thebattalion ● friday,
september 10, 2010
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Aggieland to honor Sept. 11 heroes Honoring The military and first responders will be recognized on the field during the pre-game ceremonies Saturday at Kyle Field.
Rebecca Bennett The Battalion The excitement of Saturday’s football game against Louisiana Tech will be juxtaposed with the solemn remembrance of those who were lost nine years ago in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. At a University where the sacrifices of the military are deeply entrenched in a shared history and culture, Aggies are especially aware of the honor due to the men and women of the United States’ armed forces who gave their lives in the aftermath of the tragedy. Fittingly, the official dedication of the renovated Military Walk will happen at 9 a.m. Saturday, a date intentionally chosen for its significance. Special guests include Gov. Rick Perry, class of 1972 and former member of the Corps
of Cadets, and Don A. Hughes, the 1951 A&M graduate who donated $4 million to the restoration project. “As you travel along this walk, may you follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before with honor and optimism — and with the intent to pave the way for future generations of Aggies who will take their own bold steps, walking this way with integrity, dedication to excellence and commitment to selfless service,” Hughes said, as quoted in the program for Saturday’s formal ribbon-cutting ceremony. With a number of Aggies serving on the frontlines in the Middle East, it is appropriate that the Military Walk should serve as a symbol for those who have determinedly marched forth
Dan Hughes, Texas A&M Foundation director of development Diane Barron and Texas A&M University president R. Bowen Loftin admire the plaque describing Military Walk.
See 9/11 on page 3
Courtesy of the Texas A&M Foundation
world suicide prevention day
Talk about it without fear
W
hen someone dies, there is grief. There is pain. There is a sense of loss. And all those things come in different shapes and sizes. But when someone commits suicide, those who survive suffer from anger, guilt, regret and other confusing feelings. I know this because I lost my dad to suicide.
Photo illustration by Matt Young — THE BATTALION
I know many of you know this because you, too, knew and loved someone who did the same horrible thing. Suicide is something we are afraid to talk about. I know I am. In fact, I debated over and over in my head whether or not to write this column. But if I am going to tell the students at A&M to talk about suicide, then I need to talk about it too. Surveys show that one in 10 college students has suicidal thoughts. That means that in our lecture classes of 100 students, 10 students are thinking about ending their lives. Those students are someone’s son or daughter, best friend or brother or sister. Those thoughts they have can be conquered if people give them hope. You should take time to learn the signs of a possible suicide. On our campus, close to 50,000 people would be qualified to help save someone’s life. And saving one person’s life will undoubtedly save those close to them from suffering heartache for the rest of their lives. I say this, because I wish I could have given my dad some hope. I wish I could have spared my brothers that horrible feeling the night we got the call. I wish I would have known what to do when I saw the signs, because now I ask myself “what ifs” every day. What if I had called him more?
What if I had gone to see him more often? What if I had done something to give him that right amount of Megan Ryan hope to keep senior English him going one major and more day? I managing editor don’t want anyone else to wonder those things or wish they would have known. Let’s take some initiative and help those who feel they cannot help themselves. For those of you who have considered taking your life, reconsider. Though you might think you don’t have any other options, you’re wrong. Suicide is sometimes romanticized in novels and plays, but there is nothing romantic or heroic about it in real life. Frankly, if you take a step to end your life, many people will be devastated. I know if my dad could have seen the number of people who showed up to his funeral, he might have thought twice before pulling that trigger. So, I’m begging you: think twice. Suicide doesn’t just affect the person who committed it. Have some faith that things will get better for the sake of those who love you.
