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OU DAILY
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH BARNEY AND CAITLYN EPES
Junior cornerback Parnell Motley pumps up the crowd before the Rose Bowl against Georgia Jan. 1. The Sooners’ defensive players are ready to redeem themselves this season.
GETTING DEFENSIVE Leaders of Oklahoma defense ready to take charge of new year despite mocking, criticism from fans
S
aturday will mark 243 days since Sony Michel went untouched into the south end zone of the Rose Bowl, ending Oklahoma’s national title hopes. M i c h e l ’s t o u c h d o w n l e f t Sooner Nation with a bitter taste in its mouth. The loss was one of the biggest stings Oklahoma fans have experienced in recent history. Most fans can’t bear to rewatch the game or even talk about it, for that matter. The Sooners were arguably a squib kick or a fourthdown conversion or a completed pass to Rodney Anderson away from winning a national championship. But as the old saying goes, defense wins championships, and Oklahoma’s defense was nowhere near championship quality in 2017. Yet there still seems to be optimism surrounding the team even after it lost its best pass rusher and a three-year starter at safety. The odds are in the Sooners’ favor — it can’t get much worse than last year. Expectations are high, jobs may be on the line and returning players know their starting spots aren’t safe. And, while Oklahoma fans continue to have nightmares about the game that must not be named, a few Sooners have turned it into motivation. “I’ve watched the Rose Bowl 128 times,” said now-sophomore linebacker Kenneth Murray at Big 12 Media Days in July. “Every play, every snap — nobody has d i s s e c t e d i t m o re t ha n m e. Watching that motivates me for this season. It’s over with, it’s a new season.” When Oklahoma takes the field at 11 a.m. Saturday, its Jordan Brand jerseys won’t be the only new feature fans see. On the backs of those jerseys will be unfamiliar names, and underneath those crimson helmets will be fresh faces hungry to flip the script of the Oklahoma defense. “Another day, another dollar,” junior corner Parnell Motley
GEORGE STOIA • @GEORGESTOIA said with a smile. “New year, new team. We know what happened last year, but we’re ready to start new and move on.” “WE KNOW HOW OUR DEFENSE IS PERCEIVED.” Oklahoma’s defense used to be great. It boasted players like Lee Roy Selmon, Brian Bosworth, Roy Williams and Gerald McCoy. Oklahoma prided itself on defense in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and early 2000s. Today, national media and fans laugh at the Sooner defense. “We just have to block out that noise,” said Motley, who led the Sooners in interceptions last season. “We hear it. We heard it last year, we heard it all season.” “We know how our defense is perceived,” Murray added. “But it’s a new year. It’s time to start new.” Murray is one of the unquestioned leaders of this Sooner defense. He, among others, hopes to be the one that finally rights the ship. He rarely smiles, focused on the task at hand. Whether it be answering a reporter’s question or tackling his opponent, Murray is always dialed in. He’s no longer a freshman — he’s the voice of Oklahoma’s defense. “At the end of the day, I’m saying I want the defense to be built around me,” Murray said. “I’ve
got to be the one that deals with what comes with it ... If someone isn’t lined up correctly, it doesn’t matter what the excuse is, it’s going to come back on me.” Murray feels personally responsible for how the Rose Bowl played out. He missed tackles and took bad angles, leading to a host of mistakes. He spent his
“It’s a two-way
thing: You keep that chip on your shoulder, but at the same time you realize this is a whole new unit, a whole new team.” KENNETH MURRAY, SOPHOMORE LINEBACKER
summer in the film room, breaking down every game from last season and watching players like Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly. He’s ready to play with an edge in 2018. He’s ready to lead Oklahoma’s defense. “We’re definitely going to have a chip on our shoulders because of the way it ended,” Murray said. “It’s a two-way thing: You keep that chip on your shoulder,
but at the same time you realize this is a whole new unit, a whole new team.” “HE’S A GENIUS.” Last spring, Murray stood b e f o re t h e m e d i a d u r i n g a post-practice interview. A reporter asked him about defensive coordinator Mike Stoops and his perception as a play-caller. Murray quickly cut the question off and proceeded to give an answer no one expected. “He’s a genius, and I mean that with all my heart,” Murray said about Stoops. “That man, he knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s putting players in the right position to make plays. The defense he teaches us — it’s a great defense, it’s a pretty easy defense to understand.” Stoops’ defense hasn’t lived up to expectations in the recent past, and fans are quick to point that out. They finished 67th in total defense last year and tied for 70th in turnovers gained. The offense, led by Baker Mayfield, bailed them out of multiple holes throughout the season. Eight months ago, just days after the Sooners’ 54-48 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff, a fan created a petition to fire Stoops. As of Aug. 29, it had 226 supporters. This still seems low considering the amount of Stoops slander that is found when searching him on
Twitter. He’s aware of the criticism — it’s hard to miss. But he speaks w ith confidence and opens every interview the same way. “Fire away,” Stoops always says when he steps before the media each Tuesday, indicating he’s ready for the bombardment of questions about his defense. Every year, he says he likes the players he has and isn’t afraid to play the role of the scapegoat. This year will be no different. And when Saturday finally rolls around, if Stoops’ defense pitches a shutout, it’ll be the players that made it happen, and if they give up 50 points, it’ll be Stoops that takes the blame. “We have a lot of good pieces,” Stoops said Tuesday, Aug. 28. “We’re going to play the guys that give us the best opportunity to win on Saturday ... We feel confident in the guys we have.” “IT’S TIME TO START OVER. IT’S TIME TO IMPROVE.” The word “new” has been a consistent theme for the defense this offseason. New year. New team. New players. Saturday will end a healing process — a process that started 243 days earlier. The sting of the Rose Bowl isn’t going away anytime soon, but it’s a fresh start. The offense more than likely,will be one of the best in the countr y once again, returning multiple playmakers in Rodney Anderson, CeeDee Lamb and Marquise Brown. But Oklahoma’s season will come down to its defense, just like it did eight months ago. The 11 players that will trot onto Owen Field to represent Oklahoma’s defense Saturday know that. “Life goes on,” Motley said. “It’s time to start over. It’s time to improve.” George Stoia
georgestoia@ou.edu
LOOK INSIDE FOR FOOTBALL PREVIEW
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops stands on the field before the Big 12 Championship game Dec. 2. Stoops said he is confident in his defensive players this season.
