The Daily Reveille - November 12, 2015

Cloudy

72º 48º

IN THIS ISSUE • OPINION: Students don’t realize the difficulties of caring for dogs in college, page 12

Reveille

• Jaylyn Mills post-game speech rallies defeated team, page 5

The Daily

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015 GREEK LIFE

lsureveille.com/daily

• Students find creative ways to make money for the Dance Marathon, page 4 • Subscription services make for a standout gift, page 9

thedailyreveille

@lsureveille

Volume 120 · No. 56

thedailyreveille

Sigma Chi chapter suspended

BY QUINT FORGEY @QuintForgey LSU’s Sigma Chi fraternity chapter is on interim suspension, LSU Media Relations confirmed Wednesday night. The chapter received its letter of suspension Nov. 3.

“LSU placed them on interim suspension pending an advocacy and accountability investigation and [organization] accountability process,” LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said.

LSU’s and the chapter’s investigation and accountability process will unfold concurrently, Ballard confirmed.

Ballard could not confirm the grounds for the suspension, as the investigation is pending.

LSU’s Sigma Chi chapter president Clayton Furr, representatives from the Sigma Chi Fraternity national organization and Director of Greek Life Angela Guillory could not be reached for comment.

Ballard said requiring chapter members to leave the campus house has not been discussed at the time.

[Right, left] photos by JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ and [Middle] courtesy of Instragram user @lsux29

[Left] LSU junior safety Rickey Jefferson. [Middle] The Jefferson brothers strike a pose as children. [Right] Former LSU player Jordan Jefferson.

ALL IN THE FAMILY Rickey Jefferson follows in older brother’s footsteps, embarks on own legacy

BY MORGAN PREWITT @kmprewitt_TDR For the Tiger faithful, the Jefferson surname is bittersweet, a reminder of both LSU’s iconic 9-6 win in the “Game of the Century” against Alabama in 2011 and a loss in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game just

months later.

In 32 career starts, former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson notched 24 wins, while tallying 4,733 passing yards, 1,018 rushing yards and 46 total touchdowns.

Despite sharing the Jefferson name with his older brother, junior safety Rickey Jefferson forged his own legacy as the Tigers’ defensive “Energizer Bunny,”

sparking LSU with non-stop energy on and off the gridiron.

“Rickey can be entertaining all day,” said junior defensive back Dwayne Thomas. “His motor is always on 100. He’s always high energy. It’s just crazy. Even when it’s a chill day, Rickey’s going to be 100 percent.

see JEFFERSON, page 16

STUDENT LIFE

Students to see $256 increase in student fees in 2016

BY SAM KARLIN @samkarlin_TDR Students will pay an estimated $256 increase in student fees next year, following an October LSU Board of Supervisors action to hike fees at the flagship campus by 2.6 percent of total tuition and fees. The increased fee is a “student excellence fee” of $128 per semester and will go into effect in the spring.

The move comes after the Louisiana state Legislature granted higher education

boards fee autonomy during the most recent legislative session, allowing LSU supervisors to increase fees for students based on the differences in funding between the university and its national peers.

Five percent of the revenue generated from the increased fees must go to need-based student financial aid, but it is not eligible for students’ TOPS scholarships.

In-state undergraduate

SPRING 2016 FEES Full time hrs

Required

Academic excellence

Technology

15 hrs

$636.45

$245

$75

$48

$80

14 hrs

$636.45

$245

$70

$48

13 hrs

$636.45

$245

$65

12 hrs

$636.45

$245

$60

Student excellence

Tuition

Resident total

$128

$3768.55

$4,981

$80

$128

$3764.55

$4,972

$48

$80

$128

$3759.55

$4,962

$48

$80

$128

$3757.55

$4,955

Building Operational use

see FEES, page 16

Last C h a n c e!

F R I D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 3

S T U D E N T H E A LT H C E N T E R • 9 : 3 0 A M - 3 : 3 0 P M

W H I L E S U P P L I E S L A S T. F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N , V I S I T W W W. L S U . E D U / F L U S H O T S

The Daily Reveille

page 2

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Reveille The Daily

B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803

Newsroom (225) 578-4810

Advertising (225) 578-6090

FERNANDA ZAMUDIO-SUAREZ Editor in Chief REBECCA DOCTER Co-Managing Editor

The LSU men’s basketball team opens practice to students to showcase their preseason skills on Wednesday in the PMAC. photos by EMILY BRAUNER / The Daily Reveille

JENNIFER VANCE Co-Managing Editor QUINT FORGEY News Editor ROSE VELAZQUEZ Deputy News Editor MEG RYAN Entertainment Editor JACOB HAMILTON Sports Editor CAROLINE ARBOUR Production Editor JACK RICHARDS Opinion Editor JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ Photo Editor KALLI CHAMPAGNE Radio Director SAM ACCARDO Advertising Manager

TECHNOLOGY

LSU’s new supercomputer allows for new big data research platforms

BY CAITIE BURKES @caitie1221

Mention Tiger TV and 15% of your order will help support Tiger TV. 3313 Highland Rd. Baton Rouge, LA 70802

TIGER TV

LSU has deployed a state-ofthe-art supercomputer to advance big data research in Louisiana, according to a Monday news release from LSU Media Relations. The LSU Center for Computation and Technology will house the new purchase called “Delta.”

LSU joined the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge and Lawrence Livermore National Labs and the U.K. government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Hartree Centre in selecting a leading IBM platform known as POWER8 for its supercomputer.

“The new research capabilities offered by the IBM Delta supercomputer represent a tremendous opportunity for LSU researchers,” LSU President F. King Alexander said in the release.

Delta—which references both the Mississippi delta region and the scientific term for “change”— operates through POWER8, an innovative processing architecture which “provides scalable High Performance Computing,” according to the release.

These computational features should accommodate large-scale, data-enabled research activities such as genomic sequencing, said Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development Gus Kousoulas.

“On this particular comput-

er, we are going to implement a complete pipeline of software called PowerGene to understand the information contained within nucleic acids,” Kousoulas said.

He said Delta’s simulation modeling aspects allow researchers to find cancer genes in human sequences, among other projects.

CCT Director Ram Ramanujam said potential ties to medical research and increasing interest in patient care are leading Louisiana to invest in bioinformatics applications. The “roughly $650,000” IBM deployment should draw in research proposals from Pennington Biomedical Research Center using information from the LSU Health Sciences Center’s Shreveport and New Orleans locations, he said.

Ramanujam said Delta is backed by a “combination of funds” from CCT, the Office of Research and Economic Development and other National Institutes of Health-funded research projects. Kousoulas also said Delta was paid for “strictly from research funds.”

“The cost is being shared by all of us,” Ramanujam said.

CCT worked on obtaining the machine for at least five months, Ramanujam said.

The Delta system is up to 1,000 times more efficient in information processing than the small computers called “clusters” ORED used in the past,

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Daily Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 5784811 or e-mail editor@lsureveille.com.

ABOUT THE DAILY REVEILLE The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University.

The Daily Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Daily Reveille is free. To purchase additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall. The Daily Reveille is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and twice weekly during the summer semester, except during holidays and final exams.

Second-class copies postage paid at Baton Rouge, LA, 70803. Annual weekly mailed subscriptions are $125, semester weekly mailed subscriptions are $75. Non-mailed student rates are $4 each regular semester, $2 during the summer; one copy per person, additional copies 25 cents each.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Reveille, B-39 Hodges Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.

Thursday, November 12, student government

Student Senate rebrands Honor Code SG votes to change ‘Commitment to Honor’

by WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTER @wmtaylorpotter The LSU Student Senate voted to re-establish and reaffirm the “Commitment to Honor” during its Nov. 4 meeting, asking the university to accept the honor code as a subsection of LSU’s Commitment to Community — a set of guidelines for the LSU community outlining rules for student academic, personal and social integrity.

Senator Gabby Triche proposed Student Government Resolution No. 22 after collaborating with SG chief justice Adam Prevot. When presenting the legislation to the Senate, Triche said the Student Senate and Faculty Senate passed resolutions to install an honor code, but it never came to fruition. Triche said changes will be made to the honor code once it is incorporated into the Commitment to Community.

“It was never fulfilled,” Triche said. “It was created to instill a sense of academic pride in students, and we wanted to make it a student-based effort where students put in the effort to pledge to have academic integrity.”

The Daily Reveille previously reported the Faculty Senate passed a resolution to implement an honor code in May 2014.

That legislation, Faculty Senate Resolution 14-08, said the code would go into effect immediately after its passage. The resolution said the code would be taught to incoming students during their orientation period.

“One of the big problems last time it came through is there was really no carryout of it once it was established,” Prevot said. “This time we have plans to have some posters in classrooms, maybe have some syllabus language mandated for professors and also try to do another one of the Moodle agreements.”

According to the Faculty Senate resolution, 11 of LSU’s 13 peer institutions implement an honor code.

Before voting on the resolution, Triche reminded the Senate that the honor code would affect everyone in the room.

“You are students of this university. You are responsible for your academic integrity,” Triche said. “Whether it’s plagiarism or cheating or whatever have you, it’s a major concern.