Counselors stress being informed, recognizing signs Megan Ryan The Battalion One out of every 10 college students has suicidal thoughts, said Kerry Hope, a personal counselor for Texas A&M’s student counseling services. Today is World Suicide Prevention Day, and there are steps to take to prevent that 10 percent of students from doing something permanently heartbreaking to others. “We can’t prevent all suicides, but most suicides are preventable,” Hope said. “It is the taboo that surrounds the whole issue of
suicide that makes people afraid to talk, and the silence about suicide is a problem.” Hope provides Question, Persuade and Refer Gate Keeper Training Classes for students, staff and faculty on the A&M campus. “The training teaches what the signs and symptoms are, not only obvious signs but subtle ones as well,” she said. “Obviously someone who talks about their own death or seems obsessed with death or talks about suicide in a joking manner is at risk. It could also be someone who feels isolated, ostracized
or changes from the normal way they are. It may be someone who is usually very social and suddenly withdraws.” Hope said that while depression is the number one cause of suicide, other things like unanticipated loss or financial turmoil are triggers as well. “What you get when you talk to someone who is suicidal is that they feel hopeless,” Hope said. “They feel there is no way they can get around it. People who are suicidal don’t want to be dead; they just can’t figure
Crime can happen any place, any time Melissa Appel The Battalion With the beginning of classes and the return to the normal hustle and bustle of a large university campus, students often find the large crowds of the Twelfth Man to be a reassurance of community, a representation of the unity of the Aggie spirit and a reminder of the core values that Aggies share.
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These sensations can simultaneously entice a feeling of security and trust within a community founded on the Aggie Honor Code. However, law officials stress that even the Aggieland campus is not a completely danger-free zone. “Students should always be conscious of their personal safety and never let their guard down,” said Sgt. Allan Baron of the Uni-
versity Police Department Crime Prevention Unit. “Crime can happen any place, any time, and the college campus is no exception.” Across a large and widespread campus, students often find themselves walking lengthy distances both during the day for classes and at night for organizational meetings. Walking alone can be one See Safety on page 7
out a way to go on living with the emotional or physical pain they are experiencing.” Hope said the main point of her presentations was to teach people how to recognize suicidal people, connect with them and offer them hope to help them get through the immediate crisis and get themselves help. The student helpline on campus is also a service meant to help Aggies. While the helpline welcomes all callers with all types of questions, they do get calls from students conSee Prevention on page 2
Phone app puts A&M in students’ pockets Texas A&M announced an update for its mobile apps Thursday. The application caters to the way students want to receive information. “The use of smart phones is projected to increase by more than 50 percent this year alone, so we need to make Texas A&M’s online content available in a format that is easy-to-use and fits today’s mobile lifestyle,” said Jason Cook, vice president for marketing and communications. Originally released in June 2009, TAMUmobile apps came for the iPhone and Blackberry. In the latest edition, there are five new sub-
applications — Library, Dining, Images, Get Help and Bus Routes. The library sub-application can, in one tap, give you instant connection to a campus librarian in the “Ask a Librarian” feature. The dining and bus routes sub-applications give the students locations of their services, as well as hours of operation. Students can search University images with the images sub-application. If a student needs to call to the University Police or student counseling, the Get Help sub-application has the numbers. Kyle Cunningham, staff writer
9/9/10 8:34 PM
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Campus Safety Awareness Week continues at 11 a.m. today in the Academic Plaza. The event helps students, faculty and staff to learn about emergency preparedness.
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Military Walk
A dedication for the newly constructed Military Walk will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday. The Corps of Cadets will once again march toward Sbisa after the ceremony.
3
Graduation deadline
Today is the last day to apply for all degrees to be awarded in December. For more information, contact the ofďŹ ce of the registrar at http://admissions.tamu.edu/ registrar/.
