits from making physical visits to campuses. Notre Dame currently has the 9th-ranked 2021 recruiting class according to 247sports. com. They have accumulated 19 commits and they are slowly moving into the territory of powerhouse recruiting schools. Two recent commits of major significance are a pair of Georgia receivers: Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas. Both four-star recruits would be filling a hole that would be left in the receiving corps next season. These receivers will pair nicely with Lorenzo Styles Jr., another receiver the Irish have committed out of

Pickerington, OH, who would help Colzie and Thomas spread the field well. The offensive line is also not making any departure from its dominance. Rocco Spindler and Blake Fisher are a pair of lineman that will certainly have some big shoes to fill, but they both seem more than ready to get to work with the Irish. In this day and age, verbal commitments frankly don’t hold as much value as they once did, and the process is never truly finished until the recruits enroll in classes, Driskell said. Notre Dame has already lost one commit in four-star corner Philip Riley, who flipped to USC last week. Driskell said that Notre Dame and all teams need to focus on their commits even if they appear to be invested. “I think getting a verbal commitment a lot of times tends to mean, ‘Okay, this is the school everybody now has to beat,’” Driskell said. “We’ve seen that with Notre Dame; they’ve lost their fair share of players in this class alone. Obviously, they lost Philip Riley in this class, but

they were then able to flip [three-star defensive end] Will Schweitzer from Nebraska. So, yes, it’s just a part of it. I think what we’ve seen really happen over the last 5 to 10 years is schools are pushing these young men to make decisions so much earlier.” Some of these recruits commit when they are high school sophomores and juniors, Driskell said, and years later, might feel that they made a mistake. “I mean, a lot of these kids are committing ... when they’re 15- or 16-years-old,” he said. “And then as they kind of see things play out, they start thinking, ‘maybe I made a decision for the wrong reasons.’ Nine times out of 10 that results in them going to another school.” So as Notre Dame heads into this matchup against a dilapidated Florida State that doesn’t expect a win, the real battle is taking place outside the scoreboard as the yearround endeavor that is recruiting continues.

the Trojans. Doerer earned the game ball that night and, perhaps more impressively, was dubbed The Observer’s Player of the Game in our postgame Irish Insider. He also credited the way he went about his business outside of football with helping him progress on the field. “There’s also other aspects of life just, you know, ultimately just being more serious, doing a better job with your schoolwork, being more on top of your social life; all the things that I feel like I didn’t handle that well when I was younger, that I got a lot better at handling when I was older,” he said. “That contributed to getting better as a football player.” Even after missing a field goal apiece against Virginia, in a slog on the road against Stanford and, perhaps most imperatively, in a 21-20 win over Virginia Tech, Doerer remained steadfast in his approach. Against the Hokies, on the ensuing offensive possession following Doerer’s miss from 35 yards graduate student

quarterback Ian Book capped an 18-play, 87-yard drive with a game-tying six points with 29 seconds left. It would then come down to Doerer’s extra point attempt to put the Irish on top. Following a low snap and clutch hold by sophomore punter/holder Jay Bramblett, Doerer nailed the extra point, just like any of the other 56 PAT attempts he knocked through without a miss on the year. Doerer spoke to the importance of the relationship he has with the other specialists in his kicking unit. “Me and Jay have a great relationship,” Doerer said. “I have a ton of confidence in [him]; high school quarterback, he’s got great hands, really good athlete. Same thing with [junior] Michael Vinson, our long snapper; we have a great relationship and a lot of trust there, which certainly makes my job that much easier.” Doerer would finish his junior season 57-57 on extra points and 17-20 on field goals. His 85% conversion rate

on field goals was better than all but one of Yoon’s four years as kicker, and the 17 makes tied Yoon’s single-season high as a senior. Doerer would cap 2019 with a 4-4 performance against Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl (now the CheezIt Bowl), including a 51-yard knuckleball through the uprights. His shrug of apparent disbelief after that make underscores the impressive gains Doerer has made. But despite the impressive stat line he had amassed, Doerer didn’t rest on his laurels. “I tried to come to this field when I was a junior, you know, five times a week in the spring, six times a week in the summer,” Doerer said. “That didn’t mean I kicked every day; that meant I was working on something kicking related every day. And that just allowed me to build confidence — my routine and confidence — what I was doing that made performing that much easier.” So far this season Doerer — who plans to come back for a fifth year thanks to the NCAA’s coronavirus-motivated

blanket waiver — is 3-4 on field goals, having missed a chippie against South Florida. It might make one wonder about the impact of a diminished crowd on a kicker, but Doerer downplayed that factor. “I honestly haven’t been able to notice that much of a difference,” he said. “I think we’ve done a really good job keeping the game day atmosphere as realistic as possible given the circumstances. And for me, it’s never really about who’s in the stands. You know, when you’re on the field, does it feel like there’s 80,000 people out there? You don’t really realize that.” All in all, Doerer has matured to the point that even misses fail to faze him. “Misses happen,” he said. “The game goes on. Like we like to say, ‘the most important kick is the next kick; the most important play in football is next play.’ So I feel pretty comfortable if I miss; it’s part of the game, it’s gonna happen. But, you know, just move on. It’s all about the next kick.”

getting meaningful reps against the Bulls, and his knowledge and football IQ will be a valuable asset for an Irish offense trying to mesh together into a lethal unit. Getting reps Saturday will bring things full circle for Wilkins as he works his way onto the field

with Irish — back in his freshman year of high school, the Fort Myers product received his first offer from the Bulls. As such, Wilkins is familiar with several members of the USF roster, including running back Darrian Felix, who went to Fort Myers High School.

