Oct. 9, 2018

October 9, 2018

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COLLEGIATE TIMES An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

Frank Beamer hugs his family as he happily looks at the statue of himself unveiled in Moody Plaza outside of Lane Stadium, Oct. 6, 2018. ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES

In top-25 slugfest, No. 6 Fighting Students engage Irish knock out No. 24 Hokies 45–23 with Flaccavento Notre Dame wins its first-ever appearance at Lane Stadium, scoring 45 points, at campus event which is the most given up at Lane Stadium since a 49–12 loss to Houston in 1974.

Anthony Flaccavento hosted the 93rd town hall at Virginia Tech on Oct. 3.

DILLON CAMPBELL assistant sports editor

Just as they were a little over a year ago in the last night game played at Lane Stadium against No. 4 Clemson, big plays were No. 24 Virginia Tech’s Achilles’ heel in its 45–23 loss to No. 6 Notre Dame, giving the Fighting Irish their first win at Lane Stadium and just their second road win against a ranked opponent in their last 10 tries. Virginia Tech hasn’t beaten a ranked team at Lane Stadium since 2009.

“The way I see it, we have yet to knock off a top five team at Lane Stadium,” said head coach Justin Fuente.

“That’s the truth. I don’t think the narrative that we don’t play well on the big stage is true. I was told the West Virginia game was a big game last year, until we won. I was told the Florida State game was a big game, until we won. The facts are what we haven’t done is beat the cream of the crop at Lane.

With roughly a minute left to go in the first half and the Fighting Irish clinging

ARIADNE MANIKAS news staff writer

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES Steven Peoples (32) breaks Jalen Elliott’s (21) tackle for a gain of 20 yards. The Hokies lose 23–45 against Notre Dame, Oct. 6, 2018.

onto a 10–9 lead, Notre Dame defensive end Khalid Kareem, after being pushed down to the ground, got up and stripped Virginia Tech quarterback Ryan Willis of the football as cornerback Julian Love scooped it up and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown, putting the Fighting Irish up 17–9 and silencing the Lane faithful.

Following the devastating lost fumble, Fuente tried to console his quarterback with some tough love: “I

said, ‘Ryan, you don’t have to put a cape on your back and make six guys miss and throw a post down the field.’”

But the Lane faithful would not stay silent for long, as Willis responded to Fuente’s tough love as he marched Virginia Tech right down the field, spearheading an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive and reviving Lane in the process. The Hokies headed into the locker room at the

half down 17–16, but with momentum on their side.

In the first half, the Virginia Tech offense looked a lot like Bel-Air Prep from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” but instead of the game plan being “pass it to Will (Smith),” it was “pass it to Damon (Hazelton).”

Hazelton ended the half corralling in eight receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. Hazelton’s RECAP / page 7

Democratic candidate fo r V i r g i n i a’s 9th Congressional Distr ict Anthony Flaccavento held his 93rd town hall in New Classroom Building at Virginia Tech. The town hall was hosted by the Virginia Tech Young Democrats and was well attended by students and Blacksburg community members.

After defeating Justin Santopietro in the Democratic primary in June, Flaccavento will challenge U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith in November.

Payne Tarkenton, a senior at Virginia Tech and the president of Virginia Tech Young Democrats, introduced Flaccavento. “(Anthony Flaccavento) is a man who has lived in this district for many, many years. He is a farmer and a small business owner. He understands what it takes to really build up an economy and a society that works for working people rather than

just the large corporations,” Tarkenton said. “He’s a man that has wonderful ideas and I’m glad to be able to vote for him in November. Ladies and gentlemen, Anthony Flaccavento.”

Flaccavento was then invited up to give a brief introduction about himself and his policy positions before opening the floor to questions from the community. The main issues discussed were the issues most relevant to southwest Virginia: coal jobs, the Mountain Valley Pipeline and gun policy.

In his opening statement, Flaccavento emphasized the changing job landscape of the coal counties of southwest Virginia. In particular, he told the story of St. Paul, Virginia, a small town with a population of less than 1,000 people, and how it has replaced coal jobs with tourism: outdoor activities, a farmers market, a brewery and a boutique hotel with a farm-to-table TOWN HALL / page 3

column

Youth of America essential for promoting progress

M

Many young people are apathetic toward politics, failing to recognize their own power and potential for initiating lasting change. corrupted, my father always emphasized the importance of participating in elections and keeping up to date with politics at all levels of government from the moment I was old enough to know what voting was.

Since he was a newspaper publisher, when I opened up the paper on Election Day morning, I could always expect to find his annual column on the importance of voting — he published it every year, without fail.

I know that I am an outlier in this respect. Growing up, none of my friends’ parents held dinnertime political debates or asked their children what they thought about the president’s latest immigration policy before

even asking how their day was.

My father’s profession gave me quite the childhood, and I was more than aware that my unique worldview wasn’t shared by most of my peers. I grew up among printing presses and op-eds, and I loved every second of it — but I knew that wasn’t the case for most of my classmates.

Still, I thought that when I got to college, I’d immediately meet other people who found as much excitement in a good primary run-off as I did. After all, headlines constantly tout our generation as “woke” (much as I despise that term) and “the VOTE / page 2

TAMPA BAY TIMES / TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

EXTRA POINT

THE

y father was one of the last to escape Fidel Castro’s reign. He left Cuba for the United States in 1960; his father bought roundtrip first-class tickets to Washington, D.C., which he cashed in when they arrived in the States so they would have money to live on.

He would later go on to live in several different countries — Haiti, Venezuela and Brazil, to name a few.

Suffice it to say that he is more than familiar with power-hungry leaders and the tragic societies they create.

Having lived in countries where elections were not truly free and a citizen’s vote could easily be

WILLIS SHOWS OUT DESPITE LOSS TO ND First career back-to-back 300-yard games.

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TECH GEARS UP FOR UNC THIS SATURDAY Hokies look to remain unbeaten in ACC play.

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VOTE: Political participation needed now more than ever from page 1

ZUMA PRESS / TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at the Center for American Progress’ Ideas Conference on May 15, 2018, at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. Amazon is defending its treatment of the hundreds of thousands of workers at its warehouses, calling statements by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders “inaccurate and misleading.”

column

Stop BEZOS Act could be damaging to working class Bernie Sanders’ proposed legislation is an unnecessary attack on Amazon and would not do much to bolster workers’ rights.