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thebattalion 09.10.2010 For daily updates go to thebatt.com â—? Facebook â—? Twitter@thebattonline
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sidering taking their own life. “We provide support, information, referrals and crisis intervention,� said Susan Vavra, the HelpLine coordinator. “We take a wide variety of phone calls — anything from inquiring information about a football
Special to The Battalion The third of five open forums this month happened Thursday to discuss facility improvement on campus. Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin opened the meeting noting that in the past A&M has not been able to put resources into building structures. “Because of that,� Loftin said, “we have tried to put forward a process to enable us to.� The design process encourages public input to understand student and community needs. This utilization of this process has allowed A&M to near completion on a new engineering building and to begin construction on a new humanities building, Loftin said. A&M is home to the sixth largest student body in the country with a population exceeding 49,000. Because the number of students is steadily increasing each year, improvement in facilities is a main concern for guaranteeing each student the opti-
game to a conversation that starts out with a person telling us they are suicidal. We are user friendly, so they can ask us anything.� Katie Greiner, a lecturer for the English Language Institute, has been to two of the training sessions Hope teaches. “They were really honest about situations,� Greiner said. “Some of it is hard to hear but it’s realistic. It helped me with how I interact with students. I found that [the information] was extremely useful, and
mum college experience. Lallah Howard, executive associate vice president for the Division of Operations, said facility services include custodial assistance, landscaping and maintenance services. A great challenge is presented specifically with maintenance, she said. To ensure facility improvements, a deferred maintenance plan is under development. There is a need for prioritization of maintenance funding to ensure facility projects are completed in a timely manner, said Russell Cross, the interim head for the Department of Animal Sciences and chair for the Deferred Maintenance Task Force. A&M officials are working diligently to ensure that these improvements are based on student needs. Other issues discussed Thursday included shortage of campus classrooms, the need for better campus recycling, negative effects of custodial staff decrease and the demolition of three Northside dorms for fall 2012.
I would recommend it to teachers, students and everybody.� A group within the Student Counseling Services called Survivors of Suicide helps those who have lost someone to suicide. “We need the eyes and ears of people to recognize and refer them to the help that can save their life,� Hope said. “The counseling center here is one of the best in the nation and if they can get to us we are almost guaranteed to save their life.�
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Matt Woolbright, Editor in Chief THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, 1111 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News ofďŹ ces are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: metro@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2696. For classiďŹ ed advertising, call 979-845-0569. Advertising ofďŹ ces are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and ofďŹ ce hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 979-845-2678. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. Mail subscriptions are $125 per school year. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 979-845-2613.
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9/9/10 8:34 PM
things you should know
5 before you go Halfway Hispanic to St. Heritage Paddy’s Day! Month
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Buffalo Stampede
The second annual Buffalo The Blaggards, a Hispanic Heritage Month Stampede, a 5K and 10 mile race, will be at 7:30 musical group who mix begins Wednesday. An a.m. Oct. 2. The event traditional Irish music opening ceremony will is a fundraiser for the with rock, will perform be from 11:30 a.m. to Brazos Valley Museum at 10 p.m. on today at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in O’Bannon’s as part of Rudder Theatre Complex. of Natural History. Register online at http:// the taphouse’s “1/2 Student organization Way to St. Paddy’s Day” Salsa Fusion will perform, brazosvalleymuseum.org. celebration. as well as Spanish artist Maestro Soler.
9/11 Continued from page 1
to defend home and country. “Military Walk is a physical pavement along the north-south axis that you can walk on, but it is symbolic of the military walk of coming to A&M and the experiences that follow,” said Diane Barron, director of development for the College of Geosciences. She has been working directly with Hughes on his contribution because he is a graduate of the college’s geology department. She said Hughes, who was stationed in Korea as an Army officer during the Korean War, will speak about the importance of the military in his own life. More about the man behind the revamped Military Walk can be learned from the marker by the granite A&M seal in front of Academic Plaza. “From the time he came here as a young man until he left, he really trained to defend our country,” Barron said. Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin, Regents Chairman Morris Foster and Cadet Colonel of the Corps David Keim will also speak at the Military Walk proceedings. The Aggie Band, led in by Perry, will perform the National Anthem to commence the ceremony, as well as some musical numbers later in the morning and at the rededication of the Lt. Gen. James Hollingsworth statue in the Quad. In addition, the Department of Athletics will honor the military and first responders during the football game at Kyle Field later in the day. Members of these groups were offered half-price tickets to the game, and select individuals will be recognized on the field during the pre-game ceremonies. “Throughout history, Aggies have always answered the call and served our great country,” said
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Director of Athletics Bill Byrne in a press release. “As we remember 9/11, it’s important to recognize those who serve our nation on a daily basis. Texas A&M has a strong military tradition and we continue to commission officers in all branches of the services and have many current students who have served our country.” Several Aggie servicemen from Iraq, whom Mike Sherman visited in May, will lead the football team from the locker room and stand ready at the sideline. The honorary captain for the game will be former A&M linebacker Mark Dodge, who served in the military before his time in Aggieland and was also one of the first responders to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001. For some students, remembrance starts before Saturday. Beginning at 7:30 a.m. today by the Freedom from Terrorism Memorial, members of the Texas Aggie Conservatives and other volunteers will set up a total of 8,662 American flags to commemorate the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the soldiers lost in the consequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. “9/11 was one of the biggest days in American history,” said Justin Pulliam, chairman of the Texas Aggie Conservatives and junior animal science major. “Not only must we remember those lost from the terrorist attacks, but those who died for our freedom as well.” More than half the flags placed in the memorial will be in honor of those lost in the armed services. Steven Crumpley, junior accounting major and membership director for the student organization, said all flags will be provided to volunteers, who can contribute as much as they like, whether it be one flag or many. “It’s just a way to get out there,” he said, “and show some patriotism and honor those who have died.”
