The Battalion — September 1, 2022

Among them were Michael Mubarak, petroleum engineering senior, and Katie Hayes, Class of 2022, two Impact co-chairs. Standing together in line at the ticket window for group pulls, they held 653 sports passes between the two of them.

With the first football game of the season coming up this weekend against Sam Houston State, students lined up first thing in the morning on Monday, Aug. 29, some starting even earlier, to pull tickets for themselves and their friends.

COMMUNITY TRAINING ON PG. A2TICKET PULL ON PG. A2

As of May 25, there have been 27 school shootings in the United States. An active shooter is defined as one or more individuals who attempt to kill or cause life-threatening injuries to persons in a confined or populated area, according to Texas A&M. In the event of an active shooter on campus, the university encourages students, staff and faculty to “Run. Hide. Fight.” University Police Department, or UPD, Officer Robert Leseth said the department has conducted annual advanced law enforcement rapid response training, or ALERRT, for over 10 years to provide officers with the knowledge to respond appropriately to an on-campus active threat.“[The training] includes using our equipment, which [includes] our patrol rifles, our breaching tools and our [self-aid buddy aid] kits,” Leseth ALERRT,said.a Texas State System, studies multiple facets of active shooter response and law enforcement best practices. Beyond law enforcement training, ALERRT offers civilian resources as well. UPD Lieutenant Bobby Richardson encourages community members to request Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events, or CRASE, classes. “Those trainings are free and are offered by our Community Services Unit, to faculty, staff and students upon request,” Richardson said. “We do a lot of those every year, so that’s another option to educate [community members] in what to do [in case of an emergency].”

Teach, preparetrain,

By Battalion Staff

The Silver Taps statue, located off of Academic Plaza, facing the Albritton Bell Tower, shares the remembrance tradition year-round.

FILE

By Caroline Wilburn @CarolineWilburn University Police Department provides training to community for active shooter situations

With 12- and 8-Week Courses 12-week classes begin Sept. 26 — 8-week classes begin Oct. 24 www.blinn.edu/fall — blinnbound@blinn.edu * Available online THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2022 STUDENT MEDIA TRIBUTES ON PAGES A6 & A7 Silver Taps Harrison Miller Fuller May 11, 2000 — April 7, 2022 Blake Douglas Barnes July 21, 2003 — May 23, 2022 The Path Forward & MGT update: 1 year later Tyler Wade Ryan Aug. 11, 2001 — May 14, 2022 Benjamin David Hamilton Jr. May 1, 2002 — May 20, 2022 Eric Tuck-Otero Dec. 24, 1981 — July 12, 2022 Victoria Christine Solarek Jan. 14, 2000 — July 24, 2022 Ivan Zabrodin Dec. 29, 2001 — April 8, 2022 Audrey Arballo Valim Dec. 9, 1999 — April 19, 2022

A solemn tradition: Silver Taps explained MGT ON A4 Football returns to Aggieland on Sept. 3 SPORTS SECTION ON B1

Impact Camp’s Michael Mubarak and Katie Hayes at ticket pull on Monday, Aug. 29 after pulling a total of 653 tickets.Photo courtesy of Michael Mubarak

Mubarak Stacks on stacks: Impact pulls 653 tickets

Silver Taps is one of Texas A&M’s most solemn traditions — a tribute held for any current graduate or undergraduate students who have died during the year. The ceremony is held on the first Tuesday of the month in Academic Plaza at 10 p.m. All campus flags are flown at half-mast and the names, classes and majors of the fallen Aggies are displayed on cards at the base of the flagpole in Academic Plaza and on the Silver Taps Memorial. As on-campus lights are extinguished and hymns play from Albritton Bell Tower, students and the families of the fallen Aggies gather in Academic Plaza at 10:15 p.m. The Ross Volunteer Company marches in at a slow cadence and fire a three-volley salute in honor of the fallen Aggies. After the last round is fired, buglers atop the Academic Building play a special version of “Taps” called “Silver Taps,” unique to A&M, three times — once to the north, once to the south, and once to the west, but not to the east, as it is said the sun will never rise on that Aggie again. Silver Taps was first held in 1898, and no other university honors fallen students in this way. As the student-run paper of A&M, The Battalion tells the stories of Aggies and our beloved community. This includes those of our peers who have fallen. The Battalion’s staff is honored to deliver the stories of students who have passed, and to share the perspectives of the fallen’s friends and families as a way of ensuring their legacies and memories are shared and honored throughout the A&M community.

Mubarak said though a lot of attention was brought to the fact they pulled over 650 tickets this year, they did something similar during the last football season. “Not everybody knows about this, but last year Impact, in a less organized fashion, pulled 413 tickets,” Mubarak said. “It was more so [Impact] people finding each other in line and getting together. This year, I thought that it can be done in a much more efficient manner. I texted all the chairs if they wanted to pull in a very large block. That information was disseminated to everybody and people started dropping sports passes off to me.” Mubarak said getting the tickets was a gradual process, so they didn’t have to gather all the sports passes at once. “Individual camps first gathered their ticket, then the freshmen gave it to their [camp] parents who gave it to their [camp] parents,” Hayes said. By the time the Ziploc bags of sports passes got to him, Mubarak said 20 to 40 camps were planning on pulling tickets.

By Kathryn Miller @kathrynmiller0 Two Impact Camp counselors make big waves for fishes’ first game

Richardson said these trainings can go beyond A&M’s campus.

According to ALERRT, the CRASE training is built on the avoid, deny, defend, or ADD, “Topicsstrategy.include the history and prevalence of active shooter events, civilian response options, medical issues, and considerations for conducting drills,” according to ALERRT’s website.“Our number one priority is to stop the killing,” Richardson said. “Then provide any type of medical care we can — we’re not medics — so we carry just the basic stuff to stop the bleed until medics can get there.”

TICKET PULL CONTINUED COMMUNITY TRAINING CONT.

Mubarak and Hayes pose with the 653 tickets they pulled on Monday, Aug. 29, 2022. Photo Courtesy of Michael Mubarak

By Caitlyn Porras

@caitlyncarole

As for their actual gameday plans, Mubarak said the Impact group will meet up as individual camps to make sure everyone has the right amount of tickets and give students a chance to see each other again after the summer break. “We kind of consider [the football game] a follow up event [of Impact] to a degree as an opportunity for counselors to interact with their freshmen and an opportunity for them to continue to walk with these freshmen through their first semesters in college,” Mubarak said. “Giving them time as individual camps to dive in is important, but once we get into the stadium, that’s when a more unified group will begin.” Hayes said she remembers sitting with her Impact group during her first football game and said it calmed her nerves, after her initial anxiety about who she was going to attend the game with.“I remember being like to my counselors, ‘I just give [my sports pass] to you and you sort everything out for me, and we get to have a fun weekend?’ It was just super enjoyable,” Hayes said. “Them doing that for me, I felt really served and cared for — that’s just the heart behind it. Once we get into the stadium, we’re just going to be a unified group. Before we are Impact, we’re Aggies. At the game, we’re not gonna be wearing our [Impact] colors, we’re gonna be wearing all maroon cheering on the Aggies and showing them what it means to be a Fightin’ Texas Aggie.”

said about 90% of people who were pulling tickets were freshmen, and since it was a group pull, all of their seats are on the third deck of KyleMubarakField. and Hayes called the ticket booth ahead of time, ensuring the ticketing team was ready for the massive amounts of tickets they were planning on getting. “We waited our turn and we even let some people behind us kind of go in front who were in smaller numbers,” Hayes said. “Whenever we finally got to the ticket line, we were first like, ‘Hey, we’re the group that we call about,’ and her face was like, ‘OK’ — she was bracing herself a little bit. We just thought it was really important to just take a couple minutes, talk to her and get to know her a little bit. I think it’s just really important to really see them — she’s not just a robot. Her name is Erin, she was incrediblyMubarakhelpful.”andHayes said they did everything they could to have the process go smoothly, and even had their own calculators to keep track of the“Wetickets.had probably five or six people there each with tallies and numbers,” Hayes said. “We set up a super coordinated and efficient system to make it as easy as possible. One of Erin’s supervisors was also there, standing behind it just encouraging her. Her supervisor also came out from the ticket booth office and was helping the people behind us as well so the line was still Hayesmoving.”saidthey plan to get the sports passes back to the freshmen in a similar manner to the way they were picked up. “We pulled together in a big group, but the essence of it is this is just 28 or 29 groups of about 35 people [each],” Mubarak said. “Leaders from each camp are going to pick up their bags of tickets and sports passes and take them and then they’ll be in charge of disseminating those down to their 30-plus freshmen.”

Laseth said UPD takes special preparations to protect students and staff in the event of an emergency.“Wepay attention to the Code Maroons when they’re sent out, that’s very important,” Laseth said. “We call 911 when safe to do so, or even text 911 if possible. We report suspicious activity to the police immediately, and we have some other concepts that we’ve learned in our CRASE training — and that is avoid, deny and defend.”

Finding friends is always on the table with Cepheid Variable Dungeons and DrAGons

Graphic by Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

“Statistics show that most active threats take place, not on school campuses — they’re actually in commercial-type businesses,” Richardson said. “It’s not just to help you here on campus, it can also help you in a local department store or warehouse store or something like that, or when you’re out at a restaurant.”

Allen said the organization feels like home and advises newcomers to not hide their interests and be yourself. “We have a lot of niche interests here, video games, D&D … and if you have an interest in those sorts of things, we are happy to take you in,” Allen said. According to their website, Cepheid Variable meets every Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at various locations that can be found through their provided calendar. Students can either attend meetings or pay dues to become an official member.

A tabletop game in the Bethancourt Ballroom in the Memorial Student Center on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. Ruben Hernandez — THE BATTALION

“When I first came to A&M, I was lacking that kind of interaction but then I got introduced to this club,” Howie said, adding that there are many people that are very accepting and chances are that new members can easily find a group that fits them. Cori Allen, a biology sophomore, also attended the event with the intention of saying hello to old friends and hoping to make new ones.“When I found this group of people that share the same interests that I do, it’s like people that actually get me,” Allen said.

