The Battalion: October 20, 2016

TURNING THE TIDE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2016 STUDENT MEDIA | @THEBATTONLINE

INSIDE

POSTER: DAESHON HALL STATS PAGE 9 SENATE: PAGE RESIGNS, BAUMANN IMPEACHED PAGE 3 HISTORY: A&M, BAMA: FOOTBALL LEGACIES PAGE 6 PHOTO STORY: A&M’S 2016 SEASON SO FAR PAGE 10 GENNESSY: ‘BIG BROTHER’ ON THE O-LINE PAGE 13

FILE

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Psychology sophomore Eric Golden, his wife Bryce and their 10-month-old son Jacob are adapting as Eric balances being a student and a parent.

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PART-TIME STUDENTS, FULL-TIME PARENTS Students with children talk difficulties, rewards of being a parent in college

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By Ana Sevilla @anavsevilla During her time in college, Melanie Meyers, Class of 2016, was many things: a student, substitute teacher, bus driver, cosmetologist and most importantly — a parent. She returned to college in 2007 not knowing she would spend the next nine years working toward her sociology degree and working around the

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schedule of her family, but when she finally received her diploma the feeling was sweet to say the least.

This is one of many narratives of student-parents attending college. While most students are familiar with facing obligation and responsibility, these students are particularly skilled in time management.

“I was actually raised as a foster kid in the foster care system, so I tried very hard to just accomplish the goals of raising my children … I had my son when I was 16 and I started working when I was 15,” Meyers said. “I had two jobs in high school, and I’ve worked my whole life.

I never wanted to be what they told me I was going to be which was a failure, but I proved a lot of people wrong — let’s just say that.”

When psychology sophomore Eric Golden was confronted with parenthood, he had to learn to sacrifice, but it wasn’t without reward.

“As a parent, I personally work full-time and Bryce [Golden’s wife] stays at home and has a part-time job,” Golden said. “It stinks

being really busy all the time, but it’s always great to come home to a wife and child.

It may not be for everyone, but it’s definitely for me.”

The pursuit of college degrees leaves some student-parents having to be away from their parental duties to maintain a study schedule. Education junior Jamie Thomas had been a parent for 16 years when she finally decided to re-commit to her college education in August of 2013. Rather than wait for her kids’ bedtime to begin on schoolwork, Thomas said she took a different approach.

“It was super difficult but rather than try to do my homework when they went to sleep, I began doing it with them,” Thomas said.

While some student-parents enjoy their experiences, almost all are willing to admit the difficulty of the situation. Third-year English graduate student Nicole Hagstrom-Schmidt said the commitment to both school and parenthood can offer valuable lessons in life and acceptance of personal imperfections.

“I think there’s always going to be a sense of guilt for a working mom, no matter what she does, whether she has a full-time job or goes to school or both, so that I try to compartmentalize and spend as much time with them as I can,” Hagstrom-Schmidt said. “Accepting that there’s certain things you just can’t do when you have children, and work and school.”

Electrical engineering junior Freddy Sanchez moved from Venezuela to America at the age of 19 and later got married and had two children. While his family lives in Houston, Sanchez lives in College Station during the week and visits his family on weekends.

“Time goes by too quick.

Time flies, and you have to be able to balance everything, and you have to be able to take it a day at a time, also,” Sanchez said.

“Because if you look at it as all the years I have left then I get really discouraged, but if I take it a day at a time and only a little bit at a time, then it’s easier to move forward.”

NEWS

The Battalion | 10.20.16

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2 student senators impeached following derogatory messages

By Brad Canon @BradCanon1 Nick Page and Taylor Baumann were impeached by the overwhelming majority of the senators of the 69th Session at Wednesday’s Student Senate meeting.

Both senators were tried for impeachment due to comments they allegedly made in a GroupMe about Student Body President Hannah Wimberly’s family.

The impeachment papers for each senator were filed by student senator Aubre Dean and subsequently signed by one-third of Student Senate, which is the requirement for an impeachment trial to occur.

“Excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and selfless service are values and standards that students on this campus are supposed to uphold,” Dean wrote in the impeachment papers filed for Page. “We firmly believe that Nick Page has dishonored the office of Student Senator and hereby deserves to be held fully accountable for both the GroupMe messages and personal conversations he has had.”