But for Wilkins, playing USF is just another step on the way to bigger goals. He’s overcome too much at this point to get bogged down about a single play, or a game with potential emotional value. His goals remain team-oriented. “I just want to help my team

win games,” he said. “No specific goals. I don’t care about catches, reception yards, touchdowns, none of that. I just want to do whatever the coaches tell me and help my team win.”

Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu

Contact Hayden Adams at hadams3@nd.edu

Contact Ellen Geyer at egeyer1@nd.edu

Insider

The observer | FRIDAY, october 9, 2020 | ndsmcobserver.com

FOOTBALL

From doubtful to dependable: Doerer proves vital following initial struggles as placekicker By HAYDEN ADAMS Sports Editor

Jonathan Doerer is taking everything in stride. He’s approaching it in a similar way to how he does his on-field duties — minus the deep breaths, visualization and four twists of his arm that make up his pre-kick ritual. His time with the Irish has been a journey, one in which the current result was not always clear. “I came in, I mean, I [was] 18, 19 years old. I had certain expectations for what this was going to be like that were obviously wrong,” Doerer said. The senior placekicker and kickoff specialist out of Charlotte, NC came in as the 14th-ranked kicker in the 2017 class per 247Sports. After serving almost exclusively in kickoff duty during his first two seasons, the starting kicker spot opened up when Notre Dame’s all-time leading scorer, Justin Yoon, graduated following the 2018 campaign. While not on the level of a typical off-season Notre Dame quarterback competition, the kicking position saw its own battle going into 2019. Current sophomore Harrison Leonard was reportedly challenging for the starting spot, with talks that the preferred walk-on might actually beat Doerer out.

Doerer’s first impression as a kicker was not the most ideal. He was an injury plug for Yoon against Navy in 2018, and he proceeded to miss his first extra point attempt of the game. Granted, he went 5-6 on PATs for the contest, plus a 30-yard field goal against the Midshipmen, but it appeared that it wasn’t clicking for Doerer. “When I was younger … I wasn’t thinking as much about what I needed to do, what this looked like, what success looked like,” Doerer said. “So I didn’t believe as much that I was going to be as good, and I didn’t really know what that looked like. I’ve started a little bit, and that kind of recalibrated my mind and what success … meant for me, what I needed to do to get there.” Fast forward 10 months, and Doerer was 5-5 on extra points in a season-opening win at Louisville. The next game he was 7-7 with a 36-yard field goal to close the first half against New Mexico. He was passing the eye test, but then came the real one: a top-10 road matchup with Georgia. Doerer knocked through both of his extra point attempts and his lone field goal, a 27-yarder, that gave Notre Dame a 10-7 halftime lead over the Bulldogs. In spite of an eventual Notre Dame loss, Doerer did his job see DOERER PAGE 3

KENDRA OSINSKI | The Observer

Irish senior placekicker Jonathan Doerer lines up to kick off during Notre Dame’s home win against Bowling Green on Oct. 5, 2019. The Irish defeated the Falcons 52-0 with eight points from Doerer.

Lenzy adjusts to become true receiving threat By ELLEN GEYER Senior Sports Writer

Braden Lenzy takes a lot of ice baths. The junior from Oregon was told he’d never be great if he didn’t. W hy’d he trust the man who told him so? Because it was Kobe Br yant. A w ide receiver embarking on his third season, Lenzy’s father used to work w ith the Black Mamba, a realit y which gave his son the opportunit y to learn from one of the world’s greatest athletes. Taking those lessons to heart, Lenzy is approaching this season differently — he even changed his number from 25 to zero to reinforce it. “I sw itched to zero. It’s a pride thing,” Lenzy said. “W hen I looked at 25, it kind of reminded me of when I was in high school and early on in college — just a sprinter, just a runner or a track guy play ing football. I thought getting a single digit

number would kind of make me feel more like a true receiver, which I feel like that’s what I’ve developed into.” The path to that development hasn’t been easy. In his freshman campaign, Lenzy didn’t see the field. As a sophomore, he played in nine games but only started two. “Freshman year, in truth, it took me about three days to realize I wasn’t ready. I called my mom and dad, and I was like, ‘I’m doing the best I can, but just know, it might not happen this year,’” he said. “Then came into year two and didn’t play in the opening game. And my parents came and I was really frustrated because I thought I was gonna play. At that point, my whole goal was: I’m going to do whatever I can right now to play, and then in the offseason, I want to become like a true w ide receiver.” Lenzy’s now had that offseason opportunit y, but w ith COV ID-19 protocols

and a week-one hamstring injur y, he hasn’t had the chance to showcase how far he’s come. Though he played against South Florida, he had just one carr y and three receptions for 37 yards of total offense. “I haven’t really been able to display that through spring ball,” Lenzy said. “I missed the first game, and I wasn’t fully healthy for USF. But, my hope and my goal is: one, to see us w in, but t wo, that I can show my development and grow into myself and advance as a football player.” Despite that disappointment, Lenzy feels any thing but resentment for the fact that in his absence, his teammates have had the chance to shine. “[Against Duke] I got to see my friends play. We had a good w in. I got to see my family, who I hadn’t seen in months,” he said. “It sucks not to play, but at the end of see LENZY PAGE 4

ERIN FENNESSY | The Observer

Irish junior wide receiver Braden Lenzy takes off down the sideline during Notre Dame’s 40-7 win over Boston College at home Nov. 23.