I

n recent months, tech giants and their chief executives have been paraded in and out of Capitol Hill to participate in hearings ranging from user privacy to election interference. Because of their meteoric rise, social media platforms were conceived as unregulated oases for sharing pictures of cats and controversial opinions alike.

and, at the very least, that infringing on free speech is a slippery slope.

I have written before about the merits of partisan rhetoric, and that the liberal tendency to pre-empt debate and invoke identity politics is more often damaging to rational discourse than it is helpful in preventing the spread of hateful ideologies. I do not, however, find

“It seems that Sanders

is advocating for a partial solution to a problem that he already has bigger ideas for.

”

The vagaries of social media policy have never before been under such heavy scrutiny, and the national debate at hand offers one crucial question: Where does the enigmatic world of social media fit into the framework of our republic?

Somewhat overshadowed by the enormity of the congressional hearings was the news that Alex Jones, proprietor of the right-wing website InfoWars and peddler of inane conspiracy theories, had been permanently banned from Twitter. By doing so, Twitter joined YouTube, Facebook and Apple as the latest tech companies to muzzle extremist views on their platforms. Pundits, including many who fundamentally oppose Jones’ views, have offered that this silencing reeks of collusion,

that this line of reasoning extends so far as to rebuke Jones’ ban from Twitter.

The public’s debate with Jones has not been preempted. Jones has been allowed to use Twitter, among other platforms, to defame survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and to misidentify the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter. He recorded a live video inciting his supporters to gather their “battle rif les” to fight “Chicom (slang for Chinese Communist) operatives” working in mainstream media. Through it all, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey had — somewhat laudibly — maintained objectivity, only administering shadow bans when Jones violated Twitter’s terms of service.

When the aggregate of

Jones’ transgressions grew too great, Dorsey finally decided that a permanent ban was in order.

Alex Jones is an unhinged man with detestable views, and his vapid approach to political discourse identifies insipid followers, tapping into their innumerable insecurities and seeking to monetize them.

More important than any of that, though, is the simple fact that Alex Jones broke the rules.

Twitter has rules against abuse, especially those “targeted at an individual or group of people.” The rules continue to stipulate that hateful conduct is a bannable offense, including acts that “promote violence.”

However intellectually stimulating it may be to wax poetic about the implications of limiting speech on internet forums, the rules that bind all users to a certain level of decorum were broken by Jones time and again. Most other assertions are pabulum.

I can be counted as one who abhors the hypersensitive tendencies that seem so prevalent in our society.

However, Jones’ Twitter ban is not symptomatic of our microaggression culture.

activist generation” — kids like Emma Gonzalez and Cameron Kasky have become the faces of it. So when I arrived at Virginia Tech and struggled to find others with similar interests, I was unpleasantly surprised.

Let me be clear — I wasn’t expecting to instantly find a group of miniature David Hoggs. I just wanted to talk to someone who had a basic grasp of today’s political climate and would calmly (or as calmly as one can) chat about President Trump over coffee at Deet’s. Thankfully, I think I’ve found that here at the Collegiate Times — but in this search, I noticed a disturbing trend among my fellow students. On the surface, it would appear that our generation is the most politically active of all. However, in reality, too many of my peers prefer to stay out of politics.

Why is it that, when my professor held a moment of silence for Sen. John McCain, several of my classmates had no idea who he was? Why is it that, when I encouraged a friend of mine to apply for her absentee ballot, she told me that she “didn’t care about politics” and would just vote for “whoever has the coolest name”? (Her idea of the politician with the coolest name, by the way, was former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. I only half-jokingly told her not to bother with the absentee ballot.)

Why is it that, according to a poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute and The Atlantic, only 28 percent of young people have a concrete plan to vote in the midterms?

These trends are beyond disturbing. At face-level, it would seem that our generation is ready for change and is primed to make that change happen, but the research says differently.

That’s not a good sign.

When I’m feeling brave enough to inquire as to why an acquaintance isn’t

interested in politics, the excuses can vary, but they tend to go along the lines of, “I just don’t understand all those complicated policies” or “It’s just so scary and stressful.” Here’s the thing: Those aren’t good excuses.

I understand that a lot of what’s happening in politics right now is terrifying. Like many other Americans, I cried reading about reports of children separated from their families in detention centers. I vividly remember those minutes when I thought my best friend, then a senior at Parkland’s Stoneman Douglas High School, might have been dead, so the debate around gun control often verges on too personal for me, too.

I get it — oftentimes, politics does not make for fun conversation, and there are certain topics that you

“If you want a say in

how our policies affect your life, or the lives of the people you care about, then get involved. might hold close to your heart and don’t want to argue about. That doesn’t mean you should ignore politics entirely. If an issue is scary for you, think about how scary it is for the people directly affected by it. When we decide to brush aside politics altogether because of our fear or discomfort, we are throwing away our chance to have an impact on someone else’s life — or perhaps even our own — for the better.

T he lat e p ol it ica l colum nist Charles Krauthammer explained that he abandoned medicine for politics when he realized that politics determines everything that happens in our lives, and therefore requires thoughtful and deliberate interaction.

Krauthammer wrote, “You can have the most advanced and efflorescent of cultures.

Get your politics wrong, however, and everything stands to be swept away.

”

maybe a few of the ones that don’t), you’re ready to make an informed decision on who to vote for, and I’d argue that’s the most important thing any American can do.

During a time when our country is more divided than ever, it might be tempting to take the easy way out and turn a blind eye to America’s political status quo. But if you want a say in how our policies affect your life, or the lives of the people you care about, then get involved. Register to vote, obtain an absentee ballot if need be and do your research on the candidates running in your area.

Come November, you’ll be glad you did — or, at least, I will.

LEXI SOLOMON • opinions contributor • freshman/Russian, national security and foreign affairs

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MARCUS LEWIS • opinions contributor • freshman/national security and foreign affairs

This is not ancient history.

This is Germany, 1933.”

For those of you who ignore politics because it’s too complicated, let me ask you something: When you chose your major here at Tech, did you start off understanding every single aspect of it? Could you write a dissertation about intertribal conflict in Sudan or build a drone from scratch?

I’m guessing that most of you, save the spare Einstein 2.0 here or there, would say “no.” The same logic applies to politics — you don’t have to be well-versed in the minutiae of agricultural tariffs or know every single gun law in the book to be politically informed, nor is that a requisite to vote in elections. So long as you know the basics of candidates’ stances on the issues that matter to you (and

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October 9, 2018 PAGE 3

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Student organizations take part in abortion debate Several student organizations at Virginia Tech including Planned Parenthood Generation Action, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Students for Life at Virginia Tech set up tables on campus to educate students and participate in abortion debate.

