The Battalion — September 7, 2023

Twelve

students

Songs, sips & strings

A&M Football wins first game against New Mexico GALLERY ON PAGE B6

Downtown Bryan welcomes new music festival

By Neha Gopal @10_Novel

The Downtown Bryan streets were filled with the pulsating sound of grungy guitar bass that reverberated through the Grand Stafford Theatre. The rustic wooden venue featured the hard rock band Hindsight under hazy, red smoke onstage. Rock and roll audiences trickled in, clamming close to one another and stirring in sync. The bar was littered with chilled Bud Lights and Michelob Ultras under cabana string lights. Rock and roll on a Sunday called for special drinks off Grand Stafford’s chalk menu, like ‘Breaking Down’ and ‘Damn Regret.’

Layne’s spreads wings

By Ana Renfroe @aeoenia

Locally-founded restaurant Layne’s Chicken Fingers is tapping into the national fried chicken market as its original owner steps back to retire.

After spending the last 30 years dedicated to his restaurant, Layne’s original owner Mike Garratt is heading into retirement. Layne’s corporate team is taking the reins to oversee the three original College Station locations, along with expanding the company through nationwide franchising opportunities.

Since Layne’s was “born and breaded” in 1994 by Mike Layne, it has been a local favorite. Its first location was popularized for its “small-town charm, friendly service and iconic chicken fingers and secret sauce,” according to it’s website.

Protecting Aggie gold authenticity

By Nicholas Gutteridge @nico_gjc

After counterfeit Aggie Rings appeared online, the Association of Former Students and Texas A&M released a statement reaffirming a commitment to protecting the Ring’s trademark.

The Aug. 25 press release said the two organizations would protect the sanctity of the ring.

“Those who have earned the right to wear the Aggie Ring have cleared some of the toughest requirements in the country for a class ring,” the press release read. “As a mark of academic achievement backed by nearly 125 years of tradition, the Ring is one of the most treasured items an Aggie possesses.”

Association Vice President Scot Walker, Class of 1990, said posts advertising fake rings appear online a few times a year.

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New Texas laws affect college students

By Nicholas Gutteridge @nico_gjc

Gov. Greg Abbott signed 774 new Texas laws this legislative session that went into effect Sept. 1. From new crimes to new limits, the laws impact all areas of Aggie life — some more than others.

Crime was a large portion of the legislative’s time, resulting in bills HB 2715 and HB 6, making it a crime to use AirTags or other devices to track an individual’s location without their consent and classifying fentanyl deaths as poisonings, continuing Texas’ politicians attempt to crack down on the drug.

SB 1551 also adds a new crime to Texas’ list, making failure to show identification to an officer an offense.

Texas A&M spent a majority of the legislative session in Austin with other universities,

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LAYNES ON PG. A3

Lillian Giacona with Lvvrs performs at the Hulabaloo Music Festival on Sept. 3, 2023

Ani Tummalapalli — THE BATTALION

MUSIC ON PG. A2

former

honored ALUMNI ON PAGE A2

By Carter Poore @thebattonline

Twelve former students were selected for the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the most prestigious honor a former student can receive from The Association of Former Students.

They will be celebrated at the Distinguished Alumni Gala on Oct. 6, hosted at Reed Arena. In the award’s 61-year history, only 330 out of more than 574,000 former students have been honored.

The 2023 Distinguished Alumni are:

Albert G. “Bert” Pfaff Jr., Class of 1925

James D. “Jimmy” Tittle, Class of 1949

Joe R. Straus Jr., Class of 1950

Hector Gutierrez Jr., Class of

1969

Henry B. “Hank” Paup, Class of 1970

Michael J. “Mike” Havel, Class of 1976

P. William “Bill” Toler, Class of 1976

T. Michael O’Connor, Class of 1977

Jeff Potter, Class of 1978

Michael J. Plank, Class of 1983

Anthony J. Wood, Class of 1987

Kathryn J. Greenwade, Class of 1988

Candidates must be nominated and then decided on by a committee.

Vice President of the Association of Former Students Scot Walker said the committee evaluates nominees based on three factors.

“One is professional achievement, one is service to their community and the third is service in support of Texas A&M itself,” Walker said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have given money back to [A&M], but it certainly means that you have supported [A&M] in some way. There are a lot of ways that you can

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Over the Labor Day weekend, the third annual Hullabaloo Music Fest returned with many musicians performing in several unique venues in Historic Downtown Bryan. Niche and indie musicians took the stage at venues like The 101, KinderHill Brew Lab, Grand Stafford Theatre and Stage 12 of the Grand Palace Theatre.

Public service and administration graduate student Joshua Carley greeted festival guests adjacent to Grand Stafford Theatre. As a volunteer with Destination Bryan, Carley said the nonprofit organization’s “ask and you shall receive” mindset brought the Hullabaloo Music Fest to the stage.

“Destination Bryan is a 501 nonprofit that gets its funding from the city, revenue and

serve and support your alma mater, and that is part of the criteria.”

Walker said he expects the gala will have between 900 and 1,000 attendees. The Association has prepared biographical videos about each of this year’s distinguished alumni, which will play before they are presented with a medallion.

The event will end with a rendition of the Aggie War Hymn by The Singing Cadets, where distinguished alumni from past and present years will be invited to the stage. This year’s honorees will then attend Midnight Yell with VIP access to the field.