Dean also wrote the impeachment papers for Baumann. “[The GroupMe messages] are not only a direct violation of the Aggie Core Values, but also a standard of respect that should be required of those in Senate,” Dean wrote. “The student body deserves better representation and action from Student Senate; let this be our message that enough is

enough.”

During open forum, which occurs at the beginning of all Student Senate meetings, Page and Baumann spoke. During this time Page announced he was putting forward his resignation, claiming there was no reason to waste students’ time any longer on issues that have already been brought up and that discussing the accusations would be unproductive for Senate. However, because his resignation would not have gone into effect until the following officer meeting and the impeachment trial was scheduled for Wednesday, the trial went forward as planned and Page was impeached.

“Two months in and all we are doing is focusing internally and bickering amongst ourselves, not a whole lot has really happened,” Page said. “For that reason to avoid this body having to forgo another two hours of the students’ time hearing pre-planned arguments and the same rhetoric we have heard already at this point … I will be resigning tonight.”

Baumann, who also addressed senate in open forum, opened by saying “an Aggie does not lie,” and that the accusations by Wimberly and SGA Executive Vice President Dan Rosenfield were just that — a “slanderous” lie. Baumann said the accusations were regarding a “fictitious person,” and that he made no comments at all about Wimberly or her sister.

“I have never joked about raping anyone, I have never joked about anyone being

raped — rape and sexual assault are not joking matters,” Baumann said.

Rosenfield spoke on behalf of himself, Wimberly and Vice President of Student Services Landon Wood and said they all defend what they have said previously, and that Baumann has no platform to accuse them of being liars.

“What Taylor said in the GroupMe was disgusting, it was referencing rape,” Rosenfield said. “We made sure we were truthful in everything, we reviewed the comments over and over to make sure this is what we think it is.”

Before he left the podium, Page said he would like to issue the student senators one final challenge.

“If any of you believe yourself to truly be above reproach I challenge you to go through and take all the information from your phone — all your emails, text messages, GroupMe, Tinder messages — all that — publish it online,” Page said. “If you can do that you are a stand up citizen, it may show you the difference between a private conversation and public action.”

The articles of impeachment filed by Dean and signed by the necessary one-third of Student Senate can be viewed at TheBatt. com. The next Student Senate meeting will be Nov. 2.

Portions of Wednesday’s Student Senate meeting are available to watch on TAMU Student Senate’s YouTube page, but the impeachment trial took place in executive session and as such is not available for viewing.

FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 10.20.16

Aggies head into undefeated matchup with confidence

No. 6 A&M to take on No. 1 Alabama

By Angel Franco @angelmadison_

F

or the third time this season, No. 6 Texas A&M will be in the national spotlight. However, the Aggies will not have the comfort of home field advantage for Week 8. A&M will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 1 Alabama at 2:30 p.m. on CBS. Before heading into their off week, the Aggies hosted then-No. 9 Tennessee and defeated the Volunteers in a dramatic double overtime thriller. With the win, A&M moved to 6-0 for the first time since 1994 and 4-0 in the SEC for the first time since joining the conference in 2012.

A&M enters Saturday’s matchup with newfound energy after having a week off to rest and tend to injuries that plagued the squad toward the end of the first half of the 2016 season. Senior quarterback Trevor Knight said every team in the country has reached the point in the season where they are a bit banged up and the Aggies are no exception.

“Everybody benefits from a bye week,” Knight said. “Just getting your bodies right and getting an extra week to face your next opponent.”

In the Aggies’ Week 4 matchup against Arkansas, junior defensive end Myles Garrett suffered a lower leg injury that sidelined him against South Carolina the following week.

Garrett returned to the gridiron with limitations against Tennessee despite not being fully healthy. However — with almost two weeks of rehabilitation and rest — Garrett said he’s ready and healthy to play without being limited.

“I can’t let [Alabama] know but I’m good enough to play first, second, third and fourth down if we have to,” Garrett said.

Saturday’s contest between the two Top-10 teams has produced a significant buzz in the world of sports despite Alabama being favored by nearly 20 points. Sophomore wide receiver Christian Kirk, who will make his first trip to play in Tuscaloosa, said

Jacob Martindale @PapaDuck17 — THE BATTALION

the most important thing the team has to do is keep its eye on the game itself and not the hype that is building in anticipation of the game.

