The Arbiter Vol. 35 Issue 8 12.8.22

Editor-In-Chief

Andrea Teres - Martinez editor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Online Editor Kelby Andrew onlineeditor@stumedia.boisestate.edu

News Editor Brydon Black news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

News Reporter Kate Jacobson news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Culture Editor Hanalei Potempa culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Culture Reporter Naomi Priddy culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Sports & Rec Editor Adam Bridges sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Sports & Rec Reporter Marlei Soderquist sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Opinion Editor Amanda Niess opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Distributed every few weeks during the academic school year and online daily, The Arbiter is the official independent student newspaper of Boise State University, where student editors make all content decisions and bear responsibility for those decisions. The Arbiter’s budget consists of fees paid by the student body and advertising sales. The first copy is free. Additional copies can be purchased for $1 a piece at The Arbiter offices.

Iranian Student Association at Boise State University organized a protest in support of Iranian women on Nov. 30. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

BOISE STATE HOLDS VIGIL TO HONOR UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO STUDENT VICTIMS

Brydon Black | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Hundreds of community mem bers gathered around the B Plaza at Boise State Univer sity for a candlelight vigil on the cold Thursday evening of Nov. 17 to honor the lives of the four University of Idaho students murdered less than a week prior, organized by the Associate Students of Boise State, with support of the dean of students and Vandals families.

On Sunday, Nov. 13, police identi fied the deceased students as 20 year-old freshman Ethan Chapin from Conway, Washington, 20-year-old junior Xana Ker nodle from Post Falls, 21-year-old senior Kaylee Goncalves from Rathdrum, and 21-year-old senior Madison Mogen from Coeur d’Alene.

ing IHOP at 4:30 a.m. talking about life.

“Xana, I always will miss your energy and lovingness more than anything. You really were the life of the party,” Trevor said. “I ask that my thoughts go out to Ethan, Madi, Kaylee, Xana’s friends and family. And I pray that justice gets served.”

Another speaker named Kaden read letters from friends of the victims. One letter was from a friend named Kali, who said through their friendship they never cared about drama, only wanting to have fun and live life to the fullest.

“Her smile was contagious, and I am so grateful to have known the sweet girl she is,” Kali wrote. “She helped me through a lot of tough times and truly showed me to live life no matter what people say. I’ll see you again one day, and I know you’re in heaven right now surrounded by all the people you love. They will all be missed. I love you Xana.”

Another read a note from a friend named Carly, who knew Xana, Madison and Kaylee. She wrote about times they shared, from jumping on the trampoline and watching MTV cribs at Kaylee’s house, to trying on makeup at Madison’s.

sister, Kaylee. Scarlet said she was not close with Ethan, but that through Xana, he seemed to be an all around amazing guy and supportive partner who complimented her personality perfectly.

days, and I know the memories and lives of Ethan, Xana, Maddie and Kaylee will always be celebrated and remembered.”

Lit candles rested in the interior of the B statue. In front sat bouquets of flowers and picture collages of the victims, along with a shirt sporting Chapin’s Sigma Chi fraternity symbol and an American flag.

One speaker, Trevor, met Kemodle during their junior year of high school, and said he’d never forget the time he, Xana and their friend Max stayed up eat

“Later in the summer I ran into both Kaylee and Madi in Downtown Boise and was still greeted with a smile and a hug even though I hadn’t seen them in years,” Carly wrote. “They are people who shaped who I am today and crucial years of my life, and I will always think fondly of the friendships I had with them. My whole hometown is hurting this week. May they rest in peace. Until I see you again.”

The last speaker, Elizabeth Scarlett, grew up in Coeur d’Alene and attended the University of Idaho her freshman year. It was there that she rushed the Alpha Phi sorority and grew close with her sorority

Scarlett said her friendship with Xana could never be replaced, saying that she feels a void in her heart that can never be filled. She said Xana was always dancing and smiling — describing her as smart, driven and an EDM queen who gave her the love she holds for the genre. Scarlett said she will always remember Xana when ever she hears a Louis the Child song.

“I know she is watching over us and keeping the party and all the vibes going above. Xana, I miss you and I will see you again soon,” Scarlett said. “My heart is broken for all four of the victims and for their families and close friends. I am so sad. I pray we get closure in the coming

The formal vigil closed with Boise State Associate Dean of Students Lauren Oe offering students counseling services and final words from Boise State student body president Adam Jones, though the crowd didn’t disperse. People continued to pay their respects in front of the B, sharing emotional hugs and tears.

A Boise State Instagram post shared after the vigil read, “We are all Vandals” show casing solidarity with the university’s sister school during this difficult time.

Boise State’s instagram had three posts of the vigil; One being a 19 minute video of the gathering, captioned with the names of the victims. The other two read “We are all Vandals” and “One Idaho #Van dalStrong.”

Friends of the victims spoke in memory of their departed friends

Members of the Boise State community held a vigil in honor of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

“I pray we get closure in the coming days, and I know the memories and lives of Ethan, Xana, Maddie and Kaylee will always be celebrated and remembered.”

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Elizabeth Scarlett, speaker at the candelit vigil

HOW BOISE STATE IS COMBATING RISING ELECTION DISTRUST

Boise State students and faculty work to improve Idaho’s election process

Kate Jacobson | News Reporter | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Transparency and integrity in elections are vital to uphold ing democratic values in the United States, but distrust and misinformation regarding elections have been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic.

A 2022 report from the U.S. Committee on Oversight and Reform states that “the coronavirus pandemic created a unique environment for voter confusion as states sought to adapt their rules on registering and voting by mail, creating opportunities for online misinformation to spread widely across the country.”

Concerns of electoral integrity were not exclusive to the 2020 election, as similar effects were felt in this year’s midterm elec tions. In Pennsylvania, claims of election fraud began after the counting of ballots were delayed, and while election officials pushed back on this misinformation, cer tain politicians, including former President Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex as), gave validity to these claims.

“I think that delays in learning about election outcomes are where concerns can come,” said Jaclyn Kettler, an associate professor in the School of Public Service at Boise State who is working with the Idaho Election Cybersecurity Center. “We have to be patient with some of these races. We may not know immediately, but it doesn’t mean they’re trying to overturn the election.”

The 2020 Idaho Public Policy Survey conducted by researchers at Boise State University found that roughly 19% of all Idahoans and 26% of Republicans in Idaho have concerns about the security of Idaho’s elections. The top concerns among these groups include “voter fraud,” “mailin ballots” and “misinformation.”

When people do not trust the election process, they are less likely to vote or be politically active individuals, hence why combating misinformation and ensuring electoral integrity is vital. One of the ways that this can be done is to effectively respond to all complaints surrounding

elections and keep voters informed.

“If [individuals] are concerned that their vote won’t count or that there’s massive fraud, then that may actually dissuade peo ple from participating altogether,” Kettler said. “Misinformation ends up affecting whether or not people even decide to vote [and] can cast doubt on electoral out comes, which then raises concerns about whether or not governments are viewed as legitimate.”

Ada County Clerk and Secretary of State-elect Phil McGrane is in charge of all elections within Ada County, but Idaho does not have an employee dedicated exclusively to investigating complaints regarding the election process.

“I’ve seen two competing narratives as I campaigned over this last year: there’s rampant fraud and rampant cheating or the alternative, that there’s no fraud and no cheating, [but] neither of those is true,” McGrane said in an interview with AP News. “Cases do exist, but they’re not huge in volume … It’s really important as elec

tion officials for us to pursue those cases so we can show that we’re following through.”