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• August 30-September 2, 2018
SPORTS
George Stoia, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
Linebacker battles for position
With so many bright stars, players fight to earn starts KEGAN RENEAU @keganreneau
Stars shine bright on game days. Former five-star and junior linebacker Caleb Kelly moved inside to the weakside linebacker position. He’s been vocal about how this is the year he needs to start shining. The opportunity is there with the position opening up, but redshirt senior Curtis Bolton hasn’t backed down from the battle. “With Caleb moving inside, it took some time to make that transition from outside to inside,” said inside linebackers coach Tim Kish. “Curtis Bolton has
played both positions, and he’s probably a little more comfortable in there right now.” Bolton is a former threestar linebacker from Murrieta, California. He hasn’t made a single start in his Oklahoma career, but appeared in 20 games. Last season, Bolton was a part of special blitz packages. He played meaningful snaps in the Sooners’ 31-16 win over Ohio State as the backup to now-Seattle Seahawk Emmanuel Beal. Two weeks later, he came dow n w ith an injur y in the 49-41 win over Baylor. Surgery was required on his ankle and ended his season, but that didn’t deter Bolton from getting ready for this season. “It’s hard when you prepare s o much from the end of the season before
... it hurts when you put in all that effort and hard work and it comes to a season-ending injury,” Bolton said. “But that’s the time where you got to mature up, get back to it when you get back on your feet and after that, it’s go time.” Coach Lincoln Riley indicated on Monday that both will play in the season opener against Florida Atlantic on Saturday, but to what capacity hasn’t been determined. A five-star who is trying to churn out his own path continues to battle a former three-star recruit and redshirt senior on his last chance to play. Bolton hasn’t won the job yet, but will get the opportunity to shine and win a position battle that seemed over when Kelly changed positions in the offseason.
“One of the things Curtis afforded us last year, and you know he came in special packages and we used him in a lot of different third down because he’s a playmaker,” Kish said. “He’s got the most experience of anybody having played several positions for us this year. I think that’s been a boost for him and a confidence build for him as well, and he’s really been a big time playmaker in camp as well.” Kegan Reneau
keganreneau@ou.edu
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CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
Junior linebacker Caleb Kelly runs with the ball after a fumble recovery during the Big 12 Championship game Dec. 2. Kelly has moved to the inside linebacker position for the Sooners.
Corner continues consistency in camp Tre Norwood earns his nickname on the field, in practice ABBY BITTERMAN @abby_bitterman
Mr. Consistent. Not a bad nickname for anyone on the field, especially a corner. That’s what assistant defense coordinator and defensive backs coach Ker r y Co oks has been calling sophomore corner Tre Norwood, sophomore linebacker Kenneth Murray said Monday. “He’s a consistent dude,
and he’s out there playing,” Murray said. Last season, Norwood hadn’t seen much action until Bedlam. During the game in Stillwater, then-senior Jordan Thomas got hurt and then-sophomore Parnell Motley was getting beat, so then-freshmen Tre Brown and Tre Norwood stepped up. Norwood had a team-leading seven tackles, also a career high, and two pass breakups. “Definitely I’ve seen consistency off this guy,” Motley said. “He’s a young guy. That’s one of the true guys I saw come in last year
as a young guy. He came off a high intensity game and just kept his poise.” After the Oklahoma State game, Norwood took over as a starter, making his debut against TCU and starting every game after that. He finished the season with 30 total tackles and eight pass breakups after having recorded only four tackles and one pass breakup going into Bedlam. “I feel like the games I played in last year have helped me out a lot this year,” Norwood said. “I feel like I’m much more comfortable, myself, with the
defense as a whole, knowing the techniques, knowing the calls. So I feel like I’m starting to gain a comfort level and starting to play how I know how to play.” Motley said Norwood has shown consistency through fall camp. In a defense that might have best been described as inconsistent last season — especially in the secondary — Norwood’s play may prove incredibly valuable if it transitions into games. This season, Norwood, Brown and Motley are battling for the two
starting spots at corner, but Nor w o od said the y all wish the best for each other. They look to help each other get better while they’re competing, he said, and the competition keeps them from getting complacent. At the end of last season, the Sooners ranked No. 87 in passing yards allowed per game, giving up an average of 238.3 yards in the air. A buzz word like consistent may be just what Oklahoma’s defense needs to change the reputation it earned last year. What does Norwood do
to earn the nickname of Mr. Consistent? “I just pride myself on being consistent,” he said. “You always want to keep going up, you never want to go down. If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. My main thing is to always work hard every day in practice and to better myself. That’s the main thing is staying consistent and making plays.” Abby Bitterman abbybitt@ou.edu
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SPORTS
August 30 - Septemer 2, 2018 •
SATURDAY SELECTIONS Football is officially back. And this season, our writers will be predicting every Sooners game. Here are George Stoia’s, Abby Bitterman’s and Kegan Reneau’s predictions for Oklahoma’s season opener against Florida Atlantic.