Bill Toler, Class of 1976, said he was thrilled to be selected for the award.

“Over the years, I have celebrated so many of those who have been named as distinguished alumni,” Toler said. “I have such great respect for them that I’m quite humbled to be considered part of that group. I think they’ve accomplished tremendous things and given back so much to [A&M].”

tourism taxes,” Carley said. “Essentially, they noticed a lot of demand and interest for local music performing in a music scene by many bands and people in the area.”

As Hindsight rolled out of its performance, lively attendees trickled out of the venue, with Carley grinning nearby.

“What’s so incredible about Bryan is that everyone has its own unique story that all these bands are so excited to share,” Carley said. “Being the first to welcome them and be the face of the people who get to see them the first time is just so exciting.”

The electric excitement of the rhythms quickly extended across the street to Grand Palace Theatre around 8 p.m. The brick sidewalls of the outdoor venue held a different tune than that at the Stafford Theatre, as the rock band Bad 455’s played more grassroots bluesy tunes. Destination Bryan volunteer

Toler served as a vice president for Procter & Gamble and the CEO for Swift Communications, a publisher for more than 30 newspapers. He later returned to A&M to serve on the boards for both the Association of Former Students and the Texas A&M Foundation.

Toler said the values he learned at A&M were what convinced him to come back in a new capacity.

“When I was in school, they discussed the fact that you’re supposed to give back,” Toler said. “For some, that meant you sent your $100 to the Association of Former Students every year — but also there’s your own time and talent. What can you contribute to make [A&M] better for today’s students and future generations of Aggies?”

Walker said honors like the Distinguished Alumnus Award serve as a reminder to students of what they could accomplish.

“I think that it is important to show current and future students what’s possible,” Toler said. “Right out there is the distinguished alum-

Christopher Nguyen stood in front of the spinach-green seats of Grand Palace’s stage.

“There’s a wide variety of different bands playing,” Nguyen said. “Those venues have been going since one o’clock, and they go all the way until 11 o’clock midnight today.”

Whether a large band or small-starting musician, Nguyen said the music festival is open to hearing various musical stories.

“There have been a lot of local groups, some regional groups and your nationally known groups,” Nguyen said. “But a very important part of Destination Bryan is all about showcasing the local talent.”

Right next to the Stafford Theatre, The Proudest Monkey diners tapped to the glam rock band LVVRs while munching on their truffle “Yuppy Fries” and specialty burgers. LVVR’s aesthetic was reminiscent of a ‘take a midnight train and go anywhere’ spirit.

ni tribute [in Aggie Park]. I think a student could walk out to that and read those names and realize that could be in [their] future. There is nothing about the people whose names are on there that made them predestined to achieve at the level they did and what they achieved is, I hope, inspirational and motivational for the students on campus.”

Walker said a task force has been assembled this year to broaden the nominations the committee receives for the award.

“Our board chair has appointed a task force to look at every aspect of that process with the goal of ensuring that we are being both thorough and inclusive,” Walker said. “We don’t want to overlook somebody who is worthy, and we want the population of distinguished alumni to look like [A&M].”

To nominate a former student for the Distinguished Alumnus Award, visit tx.ag/danominations.

The sold-out music festival began to show crowds flocking to venues as 10 p.m. rolled around. A line rolled down the street outside Stafford Theatre as the night’s headliner Red Suit Apparatus was set to take the stage, quickly reaching maximum capacity. In the ever-stretching line was human resources graduate student Lena Brown. When it comes to going out and experiencing stories, including the musical ones of the night, Brown said she urges students to come out and just go for it.

“My motto is always to try to go to stuff for the experience; you never know what you’re gonna get out of it,” Brown said. “It might be good, it might be bad. But you and others have a story to tell at the end of the day, and we’re here for it.”

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Layne’s has seven other Texas locations and has begun expanding into other states, with plans to focus on Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona, according to its website. By the end of the year, five restaurants are set to open later this year, with 15 more already planned for 2024.

A College Station native, Garratt began as a regular customer in 1994 and typically ate lunch there after a long day of working for his dad’s construction company. Layne befriended Garratt, eventually offering him a job during his junior year at Texas A&M. Garratt said he enjoyed working there and worked his way up the business ladder to a manager position in 1997. By 1999, Garratt was preparing to graduate.

“That’s the point where I approached Layne and told him I wanted to buy his portion of the restaurant out, or I was going to go get a real job,” Garratt said. “So he sold me his portion and in 1999, I became the sole owner of Layne’s.”

During his time as sole owner, Garratt opened two other locations in College Station, and said he was touched to see the restaurant become intertwined with A&M’s culture.

“We’ve made it a really friendly atmosphere for the students to come and enjoy a meal,” Garratt said. “I think since Layne’s was started here and founded in College Station, it embraces A&M so much that in turn, A&M

FAKE RINGS CONTINUED FROM PG. A1

“In many cases, I believe the people posting these ads are not going to actually deliver a ring to anybody,” Walker said. “I believe that the scam is you send them your money, and you don’t get anything for it. When their site gets shut down, or their ad gets pulled from Amazon, they just move on and create a new one and steal the money from somebody else.”

