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FRESH HEIRS True freshman Jack Bech and Deion Smith have break-out debuts.
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New courses centered around cybersecurity are coming to LSU’s computer science program next semester.
SPORTS
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Attendence of over 3,000 fans at LSU soccer’s SEC play opener broke an SEC record, in its fifth shutout of the season.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Wondering how to follow up on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium? This week in BR has got you covered.
OPINION
“The entire Gala was one big celebration, not of fashion, art or even pompous decadence, but of hypocrisy.”
FIND YOURSELF HERE! Discover the perfect organization or service opportunity for you at the Student Involvement Fair. Plus, learn about the events, clubs, and student leaders who make LSU a vibrant community. Visit lsu.edu/campuslife for more info. Thursday, September 23 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Tower Drive Rain Location: Royal Cotillion Ballroom, LSU Student Union
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L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le
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‘WENT UP & GOT IT’
Smith, Bech the emerging stars in LSU’s big win over Central Michigan BY JARED BRODTMANN @_therealjarbear The tradition of LSU wide receivers is storied throughout the past decade. Starting with the phenomenal duo of Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, followed by the sizzling DJ Chark, and most recently the National Championship-winning trio of Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall Jr., the LSU standard of performance at wideout has been one of the best in the country. Kayshon Boutte, another imposing talent, has already emerged as another candidate to carry on the legacy. The two next heirs may have had their breakout games Saturday night against Central Michigan. Jack Bech and Deion Smith got their opportunities to shine and seized them with spectacular touchdown catches as well as productive chunk plays. Bech caught five passes for 81 yards and a touchdown, while Smith crashed through the Chippewa defense with five catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns. The two have been performing well in camp and practice. “It was fun to see them do it in Tiger Stadium,” Head Coach Ed Orgeron said. “I’ve been seeing them do it all the time in practice. Now they finally got their chance.” Smith caught the first touchdown by jumping over the Central Michigan defensive back, reaching for the ball that was slightly underthrown by Max Johnson, and yanking it away, to the delight of LSU fans. His second was a gorgeous 40-yard go route where his speed created the separation needed to score. The Jackson, Mississippi product was the top-ranked receiver in the state in the recruiting class
of 2021 and has widely been regarded as one of the shiftiest and quickest prospects of the year. Smith caught 43 passes for 1,059 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior in high school before COVID-19 canceled his senior season. “He reminds me a lot of Justin Jefferson,” Orgeron said. “A good route runner, great body control, can catch the ball, has deceptive speed. He’s big, can get off a press, and has great hands.” On the other side, Bech consistently found holes in the Central Michigan pass coverage, where Johnson could deliver him the ball. Bech then could help the offense using his mobility to earn yards after the catch, leading the team with 40. But Bech also showed off his flashy skills with a circus, one-handed 20yard touchdown grab around the Chippewa cornerback for the best catch of the night. The crowd’s amazement with only Smith quickly shifted to Smith and Bech together. “Max threw the ball up, perfect ball right where it needed to be,” Bech said of the touchdown. “The defender was holding my left hand, so I had to go with one. I made some things shake and bake, and I made it work.” This emergence is huge for an LSU offense who is looking for its talented recruits to step up and become everyday playmakers. In-state prospects like Bech, Brian Thomas and Chris Hilton were desired by the LSU staff, and out-of-state performers like Smith and Malik Nabers were also great additions. Devonta Lee and Jaray Jenkins are still in the fold and competing as well. However, through two games, it was uncertain who exactly would be the one to get in and perform with an injury to Trey Palmer and a still inactive Jontre Kirk-
lin. Smith and Bech are being applauded for their games, but Orgeron also made it clear that they’ll continue to get everyone the opportunities to make plays like Smith and Bech’s stellar scores. There were a few factors that helped create the chances for the young receivers. The first was the frequent use of Boutte in the slot to draw defensive attention across the middle of the field. This drew a lot of one-onone matchups for the freshmen on the outside, where they created separation and completed big catches. Second, the offense mixed up a lot of pre-snap formations to confuse the defense and would often send men in motion before the snap to get defenders attention. Third, the offense as a whole played with a much faster tempo, opting for many no-huddle looks after first downs and when the defense appeared disorganized. It helped the offensive line take better advantage of the defense and gave Johnson some better comfort to get the ball to his playmakers fast. “We started a little bit with the motions and the jets to get some eye candy, and then we got some up-tempo and some warps just to get the guys going to bring some juice and take some shots,” Johnson said. “Our guys made some great plays. We have a lot of great athletes, and they went up and got it for us.” The ability of LSU to recruit these talented receivers is absolutely something they should be utilizing to win games. Maybe next week it will be somebody new making springing catches over defenders and one-handed snags for touchdowns, but for now, give the props to Smith and Bech. They were given the chance and did not let it go.