GEORGE STOIA When Oklahoma scheduled Florida Atlantic, no one thought it would be a game the Sooners would have circled on their schedule, but the Owls may just be the OU’s toughest non-conference game in 2018. Featuring star running back Devin Singletary, FAU presents some serious problems to an already shaky Sooner defense. But in the end, I think Oklahoma’s offense and talent will be too much.
SCORE PREDICTION
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ABBY BITTERMAN Lane Kiffin is coming to town on Saturday, and that means anything could happen. OU’s matchup with FAU isn’t one that would have been predicted to draw too much attention when it was scheduled, but the Owls are hot and, as Lincoln Riley pointed out on Monday, probably one of the top 25 teams in the country. The Sooners’ young defense could have some problems with an FAU offense that ranked No. 9 in the country last season. However, Oklahoma has quite a bit of offensive firepower and talent itself, so this should be close.
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OU- 52 FAU- 35
KEGAN RENEAU Two innovative offensive minds meet in a game that has more hype around it than when it was scheduled. The Owls come into Norman soaring on a 10-game win streak with hopes to keep their name relevant on a national stage. Lane Kiffin and Lincoln Riley will exchange blows on big plays, but who can get the most stops when it is needed? Oklahoma’s talent level has grown exponentially after backto-back top 10 recruiting classes, and it gives them the edge they need against one of the country’s best running backs, Devin Singletary, and a defense returning 10 starters from a year ago.
OU- 56 FAU- 31
OU’s O-line tries to skip growing pains Redshirts vie for spot in newly remodeled offense KEGAN RENEAU @keganreneau
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
The Red team offensive line prepares for a play during the spring game April 14. The Sooners are experiencing a shift in leadership that could affect their offensive positions.
Sooners to face friend, former OU teammate FAU player used to wear different kind of red on Saturdays GEORGE STOIA @GeorgeStoia
Chris Robison’s time in Norman was short — eight months to be exact. A former class of 2017 standout, Robison was dismissed from the Sooners program in August of 2017 after receiving a public intoxication in April and sitting out the entire summer. Now, a year later, the former four-star quarterback will be back in Norman this Saturday, but not in a Sooners uniform. He’ll be on the East sideline donning Florida Atlantic’s red, white and blue jersey. “I recruited him. I got to know his family really well, great people. Chris is a great kid,” Riley said. “It’s unfortunate it didn’t work out here. I hate that it didn’t work out. It seems like he’s made a good, fresh start ... I definitely keep up with him.” Robison and Riley had a close relationship. The
Mesquite, Texas, native was one of Riley’s first recruits, and is now fighting to be the starting quarterback for Kiffin. He was also one of the leaders in the 2017 class. Being an early enrollee, Robison had formed close bonds with many of the players that have now become leaders on this Oklahoma team. “Chris is one of my boys,” said Kenneth Murray, who was an early enrollee with Robison. “Even though he left, and went through what he went through, he’s always going to be my boy. It’ll be fun to get out there and compete with him ... Afterwards we’ll be friends.” “We were close with each other,” added CeeDee Lamb, who played with Robison at camps and kept in touch with him during their recruitment process. “We were going to camps together trying to find that mojo between us. We were trying to click to make that Sooner Magic. But obviously things didn’t work out as planned.” One of Robison’s closest connections came with now-sophomore running
back Trey Sermon. Sermon says the two still talk to this day after forming that bond on and off the field over a year ago. “He was a great guy and still is,” Sermon said. “Him and I are pretty close. We came in at the same time. We played video games together at Headington all the time. He’s a definitely a good guy, a great quarterback and I feel like he’s going to be a great ball player.” While Robison and some of his former teammates may not have hard feelings, that arguably can’t be said for him and the Sooners’ Heisman Trophy winner. After transferring to Florida Atlantic, Robison tweeted a photo saying ‘beat Oklahoma’ which didn’t sit well with former Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield. In March, Robison found himself in trouble at his new school, after being suspended for violating team rules. But despite Robison’s possible beef with Mayfield and his consistent problems off the field, Riley is hoping he turns his career around. Just not at 11 a.m. on Saturday. “I wish him the best of luck. I want him to do great,” Riley said. “I hope they win every game after us.” George Stoia
georgestoia@ou.edu
A machine can’t run without its gears grinding. Oklahoma’s offense was the standard in college football throughout the Baker Mayfield era, but it would have been nothing without the men standing in front of him. As the Sooners transition into the Kyler Murray era at quarterback, question marks surround who will be the linemen in front of him, and more importantly: what position they are playing.