A2The Battalion | 9.1.22NEWS

Cepheid Variable, a student organization that promotes “all things nerds” through an accepting atmosphere, hosted a Tabletop and Dungeons and Dragons event during this year’s Howdy Week, to kick off another year of fantasy Incomingrole-playing.andreturning students were invited for a night filled with campaigns and board games provided by another student organization, Tabletop Troupe or “The Board Game Club.” The fun-filled night was held in the Memorial Student Center, or MSC, ballroom on Saturday, Aug. 20, allowing for multiple tables of friends and club members to dive into the fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons before the start of the semester. Cepheid Variable — pronounced “se-fid” — is one of the oldest student organizations still active on campus, originally started as a Star Trek fan club in 1969, according to the organization’s newest leader, electronic systems engineering senior Tomas Arguello. Arguello, the 2022-2023 chair of Cepheid Variable, is spending his senior year setting goals to expand the organization. Arguello joined Cepheid Variable his sophomore year at Texas A&M, because he spent his middle school days enjoying the very things the organization has to offer. “I’ve come from a small country town [where] everyone knows who you are. I couldn’t really find myself … until I came to A&M,” Arguello said. As the current chair of Cepheid Variable, Arguello wants to make sure students of any year can find a place to call their own within the“Asideorganization.fromAggieCon, I want to make sure our membership increases and that we have a more active member base,” Arguello said.AggieCon, the nation’s oldest student-run convention, is held annually at the MSC and also hosted by Cepheid Variable, according to the organization’s website. When Cepheid Variable is not hosting creative outlets for their attending members, the organization is volunteering concessions at home games during Aggie football season, to gather funds, Arguello said. With these funds, they are able to host multiple social gatherings, overnight trips and large scale events such as AggieCon.“Wepride ourselves on [the] fact and we want to keep it going,” Arguello said when explaining his goal to make the convention moreAerospaceaccessible.engineering senior Travis Gallington is the newest president and web-master of Tabletop Troupe, a group similar to Cepheid Variable, but focused on tabletop games. He attended the event manning the table full of board games the group provided. “It’s mostly a social organization where people can come and meet new people,” GallingtonTabletopsaid. Troupe, usually referred to as “TCubed” or “The Board Game Club,” has been active for eight years, starting in 2015 when a group of Aggies who just wanted to “have fun times with good people” playing board games later flourished into an organization, according to their website. Though the founding members have since graduated, Tabletop Troupe still meets every Thursday at 8 p.m. in the MSC basement. “I think board games are under-appreciated. I think they are really good and helpful to meet new people and make friends,” GallingtonWildlifesaid.and fisheries junior Quinn Howie showed support as a second year member of Cepheid, and said he hoped to socialize and comfortably welcome everyone.

SCORE SOME GAME ESSENTIALSDAY ©2021 HEB, 21-8101 FREE LEARN MORE! Say Howdy to Standard deliveries only; online prices may vary from ad/in-store. See heb.com DELIVERYCAMPUS

MGT of America Consulting and Martin+Crumpton Group, also known simply as MGT, were contracted on June 16, 2021 to produce the report as part of Banks’ transition into the role of university president. e report covered a wide range of administrative topics including the College of Liberal Arts and College of Sciences consolidation, the creation of a journalism department and student organization management.ereport resulted in the creation of over 40 working groups charged with formulating a plan and submitting it for nal approval by Banks. Many of these approved plans have proposed deadlines of the fall 2022 academic year.

Path Forward:

Department of Journalism A er discovering A&M awarded less than 30 degrees in journalism from 2019-2021, MGT recommended the establishment of a journalism department. In her Dec. 14 report of “ e Path Forward,” Banks stated a journalism department was “a signi cant need” and overall accepted the recommendation, but she prefaced that the decision required more discussion “about the administrative home of this unit.”

Staff @thebattonline

• “Modify Recommendation, move only the undergraduate Biomedical Sciences Program to the new College of Arts and Sciences.”

• “Transition BIMS program to the unit for Interdisciplinary Studies with as little impact to current students as possible” e plan has not yet been approved by Banks. As of publication time, no updates are avaliable.

In the original MGT report, investigators recommended that the libraries, rather than functioning as a separate unit, would be made a department under the new College of Arts & Sciences. From this, President Banks did not accept all recommendations, instead recommending libraries become a “service unit” that would “no longer serve as a home for tenure-track faculty.”

• “Reject Recommendation to move both units to Agrilife.”

Identify shared required coursework in the rst semester for degrees that will be in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Banks has not made an o cial statement on the status of e Battalion or the journalism departments since Feb. 11. Since the spring 2022 semester, e Battalion has continued to print with no interruptions.

e initial decisions are as follows:

e largest initial concerns raised by the A&M community were regarding the job status of librarians, as well as how physical library resources would be managed. As Working Group 14 began working toward new contracting measures, the consultants at MGT released library speci c recommendations on May 2, 2022. As of publication, Banks accepted a proposed timeline by the working group, to nalize the future structure of the University Libraries by Sept. 1, 2022, as another working group will “evolve the libraries” throughout the 2022-23 school year.

On Feb. 11, Banks announced her vision for the future of journalism at A&M, which involved e Battalion, a state-ofthe-art journalism degree program, along with KAMU TV and radio, to be housed under the same roof in the proposed Performing and Fine Arts Center. Upon push-back from Battalion sta members and the A&M community, Banks revoked her decision regarding the student newspaper and said “the print portion may continue through the end of the semester.”

• “Create a new life-science meta-major.” e most recent update was led on Feb. 14, 2022 with the following changes proposed: e rst year experience should not be called “meta-major.”

Transition of Biomedical Sciences

By Battalion

The

October of 2021, Texas A&M President M. Katherine Banks released a report evaluating the university and its organizational structure.

Next steps:

A4The Battalion | 9.1.22NEWS In

Banks, per the MGT’s recommendation, is migrating the BIMS Program into the new College of andArtsSciences. ere were several plans on how to transition the program with as little impact to current students.

Here are several updates on the most prominent changes originally suggested by MGT.

University Libraries

Student organization management

Q1, titled “Registered,” is for organizations that are considered low risk, low a liation and includes bene ts like: Campus space usage, TAMU branding, SOFC, Concessions, Maroonlink and more. Q2, titled “Associated,” is for organizations that are considered high risk, low a liation and includes only listed bene ts: Risk initiative funding access.

Consolidating

Q4, titled “Sponsored,” is for organizations that are high risk, high a liation and includes bene ts like: Specialized IT support/access, University Funding, fees and/or scal accounts. e memorandum states that the categorization of student organizations is planned to be completed during the fall 2022 academic year.

Q3, titled, “Partnered,” is for organizations that are considered high a liation, low risk and includes bene ts like: Priority space usage/reservations and Partner area space and funding/ support.

IT

Phase I: September 2022 — “Create a repeatable service migration/consolidation process and validate. Establish design and support teams needed to build community IT services. Assess people skills and ll gaps through training and personnel assignments.”

Phase II: December 2022 — “Design, build, operate and run new community IT services. Create an IT shadow, mentorship, and transfer program to allow cross training opportunities, leadership enrichment, and conduits to move into new roles based on identi ed skill sets.”

Update 2022

Phase III: June 2024 — “Identify opportunities to establish additional shared IT services from existing specialized IT services. Assess shared and specialized IT services support requirements and ll skill and equipment gaps accordingly. Establish service availability monitoring or reporting of medium to high impact services for organizational awareness.”

On May 23, Banks approved a memorandum regarding the restructuring of the Student Organization Recognition Process. As of Sept. 1, the memorandum charges the Division of Student A airs with organizing the current student organization into four “quadrants” based upon their university a liation and their predicted risk level. According to the memorandum, risk will be determined by a new risk management review process including clear expectations for student organizations.

In her Dec. 14 report of “ e Path Forward,” Banks said she was pleased with the MGT recommendation for this change. Banks accepted the recommendation and said the new college and “center-point of the university” would be fully functional by Sept. 1.

A5 Cameron Johnson — THE BATTALION

fall

In their initial report, MGT recommended A&M combine the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Science and the College of Geosciences to create a new College of Arts and Sciences. According to the report, a College of Arts and Sciences would “heighten its stature as the home for one of the largest undergraduate curricula” at A&M.

Working Group 35, entitled “Consolidate I.T.’’ sent in its report on June 23, 2022 with the report implementing the plan in June and planning to be completed by September 2022. Banks said in “ e Path Forward” that “groups will begin to develop implementation plans with a deadline of Sept. 1, 2022 for full implementation.” However, Banks did not sign o on the plan until Aug. 22, 2022. e plan is as follows:

College of Arts & Sciences

“Tyler was just a very outgoing, well spo ken, fun-loving, compassionate, intelligent person that everybody seemed to love,” Darla said. “You know, he made friends easily.” Darla said Tyler, a nuclear engineering ju nior, followed in the footsteps of his grandfa ther, an aerospace engineer, in having a strong passion for learning, no matter the subject. “He loved to learn,” Darla said. “He always excelled in math and science. He spent hours just on his phone learning things [like] Spanish or whatever he was interested in … he had a real love of learning.” Darla said Tyler spent quality time with his friends and family in a variety of ways because he always enjoyed their company. “He loved computer games,” Darla said. “Him and his roommates loved to play vol leyball … [and] of course he also loved to eat. One of our favorite memories of him is just the joy he took in food … he loved to cook.”

Tyler’s compassion for his friends and fami ly was often expressed through cooking, Darla said.“When he did come home from college he really enjoyed hanging out with his dad and I in the kitchen cooking meals together,” Darla said. “He was learning how to make a lot of different types of cookies and his next endeav or was going to be to learn how to bake bread, but he also prepared meals quite often too.”