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NEWS
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CYBERSECURITY AT LSU
TECHNOLOGY
Students face software problems BY AIDAN PRIMEAUX @acprimeaux
“You think about security and safety before [a] house is even built,” Mahmoud said. “Now, we’re going to make it something all computer science students [think about].” Mahmoud said the courses included in FIREStarter will be challenging. He said there’s a lot of theory behind cybersecurity that can be hard to comprehend, but that the initiative has been in the works for months and the courses will be helpful for students. “What we’re bringing to the table is new software and a new framework so students can get hands-on experience in class,” Mahmoud said. “It’s not your traditional textbook class.” Mahmoud said he’s already
Whether it’s VLAB, Tophat, Connect or ProctorU, almost every student has had to use a third party service to complete their coursework. However, many of these services come with the drawback of being incompatible with some students’ devices, being prone to errors and bugs, or both. Apple and Windows PCs are the most popular computer choices for students, but these come with higher price tags than other options like Chromebooks. Some third party applications, in particular ProctorU, do not work with Chromebooks and tablets. The current university recommendations for computers include audio input and output capabilities as well as video conferencing capabilities and 16 gigabytes of memory. After the recommendations, the page lists Dell, Lenovo and Apple as vendors LSU has established reduced pricing agreements with. However, the page goes on to say that Macs are not recommended for students. Economics senior Lauryn Porter recently had compatibility issues with a software program for her economics class, as well as a bad experience with a ProctorU exam that could have cost her an important test grade. “[The test] started working
see STARTERS, page 4
see STUDENTS, page 4
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
The Digital Media Center stands tall on Sept. 10 on South Stadium Drive. BY CADEN LIM @cadenlim5 The LSU computer science program is in the process of adding new courses to encourage students to pursue careers in cybersecurity. The initiative, called the Forensic and Incident Response Environment, or FIREStarter, will develop a cyber range in the LSU Digital Media Center, where computer science students can gain experience in cybersecurity, according to an LSU press release. “About 100 students per semester will gain hands-on experience analyzing and defending against cyberattacks and emergent malware, including ransomware,” the release says. The classes will begin next spring semester.
The cyber range technology will be taught through a partnership with the Cyber Crime Unit of the Louisiana State Police and funded by a $185,911 investment from the Louisiana Board of Regents through its Cybersecurity Talent Initiative Fund. Computer science professor and associate director for cybersecurity Golden Richard is leading the FIREStarter initiative to attract more students to cybersecurity. Richard said it’s important to get students interested in cybersecurity early to make up for a gap in the workforce. “Workforce gap is problematic in federal and state-level institutions,” Richard said. “We’re trying to get students interested in jobs in state and federal institutions.” Richard said the establish-
ment of a cyber range is a crucial tool for students. He said it creates a realistic, large-scale scenario for students that incorporates cybersecurity offense and defense. “The cool thing about this is it essentially lets you do things that are scaled,” Richard said. “You’re not harming real infrastructure or attacking infrastructure. It’s all contained.” Associate professor of computer science Anas “Nash” Mahmoud said the FIREStarter initiative is intended to change the culture of LSU’s computer science department. His job as a software engineer requires him to build the system from scratch, and he wants students from all concentrations to be thinking about security from the beginning.