“I feel confident in the group that we have and confident that we’re going to play at a high level.” BILL BEDENBAUGH, OU OFFENSIVE LINE COACH
“It’s been fun,” said redshirt junior tackle Bobby Evans about the line meshing this offseason. “It’s just all an experiment trying to work everybody in and see who goes where, see who is good where, stuff like that. So it’s always fun.” The parts and pieces of Lincoln Riley’s offense have received the glitz and glamour, but its gears have been the one making it run. Now-Baltimore Raven right tackle Orlando Brown w o n b a ck- t o - b a ck Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2016 and ‘17. Senior guards Ben Powers and Dru Samia are joined by redshirt junior Bobby Evans as players returning from one of the best offensive lines in the country the last two seasons. Powers and Evans have
been highlighted on topNFL prospect lists ahead of the season with Samia, a four-year starter, joining them as guaranteed starters, but three positions — left tackle, center and right tackle — have yet to have a starter be named. “The older guys, it’s our job to establish how this offense are supposed to be run, how we practice and how we play,” Evans said, who will land at either left or right tackle. “If you want to be the best, you have to maintain that standard every single time.” Vying for the center position is redshirt senior Jonathan Alvarez and redshirt freshman Creed Humphrey, with redshirt junior Cody Ford starting at left or right tackle opposite of Evans. Oklahoma has had its growing pains before, losing games to Houston (2016) and Texas (2015) before establishing continuity along the offensive line later. This year, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh will be plugging in experienced players in Alvarez and Ford or pairing Humphrey with experience around him. Moving chess pieces can complicate things, but only if one doesn’t know how to move the pieces around. “Hopefully we’re experienced enough,” Bedenbaugh said. “We’ve got good experience. These guys have been together. If there is a new starter out there, hopefully these guys can lead ‘em, but for the most part, we got experience.” “Again, you never know, you never know what you have until you step out there on the field, but I feel confident in the group that we have and confident that we’re going to play at a high level.”
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• August 30-September 2, 2018
NEWS
Anna Bauman, news managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com • Twitter: @OUDaily
Red River Holiday Act passes President James Gallogly speaks about his vision JORDAN MILLER @jordanrmillerr
O U ’s U n d e r g r a d u a t e Student Congress hosted President James Gallogly and unanimously passed a bill for the OU-Texas holiday during its first meeting Aug. 28. Gallogly spoke with the congress about his goals as president and answered a few questions the members had for him, particularly focusing on the changes to be made regarding the university’s finances and how he hopes they can benefit students. Gallogly said his first priority as president was to stop the increases in tuition that occurred over the past few years, something he did successfully. “I’ve looked at how much it costs to attend our great university,� Gallogly said. “That number keeps creeping up, creeping up, and creeping up ... pretty soon it turns into a pretty big percentage, and that’s out of our students’ pocketbook. Sometimes it’s scholarship dollars, but at the end of the day ... most of it comes from our students.� Gallogly went on to mention the cuts made to the National Merit program, his goal of raises for longtime faculty members and his plans for the graduate
program. Gallogly emphasized he wants to work “very very closely� with the congress to help him make decisions and prioritize and told it to remember certain cuts may be made to campus events to maintain current tuition rates. “There may be some times where you wish that we had some more of these really fun parties, and every time you see one of those things, you need to step back a little to say, ‘He left that money in my pocket, so I can spend it on how I would like to spend it,’� Gallogly said. The last item Gallogly mentioned to the congress was his concern with incorrect news going out to the public, referencing the Project Threshold incident and an incorrect statement on SAE returning to OU from Jabar Shumate, former vice president of university community. “We have people at the university who are violating laws that they passed, not once, not twice, but well over 100 times, and then they ignore it saying it doesn’t apply to them?� Gallogly said. “Then when someone makes up, ‘Well no, it’s really about this and this,’ and that’s not true, I will stand in front of anybody who wants to listen and say, ‘I’m sorry, but that’s a lie, and you’re making that up to make yourself look good,’ ... That’s just the way we work. Because Sooners don’t do things like that, that’s not who we are.� After speaking and
JORDAN MILLER/THE DAILY
OU President James Gallogly addresses the Undergraduate Student Congress at its meeting Aug. 28. The Undergraduate Student Congress passed a bill for the OU-Texas holiday during its first meeting on Tuesday.