ARIADNE MANIKAS news staff writer

Nearly 50 years after the landmark Roe v.

Wade Supreme Cour t case legalized abortion nationwide, the abortion debate is still alive and well on Virginia Tech’s campus.

Severa l orga n i zat ions — Planned Parenthood Generation Action, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Students for Life at Virginia Tech — have been standing up for their beliefs around campus during the last couple weeks. The abortion debate is not new to Virginia Tech, with news stories and opinion editorials about abortion issues being published on the Collegiate Times website as far back as 2002.

Gigi Grogan, a junior at Virginia Tech and the president of Students for Life at Virginia Tech, manned a table on the Drillfield for her organization on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018. The table featured pamphlets about pro-life issues and included a video presentation about the medical act of abortion.

Grogan said that the main goal of her table was to get students thinking on campus. “(Our goal is to) help women rea l i ze what abortion is actually doing to them, and how we can best help women who have had an abortion deal and receive healing from that and also showing women that we can help them provide resources,” Grogan said.

Taylor Anderson, a sophomore at Virginia Tech and representative from Planned Parenthood Generation Action, manned a table outside of Lavery Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, sponsored by Planned Parenthood Generation Act ion a nd NA R A L

ARIADNE MANIKAS / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech student organization Students for Life mans booth on Drillfield showing fetal models, Sept. 24, 2018.

Pro-Choice America. The table featured pamphlets about pro-choice issues and various swag for students who registered wit h NARAL. Anderson said the goal of her table was to inform the student body.

“I think there’s a lot of misinformation being spread around so (the goal is) really just to inform people,” Anderson said. “We have a lot of pamphlets about birth control, LGBTQ+ health, relationships, if you are considering abortion what your options are, and what that would actually look like.”

As far as fundraising, the two groups have different

goals. On the pro-life side, Students for Life at Virginia Tech raises money and donates it to Blacksburg’s pregnancy resource center, the Valley Women’s Clinic, which is a private organization that relies on donations. On the pro-choice side, Planned Parenthood Generation Action is not accepting money and aims exclusively to inform.

“It’s your body. Do whatever you want with it,” Anderson said. “No one can tell you what to do with your own body.”

According to Niche, 41 percent of Virginia Tech’s students identify as Republican and 27 percent

of Virginia Tech’s students identify as Democrat.

Despite this apparent i mba la nc e, A nd er son asserted that it is difficult to stand up for her opinions on abortion, but not impossible. “(Virginia Tech) is pretty open,” Anderson said. “You can represent whatever you think about on campus. I’ve never been harassed about any of my beliefs.”

Grogan believes both sides face challenges due to the nature of the abortion debate.

“On both sides if you’re not prepared (to defend) what you believe, it’s going to be hard either way,” Grogan said. “This is a hard

topic because abortion is … very hard to talk about, especially with people who maybe have had an abortion or have a friend (who has had an abortion).”

W hen a ske d what Students for Life at Virginia Tech would like to promote, Grogan advertised that the organization also hosted a speaker on Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the Graduate Life Center and elaborated on the beliefs of Students for Life.

“We are not solely antiabortion,” Grogan said. “We are pro-life in all respects, in all aspects, of life from fertilization, from that moment that a human being is formed, to the moment of

natural death.”

W hen a ske d what Planned Pa renthood Generation Action would like to promote, Anderson stated that it was looking for general body members to help the club become an of f ic ia l c a m pu s organization.

More information about Students for Life can be found on their Facebook page.

@CollegiateTimes

TOWN HALL: Flaccavento discusses Mountain Valley Pipeline and gun violence with participants at town hall from page 1

restaurant. Flaccavento believes that this kind of rebranding will save many towns. “(St. Paul) is a little town of 975 people that most folks had given up for dead. Now it’s reinvented itself. That kind of thing in different ways is happening in lots of parts of the 9th District,” Flaccavento said. “When we’re up on this end of the district, we sort of assume that every part of the coal counties is just dying and that there’s not hope. It isn’t true. Things are happening.”

Despite his desires to increase job oppor tunities in the coal counties, Flaccavento does not believe building the Mountain Valley Pipeline will provide a sustainable alternative to employment. Instead he suggests investing in alternative infrastructure such as broadband, RAM, highspeed rail or a new grid to accommodate renewables.

“It is an opportunity for jobs for some but it’s

not, to me, a net gain, so I oppose the Mountain Valley Pipeline. I’ve been against it from the beginning and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline,” Flaccavento said. “It’s harmful to the landscape, it’s harmful to the water resources, and the people on the ground whose land is being transected by the pipelines, very few of them want it.”

During the town hall, Flaccavento touched on gun policy as well and expressed a desire to eliminate the prohibition on using public money to study the causes of gun violence that has been in place since 1996. He believes that this will help the United States figure out why it has more gun violence than other countries and how this violence can be avoided. He also stated that despite his opponent and the incumbent, Morgan Griffith, being rated A+ by the NRA, he has no desire to follow in Griffith’s footsteps.

“I don’t regret not taking donations from the NRA,” Flaccavento said. “I am a

gun owner. I believe in the Second Amendment, but what I don’t believe is that the Second Amendment should keep us from doing sensible gun control.”

Flaccavento also shared his comments about Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who was recently voted into the United States Supreme Court.

“Before any of those allegations surfaced, for what it’s worth, I was totally against Brett Kavanaugh for the simple reason that his whole history of his judicial opinions are all about favoring the powerful,” Flaccavento said.

Flaccavento emphasized that this event marked his 93rd town hall while the incumbent Morgan Griffith has yet to host one.

“Tonight is our 93rd town hall meeting. For you math majors, that’s 93 more than my opponent has done.

We’ve done them in every one of our 22 counties,” Flaccavento said. “It’s a great way for you all to get to know one of the candidates, which is hard to do

JUSTIN ROCHA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Flaccavento talks about his life to the attendees at the town hall meeting, Oct. 3, 2018.

in this day when so much of the information is confined to a virtual medium or TV. So, I think it’s been useful for the 5,500 or 6,000 people

who have collectively come to one of the town halls. It’s certainly been very valuable for me.”

The election is on

Tuesday, Nov. 7.

@CollegiateTimes

PAGE 4 October 9, 2018

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Byron Hughes named Virginia Tech dean of students Hughes served as the director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Virginia Tech before he was selected as the new dean of students. Hughes said he will be focusing on outreach in the future to address students’ needs and resolve students’ issues.