Provided May 11, 2000 - April 7, 2022

By Kyle McClenagan

Harrison was drawn there by its history, by its warmth and by its traditions. As Harrison completed high school and be gan seriously searching for a college he came up to his mother, Susan, one night and said, “I’ve found this school online, and it sounds like just the place I would like to be!” The college was, of course, A&M and from the beginning it had its allure. We traveled to the campus, and indeed, he loved the place. He especially loved the Aggie traditions. As we walked the campus he intimately came to know each of these — from the univer sal Aggie greeting, “Howdy,” to the much respected Aggie Ring he so aspired to earn. And, of course, the stately but heartbreaking Silver Taps ceremony. As our student guide stopped and described to us that solemn tradi tion, I was laden with emotions for the proud but sorrow-filled parents who find themselves listening to those mournful bugle calls. But among my many thoughts was not that we would, in a few short years, be listening with them.Harrison was smart, outgoing and hand some. He was always a leader in activities and when he was a team lead, he would, right away, choose for his team the kid who stood back, fearful that he was about to be left out. When asked, “Why did you pick him?” Har rison simply said, “Everybody needs a friend.” Harrison was articulate and well read, es pecially in history. Harrison, his high school social studies teacher told us, would often contribute in class, and the teacher would then ask if the students knew whom Harrison had just quoted. No one did. “Harrison, who was that?” “Winston Churchill,” he replied. A while later his hand went up again, followed by an other perfect and relevant quotation. “Does anyone in the class know who Har rison just quoted then?” Silence. “Harrison?” “That was Ronald Reagan.” And later, af ter a third rendition by Harrison, some of the students shouted, “That was probably by some politician!”“Harrison, whom were you quoting there?” the teacher asked. “That,” he calmly said, “Was from the New Testament.” And that was HarrisonHarrison.loved to invent. He and I built a furnace and crucible to melt aluminum cans into small ingots. We fired tennis balls with vaporized lighter fluid clear across our yard and front street. In his bedroom today still sits an original Gilbert Chemistry set, a high pow er microscope and a tracking telescope. One day, while I was driving him home, Harrison looked up from his iPhone and said, “Dad, I’ve found a 1948 Willys Jeep on eBay. It’s cheap, can we buy it? It’s like the one Roy Rogers’ sidekick, Pat, drove!” The bidding was going fast; the Jeep prob ably didn’t run; and it was 300 miles away. “What will Mom think? Can we fix it up?” We bid. We won. We rebuilt the carburetor, honed the brake cylinders and it was in that 1948 Jeep that his mother taught Harrison how to drive a stick shift. But our young student has left us. Harri son learned in his engineering classes at A&M that every laboratory has to have its platinum standard against which to measure. So, per haps God said to Himself one day, “I need a pure, caring person up here as a standard for all young men,” and Harrison — leaving his earthly Alamo — took God’s call.

The Battalion | 09.01.22

A brilliant and indepen dent person, Ben Jr. al ways strived for more. By Kathryn Miller Ryan

August 11, 2001 - May 14, 2022 Tyler Wade

Finance sophomore Colin Stasick said he met Blake through competing together on their high school cross country team. “I met Blake my freshman year in cross country,” Stasick said. “We also had a couple classes together and just through athletics and [the] classroom, we just started slowly becom ing friends. It was cool to see him go from not really too interested in athletics to [becoming] our best runner in Prosper and make it to state, and place and do super well.” Even while competing in a difficult race, Stasick said Blake put a smile on his face for his friends and family cheering him on in the crowd.“Blake was just always a super happy, posi tive person,” Stasick said. “It’s really funny to see him running and he’s dying in these races, and if you call his name to cheer for him, he always gives the biggest smile. He [was] never in too much pain to crack a joke or smile.” Even with a full schedule, Stasick said Blake always made time for the loved ones in his life. “Blake always made time for everybody in his life,” Stasick said. “He was a very selfless person, so it kind of taught me to reach out to those I care about a little bit more and be there for them.”

H arrison Miller Fuller was destined to attend Texas A&M in the same way that Davy Crockett was destined to fight at The Al amo.A fun-loving, kind, com passionate friend to all.

Provided May

Provided SILVERTAPS A6 July 21, 2003 - May 23, 2022

Harrison Miller Fuller

Mark Fuller is Harrison’s loving father.

By Caroline Wilburn Blake Douglas Barnes

Blake’s father Doug Barnes said his son was an extremely driven individual, even from a young“Whatage.was really unique about Blake from a lot of other kids his age and even adults, [was his] desire to learn about others and how he [could] make an impact in the world,” Barnes said.Blake, entering his sophomore year at Tex as A&M, was pursuing international studies in hopes of working for the United Nations to make an impact and improve the world. During his time at A&M, Blake loved to run, and even practiced with the cross country team.“Blake genuinely loved going to Texas A&M,” Barnes said. “He loved the class room. He loved the location. He loved the cross country team. It was a short stint on the cross country team, but he loved all of that.”

Between learning, cooking and volleyball, Darla said Tyler also had a lifelong passion for music and played the trumpet in the Rockwall High School’s Marching Band, jazz band, pit orchestra and Garland’s Community Theater Pit“MusicOrchestra.was very important to him,” Dar la said. “He played in the jazz band in high school [and] they went to state, their jazz band was great. He always had a love of jazz music.” Tyler will forever be remembered by all those he touched, as stated eloquently by The Rockwall Times. “May Tyler’s life be a reminder to let your hair down in the wind, to savor your dessert and to be a support for those you love.” 1, 2002 - May 20, 2022

B lake Barnes was a talent ed athlete and selfless individual with love for those around him.

Benjamin David Hamilton Jr. Benjamin Hamilton Jr. learned from a young age not to take people’s word for it, as far as opinions go. He was always his own person.“He was always kind of told from the be ginning to just kind of do your own research and decide what you think is true. He basi cally always did that,” his stepmother, April Hamilton said. “He’s always been a research er. He’s always been just interested in finding out the truth as far as we can know the truth — he’s pretty much exactly like his dad. He was very stubborn, very opinionated but also veryBenjaminsmart.” was always willing to help peo ple, while still having boundaries, which April said she always admired about him. “He would help them if they needed help, but wouldn’t let people take advantage of him,” April Benjaminsaid.grew up in Mississippi, living with his mother and stepfather, Courtney and Kevin Jennings, for the first half of his life, and then with his father and stepmother after his eighth-grade year. As Benjamin entered high school, he started to become more competi tive with his academics. “Though he had a four-point-something GPA when he graduated high school, he was still not anywhere near the top of his class be cause he was just around all these smart peo ple,” April said. “He was always just trying to learn new things. He went to [Texas] A&M on the Presidential Endowment scholarship, basically a full ride. He was a National Merit Finalist. He held himself to a very high stan dard.”Though Benjamin was his own person, it was frustrating for his dad because they were basically identical, April said. “We used to call them ‘The Bens,’ me and Valerie, who was his fiancee,” April said. “She would text me every once in a while and be like, ‘Does your Ben do this?’ And I’d be like, ‘Yep, my Ben does that.’ That’s just ‘The Bens,’ that’s how they are.” Benjamin’s father, Ben Sr., said when Ben Jr. was born, it was the transition from his childhood to adulthood. When he saw him for the first time, he knew his job on this plan et was to take care of his son and to give him the life he never had. His father recognized Ben’s intelligence from an early age. Ben would lay in bed with his father and ask philosophical questions about karma and the universe — Ben Sr. said he tried his best to explain it to 6-year-old BenBenJr. Jr. wasn’t only Ben Sr.’s son, but his best friend. Born just 20 years after him, Ben Sr. said his son was his confidant, and that Ben Jr. was connected deeply with him socially, emotionally and spiritually. His father said Ben Jr. had an analytical mind. As he watched his son grow, he said he saw him make mistakes, but he listened to his father most of the time. He was a good kid, Ben Sr. said. Ben had a big heart and treated everybody with respect. During his celebration of life, his father said their family expected about 50-60 people to show up. Over 150 people were there. Ben Sr. said the love and support their family got was overwhelming. Of those, many people present were mem bers of the A&M motorcycle club, a hobby Ben Jr. picked up during COVID-19. This club was a community April said Ben was en veloped in and supported by. Ben Sr. and April’s favorite story of Ben is one when he was about four years old — his father bought Ben Jr. a four-wheeler for Christmas. His father put a speed limiter on it so Ben Jr. wouldn’t go too fast, but Ben Jr. knew exactly what his father was doing. “As soon as he got out of eyesight, [Junior] took off the speed limiter and just floored it,” April said. “His dad said he just looked out across the field and he was going way faster than he was supposed to be and decided to turn left. He made a sharp lift and he flipped the thing probably four or five times and scared the hell out of his dad. Junior knew there were rules and boundaries put in place, but as soon as you weren’t looking, he was going to test that limit.”

By Mark Fuller

Provided

Tyler was a loving friend to all. His moth er, Darla Ryan, said her son had a passion for learning and was always able to make strong, lasting connections with the people he met.

The Aggie Core Value of selfless service was something Blake embodied, and wanted to create opportunities for students to give back, Stasick said. “He wanted to start the Aggie Red Cross Club,” Stasick said. “He loved A&M and just always cared about putting the school, his ac ademics and other people ahead of himself, which was Graduateamazing.”instructor and research assistant in the sociology department Jason Azriel Cam pos described Blake as a scholar, inside and outside of the classroom. “He was always enthusiastic about the ma terial,” Campos said. “So much so that he would stay after class and ask me questions about the lecture — some of these topics are highly politicized these days, but he was not afraid to engage in a civil, academic discussion. He was an inquisitive mind, which is all I ask of students in any of my courses.” Through his dedication to athletics and ac ademics, Barnes said one word came to mind when remembering his son: proud. “I believe he accomplished more in 19 years than most people will accomplish in a lifetime,” Barnes said. “By that, I mean just the way he had the ability to impact people. The impact he had on everybody — it was going to make an impact on the world.”