answering a few members’ questions, Gallogly left, and the regular agenda items followed, including the consideration of the Red River Holiday Act of 2018 and an act Establishing Committee Membership. The Red River Holiday Act passed unanimously, with the holiday on Oct. 5 before the Oct. 6 OU-Texas football game. One of the bill’s authors, chair of the
undergraduate congress Tom Cassidy, said he looks forward to the holiday. “The Red River Holiday is one of my favorite traditions we get to do in student government,� Cassidy said. “I’m super excited that it passed congress tonight ... I think that OU-Texas weekend is a great opportunity for the student body to really connect and have something to rally around.�
The Act of Establishing Committee Membership also passed, with congress members being appointed to committees with the option to change committee preferences in two weeks. After this first meeting, Cassidy said he has a positive outlook on how the rest of the fall will go in congress. “I am really optimistic about this semester,� Cassidy said. “We are really planning
on getting a lot done this semester. Having talked to Gallogly today and at earlier times, having talked to other university officials, having talked to our partners at faculty senate, this year is full of opportunities for us to make big changes on our campus, and I’m really excited for it.� Jordan Miller
jordan.r.miller-1@ou.edu
Gallogly names interim vice president of research of OU’s Graduate College, will assume the position of interim vice president of research on the Norman campus. Hewes will replace SUPRIYA SRIDHAR Kelvin Droegemeier, who @supriyasridhar_ stepped dow n from his OU position after being O U P r e s i d e n t Ja m e s nominated for director of G a l l o g l y a n n o u n c e d the White House Office of Randall Hewes, the dean Science and Technology
Randall Hewes to replace Kelvin Droegemeier’s role
Policy. “His appointment will be an asset to our goal of doubling research over the next five years,� Gallogly said in a press release. During this time, Hewes will continue to serve as dean of the OU Graduate College. He w e s’ re s e a rc h a n d related work in support
of graduate education ha s ga r n e re d $ 3 . 8 m i llion in grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, according to the press release. He ser ved as chair of the department of biology
Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy Parker August 30, 2018
VIA OU.EDU
Previous Solution
Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard
Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.
ACROSS 1 Skin irritation 5 Toyland tot 9 Is apparent 14 Latex-glove additive 15 Hygiene type 16 Skylit central areas 17 What Jillian does to an application? 20 Old-style watches 21 Where pupils dart about 22 Long-billed wader 23 List entry 24 Protest variety 27 Digs into the sides? 32 Common download 35 Divided, as real estate 37 Real estate offering 38 Jillian’s favorite reptile? 42 Calm ship side 43 Stock value term 44 Blades’ liquid 45 Small threemasted ships 48 Geneva’s lake 50 Cheerful, as an outlook 52 Do in tandem 56 Nowhere near gregarious 8/30
60 Firmly 62 What Jillian is on the farm? 64 Intense feeling of love 65 Dutch cheese 66 Bird in “concerned�? 67 Stops being busy 68 Articulates 69 Prophetic one DOWN 1 King in India 2 Triangular dress 3 Electric power? No 4 Everyday greetings 5 A pealing noise 6 Martial or liberal, for two 7 “___, humbug!� 8 Officeseeker’s verb 9 Cold cut meat 10 Letters from Greece? 11 Direction enders 12 It lets others hear you 13 Answer politely? No 18 Convert atoms, in a way 19 Unlit candles? 23 How a sluggard moves
25 Sciencefiction publisher 26 Early Andean 28 Worthless firework 29 Camelot woman 30 Shade of blue 31 Dish for a worrywart? 32 Comet alternative 33 Stack 34 Commoner, briefly 36 Airhead kin 39 Tommy Jones’ middle 40 Newton throwing bombs 41 Delphic shrine 46 Town ____ (news shouters)
47 Rise like a kite 49 Sleep interrupters 51 Astringent fruits 53 Fancy, non-fancy 54 Legendary Patsy 55 President who wed in office 56 Cracked open 57 Start a line? 58 Cutlass maker? Not lately (briefly) 59 A blood thinner prevents it 60 “Don’t go!� 61 Resistance figures 63 Snake oil cops
PREVIOUSPUZZLE PUZZLEANSWER ANSWER PREVIOUS
f ro m 2 0 1 1 t o 2 0 1 5 a n d chair of the Faculty Senate from 2014 to 2015. He has had leadership roles on the Admissions and Employee Benefits committees and the President’s Graduation and Retention Task Force. “It is an honor and privilege for me to have this opportunity to serve OU as the interim vice president
Š 2018 Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com Š 2018 Andrews McMeel Universal www.upuzzles.com
ALL HAIL JILL By Timothy E. Parker
Supriya Sridhar
supriyasridhar@ou.edu
HOROSCOPE By Eugenia Last
Copyright 2015, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2018 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last Indulge in something that excites you this year. Whether you plan a trip or sign up to learn something new, it will enrich your life and motivate you to bring about healthy changes that promote friendships with people who have something to offer. Engage in life and make memories. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Rearrange your schedule to include something that brings you joy. A lifestyle change will encourage you to make an even bigger shift. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- A personal change may not be your choice, but accepting the inevitable will lead to benefits. If you discuss your concerns with a former co-worker, something positive will transpire.
8/29 8/27
for research,� said Hewes. “Under President Gallogly’s leadership, I expect us to work rapidly and ambitiously to make major advances in research and graduate education.�
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- An interesting concept will get you thinking about different ways to use your money to bring about favorable changes. A partnership will enhance your prospects. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Use your intelligence to come up with an alternative that will work to your benefit. Don’t give in to someone trying to pressure you into something you don’t need. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Look over your personal papers, negotiate contracts or invest your money in something concrete. Refuse to give in to emotional spending and don’t try to buy someone’s love.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- A change proposed by others will not live up to expectations. Take the smart route and wait for evidence that supports the promises being made. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- You’ll receive the help you need if you ask for it. Much can be accomplished if you are disciplined and ready to implement the changes required to get what you want. A job prospect looks promising. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Take a moment to digest and react to what’s happening. Problems with peers, relatives or an employer should be noted and dealt with before they grow worse. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You are ready to take on the world. Stand tall, trust in your abilities and don’t for a minute let someone else take over your interests. Opportunity is within reach. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Changes are taking place behind closed doors. Consider what’s happening and refuse to be left out. Offer insight that will make others take note and invite you to join in. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- How you help others will make a difference. You can let someone take advantage of you or you can set the standard, make the rules and ensure that you are treated fairly. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Beware of anyone pushing you to make an abrupt change. Taking on too many expenses to please someone will cause more stress, making matters worse. Offer only what you can afford.