While all complaints regarding Idaho’s elections are investigated in some capacity, there is no central system for doing so, which can create issues.

In 2020, Idaho granted Boise State University $500,000 to develop the Idaho Election Cybersecurity Center, or IN SURE. The center’s role is to “recommend and develop tools, technologies and poli cies to protect fair and democratic election processes.”

INSURE’s team is made up of faculty at Boise State, including the team’s director Hoda Mehrpouyan, as well as several grad uate students. One of the center’s current projects involves creating a centralized communication tool that can be used to report and resolve incidents on election day.

“When Idaho respondents handle inci dents they’re either calling a representative or they’re calling somebody in the county clerk’s office. Or they’re emailing, or they’re texting and in that amount of time a lot of information can be lost,” said Kamryn Parker, a graduate student at Boise State who is doing research with INSURE. “This [tool] is meant to help election adminis trators and county clerks contain incidents that are happening in their county on election day.”

This tool will allow for incidents to be reported, reviewed and solved within a sin gle platform. While the tool was not used in the most recent election, it will begin beta testing in the coming weeks. Once complete, INSURE’s tool will be available to all states and counties should they want to use it.

“I think our tool [will] provide a bit of extra information for people when there’s uncertainty,” Parker said. “Our main goal with this project is to keep refining it as much as we can, and we do hope to expand it. It’s really exciting to see the possibilities for voters in Idaho.”

Around 19% of Idahoans expressed concern about the security of Idaho’s elections, according to the 2020 Idaho Public Policy Survey.

Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

ETHNIC STUDIES: THE SMALLEST MAJOR AT BOISE STATE

Kyle Oldham | Staff Writer | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Approximately 24,00 students study a variety of majors at Boise State University. Some majors are popular; for ex ample, over 1,100 students are currently studying nursing. Then, there’s ethnic studies under the sociology program, which according to the most recent stu dent census, has less than five students.

During introductions on the first day of their foundations classes, students meet people from many different academic pathways. There is a high likelihood that almost every student encounters a nurs ing major, while almost nobody meets an ethnic studies major.

“It’s partially a visibility issue and

partially a misunderstanding,” said Dr. Dora Ramirez, director of ethnic studies. “Not many people seem to know ethnic studies is an option, and it’s also seen as just critical race theory, and that isn’t what we are at all.”

Ethnic studies is sometimes viewed as a liberal program on campuses in the United States trying to push an agenda or is used as an option for an easy A. Far-right com mentators such as Ben Shapiro are very vocal about this reputation, even saying that it’s just “a way to meet girls.”

This reputation appears to be unfair and inaccurate for the Boise State program.

María Escobedo is a Spanish major with an ethnic studies minor and a Latin Amer

ican studies minor.

“There is a misconception of what we really are,” Escobedo said. “We don’t just look at stereotypical and superficial topics about different races. We talk about deep and long-term and generational issues within the communities.”

According to Ramirez, although the ethnic studies major is small, the minor is quite popular because of how well it syncs up with many other majors, such as history, Spanish, communication and many others.

Another reason the major has so few people in it, according to Ramirez, is the idea that a major should be useful in the sense that it allows you to obtain a higher

income, while ethnic studies is useful be cause it provides a better connection with the world. Ethnic study majors go into people work, such as non-profit organiza tions, human resources or public relations.

“Ethnic studies is useful for understand ing your surroundings and helps you to better comprehend what others are going through and empathize with them regard less of how much you may have contribut ed to that or not,” Escobedo said.

Marielena Lopez is a sociology major with a minor in Chicano studies who plans to work in the ethnic studies program next semester.

“For me it is also about representation. It is status quo for a middle-class white person to go to college, and it can cause people of color to feel like they have im postor syndrome,” Lopez said. “Knowing that there is a whole department dedicat ed to us is reassuring and gives us a safe place.”

There is quantitative data to suggest that Lopez is correct and that participating in these courses helps students of color better engage with schooling. According to Christine E. Sleeter, a researcher with the National Education Association, learning about people and topics related to the students’ ethnic backgrounds improved engagement in school, further improving skills such as literacy as well as their overall academic achievement.

Ethnic studies poses a means for stu dents to develop a better worldly under standing of the other people around them and apply that knowledge to whatever career they plan on pursuing after school, or even in their day-to-day lives.

“This is not just a degree for people of color,” Lopez said. “Anybody who wants to learn about the people around them, or is going into a position where relationships with other people are important can bene fit from ethnic studies, and we hope more people realize that as we grow.”

Though it may be a popular minor, the ethnic studies major boasts a small population at less than five students.

Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

What is ethnic studies, and how do students apply the curriculum to a post-college environment?

WHY BOISE STATE STUDENTS VOTED: ABORTION, THE ECONOMY AND MORE

Voting for “the lesser of two evils” is a theme that cut across party lines

Brydon Black | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Despite the local population boom, Ada County saw a lower voter turnout in the 2022 midterm elections compared to 2018.

According to BoiseDev, Ada Coun ty’s 2022 voter turnout hit 61.4% with 186,703 ballots cast in Ada County out of 304,317 registered voters, falling far below the 78.2% turnout in the 2018 midterm elections.

In 2018, Ada County had 245,903 registered voters, of which 192,303 voted in the election, which exceeds the ballots cast in 2022, despite the county adding tens of thousands of new residents in the past four years.

Specific numbers on how many students turned out or how much traffic university polling stations received are unavailable at this time. The Arbiter spoke with students on Election Day to see what was motivat ing them to vote and refrain from voting. Here’s what they had to say: Students who voted Republican Cam Douglas from California, who

is registered to vote in his home state, said economy and inflation was his top concern. Douglas said he wasn’t concerned with climate change and thought instead that the American government should ease restrictions on oil drilling to focus on becoming energy independent.

“Democrats have had two years of nearly unopposed power, and what they’ve done is that they have kept inflation at a con sistent 8%, which is completely unaccept able, and there needs to be some curb in that power,” Douglas said.

Kirstan Josang, a 23-year-old dual elementary education and special education major at Boise State, said she leans conser vative and described herself as “pro-life,” which was one of the topics at the front of her mind when voting. She was also con cerned with the lack of funding for public schools, teachers and students.

“On the ballot today there was some thing where the bill was presented as how surplus funds will be spent, they always throw in ‘we’ll use it for education,’ and a lot of times we don’t see that going into

education,” Josang said.

Dani Alegria, a 20-year-old sophomore studying history, said she found voting to be a duty of American citizens. She said she cared about topics such as free speech, more funding for education, foreign policy, immigration and the economy. She identified as pro-life and felt that included supporting women after child birth, not just during pregnancy.

“I am registered as a Republican because I feel that it’s the lesser of two evils, and until our country gets rid of the two party system/implements ranked voting, I’m stuck with the GOP,” Alegria said. “A lot of Republican politicians in Idaho lean too far right, and that’s difficult too. I think the average Idahoan wants a moderate to right-leaning government, not a far-right government, and definitely not a liberal government.”

Students who voted Democrat Lexus Thomas is a 21-year-old senior at Boise State majoring in biology with an emphasis in ecology, evolution and behav ior. She voted in Washington by mail and cited her concern for upholding free and fair elections as a reason for voting, which she felt the secretary of state candidate she voted for would do.