Zabrodin Provided

Even after Eric moved away from his fam ily home in San Antonio, he continued to expand his familial circle in Houston, where he met his best friend and eventual roommate Richard “Brad” Boyd. “He was working at a local restaurant here, and we crossed paths,” Boyd said. “Very quickly, it was evident we had a lot of things in common, specifically around anime and cars.”Though the two eventually parted ways as they pursued school and careers, they were reunited in Houston and lived together for several years, part of which was during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Audrey’s older brother, Henrique Valim, said her passion to attend Texas A&M began as early as middle school and later influenced his decision to also apply and graduate from the university in 2019 with a bachelor’s in biomedical sciences. Audrey was majoring in allied health with hopes of getting a master’s in nursing and be coming a nurse practitioner, Henrique said. After their mom’s sudden passing in 2009, Henrique said they were both drawn to the medical field and grew closer to each other.

“I think when we lost our mother, it re ally helped solidify our relationship moving forward and really, from that moment on, we were best friends,” Henrique said.

By Kenzie Finch

April

Audrey loved A&M and its traditions; standing in the student section, attending Midnight Yell and holding the door open for people in the Memorial Student Center, Henrique said. “She always went out of her way to make sure that she was holding doors open for peo ple and talking to them as they went in,” Hen rique said. “Being a friendly face and [giving] a smile can do a lot for people, even if they’re strangers and you don’t know them. I think she really believed that.”

Even though the step-siblings were not together their whole lives, Otero-Palomino said Eric’s big heart made it feel as if they had always been family. “He didn’t mind sharing me with the other siblings, he was a good brother,” Ote ro-Palomino said. “Eric and the kids, they all loved each other, they hugged each other, you would’ve thought they grew up together.”

The Battalion | 09.01.22

Henrique said one of his favorite memo ries was when Castellano, Audrey and himself took a road trip to New Orleans. The first night there, Henrique said Audrey befriended some ladies next to them at a local bar. “[Audrey] went to the bar to give our or ders and she started talking to the ladies next to her and for the rest of the night they bonded and were dancing,” Henrique said. “That sto ry particularly speaks to her as a human being because I don’t think she ever felt out of place in any room she walked in.” Castellano said the New Orleans trip was one of her favorite memories with Audrey as well.“We sang our hearts out and talked the whole ride there,” Castellano said. “That whole trip was filled with fun memories and I often think about our time there together.”

Leading on Promoting Equality, or SLOPE, at A&M where she met industrial engineering senior Christian Castellano. “I was actually put into her family, so she was considered my ‘mom,’” Castellano said in an email to The Battalion. “Our family was a tight-knit group, and we had hangouts often. Audrey and I got super close through this.”

Eric is greatly missed by those who were lucky enough to meet him, the memories he made will not be forgotten. “He was the best son and friend anyone could have,” Otero-Palomino said. “He was wonderful, a loving guy and everyone is missing him so badly. Remembering him and our shared beautiful moments, the smiles and laughs and the hugs is keeping us going.”

A perceptive per son, Ivan was curious about the world.

Victoria Christine Solarek

By Michaela Rush

Eric Tuck-Otero

A udrey Valim knew how to command people’s at tention, and she always made everyone smile and laugh. She embodied what it meant to be an Aggie. Provided 1999 - 19, 2022

In an application for a student organization, Henrique said Audrey wrote the following message:“Insmall acts of kindness, whether it is tell ing a joke, holding the door open for some one or sharing a smile, I aspire to be cheerful and optimistic every day. I strongly believe that our thoughts and actions influence those around you and that your own thoughts in fluence the way you act. By thinking positive thoughts, I can encourage others to do the same.”Audrey was a member of Sophomores

A bright and bubbly per sonality, with a heart for service to humans and animals alike. SILVERTAPS A7 January 14, 2002 - July 24, 2022

Audrey put love into everything she did and was there at the drop of a hat for anyone who needed her, Castellano said. “Audrey was a light in many people’s lives,” Castellano said. “I miss her so much. She made a huge impact on my life and many other people’s lives. I’m so glad she’s getting recognized. She really deserves it.”

Provided December 24, 1981 - July 12, 2022

smart,

E ric Tuck-Otero, a visu alization graduate stu dent, was a caring and extremely driven man. Whether it was for school or in his relation ships, he put his best step forward to achieve all kinds of goals. Eric’s mother, Diana Otero-Palomino, said that his go-getter attitude extended even into her love life. “After [Eric’s] father passed away, I didn’t marry right away, it was Eric and I for 10 years,” Otero-Palomino said. “He’s the one who came to me one day and said, ‘I want a stepdad, and I want step-brothers and sisters,’ so he selected my husband. When I met my husband, he had two daughters and a son, and he was so fired up because he always wanted brothers and sisters.”

“[Eric] had wrapped up his undergraduate degree in San Antonio, and I think he was looking for a change,” Boyd said. “I was mov ing back to Houston, where we had original ly met, and he said he was looking to move out of San Antonio, so I told him that my house was his house. I moved back, he had the upstairs to himself and I had the downstairs to myself. Even though we hadn’t hung out when he moved to San Antonio, we kept in touch, so it didn’t feel weird to pick right back up where we left off.” During the pandemic, Boyd chose to pur sue a graduate degree in analytics from Texas A&M, and his positive experience there was a factor in Eric’s decision to apply for his next degree, in addition to Eric’s aspirations to pur sue 3D modeling with a company like Pixar or Electronic Arts. “He saw how much I enjoyed the program and being a part of the A&M student body, even though I wasn’t in College Station,” Boyd said. “The Aggie Spirit and the strong brand recognition of the program with the companies he wanted to work with seemed like a natural fit … so I was happy to welcome him, not only as a brother from another moth er, but now as an Aggie brother too.” Otero-Palomino said her son’s acceptance to the graduate program was a joyful moment, and a point of pride for Eric. “The day he got the acceptance letter, I’ll never forget,” Otero-Palomino said. “I was in San Antonio, and he took a picture of it, texted me right away that he got in. I said, ‘I told you you’d get in, I knew you’d get in,’ and right there and then he was ready to move to College Station. He got enrolled and got his classes lined up and jumped in his car and drove his transcripts from Houston.” When it came to celebrating the important moments in other people’s lives, or dealing with hard moments, Eric was always a friend to lean on, Boyd said. “He was always so thoughtful, far more thoughtful than myself,” Boyd said. “People had joked that they hoped him living with me would rub off on me. Anytime he would make dinner, he’d make enough for two peo ple without even asking. It wasn’t like I ex pected it, but he was just a very thoughtful person, and it came through with everything he did.”Eric will be remembered not only by his family and Boyd but also by his network of friends across the world, those who he met in person or even online through his love of video“Hegames.enjoyed life and had a strong net work of friends, in real life and online,” Boyd said. “I’m proud to say I was one of his close friends, but he had friends and was loved across the U.S. and across the world. Through video games, he made meaningful friendships, and I knew they cared about him just as deeply as I Thoughdid.”

“The whole group of kids from there were really interested in A&M, and her lifelong goal, since she was little, was to be a [veter inarian],” Ben said. “Growing up we always had dogs and other pets, and our mom had a horse, so [Victoria] was obsessed with horses, it was her whole life growing up.” In addition to their shared love of horses, Ben said she takes after her mom in her giv ing spirit, embodying the Core Value of Self less Service. One of her areas of interest for service was with homeless people, Josh said, and regardless of context, she treated all with kindness and dignity. “She always treated and approached people the same way,” Josh said. “Our parents were involved with ministry with homeless people. She was always nice, super bubbly and kind, treated people with respect and even told us about the people. If she saw someone having a rough day, she’d go out of her way to check on them.”

Provided December 29, 2001 - April 8, 2022

By Kathryn Miller

Ivan

Victoria Solarek, a zoology junior from Port Aransas, excitedly came to Texas A&M in the fall of 2020 to join her high school friends and boyfriend but, quickly expanded her friend circle across campus. While Victoria loved to spend time with her friends anywhere, they particularly bond ed on the courts for volleyball and basketball. Her brother Ben said her championship title was a point of pride that she shared constantly. “She bragged a lot to us about how, when she did intramural sports, she, her boyfriend and their friends won a co-ed intramural bas ketball tournament,” Ben said. “She really loved Texas A&M, and she would always tell us about it.” One way Victoria showed this love of her school was attending football games and Mid night Yell. Her other brother Josh said she even dedicated parts of her wardrobe to show her school spirit. “She loved spending time with her friends, and going to the football games,” Josh said. “She even bought all-white cowboy boots specifically for the games.” Since her childhood, working with animals was always a dream job for Victoria, and Ben watched her grow up to join 4H and raise a variety of animals.