“We know we are coming in as the underdog; we’re ready to take on this challenge.

This is a new team, new season and we’re ready to get this going,” Kirk said.

“These are the reasons why you come to Texas A&M and play in the SEC — to play in big games like these. Going into Saturday you just have to block all that stuff out and just play your game.”

Last week Alabama true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts led the Crimson Tide offense after scoring three touchdowns on the ground and 132 total rush yards against Tennessee. Senior defensive end Daeshon Hall said with an offense as dynamic as Alabama’s it is important for the defense to be on the same page to effectively stop Hurts’ running ability and force him to throw the ball.

“They are really good up front and on the edges and they have a young quarterback that is a little mobile dude like Josh Dobbs was last week,” Hall said. “We are going to have to contain him and do our job. We’ve seen what they can do so we’ll have our hands full but we’re going to keep working and eliminate what they do best.”

Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin said despite being an 18-point underdog and having played several big games this season, the Aggies have done a good job staying focused which will allow them to perform at their best come game time Saturday.

“Every week that we play it becomes a big game,” Sumlin said. “This team has done a great job — not a good job — of blocking out noise and trying to be one game better. We haven’t played our best football yet. Our guys are in a good place right now; based on what I’ve seen in practice I’m not concerned.”

ANALYSIS

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The Battalion | 10.20.16

Strike while the iron is hot No. 6 Texas A&M in its best position to beat No. 1 Alabama

Lawrence Smelser

T

@LawrenceSmelser

exas A&M has had its best start to a season this year at 6-0 for the first time since 1994, and has a chance to vault to 7-0 and jump into a Top-4 spot in the College Football Playoff Rankings if it can defeat No. 1 Alabama.

The No. 6 Aggies still have to face Ole Miss, LSU and Mississippi State down the stretch, but if they defeat the defending champion Crimson Tide and make a historic run, this is the most opportune year to do it.

In the future, it will be difficult to replicate a season where a veteran leader such as Trevor Knight leads the team and the defense boasts Myles Garrett, arguably the best defensive player in college football.

Knight has struggled at times with his accuracy but has been successful overall with an SEC-leading nine rushing touchdowns as well as nine passing scores. The San Antonio native also averages 7.72 yards per carry, the highest among quarterbacks in the NCAA. The emergence of the Aggies’ impressive running game should help them against Alabama. It has added a balance to the offense.

Freshman running back Trayveon Williams has run for 704 yards and five touchdowns this season, helping the Aggies become the nation’s only team to have 200 or more rushing and passing yards in every game played.

Players like wide receivers Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones and defensive stars Daeshon Hall and Justin Evans won’t be around after 2016, and the Aggies could lose defensive superstars such as Garrett, Armani Watts and Donovan Wilson to the NFL Draft.

Moving forward, the team will be strong with young talent such as Trayveon Williams, Christian Kirk and Tyrel Dodson and a plethora of new recruits. But adjusting to a new quarterback and having success is not easy.

Alabama’s 20-point spread seems to be a little outrageous judging how Texas A&M has beaten three Top-25 teams and has taken

care of business handily in every game aside from its opener versus UCLA and against Tennessee, both of which A&M threw away comfortable leads.

Texas A&M’s defense will likely prevent Alabama from easily walking into the end zone and hitting its average of 45 points per game. Although the Aggies had a poor defensive performance in terms of points and yardage against Tennessee, it is not an accurate reflection of their first five games.

The trio at safety — comprised of Watts, Wilson and Evans — is one of the best in the country. All three are NFL-caliber players and two could potentially be first-round picks.

Although Wilson has had a quiet season statistically, he’s still producing week in and week out. Last year after leading the team with five interceptions, he emerged with comparisons to Arizona Cardinals’ safety Tyrann Mathieu.

Texas A&M’s defensive line also has a case for being the best in the nation.

It showcases Garrett and Hall, potential first-round picks, and in the interior it has 300-pounders Zaycoven Henderson and Kingsley Keke.

Those two sets of players are sure to make life difficult for Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts has been phenomenal for a true freshman on the ground and in the air but has shown weaknesses. Entering Alabama’s game against Tennessee, Hurts completed only 26 percent of

his passes when under pressure compared to 75 percent when not hurried.