“Local elections are extremely important and the easiest way to have a direct impact on your community,” Thomas said. “I would probably consider myself a pro gressive. In my opinion, the Democratic party is the lesser of two evils. Both parties uphold systems of oppression and often fall short in terms of their service to the American people.”

Some issues Thomas said motivated her to go to the polls were women’s abortion rights, voter’s rights and the environment.

Sayre Peterson, 22, is a junior comput er science major at Boise State. He said his primary reason for voting was to vote against the far-right, specifically naming the College of Western Idaho board of trustees election. He said he wasn’t moti

vated by the Democratic Party’s positions.

“I know that the Democratic Party does not care about people like me, or my fam ily. In fact, I blame the Democratic Party more than anything for the rise of the far right,” Peterson said. “As they have shown time and time again, they are completely unwilling to fight for anyone except their corporate donors. The Democratic Party is completely out of touch with the working class American.”

Megan Wilmott, 22, is a senior civil en gineering major. She said she cared about issues of environmental conservation, civil rights, clean water and bodily autonomy. Though she sees the Democratic Party as representing her values, Wilmott said she votes on the basis of the candidate’s values and history instead of party affiliation.

“I think it is super impactful to vote in midterm and off-year elections as well, which is a big reason I am voting today,” Wolmott said. “There are a few candidates this election I felt that I didn’t align with either, but voted for the lesser of two evils.”

Non-voting students

A 22-year-old criminal justice major named Kelsey said she chose not to vote since she was from Washington and didn’t feel as educated on Idaho’s issues.

Another out-of-state criminal justice major from Oregon, Logan Wagner, said he never spent the time to research the candidates and didn’t feel his vote should be counted since he wasn’t living in his home state or working in Idaho.

Freshman Max Mills, who is an unde clared major, didn’t register to vote because of a lack of interest.

“I don’t know how much my voice would be heard if I participated. I think of myself as just another person. How much am I going to affect any voting or any decisions that affect me?” Mills said.

Despite Ada County’s recent population boom, voter turnout for this year’s midterm election fell around 6,000 votes short from the 2018 midterms.

Claire Keener | The Arbiter

Amanda Niess | Opinion Editor

Two more weeks. Graduation is almost here, and for some students, the anxieties of graduating and taking the leap into corporate America can seem daunting. At least, that’s where I stand. Two more weeks. Then what?

Throughout my college career, I have pondered whether or not I chose the right major for my lifestyle, and now that I am at the end of my four years at Boise State, I am unsure. I love writing, and I love what I have learned over the course of my time here at the university. However, I do con sider the missed opportunities of becoming a nurse or even an accountant.

I applied to Boise State as a global studies major, but that interest quickly changed when I realized that geography and political business were not my strong suits. Choosing to take a media class and becoming a staff writer under The Arbiter was one of the best decisions I had made in my college career. I wrote many success ful articles and created a strong network of people with whom I can connect with after I graduate.

Even with this, though, I feel uneasy about graduating. After 15 consecutive years in school, I worry that my routine will be disturbed. As many of us are, I am immune to the routine of getting up, attending class and going home to work on my assignments. This has been the case since elementary school, but the difficulty always increased as the years progressed. Now what?

I am graduating and do not have a job lined up after college. I have my regular 9-5 that I work during the week, but it’s not a “forever job.” I do not know what my forever job is.

The anxieties and feelings of anticipa

ON GRADUATION ANXIETY

tion are all there, waiting for me, but I am confident that I will be able to navigate a whole new world and find what works for me and my interests.

I studied abroad in Spain, and have visited many states within our country, but I am not satisfied with settling for an aver age job and an average life. I want to excel past college, and I want to be successful. However, with the lack of guidance, I feel unsure and unconfident as to where I am supposed to go once I graduate.

hope is that the digital divide can close and bring journalism to a younger demograph ic.

I always thought about taking a gap year in between high school and college, but decided not to because of familial influ ence and the mere fact that I wanted to get through college quickly. Now, the time has come, and I have the freedom to take as many gap years as I want. However, I don’t want this to hinder my drive and motiva tion to find a successful career.

job for the rest of my life, but instead, I want to explore the places around me and work with people who I have never met before.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of November 2022, the un employment rate stands at 3.7%. Luckily for us 2022 graduates, the National Associ ation of Colleges and Employers have reported that the surveyed employers hire 31.6% more college graduates from the class of 2022 than the class of 2021.

In September 2022, according to Statista, the recent college graduate unemployment rate stood at about 4.0%. This number has decreased abundantly, considering that in September 2020, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates stood at about 9.0%.

These numbers are promising, but the major I am in is not. Journalism, at least in the print medium, is a dying business. My

I understand the cliche that the world is my oyster, but how I choose to live my life is now entirely up to me. For years, I have always been told how to live and what to take interest in. But now that I am not surrounded by professors and like-mind ed students, I am thrilled to cross that threshold into what we all know as “the real world.” Figuring

I do not want to settle into a 9-5 cubicle

Photo courtesy of Albert Vincent Wu

“Now that I am not surrounded by professors and like-minded stu dents, I am thrilled to cross that threshold into what we all know as ‘the real world.’”

‘BONES AND ALL’: NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART OR FAINT OF STOMACH

Despite its gruesome nature, “Bones and All” tells a beautifully complicated love story

Kelly Ann Asker | Copy Editor | opinion@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Director Luca Guadagnino and actor Timothée Chalamet join forces once again to create another unforgettable comingof-age film, “Bones and All,” which came to theaters on Nov.18.

The pair first partnered for the award-winning film, “Call Me By Your Name,” which made its debut in 2018.

“Bones and All’’ tells the story of two young adults who are burdened by a secret: they’re both cannibals. Maren (Taylor Russell) is an 18-year-old girl who is left by her father once her cannibalistic urges become too much for him to hide. This leads her on a quest around the country to find her mother who left when Maren was only 3 years old.

On this trip, she meets a man named Sully (Mark Rylance) who reveals himself to also be a cannibal. Sully refers to their kind as “eaters” and attempts to show Maren the ropes since he has decades of experience.

However, something is off about Sully, and audiences can tell almost immediately simply by his voice and tone. Sully speaks in a slow, higher-pitched southern accent and talks about himself in the third per son. His tone has a hint of both innocence and malice, making the audience wonder whether or not this character is truly as kind as he seems.

Maren also comes to meet Lee (Timo thée Chalamet), who is a fellow eater. Lee joins Maren on her trip to find her mother, facing trouble along the way and forming a bond over their shared experiences.

The acting in this film was phenomenal. Mark Rylance’s performance as Sully is one to be marveled at. He portrays his role so perfectly; your skin will crawl and you’ll shudder simply by hearing his voice.

As for Chalamet, he never fails to impress audiences with his character versatility, and this role just goes to show there’s nothing he can’t do. There’s a reason he’s a fan favorite. His acting is seamless

and undoubtable, and overall, extremely enjoyable to watch.

As expected, a film about cannibals can be pretty disturbing, but Luca Guadagnino takes things to a whole new level. Accord ing to IMDB, Bones and All received an R rating for “strong, bloody and disturbing violent content, language throughout, some sexual content and brief graphic nudity.”

The R rating is true to its name. The content in this film is monstrous, but it adds to the depth and intensity of the film. While at points it can be hard to stomach, the balance of chaotic gore and peaceful scenes keeps the story from becoming too overwhelming.