December 9,

Born in Russia in 2001, Ivan Zabrodin grew up around many different cultures and people, always traveling and moving for his mother’s international oil and gas career. “We spent a couple of years in Kazakhstan, then five years in Dubai, [United Arab Emir ates,] three years in the United States. He was like a sponge, taking in the cultures and com paring them and being analytical,” his moth er, Yulia Polovodova said. “In his mind, he was able to see the pros and cons in different societies. That was part of his personality — somebody who’s thinking all the time and an alyzing and looking at the world objectively.” Ivan was somebody who was looking for a sense of direction in his life, and he wanted to be useful and to serve others. Ivan aspired for his life to have a meaning. After spending college away from friends and family during COVID-19, Ivan wanted to reconnect with the world, so just after his freshman year, he traveled to California. “He spent a couple of months just walking with a backpack and sleeping at the small ho tels and just absorbing the beauty or the na ture,” Polovodova said. “I think it gave him force to go back to his status of searching for meaning.”Ivanwas a beautiful boy, inside and out, Polovodova said. “He was really delicate, smart and had a tremendous sense of humor,” Polovodova said. “He was never really talkative or open to people. But he was very sensitive and very delicate, and he felt all sorts of things that were unusual, from my perspective, for a boy his age.”Polovodova said a memory with Ivan she cherishes is when they were together on a trip in “WeScotland.were together, just myself and him. We arrived in Glasgow, [Scotland] and took a car — it’s a [flipped] system on the road, so it was a little difficult for me to drive,” Polovo dova said. “He decided to sit by my side and to just try to be in control — he was trying to support me. When I was having difficulties driving, he was always close by my side and he was comforting me.” The car then had a tire problem and Polovo dova said they were in the middle of nowhere in Glasgow, on an early Sunday afternoon. When she called the insurance company, they said they could only help if they went to a technical station — 70 miles away from where they“So,were.Ivan stepped outside of the car and he tried to change the tire as a 10-year-old boy,” Polovodova said. “We attracted the attention of a gentleman who was passing by with his family. He helped us, but Ivan conducted himself like a very responsible person, not like a kid, but a man, helping his mother in this difficult situation. He was not a child at all.” Another memory Polovodova closely cher ishes is a time they were in Italy. “We were in Rome, and he was just look ing around, and he told me, ‘You know, this place is so beautiful. It almost hurts my feel ings,’” Polovodova said. As someone with a delicate personality, Ivan was incredibly perceptive of others. Be cause he traveled so much and had constantly changing surroundings from city to city, town to town and country to country, Polovodova said this made him even more intelligent, an alytical and attentive. Ivan played many musical instruments, most of which he taught himself on his own initiative.“Inever had to push him, he always chose himself,” Polovodova said. “He played the drums well, and it was his choice completely. One day he came to me and he said, ‘Mom, I want to try drums,’ and he never quit. He continued to play and play and play. He also composed music — nobody pushed him, no body forced him. As a kid, he played chess, and he was very curious about life, in his own way. He didn’t like to party or meet a lot of people, but he would go into the depth of any subject he was interested in.” Polovodova has a message for the Aggie community about the loneliness and lack of attention some college students with mental health problems are experiencing and about learning more about symptoms of depression and how to detect and prevent tragedies of suicide:“Ifa student isn’t present at his classes for a semester, for three months … even for two weeks, that would immediately give a rea son to call their family,” Polovodova said. “And [the school] needs to do something about it. They need to say, ‘Otherwise they will lose the opportunity to continue with us [at school],’ something like that. It’s preven tion — in Ivan’s case, I think that this kind of information flowing to families could have saved his life.”

Audrey Arballo Valim

By Michaela Rush

pitiful

Charis Adkins is an English sophomore and opinion writer for The Battalion.

By Charis Adkins

Letter from the Editor: Editor’s ‘Last Ride,’ take two By Michaela Rush @Michaela4Batt Editor in chief bids farewell to Battalion adviser Douglas Pils Douglas Pils in front of The Battalion’s former office in the Reed McDonald Building in December of 1991, shortly before his term as editor in chief in the spring semster of 1992.Photocourtesy of Douglas Pils

Michaela Rush is an English senior and the ed itor in chief of The Battalion.

While it’s true that we didn’t have any time off before this act was passed, it leaves the question as to whether student leadership expected Howdy Week to be shortened as a result.The bill suggested the new break to “be scheduled in the month of October in align ment with local school districts [sic] holidays.” This request was honored, though I will say it’s awfully convenient that our brand-new break falls on the same weekend as this year’s out-of-state ‘Bama game. That extra couple of days makes it a lot easier to fly down to Tuscaloosa, Ala., and back before class starts, doesn’tRegardless,it? the bill was passed and, as a re sult, Howdy Week was shortened. This new Howdy Half-Week has no ap parentBecausepositives.ofthe abbreviated timeline, much fewer events were scheduled than in past Howdy Weeks. Activities that were lucky enough to make it on the roster were dou ble-booked and overlapping, making it diffi cult for students to attend all the events they’re interested in. For example, Freudian Slip’s kickoff show was scheduled at the same time as Antioch Worship Night, Fajitas and Fellowship and the Ballroom Social. In a standard Howdy Week, these events would have been spread out to allow more people to attend.

“Every song on the radio, every utterance of conversation and every street corner brought out a feeling of consciousness that our lives were indeed changing,” Douglas Pils, 1992. This week marks the final week of work for Student Media’s beloved adviser and general manager, Douglas Pils. While everything at The Battalion and The Aggieland is made by students — whether it be the words, photos or designs — none of this would happen without the tireless work and burning passion of Pils. The best way to describe Pils and his men torship is through a metaphor of his own. He gives us, the students, the ball and lets us play. I can add, at least from my time here, that he’ll let you call the plays, pick the players, play as rough as you’d like, but if someone gets hurt, if the ball runs low on air, or if someone else tries to take the ball away, he’s right there. I can talk all about my two years with Pils and the influence he’s had on me, on my con fidence, my leadership skills, the way I com municate with people, but this story is about him, not about me.

Pils started as a full-time employee at The Battalion in 2014 and has raised and taught generations of staffers, from our days printing five times a week to our current weekly paper and multi-platform content. He’s sold adver tisements, helped us with administrative prob lems, talked us through disagreements, and in many ways, has kept us afloat when massive waves of change come our way. Though eight years of service is impressive in itself, Pils’ love for this newsroom and Aggie student journalism started long before, when he joined The Battalion as a sports writer in 1990. This love of sports would take him far upon graduation, across Texas, to Waco and Dallas and San Antonio, out of state to cov er the University of Arkansas and across the country, in print, as a writer for the Associated Press — even back in his beloved Battalion. But before the sports journalism career, Pils found a home at the old newsroom, in Reed McDonald. He covered Aggie sports, rose through the ranks, made lifelong friends and got into spats with the “strangest editorial board” he’s ever seen. In the spring semester of 1992, “Dougie” served as editor-in-chief, mentored by his adviser, Bob Wegener. Between now and then, even when his job title didn’t include Student Media, Pils has been a constant for The Battalion and The Aggieland. He advocates for free speech, for the importance of education, for children with special needs and always supports young people in any way he can. I now pronounce these eight years, from 2014 to 2022, to be the “Pils Era,” and without him, I don’t know that we would have made it to be an almost 130-year-old student publication. Though wrangling 18 to 23-year-olds is difficult, and arguably noble, Pils’ next adven ture is with his family. Out of the trenches of the newsroom, alongside his wife and three children, supporting them as the family begin their next chapter. We’re going to miss you, that’s for certain, but we know you won’t be far. Let’s enjoy the last days, the final part of this ride. What a long, strange trip it’s been. Pils, from the bottom of our hearts, from the hearts of every student who was fortunate enough to learn from you, from the deepest part of the Memorial Student Center base ment and the depths of Reed McDonald, thank you.

A Howdy Half-Week

Predictably, students, like business admin istration freshman Camille Couch, are unsat isfied with this shortened agenda. “I would have loved to have a whole week,” Couch said. “I felt like it was very condensed to have only two or three days.” Engineering sophomore Hunter Cassidy also took notice of the shortened welcome. “I remember my Howdy Week,” Cassidy said. “It was the full five days, and I was able to go around campus and find [my classes], see other groups and actually learn things about A&M. Only having a few days is definitely notThisenough.”is,again, one of the principle func tions of Howdy Week. According to A&M’s website, it’s meant to be “Aggieland’s official Week of Welcome.” I don’t know about you, but I didn’t feel very welcomed in only three days. Not only is Howdy Week meant to greet and receive new and returning students, it also serves as a damper between freshmen movein and first day of classes. It’s an acclimation period — by the end of the week, they have become familiar with campus, made a few friends and hopefully cast off the pangs of homesickness and anxiety surrounding their budding college tenure. Now, freshmen who moved in later or took time to warm up to College Station are at a severe disadvantage trying to achieve all of these goals while also working around classes. This isn’t just unfair to students trying to get the most out of their first week, it also hurts A&M’s organizations. Howdy Week is prime recruitment time for these clubs. Be tween the multitude of competing events and the short timeline, organizations are having trouble enlisting new members. “I definitely think [the shorter Howdy Week] will negatively affect recruiting just because you don’t have much time,” Student Bonfire chief and biology sophomore Austin Madsen said. “We only have two days to re cruit. You have to really push everything … It really hurts recruitment, but it really hurts the [freshmen] as well. They don’t get that full experience. They don’t get to know A&M before classes start.” Three days is simply not enough. The sad part is, there are many alternatives to the path the university has taken. Move-in could have shifted back a few days, or even a full week if A&M was intent on having it occur over a weekend. Classes could have ended a few days later, or even started a few days earlier if move-in was shifted back a whole week. The only breaks added were fall break — two days — and Labor Day. Three extra days of breaks do not necessitate classes starting al most an entire week earlier than last year. These new breaks are nice, but if they come at the expense of Howdy Week, it’s not worth it.

A8The Battalion | 9.1.22OPINION

@Charis_Batt Annual pre-academic year tradition falls short of expections

The crowd at GatheRing and Yell Practice inside the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. Luca Yaquinto — The Battalion

This year’s Howdy Week did not live up to its No,name.what we had was more of a Howdy Half-Week. A Howdy Long Weekend. The titular “week” seems to have been forgotten. Howdy Week 2022 only stretched from Aug. 20 to 23. On its website, Texas A&M claims the abbreviated itinerary is “due to the residence hall move-in schedule and the ac ademic calendar.” One major change to the latter causing this abridgement is the addition of a fall break in October. Usually, these kinds of changes are due to university leadership’s hasty decisions. Sur prisingly, that’s not the case here. The origi nal request for the introduction of a fall break came from student leadership — namely, the 2019 Student Senate and Student Body Pres ident Mikey Jaillet. Their proposal, entitled “Implementation of a Fall Break Bill,” points out that nine of A&M’s 14 peer universities in the Southeast ern Conference have a fall break in their cal endar. According to the bill, introducing such a break would “give students the ability to rest and focus on their mental health after recent midterms.”