An area where Texas A&M could experience trouble is against Alabama’s receivers.

A&M cornerback Nick Harvey has struggled at times allowing big plays. Going against a receiving corps of Calvin Ridley, ArDarius Stewart, O.J. Howard and Gehrig Dieter, — who all average at least 12.2 yards per catch and have produced nine combined touchdowns — is no easy feat. They can expose the Aggies if Hurts has enough time in the pocket.

If Texas A&M can limit turnovers against an Alabama defense that has scored eight touchdowns and can play stout enough defensively, the Aggies are likely to hold the score close and keep the dream alive of making the College Football Playoff.

Even if the Aggies lose by a slim margin and are able to win

out their remaining games, assuming Alabama finishes the season undefeated, there would be a chance of making the playoff due to the strong strength of schedule and the performance against the powerhouse Crimson Tide.

Despite playing in a hostile environment, A&M should cover the 20-point spread and might even come away victorious.

The current Texas A&M roster has a good culture, positive morale, strong discipline and maturity — a combination recent teams have lacked.

Lawrence Smelser is a journalism senior and sports reporter for The Battalion.

With several key players departing after 2016, Texas A&M is currently in its best position to make a run at the playoff.

FILE

FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 10.20.16

The Aggies’ last victory over Alabama was Nov. 10, 2012.

Then-quarterback Johnny Manziel completed 24 of 31 passes for 253 yards and two scores.

HISTORIES COLLIDE As Texas A&M makes its way to Tuscaloosa in a top-10 SEC showdown against Alabama, here’s a look at the years that built the relationship Kevin Roark @Kevin_Roark

N

ow this is SEC Football at its very finest. The No. 6 Aggies will square off against the No. 1 Crimson Tide in what is bound to be one of the most high-stakes games A&M has seen in years. Alabama leads the all-time series 6-2, and the teams had last met in 1988 before sharing a conference since 2012. This weekend’s matchup poses a new yet familiar atmosphere.

Both A&M and Bama reside in the SEC, are ranked in the top 10 and boast undefeated records to start the 2016 season. However, the roots tying these two legendary institutions run much deeper.

Let’s go back to the year 1954 in Junction, Texas. Paul “Bear” Bryant had just accepted the head coaching job and title of athletic director at Texas A&M University. The squad was recuperating from a nine-loss season as the infamous Junction training camp took flight. Two years later Bryant led the “Junction Boys” to a Southwest Conference championship in a 34-21 victory over the University of Texas. In 1957, Johnny Manziel’s only pre-

2012 decessor, running back John David Crow, won college football’s most coveted award, the Heisman Trophy. Crow was the only player under Bryant to earn such an honor and led the Aggies to a title run before No. 20 Rice ended their championship hopes.

Bryant compiled a 25-14-2 record in College Station before returning to his alma mater in 1958.

The Crimson Tide had scraped together just four wins in three seasons prior to Bryant’s arrival. In a short three years, Bryant led Alabama to defeat Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl, completing a perfect undefeated season and claiming the national championship. Thus began the legacy of Bear Bryant as he led the Tide to 13 conference titles and six national championships through 1982.

Needless to say, Bryant has earned a place in many fans’ and players’ hearts of Saturday’s matchup. It’s only fitting that the Bryant-Denny Stadium hosts this paramount competition, named after Bear in 1975.

Former A&M quarterback Matt Joeckel said with all their ties it’s good to see these two programs dominate

their own states and battle it out in the top 10.

“It’s crazy — it’s not just Bear, there’s multiple connections,” Joeckel said. “It’s a pretty impressive thing, and it’s cool that it’s two premiere programs. Both those teams are top programs and no one’s bigger than Paul Bear Bryant in college football.”

Former Texas A&M wide receiver Malcome Kennedy spoke out about the legendary impact Bear had on each of the programs.

He said it would mean a lot to Bear if he could watch this game happen.

“It’s always great when you have schools like A&M and Alabama that have had the opportunity to be blessed with a coach of such greatness,” Kennedy said. “That’s history in the making, and that’s how we should look at it.”