The special effects in “Bones and All” are exceptionally realistic, so if you don’t fare well with intense blood and carnage, it may be beneficial to skip this film. How ever, if you’re able to tolerate these effects,

then I would more than recommend this movie.

Guadagnino’s style of film is uniquely beautiful and recognizable. Similar to “Call Me By Your Name,” the soundtrack was instrumental and accompanied by multiple still shots that encouraged the viewer to soak in what just happened.

Despite all these positive aspects, the movie still has its shortcomings — one of which is the plot, which seemed to be lacking a primary conflict and resolution and can make the viewer feel like they’re along for a ride but have no idea where they’re heading.

In addition, the film style doesn’t exactly match up with the content of the movie. Guadagnino’s intimate and personal style is perfect for a coming-of-age romance. For a story about cannibals, however, it may have been better to film in a different style completely, one that would capture

more horror than drama.

Now that’s not to say the film isn’t en joyable, it really is, but you can’t help but feel lost and confused as to where the film is heading at times. Yet the uncertainty of the plot helped to curve any predictability, keeping the audience interested.

The film has some bone-chilling jump scares and suspenseful moments which had me on the edge of my seat, both eager and terrified of what was to come. “Bones and All” has some high points and low points, but overall, it’s a film worth watching.

If you can handle the stomach-churning gore in “Bones and All,” it is undoubtedly a film that will awe audiences and con tinue Luca Guadagnino and Timothée Chalamet’s reputation as an iconic pair in cinema.

“Bones and All” is a film worth watching despite its uncertain plot and distrubing themes surrounding cannibalism.

Photo courtesy of Frenesy Film Company

WHAT COULD’VE BEEN: BOISE STATE’S WHIRLWIND 2022 FOOTBALL SEASON

MARLEI SODERQUIST | SPORTS REPORTER | SPORTS@STUMEDIA.BOISESTATE.EDU GRAPHICS BY SASHA WHITE | PHOTOS BY TAYA THORNTON

After a season of drama, change and unexpected success, the Broncos’ poetic 2022 season ended in heart-wrenching fashion.

Gone was the Broncos’ eight-game regu lar-season winning streak. Gone was their quest to be 2022 Mountain West Champi ons after a 28-16 loss to Fresno State.

After a whirlwind season of low-lows and high-highs, their high-stakes season and all-in roster changes culminated with a heartbreaking loss on one of the grandest stages.

“I am very proud,” head coach Andy Avalos said. “We obviously did not ac complish what we set out to do … but we accomplished a lot this year.”

The Downfall

At the start of the 2022 season, there wasn’t anything to suggest this team would end contending for the Mountain West title.

The Broncos finished third in the Mountain division with a 5-3 record a year earlier.

One of the most formidable players Boi se State has seen, Khalil Shakir, graduated. The offensive juggernaut had an impressive 2021 season with 1,247 total yards.

In a 2022 preseason poll, Boise State was ranked fourth in the Mountain West conference, behind San Diego State (3), Air Force (2) and Fresno State (1).

After Boise State football assured fans that their team will have a strong perfor mance this season, the team got blown out by Oregon State 34-17.

“It’s something I’ve never thought would happen,” wrote Adam Abramson in a Tweet during the Oregon State game. “The

downfall of Boise State.”

The team then proceeded to lose to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) three weeks later.

The Broncos had gone 6-0 against UTEP prior and beat them 54-13 during the 2021 season. The detrimental 10-27 loss was unprecedented.

This loss led to Boise State’s starting quarterback, Hank Bachmeier, entering the transfer portal four weeks into the 2022 season after being chastised for his performance.

“We accomplished a whole lot in terms of growing our program and growing our family,” Avalos said.

The Uprise

The Broncos, led by the true freshman quarterback Taylen Green, were resilient all season.

Before being named the starting quarter back against San Diego State on Sept. 30, Green was just another backup.

Green had little experience, having 19 pass attempts for 155 yards, no passing touchdowns and one interception on the season.

From backup to star, the Mountain West conference freshman of the year helped turn the seemingly devastating start into a triumphant regular season finale.

“How [Green] practices and the type of person he is, not only his skillset and his abilities, and the excitement that he brings, but who he is as a person,” said head coach Andy Avalos when asked about Greens’ attributes. “He has the biggest heart, and that is huge for our team.”

Avalos, named Mountain West head coach of the year, assisted in the complete season turnaround.

After the tragic 2-2 start of the season, Boise State strung together an impressive 7-1 run to finish out the regular season.

Then, Boise State fired offensive coor dinator Tim Plough due to poor offen sive production early in the season and replaced him with Dirk Koetter.

All the Broncos had was an unknown first-year backup quarterback, a roster filled with a number of experienced veter ans and a head coach who was coming into his own.

Redshirt junior running back George Holani had 1,059 yards on 201 attempts and 10 touchdowns in the regular season.

Holani accounted for more than 40% of the Broncos offensive yards and nearly doubled his production from last season.

An impressive season for junior kick er Jonah Dalmas added to the Broncos’ offense as he made 100% of his extra point attempts and was 81.8% from field goal

“We are the front porch of this state, and I do see a lot of value in the things that we’re doing and have done over the past year and a half. We want to be elite, and we very much have a Power Five mentality.”

- Boise State Athletics Director Jeramiah Dickey

range.

On the defensive side, senior safety JL Skinner led the Broncos in interceptions, with four, and redshirt senior outside linebacker DJ Schramm led in tackles, with 93.

Senior defensive backs Caleb Biggers and Tyreque Jones both had themselves a great final farewell season. Both players notched one interception each, while Jones had 34 tackles and Biggers had 36.

Though many team veterans held much of the spotlight, some new names were on display during the 2022 season.

Freshman running back Ashton Jeanty played a pivotal role for the offense.

With 643 rushing yards, 145 receiving yards and six touchdowns, the Mountain West all-team honorable mention was a key player for the Broncos.

“I feel bad for Bronco Nation,” sixthyear wide receiver Davis Koetter said as he struggled to hold back tears after the conference championship loss. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry it wasn’t enough.”

Though the Broncos were favored by three points in the Mountain West Cham pionship game, it didn’t mean a thing.

After defeating Fresno State 40-20 earli er in the season, the Broncos were unable to notch another win against the Bulldogs to secure the 2022 Mountain West Cham pionship.

The 28-16 loss ended the Broncos’ seemingly poetic season.

“Our goal is to win a conference cham pionship,” Green said. “You have to look at it from both views. We lost, but the expe rience and camaraderie that we built in the locker room … we really came together.”

In the team room wall, the saying, “Our goal is to win the MWC championship and a bowl game with class, integrity and academic excellence,” is written in all caps.

With yearly aspirations of a conference championship, the Broncos’ determination is unwavering.

“There’s a lot of commitment,” Avalos said. “There’s a lot of passion. There’s guys that care about the things that we are do ing. I am so blessed to be a part of that.”

What’s Next

As Boise State football looks to the fu ture, there is much to be hopeful about.

With ten games under his belt, includ ing the Mountain West championship loss, the true freshman will return next season for redemption.

“I’ll remember this feeling,” Green said. “This feeling really sucks, but you just have to learn from it.”

Taylen Green, Boise State quarterback

After seeing no action throughout his career, redshirt sophomore edge rusher Gabe Hunter made a name for himself after racking up two game-sealing inter ceptions in the 2022 season.