TAHREEM ALAM news staff writer

Former Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Byron Hughes was named as Virginia Tech dean of students effective Oct. 1, 2018.

Hughes worked i n Virginia Tech’s Fraternity and Sorority Life for five years, and before then, he was assistant director of Student Conduct for another five years. Now, he is excited to think about how he can serve the needs of Virginia Tech students on a broader level.

Collegiate Times (CT): How do you think your new position as dean of students will be different from your last one as director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Virginia Tech?

Byron Hughes (BH): Well, it’s the same and it’s different. I think that it can be very easy to think that in fraternity and sorority life, you’re just simply helping student organizations plan events ... and making sure that they are adhering to policy. But, what we were doing and ... what they’re still doing in fraternity and sorority life, is thinking about the experiences of someone becoming a better individual ... through our aspirations for student learning ... It’s not just your need as a fraternity man or your need as a sorority woman, but your need as a student at Virginia Tech, and it just so happens that you happened to have this

affiliation. The similarity then, of course, being the dean of students, is still thinking the same way. It’s about the student experience and what that student needs.

But then also, (it’s) a little bit different (because) it’s a broader level … .I imagine certainly that in this role, it’s a lot more unexpected support, it’s unexpected relationships, and it’s just simply being invested in students’ lives around campus, whether it be what they’re doing in the co-curricular experience or what they’re doing in the academic experience in the classroom.

CT: Many students at Virginia Tech don’t even know what the role of the dean of students is; could you explain the purpose of the Dean of Students Office?

BH: Our role here is to be with a student when they’re trying to figure out, “how do I navigate Virginia Tech?”

It’s a very general role ... the dean of students is great because ... we can be the advocate for the students, whether it be advocating for them or helping them advocate for themselves.

We’re helpful for students if they are dealing with some issues where they’re going to need someone to assist them in communicating to their faculty member and need for some sort of relief, or they’ve got to go home, (or) they’ve got to go somewhere unexpectedly, and we can be part of the communication loop of helping inform a faculty member

that “yes, this is true — this student did not just come up with a circumstance to be able to get themselves out of an assignment.”

Now we are not magicians and we certainly cannot solve and make things completely better, but we spend our time and our due diligence attempting to be able to do that. Our intersection with a student might be 20 minutes when they come into the office and they have a question and we answer it, or the intersection with the student might be for the rest of their time at Virginia Tech. And even beyond that as they are alumni of Virginia Tech.

We know that it’s important to be relationally driven, and so “know and be known” truly means we care about you as people, and we care about offering some sort of connection to you.

CT: So, the Dean of Students Office mainly is about advising and advocacy?

BH: Simply put, absolutely. The dean of students’ role or Dean of Students Office can be different from campus to campus. On some campuses, it is strictly the work that we’re doing here. On some campuses, it also maybe has some sort of oversight for student conduct and maybe has an intersection for residence life. Maybe it has some oversight for fraternity and sorority life. And we don’t have those responsibilities here, which means that we can even be more intentional

study break FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 9, 2018

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TAHREEM ALAM / COLLEGIATE TIMES Dean of Students Byron Hughes in his new office at 109 East Eggleston Hall, Oct. 1, 2018.

about being able to step back and say, “OK, if you’ve got a need in the area of student conduct, we can be there to advise on that matter for you and to be an advocate for you, to be with you in a hearing as you’re working with and trying to receive support from that office.”

I think our job is we want to equip people. So, in order to be able to equip people, you have to figure out when you’re walking beside them and when you might need to let them walk in front of you, and maybe a few instances where you might have to walk in front of them just to kind of clear the path and shape the path a little bit for them, so then they can again be much more successful to achieve the outcomes that we have as it relates to the aspirations for student learning.

CT: Are you planning on any changes as the dean of students? What are your plans for the future?

BH: I would say probably immediately is thinking about our outreach, and thinking about who we are, and how we are known to people, because I think then it allows us to start to think about strategically where the pressing needs of students (are) and what are those issues that we need lift up. Certainly, I know that this office will play a significant role in how we create an affirming space here in this community for all identities and for all people . . . and that is being a convener, I think too. In the future, it’s also thinking about how do we then convene conversations, how do we bring people together? How do we bring groups of people together that are potentially like-minded to have more discussions about who they are; people that are differently-minded from each other –– bring them together?

We certainly know too that the interfaith network here on our campus and our community is a piece of wellbeing, and thinking about well-being for the student experience is of significant importance to the Division of Student Affairs. We have a connection to the faith community here, and it’s not necessarily about trying

to promote faith in general or promoting one particular faith, it’s about saying, “wow, faith might be an important identity marker for a lot of our students.”

Certainly it’s not going to be what everyone cares about and that’s completely OK. But you know, well-being is well-being. And if we’re going to work with helping students thrive, a piece of that has to think about the faith community that’s here and the ways in which they can feel like their identity matters in our community.

Those areas would be the things that are sitting on my mind now and as I think to the future. That’s what is spinning this year. Really thinking about who are important players there, how do we bring our leaders into this experience too to help them do the work with us, so that it isn’t necessarily just us leading the path and just doing it for everyone, but truly bringing people along.

CT: Recently, you received a Ph.D. in higher education from Virginia Tech –– why?

BH: I have always had an interest in education going back to, I think growing up — my parents were teachers, and so when I came into college, I thought that I would be teaching high school English, and then I suddenly discovered that you could actually be in an educator role on a college campus but not in the classroom specifically. Those were part of the formal experiences for me of identifying that I wanted to first get the master’s degree to work within student affairs and higher education.

And then as I continued along the way, I knew that I didn’t see myself going any place else in education ... the college community is where I wanted to be.

It only made sense to think then about a degree, like a Ph.D. in higher education, that will allow me to better understand how we create learning and what are the structures, the policies, the people that need to be in place so that learning is being created and being facilitated for students so that they can best learn and figure out how to navigate the environment they’re in.

That’s the reason why I pursued the degree, and it’s good to not have to work towards it anymore. I had just completed it last fall.

CT: Congratulations.

BH: Yeah, thank you. But again, I realized that that was a degree that was going to help me best understand the collegiate environment, that was going to best help me lead in a way that learning was always going to be our end goal.

CT: Finally, is there anything that you want to mention that I didn’t ask about or that you want to say?