NEWS
August 30- September 2, 2018 •
CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY
OU President James Gallogly speaks to colleagues before a press conference Aug. 16. Gallogly gave a State of the University address at an open meeting with OU faculty on Monday.
Gallogly holds tuition, wants faculty raises President speaks about OU strategy, faculty pay, budget JERICKA HANDIE @JerickaHandie
O U P r e s i d e n t Ja m e s Gallogly gave a State of the University address and answered a variety of questions in a general meeting with OU faculty Monday. The open meeting took p l a c e i n S h a r p Ha l l i n Catlett Music Center where Gallogly spoke to faculty members about how the administration will move forward this school year with an outlined strategy for bettering the overall efficiency of the university. “I’ve had a series of meetings with some of our faculty talking about strategy, talking about the needs of the university ... just simply learning about what I should know as the new president,” Gallogly said. Gallogly spoke on a full range of topics including faculty pay raises, graduate research programs, past tuition increases and other university issues concerning faculty. Gallogly said the increasing costs of an OU education have left many Oklahomans unable to afford to enroll, although cuts to the National Merit program scholarships have provided more scholarship money for other
qualified in-state students. “I’ve heard from so many students that the education here at OU, although incredibly valued to them, was being priced out of their reach unless they received very significant scholarships or other forms of aid,” Gallogly said. “We are simply pricing ourselves out of the means of the ordinary Oklahoman.” Gallogly said he plans to invest in more human capital efforts, and the university should focus on ways to hold tuition flat. “We bring the best and brightest from so many places, but we are a state institution, and so many of the people in Oklahoma cannot afford to go here now,” Gallogly said. Despite recommendations from a number of people who said it is necessary to increase tuition to make up for the university’s debt, Gallogly said he decided against raising costs. “ I s a i d , ‘ No, n o t t h i s time.’ We will see if we can find a way to hold tuition,” Gallogly said. “We will do what’s necessary to make OU affordable again.” According to him, this means finding inefficiencies across OU colleges and departments in order to cut costs. Gallogly did not elaborate on what these changes or cuts might entail but said most changes “won’t relate
to the classroom.” Gallogly also discussed faculty pay raises across all departments and his concern for being 10 percent behind where the university needs to be in faculty pay. “One of the things that I did in my very first regents meeting is provide that data to them, explain exactly where we are and ask that they make this a top priority,” Gallogly said. Gallogly also mentioned his plan to expand OU’s research and developmental growth. “If in fact we’re able to double the amount of research,” Gallogly said, “I have no doubt in my mind that that will become the growth engine of the state of Oklahoma.” Gallogly said that by advancing research programs ,the revenue created will pour more funds into OU. In the last 30 minutes of the meeting, Gallogly addressed questions from faculty members in the audience. O v e ra l l , G a l l o g l y e xpressed his willfulness to ma ke O U m o re f i s ca l l y solvent. “If we play as a single team and act as a strategic university, these things will get done,” Gallogy said. Jericka Handie
jericka.c.handie-1@ou.edu
Freshman class enters as most diverse group 2022 class matches 2021 class’ size, academic numbers SIERRA RAINS–MOAD @sierramrains
The freshman class of 2022 is entering the university as one of the most diverse classes OU has ever seen, with its size and academic numbers on par with years past. This year marks the beginning of a new era at the university with the commencement of a new administration, and the class of 2022 will be the first class to experience it. Thousands of freshmen watched as OU President James Gallogly prepared to accept his role as the university’s 14th president on Aug. 16. At his inauguration, Gallogly said the class of 2022 is “one of the largest, best and most diverse classes ever.” Of this year’s freshman class, 34.9 percent said they identified as non-white, non-citizen or non-reporting, OU director of admissions and recruitment Jeff Blahnik said in an email. He said this number is
higher than in previous years, with 32.2 percent in 2017, 33.4 percent in 2016 and 31.7 percent in 2015. “This year, OU experienced increases in every category of underrepresented populations, which occurred because of strong recruiting efforts,” Blahnik said in the email. Blahnik said the data OU
“This year, OU experienced increases in every category of underrepresented populations.” JEFF BLAHNIK, OU DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS AND RECRUITMENT
Admissions has put together on diversity is not 100 percent accurate because the percentage of underrepresented students changes based on factors like the size of the class, but the numbers give a general idea of the diversity within the OU community. “It is the best we can do from admissions to try to accurately provide this,”