This is a way to foster a better educational environment.”

student life

The Daily Reveille

page 3

Students pitch business ideas for competition Presentations capped at 90 seconds

BY Carrie Grace henderson @carriegraceh The Business Education Complex conference room Wednesday night seemed more like a shark tank and less like an elevator during the Fourth Annual LSU Elevator Pitch Completion.

The competition, hosted by E. J. Ourso College of Business, LSU Student Incubator, CEO at LSU and Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week, highlighted the rising startups at the LSU. Competitors had 90 seconds to pitch their ideas to judges followed by 90 seconds to answer questions — imitating the way a young business owner might pitch his or her idea to an investor on an elevator ride.

Students could present judges with materials or prototypes, but could not use audiovisual or

PowerPoint presentations.

“You wouldn’t have these tools in an elevator,” said Student Incubator manager Kenneth Anderson. “So you won’t have them today.”

Garrett Kessling and Daniel Wendt came in first place with the Tonal Innovations “E Flip,” marketing to band members and directors.

E Flip allows you to mount your smart devices to your instrument, getting rid of cumbersome flipbooks marching bands used for centuries, the team said.

“LSU spends $15,000 a year on printing for band,” Wendt said.

Kessling said their marketing research of local bands and directors showed, “They want it, and they want it right now.”

Joe Steiner, a medical physics Ph.D candidate, came in second place, with his pitch on lowering the rate of false positive prostate cancer screenings with more accurate equipment.

Steiner said the rate falls

around 80 percent and can sometimes lead to unnecessary invasive procedures and infections.

Business administration student Kiara Littlejohn and LSU alumnus Calvin Montgomery took third place with their student centered cleaning service, KC’s Cleaning Cavalry.

“College students are messy,” Littlejohn said, “and we take care of everything from bedroom and bathroom service to frat party aftermath.”

The three winning students chose between an Apple Watch, a free year of tenancy at the LSU Student Incubator and a $100 gift card.

The event also was an opportunity for students to network among other rising entrepreneurs and established business faculty, Anderson said.

Pitches were as varied as the competitors themselves. From mechanized sushi prduction and fried chicken to gamified

language learning and cleaning services for students, each competitor attempted to present their product as well as their business model.

Three judges — business graduate candidate Caroline Hitt, former LSU football player and Innovation Catalyst associate DJ Howard and business professor Thomas Greckhamer — asked questions about price, market and sustainability.

Judges quizzed students not only to determine a winner, but to help competitors hone their ideas.

Anderson said the Student Incubator was proud of the way the competition grew in the past four years. This year, five more students signed up to pitch their businesses than last year.

“We had more pitch this year than ever before,” Anderson said. “The scores were a lot higher than last year, we had 10 competitors over 90. That is really exciting.”

NOVEMBER

EVENT CALENDAR

12

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

photos by Haskell Whittington / The Daily Reveille

[Top] LSU mechanical engineering sophomore Reed Stephens presents his 90 second elevator sales pitch. [Top right] Student researcher for LSU school of veterinary medicine Boyang Piao shares his familes recipes. [Above] Former LSU football player DJ Howard sits on the board of judges to critique students.

5:00 PM

CASA of SoLA 4th Annual High School Basketball Jamboree Earl K. Long Gymnasium

5:30 PM

Credit Repair by Bank On Baton Rouge - Eden Park BranchEBR Public Library

6:00 PM

Red Stick Peacemakers-Buti Yoga - LSU Museum of Art

6:30 PM

The Anteeks - Superior Grill Urban Heroes Celebration 2015 - Carmo

8:00 PM

Henry Turner Jr.'s Listening Room - Belle of Baton Rouge

page 4

The Daily Reveille

Thursday, November 12, 2015

MONEY MAKERS Students are turning to cars, cameras and cups to raise funds for Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital ahead of next semester’s Dance Marathon

BY TIA BANERJEE @tiabanerjee_TDR

photos by EMILY BRAUNER and NICHOLAS MARTINO

SHELBY PAINE Mass communication sophomore Shelby Paine will soon be sporting purple hair because of her efforts to raise money for the kids.

Paine said she set a goal during “Beat Bama” week, guaranteeing she would dye her hair purple if that goal was reached.

She is also doing photoshoots and donating the proceeds to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital.

“I love taking photos, and I love giving them to people.

It’s just something I genuinely enjoy,” Paine said. “I figured why not use that talent or that skill for someone else’s benefit?”

Paine said she felt like she missed out after not participating in Dance Marathon last year, so she decided to get involved this year.

“This year, I really wanted to just put 110 percent into it, and I found it quickly became a cause I was super passionate about,” Paine said.

After a visit to Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital and interacting with the children, Paine said she was further inspired to raise money for the cause.

“It was so touching, the way they just clung to you and loved you like you’re their best friend within five minutes of meeting you,” Paine said. “I figure anything I can do to make that child’s life better for five minutes is worth it.”

KATHERINE LATHAM Mass communication senior Katherine Latham, going off the popular transportation app Uber, is designated-driving for donations.

She and her friend started their service during “Beat Bama” week, posting their phone numbers and the times they would be available to drive on Facebook.

This is Latham’s second year participating in Dance Marathon. Her mother had cancer when she was younger and was treated at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, which inspired her to raise money.

“It reminds me how much I really need to give back to them for what they gave to my mom,” Latham said.

TAYLOR STEWART What started as a favor for friends has now become political science and history senior Taylor Stewart’s effort to raise money for Dance Marathon at LSU. Stewart is painting party cups and selling them for $10 apiece, with all proceeds going toward Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital.

“I realized since I’m doing the cups anyway, a great way for me to give back to Dance Marathon would be to sell them and then put all the proceeds towards my fundraising goal instead of towards myself,” Stewart said.

Stewart said her friends’ passion for the cause inspired her to raise money for Dance Marathon.

“I volunteered for a few hours last year, and I know all of the money that I raise and the people I enjoy this with are going to make so much difference for these kids, and it’s going to be worth it in the end,” she said.

Sports

page 5 FOOTBALL

SOUTHERN COMFORT THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

LSU then-freshman Joana Vale Costa anticipates the ball March 21, 2014, during a doubles match against Mississippi State University at W.T. ‘Dub’ Robinson Stadium.

Junior tennis player Vale Costa excels after demanding freshman year

BY HEATHER ALLEN @Hallen_TDR For many students, freshman year can be two of the most difficult semesters of their collegiate tenure. Freshman year was even more demanding for junior tennis player Joana Vale Costa, a native of Portugal, who came to LSU in January 2014.

“Her freshman season, she started in January, which is really difficult for any player, but I think especially for an international coming over and being in a whole new culture with a whole new language,” said LSU coach Julia Sell.

Vale Costa said although the transition was difficult, the tennis season starting right away helped keep her focus on tennis instead of missing home.

In all but two of 26 matches during her freshman season, Vale Costa played at the No. 1 spot for the Lady Tigers. She earned an 11-8 overall singles record, ranking as high as No. 69.

Vale Costa progressed into her sophomore season, reaching the NCAA Singles Championships and earning All-Southeastern Conference First Team honors. She ranked No. 32 in singles and finished the season with an overall record of 31-13.

“In her freshman season she played one, and playing one in the SEC is playing a top 500 player week in and week out,” Sell said. “She had no real concept of how competitive it is. So I think her first semester was really a struggle of not knowing how good college tennis was.

“The next year she was more prepared for

see VALE COSTA, page 8

Halftime show featuring Aloe Blacc canceled

BY CHRISTIAN BOUTWELL @CBoutwell_TDR The halftime performance featuring Aloe Blacc for No. 9 LSU and the University of Arkansas game at Tiger Stadium has been canceled, according to a news release from the LSU Athletic Department on Wednesday.

Aloe Blacc was expected to perform alongside the LSU band at Aloe halftime during Blacc was Saturday’s game, expected but the show was to perform canceled due to alongside “contractual disagreements.” the LSU Wed nesd ay ’s band at a n nouncement halftime marks LSU’s secduring ond halftime perSaturday’s formance cancelgame lation this year.

OneRepublic was scheduled to perform at halftime during the LSUFlorida game on Oct. 17, which was canceled due to contractualrelated reasons.

Blacc’s promoter declined an offer from LSU’s new halftime show partner, Halftime Live, thus canceling the scheduled performance.

The cancelation allots more time for the LSU Tiger Band to play a Salutes tribute, according the news release.

FOOTBALL

Mills’ post-game speech reinspires Tigers after Alabama loss

BY CHRISTIAN BOUTWELL @CBoutwell_TDR The LSU football team, discouraged and dismayed, stared at the crimson-colored floor inches apart from each other in the University of Alabama visiting locker room, “The Fail Room,” seconds before its usual post-game prayer.

LSU coach Les Miles just finished speaking to his group of men after LSU’s 30-16 loss against the Crimson Tide in the same way he does each day.

Miles finished, then looked at senior safety Jalen Mills, giving him a nod.

“He got into all of us,” said sophomore defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. “Jalen Mills is one of our true leaders.”

Mills, a team captain and

fourth-year starter, is known as the vocal leader of the LSU secondary. But on Saturday, Mills got in front of the team, motivating the Tigers not to give up on the rest of the season.

“Everybody felt like it was their fault,” Mills said. “Everybody felt like they could’ve made that play. I had to tell the guys that we are a team, and we have to come together.”