Finishing with a 9-3 overall record and 8-0 in conference play, the Broncos landed a spot in the Mountain West Champion ship game with home-field advantage.

The Heartbreaking End Turns out, that wasn’t enough. The 2022 Broncos team — a squad that defined itself in a season that was scarred by drama — lost in the end.

As a plethora of graduates will leave the Boise State football program, there is continuous hope as new stars emerge.

The star-studded freshman quarterback, Taylen Green, hopes to come back stron ger than before.

With teammates around him that have nothing but high praise, Bronco Nation is encouraged to feel the same.

“Don’t let this go to your head,” Davis Koetter joked as he smiled at Green. “This kid right here, is a special kid. Boise State is in a really good spot with him at the helm … Bronco Nation has a lot to look forward to with 10 (Green’s number) at quarterback.”

With a history of true freshman quar terbacks, Green follows in the footsteps of some of the Broncos’ greats.

After a season full of learning, Green has honed in on his quarterback skills and made adjustments to be as successful as possible.

“Everything I’m doing, I’m learning from it,” Green said. “Trying not to make the same mistakes … trying to learn from each and every play, especially in the championship game.”

On top of newly budding star, Green, new hopes are emerging with stadium renovations and Power Five hopes. Boise State has plans for more.

“We are the front porch of this state, and I do see a lot of value in the things that we’re doing and have done over the past year and a half,” said athletic director Jeremiah Dickey. “We want to be elite, and we very much have a Power Five mental ity.”

Boise State is seeking more competition in a bigger market as rumors and discus sions about them entering a Power Five conference — Big Ten, Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference, Southeastern Confer ence and Pac-12 — continue to emerge.

Of the five conferences, the Broncos have been kicking it into high gear with hopes of joining the Pac-12 or Big 12 for the past few seasons.

Although Boise State Athletics is looking ahead to future opportunities, the Broncos’ football season is not yet over.

The team will head to Frisco, Texas, to play in the Frisco Bowl against North Texas on Dec. 17.

“Our goal is to win a conference championship. You have to look at it from both views. We lost, but the experience and camaraderie that we built in the locker room ... we really came together.”

-

“We accomplished a whole lot in terms of growing our program and growing our family.”

- Football head coach Andy Avalos

Naomi Priddy | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

At the Albertsons Library, books are only a small part of the re sources and spaces at students’ disposal.

The term “library” can be misleading. It is largely associated only with studying and books, and though that’s a part of the story, Boise State’s library is actually branded as a “vibrant nurturing hub.”

Sarah Wadell is the Albertsons Library’s first marketing and communication specialist along with Luan Teed, the first outreach coordinator. Up until spring 2021, there had never been an outreach and communications department and, therefore, the message of the library has been and still remains virtually unknown to the student body.

“Because nobody was tasked with those specific duties, we were always just kind of here waiting for someone to say, ‘Hey, do you want to do this?’” Wadell said. “There’s a bias: we’re quiet and we’re may be cantankerous, and we’re just shushing everybody and I think because they now have these three extroverts — the dean and the two marketing people — we are going to see big changes.”

Wadell and Teed have been on a mis sion to change this conversation and to rebrand the library for what it really is: a neutral space where students can seek limitless opportunities.

“We think of every college on campus like a boutique and the library is like a warehouse,” Teed said. “Think of us as your Costco.”

In addition to books, the library offers liaisons that Wadell and Teed describe as “underutilized.”

“Every major has a liaison assigned to it,” Wadell said. “Whether you’re a science major, or a biology major, or a

psychology major or business major, you come here, and so if you need help with writing a paper about business practices in England in the 1900s, you don’t have to seek out those resources on your own. You can work with a library liaison to say, ‘Oh, I know the best databases for you to reference. I know the best journal for you to find.’”

In accordance with the library’s move ment towards rebranding, the inside of the space will be physically changing as well.

Currently on the first floor of the li brary is the circulation desk. This is where students and faculty can seek resources. However, the term “circulation” itself didn’t feel accessible, according to Wadell.

The wall separating the circulation desk will be removed and replaced with a central customer service model. The desk will now be called “ASK,” short for access, service and knowledge, instead of circulation.

The hope is that employees and li brarians will have more opportunities to mingle and, therefore, create a space that feels more accessible and positive to help the internal culture of the library, and in turn, help the community.

With the new model of ASK, Wadell and Teed want to restructure how people ask questions.

“Instead of people asking, ‘Can I?’ We want to reinforce, ‘How can I?’” Wadell said. “It’s not like, ‘Hey, can I have per mission to do this?’ No, how can we help you make that happen?”

The library hopes to reinforce this theme of accessibility and positivity throughout their space. Wadell and Teed stress the importance of people making the space their own.

With their implementation of a white board and prompts for students to engage with at the front of the library, they are excited to see students using their voice.

“Even if we get an inappropriate com ment, I love that people feel comfortable to do that,” Wadell said. “Then we have to have a big upstairs discussion about it, and we don’t want to censor anyone. We want people to take ownership of the space. You are welcome here. Make it yours.”

The idea of “a neutral place to land” was a phrase consistently communicat ed by Wadell and Teed. They want the library to be comfortable.

“You don’t want to take a nap in your car, you can nap in one of our students’ study rooms,” Teed said. “Bring a blanket if you want and build a fort. It is your space for you to use and to feel comfort able. We are not going to shush you and tell you what to do.”

Along with the physical change of the help desk, the library has recently

implemented a first floor art gallery open for students and the public to showcase their work.

“We’re kind of proving to be not just like a backup space but maybe more impactful,” Teed said.

In December, the library will be im plementing the “A Season of Light and Gratitude-Display Wall” event. This will include a gratitude wall that will then be converted into a time capsule.

Later into March, the library will have the honor of hosting the Americans and Holocaust Exhibit.

“The library’s inclusion of these types of big things is so important,” Teed said. “In the past the library wasn’t part of those bigger conversations, like the bigger administration of the entire university. Now that we’re kind of being included, we can do all these cool things. I think there’s an overwhelming joyful feeling that we’re all getting, and it’s seeping into the library.”

To better promote the library’s services, Boise State decided to rebrand Albertsons Library as a “vibrant nurturing hub.” Elise Ledesma | The Arbiter

BOISE MUSIC FESTIVAL BRINGS HOPE TO MUSICIANS IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISES

Musicians Against Self Harm celebrates their third annual festival

Naomi Priddy | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Zabel, Dustin Jones, Brendan Nickel and Alicia Tabuso. The festival seeks to bring awareness to mental health in the music industry and, most importantly, to remind people of the joy that exists in the world.

“I want them to feel just joy, just that they had a good time. I think that’s num ber one,” Zabel said. “Obviously I want them to think about the overall aspect (mental health), but the idea of it making a difference for suicide prevention and mental health is just to reinstate that you can enjoy yourself.”

On Nov. 4, MASH hosted their third annual music festival, this year in partner ship with their beneficiary, The Hive.

The Hive is a ongoing local nonprof it dedicated to reducing suicide in the music community. Mental health coor dinators and volunteers have all worked together to pair musicians in need of mental health services with counselors. Boise State University also partners with The Hive in providing social work interns to gain experience and support their men tal health mission.

The founders were inspired to spear head MASH in the wake of their own loss when in 2018, the organizers lost a very close friend to suicide.