Walker said in cases where someone has acquired an Aggie Ring, they inherited it, found it or stole it.

“In other cases, they’re claiming that they will make one and sell it to you,” Walker said. “And in those cases, I think it’s just 100 percent [a] scam. You send them money, and they disappear.”

Walker said advertising fake Aggie Rings is a clear-cut violation of the intellectual prop-

LAWS CONTINUED FROM PG. A1

-pushing for various initiatives, such as a tuition freeze and increased research funding. It also fought against various bills, most notably SB 18, a change to tenure in public universities.

In an 83-61 vote, the House approved a watered-down version of SB 18 after a fight in the legislature involving universities, politicians and educators statewide.

The bill requires boards overseeing Texas public universities, such as the Texas A&M Board of Regents, to adopt policies allowing institutions to fire tenured faculty for several reasons, including “professional incompetence” and “conduct involving moral turpitude.”

SB 17 dismantled diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, offices and programs at public universities, resulting in multiple Texas universities ending programs funded or supported by DEI.

Politicians also focused on students with SB 412 and SB 459, two bills that increase protections for pregnant students and give them early registration, respectively.

Because of SB 412, universities can not

students have really kind of taken an ownership in Layne’s, and they feel like Layne’s is an Aggie thing.”

Over the years, other potential investors noticed Layne’s success, but Garratt was never interested in listening to their bids to franchise, he said.

Chief Operating Officer Garrett Reed, a College Station native, and business partner Matthew O’Reilly were drawn to Layne’s for their love of its chicken, Reed said. The more they met, Garratt felt comfortable with expanding the company with their help.

“We want to take the brand across the United States, it can be done,” Samir Wattar, chief operating officer, said. “And that’s how I ended up here. Because we have the food, we have the culture and all we have to do is take care of it and take it across to everybody.”

After years of running Layne’s, Garratt wants to step back. Although Garratt won’t oversee the day-to-day operations of the original locations, Reed said Garratt will remain “a major voice of the culture” on the board of directors.

Garratt operated the College Station locations independently from corporate while new franchise locations began popping up in Texas. New locations began offering more menu options, such as spicy chicken fingers, wraps, new sauces, milkshakes and more; Garratt wanted to focus on only selling Layne’s iconic five-finger box, Reed said.

Reed said Layne’s plans to preserve the original look and feel of its first location, but its

erty associated with the ring, with there being no case where they’d authorize to make and sell a ring.

“The Aggie Ring is protected by three separate federal trademark registrations, so there’s no wiggle room for someone to claim that it’s not protected and that it’s in the public domain,” Walker said. “It is absolutely not in the public domain.”

Walker said trademark regulations don’t stop at actual rings — but also pictures of it.

“This applies whether it’s an actual ring, or if it is a product that has an image of a ring on it,” Walker said. “That is not licensed because you can’t use the image of the ring on your koozie or your T-shirt or anything like that unless you get a license to do so.”

Upon receiving a report of a violation, Walker said the Association contacts A&M’s licensing department, which contacts the seller with a notice.

“It’s a little more gray when it comes to

require pregnant students to take a leave of absence, limit their studies or change anything about their major solely because they are pregnant.

The Texas legislature also passed SB 532, requiring campuses to inform students of mental health resources, provide a map with physical locations and make note of them on campus tours. It also makes mental health professionals eligible for a loan forgiveness program.

SB 15 targets collegiate sports, requiring athletes in competitions to compete based on biological sex rather than gender identity. It’s followed by SB 14, which banned gender-affirming care for minors.

SB 12 continued the Republican war on drag shows, with “sexually oriented performances in front of minors” becoming a criminal offense. A lawsuit was filed against the bill on Aug. 2. Nevertheless, Gov. Greg Abbott signed the bill on Aug. 18.

HB 900 issues a book ban throughout the state. School libraries must now assign book rankings with the goal of removing sexually explicit content from schools. However, opponents argue that “sexually explicit” is too broad a term.

SB 37 fights against increased reports of hazing in universities and provides immunity

other locations will be updated to match the current brand image. In the coming weeks, Reed said patrons can expect to see small, positive changes.

“We’ll have a lot more offerings on the menu, but it’s the same chicken, the same price, same fries,” Reed said. “Everything’s the same … It’ll just be the actual heart of the restaurant, the equipment will be upgraded. Our speed of service will increase tremendously.”

Aside from maintaining its look and culture, Reed said patrons can benefit from a wider

someone selling an individual Aggie Ring,” Walker said. “Once you get it, you own it, and you can sell it to somebody if you want. That is not something that we can intervene on.”

A majority of the reports come from former students, Walker said. He said other reports come from Association staff or technology that monitors mention of the rings online.

“They don’t want to see people wearing the ring who didn’t earn the ring,” Walker said. “They don’t want to see cheap, unlicensed products out there that are devaluing the image of the Aggie Ring. So with an army of half a million friends and allies on our side, it’s pretty hard for someone to get a product on the market without us seeing or hearing about it.”

Mechanical engineering sophomore Adam Smykla said if people don’t meet the qualifications for a ring, they should not be able to buy one.

to corporations and other entities supporting student organizations if they report hazing and cooperate with investigators.

Sexual assault was also looked at by the legislature — in particular, resources for victims. Per SB 806, police officers must provide resources and education to victims. SB 1401 then reimburses victims for rape kits and other medical care.