TITLE IX
LSU sees increase in sexual assaults during Red Zone BY MADDIE SCOTT @madscottyy LSU is four weeks into a sixweek period known as the Red Zone, a term referring to the heightened number of sexual assault incidents occurring on college campuses during the beginning of the school year. Civil Rights and Title IX Interim Vice President Jane Cassidy reported that LSU is currently experiencing an increase in incidents this year compared to previous years. The cause of this increase, however, is unclear. “It’s hard to tell whether it’s because of communication we’ve sent out about reporting, the website and mobile app we have created, the heightened awareness dues to the media these past six months,
more students on campus, or a combination of all those things,” Cassidy said. Title IX attorneys Kristina Supler and Susan Stone say this year’s Red Zone could be worse than years past due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Students aren’t and haven’t been able to access what I think most of us would consider ordinary social outlets,” Supler said, referring to the pandemic. “There’s a worry that when everyone gets back on campus, and for now rising sophomores in particular who were virtual all of last year, there’s sort of this coalescence of everyone on campus, eager to embrace friends [and] reconnect.” Supler and Stone believe an important step to combatting the Red Zone comes from college administrators and students spreading the
word about the dangers of the phenomena. LSU has initiated several student-led events throughout the fall to inform students about sexual assault and reporting. LSU also created a student task force for the prevention of sexual assault and violence. The task force meets regularly with President William Tate and other administrators to develop education and awareness events, according to an email sent out by Cassidy. The email also noted other aspects of LSU’s Title IX’s office expansion, such as mandatory sexual misconduct training for all faculty and staff, quarterly reports sent to Tate and a more user-friendly website for support and reporting. When asked what students
see RED ZONE, page 4
Monday, September 20, 2021
page 4 RED ZONE, from page 3 pects of LSU’s Title IX’s office expansion, such as mandatory sexual misconduct training for all faculty and staff, quarterly reports sent to Tate and a more user-friendly website for support and reporting. When asked what students should keep in mind for the duration of the Red Zone and throughout the semester, all three women had the same answer: the importance of consent. “Drinking and sex are a dangerous cocktail,” said Stone, noting the importance of asking how much an individual has had to drink before engaging in any
STUDENTS, from page 3 on my Chromebook, and then something went wrong,” Porter said. “It made it look like I had taken the exam already, and I hadn’t, so I had to talk to customer service and talk to my professor and use another computer.” Renewable natural resources sophomore Taylor Kinchen has had several computer issues, beginning with ProctorU her first semester and continuing with VLAB, a virtual lab program, this year. “My first semester I had to take my calculus exams via ProctorU and it went horri-
sexual activity, and to only accept closed drinks or drinks made in front of you. “Silence without actions indicating permission is not consent,” Cassidy said. “The responsibility for obtaining consent lies with the individual initiating the sexual activity. Consent is automatically withdrawn by a person who becomes incapacitated.” Victims of sexual assault or other forms of sexual misconduct can fill out an incident report with the Office of Title IX on the LSU Mobile App under “Survivor Support,” by e-mail at titleix@lsu.edu, by phone at 225-578-9000, or visiting the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX. bly,” Kinchen said. “I had a Mac and it wouldn’t connect to my microphone or audio, even though those functions worked fine otherwise. The proctors couldn’t fix the issue, and I ended up having to buy a completely new laptop just to take exams for that class.” Kinchen said she is almost never able to access VLAB for her statistics class because the program is often at maximum capacity. When she can’t get into the lab during the class period, she has to do it later on her own time. Even then, error messages often force her to restart the lab from scratch which interrupts her progress.
seeing a high demand for FIREStarter programs within the department. He said the majority of his 110-student class showed interest and he expects that trend to follow among all the other classes within the department. Richard said the National Security Agency chose LSU to pilot their new designation for their Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAECO). He said LSU is the only university in the U.S. to be a part of the pilot program, which will help the NSA test
new tools for CAECO. Richard also said it opens opportunities for students to pursue internships in CAECO. He said 96% of students that take that internship started working for the NSA after college. “This should help LSU students compete in terms of getting slots with that internship for the summer,” Richard said. Cybersecurity education doesn’t start in college; it’s even more important in middle and high school, Juana Moreno, professor in the physics and astronomy department, said. They’ve been training teach-
ers to offer computer science classes in 24 parishes across the state to follow Richard’s emphasis to “get students interested early.” “There are over 2,000 students in courses. This year it’s going to double,” Moreno said. “Our goal was to offer those courses and not only in the more affluent schools.” Richard said there’s a lot of value in getting students interested early, and he wants more young people to know they can pursue cybersecurity for their careers because of the workforce gap in the cybersecurity industry.