BH: Well, I’m excited. I love Virginia Tech. When I first came here in 2008, I knew what Virginia Tech was and I previously actually had applied here for graduate school for a master’s degree, but chose to go someplace else. And I (also) grew up in Maryland outside in the Washington, D.C. area and always knew what Tech was, but I didn’t really know much about it beyond that.

And so I came here in 2008. I think what impressed me the most was not only just the sense of community, but I think at the end of it, there is a belief in the power of people being together, so it’s strong, it’s impressive, and it allows me to feel successful in the work that we get to do here when it comes to the student experience ... I’ve loved being in roles, and continue to think about the roles I will be in that will allow me to really be part of that experience and to be a key player in being able to help us think about how we continue to do it again better and better, to again serve the needs of everyone and to allow everyone to feel as though this is home, as the saying goes.

@CollegiateTimes

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‘A Star Is Born’: A musical masterwork before and behind the lens

Lady Gaga’s acting debut and Bradley Cooper’s first outing as director is an emotional ride that hits all the right notes.

MARISSA WHARTON lifestyles staff writer

Every once in a while, a movie is so hyped up by the media and critics that you start to think that everyone is biased, it’s just Oscar-bait and it can’t be that good. But every once in a while, there’s a movie that completely lives up to the hype and only confirms every good word you heard on the street. I am here to tell you that “A Star is Born,” released Friday by Warner Bros., is one of those movies.

As the film begins, Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper), an Arizona-born country rocker, takes a drink and walks onto the stage in front of a massive crowd, entertaining them with his expert guitar skills and incredible voice. Within the next few minutes, we quickly learn the level of his fame and are keyed into the severity of his alcoholism. Following the show, as Jackson (or Jack as he

As the waitress-by-daysinger-by-night performs, Jack’s eyes light up and his drunken fog is lifted as he admires her talent and beauty. Jack and Ally form an instant and adorable connection followed by an eventful night ending with a makeshift songwriting session. At his next gig, Jack convinces Ally to sing the song with him on stage, and she never looks back.

She joins him on tour and they fall more deeply in love, but soon learn that love isn’t always easy, especially when one partner’s spotlight is getting brighter as the other’s gets dimmer.

As “A Star is Born” progresses, so too does A lly’s ca reer, Jack’s addiction and their relationship. We learn more about their backstories and the individual battles they fight as Jack struggles to maintain a grip on his disease and Ally struggles to maintain her identity when her manager transforms

“Based on Lady Gaga’s

impeccable performance, you would never know this was her big screen debut.

”

prefers) reaches the bottom of his handle of liquor, he instructs his driver to pull over to the first bar he sees.

He stumbles into the neon-lit establishment in search of any drop of alcohol he can find, just in time for Ally (Lady Gaga) to take the stage.

her into someone she’s not.

To avoid any spoilers, I’ll leave it there and just say the rest of the movie delivers twists and turns that will send you on an emotional rollercoaster.

“A Star is Born” would’ve just been another movie had it not been for the perfect

WARNER BROS. PICTURES / TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE Lady Gaga’s character, Ally, takes the mic onstage as Bradley Cooper looks on.

cast — lead and supporting — that absolutely radiates chemistry and talent. Based on Lady Gaga’s impeccable performance, you would never know this was her big screen debut. With plenty of experience to draw from as a singer who paved a path for herself in the industry, Gaga handles her role in front of the lens like an absolute pro. While embracing similarities and highlighting the differences between her own story and Ally’s, she brings to life a complex character searching for a way to tell her story, making for a dynamic and captivating performance.

Complementing Gaga’s delicate portrayal of Ally is Bradley Cooper’s rougharound-the-edges interpretation of Jackson Maine. He

nails the southwest dialect and convinces viewers of his addiction, but perhaps his most notable work is done behind the lens; “A Star is Born” is a pivotal film in Cooper’s career as it marks his directorial debut.

But again, you would never know he was new to this title.

What makes a film good is a complex story and dynamic characters, but what makes a film great are the details that enhance them. As director, Cooper pays attention to every detail from the sets to the camera angles and captures each nuance to bring to life a beautiful story of love, addiction and the toll of fame.

The amazing soundtrack, comprised of touching duets

by Gaga and Cooper (most notably “Shallow,” which

is used in various ways throughout the movie) as well as songs showcasing their individual voices, is the ribbon that ties the entire package together. Cooper’s singing voice, a talent of his we haven’t seen before on the big screen, is incredible, and Gaga’s vocals are equally chill-inducing, particularly during a scene when she sings unaccompanied in the middle of a parking lot. Both actors push themselves out of their comfort zones and it pays off.

At times, the film almost feels more like a concert documentary, and in a way, it kind of is. What you see is what you get when Ally and Jackson are on stage.

(Cooper and Gaga made surprise appearances at Coachella and Stagecoach

among other music festivals to film their touring scenes, only adding to the authenticity Cooper demands as director.)

It’s a poignant, heartwrenching story of life, love and fame. Within the two hour and 17-minute run time, I laughed, cried and felt almost every emotion one can feel. Simply put, “A Star is Born” is everything it claims to be and so much more. Massive props to the cast and crew that deliver a film that isn’t Oscar-bait, but Oscar-worthy.

I give “A Star is Born” five out of five stars.

@MarissaW19

Feeling festive? Simple tips to spruce up your humble abode for the fall Who knew all that a cinnamon broom could do? Here are the best ways to take advantage of the season in your space.

JOHN MCBRIDE

lifestyles staff writer

The fall season is an exciting time for decorating your home and garden. For the home, autumn invites calming and cozy colors and smells that allow relaxation in an otherwise busy season. For gardening, the cool weather invites plenty of time to get outside and

work enjoyably without the suffocating heat of the sun.

Here are a few simple tips for embellishing your home, garden or dorm room before the winter months steal the last of our warmth and happiness.

Cinnamon brooms and pinecones Most people that I’ve asked have never heard of

Halloween decorations at Kroger, Sept. 13, 2018.

a cinnamon broom, and I don’t blame them — they are surprisingly hard to find.

I even went to three stores searching for one to no avail!

I experienced my first cinnamon broom back in my middle school days when I came home on an October afternoon to the smell of sweet cinnamon that immediately put me in an autumnal mood. Imagine

a broom made out of sticks that a witch might ride, but it smells strongly like fresh cinnamon rolls.

Even though I couldn’t find one now in stores, they’ll probably be around later this season or online.

Instead, I am substituting the broom for scented pinecones that have the same effect and have already made my apartment smell

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

amazing this season.