“We’re not out of it,” Mills said.

Mills, who also gave the thenNo. 2 Tigers a pregame speech before its matchup against then-No. 4 Alabama on Nov. 7, established himself as a clear-cut leader, Miles said on Monday at his weekly news conference.

“I was very emotional after that game,” Mills said. “It’s easier for guys to talk to a player

sometimes than it is to talk to a coach. It was just that time, so I did it.”

In all of Mills’ four seasons at LSU, the Tigers never defeated Alabama — something he wanted to accomplish “very badly,” he said.

Mills said it was his time to stand up and speak before the team prayer. He said the locker room was filled with emotional players and coaches, and Mills thought it was his turn to lead the Tigers.

“We were all emotional in the locker room,” Mills said. “It was me trying to step up in the locker room, learning from the past guys.

I knew it was time for me to speak up and say something.”

Mills said he followed in

see MILLS, page 8

JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ / The Daily Reveille

LSU senior safety Jalen Mills (28) stands on the field after a defensive play during the Tigers’ 48-20 victory against Western Kentucky University on Oct. 24 at Tiger Stadium.

The Daily Reveille

page 6 women’s basketball

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Lady Tigers focused on defending perimeter in season opener

BY C.J. RUCKER @Ruckmatic The LSU women’s basketball team starts its season on the road against Wake Forest University on Friday in WinstonSalem, North Carolina at 4 p.m.

The Lady Tigers are coming off an 88-57 victory in their exhibition game against Union University on Nov. 4. Freshman forward Ayana Mitchell led all scorers in the game with 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

LSU’s matchup zone defense gave Union trouble but struggled to defend the perimeter, allowing 10 three pointers. This week the Tigers are making a concerted effort to defend the three ball before heading to North Carolina.

“We’ve got to be able to extend our defense,” LSU coach Nikki Fargas said. “I thought the three ball in the first half really hurt us but in the second half we made sure that we were closing out longer and harder.

All five people have got to be ready to defend the three ball.

When you play a match up zone that’s something you worry about.”

Mitchell said the Tigers are also aim to improve the mental aspect of their game before they open the season.

“This week has been more of a mental prep week,” Mitchell said. “We’re trying to make sure we break down Wake Forest’s offense and make sure we’re efficient with our offense.”

The Demon Deacons finished at the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference last season with a 13-20 record. Wake Forest is tasked to replace its leading scorer Danica Hornsby, who averaged 20 points per game last season. “[Wake Forest} is a team that had a nice run in the later part of their tournament in the ACC Tournament,” Fargas said.

“They lost a couple of their post players, but I know coach Hoover and their staff have their team prepared and ready to start just as we do.”

Junior point guard Raigyne Moncrief is expected to play against Wake Forest after battling an injury that kept her out of the team’s game against Union. Moncrief, a Coach’s Preseason All-SEC player, averaged 11 points last season and started 30 games for the Tigers.

“A difference maker in all of this is going to be Raigyne Moncrief, who we do expect to be playing on Friday,” Fargas said. “She’s someone who makes our team better. We didn’t have her at the exhibition game, but

Haskell Whittington / The Daily Reveille

LSU junior forward Alexis Hyder (20) runs over the Union defense during their 88-57 win against Union on Nov. 4 in the PMAC. we’ve had her since then and been working her way into practice and she’s been very good.”

Freshman guard Shanice Norton replaced Moncrief in the game against Union, adding 12 points and two rebounds. Norton, a London, England, national, played the final two years of

her high school career in Jacksonville, Florida, before coming to Baton Rouge.

Fargas said Norton and the other first year players will be tested in their first collegiate road game, but she doesn’t expect them to play like typical freshman.

“I like Shanice Norton coming in and giving Rina Hill some relief at point guard,” Norton said. “She’s a very aggressive guard that can really push the tempo. She does a great job of attacking aggressively off the bounce. She’s a smart defender and a great rebounder.”

football

LSU’s College Football Playoff chances not out of the question INTO THE WOODS jack woods Columnist

The way some LSU football fans are speaking this week, you’d think the season was over.

These fans could make you believe LSU’s last three games of 2015 are pointless, and the Tigers have no hope of making it into the College Football Playoff.

LSU must bounce back quickly against the University of Arkansas because it still has everything to play for. The Tigers need to win out, and they need a little help.

But much stranger things have happened.

People seem to quickly forget that mayhem reigns supreme in November. Forget March Madness — the last few weeks of college football are always completely unpredictable.

Let’s take a look at last year’s national champion, Ohio State University. The Buckeyes were 14th in the College Football Playoff rankings at this point last season.

LSU is ranked ninth, so don’t count out the Tigers just yet.

“But Ohio State was conference champion. Right now LSU isn’t even headed to the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, Jack.”

Javier Fernández / The Daily Reveille

Alabama junior running back Derrick Henry (2) runs past LSU’s defense during the Tigers’ 30-26 defeat against the Crimson Tide on Nov. 7 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Correct, but this is where the college football chaos theory takes over.

The University of Alabama is headed to Starkville, Mississippi, this weekend. The Crimson Tide is coming off an emotional win and is playing in a hostile, cowbell-filled environment.

Mississippi State senior quarterback Dak Prescott is starting to play at his best, and the Bulldogs’ offense is equipped to give

the Tide a tough time. LSU could be back in the driver’s seat in the SEC West this weekend.

Even if Alabama wins the SEC West, LSU still could get into the College Football Playoff.

So many highly ranked programs still have to play against each other, meaning the Tigers could walk through the field of fallen teams right back into the playoff picture Clemson University is more

than capable of Clemsoning.

Ohio State University still has games against the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

University of Notre Dame and Stanford University still haven’t met yet, meaning one of those two teams will fall by the wayside when their paths finally cross.

The University of Iowa is still unbeaten, but they’ll get their test in the Big Ten title game.

Meanwhile, it seems like the Big 12 saved all of the games with massive implications for the last few weeks of the season.

The fates of Baylor University, Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University are all intertwined, and it’s going to get messy.

LSU might not control its own destiny at the moment, but the Tigers are not in a bad spot. If LSU takes care of business, it’s going to get some help.

I can’t say it’ll be enough to get a spot in the playoff, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

It’s important for LSU to come out motivated this weekend. The Razorbacks seem to be gaining momentum, while the Tigers just had theirs halted.

It seems like LSU normally finds itself the favorite in the Battle for the Golden Boot, but Arkansas always seems to make it close a game and has a real knack for the upset. Expect Arkansas to make it a close game again on Saturday.

If LSU can find a way to shake off the loss and pick up wins, the Tigers will find themselves back in the picture sooner than they may expect.

Jack Woods is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.

The Daily Reveille

Thursday, November 12, 2015

page 7

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Tigers’ team chemistry strong after active offseason

BY MORGAN PREWITT @kmprewitt_TDR As media members crowd around former No. 1 overall high school prospect Ben Simmons, the differences between the 2015 edition of the LSU men’s basketball team and former Tiger squads are already noticeable.

For the first time since the 2006-07 season, the Tigers will begin the season ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 19 in USA Today Coaches Poll.

LSU enters the 2015-16 season after its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2008-09 season.

From the Tigers’ preseason trip to Australia in August, LSU coach Johnny Jones looked to start building the chemistry necessary to usher in a new era with a young team built on a team-first mentality.

“We wanted to see if nucleuswise we were bonding to be on that road and going for 13 days like that and for our guys to get along like they did,” Jones said.

“For them to play together and understand the mission that they’re on. Although we were doing a lot of sightseeing, they understood the mentality that we had to have somewhat of a business trip mentality

5-16

about it.”

Jones’ approach worked in the words of his rookies and veterans alike.

Since the Australia trip, the Tigers’ chemistry off the court grew, creating a family atmosphere within the team and bonding LSU’s veterans and rookies together.

“A lot of teammates hung out with each other on and off the court,” said junior guard Tim Quarterman. “That’s always good for a team because, usually, people go their separate ways when you get off the court. But a lot of us scrum together and hung out together. That’s big for us.”

Despite the hype surrounding the LSU’s third-ranked 2015 class by the recruiting service 247Sports, featuring freshmen guard Antonio Blakeney, freshman guard Brandon Sampson and Simmons, the Tigers’ united focus helps the freshmen trio to relax and learn the intricacies of the collegiate game.

Unlike in high school, where athletic ability reigned supreme, the rookies’ preparation lies on the technical and mental sides of the game.

While Blakeney and Sampson both mentioned moments where they felt their inexperience, Simmons’ talent and experience

s ’ n e m o W

E K S A B 201

in high-pressure situations has translated into an easy comfort as a Tiger.

“I don’t look at myself as a freshman,” Simmons said. “I just look at myself as a player. I have a lot of experience under my belt.”

Besides LSU’s freshman talent, a defining difference between the this year’s squad and the Tigers’ 2014-15 team is the absence of forwards Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey’s strong presence in the paint.

The Tigers’ discipline to box out and contribute defensively provide keys for improvement for all of the guards, especially for Blakeney and Sampson following senior guard Keith Hornsby’s injury.