Joeckel said the ties don’t stop there. The Aggies and Tide have had many mutual coaches and directors through the years including the Heisman winner himself, John David Crow after completing his professional football career. Dennis Franchione also served as head

coach for both schools in the early 2000s, and after playing under Bryant in Tuscaloosa, Jackie Sherill oversaw A&M from 1982 to 1988.

Gene Stallings even played for Bryant before assisting him as coach and eventually returning to Alabama in the early ‘90s as head coach. Ultimately, Saturday’s game holds a lot more meaning than adding another notch in the win column.

The Aggies’ most recent victory over the Tide came in 2012, their inaugural year in the SEC. Manziel completed 24-of-31 passes for 253 yards and two scores to lead No. 15 Texas A&M over No. 1 Alabama 29-24. The Aggies carried the momentum from this victory, establishing themselves as an SEC team and went on to dominate No. 11 Oklahoma 41-13 in the 2013 Cotton Bowl.

Alabama went on to win its second consecutive National Championship, one loss short of a perfect season. Nov. 10, 2012 set Texas A&M on a new track and set the bar for what to expect in the SEC. The Aggies were suddenly a household name and as it turned out, an

FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 10.20.16

(Left) Alabama churned out 568 yards of offense in its 49-42 win over the Aggies in 2013. (Right) A&M tossed three interceptions that were returned for touchdowns by the Crimson Tide in Alabama’s 41-23 win in 2015.

2013 actual force to be reckoned with in the Bowl Championship Series.

No one knows this better than the players themselves. Former A&M wide receiver Malcome Kennedy, backup quarterback Matt Joeckel and student Forrest Blackmon were there to see A&M’s transition into the SEC and know what it meant for the Aggies to topple No. 1 Alabama.

Kennedy found himself competing with some future NFL commonalities including running backs Christine Michael, T.J. Yeldon, Eddie Lacy, as well as wide out Amari Cooper. Kennedy came down with the game-winning touchdown, a 24-yard bomb from Manziel. He said that game helped mold him into the player he is today.

“From a Texas A&M standpoint it was our inaugural year in the SEC and no one really gave us a chance,” Kennedy said. “It meant a lot to me personally because before that game I wasn’t really a solidified starter but after the game they knew they could count on me. It also put confidence

in the other players. They put their confidence towards me, and all of those guys really had a hand in how I developed myself as a player.”

Joeckel arrived at A&M with his twin brother Luke in 2010. He served as backup QB while supporting Luke through his Outland Trophy efforts at the offensive guard position. He said the 2012 Aggies went in with high expectations while well aware of the high stakes.

“It was obviously one of the bigger wins in A&M history, especially doing it in Alabama. It definitely meant a lot and opened some gates to where A&M was at,” Joeckel said. “We knew we had a talented team. We went in expecting that we belonged [in the SEC]. We knew we were a different style then how the SEC teams were doing it but we felt that it was something new.

It proved we could compete with the SEC defenses. It also showed our style would work and that our teams could match the talent.”

Blackmon recalls his years as the 12th Man and what it was like tran-

2015 sitioning from the Big 12 into the SEC. “It was certainly exciting to know that we were moving up to the next tier of competition,” Blackmon said. “However, I feel like many students at Texas A&M still had their doubts. I remember our first game we played that season was an ‘L’ against Florida so it took a few wins to start boosting up our confidence that we truly belonged in the SEC.” So now the question is if such an upset was able to slingshot the Aggies into a 2013 Cotton Bowl victory, what would it mean for the team this season? At 6-0 for the first time since 1994, it’s an era of Aggie football that Blackmon says is firmly ingrained in the SEC. “I think at this point in time we are no longer trying to prove to everyone that we belong here,” Blackmon said. “I think that we left a solid message to everyone in the SEC back in 2012. Four seasons later, we are one of the few teams that Alabama has to worry about in

their schedule. If we beat Alabama this weekend we would have pretty high chances of going all the way.

However I don’t think pulling a win over Bama is a solid excuse to slack off to solid teams such as Ole Miss in this upcoming month.”

Matt Joeckel said the stakes have been set a bit higher now in 2016.

“When you hear about that 2012, you just hear mostly about Johnny,” Joeckel said. “This seems like a well-rounded team; they kind of have all the pieces. It would mean a lot for Texas A&M because Bama’s built something incredible and if anyone can take down Alabama for even just one game, it speaks a lot to the program and the guys in those locker rooms.”