Porch decorations You may start seeing pumpkins and wreaths filled with yellow, orange and red leaves around now, but there are even more ways to decorate your porch or front yard. Corn stalks are one popular way to express your fall festivity. In the same vein, hay bales and mums can add a lot of character to any porch steps.

The garden Now, we arrive to my favorite topic: gardening.

Now is the perfect time to prepare your garden for spring, which may seem counter i nt uitive. W hy would we prepare our gardens for spring when we haven’t even made it to winter yet? Well, I’m about to tell you why.

Bulbs are the name of the game. Bulbs usually need an entire period of cold weather before they blossom in the spring, so now is one of the best times to plant them.

Bulbs will also come back every year, which classifies them as a perennial plant rather than an annual. On top of that, they’re cheaper now than when they bloom in the spring. You can get 25 bulbs at Walmart for only $5.99!

Fall is also the time to plant any hearty trees or bushes before the cold winter months, and they don’t require too much maintenance. The best way to learn how to care for a plant is the tag that usually comes attached. Beyond that, there are more than enough internet sources that you could use.

If you live in an apartment complex that doesn’t allow landscaping, maybe investing in a raised garden bed for the porch is the way to go. That way you can protect it from torrential rain, snow and sunlight depending on the plants’ preferences.

If you live on campus and aren’t able to garden at all, consider joining a club or looking for opportunities to spruce up public gardens around Virginia Tech and Blacksburg for the autumn months. Hopefully with these tips, your home will become a beacon for fall festivities.

@JohnMcBride98

PAGE 6 October 9, 2018

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ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Halloween decorations at Kroger, Sept. 13, 2018.

Blacksburg Halloween happenings to help you enjoy the spooky season

From haunted houses to pumpkin patches to doing the Monster Mash, Blacksburg has you covered with these ghoulish gatherings.

HANNAH WYNNE lifestyles staff writer

With the air getting colder (by at least a half degree) and the perpetual smell of pumpkin spice lattes in the air, October is here and Halloween quickly approaches. While Halloween is technically only a day, that doesn’t mean you can’t get into the spirit early — they call it “spooky season” for a reason.

Luckily, there are a number of events in Blacksburg created exclusively for that very purpose.

Apple Ridge Farm s service trips VT Engage, a campus organization that focuses on volunteering and service, hosts trips called Get on the Bus for students of all majors and years. Throughout October, one focus of Get on the Bus are trips to the community garden

in Roanoke that benefit Apple Ridge Farm, a group that provides educational and active opportunities for children and families in need. Students fulfill various gardening activities based on what is needed at the time. The trips are totally free, and transportation is provided; however, participants must register first. The next trip dates for October are Oct. 13, 20 and 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Students meet at New Hall West, Suite 110 to wait for transportation. Although the event is work-intensive and a definite time commitment, there’s no better way to celebrate the changing seasons other than getting outside — and what better way to do that than by embodying the spirit of Ut Prosim alongside other Hokies who also want to make a difference?

Invisifest 2018 Invisifest 2018, hosted

by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Club at Virginia Tech, is a weekend-long event from Oct. 12–14, held in the New Classroom Building. There will be activities ranging from gaming to panels to art showcasings. Costumes are encouraged (though not necessary). While not technically a Halloween-themed event, Invisifest would be a great environment to show off elaborate costumes, while finding a more relaxed way to celebrate and meet similar-minded people — especially if Halloween parties or going out isn’t your style. If you need another reason to check it out, the festival is also totally free.

Haunted house As if haunted houses aren’t enough of a draw, the haunted house hosted

by Sigma Nu on Oct. 17 benefits the Montgomery

County Animal Care and Adoption Center. The cost is $5 with the option to bring dog food or toys instead, and the haunted house is held at the Sigma Nu house located at 401 Progress St. If you’re willing to sacrifice a small portion of your sanity for the good of the puppies and kittens, give the experience a go.

Pumpkin Patch and Carving The Pumpkin Patch and Carving event, hosted by Kleros Campus Ministries, offers a full day of fallthemed fun. Students meet on the Drillfield at War Memorial Gym at 2:45 p.m. or The Den (405 A Giles Road) at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, where a carpool system will transport students to Joe’s Trees in Newport, Virginia. There, students have a range of pumpkin patch activity choices such

as pumpkin picking, a corn maze, fall food and drink, and more. Students will then be transported back to The Den for free dinner and pumpkin carving. The day finishes at 11:45 p.m. While the trip is free, students must register beforehand on Gobblerconnect or Facebook to be able to go.

The event provides a great, wholesome way to celebrate Halloween with your Hokie family.

Halloween Costume Ball H a l lowe e n campus events wouldn’t be complete without a costume party of some sort. Hosted by Ballroom Dance at Virginia Tech, the Ha lloween Costume Ball provides a great opportunity to show off costumes, as well as show what you can do on the dance floor — think school dances, just way better. From 7–8 p.m. in the GLC Multipurpose Room

in Squires, Ballroom Dance will be offering a free Paso Doble lesson (a Spanish style of dance), and from 8–10 p.m., the room will be a free dance floor with snacks and drinks provided.

Since Halloween falls on a Wednesday, this is also a great way to celebrate on the day since most parties and other Halloween events will be held on the weekend.

Whether you’re in the mood to get the ever-living daylights scared out of you or need an excuse to show off the Southside Serpents costume you’ve been putting together for months, Blacksburg doesn’t disappoint. With diverse events spread throughout October, there’s an opportunity for everyone to find a way to celebrate at their home away from home.

@HannahWynne8

FLEX opens doors for Virginia Tech freshmen looking for leadership Freshman year can be a difficult transition for any first semester Hokie. Luckily, FLEX can provide a home away from home.

KAYLA WALLER

lifestyles contributor

Many first-year college students find themselves in a transition period during the first semester when they are unsure of what they want to do at Virginia Tech and what their passions may be. Virginia Tech’s FLEX, or First-Year Leadership Experience, program is a

yearlong program through the Student Government Association (SGA), and is set up specifically for freshmen seeking leadership opportunities.

FLEX Director Christie Crandall and Assistant Director Brandon Wyatt explain that the program brings together first-year students to explore various leadership styles and

perspectives. The program uses discussion, activities and service opportunities to provide students with both individual and group leadership skills. FLEX mentors and alumni build connections and relationships with the first-year students in the program and help expose them to involvement on Virginia Tech’s campus.