“I think it’s just to reinstate that you can enjoy yourself,” Zabel said. “ I want them to walk away feeling like they have this joy, but it’s okay if they don’t and that they can talk about it. That’s the key, let’s make a spot where people are having fun enough to lower their defenses a little bit and start the conversation. And, you know, it makes it fun, removes that stigma of being afraid to talk about, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ There’s a lot of angst that comes with that from both sides. And so you know, how do we remove that?”

Musicians are in a mental health crisis. As a demo graphic, they are increas ingly vulnerable to self harm. In fact, musicians are three times more likely to experience depression than the general public

As of 2017, 68% of musicians expe rience depression, and the number is presumed to have risen in the wake of the pandemic.

Boise’s annual MASH festival, short for Musicians Against Self Harm, is trying to change this.

The festival was originally founded by Jason Lambson and Mike Adams in 2019 and is now organized by David

“I think [mental health is] something that’s probably plagued people for a long time,” Zabel said. “Why [do] these people who have all this talent, these great artists have some of the most mental kind of anguish and darkness to them? For some of them, that might be where some of this stuff comes from, they might have different kinds of depths that they can go to that maybe not all of us can.”

The festival included performances from Sunsmith, The Forgotten, Spoken Wheel, Reason Within, Devil’s County, Dying Famous Old Meds, The GOV, BARN and Roses are Dead.

MASH festival is meant to show people that there is space left for joy.

The event made space for lots of hugs and people being what appeared fearful ly joyful. At its core, MASH festival is holding space for joy, it’s an environment meant to bring attention to mental health and promote happiness.

“To be an artist, whatever it is you do, they tend to have an ability to feel deeper than most. That’s where creativity comes from. Maybe when you open up those depths of feelings, it’s not always on the happy side,” Zabel said. “You have these moments of extreme highs and being able to create something that’s just amazing that you would never think of had you not gone in depth into certain things.”

Boise’s annual MASH festival brings awareness to mental health in the music in dustry. Photo courtesy of MASH Festival

“To be an artist, whatev er it is you do, they tend to have an ability to feel deeper than most. That’s where creativity comes from. Maybe when you open up those depths of feelings, it’s not always on the happy side.”

- David Zabel

“I think [mental health is] something that’s probably plagued people for a long time. Why [do] these people who have all this talent, these great artists have some of the most ... anguish and darkness to them?”

- David Zabel, organizer for Musi cians Against Self Harm

EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN BOISE BUSINESSES THROUGH FIRST THURSDAYS

Hanalei Potempa | Culture Editor | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

First Thursdays, presented by the Downtown Boise Association, provides a night filled with shopping, dining, art, music and more, taking place on the first Thursday night of every month in downtown Boise.

Retailers, restaurants and establish ments downtown plan engaging in-house events including trunk shows, shopping pop-ups, musical performances and art exhibits.

Jennifer Hensley, the executive direc tor of the Downtown Boise Association, shared that this event has been a Boise tradition for decades.

“It’s when all of the businesses down town have specials and they bring in artists or they bring in samples of drinks or food or something like that,” Hensley said.

areas and, you know, give everybody a little bit of extra fun for the night.”

mance to the evening. For last month we kind of played with the scenes of musicians and magicians, and we had like a roving magician that was out just surprising people with magic,” Hensley said. “The idea generally is that they just kind of go all over downtown and pop up into surprise areas and, you know, give everybody a little bit of extra fun for the night.”

like everyday shopping. It’s really a chance to kind of see what’s all downtown, and kind of meet our neighbors.”

Popular businesses downtown such as BANANA ink, Flying M Coffee House, Bacon & Beer, Art Source Gallery, City Peanut Shop and The Chocolat Bar are regular participants in First Thursdays.

Hensley shared that the Downtown Boise Association tries to include a collec tive performer or activity for the entirety of the First Thursdays event to fuse the businesses’ events together, especially on Supersized First Thursdays, which provide extra events and entertainment and are scattered throughout the year.

“Historically as an organization, we have occasionally added a roving perfor

Hensley shared that the event takes place throughout the entirety of down town, including 50-70 mini-events hosted by different merchants all in one night.

“It’s a really good chance to pop around and see what’s going on with a lot of peo ple and a lot of vibrancy,” Hensley said. “You might pop into a clothing store that also has a tasting of locally made beverag es or something. So it’s more casual, just

Art Source Gallery usually hosts artist talks and art pop-ups, and BANANA ink usually does a 15% off sale on their whole shop as well as a tasting event. This past First Thursday they held a tasting of YUMMS charcuterie right inside the store.

For November’s First Thursday, the Chocolat Bar hosted Holesinsky Winery for an all local wine and chocolate tasting, and City Peanut Shop celebrated its 13th year of operation by hosting Woodland

Empire

for nut and beer tastings, as well as offering guests a 13% discount on alcoholic beverages for the week.

There are endless opportunities for shopping, dining and entertainment on First Thursdays, creating the perfect night for exploring downtown in a vibrant setting.

Come support downtown Boise’s small and local businesses every first Thurs day of the month for the ultimate Boise experience. The event typically runs from 5-9 p.m., but each business runs by their own specific hours, so visitors can check out their individual websites if interested in specific business events!

Businesses provide information for each event leading up to First Thursdays on the Downtown Boise Association’s website.

Brewery

First Thursdays provides the opportunity for members of the community to explore downtown Boise and engage with local businesses. Photo courtesy of CBS2

Downtown Boise holds special events the first Thursday of every month including dining, art and more

“The idea generally is that they just kind of go all over downtown and pop up into surprise

- Jennifer Hensley, executive director of the Downtown Boise Association

IDAHO WINTERS ARE TAXING ON STUDENTS WITH SEASONAL DEPRESSION

Naomi Priddy | Culture Reporter | culture@stumedia.boisestate.edu

As we enter wintertime, the air is becoming icier and the sun is setting sooner. For some stu dents, this season marks more than just a change in weather, but also a shift in mental health.

For college students moving to Idaho from sunny states, Seasonal Affective Dis order is something to monitor.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, often referred to as SAD, is when a person expe riences a pattern of depression symptoms that correlate with the change of seasons.

Mattie, a Boise State student who moved from San Diego, California, hadn’t understood how mentally taxing the cold weather could be until she moved to Boise.

“When I moved to Boise I had never ex perienced winters like this before,” Mattie said. “Back home, the lowest it would get

was like 50 degrees max. I moved to Boise, and the sun would set at like 5 p.m. ... It was really hard to find motivation to come to class when it was snowing and I had to walk, then I just spiraled down mentally too.”

According to Erin Liday, a certified clinical social worker and therapist in the Boise area, SAD is not a standalone diagnosis and can be a symptom of other major depressive disorders. The weather can also impact mood disorders other than depression.

“SAD can drastically affect someone’s academic performance. I mean, the core of depression includes a lack of internal motivation,” Liday said. “There is often sleep disturbances, lack of self-esteem and suicidal ideation. Many college students may lean on alcohol to cope with these

symptoms in the winter, which could bring additional challenges.”

In 2011, the National Institute of Men tal Health surveyed that 30% of college students reported feeling “so depressed it was hard to function.”

“I found my energy was just absolutely drained,” Mattie said. “I couldn’t get out of bed or get myself to do work. My grades were really impacted by this. I started turning all my assignments in late. It got to a point where I had to reach out to my professors and tell them that I was not doing well and get extensions.”