Kennedy noticed that although the circumstances today may be different than they were in 2012, football is the same game. The Tide still reigns in the SEC and A&M knows they still got what it takes.

“It would mean a lot because Alabama’s a power house,” Kennedy said. “They’ve been top dog in the

SEC for a long time and it would put our program at the pinnacle of college football. Football is a game of truth, if we play an honest game and play it the right way, we’ll be where we need to be.”

In what is sure to be Alabama’s last major hurdle before a homestretch to the SEC Championship, Vegas expects the Tide to hold their spot at No. 1. They’re currently favored to win by 17 points while outscoring their opponents by an average of 30.4 points per game. An Alabama win won’t change much, but Kennedy said an Alabama loss will really rock the CFP boat.

“All the writers and commentators still aren’t giving us much of a chance, but that’s how we like it,” Kennedy said. “We like being the underdog, coming out fast and putting our school back on top. [A&M] has the talent to beat Alabama, they just got to play together as a team and believe.”

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FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 10.20.16

THE JOURNEY TO 6-0 Texas A&M starts season 6-0 for first time in 22 years

31-24, OT

67-0

FILE

A&M VS PRAIRIE VIEW A&M The Aggies’ stifling defense held Prairie View A&M to a paltry 32 rushing yards.

29-16

A&M VS UCLA Trevor Knight has thrown and rushed for nine touchdowns apiece so far in 2016.

FILE

A&M VS AUBURN

PROVIDED

Speedy Noil catches a long pass against Auburn earlier this season.

FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 10.20.16

24-13

45-24

A&M VS ARKANSAS A&M defeated Arkansas for the fifth-straight year.

45-38, 2OT

A&M VS TENNESSEE The Texas A&M defense caused seven total turnovers in A&M’s double overtime victory against Tennessee.

FILE

A&M VS SOUTH CAROLINA

PROVIDED

A&M held South Carolina to six second-half points in its 24-13 victory.

FILE

FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 10.20.16

Week 8 staff picks

No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 6 A&M

No. 23 Ole Miss vs. No. 25 LSU

Saturday, Oct. 8 @ 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 8 @ 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 8 @ 11 a.m.

SAM

SAM

SAM

SAM

SAM

KATY

KATY

KATY

KATY

KATY

ALEXIS

ALEXIS

ALEXIS

ALEXIS

ALEXIS

ANGEL

ANGEL

ANGEL

ANGEL

ANGEL

JOSH

JOSH

JOSH

JOSH

JOSH

OLIVIA

OLIVIA

OLIVIA

OLIVIA

OLIVIA

GRACE

GRACE

GRACE

GRACE

GRACE

MEGAN

MEGAN

MEGAN

MEGAN

MEGAN

CHRIS

CHRIS

CHRIS

CHRIS

CHRIS

HEATH

HEATH

HEATH

HEATH

HEATH

No. 17 Arkansas No. 2 Ohio State vs. 21 Auburn vs. Penn State Saturday, Oct. 8 @ 11 a.m.

Angel Franco

Heath Clary

Olivia Adam

Alexis Will

Sports Editor @angelmadison_

Asst. Sports Editor @Heath_Clary

Page Designer @oliviakerning

Multimedia Editor @AlexisMWill

This will be a huge deal if the Aggies pull it off and I think they can.

My guy Chad Kelly is an elite quarterback & the Landshark D is due for a big performance.

Sam King

Morgan Engel

Editor-In-Chief @Sam_King372

Photographer @cmefoto

I recently saw an old photograph of John Daly wearing an Arkansas fleece jacket and American flag pants so woo pig.

Katy Stapp

QB Chad Kelly will lead Ole Miss in a rebellion against LSU. Rebels win 30-27.

Olivia took all the space. Woo pig.

Saturday, Oct. 8 @ 11 a.m.

Megan Rodriguez Asst. News Editor @MeganLRodriguez

They do have the “Best Damn Band in the Land” (behind the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band)

I still don’t care. Go TCU.

Grace Neumann

Josh McCormack

Page Designer @Proud2Percenter

Managing Editor @katyxstapp

I love my Aggies, but I love winning the office bet, too. It’s a win-win game either way.

No. 12 WVU vs. TCU

2014. 14-1. Virginia Tech was Ohio State’s only loss.