Lecture on JFK’s assassination
4
Neurosurgeon Robert G. Grossan will give a presentation on the assasination of John F. Kennedy from a neurosurgical perspective from 5:15 to 6 p.m. today in the Annenburg Presidential Conference Center.
At the Hall
5
Aaron Watson will perform at 8 p.m. today at the Texas Hall of Fame. Tickets are $12 in advance at Cavender’s and the Hall, and $15 at the door.
b! thebattalion 09.10.2010 page3
scene
Brand New Style Cory Morrow’s release reflects a fresh outlook on life
I
t’s 3 p.m. on Tuesday and considering the hungry howl of the tornado-friendly weather outside threatening to devour all possibilities of cellular communication, I begin to doubt the Cory Morrow phone interview will happen. But at 3:13, with static in the Jennifer background he made the call Dubose on his way to College Stasophomore English tion, Morrow was excited and international studies major to promote his new album Brand New Me.
Morrow decided to make music after discovering the Texas country genre during his college years at Texas Tech. “It was music I hadn’t heard before,” he said. “I fell in love. And I’ve been doing it ever since.” He began his career in Austin in 1994 and has enjoyed a steady climb of popularity and success through the years with albums such as The Man That I’ve Been, Nothing Left to Hide, Vagrants and Kings and many others. But his latest album tells a different story than its predecessors. “It’s more of an I’ve-found-what-I’ve-been-looking-for album, you know,” Morrow said. “That hope, that positivity, it’s a tangible thing — a spiritual realization.” This album comes as a self-renewal from a dark period in Morrow’s life after being charged with drunk driving and cocaine possession in 2005. Now he’s back on top with Brand New Me at #11 on iTunes Country Top 100 Sales and #113 in All Genre Top 200 sales. The single “Lonesome” from the album is also in the Top 10 on Texas Music Charts and Texas Regional Radio. While he has his favorites from the album, Morrow said all 12 songs help each other to create the final result, to tell a story. But a successful new record is not the only good thing hap-
Courtesy photo
pening to Morrow. He is now married to his wife Sherry, and they are expecting a baby soon. So how does it feel to reap the benefits of being a successful Texas Country star and a new dad-to-be? “It feels great. It keeps getting better,” Morrow said. “The stronger we stay to our family and adhere to our morals, the more opportunities and blessings we get. I am blessed that this is the way I make a living.” Tonight Morrow will perform at Hurricane Harry’s with a fan-picked lineup of songs. “It’s a brand new show to go along with the new record. The fans made the list of songs and we just narrowed it down. That’s what we’re playing.” Morrow said it will be a long show, about an hour and a half, complete with acoustic and electric sets. He will also be giving away a one-of-a-kind acoustic guitar (registration to win took place during his in-store performance at Hastings Tuesday). “I love playing in College Station. The Aggies are always excited and they really give back the love,” said Morrow at the close of the interview. All I can say, Cory Morrow, is we look forward to supporting your brand new style on stage this Friday night.
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Nick Toth comes to A&M after long road to reunite with Tim DeRuyter By Beau Holder | The Battalion
T
he day was Feb. 13, and it was appropriate that the hours around Valentine’s Day would spur the moment — the bit of time that would become the catalyst which took the jaded trepidation with which the Aggie fan base viewed their team and pushed it ever so slightly, until it began to roll down the hill with increasing speed toward unfettered love.