Statistics professor Kevin McCarter said that he does not recall VLAB connections being a major issue in previous years, and some of the issues may be the result of increased stress on the system with remote learning. “It could be that because of the pandemic, people are doing more things remotely and they’re relying more on VLAB,” McCarter said. “We want those connections to be reliable, we want the software to be reliable.” He added that his class is smaller, so it’s easier to work with students to resolve issues than an introductory level sta-
tistics course with hundreds of students. Chemical engineering junior David Ascencio said he didn’t experience any problems with his Chromebook until his sophomore year, when he had similar issues with ProctorU and a program for his biology lab. “They couldn’t do live proctoring with the Chromebook,” Ascencio said. “I had to ask other people for their laptops during finals and exams. Everybody else had their finals going on too.” The statistics department recommends that students contact Information Technology
Services directly when they are having issues, as they’re able to provide specific instructions tailored to each student’s computer setup. One option for students is the Gear 2 Geaux program, which has Mac and Windows laptops and Chromebooks available for check-out at the LSU Library Access Services Desk. If there are no computers available, students can be put on a waiting list and Access Services will notify them when a computer becomes available. Students can also access the ITS Computer Labs in the LSU Library and Patrick F. Taylor Hall.
STARTERS, from page 3
H I R I N G a new
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LOUISIANA’S YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH: COPING THROUGH COVID LIVE DISCUSSION EVENT WITH Q&A
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 | 6:00 PM CT LIVESTREAM ON WELLBEINGS.ORG/LPB What is the new “normal” during a world-wide health pandemic? It’s a challenge we all face, but it may be an even bigger obstacle for Louisiana’s youth. From the loneliness and isolation of lockdown, to the sadness of missed milestones – many of Louisiana’s youth are facing unique challenges. Louisiana Public Broadcasting and Well Beings are teaming up for a community conversation that will help to address these topics and more. This interactive event will help Louisianians identify the challenges our youth are facing and offer valuable resources that move the discussion beyond awareness and toward recovery.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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THIS WEEK IN BR BY AVA BORSKEY @iamavab If you’re looking for an activity to get your mind off things, here’s some upcoming events in and around Baton Rouge. Whether your idea of fun is horror movies, kayaking or classical music, we’ve got you covered. FESTIVALS AND EVENTS Scotland Saturdays at 8551 Scotland Ave. Explore all the vendors have to offer at the Scotland Saturdays market. Scotland Saturdays, founded by Byron Washington in 2018, promotes local businesses. Get up to North Baton Rouge at 8551 Scotland Ave. on Sept. 25 to socialize and shop for food, art, jewelry and more. The open market is held on the last Saturday of every month. Saturday Stargazing at Irene W. Pennington Planetarium You won’t have to wonder what stars are twinkling up in the sky after this event. Learn about the stars and constellations at 10 a.m. every Saturday until Oct. 30 at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum on 100 S. River Road in Downtown Baton Rouge. After gazing at the stars, make a day of it and explore the museum — it’s all included in the $12 general admission.
MUSIC Tyler Farr at The Texas Club You know how the story goes, “A guy walks into a bar.” And on Friday Sept. 24, country music singer Tyler Farr will walk into the Texas Club. Farr’s had several Billboard Hot 100 hits, including “Redneck Crazy,” which peaked at No. 2, and “Whiskey in My Water,” which peaked at No. 15. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the show starting at 9 p.m. General admission tickets are $25 and can be found here. The Texas Club is at 456 N. Donmoor Ave. Baton Rouge Concert Band at East Baton Rouge Parish Library Main Branch The Baton Rouge Concert Band will be playing music inspired by stories like “The Raven,” “Gulliver’s Travels” and “Sleeping Beauty” at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Listening Library event on Sunday Sept. 26. The Baton Rouge Concert Band, founded in 1976, is a volunteer community band dedicated to enriching and entertaining Baton Rouge. The band will be filling the shelves with sound from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. The performance is free to attend with registration available on EventBrite.