GO HOKIES! #NeverForget

Life & Arts Editor @_joshmccormack

WVU sings John Denver after games; that’s pretty cool.

Take me home, country roads.

FOOTBALL

13

The Battalion | 10.20.16

‘BIG BROTHER’ ON THE O-LINE AVERY GENNESY: A LEADER ON THE FIELD, KEY ELEMENT FOR OFFENSIVE LINE

By Matt Koper @MattKoper

K

nown as the “Big Brother” in the family that is the A&M offensive line, senior left tackle Avery Gennesy is a player that looks out for his teammates and leaves it all on the field.

Gennesy was born and raised in South Haven, Mississippi, and played junior college ball at East Mississippi Community College during the 2012 and 2013 seasons — helping the Lions win 12 games in 2013 en route to the Junior College National Championship.

Gennesy redshirted in 2014 when he transferred to A&M. In 2015, his junior season, he started every game for an offense that averaged 424.7 yards per game, 169.1 on the ground and 255.6 through the air.

Gennesy said joining the team and getting to start last season was a process that he took in stride.

“It was a long journey but I just took it dayby-day,” Genessy said. “I knew the situation I was in coming to the school. I had some great players in front of me who are now in the NFL, like Cedric Ogbuehi and Germain Ifedi.

I just was taking it day-by-day and I knew the position I was putting myself in.”

So far in 2016, quarterback Trevor Knight has only been sacked four times in 215 pass attempts and has been able to throw for 1,500 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for 502 yards and nine scores. He said he has high praise for the offensive line and the experienced guys in the trenches.

“Those guys have been incredible all year long — just with the way that they’ve gelled together and the way that they’ve played,” Knight said. “I credit that a lot to guys like Avery and guys like Jermaine Eluemunor — the older guys of the group, bringing those younger guys along and they’ve been great leaders there … They’re playing at a really

high level.”

Knight isn’t the only one reaping the benefits of having Gennesy on the team. Freshman running back Trayveon Williams has rushed for over 700 yards and scored five times. Williams’ counterpart, junior Keith Ford, has gained 242 yards and scored three touchdowns.

Not only is Gennesy a great offensive linemen, but he’s a great teammate as well.

Senior right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said Gennesy is like a brother to him and has helped him become a better player. The two transferred in at the same time — Eluemunor from Lackawanna College, a junior college in Scranton, Pennsylvania — and both redshirted in 2014.

“On the field he’s a leader,” Eluemunor said. “He’s the leader of the O-line and everyone looks up to him and everyone looks to him. And off the field he’s just a fun-loving guy, who you can play around with. He smiles a lot.”

The two talk trash to each other about whose junior college would’ve won if they played each other, Eluemunor said.

“We just joke around a bunch saying that his JUCO would beat my JUCO, if we were playing each other,” Eluemunor said. “But back in the day when I was playing, I know we would’ve whooped him. But I love Avery — he’s like a brother to me.”

Defense players like junior defensive end Myles Garrett notice the work Gennesy and the offensive line does during the week and in turn it helps the defense be ready for any SEC matchup.

“We know we have great players on our

Senior offensive lineman Avery Gennesy came to Aggieland in 2014 after winning the Junior College National Championship at East Mississippi Community College.

offensive line as well,” Garrett said. “So going against them everyday is going to help us prepare for any team — whether it’s Tennessee or Alabama.”

Gennesy said he doesn’t see himself as a leader, but rather conducts himself as an older brother.

“Probably laid back or being funny with them — just joking around,” Genessy said of his demeanor with his teammates. “Just trying to FILE be that brother vibe. I really don’t say I’m a leader, I just say I’m a brother, just I’m with them and it’s just us as a group.”

Genessy has high draft stock as an NFL offensive lineman. If he were to be drafted, he would join the company of former Aggie standout offensive linemen like Ifedi, Ogbuehi, Luke Joeckel and more. As of now, Genessy is projected as third or fourth-round draft pick at No. 111, according to CBSSports.com.

The NFL Draft aside, Genessy and the No. 6 Aggies have a big matchup on Saturday as they hit the road to take on the No.1 Alabama Crimson Tide.

Gennesy said the Tide have a strong defensive line with players like Tim Williams and Jonathan Allen, but the O-line is ready to take those guys on.