OPINIONOPINION

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A matchup that many see as a easy win for the No. 6 ranked team in the country could result in a major headache against a mid-major team transitioning from the Football Championship Subdivision, or FCS, to the Football Bowl Subdivision, or the FBS.

It’s like uber, but for longer distances.

CODE:

On Sept. 3, No. 6 Texas A&M football will face the first obstacle of many on its journey to its first National Championship in 83 years. The Aggies’ first challenge: a team who has won 22 of its last 23 games. Sam Houston State won its first FCS National Championship during the 2020-21 season, an unusual year due to the impact of COVID-19 protocols.

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Junior quarterback Keegan Shoemaker transferred from Lafayette University where he completed 60% of his passes during the 2019 season, threw for 2,565 yards and threw the same amount of touchdown passes as he did interceptions with 14. As for redshirt sophomore Georgia Tech transfer Jordan Yates, he is coming out the 2021 season with a completion rate of 59.5%, 908 yards thrown and six total touchdowns. “I’m not very interested in playing two quarterbacks,” Keeler said. “I don’t want them looking over their shoulder at the end of each play. It’s been a great battle back and forth, and I think our guys are comfortable with either one. We’ll figure it out by 11:05 [a.m.]TheSaturday.”Bearkatshave been in the film room religiously, and from the time spent studying the Aggies’ secondary, the receiver group has been able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the maroon and white defensive backs, Sam Houston graduate receiver Cody Chrest said. “In terms of strengths, I would say No. 27 [Antonio Johnson] is a strength in terms of their secondary,” Chrest said. “But, we’re expecting to get a lot of man coverage … in terms of man coverage, it’s good versus good, and like I said, we’re excited about it, and we think we can win those battles.” On the opposite sidelines, A&M now has its starting quarterback in redshirt sophomore Haynes King and depth at each position. A game where a solid SEC powerhouse has a chance to work out a few kinks against a mid-major school. So, a win alone won’t suffice for A&M coach Jimbo Fisher’s appetite. “We need to execute,” Fisher said. “Being able to put your substitutions, not have self-inflicted wounds, play very disciplined and play the game very physical[ly]. You’re playing a very good football team so you better be able to play this way.”

The Bearkats competed in six Southland Conference games from Feb. 27 to April 17, 2021, before kicking off the FCS playoffs against Monmouth University on April 24, 2021. The season continued until the start of the summer on May 16, 2021, when they defeated South Dakota State 23-21 to put the cherry on top of a perfect yet unusual season. After playing a whole college football season in the spring, Sam Houston had only three months before they strapped on the pads to kick off the 2021-2022 season on Sept. 2. The short offseason did not put even the slightest dent into their armor as they went on to win 11 games before losing devastatingly to Montana State 42-19 in the FCS Quarterfinals. Now, Sam Houston is in the middle of a transition from the FCS to the FBS and with that comes a few perks. Being in the FCS, they were only allowed to have 53 scholarship players on the roster. Now, they have 75 players on scholarship with the number set to increase to 85 in the 2023 season. With that being said, this isn’t a normal cake-walk matchup as seen at the beginning of most “Whatseasons.we’re looking to take away from this game is being able to compete at this level,” Sam Houston senior defensive lineman Markel Perry said. “We can compete at the same level as anyone else in the FBS. Coming from the FCS, a lot of people underestimate our abilities. Being able to go and play against A&M is going to help us prove that, even though we know how talented they are, we are going to come out here and compete, swarm and make plays.”

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2022 STUDENT MEDIA

lightly,

By Grant Gaspard @grant_gaspard Aggies kickoff against Sam Houston State at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3 Senior LB Sam Mathews (29) attempts to catch a ball during the Maroon & White Spring Game at Kyle Field on April 9, 2022.

Cameron Johnson — THE BATTALION

Tread Bearkats nearby

It’s like ube r, but f o r lo nger dist a nces.

The Bearkats have 19 transfers on its current roster, seven of them being from Power Five conferences and one of them looking to make an immediate impact in their first game at Kyle Field.

After playing four seasons at the University of Texas, graduate defensive back B.J. Foster entered the transfer portal looking for a fresh start, finding it in his new home in Huntsville. “I tell the younger players, ‘You want to watch someone in practice, watch B.J. [Foster],’” Sam Houston coach K.C. Keeler said. “He is out there every single snap. He knows what the motion was, knows what the play was and knows what the adjustment was … he’sFosteramazing.”recorded 167 total tackles, five interceptions and four sacks in his career for the Longhorns and will look to be an agitator to the Aggie offense come game time. Similar to A&M, Sam Houston had a quarterback competition of its own during the offseason, however, this one has yet to be determined. The two quarterbacks that are battling for the starting job in Huntsville are both transfers, one with a little more experience in the orange and white than the other.

The Aggies are hungry and ready to eat

Fellow defensive back Richardson had nothing but a positive outlook on his side of the ball going into this season.

By Neomi Brown @neomib_03 Aggies begin week with football presser to discuss goals, expectations for upcoming games

offense.

Most of the year, this $2 cloth is destined to either be stowed away until next season or become a handy-dandy shop towel in dad’s garage. But what it lacks in Egyptian cotton, it makes up for in pride. If you have ever seen 80,000 of these waving at once in a churning sea of white, you know this towel is much more than a humble handkerchief—it helps 11 men play with the power of 12.

It’s like uber,

After what will have been 280 days without playing against an opponent, the team and the 12th Man alike are ready to take the field. According to Johnson, the atmosphere surrounding the team is charged up for the season to begin.

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“I feel like that’s been an area, as a defense, that we’ve been focused on,” Johnson said. “The defense is set up for a lot more plays in general around the ball.”

“The unit that has impressed me the most is the d[efensive] line,” Richardson said. “They’re very fast, quick and strong and they have a lot of depth. The depth and talent level is good all around.”

“I feel like everybody has the same energy right now across the country,” Johnson said. “We’ve been working so hard all offseason to get to this point, and now we’re able to showcase what the season is going to be like.”

“I’m just going to leave that up to coach Fisher when y’all have that conversation with him,” Robinson said. “All three guys have been great, and this competition has been great. They bring the best out of each other every day.”

Texas A&M football coach Jimbo Fisher answers questions during a preseason press conference at Kyle Field on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2022.

3 takeaways from opening press conference

By contributing scholarships and support for esteemed campus programs, donors to the Texas A&M Foundation give Aggie students, faculty and staff something to cheer about every day. Learn how you can help build a brighter future for Aggies today and tomorrow at txamfoundation.com. AGGIENEWS3 but for distances. As the season opener for the Texas A&M football team looms closer, there are still unanswered questions surrounding the On Monday, Aug. 29, A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher, junior offensive lineman Layden Robinson, junior defensive back Antonio Johnson, senior defensive back Demani Richardson and senior wide receiver Ainias Smith met with the media to discuss expectations going into Week 1. Here’s what we learned: Haynes King is the starting quarterback The redshirt sophomore quarterback was officially chosen on Monday to represent the Aggies in its season opener against Sam Houston State. According to TexAgs’ Billy Luicci on Sunday, Aug. 28, the decision was made, but it was not officially confirmed until Aug. 29. Robinson remained tightlipped during his portion of the press conference and said Fisher hadn’t said who was starting.

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Shortly after, Fisher had a simple answer when asked if King would be starting, “Yes.” As for what drew him to choose the redshirt sophomore, there were no outstanding components in the decision.

Defense is going to show up and show up big Johnson said A&M’s defense has long been feared by offenses all around the country. This season, there are big expectations for them including more forced fumbles, turnovers, interceptions and the like.

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“There’s no deciding factor,” Fisher said. “There’s a multitude of things over periods of time, and I’ve said it before. We feel very confident with the other two quarterbacks. We felt Haynes [King] had a great camp and puts us in a great position going in right now.”

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“It was a challenging tournament this year, and we did it for a reason,” Kuhn said to 12thMan.com. “We needed to test ourselves, not only to see where we are at, but how we respond. We want this team to compete and prepare for SEC play. We are excited about learning from all three matches and getting back in the gym.”

University of Pittsburgh

The Aggies got off to a sluggish start in the match’s first set, falling into an early 7-3 hole against the Panthers. Despite cutting the deficit to 15-13, A&M ultimately fell in the first set 25-19 after a Pittsburgh run. A&M got off to a much better start in the second, building an early 3-1 lead. For the most part, this set was a battle of runs. Pittsburgh would build a 3-point lead, and A&M would respond with a run of its own to tie the score. Ultimately, Pittsburgh pulled away towards the end of the set and won 25-17. Pittsburgh was on the brink of defeating A&M.

The set remained neck-and-neck from there and was far more competitive than the previous two. After the Toreros retook the lead at 19-14 behind a pair of kills by Lukes, A&M rallied to bring the contest within a point at 22-21, energizing those in attendance. Despite the Aggies’ efforts, though, junior middle blocker Leyla Blackwell closed the match with a kill, securing the 25-22 victory and clean sweep for San Diego. “I’m proud of our response in the third set. They were making us feel it, and I think we responded well,” Kuhn said. “We have to find our competitive chemistry as a team and learn how to respond faster in matches like that.”

University of San Diego

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A&M its season the Texas A&M

The Panthers continued their strong

Invitational By Grant Gaspard, Luke White, Brad Bennett @grant_gaspard, @lukewhite03, @ brad_bennett13 Volleyball returns to Reed Arena with another home tournament 1 Graduate OH Caroline Meuth (16), 2 Junior MB Molly Brown (14) & Graduate S Elena Karakasi (6), 3 Freshman OPP Logan Lednicky (9), 4 Freshman OPP Logan Lednicky (9), 5 Sophomore OH Mia Johnson (31), 6 Freshman OPP Logan Lednicky (9), 7 Freshman L/DS Ava Underwood (12) Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION 3 1 2 4 5 6 7 Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION Luca Yaquinto — THE BATTALION Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION Luca Yaquinto — THE BATTALION Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION VOLLEYBALL ON PG. B7

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One day after the five-set victory over Hawai’i, which lasted two and a half hours, A&M was promptly swept 3-0 by No. 25 San Diego in less than 90 minutes on Saturday, Aug. 27. The Toreros of the West Coast Conference jumped to an early lead in the opening set, garnering a 12-6 advantage thanks to a 5-0 run. The maroon and white then used a 5-0 run of their own to bring the score within two at 17-15, but an 8-2 rally by San Diego capped off a 25-17 victory for the Toreros. Senior outside hitter Katie Lukes led San Diego during the set, tallying five kills.