For on Feb.13, the hiring of make easy to... Dat We Nguyen wasitannounced, and the legend returned to College Station to oversee the position where he won the Lombardi and Bednarik awards and All-American honors in 1998 after leading the “Wrecking Crew� for four years. Quietly, it seemed, came the hires of two other assistants to the Texas A&M football staff: wide receivers coach Steve Kragthorpe, who later left the team for familial reasons, and a 34-year old defensive coach from Cleveland, Ohio by the name of Nick Toth. “There’s no room for that,� Toth said with a hearty laugh when asked if he ever felt overshadowed by his iconic counterpart. “There’s no reason to be. Everyone’s got their own little piece of the pie. I’m not worried about that. I’d rather him get to have all the attention and me get to stay away from all that stuff.� Toth is genuine and friendly, welcoming and enthusiastic, if mellow in conversation. His pedigree includes having a coach for a father and playing as a safety under future colleague and A&M defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter at Ohio University, from which he graduated in 1999. Sherman selected Toth, after much deliberation and some
www.villagefoods.com criticism. A great amount of careful consideration went into the choices, and Sherman believes in the hires he made. “Not only did he do an outstanding job on the interview,â€? Sherman said of Toth after his hire, “but‌his understanding of all the nuances of the outside linebacker position, and how it is to be taught put him over the top and this should facilitate the players in the learning process‌ Nick has worked his way up through the system and is recognized by many in football circles as a future star in this business.â€? There’s nothing to suggest he won’t be one of the most essential parts of A&M’s defensive resurrection. He stresses fundamentals and attitude and believes that all other factors will fall into place once those are built up. Moreover, he said he’s never truly satisfied, knowing that there’s always some area in which his players can improve. There’s also the fact that he is All-American joker Von Miller’s position coach. “Von’s a guy who’s easy to coach,â€? Toth said. “He does things so naturally, you have to be very specific with the things you’re trying to correct on him‌to an extent you’ve got to let our outside linebackers just go out and
play, because they’ve got a lot of ability, you don’t want to try to fit them into a specific cookie-cutter mold.� Toth is focused on building the entire unit up to Miller’s stature. He emphasized his desire for the Aggies to be a physical football team that never stops playing with maximum effort and for the linebackers, specifically the ones that line up outside, to be the playmakers on the A&M defense. His area of responsibility in recruiting is from the south side of Houston to, as Toth said, “the bad place, down in the orange land, there in Austin.� Undeterred by the recently superior Longhorns, Toth and the rest of the staff intend to go head-to-head with them over any and all recruits A&M is interested in. And then, he indicated, after Miller it will be Garrick Williams, and Sean Porter, and Damontre Moore and Jonathan Stewart, followed by the incoming classes. He’s certain that the position will continue to develop towards the goal of bringing the title “Linebacker U� back to A&M. Before the season, Toth was also notably placed in the role of directing a special teams unit that had few bright spots in 2009. “We’ve got a collective thing
going on right now with special teams,� Toth said. “Coach [Randy] Jordan is in charge of kickoff return. Coach [Charles] McMillan’s in charge of kickoff. I’ve got punt and punt return and the specialists. Although I’m allocating time, or kind of the voice, everyone’s taking a big part in it. We’re trying to coach the heck out of technique. We might Nick Toth, s c h e m e outside you a little linebackers bit, but we coach want to be really good at what we do.� Though the results were mixed in the first game — junior kicker Randy Bullock went two-of-three on field goals, but missed a chip shot; junior punter Jared Jarozewski’s punt average was only 37.3 yards, but two of his three punts were placed inside the 20 — Toth knows there is room for improvement and asserts that his players will get there. He has bought into the spirit and tradition of Aggieland with supreme vigor and continues to receive tutoring on some of See Toth on page 5
For more information: Call 979-571-0376 between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm
Welcome Back Breakfast! Sunday, September 12, 2010 9:00 – 10:30 am Please join us for free food and fellowship at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Brazos Valley 305 Wellborn Road, College Station.