“It’s very different.” said senior guard Josh Gray. “Knowing as a guard that I can pressure the guard from the top of the key and if somehow he comes off a ball screen or somehow he beats me that I can depend on Jordan Mickey to be there to slap the ball away. ... It’s kind of weird I don’t have any of those guys back this year to depend on.”

Although Simmons’ showcased his versatility in the Tigers’ exhibition against Southwest Baptist with 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals on Friday, LSU was outrebounded 44-

L L A B T

THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

LSU freshman forward Ben Simmons (25) fights through defenders during the Tigers’ 98-72 exhibition against Southwest Baptist University on Nov. 6 in the PMAC. to-33 with only 11 boards coming from guards, giving the Tigers a focus heading into the first week of the season.

From LSU’s first practice after the exhibition on Saturday, Jones put the team through more box-out drills and instituted running penalties for guards who don’t box out properly.

“Coach is making it a priority for the one, two and three to get back and obviously the four and five to crash the boards,” Gray said. “That’s one main thing we’ve been going over in practice since the game. He’s just holding everybody accountable. We have to do extra runs if the point and shoot guards don’t get back.“

The Daily Reveille

page 8 MILLS, from page 5

VALE COSTA, from page 5

former LSU stars Eric Reid’s, Kevin Minter’s and Bennie Logan’s footsteps.

He still remembers when Reid spoke before the team after LSU’s 14-6 loss against the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

Reid told the 2012 squad “We decide our own fate,” something that still stands out to Mills.

Mills molded his post-game speech along a similar line of what Reid said, but Mills had his own twist to the message.

“Just keep fighting,” Mills said to the No. 9 Tigers. “Really show the world, and everybody, that this team can still be in it. This team has a lot of football left in yet.”

His message was well received, Miles said. Redshirt freshman William Clapp and Godchaux had their own thoughts about Mills’ address.

“He wanted to make sure that we all understood that the season is still not over,” Clapp said. “It’s just one loss, we still have a lot to play for. He wanted to make sure that we don’t dwell on this loss, and make sure we don’t let it define us.

“We invest so much into each week. It’s hard when you lose.”

Mills said the reason for a speech was due to multiple players in clear distress after the game.

“I was sad, just like those guys,” Mills said. “But we can’t have that.”

“We have a lot to play for,” Godchaux said. “This is college football. People lose every day.”

the level that was going to come at her each week. Playing one is such a grind to keep yourself mentally sharp for five months straight. Two matches every single weekend is really difficult to handle with that kind of pressure. For her, she’s gotten used to it, but she’s also emotionally matured, and that’s helping her deal with the pressure of playing the top spot.”

To prepare for the upcoming season, Vale Costa trained throughout the summer and competed in tournaments at LSU and Portugal.

In the preseason, she competed in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American tournament, reaching the opening round of the singles main draw.

At the ITA Southern Regionals, she earned four wins and advanced to the semifinals before being defeated by her teammate, freshman Jessica Golovin.

Vale Costa said one of her most memorable preseason moments was beating Lauren Herring, a University of Georgia alumna ranked No. 598 by the Women’s Tennis Association.

“That was a great moment,” Vale Costa said. “I was talking to [LSU coach] Mike [Sell] the day before, and we were actually saying no one would beat me four times in a row. I was confident and knew what I had to do that time.”

Sell said beating Herring

shows how much Vale Costa improved over the summer and throughout her career.

“Lauren had previously beaten Joana three times, so it was a little bit of a mental battle for her,” Sell said. “But I think she’s worked so hard on her game this past summer that you could really see the progress and development in her. The more she matures, the better her game gets.”

With one tournament left in the preseason, Vale Costa will prepare to defend her No. 20 ITA ranking when the Lady Tigers start their season Jan. 16.

Sell said Vale Costa ranking at No. 20 at the beginning of the preseason is a nod of respect to a player who works hard.

“To start a little higher and have that respect given right off the bat was a credit to her and her work and what she’s been doing,” Sell said. “It’s all about her going out and getting better every day.

All I expect is that she just goes out and gives her all every day, that’s really all I want out of her.”

Vale Costa said there is pressure ranking in the top 20, but she tries not to think about it because she has other aspects of the game to focus on. Her success this season depends on keeping her focus, staying healthy and working to improve her game.

But moving up to the top 10 or top 5 on the way wouldn’t be too bad, she said.

“It’s really up to me and my coaches to keep working hard on

Thursday, November 12, 2015

THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

LSU then-freshman Joana Vale Costa hits the ball March 21, 2014, during a doubles match against Mississippi State at W.T. ‘Dub’ Robinson Stadium. the little things I have to work on and keep my mentality on the right path,” Vale Costa said.

“Practicing and working hard, taking care of my body, that’s the most important part. I just have to keep working on the little

things. I don’t like to think about rankings or anything because I want to be professional, so this is just a step forward to my professional career. But if I made at least top 10 or top 5, I wouldn’t mind that.”

3 DAY TENT PARTY THURSDAY 11/12 $4 16 oz Mixed Drinks Phunk Around Gang 11 PM - 2AM

SATURDAY 11/14 FRIDAY 11/13 Open Bar 7 PM - 9 PM John Daigle & The Jordan Anderson Band 10 PM - 2 AM

Upcoming

Events

Thursday 11/19 The Stone Rabbits

LSU vs. Arkansas Game!

Open at 9 AM Serving Gameday Steaks from 11 AM till The Gin Rummies 10 PM - 2 AM

saturday 11/21 LSU vs. Ole Miss Game | Open Bar till Halftime | FREE FOOD All door proceeds collected will benefit The Bella Bowman Foundation

Entertainment

page 9

MY GOODIES

Subscriptions services make great gift ideas compiled by SARAH LEBOEUF | @sleboeuf23 Spotify, the Kardashians’ mobile apps and Dollar Shave Club — each of these products result in a monthly withdrawal from your bank account for a personally catered convenience.

With holiday shopping season creeping into already hectic schedules, a subscription box service is an ideal gift. You can customize how many months your gift will continue giving based on your budget and easily place the order on your laptop. From music to makeup, here are a few services to satisfy each person on your list.

PERSONAL CARE: If your gal pal enjoys roaming the aisles of Sephora in search of a new product to experiment with, send her a beauty box. Julep has one focused on nails, while Ipsy sends a variety of products ranging from hairspray to body lotion to lipstick.

Birchbox is similar to Ipsy, but it also offers grooming boxes for men that include products like cologne, shaving gel and face wash.

Dollar Shave Club offers personal care kits for men too.

PRICES Ipsy: $10 per month Birchbox: $10 per month for women, $20 per month for men Julep: $19.99-39.99 per month Dollar Shave Club: $1-9 per month ACTIVEWEAR: For the workout junkie, buy a subscription to Fabletics. The VIP membership service sends an outfit each month and offers options for men and women. It can even be customized to a specific workout. If Kate Hudson co-founded it, it must be worth gifting your gym buddy.

PRICE Fabletics: $25 for first outfit, starts at $49.95 per outfit after MUSIC: Purchase a subscription to Spotify or Pandora for the music connoisseur. A few months ad-free can revolutionize their jam session.

PRICES Pandora: $4.99 per month Spotify: $9.99 per month photos by MARY ROLAND / The Daily Reveille

Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service that provides customers with samples of beauty products in each subscription box.

PETS: Don’t leave man’s best friend off your list. BarkBox sends toys and treats sure to get your pup’s tail wagging.

PRICE BarkBox: $19-29 per month FOOD: Send your favorite foodie a snack box. NatureBox offers healthy eats, while Treatsie ships candies and desserts. Blue Apron sends pre-portioned ingredients with recipes to cook full meals.

PRICES NatureBox: $6.97-9.97 per delivery Treatsie: $19.95 per month Blue Apron: $59.94-69.92 per delivery, depending on portions and servings BEVERAGES: Craft Coffee delivers artisan coffee with brewing tips and tricks to the caffeine addict on your list. Club W is a wine subscription that’s a perfect gift for your wine night partner. Each package is accompanied with an online video explanation to teach the art of wine tasting.

PRICES Craft Coffee: $29.99-299.88, depending on how many months are subscribed Club W: Three bottles per month for $39 MOVIES AND TV: In the era of binge-watching television, the great American pastime, a subscription to Netflix or Hulu is a great option.

PRICES Netflix: $8.99 per month Hulu: $7.99-11.99 per month MAGAZINES: Sports Illustrated, Vogue, People, Shape and Better Homes and Gardens — there’s a magazine fit for anyone’s leisure.

Cozying up with a good read each month is the perfect treat.

Prices dependent on publication and frequency

FASHION

Student jewelry company lands in local boutique Posh Boutique to sell LSU junior’s beachy line

BY KIMBERLY GAGNET @Kgagnet Mass communication junior Brooke Marcello is following the paths of previous students, taking on the role of part-time entrepreneur.

While studying mass communication in the hopes to continue on to law school, Marcello makes jewelry on the side, describing her line as having a fun and beachy vibe.

“As a college student, buying jewelry from boutiques became less and less practical,” Marcello

said. “About a year and a half ago, I started making my own jewelry.”

Marcello’s line consists primarily of pearls, along with other fashion-forward pieces.

While she works on other designs, she said the pearl designs are the most popular.