In the wake of a COVID-19 surge, SB 29 bans mask and vaccine mandates alongside business and school closures. The law exempts prisons, hospitals and assisted-living centers from the ban.

Many of the laws have faced challenges in court, such as HB 2127, a bill preventing cities and counties from enacting laws that go further than what the state considers state law. A Travis County judge ruled the law unconstitutional on Aug. 30, with an appeal expected.

Opponents of the law argue it takes too much power away from cities, with both Republican and Democrat mayors challenging it in court.

menu selection and online ordering through their app, along with a loyalty rewards system.

Reed said he feels confident about Layne’s plan to tap into the nationwide fried chicken market. He said the restaurant’s deeply ingrained Aggie values make them better than every other fried chicken restaurant.

“I don’t mean to be cocky or arrogant, but we got a little bit of that Aggie Spirit,” Reed said. “We’re not worried about it. We’re just gonna go do it. The way Mike’s always done it.”

“It takes effort,” Smykla said. “It takes dedication.”

However, he said if a student completed the requirements and was looking for a cheaper option, he understood viewing it as an alternative.

Education freshman Hope Rasberry said she agreed and that she would buy the real ring, even if it was more expensive.

“I think [the ring symbolizes] just the tradition and the accomplishment of making it through college,” Rasberry said.

Allied health sophomore Ashlee Stuart said the biggest thing the Aggie Ring symbolized was networking and that she would order the ring when she qualifies.

“Once you see the Aggie Ring, you know that someone went to A&M,” Stuart said. “It’s an instant connection.”

The inside of Layne’s Chicken Fingers on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.

By Max Bloom @killalltoasters

“My name is Lee Harvey Oswald. Welcome to the Department of Truth.”

Conspiracy theories have had a death grip on the collective cultural consciousness since time immemorial. The mythos of little green men, tin foil hats and secret societies that the 20th century codified has remained a staple of media ranging from the procedurals of “The X-Files,” the fraught Bible fan-fiction of “The Da Vinci Code,” down through kids shows like “Gravity Falls.” There’s an undeniable appeal to the Illuminati as a looming big bad to our protagonists. Also, let’s not lie to ourselves, it’s just plain fun to hunt Bigfoot.

But anyone who’s paid enough attention to the news for the past couple of years has to confront another aspect of conspiracy theories: people have a tendency to believe them. And when human beings are put in jeopardy as a result, the type of thinking that creates little green men overstays its welcome. It’s this tendency to believe, and the human cost of belief, that “The Department of Truth” grapples with.

“The Department of Truth” is an ongoing comic series created by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds, published by Image Comics. The premise goes like this:

Cole Turner was an FBI agent who studied conspiracy theories and saw something impossible at a flat earth conference. Namely, the edge of the Flat Earth. Now, he’s been recruited to a secret government agency called the Department of Truth, a group tasked with maintaining the normalcy of “reality.” Because the truth is, the Earth is round. It is scientifically proven to be so. But the truth doesn’t mean true, and if enough people believe something, the force of their belief will change reality.

Now, Turner must work under the direction of his boss Lee Harvey Oswald — yes, that Lee Harvey Oswald — in defense of normalcy by combating the physical manifestations of various conspiracies before they can overthrow reality.

This is the world we’re thrown into, and from the very beginning, it is captivating. Tynion’s skill as a writer is on display even from the first issue, as we are expertly drawn into this tense, surreal world of conspiracy and danger, but his writing

tells only half the story.

The comic is elevated to something truly great with Simmonds’ fantastically nightmarish artwork. Combining punk visual art, Banksy-esque graffiti and the especially surreal horror segments of Sandman, Simmonds’ scratchy artwork is coated in a layer of grimey color and television static that perfectly encapsulates the feel of the story. He also regularly makes use of abstract and symbolic imagery over large splash pages and has cited Bill Sienkiewicz’s work on the comic “Brought to Light” as a specific artistic inspiration.

Tynion and Simmonds really hit their stride in Issue 3, which is a self-contained story about the mother of a school shooting victim whose grip on reality begins to slip as she latches onto false flag conspiracy theories as a method of grieving. Then she starts getting envelopes in the mail stamped with a black hat.

By paring back the focus to a single woman, Tynion is able to demonstrate incredibly impactful character writing, while Simmonds perfectly encapsulates her emotional state in the artwork.

This story is, in my mind, also the most effective early example of the overarching theme addressing the cost of conspiracy theories and how people are harmed by them. That is not something the series ever forgets, because even in the midst of Bigfoot hunting, UFO sightings and baby-eating Satanists, there are always people caught in the crossfire.

This is given further depth later on as we learn more about the Department’s past and must confront one crucial idea: the types of magical thinking that create conspiracy theories are inextricably linked with the types that lead a government to invade a sovereign nation and fund military coups in service of thwarting an imagined enemy.

But I wouldn’t want to give too much away.

‘Sit down, be humble’

By Maddie McMurrough @MadsMcMurrough

As upperclassmen, the bane of our existence is having “that freshman” sit next to you. We all know that freshman. The “technically I’m a junior by hours” freshman. The “I can say Whoop” freshman. The pick-me freshman that can’t own their proper ranking.