THEATRE “The Hobbit” at Theatre Baton Rouge Plan your six (or seven) meals a day around one of the Theatre Baton Rouge’s Young Actor’s Program performances of “The Hobbit.” This one-hour play adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien novel follows Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and company on their adventure to recover the lost treasure of Lonely Mountain. Be sure to order your precious tickets before they sell out. Opening night is Sept. 24, with performances running through Oct. 3 at TBR’s Studio Theatre, 7155 Florida Blvd. Student tickets are $25. Surviving Shakespeare at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Main Branch To go or not to go — that is the question. The East Baton Rouge Parish Library invites Shakespeare fanatics to join Tony Medlin on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. Medlin, a theatre professor at Baton Rouge Community College, will be leading a presentation on the well-known English writer and how the rhythm of Shakespeare’s language is expressed in his plays. This free event will be hosted in the large meeting room at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.
ART Halloween Advent Calendar at Create Studios Online Workshop Start your countdown to Halloween by making a cemeterythemed calendar with a craft kit from Create Studios, an arts and crafts space in Baton Rouge. This craft workshop will be held online Tuesday Sept. 21 from 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $44 and available through EventBrite. Art kits can be shipped for an additional $7 or you can arrange a pick-up. MOVIES Manhattan Short Film Festival at Manship Theatre Manhattan Short narrowed down 967 short film entries to 10. Now it’s your turn to judge. The Manhattan Short Film Festival is a week-long event where the winning films screen in over 400 cities across six continents, including right here in Baton Rouge. The 10 finalists of the 2021 Manhattan Short Film Festival will be screened at the Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette St., on Thursday, Sept. 23 starting at 7 p.m. Each attendee will receive a ballot to vote for the best short film and actor at the end of the night. “Tales From the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight” at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Main Branch
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library will screen the 1995 horror comedy “Demon Knight” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 22. The Collector, portrayed by Billy Zane, hunts down a man who possesses an ancient key that will unlock evil. This is the second event of the “FALL FRIGHTS!” horror extravaganza, continuing through November at the EBR Parish Library main branch, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. ADVENTURE Kayaks and Coffee at Milford Wampold Memorial Park Hey, you want to grab a coffee — and kayak? BREC says its Kayaks & Coffee event held at 901 Stanford Ave. on Tuesday Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. until noon will start your day off with the perfect blend of adventure. The cost is $10 per person. Learn to Top Rope Belay at LSU UREC The giant rock climbing wall in the center of the UREC may look intimidating at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Learn some climbing techniques at this UREC event on Tuesday Sept. 21 from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. No prior climbing knowledge is necessary. Free registration is open now until noon on Sept. 21 on the UREC’s site.
FOOD AND DRINK
Crumbl Cookies makes an extraordinary introduction BY EDDY HAGE @hage_eddy From the first location at Utah State to here in Louisiana, Crumbl Cookies has traveled across 32 states and established over 200 bakeries in four years, all to land at LSU’s doorstep. The shop boasts a weekly rotating menu of over 120 potential selections, but only six gourmet cookies are available per week. The store is closed every Sunday to purge their old flavors and introduce the new ones, except for their two signature cookies — warmed chocolate chip and chilled sugar. The most recent featured selection included pumpkin chocolate chip, orange and lime sherbet sugar cookie, blueberry cheesecake graham cracker and chocolate peanut butter chip. Every Sunday, Crumbl Cookies announces their updated weekly flavors on their social media accounts.