Millions of adults suffer from SAD, though the condition often begins in young adulthood and is more likely to affect women than men.

“Funny enough, the only clients who have discussed SAD symptoms with me

have been college students,” Liday said. Individuals living in colder climates, like those in Idaho, often exhibit symptoms of SAD. Blaine County and Lemhi County in particular are high-risk areas for devel oping SAD.

“I didn’t even know what seasonal depression was until I moved to Idaho,” Mattie said. “I didn’t totally understand what it felt like until the sun started setting earlier and the days got colder.”

About 5% of adults in the U.S expe rience SAD 40% of the year. The most difficult months tend to be January or February.

“I imagine that many students coming from hotter climates have a really big reality check if they go to college in a state that has colder temperatures,” Mattie said. “It’s hard to explain if you did grow up somewhere that’s ‘summer all year round,’ but you just can’t mentally prepare yourself for the toll cold weather takes on your mental health.”

For college students, SAD is particularly troublesome. Unlike the more regular rou tines of high school, college students tend to stay up later and sleep in longer, making it harder to receive the Vitamin D needed to ward off SAD symptoms, especially in the winter months.

“The number one tool I would rec ommend to a student in this situation is to lean heavily on their social network,” Liday said. “I conceptualize depression as a disorder that primarily revolves around isolation. The sadder a person becomes, the more they withdraw from their com munity, which in turn makes the depres sion worse … If you can build in some structure that requires you to see others regularly throughout your week, it will be easier to withstand the winter.”

According to Liday, college faculty need to pay attention to signs of depression. Re ferring students to counseling and tutoring services and talking openly about mental health is a step in the right direction.

Seasonal Affective Disorder can drastically affect someone’s academic performance, especially for students from predomi nantly sunny states. Taya Thornton | The Arbiter

BAD BLOOD: BOISE STATE AND FRESNO STATE’S HEATED FOOTBALL HISTORY

Boise State has faced Fresno State four times in the Mountain West Championships

Adam Bridges | Sports & Rec Editor | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Boise State football played Fresno State in the Mountain West Championship game for the fourth time on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Both teams faced each other in 2014, 2017 and 2018. What happened in those matchups?

2014 Mountain West Championship: No. 22 Boise State 28, Fresno State 14

No. 22 Boise State stopped Fresno State from becoming back-to-back division champions after beating them 28-14 in the second Mountain West Champion ship.

Linebacker Tyler Vallejo helped the Broncos take control of the game early after he scored on a 63-yard interception that put his team up 14-0 in the first quarter.

“I just go out there every day and try and give it my all,” Vallejo said. “I just wanted to help get this team a win and reach our team goal.”

Vallejo’s effort paid off after he received Defensive Player of the Game honors in the lopsided Boise State victory.

This win helped the team advance to their third Fiesta Bowl, where they defeat ed the University of Arizona 38-30.

2017 Mountain West Championship: Boise State 17, Fresno State 14

Boise State was ready to secure its first Mountain West Championship in nearly three years at the end of the 2017 season.

The team faced a tense matchup after losing to Fresno State 28-17 the week prior.

“Whatever we did leading to this game, it didn’t work,” said former head coach Brian Harsin after their first game against Fresno State. “You won’t see us do that again.”

Despite making adjustments, Boise State struggled to contain Fresno State quarterback Marcus McMaryion in the first half, who scored two rushing touch downs in the second quarter and put Boi se State down 14-10 entering halftime.

“We got together at halftime. I told everyone, ‘We’re a second-half team — we’re about to go win this thing. It’s 0-0; let’s go out and grind one play at a time, and we’re going to get it done,’” said line backer Leighton Vander Esch. “We knew the offense was going to come up sooner or later, and they came up big and it was in the defense’s hands from there.”

Vander Esch spoke his team’s success into existence.

Boise State running back Ryan Wolpin scored a 4-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to take the lead 1714. This score, paired with the Broncos’ defense forcing the Bulldog’s offense to go scoreless in the second half, led to the university’s second Mountain West Championship.

State and Fresno State have a rich Mountain West Championship history, with the teams competing in 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2022. Taya Thornton | The Arbiter

the matchup between two high-caliber teams much more interesting.

“For all the players in the game tonight, they all fought hard on both sides of the ball,” Harsin said after the game.

The snow did not deter either team’s quarterback from passing the ball. Fresno State quarterback McMaryion struck first with a 15-yard passing touchdown, and Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien fol lowed with a 10-yard passing touchdown of his own.

Fresno State’s field goals in the second and third quarters put the team up 13-7 heading into the fourth quarter.

tie, resulting in the first Mountain West Championship to head into overtime.

Boise State held the first possession in overtime and settled for a field goal after being stopped at Fresno State’s 6-yard line.

The Bulldogs marched the ball down to the 1-yard line on their overtime posses sion. Then, with revenge from last year on their mind, the team punched the ball into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

Fresno State’s 19-16 victory was their first win on The Blue.

2018 Mountain West Championship: No. 25 Fresno State 19, No. 19 Boise State 16 (OT)

The 2018 Mountain West Champi onship rematch between Boise State and Fresno State lived up to the hype built from the last game.

Both teams came in nationally ranked with the Broncos at 19 and the Bulldogs at 25. Snow started to fall as well making

Boise State running back Alexander Mattison then stole the show by scoring a game-tying 34-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. The team lined up for the tiebreaking extra point, and Fresno State defensive back Matt Boetang blocked it to preserve the 13-13 tie.

The Broncos held the final possession in regulation but could not break the

“I’m very proud of our team and cer tainly Fresno deserved to win the game,” Harsin said. “They played well. We got ourselves into an overtime situation and they came up with the win.”

With both teams knowing this match up all too well, fans can expect a great 2022 Mountain West championship game on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Boise

“I just go out there every day and try and give it my all.”

- Tyler Vallejo, linebacker

MOUNTAIN WEST CROWNS BOISE STATE FOOTBALL AWARD WINNERS

The annual Mountain West Conference Awards were announced online on Nov. 29.

As the football regular season comes to a close, 12 Mountain West con ference coaches and a select media panel selected the winners.

Head coach Andy Avalos and freshman star quarterback Taylen Green both won Mountain West season awards on Nov. 29. Avalos won Mountain West Coach of the Year and Green received Mountain West Freshman of the Year.

Avalos, a former Boise State all-confer ence linebacker, became the university’s 11th football coach in January 2021.

Avalos is the first Bronco football head coach to earn a Coach of the Year accolade since Chris Petersen in 2008 and 2009.

In his second year as head coach, Avalos led Boise State to an 8-0 conference re cord and a Mountain Division title.

San Diego State five weeks into the 2022 season.

The star freshman threw for over 200 yards in six of his eight starts, including a 305-yard performance against Colorado State.

Green also rushed for 437 yards this season and recorded 12 passing touch downs and eight more on the ground.

both named to the All-MW First Team.

For the second-consecutive season, Ojukwu was selected to the first team, marking his third-straight all-conference award.

Skinner earned his second all-confer ence award after receiving a second-team slot a year ago.

He leads Boise State with four intercep tions and is second in 59 tackles, includ ing 34 solo tackles.

Skinner’s four interceptions is also tied for the second-most in the Mountain West. He is just one of 12 student-athletes nationally to record at least 55 tack les and four interceptions in 2022.