“The beach is a huge part of our family,” Marcello said. “We love going to the beach, and [the pearls] were something I noticed in a lot of beach towns.”

She said the simple, yet beautiful pearls caught the eyes of shoppers looking for trendy items.

While selling her necklaces at an event in the Delta Zeta Sorority house, Posh Boutique noticed one of her necklaces, and the

collaboration stemmed from there. Marcello now said three of her necklace designs are sold at Posh Boutique in Baton Rouge and will soon be in the Mandeville, Louisiana, location.

“At first, I started doing it for myself and a few close friends,” Marcello said. “And now I’m in one of the best boutiques in Baton Rouge. I’m super excited.”

While the young designer makes all her pieces by hand, Marcello said she isn’t worried about her first mass order.

“I’ve gotten to where I can do it with my eyes closed,” Marcello said. “I can do it in about two minutes.”

see JEWELRY, page 11

KIMBERLY GAGNET / The Daily Reveille

Mass communication junior Brooke Marcello’s most popular jewelry design includes pearl necklaces.

The Daily Reveille

page 10

REV

Thursday, November 12, 2015

STUDIO SPOTLIGHT

RANKS DELIRIUM Ellie Goulding While remixes were seen as the key the singer’s success, Goulding shows she can hold her own. She’s a one-woman show — her feminine power emanates through each song.

— SARAH LEBOEUF

GET WEIRD Little Mix The girl group started in 2011, and listening to the music, it’s easy to tell they still have a long way to go. With enjoyable vocals, they have the talent to make great music, but it almost seems as though people are writing the same song to sing continuously.

— BRITTANY HAGOORT

GLOBAL CHAKRA RHYTHMS JEFF the Brotherhood Vividly instrumental, the album sounds like the soundtrack to a psychedelic yoga session, with ’70s rock stylings. The tempos are smooth, gliding and mushing together time and space boundaries without any outside chemical influence.

— JOSHUA BARTHOLOMEW

SPECTRE

Columbia Pictures The latest James Bond entry in the Daniel Craig era is not shaken, nor stirred. Instead, “Spectre” is more like a muddled, watered-down version of a drink we’ve had before.

— RILEY KATZ

Read the full reviews online at lsureveille.com/daily.

‘Drowning Shadows’ a gift to fans THE REAL MEG RYAN MEG RYAN Entertainment Editor If you thought you recovered from the release of Sam Smith’s “In the Lonely Hour,” think again.

Smith released his “In the Lonely Hour (Drowning Shadows Edition),” with the deluxe album’s original hits along with nine new tracks to sob to. That’s right, the artist gifted us with 23 songs all on one album.

The original and deluxe version were released in May 2014. With the praise it received over hits like “Stay with Me,” “I’m Not the Only One” and “Lay Me Down,” it’s no wonder Smith decided to repackage the album even better than before.

The “Drowning Shadows Edition” includes a combination of songs — new, old and covers.

One of the most remarkable is Smith’s cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Love Is A Losing Game.” In a recent interview with BBC Radio 1, he said Winehouse’s “Frank” was released when he was 11 years old and left a huge mark on him musically. With recent memorium of the soul singer, it only seemed fitting Smith pay homage to one of his musical influences.

The artist’s version of “Love Is A Losing Game” is downright tear-jerking. While Smith’s pitch and range is different from Winehouse’s, it’s almost as if she recorded it in hopes someone like Smith would find it and re-record it. You feel the pain in the crooner’s voice similar to that of the original heartbroken recording.

Smith covers another fallen songstress’s song with Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know.”

The artist makes the track slower than the original and sings over piano. Smith’s adaption to the already successful track pulls at the heartstrings, causing listeners to put it on repeat — similar to the Winehouse cover.

Smith re-records some of the album’s hits for the “Drowning Shadows Edition,” this time including features by other artists. Mary J. Blige lends her voice to “Stay with Me,” John Legend to “Lay Me Down” and A$AP Rocky to “I’m Not the Only One.” All of the tracks sound the same as the originals, but the addition of R&B singers and rappers brings a fresh sound to the songs. Blige and Legend both wail their sorrows while A$AP Rocky lends upbeat rap verses.

An acoustic version of “Omen,” originally on Disclosure’s “Caracal” album is similar to when Smith released a slowed down version of “Latch”

courtesy of STARPULSE and THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sam Smith performs at the City of Hope’s Spirit of Life Gala at the Santa Monica Civic on Nov. 5. Smith’s recent release titled ‘In the Lonely Hour (Drowning Shadows Edition)’ includes a combination of new and old songs as well as covers. on the original album. The acoustic version show’s off the British singer’s voice more prominently and causes the listener to melt to his smooth vocals and sweet transitions from verse to chorus and back again.

Smith includes an incredible recording of “Latch” live from Madison Square Garden. The eight-minute track includes dialogue and all, including Smith starting the song alone and stopping mid-song to ask the audience to help him welcome Disclosure to the stage.

“I can’t play Madison Square Garden without Disclosure,” he said to the audience. “Wouldn’t it be amazing if Disclosure were here tonight?”

If you didn’t want to see the singer live before this track, you do now.

But he doesn’t stop there. The most compelling tracks on the re-release are the Smith originals.

“Nirvana,” a song originally released on a 2013 EP of the same name that never made it onto “In the Lonely Hour,”

finally graces a full-length album. This has to be one of the most upbeat songs on the “Drowning Shadows Edition” and, by far, a necessity. The guitar strums and sultry vocals makes you question why it wasn’t on the original to begin with.

But, if you’re to remember only one track from this re-release, it’s the title track.

Musically, “Drowning Shadows” is why we come to Smith.

It’s lonely, it’s dark, it’s pleading and it’s all set to violins and piano. It feels like a continuation to “Stay with Me,” but better.

“The more I drink/The more I drown/If I don’t think/I won’t get down,” Smith cries as you cry into your pillow.

“In The Lonely Hour (Drowning Shadows Edition)” will have fans asking when they will receive an entirely new album from Smith. Whether it has the tone of “Drowning Shadows” or a more uplifting one like that of “Restart,” fans will continue to lap it up.

Thursday, November 12, 2015 my aunt who passed away several years ago from cervical cancer, Marcello said she hopes to and her middle name was Rae. perfect her more complicated ... It’s pretty special to me.” pieces and gameday pieces to Marcello said her aunt lived in sell. Her business is South Beach in still in the developMiami and thinks ‘As a college student, her beachy jewelment stages, but she buying jewelry from recently revealed ry represents her her new name and boutiques became less aunt well. logo: Kukee Rae, While Kukee and less practical.’ pronounced cookie Rae is blossomray. ing, she said law BROOKE MARCELLO “Growing up, evschool is still on mass communication junior erybody called me the agenda, but ‘Cookie’ because it she is open to new rhymes with Brookie. ... It stuck,” possibilities.

Marcello said. “I wanted to use “I’m [kind of] just seeing that because it’s obviously very where this takes me, and if it sentimental, but I spelled it in a takes me that way, I’m open to it,” different way. ... Rae comes from Marcello said.

JEWELRY, from page 9

The Daily Reveille

page 11

BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

Mistletoe Market offers holiday shopping

BY BRITTANY HAGOORT @Brittanyhagoort With holiday season right around the corner, shoppers are looking for every chance to find the perfect gift.

Mistletoe Market is a local market coming back for its 16th year to bring together vendors into one place on Nov. 14 and 15.

The market began as a need for a family friendly place to showcase items sold by local companies.

“We quickly realized they didn’t have anywhere to display,” Mistletoe Market co-founder Rene Crousillac said. “It started with 10 stay-at-home moms and a local church.”

The organization then moved out of the church and into hotel venues around Baton Rouge with now 120 vendors and over 6,000 people attending.

The market’s theme always revolved around Christmas. It had a Christmas tea at its local church and were able to set up a few vendors there.

“It just kind of stuck. Our crowd base that we had 16 years ago have followed us all these years,” Crousillac said.

With that crowd coming back for more, the market continues to grow. It not only holds shopping opportunities the day of the event but also contests and raffles before.

Leading up to Nov. 14 and 15, Mistletoe Market will have Facebook contests and vendor giveaways, during which $25 gift cards will be given away until the first day of the market.

courtesy of HALLEYS PHOTOGRAPHY

Mistletoe Market’s vendors will sell various items, including jewelry, candles and menswear. The event will be held on Nov. 14 and 15, and the entry fee is $5.

An art walk will also be on display at the event. This is a free set-up for artists to showcase their work.

Crousillac didn’t start the event alone. She said she had the help from co-founder Anne Ogea who also owns a shop, Brooklynn’s Boutique, a vendor at the upcoming market.

The women said they started the market 16 years ago, and Ogea started her shop 6 years ago.

“I, of course, brought the boutique hand-in-hand to the show,” Ogea said. “It’s a great fit for our boutique and our customers.”

Ogea said they will bring their Tiger pride to the booth as Brooklynn’s Boutique sells its purple and gold attire.

Other vendors will sell various items, including jewelry, candles and menswear.