FLEX is available to any

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES The Student Government Association office located in Squires, Oct. 7, 2018.

first-year or transfer student.

Applications open the summer before the student’s first semester at VT, and only a mere 30 first-year Hokies are accepted into the program.

Freshman cognitive and behavioral neuroscience major Katy Stefano was one of the few Hokies chosen to join FLEX. When asked about the FLEX application, Stefano explained the three-part process.

“First, there was a written component that asked questions about previous leadership experience and what I could gain from being a member in FLEX. Then, applicants participated in a group interview portion where groups of three to four people were asked various questions that gave the interviewers more insight as to who we are as people,” Stefano said. “Finally, I was selected for an individual interview where I met with the advisers and they asked me some more questions to see if FLEX was a good fit for me and if I was a good fit for FLEX. Overall, it was a very thorough process.”

Stefano vividly

remembers when she learned she was a new member of FLEX. “When I got in, I was so ecstatic. At first, I did not know I got in. One Saturday evening, I received an email saying my student identification number had been unlinked from my application, and I should go to McBryde Hall on Sunday at 7 o’clock to swipe my Hokie Passport for them to re-link everything. I was so nervous that my application got lost and I wouldn’t be able to be a member.” Stefano said. “On Sunday, I went to swipe my Hokie Passport and when everyone gathered in the room, one of the directors explained to us that the other director was going to arrive in just a moment with the device needed for us to swipe our IDs. All of a sudden, the FLEX mentors and the other director ran into the room with huge balloons and cards for each of us.”

Throughout the school year, members of FLEX participate in program-run events, such as retreats, events held by FLEX mentors, discussions and

activities during meetings that are tailored to a specific topic in leadership.

T he prog ra m a lso partakes in many sacred Virginia Tech traditions and service projects. Some of these include Ring Premiere, The Big Event, Shack-a-thon, Relay For Life, and initiatives or service projects conducted

by SGA. “For this upcoming year, I am looking forward to the fall retreat with FLEX so that I can expand my leadership skills and learn about the ways other people like to lead,” Stefano said.

FLEX is a yearlong program for first-year students; however, students can participate with the program throughout the rest of their years at Virginia Tech.

“I think FLEX will help shape my years at Virginia Tech by helping me become aware and cognizant to the many leadership opportunities available to me on campus,” Stefano said.

@CollegiateTimes

October 9, 2018 PAGE 7

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RECAP: Big plays cost Hokies another night-game win from page 1

first-half touchdown marked his fifth touchdown in five games, a mark previously reached only by Isaiah Ford. The Ball State transfer finished the game with 12 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Ryan Willis followed up his first three-touchdown performance of his career in last week’s 31–14 win at

Duke by completing 31 of 52 for 309 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, registering back-to-back 300-yard passing games for the first time in his career.

Un for t u nat ely for Virginia Tech, no one outside of Hazelton stepped up at wideout, leading the Fighting Irish to quell the Hokies’ momentum, take back control of the game and open up the floodgates.

After the Fighting Irish forced the Hokies to punt, Notre Dame running back Dexter Williams found an open hole on the outside off a halfback stretch play, dashing downfield for a 97-yard touchdown, the longest touchdown run from scrimmage given up in Lane Stadium.

On Virginia Tech’s next possession, kicker Brian Johnson missed a 47-yard

field goal, providing Notre Dame with great opening field position, which the Fighting I r ish would convert into points. Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book connected with a wide-open Miles Boykin for a 40-yard catch-and-run and a Fighting Irish touchdown.

To put the nail in the Hokies’ coffin, Williams broke loose once again, this time for a 31-yard scamper,

cementing Notre Dame’s 45–23 win. The 45 points Notre Dame scored is the most points given up at Lane Stadium since Virginia Tech’s 49–12 loss to Houston in 1974.

“T hey made some plays early, their quarterback made some plays and we settled down,” said defensive coordinator Bud Foster.

Virginia Tech (3–2,

2–0) will now travel down Tobacco Road to Chapel Hill for an ACC showdown with the North Carolina Tar Heels (1–3, 1–1) on Saturday, Oct. 13 in Kenan Stadium.

@DillonHCampbell

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s Troy Pride Jr. (5) tips the ball to break up a pass to Virginia Tech Hokies’ Damon Hazelton (14) in the end zone. The Irish would route the Hokies 45–23 in Lane Stadium, Oct. 6, 2018.

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES Steven Peoples (32) breaks Jalen Elliott’s (21) tackle for a gain of 20 yards. The Hokies lose 23–45 against Notre Dame, Oct. 6, 2018.

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES Steven Peoples (32) gets knocked out of bounds by Fighting Irish’s Alohi Gilman (11).

The Hokies lose 23–45 against Notre Dame, Oct. 6, 2018.

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s Khalid Kareem (53) pushes Virginia Tech Hokies’ Yosuah Nijman (69) into the backfield as the Irish roll to a 45–23 victory, Oct. 6, 2018.

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PAGE 8 October 9, 2018

Willis, Book shine in high-scoring primetime affair The two former back-up quarterbacks finished the game with a combined 580 passing yards and four passing touchdowns.

DAVIS CARBAUGH sports staff writer

Coming into the matchup between No. 6 Notre Dame and No. 24 Virginia Tech, both teams relied on inexperienced quarterbacks to come away with a major victory. To the surprise of some, it was Tech quarterback Ryan Willis who slightly outperformed Irish signal caller Ian Book for most of the game.

T he Fighting I r ish outmatched the Hokies in the second half, winning the game 45–23 despite a one-point lead at halftime.

It was an air raid for both teams in the first half, as Tech tallied 139 yards and 79 rushing yards while Notre Dame passed for 163 yards and rushed for negative 3

yards. Book completed eight out of 10 of his first passes, while Willis similarly went seven for his first 10.

Book was near perfection on Notre Dame’s first two drives of the game, completing all seven of his passes for 58 yards and finishing the drive with a handoff to running back Dexter Williams for a touchdown. Up by a touchdown, Book started his second drive with a 56-yard deep ball to receiver Chris Finke. The Irish converted a field goal and looked to be off to a running start in Blacksburg.

For r e d sh i r t-ju n ior Ryan Willis, the new Tech gunslinger banked heavily on Damon Hazelton on the outside and dump offs to his receivers in the middle

of the field. The strong rapport between Willis and Hazelton is becoming evident, as Hazelton racked up 92 yards and a touchdown off of eight receptions in the first half. Hazelton finished the game with 131 yards and a touchdown off of a career-high 12 receptions.