If this is you, let me tell you a little secret. Nothing makes upperclassmen want to humble you more than hearing you talk about your dual-credit hours. News flash: if this is your first year in college, baby, you’re a freshman. Now, I know you were just the top dogs in high school and it’s hard for you to accept this, but you have to own that you’re bottom of the pile in college.

Now, not all upperclassmen are kind

enough to tell you this beforehand, so listen close and you can avoid being their next meal.

The quickest way to recruit upperclassmen allies is to own that you are a freshman. You want us on your team, rooting for your success and looking out for you when you fail. College is difficult and it doesn’t hurt to have people looking out for you who know what it’s like.

So my question is: Why are you so keen to deny your ranking? Sure, the third deck sucks at football games and finding the bars that will let you in with a vertical ID is a hassle, but we’ve all been there. You should be proud to be a freshman. You made it into a very difficult and prestigious university. You should be screaming “AAAAAA” at the top of your lungs with pride.

All my freshmen friends know that I am their designated older sister. Many upperclassmen do the best they can to ensure their freshmen feel the same. But we can’t help you if you don’t own it.

Not only will we refuse to help you, but we won’t respect you. All Aggie traditions, such as getting that Aggie bling and saying

“Whoop” are something you earn. And I’m sorry, but you can’t earn those things in one year. Your ring and “Whoop” is something that comes with time, dedication and life experience. Is your Ring going to mean as much if you have only experienced two semesters at A&M? Is finally saying “Whoop” going to be as memorable if you don’t work and, more importantly, wait for it?

My pull-out day was one of the most memorable moments in my A&M career because I worked hard for it. I waited patiently for it. The tremendous pride I felt for myself was something that can’t be put into words, and I feel bad for any Ags who don’t get that kind of joy when they hit those milestones.

One misconception about college is that once your four years are up, your degree is the only thing you walk away with. Wrong. The second most important currency of college is your life experience. You go to college to learn how to survive your chosen profession, yes, but also how to work with others, how to stretch your social and emotional bandwidth and how to accept the social hierarchy. You can always strive to rise in those ranks, but it

takes time, dedication and hard work.

Dual credit in high school may count towards your degree, but it really isn’t anything like a college course. You weren’t living by yourself while completing it. You weren’t trying to balance your messy breakup, horrific chemistry class and nightmarish roommates while completing it. You weren’t living off of ramen and $5 while completing it. Your parents were housing you, feeding you and comforting you. So, you don’t really earn the same life experiences.

Some upperclassmen can forget what being a freshmen is like and are too harsh on the freshman who don’t know their place, but if you can own it, you will have so many older siblings ready to go to bat for you. Imagine that intensity directed towards your cause and not against it.

So, listen to your older sister and Kendrick Lamar: sit down, be humble.

Maddie McMurrough is an agricultural communications and journalism junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.

Don’t be that freshman who can’t be proud of their class

Ani Tummalapalli — THE BATTALION

Session H Aqua Camp Macias counselors teach incoming freshman at Fish Camp in Lakeview on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023.

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN

Aggies head to Miami in Week 2 to face off against Hurricanes, hoping to gain another victory

By Hunter Mitchell @HunterM1001

After a tune-up game in Week 1, the Aggies have no time to rest in Week 2.

Leaving the friendly confines of Kyle Field, Texas A&M is set to square off against Miami for the second year in a row. Despite being only Week 2, this game has late-season implications, with both schools looking for a bounce-back year. Almost a mirror of one another, both teams are coming off of Week 1 blowouts of Group of Five opponents, led by new offensive coordinators.

Coming from the University of Houston, offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson took over in Miami in the offseason after the firing of Josh Gattis, who only lasted one season with the Hurricanes. Dawson spent the last three years with the Cougars, leading them to the No. 13 ranking in total touchdown passes during his tenure. Houston also ranked No. 8 last season in total passing offense.

Miami is fresh off a 38-3 victory in Week 1 against Miami (OH) in the battle for the city’s true namesake. The Hurricanes outgained the Redhawks by almost 278 total yards, holding Miami (OH) to just 51 yards on the ground.

“Shannon Dawson has done a lot of offense in his life,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “We have some things that we’ve done before, so it’s a really good blend. It looks a little bit different, but there’s some similarities there.”

At the helm for the Hurricanes is junior quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who is coming off of a shaky 2022 campaign. After being named ACC Freshman of the Year in 2021, Van Dyke struggled last season. The Glastonbury, Connecticut native threw for 1,844 with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions while battling injuries all season. Van Dyke threw for 201 yards with a touchdown and an interception in Week 1.

“I thought [Van Dyke] did really well,” Cristobal said. “He’d love to have that interception back. He’s really hard on himself. He’s really efficient, he put us in the right plays. He made the right decisions in the run game as well.”

In the offseason, the Hurricanes bolstered their offensive line. From UCF, senior center Matt Lee transferred in, alongside junior Alabama transfer Javion Cohen.

“[I am] proud of the offensive and defensive lines,” Cristobal said. “I thought they controlled the line of scrimmage for the majority of the game. They make it difficult with their angles, with their leverage, with their numbers in the run game.”