One of the vendors, KB Designs, will sell its scripturebased home products. The

at the LSU vs. Arkansas game on 11/14 Take a selfie while recycling before, during or after the game: tag @lsu_sustainability on Instagram or @sustainable_lsu on Twitter for a chance to win a football signed BY LES MILES!

photos by KIMBERLY GAGNET / The Daily Reveille

Mass communication junior Brooke Marcello’s collaboration with Posh Boutique stemmed from a Delta Zeta event where Marcello sold her jewelry.

shop has been with Mistletoe Market for a few years now and continues to come back for the great opportunities, owner of KB Designs Kristi Levatino said.

“Putting on markets in general are a great way for a small business that doesn’t have a storefront to sell products,” Levatino said. “Mistletoe [Market] is different though. They want us to grow, which brings in more money to be donated to great causes.”

The entry fee to the market is $5. A percentage of the proceeds benefit the charity Dreams Come True of Louisiana.

Mistletoe Market’s goal is to continue growing and reaching out to a variety of different groups of people, Crousillac said.

It eventually would like to offer a market in the spring.

“It’s grown into something bigger than we ever could have imagined,” Crousillac said.

Volunteer to help with recycling during the game for chance to win a $50 Backpacker gift card @lsu_sustainability

HELP LSU WIN THE EPA GAMEDAY CHALLENGE AND BE #1 IN THE SEC IN RECYCLING!

@sustainable_lsu

Opinion

Thursday, November 12, 2015

dismal doggies

EMILY BRAUNER/ The Daily Reveille

College-aged dog owners often too busy to care for pets, left neglected MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL CLARKE PERKINS Columnist Your pet isn’t a cute little Cabbage Patch Kid you can play with when you’re bored — it has needs just like you.

Many apartment complexes near campus allow fish, cats and dogs of certain sizes. But apartments allowing pets doesn’t mean you should have one.

Unless you have nothing to do, why get a dog? A fish is OK, a cat is understandable, but a dog doesn’t make much sense.

Fish and cats entertain themselves for the most part. They don’t need go outside to use the bathroom or walk.

According to Dogtime, “a leashed walk around the block isn’t going to cut it.”

The majority of dogs need at least 30-60 minutes of exercise a day.

Dogs require everyday attention —

you don’t get weekends off or get to call off when you’re sick or tired.

Would you want the responsibility of caring for a child in college? The typical person would say no because common sense tells you extra work, time and money goes into raising a child.

A baby and a dog are clearly not the same, but they both require more attention than the average college student may want or have to offer.

Although raising a child is more complicated than caring for a dog, there is a key difference. According to the American Humane Association, “Unlike children, dogs will never learn to pour themselves a drink or fix their breakfast. Dogs never learn to look both ways before crossing the street, and they can’t stop and ask for directions if they get lost.”

You will always have to feed the dog, bathe it and take it outside. When you pull all-nighters and then decide it’s time to crash, or when you decide to stay out

until the wee hours of the night, the dog still needs to be cared for.

Can you honestly handle the stress that comes with being a college student while caring for something other than yourself?

Lets not forget the amount of money that goes into owning a dog. According to DailyFinance, “For most lifestyles, dogs are higher-maintenance, so they’re more expensive [than other pets].”

It’s important to be financially stable when caring for a dog. According to Petfinder, a dog can cost you anywhere from $800-$10,000 during the first year.

After the first year, it gets cheaper but not by much. Pet owners are still projected to pay anywhere from $500-$9000 annually.

You don’t just buy food, a few toys and call it a day — dogs have medical needs like everyone else. They need veterinary exams, vaccinations and monthly heartworm prevention.

Sure, you may have a job to cover the

dog’s financial needs. However, having a job raises another question — do you have time to care for a dog while having a job and also attending class five days a week?

Don’t let the dog’s cuteness convince you to take on a responsibility you may not be ready. I’m sure if the dog could “play” ugly for you to get chosen by someone who has the time and money to care for it, it would.

At the end of the day, there aren’t any “dog-control” laws — no one can stop you from adopting the cutest Shih Tzu, Pomeranian or Toy Poodle. Just be mindful of the responsibilities — a dog is a huge commitment financially, physically and emotionally. Don’t let your careless decisions affect an innocent animal’s life.

Clarke Perkins is a 19-year-old political science sophomore from New Orleans. You can reach her on Twitter @ClarkePerkins.

Pro-life stance only applicable until children are born THE CERULEAN CONCILIATOR JUSTIN DICHARIA Chief Columnist The term “pro-life” primes an immediate thought — anti-abortion.

People don’t think of food stamps, drug rehabilitation centers, Women, Infants, and Children program benefits or mental health institutions.

“If you’re pro-life, that means you got to be pro-life for the whole life. Not just for the nine months they’re in the womb. They haven’t done anything to disappoint us yet. They are perfect in there.

But when they get out that’s when

it gets tough,” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said at a recent New Hampshire town hall event.

While by no means am I a Christie 2016 die-hard supporter, I couldn’t help but fall in love with his emotional speech outlining the necessity for anti-abortion supporters to fight for life, even in at its lowest points.

I’m a “pro-life Democrat,” something Republicans claim doesn’t exist. But, once these children are born, does society forget about them?

Do we allow a mother to starve as she uses all of her earnings to feed her baby, but there isn’t enough food for herself? Do we cut funding to welfare so 10 people are forced to crowd in their

relative’s two bedroom apartment?

Do we refuse the Medicaid expansion so thousands of lower-middle class families remain uncovered?

Government spending cuts will happen, and programs will be cut. But we can’t gut programs that leave the poor to fend for themselves. This isn’t 19th century liberalism. We don’t leave fellow Americans to die in the streets because somehow it must be there fault that they are poor.

In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal cut mental health services since 2009, closing mental health institutions and shifting the care of the mentally ill from professionals to the criminal justice system.

A bipolar man who runs into

trouble with law enforcement during an episode no longer goes to a regional mental hospital for care and treatment. He goes to the parish prison. Our state leaves him for dead. Louisiana ignores the illness he can’t control without proper help. What we’ve allowed to happen is not “pro-life.”

“The 16-year-old teenage girl on the floor of the county lockup, addicted to heroin, I’m pro-life for her too. Her life is just as much a precious gift from God as the one in the womb,” Christie said.

Christie points out we need to stop judging fellow Americans with drug addiction and start giving them the tools they need to recover. Whether it be through a strictly moral code or religious

instinct, politicians and their constituents need to lend a helping hand to the traveller on the dusty road.

We can no longer be the priest and Levite to pass by our bleeding, naked compatriot half-dead. We must be the good Samaritan.

Because the hardships fallen on the men and women needing food stamps, mental health treatment or drug rehabilitation may one day fall upon us.

As Christie said in his speech, “There but for the grace of God, go I.”

Justin DiCharia is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Slidell, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @JDiCharia

The Daily Reveille

Thursday, November 12, 2015

page 13

Uber’s service in Baton Rouge contributes to drop in DWI arrests BURNT TO A CRISP GARRETT HINES Columnist Thursday nights through Sunday brunches, people around Baton Rouge consume alcohol and decide whether they will wait the appropriate time to stave off its effects or attempt to make it home safely.

Drunken driving is an unexcusable act, and unfortunately, people still think they can fool police officers.

According to a report from NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, “Louisiana’s rate of drunk-driving fatalities is the fourth-highest in the country.

Nearly half of the roughly 700 fatalities in Louisiana each year are because of impaired driving, compared with one in three nationally.”

Thanks to the diligent work of the Baton Rouge Police Department, between August 2013 and August 2014, 1,087 DUI arrests were made. Contrary to drivers’ beliefs, they are not getting past trained public safety professionals.

Something changed, however, from last August to now, as 893 arrests were made during this period. This is a 17.8 percent drop from the year prior.

This drop directly coincides

with the introduction of Uber to the Baton Rouge area.

Uber is a ride-sharing app users can use to plan a trip and pick from a variety of drivers in the area who accepted the fare.

Taxi services functioned in Baton Rouge for many years, but their prices and scope of delivery were not world-renowned.

Uber, with a base price of $1.75, $1.35 per mile and $.25 per minute is significantly cheaper than the Yellow Cab of Baton Rouge’s rates.

This is the most enticing reason ridership of the company has risen, along with the novelty of using the app.

Unlike most municipalities, Uber found a soft landing spot in Baton Rouge, as “it was easily approved by the Metro Council.” The only hiccup thus far has been the realization by some patrons that Uber, unlike standard taxi companies, does not submit its drivers to background checks by the police.

Background checks are completed by the company, however, through an independent contractor.

As of this June, the company submitted 439 background checks, or the number of cars registered with the company. Additionally, in compliance with the law, “$32,925 [is] paid to the city in permit fees.”

The 21st century eclipsed the 20th, and the economy of old no longer works in today’s world.

The disruption economy uproots traditional modes of thinking about service delivery, democratizes the purchasing power of consumers and automates rudimentary tasks.

This creates more chances for people to connect with one another on deeper levels, while lessening the cost of entrance into these interactions.

Uber drivers, by using their personal cars, foster an artisan appeal transporting people. The idea one can “know” who is taking them around town, leads people to choose to ride in an Uber over a taxi.

The app allows people to have a good time and not feel guilty or even worry about if they will have a sober, safe ride home.

Drinkers cite their favorite drunk songs while stuffing their face with Louie’s at three o’clock in the morning. A new one to add to their repertoire, in Baton Rouge, should be, “Uber here, Uber there, Uber drunk everywhere.”