Inviting new students, faculty, other community members and old friends. The UUCBV is a radically inclusive, open-minded religious community. We are a “Welcoming Congregation,� and we look forward to meeting you.
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Aggie gameday thebattalion 09.10.2010 page5
texas a&m vs. louisiana tech 6 p.m. Saturday kyle field
Battling the bayou I have no idea how to start this column, other than predicting Louisiana Tech is going to be very annoying.
Kyle Cunningham
senior sport Last year, they were a team with a pro-style offense management major run by a coach who was poached by the Tennessee Volunteers (also, what other BCS program would decide to replace a coach who went .500 in their conference with a WAC coach who went 17-20 in three years? But I digress). Now, they’re an air raid team run by the son of a former Texas Tech coach. Sonny Dykes, the son of Spike Dykes and the younger half of the coolest father/son name tandem ever, takes over the reins for the Bulldogs after spending the previous three seasons as the offensive coordinator for Mike Stoops in Arizona. This year, the Louisiana Tech slogan for football is “high octane,” which sounds fine and dandy considering they plan on throwing the ball more… until you realize they actually didn’t throw the ball against Grambling State last week in their first chance to actually be high octane. The Bulldogs debuted their new offensive style in Shreveport, Louisiana – sorry to bring that location up again – and instead of lighting up the scoreboard, played in an unbelievably dull way against a soft opponent. Perhaps it was the neutral site, but Tech was only able to generate 336 total yards, accumulated 70 yards in penalties, and lost the battle of possession time by nearly five minutes… to a decent but not great SWAC (points if you know the abbreviation) team. Luckily for the Louisiana Tech faithful, the Grambling State Tiger offense had all the worth of a pack of Kitten Mittens, gaining only 260 yards and turning the ball over three times. I guess this a minor victory for the Bulldogs, considering this is a defense that gave up 368 yards per game last year. Oddly enough, this sounds like us against Stephen F. Austin last week… but that was different, of course. I will give credit where it’s due, though – Bulldog quarterbacks Ross Jenkins and Colby Cameron combined to complete 74 percent of their passes for 6.3 yards per attempt without turning the ball over. By comparison, Jerrod Johnson and Ryan Tannehill completed only 70 percent of their passes (I can’t believe I said “only 70 percent”), but gained 7.9 yards per attempt.
Toth Continued from page 4
them from his players and his wife, among others. “That’s what makes this place great,” Toth said. “That’s college football. And it’s unfortunate that not everyone gets to see it. You go to school at Texas, that might be neat, but you don’t have the stuff that we have here. “I’ve got a list of the things I want to do while I’m here — Midnight Yell, I didn’t get to do the first one last week, trying to win a game, but I’m
3 things to look for struggles: 1jerrod’s Against Stephen F. Austin, despite gaudy statistics, senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson was shaky on intermediate and downfield throws. As Head Coach Mike Sherman opens up the offense, look to see if Johnson rights whatever ailed him in week one. ankle: 2Von’s Senior “joker” Von Miller tweaked his ankle early in the first half against SFA and is questionable Von Miller, senior for Saturday’s “joker” game. The question for Sherman is whether or not you want to rest your AllAmerican for conference play or if you want him to risk further injuring it against an inferior team. records: 3breaking Junior wide receiver Jeff Fuller, with two touchdown catches last week, moved his career total to 18 touchdown receptions. Now, he’s one from tying Bob Long’s 42-year-old Aggie record for career touchdown receptions at 19. If Fuller continues at his current pace, he’ll go down as the most storied receiver to ever play in Aggieland.