“They’re pretty good players — very powerful, very fast,” Gennesy said. “But it’s nothing I haven’t seen or this O-line hasn’t seen, but we just have to come prepare each and every day and prepare like professionals and we’ll be fine.”

Gennesy said when his time playing at A&M is over, he’ll miss his teammates and playing with them.

“I’m going to miss these guys,” Gennesy said. “I wish I had another year to play with them, but I’m going stay in contact with them and do what I need to do.”

FOOTBALL

14

The Battalion | 10.20.16

AROUND THE SEC WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN WEEK 8 OF THE CONFERENCE

Grant Spika

L

@GrantSpika

ast week’s marquee SEC game failed to entertain as No. 1 Alabama easily handled No. 9 Tennessee 49-10, but this week’s games should not see the same result.

This week’s marquee SEC game is a battle of undefeated teams as No. 6 Texas A&M travels to No. 1 Alabama. There are only three Top-25 matchups in college football this weekend, and they all feature SEC West teams. Here’s a look at the other games in the SEC this weekend.

#ThrowbackThursday The Oct. 17, 2015 matchup between Texas A&M and Alabama at Kyle Field was the largest crowd in 2015, with an attendance of 105,733.

No. 17 Arkansas at No. 21 Auburn Oct. 22, Auburn, AL — 6 p.m. CT

No. 23 Ole Miss at No. 25 LSU Oct. 22, Baton Rouge, LA — 8 p.m. CT

Mississippi State at Kentucky Oct 22, Lexington, KY — 6:30 p.m. CT

No. 17 Arkansas (5-2, 1-2 SEC) is coming off a nice upset win over No. 12 Ole Miss in which junior quarterback Austin Allen threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns. Arkansas needed the upset to win its first SEC game of the year after losing the first two SEC games to No. 6 Texas A&M and No. 1 Alabama. The Arkansas offense is as balanced as any in the SEC as Allen leads the conference in passing yards with 1,861. Sophomore running back Rawleigh Williams III leads the SEC with 785 rushing yards. No. 21 Auburn (4-2, 2-1 SEC) started 1-2, but has won three straight and looks to be improving as the season goes on. Like all Gus Malzahn offenses, this one is driven by the running game, similar to Arkansas. Sophomore running backs Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway have combined to rush for more than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in just six games.

Ultimately, the Arkansas offense will be too much for Carl Lawson and the Auburn defense as Auburn’s lack of a passing game will hurt the Tigers.

No. 23 Ole Miss (3-3, 1-2 SEC) has had a rollercoaster season already as they have three losses, but have blowout wins over Georgia and Memphis. The Ole Miss offense is led by senior quarterback Chad Kelly, who is second in the SEC with 1,849 passing yards. The Ole Miss defense isn’t as strong as it has been the past few years after losing a few players to the NFL. The LSU Tigers (4-2, 2-1 SEC) have been playing better football after head coach Les Miles was fired shortly after their loss to Auburn. Each year the LSU defense is one of the best in the nation, and this year is no different. The Tiger defense is allowing just 14 points per game, which is good for fourth in the country. LSU’s defense will be too good for Ole Miss’ one dimensional offense and it’s hard to pick against the Tigers in a night game at Death Valley.

The only remaining SEC conference game will take place in Lexington this weekend as the Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-4, 1-2 SEC) hit the road to play the Kentucky Wildcats (3-3, 2-2 SEC). This is probably the least intriguing matchup in the SEC this weekend, but still has the potential to be a great game. Mississippi State has played well below expectations this year after losing quarterback Dak Prescott to the NFL. The Mississippi State offense is fairly dependent on sophomore quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, as he leads the Bulldogs in passing yards and rushing yards. Junior quarterback Stephen Johnson has taken over the reigns of the Wildcat offense and has performed poorly as of late. Kentucky’s offense is led by sophomore running back Stanley Williams and freshman running back Benjamin Snell Jr., who have combined for more than 880 yards and seven touchdowns. This one will be close until the end, but Mississippi State has the talent advantage over Kentucky and will win this one on the road.

Prediction: Arkansas 31, Auburn 26

Prediction: LSU 24, Ole Miss 20

Prediction: Mississippi State 21, Kentucky 20

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