Garrett Hines is a 21-yearold political science senior from Monroe, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @garrettH_tdr.

cartoon by KIRÉ THOMAS / The Daily Reveille

Students should be able to choose what fees they pay for REAL SOLUTIONS TO REAL ISSUES GARRETT MARCEL Columnist The student fee bill is littered with what seems like a random assortment of fees and expenses. Some fees are non-essential to education and should not be forced on students.

Full-time students at LSU pay for fees like those for UREC and the Student Health Center, but not everyone wants these services. LSU should make the fees optional or offer a refund at the end of each semester to students who do not utilize the programs.

With the Affordable Care Act, young adults can stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until the age of 26. According to College Portrait, in 2014, less than 5 percent of un-

dergraduates were over the age blatantly unnecessary. of 25.

For full-time students in the With health care manda- fall and spring, the rate is $200 tory for everyone, receiving a semester. For working out at a health care through LSU is not-so-well-equipped facility, it’s not the efficient way to go. The expensive. cost of basic health Many studon’t care by the Student LSU needs to stop pocketing dents Health Center for spare change for programs use the UREC the spring and fall no one uses and reimburse at all. Some don’t wish semesters is $155 students who are forced to to exercise, each semester, and pay for them. while others the summer cost is $90. already have For full-time memberships spring and fall semester stu- to better or more cost-efficient dents who do not use the Student facilities.

Health Center, the extra $310 a Just with Health Center and year is ridiculous. I would rather UREC fees, full-time students spend the money on a textbook are paying an extra $710 a year instead of an unused program. in fees. The rising price of tuThe Health Center is help- ition and cost of living make ful for those unable to get every dollar count for some, so health care elsewhere, but LSU why not let them decide how to should make it an optional pro- spend their money? gram. While health care is at These are not the only two least debateable, the fees as- unnecessary hidden fees, sociated with the UREC are but they are two of the more

The Daily Reveille EDITORIAL BOARD

Fernanda Zamudio-Suarez Rebecca Docter Jennifer Vance Quint Forgey Rose Velazquez Jack Richards

Editor in Chief Co-Managing Editor Co-Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

expensive ones. Another example of unnecessary fees are LSU’s parking fees with no guarantee of a spot to park in.

LSU needs to stop pocketing spare change for programs no one uses and reimburse students who are forced to pay for them. If it turns out no one ends up using the programs, maybe they should rethink their approach on the subject and make spending cuts.

If the university wants to start helping students, like it say it does, reimbursement or optional fees are the way to start.

A public university should not pocket unused program fees paid for by students — it is time for change.

Garrett Marcel is a 21-yearold petroleum engineering senior from Houma, Louisiana.

You can reach him on Twitter @Gret419

Editorial Policies and Procedures

The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Daily Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Daily Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Health center fee for fall and spring semesters: $310 UREC fee for fall and spring semesters: $400 Total fees Marcel believes the university owes some students: $710

Quote of the Day “Dogs never bite me. Just humans.”

Marilyn Monroe

actress June 1, 1926 — Aug. 5, 1962

page 14

Announcements

Employment

The Daily Reveille

Housing

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Merchandise

Transportation

Classif ieds

To place your ad, visit www.lsureveille.com and click classif ieds

For Rent LSU Library Apartments 1BR flat & townhouse $485 $650 wood floor, central a/c, walk to LSU. Between LSU & Burbank Call: 225-615-8521 ___________________________ For rent Tiger Manor apartment share. Seeking hip young professional to share apartment with. Check out Tigermanor.com for location details. Female roommate who is attending LSU 20-35 years old. Can an will change apartments common spaces.

Rent 550-600 depending on electric. call 360-259-5044 ___________________________ 2-bdr Apts, near LSU W&D in $550-$700/m.,call 225-2786622 or 225-278-6621. ___________________________ ROOM FOR SUBLEASE! 4 bed 4.5 bath townhouse at the Exchange of Baton Rouge. Rent is $675 + electricity January-July. Willing to give you $800 up front to reduce rent!!! Extra bedroom also available if you have a friend who wants to move in too!!! Email for info mstei18@lsu.edu ___________________________ REDUCED RENTS & MOVE IN SPECIALS Lake Beau Pre Townhomes reduced from $1750 to $1450 and Arlington Trace Condos reduced from $1650 to $1350 Dean & Company Real Estate 225-7672227 www.deanrealestate. net ___________________________ House for Rent. 3br 2b, fireplace, w/d, fenced yard, Burbank/Bluebonnet, $1500/mo.

225-939-7877 ___________________________

Services

Costs: $.40 per word per day. Minimum $5 per day. Personals free for students Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date

$AVE $ WALK TO LSU! LARGE 1 BR APT ON SITE MGR 225 769-7757 OR 225 266-8666

Help Wanted MANSURS ON THE BOULEVARD Restaurant now hiring Server Assistant Position. No experience necessary. Please call 225.229.4554 Looking for a mandarin tutor for an 8 year old Chinese girl for 1-2 hours per week in 70817 zip code area. Call 225-752-6817 ___________________________ PT / FT maintenance employees needed for property management company.

Landscape work, odd jobs, misc. repairs, etc. FLEXIBLE HOURS, $10/HR! Claus & Claus 225-268-2238. ___________________________ Louie’s Cafe is hiring cook, server & dish staff. Apply in person, online or via email. louiescafe.com 3322 Lake Street ___________________________ SOUTHSIDE PRODUCE NOW HIRING PT AND FT POSITIONS, FLEXIBLE HOURS APPLY IN PERSON 8240 PERKINS RD. ___________________________ ADMINISTRATIVE/ BOOKKEEPING NEEDED Administrative/Book-keeping Service needed Monday-Friday, $420.00 weekly. oriented, possess good Computer experience helpful. Must be able to follow instructions.

Apply to my email below iuehfh@mail.com ___________________________ Veterinary Asst. needed to take excellent care of pets & owners. 15 min. from LSU in Mid City. Acadian Oaks Pet Clinic 225-387-2462 ___________________________

RC Airplane Pilot Needed for Design Competition: Free roundtrip travel to California, Contact Tommy LeBeau at (318)-680-2535 ___________________________

Nice retired teacher needs helper for organizing stuff.

References.

15 minutes from LSU by car. doclevy1@ gmail.com ___________________________

Part Time Sitter needed for 11 Year old Autistic girl in Plaquemine, La. Up to 20 Hours a week. Afternoons and weekends.

Contact (225)413-6705 ___________________________

AM & PM teachers needed M-F 8-12 & 3-6. Please send resumes to parkviewbps@ gmail.com or apply in person at 5750 Parkview Church Rd. Baton Rouge, LA 70816 ___________________________

KLSU 91.1FM is looking for a new Production Assistant to join our executive staff for the Fall 2015 semester.

Duties include assisting the Production Director in cutting and editing music for airtime, assisting with recording in-studio performances and interviews, and any other production-related tasks as required. Pay is $7.25/hr for a maximum of 10 hours per week. No prior experience with music production or audio equipment is needed but it is HIGHLY PREFERRED. Applicants must be in good academic standing and enrolled full time at LSU. Contact Kurtis Johnson at stationmanager@ tigers.lsu.edu for more information. ___________________________

Behavioral Intervention Group (BIG) is a team of dedicated therapists focused on providing the skills, teaching environments and learning opportunities necessary to improve the quality of life for children with autism and other developmental disorders. BIG provides children with a highly individualized Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program that is continually modified to meet the child’s needs as they progress. As a BIG line therapist, you’ll have an opportunity to gain valuable experience providing ABA services. Our therapists receive intensive training and are taught to be scientists, decision-makers and leaders. This is a full time position starting with an hourly rate of $14.00 hour plus benefits. Although this is an entry level position there is room for advancement at BIG. Must have completed or be presently pursuing a degree in Psychology, Education, Special Education, or a related field (preferred but not required). Previous experience with autism/ ABA is helpful but not necessary, No past criminal history,Reliable transportation, Strong interpersonal skills, and a genuine passion for working with children.

Please send resume to admin@big-br.com. ___________________________

Clerical/Admin Asst.; PT for busy BR insurance agency; very detailed oriented; excellent computer, filing & organizational skills; some college; email resume: ptclericalassistant@aol.com ___________________________ LOOKING FOR EXTRA HOLIDAY CASH? Now hiring Membership Sales Associates at Friends of the Baton Rouge Zoo. Looking for someone with strong public relations skills who is detail oriented and dependable.

Email resume and inquiries to membership@brzoo.org. ___________________________

Open the world for a child with autism! Be an ABA line technician at Capital Area Human Services ASCEND program. Email Jim.LeVelle@LA.gov. ___________________________ Part Time help needed for delivery and assembly of fitness equipment. Apply in person at 9603 Airline Hwy. B.R. La. 70815 Mechanically inclined preferred. ___________________________ Red Zeppelin Pizza now hiring pizza makers and waitresses . Apply at RZP. 225302-7153

Personals RedRibbonMate.com A Dating Website for Heterosexual WOMEN & MEN with HIV/AIDS Find love, friendship at RedRibbonMate.com Any graduate student want to run a marathon February 28? Please contact arbitraryscience2.72@gmail.com.