Jeremy Northum — THE BATTALION
Sophomore cornerback Dustin Harris returns an interception for a touchdown during the Aggies’ victory over Stephen F. Austin Saturday at Kyle Field. The Aggie defense looked solid against Stephen F. Austin, but this is the first test against an FBS team, and an efficient if not effective offensive one at that. So, to beat this Louisiana Tech team, the front seven have to completely disrupt the rhythm of the passers. A lot of fans believe clogging the passing lanes is the best way to stop these attacks, but a quarterback can’t make their progressions if they’re already on their backs. Even if Von Miller is kept on the sidelines in this matchup with his ankle sprain, Demontre Moore showed enough ability to wreak havoc – five tackles and the lone sack for
going to try to get to it this week or the week after, I want to see that. There were Yell Leaders getting tossed in the fountain [after the win], it doesn’t get any better than that. I want to go watch that.” Toth said there isn’t a better college town in America than College Station and the surrounding area. He said he and his family have been welcomed effusively and he enjoys getting to raise his kids in the area. Along with the convivial town to which he has moved, Toth said he really enjoys the support bestowed by the famed Twelfth Man. “81,000 people at your first home game,” Toth
the Aggies – to assuage the fears of A&M fans who believed this new 3-4 scheme would live and die with Miller. As for the offensive side, I’d like to see if the Louisiana Tech run defense that held Grambling State to slightly less than three yards per carry can contain Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray. With Jeff Fuller on the field the pass is always on the table, so establishing a good run game early should be of the utmost importance. Will this be the complete cakewalk that Stephen F. Austin was? No, but I do believe the Aggies should win semi-comfortably.
said. “That’s unbelievable. A&M is one of a kind. It’s awesome; I was highly impressed. I was sitting there in pregame and there was about 22 minutes left on the pregame clock and Tim [DeRuyter] and I look over at each other and I’m like, ‘How about that. There’s 81,000 people at this game right now and we’re getting ready to get after it on defense. We’d never been at home and had that crowd, ever.” And he said he’s excited for the season, but expects his players to continue to tackle it in a focused, dedicated manner. Much like their coach.
Staff predictions david harris 56-13 A&M beau holder 52-17 A&M mike teague 45-6 A&M kyle cunningham 41-14 A&M matt woolbright 45-13 A&M jill beathard 42-17 A&M
“There’s not a limit to the number of games we can win,” Toth said matter-of-factly. “We can win all of them. But it’s college football, so if you don’t play well, if you lose your discipline, if we don’t continue to develop, we could lose any game. We could lose to Louisiana Tech or FIU ... As long as we keep doing what we say we’re going to do, as far as the physical-ness, and the attitude we’re going to be okay. When you fix the demeanor and the expectations of ‘this is the type of team we’re going to be,’ everything else takes care of itself.”
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Death toll rises from Hermine flooding, authorities still searching SAN ANTONIO — The death toll from flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine climbed Thursday after Texas authorities recovered the body of a missing swimmer and an Oklahoma driver drowned trying to cross a swollen creek. At least four people have died in Hermine-fueled flooding, and two other people were still missing. Authorities near San Antonio recovered the body of Derek Joel-Nelson Clemens, 23, who along with a friend was swept away while swimming in the Guadalupe River. Crews were searching for his friend Thursday but held dim hopes of finding his friend alive. Both went missing Wednesday as flash
Safety Continued from page 1
of the most obvious dangers for a college student on campus. “Students should be mindful about their personal safety and should never walk alone if they have concerns regarding their safety,” Baron said. “All students are encouraged to utilize the Corps of Cadet Escort Service, shuttle buses or friends to avoid walking alone.” The Texas A&M Transportation Services offers bus routes and schedules for both on- and off-campus for the majority of the day and late into the night. In the Escort Service, students can call the Corps of Cadets and request an escort to meet them anywhere on campus and accompany them to their chosen destination. The number for this service can be found on the back of the Student ID card. If students choose to walk alone at night, there are many tips to increase safety, Barron said. Students should only choose routes on busy or welllit streets and avoid short cuts across parking lots, alleys or dim-lit areas. These routes should be chosen even if they lengthen the commute time. If students feel like they are being followed, they should turn and go another way, preferably to a populated area. Effort is made on campus to improve visibility and safety at night, with lighted paths throughout campus and emergency telephone towers along major pedestrian paths. With such measures, many students feel relatively confident when alone at night. “I do feel safe, because I’m always on West Campus,” said Kayla Dickson, senior finance major. “If I’m on West Campus late, there are always people here. I don’t mind walking by myself, although