The Broncos rank top 10 nationally in pass defense (third), pass efficiency defense (fourth), total defense (seventh), third-down conversion defense (eighth), and scoring defense (ninth).

Bronco quarterback Green led Boise State to a 7-1 record after taking over the starting quarterback position against

Green is the first Boise State quarter back to run for 100 or more yards in a single game since 2014 and the first in program history to have two 100-yard performances in a single season.

Additionally, his 91-yard touchdown run against Utah State marked the longest run from scrimmage in program history.

Along with Avalos and Green, the sixth-year senior offensive lineman John Ojukwu and senior safety JL Skinner were

Boise State had five athletes awarded second-team all conference honors as well.

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Cade Beresford and junior running back George Holani took over the spots on the offensive side.

Defensively, redshirt senior defensive tackle Scott Matlock, sixth-year senior linebacker Ezekiel Noa and redshirt se nior linebacker DJ Schramm all received second-team honors.

Fifth-year cornerback Caleb Biggers, ju nior kicker Jonah Dalmas, Taylen Green, freshman running back Ashton Jeanty and sixth-year senior nickelback Tyreque Jones earned honorable mention.

As Boise State closes out the 2022 foot ball season, there is much for the Broncos to be proud of.

A number of Boise State football players, including quarterback Taylen Green and safety JL Skinner, won accolades during the 2022 Mountain West Conference Awards. Taya Thornton | The Arbiter

Head coach Andy Avalos and freshman quarterback Taylen Green are among this year’s award recipients

Marlei Soderquist | Sports & Rec Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

“Avalos won Mountain West Coach of the Year and Green received Mountain West Freshman of the Year.”

“As Boise State closes out the 2022 football season, there is much for the Broncos to be proud of.”

BOISE STATE ATHLETICS RECEIVES $2.75 MILLION IN DONATIONS IN 3 DAYS

How these donations will assist in Boise State Athletics’ $300 million renovation plan

Marlei Soderquist | Sports & Rec Reporter | sports@stumedia.boisestate.edu

Raising $2.75 million in three days? It’s not impossible.

Athletic Director Jeramiah Dickey announced that Boise State Athletics has received $2.75 million by three donors in three days.

“We are so grateful to all those who have embraced the vision for Boise State athletics,” Dickey said. “Every commit ment moves us forward, helps us position our student-athletes for greater success and impacts the fan experience.”

All three of these donations were made as commitments to the Lyle Smith Soci ety. This society, named after the longtime Boise State coach and athletic director, was created to increase philanthropic revenues for Boise State Athletics, provide consistent funding for scholarships, support operational needs and capital pri orities, according to Boise State Athletics.

- Athletic Director Jeramiah Dickey

An anonymous donor made the first donation of the week on Nov. 7, in the amount of $750,000.

This donation will improve the game day experience for fans and student-ath letes by helping purchase and install LED lights at Albertsons Stadium, according to Bronco Athletics.

Bob and Bonnie Schwenkfelder made the sixth $1 million commitment to the Lyle Smith Society on Nov. 8.

The gift will provide a new dining hall for Boise State student-athletes as well as provide sport enhancement funds for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s tennis and volleyball programs.

“Our family bleeds blue,” Bob Schwen kfelder said. “Some of our fondest family memories include Bronco football and cheering the team on in Albertsons Stadium. We hope other families will join us and support the vision to strengthen Boise State Athletics.”

Another anonymous donor made a $1 million donation on Nov. 9, for the seventh $1 million dollar commitment to the Lyle Smith Society.

This donation will be allocated to cap ital improvements, including the north end zone project.

The new north end zone facility will

impact Boise State student-athletes and also affect Boise State’s What’s Next Initiative: student-athlete experience; revenue generation; infrastructure; and marketability.

“It is incredible to see Bronco Nation rally behind the vision for Boise State Athletics with this level of support,” said Mike Keller, associate athletic director for major gifts. “We are so thankful for the philanthropic commitments that will alter the trajectory of Bronco Athletics and change the lives of current and future student-athletes.”

In April 2022, Bronco Athletics an nounced a $300 million renovation plan which will be the largest sports facility remodel in the university’s history.

With the athletics department spending over $40,000 annually to support each

Boise State student-athlete, donations are crucial.

Each donation is a step towards the aspirations of Boise State Athletics joining a Power Five conference in the future.

“Thank you Bronco Nation for investing in our Power 5 mentality,” Dickey said. “Your commitment helps us stay competitive and maintain an elite environment for our student-athletes to succeed.”

Three donors — Bob and Bonnie Schwenkfelder and two anonymous donors — pledged a collective $2.75 million towards Boise State Athletics projects. Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics

“Thank you Bronco Na tion for investing in our Power 5 mentality. Your commitment helps us stay competitive and maintain an elite environment for our student-athletes to succeed.”

OUR BEST GUESS

THE ARBITER ALIGNS YOUR STARS

CAPRICORN

DEC 22 - JAN 19

THEY’RE NOT OBSESSED WITH YOU, THEY JUST LEFT THE CHAT TAB OPEN. IT’S PAST YOUR BEDTIME ANYWAY.

AQUARIUS

JAN 20 - FEB 18

IF YOU STOP TRYING TO FIND SPIDERS IN YOUR ROOM, THERE WON’T BE ANY. IT’S THAT SIMPLE.

CANCER

JUN 21 - JUL 22

NOW IS THE TIME TO READ THAT SAD BOOK SITTING ON YOUR SHELF, AND BRING TISSUES.

LEO

JUL 23 - AUG 22

YOU’LL FIND A JACKET YOU FORGOT YOU OWNED THIS WEEK AND PROCEED TO WEAR IT INCESSANTLY.

PISCES

FEB 19 - MAR 20

THE STRANGER YOU SMILED AT TODAY IS STILL THINK ING ABOUT YOUR KINDNESS. JOY IS CONTAGIOUS.

ARIES

MAR 21 - APR 19

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE TIME TO LEARN A NEW IN STRUMENT BEFORE YOU BUY THAT EXPENSIVE GUITAR.

VIRGO

AUG 23 - SEPT 22

STOP WORRYING THAT YOUR FAVORITE BAND IS GOING TO DISBAND. THEY WON’T, AT LEAST NOT YET.

LIBRA

SEPT 23 - OCT 22

YOU SHOULD PROBABLY CHECK ON YOUR FRIEND’S GOLDFISH. YOU’LL THANK ME LATER.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 22 - DEC 21

STOP MAKING EVERYONE FIGURE OUT IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY WITH RIDDLES AND VAGUE COMMENTS AND BLAST IT ON YOUR INSTAGRAM STORY - LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO LET YOUR FRIENDS FORGET TO BRING CAKE.

TAURUS

APR 20 - MAY 20

IT’S OKAY TO FINISH THAT JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER; OR ELSE YOUR ROOMMATE MIGHT BEAT YOU TO IT.

GEMINI

MAY 21 - JUN 20

YOUR TENDENCY TO “ANSWER TEXTS LATER” IS ACTUALLY GHOSTING. TEXT THEM BACK.

SCORPIO

OCT 23 - NOV 21

MAYBE WAIT TWO OR THREE MORE WEEKS BEFORE YOU GET THAT TATTOO, YOU’LL THANK YOURSELF.

ANDREA TERÉS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EDITOR@STUMEDIA.BOISESTATE.EDU

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALIEHA DRYDEN