The Toreros picked up in the second set right where they left off, pioneering an 11-7 lead at the first A&M timeout. San Diego went on to end the set on a 10-3 run in which they had two service aces and took advantage of a host of errors committed by the Aggies. The Toreros’ defense proved to be effective, stifling the Aggies’ offensive production as they took the set, 25-15. However, A&M refused to go down without a fight in front of the sizable crowd of 1,824. After San Diego gained a 10-5 edge to open the third set, the Aggies returned from a timeout with a 5-0 run, led by a pair of service aces by freshman defensive specialist Ava Underwood, to tie things up. “When I went into the locker room [postgame], I told them that there was not one time that I looked around and thought that we were screwed or that we couldn’t do this,” junior libero Lauren Hogan said. “We have every ability to come back and win. When I look around, I know this is the team that I want to go to battle with. We have the skill, we have the players, we have the depth and we have the leadership. It is all about how we put that together.”

A&M’s three-set defeat at Reed Arena on Sunday, Aug. 28 to No. 6 Pittsburgh gave the team the opportunity to go up against one of the best teams in the country. Playing tough competition early in the season will be necessary for readying A&M for conference play. Unfortunately for A&M, the loss drops the team’s record to 1-2 in the early goings of its season.Kuhn said A&M is looking at this weekend’s tournament as a learning experience.

On Aug. 26, Texas A&M volleyball kicked off its season by hosting the annual Texas A&M Invitational at Reed Arena. University of Hawai’i For their first game, the Aggies battled against the reigning Big West champions, the University of Hawai’i, a team who swept the Aggies at the beginning of the 2021 season. The Aggies appeared disorganized during Set 1 against the ‘Bows. In the first 15 serves of the match, A&M faced a 7-point deficit, and its first point of the game came from a monster block by junior middle back Molly Brown. The ‘Bows took advantage of Set 1 and won 25-18 while the Aggies struggled to get any momentum. A long offseason and rusty gears seem to be the explanation for the Aggies’ slow start. Set 2 was a fortunate change of events for the maroon and white. After starting off the game with three lead changes and three ties, the Aggies took off on a 5-point lead which included four errors from Hawai’i and a kill from sophomore outside hitter Mia Johnson. With little-to-no college experience but tremendous skill, freshman Logan Lednicky took control in Set 2. After securing four kills in the first set, the Sugarland native tagged on four more kills which included the game-winning point to secure the second set 25-19. “It wasn’t a surprise to us because we’ve seen it all preseason,” coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn said of Lednicky’s performance. The momentum from Set 2 carried over to the third as the Aggies secured their second set in a row with a 25-23 win. The Aggies went back to their Set 1 habits for Set 4. After a back-and-forth start, which included five ties and an early lead change in favor of Hawai’i, the ‘Bows went on a favorable 7-2 run. From then on, the Aggies struggled to make any sort of comeback and lost Set 4 with a score of 25-17. Things looked grim for the maroon and white after a quick 2-0 lead from Hawai’i to start Set 5. Then, the power duo of graduate outside hitter Caroline Meuth and Lednicky took over. The two had ten kills combined in the final set of the game and chemistry seemed to flow between the six Aggies on the court as they dominated the final set and secured the set and the game with a 15-11 win.

On Saturday, Sept. 3, Texas A&M is set to face the Sam Houston State Bearkats in its 2022 home opener. With a newly announced starting quarterback, a star-studded offensive line and multi-functional, established receiver core, hopes and opinions sit high for the No. 6 Aggies as they face off against a defense com ing off an 11-1 2021 season.

Senior RB Bladen Reaves (35) avoids a tackle during the Maroon & White Spring Game at Kyle Field on April 9, 2022.

A&M

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to

New-look offense in Aggieland

By Zoe May @MayZoella offense looking score early win against Bearkats

Cameron Johnson

The biggest faceoff between the maroon and white offense and the Bearkat defense will come between A&M’s offensive line and the aggressive Sam Houston rushers. The Bearkat defense, historically, focuses on the movement and activity on the line and rushing the quar terback rather than the backfield. The Aggies had an influx of freshman offensive linemen join the team in the 2022 recruiting class who sit to fill in spots left by starters such as tackle Kenyon Green who entered the NFL Draft. So, the pressure sits on offensive line coach Steve Addazio to pull a line together capable of holding Sam Houston back. “Defensively, [Sam Houston is] very multi ple on their fronts,” Fisher said. “A lot of stem and movement up front, blitz packages and, in things they do, they’re aggressive, physical with multiple Additionally,coverages.”thematchup against the Bear kats marks the first start for redshirt sopho more quarterback Haynes King this season. King’s only other full-game performance with the Aggies was the 2021 season opener against Kent State. From King’s performance against Kent State and in the Maroon & White Spring Game, he plays with a fluid adaptation of his position — he is capable of throwing the ball down the field, but he is also comfortable with using his legs. With the Bearkats emphasis on rushing, the game will be a pressure test on King’s ability to throw the ball and move down the field. “It’s a multitude of things on a daily basis [that make King standout] — on the field, off the field, throwing, running, reading, check ing … but as I said, it took a while because you had guys matching each other,” Fisher said. “Guys played very well off each other, kept pushing each other. But we had to make a decision for the first game. We feel very com fortable with Haynes [King], we thought he had a great camp.” The last cog of the maroon and white’s offensive machine is their receiving core and running back depth. A pair of 2021 standouts in senior receiver Ainias Smith and junior running back Devon Achane will return in the 2022 season, however, with running back Isa iah Spiller’s entrance into the 2021 NFL Draft, the lane sits open for Achane as the starter. Additionally, junior receiver Chase Lane re turns to the field following his season-ending injury late in the 2021 season. The expecta tion heading into the 2022 season is that both the Aggie receivers and running backs have a large boost in overall speed, which should help the maroon and white break through Sam Houston’s front seven.

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“I wouldn’t say [our speed is] just getting hyped up,” Smith said. “You can definitely tell there’s lot of speed on the field at all po sitions, from the running back and receiver room, even the defensive backs. Everybody’s just playing faster. It seems like the game is slowing down for a lot of these guys, you know what I’m saying? People are making a lot of Despiteplays.”the pressure and questions still left on the table, Fisher and his offense are focused and excited to finally return to the field after long months of waiting. “We’re very excited for the opportunity just to get on the field and play in front of the fans,” junior offensive lineman Layden Robinson said. “It’s big. See the fans lining up outside, sleeping in tents as you’re going by to class, and you just say, ‘Wow, [it’s] re ally here.’ We couldn’t be more excited for it. We[’re] just excited for our opportunity to play in front of this great fan base that we call our family … when you actually hit the stadi um, you just see the crowd after months and months of waiting. It’s a different feeling. It’s like, wow, I’m finally back where I belong. That’s what that feels like.”

“Well, we’re going to get a very good opponent,” head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We’re gonna get one that’s only had one loss in two years, and a coach who’s won multi ple national championships and has played in multiple national championship games. They understand how to play, how to win.”

Junior LB Tarian Lee Jr. (23) intercepts a pass thrown by junior QB Max Johnson (14) at Kyle Field on April 9, 2022. Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION Michaela Rush, Editor-in-Chief

The Bearkats are coming off of a great sea son finishing with an 11-1 record and being two years shy of winning a national title over South Dakota State in 2020. It’s nearly impossible to predict the out come of any college football game, however, it’s easy to get an idea of what to expect by taking a look into defensive versus offensive matchups.TheAggies’ defense has seen some changes in the last year, as Saturday’s debut will be un der the leadership of new defensive coordina tor D.J. Durkin. The team also saw the loss of defensive linemen Tyree Johnson, Demarvin Leal and Micheal Clemons, three of the top sack leaders in the SEC, to the NFL. On Monday, Aug. 29, A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher, junior defensive back Antonio Johnson and senior defensive back Demani Richardson spoke with the media to discuss the Aggies’ defense against Sam Houston. Fisher, seemingly excited, said how hard the team has been working in practice during the summer to prepare for the season. “We are getting a very good opponent that has only lost one game in the last two years,” Fisher said about the Bearkats. “By watching film, you can tell how well-rounded and di verse they are on offense. Their quarterback can really run and is athletic.” Johnson spoke on the defensive line’s focus and approach for the Bearkats and went on to describe the defensive line as “a brother hood.”“We have been focused on being disruptive around the ball, forcing fumbles, interceptions and sacks,” Johnson said. “We know they have a transfer [quarterback] that’s a runner and can make plays. We have been watching film on him and preparing to make sure that we can contain him and cover in the back end. We can’t let him get into a rhythm. We exe cute well and we communicate, that is what makes defense unique this year.”

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The Bearkats are led by head coach K.C. Keeler and have played excellent offense un der his leadership. Keeler has also seen sig nificant changes during the offseason, as the team will return with only one starter from the previous year. The offensive line is under new leadership of first year offensive coordi nator John Perry and new offensive line coach Cooper Bassett. Sam Houston State has been working hard to prepare for the 2022 season. “I’m really happy with the improvement the offensive line has made,” Bearkat junior offensive lineman Ethan Hagler said. “We always talk about the standard, and a lot of the new guys are even helping us raise our standard, so it is good to see that.” Bassett spoke on what the Bearkats have been working towards to build a collective offensive unit. “I think we are com ing together,” Bassett said. “We are understanding the nuances that coach Perry wants done offensively. I love the fact they are asking good questions, are attentive in meetings. We are taking stuff from the classroom and putting it together on the field, and they are really get ting a good feel for it.” Most of the focus will be on the quarterback for Sam Houston. Last season, junior Eric Schimd led the squad to 21 total wins. In addi tion, the team has picked up newcomer Jordan Yates who spent the past three seasons at Georgia Tech and is known for his speed and playmaking.Bothteams seem to have a game plan and are prepared to compete at a high level. As to what it will take for A&M defensive ly to dismantle Sam Houston’s offense, Fisher shared that the team will have to “play with great toughness, immediacy, intensity and toughness.”