I probably wouldn’t go strolling over by the Trigon — there are just not as many people over there, so I probably wouldn’t do that. I would probably stay away from parking garages, especially at night.” Parking lots and parking garages pose another threat to students on campus, as students are often forced to park far away from their classes or activities. “Always lock your vehicle and take the keys with you no matter where you are parking. This is a good practice to follow even when parking in your driveway and garage,” Baron said. “Be cautious when parking next to a van or other large vehicles.” Safe parking also includes using foresight to select proper parking spaces. “Park in a well-lighted area. If parking during the day and returning at night, check for street and building lights,” Baron said. Students should also be sure to hide valuables in the trunk to reduce the threat of theft. To assist students in their pursuit of safe habits, the University Police Department offers many programs to increase campus safety and awareness. Throughout the semester, UPD offers free property engraving for valuables such as bicycles and computers. “Students should also be aware that theft often occurs on the college campus,” Baron said. “Personal property should never be left unattended or unsecure. We recommend that students make or engrave their personal property with their driver’s license number and record the serial number.” UPD is also part of a campus effort to have Campus Safety Awareness Week this
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floods fueled by the storm hit parts of Texas before the rain moved into Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. The flooding has killed at least two motorists in Texas and others are still missing. In eastern Oklahoma, a 19-year-old man drowned after his vehicle was swept off the road early Thursday. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said it’s unclear whether Jackie Warford was thrown from his vehicle or crawled out to try to swim to safety, but he became tangled in brush. Hermine packed a relatively light punch when it made landfall Monday night, and many Texas residents said they felt unprepared for Wednesday’s sudden flooding. It forced more than 100 high-
week. Throughout the week, various organizations offered presentations concerning topics such as emergency response, fire safety, medical preparedness and weather emergencies. On Tuesday through Friday, personal safety resource tables were set up in the Zone Plaza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering students the chance to learn more specific methods to improve personal safety. Texas A&M students also have the opportunity to enroll in a self-defense class through the Department of Health and Kinesiology, which many stu-
water rescues, though not all were successful. More than a dozen rescuers tried to save a 49-year-old man Wednesday who apparently drove his pickup truck into a flooded crossing near Alvarado. His body was found hours later. Another person died in a vehicle submerged by water from a swollen creek near Austin, the National Weather Service said. Still missing Thursday was a man who drove into a flooded road near San Antonio after his wife — who was trailing in a separate car behind him — called and told him not to drive into the water, Bexar County spokeswoman Laura Jesse said. Associated Press
dents view as a method to learn specific techniques to avoid or escape dangerous situations. “Since I took self-defense, they told me that you shouldn’t be doing something that might cause you to be in trouble, like being by yourself at night or going out late,” said Alejandra Del Carmen, a junior business major. “I haven’t had any trouble on campus. I don’t feel unsafe on campus because there are lights on campus, and I usually go everywhere with someone, never by myself.” With the multitude of resources available for students, all
Aggies should be well-equipped to enter the new semester with a renewed sense of precaution and safe habits. “Texas A&M University has consistently recorded low crime rates and is considered a relatively safe campus,” Baron said. “All college students must be aware that criminal acts can and do occur on a college campus.” For more safety tips, students can visit the UPD website at upd. tamu.edu. The entire schedule for Campus Safety Awareness Week can be accessed at tamu. edu/emergency.
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Inaugural Borlaug Legacy Series:
“Enough� Lecture A Discussion on Global Food Security and the Role of Texas A&M University “How, in a world of plenty, can people be left to starve? We think, ‘It’s just the way of the world.’ But if it is the way of the world, we must overthrow the way of the world. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.� - Bono
Tuesday, September 14, 2010 9am-10:30am - Presentation by Roger Thurow, co-author “Enough�; 10:30am-11am Book Signing (books will be available for purchase); 3pm-4pm Student Panel Discussion
The Forum, Rudder Theatre Complex Speakers include: * Roger Thurow (“Enough� co-author), * Ambassador Donald Teitelbaum (current US Ambassador to Ghana), * Ambassador Eric Bost (ret.), * Ambassador Larry Napper (ret.), and more!
Sponsored by the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, the OfďŹ ce of the Vice President for Global Initiatives, and ONE Aggieland. Please visit http://borlaug.tamu.edu/one or http://vpgl.tamu.edu for more details.
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