Against the Redhawks, the Hurricanes ran for 250 yards, with four rushers over 30 yards. Junior running back Henry Parrish Jr. led the charge for Miami, averaging 10 yards per carry with 90 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Parrish began his career at Ole Miss but transferred into the program last offseason, filling the role as the Hurricanes’ starting running back for the second-straight season.

Miami also retooled the other side of the coaching staff this season, poaching Lance Guidry from Marshall. During his time with the Thundering Herd, his defenses ranked third in pass efficiency defense, fifth in turnovers gained and fifth in rushing defense.

Miami returns a slew of defensive talent from last season, including junior safety Kamren Kinchens, who was First Team All-American last season, finishing with six interceptions and 59 tackles last season.

The linebacking corp for the Hurricanes may be their strongest unit, with returning sophomore Wesley Bissainthe, junior Louisville transfer K.J. Cloyd and Washington State transfer Francisco Mauigoa. Mauigoa led the team last game in total tackles last game, and Bissainthe accounted for one of the team’s three sacks.

On the defensive line, sophomore

Leonard Taylor leads the way for the Hurricanes. An All-ACC Honorable Mention last season, Taylor only played 15 snaps against the Redhawks in Week 1 after coming back from an injury in the spring. Alongside him, senior Purdue transfer Branson Deen makes up the bulk along the interior of the defensive line. Deen was an All-Big Ten selection in his last two seasons with the Boilermakers but was also limited in snaps last week.

Like Miami, the Aggies brought in a new offensive coordinator this offseason, as Bobby Petrino joined the staff, leaving his spot as head coach for Missouri State.

Petrino brings decades of experience into A&M’s program, having been the head coach for Arkansas and Louisville prior to his tenure at Missouri State. Petrino was head coach for the Cardinals when Lamar Jackson won the 2016 Heisman Trophy and has been known for his “feed the studs” philosophy.

The headline for the preseason and now Week 1 for the Aggies has been the same team, but a different playbook. After sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman took over late last season, he has solidified himself as the starter for A&M. Against New Mexico, the Bridgeland native threw for 236 yards, with five touchdowns and only five incompletions, good enough for the best QBR in college football at 97.2.

Catching passes from Weigman are fellow sophomores Evan Stewart and Noah Thomas. Stewart made his appearance known last year, earning Freshman All-American honors despite the revolving door at quarterback for the Aggies. Thomas, however, was relatively unknown until this spring, when he earned praise from coach Jimbo Fisher.

“[Thomas is] going to be a real weapon,” Fisher said. “He’s had an outstanding spring. He won our MVP, been our most consistent guy.”

Thomas lived up to the praise in Week 1, hauling in 74 yards receiving with three touchdown catches,

the most from an Aggie receiver in a single game since Christian Kirk in 2017. Combined, both wideouts account for 189 of the 277 yards through the air.

On the defensive side of the ball, A&M’s depth comes on the defensive line. Led by a slew of former five-star recruits like Walter Nolen, LT Overton, Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy and Shemart Stewart, the Aggies held the Lobos to 89 rushing yards last weekend but will be tasked with handling the Hurricanes’ offensive line.

In the secondary, graduate Boston College transfer cornerback Josh DeBerry put himself onto the scene for the Aggies. The Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan finished the New Mexico game with a team-leading 10 tackles, one of the team’s two sacks and the only interception of the night.

With DeBerry in the A&M secondary is graduate safety Demani Richardson and sophomore safety Bryce Anderson. Richardson made his 27th-straight start against the Lobos and accounted for three tackles. Anderson was thrust into play last season as a freshman, playing in 11 games and earning Texas Football Defensive Freshman of the Year from Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.

For the Aggies, the key will be stopping the Miami rushing attack. Last season, A&M ranked No. 122 in rushing defense and allowed 175 rushing yards in its last matchup against the Hurricanes. Miami will also prove to be one of the more challenging defenses Weigman has faced and will pose one of the biggest tests of his young career.

The last time the Aggies walked into Hard Rock Stadium, they left Orange Bowl champions. The ramifications of this matchup may not be the same, but for either team, a Week 2 victory would do wonders for both confidence and postseason positioning. The Aggies will face off against the Hurricanes on Sept. 9 at 2:30 p.m., in Miami on ABC.

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

Senior WR Ainias Smith (0) stiff arms Miami DB James Williams (0) during Texas A&M’s game against Miami at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.

It’s good to be back home

After two weekends away, Aggie volleyball set for Reed Arena match up

By Lexi Rodriguez @lexirodz1

Texas A&M volleyball, led by first-year head coach Jamie Morrison, is off to its most successful start in 12 years.

The Aggies seemed to take the coaching change in stride while top recruits in the nation like freshman setter Margot Manning, who was named AVCA Phenom and top 150 recruit, have added new dynamics to the team. Freshman outside hitter Bianna Muoneke has also emerged on the scene, tied for third on the team in kills while securing a sweep in the first set with a kill against Bowling Green.

Both players have highly impacted the level of play across the board.The Aggies are already breaking records, like the most kills in a match in program history within a 25-point scoring era in their match against Wright State.

Alongside Muoneke, graduate outside hitter Caroline Meuth and sophomore opposite hitter Logan Lednicky account for No. 1 and 2 in kills respectively in an Aggies’ offense that ranks No. 3 in the country in hitting percentage at .356.