Blahnik said in the email. While the exact number of freshmen in the 2022 class won’t be set until mid-September, the group stacks up with last year’s record-breaking freshman class at around 4,400 people. The total number of freshmen in the previous freshman class was 4,473. In fact, according to OU Fact Books, the numbers of incoming freshmen have generally increased since 2014. In 2016, 4,198 freshmen entered the university, 4,200 in 2015 and 4,176 in 2014. However, according to the data gathered by admissions, the average ACT score for this year’s freshman class was lower than previous years at 26.2. Previous ACT scores remained in the same range, although a few points higher at 26.4 in 2017, 26.5 in 2016 and 26.4 in 2015. The average GPA for the class of 2022 matches the record-breaking GPA for the class of 2021 at 3.63. In previous years, the average GPA for freshmen was only slightly lower at 3.62 in both 2016 and 2015. Sierra Rains-Moad
sierra.m.rains@gmail.com
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• August 30-September 2, 2018
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
Siandhara Bonnet, a&e editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/life&arts • Twitter: @OUDailyArts
Students create Latinx art group Sooners hope to gain recogniton, equality for artists HEATH KUYKENDALL @HeathKuykendal1
Student organizations at OU are an excellent way for students to make their voices heard by creating a platform on which to stand. One such group, called LatinArte, hopes to use its platform to change the perception of art from Latinx creators. According to the organization’s OrgSync page, LatinArte is dedicated to pushing back against a hostile atmosphere and changing people’s minds by “s h o w c a s i n g L a t i n x art by Latinx students for the Norman community.” The organization wants to open OU and Norman to the unique art of Latin America while also providing an inviting space for other Latinx artists to work. “It started as an idea after realizing that the university doesn’t really provide a lot of venues for Latinx artists,” said Norma Lilia Ruiz Cruz, founder and president of LatinArte. “I talked to a few more artists that are also Latinx, and we decided that we would get our venue if nobody else was going to give it to us.” Originally from Tijuana, Baja California in Mexico, Ruiz Cruz is a dramaturgy junior at the Helmerich School of Drama. She said she hopes LatinArte will influence the school to be more culturally diverse, campaigning for better representation of Latinx playwrights and actors.
“So many of the (theater) shows are just white, and there’s a vast number of people they could cast better that they do not,” Ruiz Cruz said. “Consciousness only goes so far, mainly because people aren’t affected by show and casting choices. If you’re white, you can still get cast in a show. But you can’t if you look like me.” The goal of equal recognition is what first drove Ruiz Cruz to create LatinArte late last semester, and she said it is the driving force behind most of the group’s goals. At the moment, the group is planning a Latinx arts exhibition for the fall semester, featuring primarily visual artists. Ruiz Cruz said she hopes future semesters will see larger expositions and events, with one major goal being the production of a play written by a Latinx playwright. A date has not been set for the exposition, but further information will be posted on LatinArte’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Uldarico Sarmiento, assistant professor of scenic and digital media design in the School of Drama, as well as the group’s faculty adviser, said organizations like LatinArte are incredibly important, especially in places like Oklahoma. “In general, it’s harder to find Latinx artists and performers in Oklahoma,” Sarmiento said. “Most of them are going to be closer to the coast or in bigger cities. So, being in Norman, this is a great opportunity to change that and share our stories.”
Sarmiento spent more than six years at OU completing his undergraduate degree, during which he noticed a severe lack of Latinx individuals and artists. While he feels confident some things have changed since then, he continues to advocate for better inclusion of other cultures into the arts at
OU. He brings this idea with him as he advises the group. “ The most imp or tant thing we can accomplish as a group is to share a little bit of our culture and perspectives,” Sarmiento said. “We have different backgrounds. It’s important for us to get our voices heard.” For other LatinArte
members like Diego De La Espriella, the group gives them a way to discuss their culture with like-minded people. De La Espriella, an acting and dramaturgy junior, said LatinArte ha s h e l p e d h i m re c o n nect with his Colombian background. “My second high school was predominantly white,”
De La Espriella said. “Because I was surrounded by people who weren’t of my heritage, I kind of felt the need to suppress part of it. I just don’t want anyone here at OU to feel that way. I want them to be able to embrace who they are and where they come from.” Like Ruiz Cruz, De La Espriella said he hopes to see more creations by Latinx playwrights, painters, sculptors and other artists on campus. For him, the first step toward getting equal recognition is for everyone’s works to receive the same opportunities for presentation. With all this in mind, Ruiz Cruz said she wants to use LatinArte as a platform for Latinx artists of all kinds to make their presence known. “We need to make sure people realize Latinx artists exist and that it’s not only a trendy thing,” Ruiz Cruz said. “There’s lots of Latinx people here in Oklahoma, and we are just as valuable as any other artist.” The group is open to any interested students, whether they are artists or not. Students interested in joining LatinArte can contact the group via its Facebook, OrgSync and Instagram pages. Heath Kuykendall
kuykendallheath@ou.edu
On Twitter? Stay connected.
ART BY KARINA RISCO GARCIA
LatinArte, a student organization at OU, hopes to use its platform to change the perception of Latinx art.