Place your classified

{ { SUBMIT YOURS LSUREVEILLE.COM

The Daily Reveille

Thursday, November 12, 2015 dining

page 15

Chef ’s Challenge features dishes from LSU Dining personnel Students vote on meals centered around green tomatoes

BY Tia Banerjee @tiabanerjee_TDR Students who ate at The 5 dining hall on Wednesday night had the chance to sample dishes prepared by cooks students don’t usually find behind the stove at last night’s Chef’s Challenge, sponsored by LSU Dining.

The annual dining challenge features food made by LSU Dining personnel who are not typically in charge of everyday

dining options. sociates, not just the executive or From 4:30 p.m. - 8 p.m., stu- head chefs, but some of our other dents ate and voted on dishes workers, get a chance to have from competing teams repre- some fun and shine,” Landon senting kitchens said. “It just helps from The 459 ‘It just helps the overall the overall morale Commons, The morale in the kitchen and in the kitchen and 5 and the LSU also gives the students a also gives the stuStudent Union. few different dishes and dents a few difThe idea for ferent dishes and some fun as well.’ the Chef’s Chalsome fun as well.” lenge came about Local green Laurence Landon in the ’90s, when tomatoes — the 459 Commons Executive Chef Chartwells Highnight’s main iner Education took gredient — were over LSU Dining, said 459 Com- included in all competing dishmons Executive Chef Laurence es, which included cornflakeLandon. crusted green tomatoes with “It basically formed so our as- sweet corn salsa, shrimp-stuffed

green tomatoes with bacon and feta, and green tomato-infused churros with mole sauce.

Landon said the teams like to get competitive with one another in the spirit of the challenge.

“Everyone’s keeping [their dishes] a secret to keep it a little more fun,” Landon said.

The 5 sous chef Treva Johnson said her favorite part of the event was working with her colleagues to come up with a creative dish. “[My favorite part is] bouncing ideas off of other people, trying to figure out what will take your creation to the next level,” Johnson said.

LSU Dining shipping and receiving supervisor Eric McCauley said he enjoyed seeing all the chefs bring their A game. “[I like] the competition, I guess, the bragging rights,” McCauley said.

The winning team will receive a “championship belt,” Landon said, to display at the winning team’s building.

Kinesiology freshman Brooke Fontenot said she enjoyed the food more than LSU’s usual food offerings.

“The food was definitely better quality, and there was more options, for sure,” Fontenot said.

FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 12, 2015

-----------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle

photos by Nicholas Martino / The Daily Reveille

LSU chef Kaylan Mccammon presents her dish for the LSU Chef Challenge on Wednesday at The 5 dining hall.

Check out more Chef’s Challenge content online at lsureveille. com/daily

ACROSS 1 __ in; wearing 5 Modify 10 Hole-making tools 14 Take a fancy to 15 Actor Willem 16 Cheer 17 Fail to include 18 Bury 19 Caesar’s robe 20 Cure-all 22 Movie preview 24 Debtor’s note 25 Pitt and Garrett 26 Overcook milk 29 Be nosy 30 Puts booze in the punch 34 Crematorium shelf supplies 35 Hawaii’s Mauna __ 36 Movie theater 37 Summer month: abbr.

38 Hailed vehicle 40 Weep 41 Went suddenly off course 43 Actor Ameche 44 Despise 45 TV’s Pompeo 46 House member: abbr.

47 More tender to the touch 48 Carried 50 Forbid 51 Baseball officials 54 Asian temples 58 Juicy fruit 59 Skin problems 61 Seldom seen 62 __ more; again 63 Use bad words 64 Suffix for prefer or preexist 65 Cook in the microwave 66 Warms up 67 Writing table DOWN 1 Clippety-__ 2 Peru’s capital 3 __ to; like

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 23 25 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 35 36

Particulars “Bye, Pierre!”

Actress Delany Toward a ship’s stern Longfellow’s specialty __ firma; land Skilled craftsman Sheep’s hair Theater box Celebrity Food fish Speak without preparation Like pigtails, usually Smooth and sophisticated Inhumane Cherub Rash-causing virus Actor Romero Overdo the role Cavalry sword Youth Tin receptacle

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

38 39 42 44 46 47 49 50

Singing voice Police officer Pensioner Esteemed Save from peril Droop Educate First, second and third

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 60

Come __; find List of dishes Fill a suitcase Pain in the neck Copenhagener Circle portions Look for Gun rights org.

page 16 “That is gonna either be covered by other need-based aid, other students taking 15 hours at LSU institutional aid that student pay $1,078 in fees and about has, working or ... the student $3,800 in tuition per semester, would have to take out loans to according to an Office of Bud- be able to cover those increasget and Planning report. es within the limits that they After the fee have.” increase, students To put in‘That is gonna either will pay around creased fees be covered by other $1,212 per semesin perspective, need-based aid, other Boutte said the ter, bringing the yearly total to average cost of institutional aid that around $2,424. attendance is student has, working or ...

Students at the nearly $30,000 Paul M. Hebert the student would have to per year, which Law Center will take out loans to be able makes fees pay $220 more, about 8 percent to cover those increases of the total cost and students at the within the limits that they of attendance.

School of Veterinary Medicine will TOPS covhave.’ pay $246 more in ers $7,110 in SUJUAN BOUTTE yearly fees. tuition, leaving The board’s Executive Director of the Louisiana TOPS students fiscal impact re- Office of Student Financial Assistance with a gap of port forecasts a about $22,000 net revenue of per year, which $6.6 million from fees at the must be paid by loans, working Baton Rouge campus. or mitigating costs, she said.

TOPS does not pay for students’ fees, said Executive Director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance Sujuan Boutte.

Increases in costs other than tuition means students who receive TOPS will have to pay more than they initially bargained for, Boutte said. While TOPS keeps pace with tuition, it is not keeping up with fee increases.

“It increases the students’ cost of attendance,” Boutte said.

FEES, from page 1

Read our columnist’s opinion on LSU’s fee system on page 12

The Daily Reveille JEFFERSON, from page 1 He’s our energy in the room.”

At first glance, the offensive and defensive divide is enough to separate the brothers’ LSU careers. But the Jeffersons didn’t always play on opposite sides of the ball.

Jordan always played quarterback, leading Destrehan High School to a Louisiana State 5A Championship in 2007 with 2,846 passing yards and 24 touchdowns during his senior season.

Although Rickey spent every snap as a Tiger searching for ways to attack weaknesses in an opponent’s offensive schemes, he established himself as a consensus four-star wide receiver prospect at Destrehan.

Rickey led the Wildcats with 36 receptions for 562 yards and five touchdowns as a senior in 2012.

Along with sharing offensive success at Destrehan, the pair’s LSU connection stems from the Tigers’ coach Les Miles, establishing an integral tie between the “Mad Hatter” and Jefferson family.

“I love the fact that he became an LSU Tiger because I was,” Jordan said. “I know the brotherhood. I know the family meaning that they have behind the LSU brand. I’m just happy that he became a part of the LSU family.”

Once Rickey stepped into the Tigers’ practice facility, he

Thursday, November 12, 2015 began what his brother called a “three-year transition” of becoming a defensive player, separating himself from Jordan’s offensive reputation.

Although he played in only seven games during his rookie season in 2013, Rickey became crucial to the Tigers’ nickel and dime packages in 2014, participating in all 13 games and tallying 23 tackles and tying two other Tigers for a team-leading two interceptions.

The consensus among Rickey’s defensive back counter parts on the reason for his quick and successful transition to the other side of the ball is his relentless motor, which brings a dynamic competitiveness to each play, even in practice.

“Sometimes, he’s a lot more physical than other guys at practice from the standpoint of him just being himself,” said sophomore wide receiver Malachi Dupre. “Some guys can go out there and practice full speed without hitting anybody. But I feel like Rickey’s actual game of football is always having the tendency to end physically. He’s a competitor, and he goes hard.”

In 2015, Rickey stepped up his play to a different level as he took over a starting role for injured senior safety Jalen Mills, alongside sophomore safety Jamal Adams.

Through his seven starts beside Adams, the duo combined for 63 tackles, including three tackles for loss and nine

passes defended.

“I like seeing [Adams and Rickey] during the game together,” Thomas said. “Rickey goes crazy because he wants to make a lot of plays, and Jamal wants to make a lot of plays. It’s a competition in our room. We all want to make plays.”

A key part of Rickey’s game is his ability to come down from his safety spot and lay hits in the run game, which junior cornerback Tre’Davious White and the rest of the defense thrive on.

“That’s what he loves to do,” White said. “He is always talking about laying somebody out, then going on the field and really doing it. Then we get home, and he tells me, ‘I told you what I was going to do.’ He’s a guy that is confident in his abilities, and I love that about him.”

Whether he’s dancing on the field during warmups or joking around with teammates, Rickey’s infectious energy on the field seeps into all aspects of his life, which his roommates of two years, junior linebacker Kendell Beckwith and White, lovingly attest to.

“Off the field, I love the guy,” White said. “Blood wouldn’t make us closer. I love Rickey.

He’s the ultimate fool off the field, so funny. Anytime [you’re] down, be around Rickey and your spirits will definitely be up.”