Coming off a five-game winning streak, the Maroon and White will host for the first time this season at the Texas A&M Volleyball Invitational this upcoming weekend at Reed Arena. Their first opponent will be Utah State on Thursday, Sept. 7, followed by Northern Iowa on Friday and TCU on Saturday.

Utah State is off to a strong 5-1 start this season, with its only loss to No. 5 Nebraska.

Junior Utah State outside hitter Adna Mehmedovic will pose a challenge to the Aggies,

as she has already racked up 60 kills so far this season. Not only is their offense dangerous, but their defense ranks No. 15 for blocks per set and No. 7 in total team blocks. Freshman libero Kambree Rodriguez leads the defense with 69 digs. A&M will look towards defenders like sophomore middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, who leads the team with 28 blocks, to stifle the Aggies’ offense.

Northern Iowa is 3-3 on the season with losses to Creighton, Western Michigan and Villanova. Junior outside hitter Kira Fallart poses the biggest threat on the left side, as she has accumulated 80 kills in their six matches so far this season. She also clinched MVC Offensive Player of the Week and ranks second in the MVC for attacks per set. A key asset to the Panthers’ defense is junior middle blocker Olivia Tjernagel, who leads the team with 29 blocks and ranks No. 46 in the country in individual blocks.

TCU is off to a slow 2-3 start to the season,

with two of those losses coming from No. 7 Minnesota and No. 2 Wisconsin. Despite this, the Horned Frogs will be the biggest opponents the Aggies face this weekend. Both of these teams are coming from new leadership, with TCU in its second year alongside head coach Jason Williams and the Aggies with Morrison. TCU had the biggest turnaround season of any Power Five program in 2022, making it to the Second Round of the NCAA tournament.

Junior TCU outside hitter Melanie Parra is coming off a national championship title in 2022 with Texas and has now found a new home with the Horned Frogs. The Sinaloa, Mexico native has 64 kills in her past six matches, and also leads the team in service aces. Topping her hitting numbers is sophomore outside hitter Jalyn Gibson, who leads the team with 69 kills.

The Aggies celebrate a point during A&M’s match against Alabama at Reed Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022.

Luca Yaquinto — THE BATTALION

Gambling against

Aggie soccer still searching for rebound win, season turnaround

By Kylie Stoner @Sportsbystoner

With a rocky start to the season, Texas A&M soccer will hit the pitch at Ellis Field after a late goal led to a road loss against TCU. The Maroon and White will attempt to restart their winning streak against Grambling State on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.

The Aggies and the Tigers have met once prior at Ellis Field in November of 2006, with the Maroon and White coming out on top, 5-0. A&M has struggled early in the season thus far with three losses and a draw to a less-than-stellar Baylor

squad. A&M has not lost within the first two matches since 2021, when it lost to top-10 opponents.

Grambling State is tied at No. 214 in the nation in goals-against average with exhibition opponent, Texas State. The Aggies defeated the Bobcats 4-0 in the preseason. The Tigers have a goals-against average of 1.667 based on their 10 goals allowed in six games.

The Tigers are No. 244 in fouls per game with 62 in six games, and A&M is No. 91 with 39 fouls per game in five games.

Grambling State has a 2-2-3 record so far this season, with losses to Southeast Missouri State and Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Tigers have wins over Murray State, 2-0, and East Texas Baptist, 1-0. They tied their last three matches heading into A&M.

The leading shooter for the Tigers in their last game against Arkansas-Little

Rock was senior defender Alyssa Romero. She had all three shots land on frame and scored the only goal for the Tigers. Romero has racked up the most minutes for Grambling State with 616 so far this season. In A&M’s previous match against TCU, junior forward Maile Hayes was the leading shooter, with all five shots on target. Hayes was denied a penalty kick against the Horned Frogs, making her penalty kick ratio two out of three this season. The Tigers had a winning record in the 2022 season with a 12-8-3 campaign, compared to the Aggies 9-7-5 record.

Fans interested in attending the Grambling State match can earn double points through 12th Man Rewards, and tickets range between $4-10.

Junior 2L Carissa Boeckmann (14) pushes the ball up field while Washington State D Jenna Studer (33) slide tackles to gain possesion of ball during

game

State on Aug. 20, 2023.

By Luke White @lukewhite03

AROUND THE SEC

A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 2

No. 20 Ole Miss @ No. 24 Tulane

Saturday, Sept. 9 — Yulman Stadium — New Orleans

2:30 p.m. on ESPN2

Tulane put the college football world on notice last season with a 12-2 record and AAC Championship and Cotton Bowl victories to close out the year. The Green Wave picked up right where it left off to open the 2023 campaign, taking down Sun Belt Conference leader South Alabama. Junior quarterback Michael Pratt returns as one of the nation’s top signal-callers after passing for 294 yards and four touchdowns against the Jaguars.

While Tulane rounded out this past season sizzling hot, Ole Miss finished ice cold. After jumping to a 7-0 start, the Rebels lost five of their last six as they skidded to the finish. But if Ole Miss was trying to make a good first impression in Week 1, it succeeded with

a 73-7 thrashing of Mercer. It didn’t matter that superstar sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins picked up just 60 yards, as junior quarterback Jaxson Dart tallied 334 yards and four scores through the air. Not to be forgotten, senior Spencer Sanders, a multiyear Oklahoma State starter, added 134 yards and two touchdowns.