By Shanielle Veazie @shanielleveazie Aggies, Bearkats prepare for anticipated season opener

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Even through the loss of key defensive players, the Aggies have found balance in other“[Sophomoreplayers. defensive back] Jardin Gil bert is athletic, very fast and I know that he is going to do his job,” Richardson said. “He has instinct, he knows where people are going to be and he knows everyone’s jobs around him.”A&M’s defense has plans to show up big on Saturday and prove that they are a well-round ed defensive line. “The defensive line is fast, quick and strong,” Richardson said. “There is a lot of depth at defensive back and defensive line man, the depth and talent level is really good. Our main focus is to get lined up, be ready to play, to contain the quarterback and not allow him to get big runs. The defensive line will need to stay in the rush lane to contain him.”

The Texas A&M football team will take on the Sam Houston State Bearkats at Kyle Field this Saturday, Sept. 3 to open its 2022 season. During the offseason, the discussion sur rounding the Aggies has made fans eager to see how the year will play out, especially after such successful recruiting.

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The Hogs open one of the toughest schedules in the country against a Cincinnati team that made history in 2021 as the first non-Power Five team to reach the College Football Playoff. While the Bearcats have lost their team’s top players in quarterback Desmond Ridder and cornerback Sauce Gardner to the NFL, they’re still talented and led by Luke Fickell, one of the top coaches on the rise in the nation. Arkansas brings plenty of talent to the table as well, with redshirt junior signal-caller K.J. Jefferson manning the offense. Also, fifth-year senior linebacker Bumper Pool and redshirt junior defensive back Jalen Catalon anchor one of the conference’s best defenses.

Similarly, the Panthers finished last year on a 4-0 run that ended with a 51-20 drumming of Ball State in the Camellia Bowl. Redshirt senior quarterback Darren Grainger is a reliable playmaker that passed for 19 touchdowns last season with just four interceptions. This one may be closer than some people think, but South Carolina should come away with a victory.

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Prediction: Georgia 38, Oregon 14 Saturday, Sept. 3 — Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Atlanta 2:30 p.m. on ABC

A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK

Prediction: LSU 28, Florida State 24 Sunday, Sept. 4 — Mercedes-Benz Superdome — New Orleans 6:30 p.m. on ABC

The Association of Former Students is HERE for Aggies during their days as students and former students, THERE for Aggies as they make their way around the world and EVERYWHERE that the Aggie Network needs us to be. Aggie Ring Program at (979) 845-1050 | AggieNetwork.com at the start of the third set and quickly built a 5-2 lead. Impressively, the Aggies showed resolve and continued to battle with the talented Panther squad. A 3-0 run from the maroon and white even gave the team a 15-14 lead over the Panthers going into a media timeout. Afterward, the Aggies built up their lead to 17-15 and forced the Panthers to call a However,timeout.Pittsburgh was a different team coming out of the timeout and ended the match on a 10-4 run to win the set 25-21 and ultimately defeat A&M in three sets. Graduate transfer Elena Karakasi said the 12th Man was great over the weekend, and she is looking forward to celebrating a bunch of victories this season. “The atmosphere [at Reed] is insane,” Karakasi said. “It is a big gym, and there were a lot of people in the arena watching our game, and it is just really exciting to see that. We expect that crowd at every home game, and we are very excited to win games in Reed Arena this year.” Up next for A&M is a trip to Fort Worth to compete in the TCU “Fight in the Fort” tournament at the Schollmaier Arena. A&M’s first match is against Coastal Carolina on Friday, Sept. 2 at 10 a.m.

No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 11 By Luke White

Florida1 vs. No. 7 Utah Prediction: Utah 42, Florida 20 Saturday, Sept. 3 — Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — Gainesville, Fla. 6 p.m. on ESPN LSU vs. Florida State

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VB The reigning national champions waste no time taking on quality competition, as the Bulldogs, in a neutral site matchup, will battle the Ducks, the latter being led by former Georgia defensive coordinator and now head coach Dan Lanning. Senior quarterback Stetson Bennett returns to the helm of the Bulldogs’ offense after leading them to a title last season. Meanwhile, senior quarterback and Auburn transfer Bo Nix is looking for a fresh start in the Pacific Northwest after starting with the Tigers for three seasons. Both teams are good contenders to win their respective conferences, making this a premier opening-week matchup.

No. 19 Arkansas vs. No. 23 Cincinnati Prediction: Arkansas 28, Cincinnati 17 Saturday, Sept. 3 — Razorback Stadium — Fayetteville, Ark. 2:30 p.m. on ESPN

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South Carolina vs. Georgia State Prediction: South Carolina 41, Georgia State 28. Saturday, Sept. 3 — Williams-Brice Stadium — Columbia, S.C. 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+ These two teams enter 2022 with plenty of optimism, and rightfully so, as both programs look to be on the rise after years of hovering near the bottom of their conferences. The Gamecocks and second-year head coach Shane Beamer capped off a 7-6 2021 season with a bowl win and went on to pick up two Oklahoma transfers in redshirt junior quarterback Spencer Rattler and graduate tight end Austin Stogner.

AROUNDOregon THE SEC

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A year after winning the Pac-12 championship and appearing in the Rose Bowl, the Utes kick off a season with high expectations in The Swamp. Junior quarterback Cameron Rising returns for Utah, as do many other starters from last season. On the other side, the Gators enter this season reeling from a rare 6-7 showing in 2021. This led to the firing of head coach Dan Mullen and the hiring of successful Louisiana-Lafayette head coach Billy Napier. Florida will have sophomore signal-caller Anthony Richardson leading the offense, who brings talent and potential to the position. While Gainesville is never an easy place to get a win, the Utes’ talent and experience should be too much for the Gators to handle. This showdown features two programs looking to return to their winning ways after a disappointing past two years. Dating back to the 2020 season, the Seminoles sport an 8-13 record while the Tigers are 1112. Florida State head coach Mike Norvell enters his third season in Tallahassee, Fla., with his seat getting seemingly hotter each week, whereas the Bayou Bengals reeled in Brian Kelly in the offseason after 12 seasons at Notre Dame. LSU also attracted junior transfer quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was solid at Arizona State the past three seasons. The Seminoles opened their season last week with a 47-7 bludgeoning of Duquesne. Both of these teams seem evenly matched, but LSU will have the edge that gives them the victory.

@lukewhite03

One would assume senior safety Demani Richardson fills the leadership voidlefty by safety Leon O’Neal Jr. in A&M’s secondary. The matchup this week is because of Sam Houston’s tempo and will require strong openfield tackling from A&M’s secondary. Richardson could be in for a big game against a Sam Houston o ense that relies on its speed and getting skill players into the open field.

SHSU - Yates/Shoemaker Nos. 13/5 Sam Houston has yet to o cially name a starting quarterback after national championship-winning quarterback Eric Schmid left to pursue professional football. Smart money would say the starter would be last year’s backup quarterback Keegan Shoemaker. The junior stepped in for an injured Schmid and led Sam Houston to a comeback victory over its archrival Stephen F. Austin. However, don’t be shocked if sophomore Georgia Tech transfer Jordan Yates gets the starting opportunity. It will be interesting to see how the new quarterback performs against a strong A&M defense.

@Brad_Bennett13

Saturday’s, Sept. 3, matchup between Texas A&M and Sam Houston State opens the season for both teams. Last season, A&M finished 8-4 while Sam Houston went 11-1 with its only loss being in the Football Championship Subdivision, or FCS, playoff quarterfinals to Montana State. Saturday marks the 13th matchup between the two teams with A&M winning the previous 12 matchups.

Sam Houston will have a new quarterback under center this season. It helps that the Bearkats are returning a couple of capable pass-catchers in graduate Cody Chrest and junior Ife Adeyi. Look for Adeyi to be featured prominently because of the graduation of standout receiver Jequez Ezzard. Chrest is also a dependable receiver with a championship pedigree that any o ense would love to boast.

SHSU — Markel Perry, No. 33

SHSU — Cody Chrest, No. 9

A&M — Richardson,DemaniNo. 26 The last impact wide receiver to play for A&M was Christian Kirk. The Aggies have had some talented players, but none that could break a defense’s gameplan. The hope is for freshman 5-star receiver Evan Stewart to fill that role for the maroon and white with the expectation that he will play immediately, and the A&M o ense needs a big season out of him. Having a talented receiver is a requirement for success in college football, and Stewart is expected to be featured heavily in Saturday’s game.

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7 players to watch for during A&M-SHSU

It’s safe to assume, barring injury, junior starting running back Devon Achane will have a lot of success. The backup role is more of a tossup. A&M coach Jimbo Fisher had a lot of success last year using Achane to spell starter Isaiah Spiller. If Fisher adopts a similar approach this season to reduce Achane’s workload, look for sophomore running back Amari Daniels to get the snaps. Last season, Daniels tallied 109 yards at a clip of 6 yards per carry. A&M — Devon Achane, No. 6 Perry, in 11 games finished in the top 10 last season in the FCS with 15 tackles for loss. Pressuring sophomore starting quarterback Haynes King should be the game plan for Sam Houston’s defense, and A&M could be susceptible in the trenches with a couple of new faces on the o ensive line. Keeping Perry and the rest of the Sam Houston defensive line contained would make life easier for King.

By Brad Bennett

A&M — Evan Stewart, No. 1