@OUDaily @OUDailyArts @OUDailySports
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
August 30- September 2, 2018 •
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Scooters power up wallets Students can earn money by finding, charging vehicles HEATH KUYKENDALL @HeathKuykendal1
Bird rentable scooters have recently popped up in Norman. Over the past week, the black and white scooters have been seen more frequently on campus as students ride them to and from class. While most see them as a means of transportation, some see a source of income. Dubbed as “chargers”
by Bird, individuals who sign up for the program via Bird’s website are sent three charging cords and taske d w ith colle cting, charging and returning the scooters to their “nests” every night. Bird pays its chargers a sum of money each day based on how popular the scooters are in a given area and how difficult they are to collect. Bird uses direct deposit to pay chargers via the Bird app. According to The Atlantic, charging the scooters in places like Ca l i f o r n i a ha s b e c o m e a competitive scavenger hunt to see who can get the
‘American Idol’ comes to OKC for auditions Oklahomans will have opportunity to show off talents ABIGAIL HALL
@theheartofabigail
Nationally televised singing competition show “American Idol” will open auditions in Oklahoma City on Sept. 6. Brett McCosker, supervising producer, said these will be the show’s first auditions in Oklahoma City since its return to television in 2017, which held auditions in Tulsa. McCosker said the audition tour attempts to reach as many locations as possible within a short time frame. He
said the auditions are a vital part of the show and discovering unknown talent. “Other shows, it’s all about the judges,” McCosker said. “But we are all about the contestants, and if we don’t have that talent we don’t have a show.” The “American Idol” reboot’s second season will include the return of Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as judges, as well as host Ryan Seacrest, McCosker said. For those who plan to audition, McCosker said he recommends individuals select a song they connect with emotionally. “If they choose a song they don’t connect with themselves, it’s hard for us to
biggest payout. But concerns have risen over the fact there is no background registration process for the chargers and whether Bird will be able to keep individuals from hoarding or stealing scooters. The Bird app says on average, hardworking chargers can make $100 a night if they charge a substantial amount of scooters. “As part of our Save Our Sidewalks Pledge, and to help riders have the best possible experience, these individuals help collect Bi rd s e a c h e v e n i n g f o r charging in exchange for anywhere from $5 to $20 connect with (it),” McCosker said. “It tends to come across in performance.” Registration will begin at 7 a.m. with auditions following at 9 a.m. Casting producers will be individually stationed at tables where auditioners will sing for 90 seconds. McCosker said individuals will be told immediately if they have passed to the second round of auditions with executive directors. He said those auditioning are welcome to bring instruments or be accompanied by another person with an instrument. Pre-recorded accompanied tracks are prohibited. Online pre-registration is now available, which will allow individuals to print release forms and skip the dayof registration process. “American Idol” auditions will be held in the Wheeler District at 1701 S. Western Ave. in Oklahoma City . Abigail Hall ahall@ou.edu
per vehicle,” a Bird spokesperson said in an email. “Chargers can pick up as many Birds as they want on any given day, which can provide a great source of supplemental income.” Even though cities have been unhappy Bird dropped off scooters without permits, for the foreseeable future, Bird will be staying in Norman, and enterprising students willing to pick up scooters now have a new way to make a little extra money.
PETER REILLY/THE DAILY
Heath Kuykendall
kuykendallheath@ou.edu
Bird Scooters on Campus Corner Aug. 22. Individuals can be paid to be “chargers” for the Bird scooters.
Veg out at inaugural vegan festival in OKC VegFest to include health education, local vendors, food ALMA CIENSKI @almacienski
Vegan society to host first VegFest in OKC Celebrate all things veganism, animal rights and environmental sustainability at Oklahoma’s first VegFest at the Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City on Sept. 8. VegFest was started by The Vegan Society, a national organization, and has been hosted in over 30 states to promote and celebrate all things earth-friendly. “We are all compassionate people who just want to share what we found,” said Donna Brogan, member of
the VegFest OKC committee. “People from all walks of life and diet types are welcome at VegFest, and our only hope is to open their eyes to a new way of living and eating.” The festival will include local vendors, food trucks, group fitness classes and speakers who will share about the benefits of transitioning to a vegan lifestyle. There will be two adoption events with Edmond Animal Services and The Underdogs Rescue. Festival goers will also have the chance to see piglets from Oliver and Friends Farm Sanctuary. Brogan said the food will be the centerpiece of the festival. It will feature seven food trucks, such as The Loaded Bowl and Taza Fresh Peel, and several restaurants to represent vegan options.
“There has been a groundswell of vegan options from the smallest family-owned coffee shops to the most expensive restaurants in town,” Brogan said. Kids will have the opportunity to get in on the fun as well. There will be a station where kids can learn to plant seeds and take them home to grow their own vegetables. “We hope to create a ripple effect in the Oklahoma City area,” Brogan said. “If they walk away thinking ‘wow, I should eat more vegetables’ — then we have done our job.” VegFest OKC will take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Sept. 8 at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City. Alma Cienski
aacienski@ou.edu
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7-9 P.M. THURSDAY, AUG. 30 Free back to school concert featuring Sicangu Lakota rapper Frank Waln August 31st at 7pm! Plus free pizza, art demonstrations and the chance to meet artists from the contemporary Chickasaw exhibition, Visual Voices. Event supported by The Mellon Foundation. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art The University of Oklahoma 555 Elm Ave. Norman, OK 73019-3003
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For accommodations, please call Visitor Services at (405) 325-4938. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo
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