Signs point to a pass-heavy performance at cozy Yulman Stadium, which could see a strong contingent of Ole Miss fans. Dart has proven he can get it done with his arm, but his speed paired with Judkins’ may prove to be the X-factor.

Prediction: Ole Miss 38, Tulane 28

Arizona @ Mississippi State

Saturday, Sept. 9 — Davis Wade Stadium — Starkville, Mississippi

6:30 p.m. on SEC Network

It wasn’t your older brother’s Mississippi State last weekend that defeated Southeastern Louisiana 48-7. Under first-year coach Zach Arnett, the Bulldogs have seemingly done away with the air-raid offense the team became known for under coach Mike Leach.

Senior running back Jo’quavious Marks picked up 127 yards on the ground with two scores, while senior quarterback Mike Wright needed just five carries to gain 95 yards. All told, Mississippi State tallied 298 yards rushing.That’ll take a load off of senior Will Rogers’ shoulders under center after serving as the workhorse of last season’s offense.

Speaking of last season, the Bulldogs came out on top in Tucson, Arizona, 39-17. Arizona coach Jedd Fisch is in his third year leading a program aiming for its first winning

season since 2017, and the Wildcats got off on the right foot with a 38-3 win over Northern Arizona. Junior quarterback Jayden de Laura completed 18 of 24 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns, while the defense did its job by limiting the Lumberjacks to a mere 78 rushing yards. The Wildcats rarely struggled to score last season with an average of 30.8 points per game, but a defense that gave up 36.5 points held them back. Saturday will offer a look into a Mississippi State offense different from years past and an Arizona defense looking for improvement under second-year defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen. Don’t be surprised if this is a high-scoring affair, but the Bulldogs’ more proven defense gives them the edge.

Prediction: Mississippi State 45, Arizona 31

No. 11 Texas @ No. 3 Alabama

Saturday, Sept. 9 — Bryant-Denny Stadium — Tuscaloosa, Alabama 6 p.m. on ESPN

Last season’s 20-19 slugfest in Austin likely left both teams feeling disappointed. Alabama, while escaping with the win, found itself in an unfamiliar situation as it entered the contest favored by multiple scores. When the Crimson Tide wins, it usually wins big. On the other hand, Texas defied expectations by coming close to a major upset. The Longhorns may argue that with a different call here or there, the conversation surrounding that game would be of an upset win, not a close loss.

This leads to a primetime matchup that offers fans a taste of what’s to come when Texas and Oklahoma ditch the Big 12 for the big boys in the SEC. The Crimson Tide and the Longhorns enter Saturday’s game looking to atone for last year. Redshirt sophomore and Katy native Jalen Milroe aims to join a long

list of elite Alabama quarterbacks, with his dual-threat ability setting him apart from the pack. For the Longhorns, sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers takes the stage to prove his case for a first-round selection in the NFL Draft, this time without the mullet.

Texas got off to a shaky start in a 37-10 win over Rice, while Alabama displayed consistency with a 56-7 victory over Middle Tennessee State. Both teams are strong contenders for a College Football Playoff spot, meaning this matchup will give the winner a strong boost while putting the loser in a hole early on. Another close game can be expected, but Alabama coach Nick Saban gives the Tide the boost it needs.

Prediction: Alabama 35, Texas 28

Auburn @ California

Saturday, Sept. 9 — California Memorial Stadium — Berkeley, California 9:30 p.m. on ESPN

Props are due to a California team that this writer predicted would struggle in its opener against North Texas. Instead, the Golden Bears established themselves as having the superior color with a 58-21 win over the Mean Green on the road. Auburn won in a similarly dominant fashion as it took down UMass 5914 in coach Hugh Freeze’s return to the SEC.

If you’re a fan of quick games, this matchup may be the one for you, as both teams established their run games early on. California ran for 357 total yards against North Texas, while the Tigers tallied 289 rushing yards against the Minutemen.

As both programs aim to rebound from losing seasons, improvement on offense is key. The Golden Bears’ sophomore running back Jaydn Ott picked up 201 total yards

and two scores last week and joins redshirt sophomore quarterback Ben Finley in his first season with the program. Auburn scored six touchdowns via the run game last week to complement junior quarterback and Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne. Thorne showcased his talent as he led the Spartans to an 11-2 finish in 2021, and the hope on the Plains is that he and Freeze can lead the Tigers back to national prominence.

While Auburn may be traveling two time zones back for this matchup, its experience against SEC competition gives it the advantage. It will be exciting to see both teams’ rushing attacks go at it, but the Tigers’ leadership at the quarterback position and coaching will lead them to victory.

Prediction: Auburn 45, California 35

GALLERY: TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL VS. NEW MEXICO

By Ishika Samant & Kyle Heise @thebattonline

Texas A&M opened its season with a game against New Mexico on home turf at Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. Sophomore starting quarterback Conner Weigman (15) started the season with five touchdown passes to notable wide receivers such as Noah Thomas (3) and Evan Stewart (1). The Aggies were able to dominate the Lobos 52-10 on Saturday evening. The Aggies will play Miami on Saturday, Sept. 9 and return to Kyle Field on Saturday, Sept. 16 to play ULM.