One major difference between Book and Willis in this game was response to adversity throughout the game. Following a costly fumble return for a touchdown that sucked the life out of Lane Stadium in the second quarter, Willis responded by marching the Hokies downfield on the very next drive. Willis threw for 59 yards on the drive and brought the Hokies to within a point after connecting with Hazelton for a 3-yard

touchdown.

“The fumble was not good; I felt like he was doing too much,” said head coach Justin Fuente. ”You don’t have to put a cape on your back and try to make six guys miss. I was proud how he responded: that next drive he collected himself and kept competing.”

On the Notre Dame side, Book was whistled with an undisciplined intentional grounding penalty in the second quarter with the score 10–9 in favor of the Irish. With a rising crowd noise on the following play, Book overthrew an open receiver downfield after looking rattled in the pocket on the play.

In the first half, Book threw for 163 yards but overthrew open receivers

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Hokies’ Ryan Willis (5) looks to pass in the Hokies’ 31–14 victory over the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium, Sept. 29, 2018.

downfield on three separate occasions and was intercepted for the first time this season. Safety Reggie Floyd picked off the Irish quarterback on what was a clearly misread coverage scheme by Book. Missing a key offensive lineman and under the lights at Lane Stadium, Book was off his normal performance in the first half of this game.

“We got some pressure on him early and rattled him a little bit,” said defensive coordinator Bud Foster.

“I thought he was a great football player tonight and he’s got a great future.”

In the third quarter down 24–16 to the Irish, Willis came out with two straight first-down completions following a gut wrenching 97-yard touchdown run

by Notre Dame running back Dexter Williams.

Willis went four for five on the drive, but the Hokies missed a long field goal to end the drive. Willis’ poise in the pocket following lost momentum separates him from the rest of the players in Virginia Tech’s quarterback room.

While Ian Book had his struggles throughout the game, his confidence in the pocket goes a long way toward the effectiveness of Notre Dame’s offense. Book overthrew a wide-open Miles Boykin on a play that could have knocked the wind out of Virginia Tech in the third quarter. However, Book hit Boykin on a play action pass five plays later to score on a 40-yard touchdown and put the Irish up 31–16 midway through the third quarter.

As Book gains consistency and poise under center for Notre Dame, the Irish will

continue to improve on offense.

Book finished the game with 271 yards and two touchdowns, while Willis recorded 309 yards and two touchdowns as the Irish beat the Hokies by 22 points.

As the Irish go on with their season, the expectations and pressure will grow higher and higher for Book.

Over five of his passes were overthrown against Virginia Tech, a trend that will surely cost the Irish against any playoff-caliber team.

Although big plays broke down Tech’s defense in this game, Book missed several key throws that could have ended the game early in the night.

The No. 6 Fighting Irish overpowered the Hokies late in the game, but Willis consistently completed throws on the sideline and scrambled for solid pickups to give Tech a fighting chance. Despite a late interception on a forced throw, Willis consistently made plays when the Hokies needed momentum. For a transfer being thrown into action after a major injury, Willis makes intelligent plays in the pockets and consistently gives the Hokies a winning chance.

“I just have to play within myself and do what the coaches ask; I’m looking forward to the next game,” Willis said. “It was exciting, I’m proud to be a Hokie.

They really showed up tonight; I wish we could have put a little better product out on the field. I’m blessed to a be a Hokie.”

@Davis_Carbaugh

Hokies look to rebound at Chapel Hill this weekend The Tar Heels, struggling at 1–3, aim to get their season on track while the Hokies seek to bounce back after a tough loss.

JACOB GOLASZEWSKI sports staff writer

On Oct. 13, the Virginia Tech Hokies will travel to Chapel Hill to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The Hokies are currently ranked No. 24 although they are subject to drop in the rankings after an upsetting 45–23 loss at home to Notre Dame. Virginia Tech’s record sits at 3–2 but they’ll remain undefeated in conference play against Larry Fedora and his 1–3 Tar Heels.

The strength of the North Carolina offense comes on the ground where they are averaging an admirable 178.2 yards rushing per game despite only gaining 199.5 yards through the air per game. The Tar Heels like to use a running back by committee system where no one player is really doing the bulk of the work. That being said, the running back who has been the most productive for them is Antonio Williams, who has rushed for 281 yards through the first four games averaging a very impressive 6.5 yards per carry. Despite this impressive rushing attack, starting quarterback Nathan Elliott is having a less than stellar season. He

is throwing for only 193 yards per game and has only three touchdowns to four interceptions.

The Tar Heels’ defensive strengths are the opposite of their of offense’s. Their passing defense is only allowing 177 yards per game but their running defense is giving up a porous 209.2 yards on the ground to their opponents. The Tar Heels are also being outscored 36–21 by their opponents per game.

The Hokies are coming into this game after getting steamrolled by No. 6 Notre Dame at home on national television. The Hokies played well for the first half of the game and probably would have been leading at the half had it not been for a very inopportune fumble by quarterback Ryan Willis that the defense picked up and ran all the way to the endzone. In the second half though, it was a different story. The offense just could not sustain a drive and the defense looked like it couldn’t have stopped a nose bleed. Despite this, Notre Dame was a significantly higher ranked opponent and to some extent this result was expected. In spite of his two turnovers, Ryan Willis played pretty well, throwing

for over 300 yards and two touchdowns in his second start since Josh Jackson suffered an ankle injury.

While the defense gave up way too many big plays to give their team a chance to win, if you take out the fumble return that the defense wasn’t on the field for they held the Fighting Irish to just ten points in the first half. The bulk of Notre Dame’s offense also came from getting a few really big plays. North Carolina is not one that is prone to big plays due to their lack of a solid passing attack and a focus on establishing the run game.

Despite the Hokies coming off a tough loss, I cannot see them losing this game. UNC has had a pretty weak schedule so far and has still struggled to even make games close. Their lone win came against conference opponent Pittsburgh who is not exactly the cream of the ACC crop. I expect the Hokies to control this game in all three phases and come out of Chapel Hill with a conference win.

ZOE SCOPA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Wide receiver Eric Kumah (83) is brought down in the end zone for a touchdown against UNC, Oct. 21, 2017.

Final Score Prediction: Hokies 38 - Tar Heels 17

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ZOE SCOPA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Colton Taylor (87) completes a pass from quarterback Josh Jackson (17) during the homecoming game against UNC. A penalty was called on corner back MJ Steward after the play, Oct. 21, 2017.