PETER NGUYEN / The Reveille
Signature Crumbl cookies sit on display Sept. 17 next to the register at Crumbl Cookies in Baton Rouge, La. History junior Andrew Gainey tried a few of their cookies, including the chocolate peanut butter chip. “It was delicious, like a Reese’s cup with a cookie’s texture,”
Gainey said. Crumbl Cookies has amassed millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok, helping their meteoric rise to cookie royalty. Fans tune in every week to see
the new flavors announced along with flashy videos of the baking process. Their open-kitchen Baton Rouge location at 6555 Siegen Lane is about 15 minutes from
LSU. There were reportedly hourlong waits for their gourmet cookies around its opening. “The location is convenient since it’s toward the city’s center, but when I tried to order, the catering was booked for the first three weeks,” Gainey said. Lines have cooled down since then, though the chain remains popular among locals. Crumbl’s main competitor in Baton Rouge (especially for LSU students) is bound to be Insomnia Cookies. Being within walking distance from campus certainly helps Insomnia stay in the cravings of students, and Insomnia’s prices offer a better bargain. Insomnia has the upper hand both in price and distance, but Andrew Gainey thinks Crumbl beats them with taste. “Though the shop is further from campus and more expensive, I think the cookies are bigger and more satisfying,” Gainey said. “If you ain’t at Crumbl, where ya at?”
Monday, September 20, 2021
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Monday, September 20, 2021
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LSU VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN LSU defeats Central Michigan 49-21 on Sept. 18 in Tiger Stadium.
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron leads the team onto the field on Sept. 18, during LSU’s 49-21 victory over Central Michigan.
FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille
Fans chant in Tiger Stadium, Sept. 18, during LSU’s football game against Central Michigan.
FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille
LSU football fans dance, Sept. 18, in hopes of seeing themselves on the jumbotron during the LSU vs. Central Michigan football game. FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille
FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille
The LSU cheerleading squad spells out “GEAUX” while leading a cheer prior to the LSU vs. Central Michigan football game on Sept. 18.
LSU junior wide receiver Devonta Lee (16) holds onto the ball during LSU’s 49-21 victory over Central Michigan inside Tiger Stadium on Sept. 18.
FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille
LSU junior wide receiver Jaray Jenkins (10) looks on, Sept. 18, during warmups prior to the start of LSU’s recent home game.
FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille
LSU football defensive players prepare a play during their game against Central Michigan.
SPORTS FÙTBOL SCHOOL
page 8 FOOTBALL
LSU offense flashes potential BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha
shutout of the season. “We saw 3,000 fans cheering their hearts out for the Tigers, and that was just an electric atmosphere to play in,” Head Coach Sian Hudson said. “It was great to open SEC play in front of that crowd.”
Looking to gain momentum before heading into conference play, LSU came into Tiger Stadium on Saturday night against Central Michigan with something to prove, and they did just that. For the first time this season, we saw a glimpse at the Tiger team who we thought we were going to see in the preseason. LSU took down CMU by a commanding score of 49-21 behind an abundance of young guns. Offensive production, which in the previous two weeks was at a dismal, shined against CMU. Behind good protection from the offensive line, LSU’s offense was able to stay two-dimensional, establishing the pass and run game, which was deemed to be too much for the Chippewa’s defense to handle. The Tiger’s offense had an all-around good outing, led by quarterback Max Johnson, who went 26-of-35 for 372 yards, 5 touchdowns and an interception,
see SOCCER, page 9
see MICHIGAN, page 9
SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille
The LSU soccer team runs onto the field Sept. 17, before their 2-0 win against Mississippi State at the LSU Soccer Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
LSU soccer shuts out Mississippi State in front of SEC-record crowd BY MORGAN ROGERS @__morganrogers It was muddy. It was loud. It was packed. It was an SEC matchup. After winning only two matches last fall, the LSU soccer team has a legitimate shot at being named this year’s SEC cham-
pion. On Friday night, in front of an SEC record-breaking crowd of 3,021 people at the LSU Soccer Stadium, the Tigers defeated Mississippi State 2-0. The No. 6 LSU squad extended their winning streak to 11, remaining undefeated (8-0) this season, while the Bulldogs now stand 2-3-3 on the season;
their previous two games slated against Southern Mississippi and Belmont had been postponed following a COVID-19 outbreak on the team. Consequently, the Bulldogs were missing 10 players from Friday’s match. The Tigers scored two quick goals, and by the end of the match, they had outshot State 19-7, in their fifth
FOOTBALL
Coach O impersonator on his unusual path to LSU fandom BY DYLAN SANDERS @DillySanders If you’re a sports fan on Instagram, Twitter or TikTok, you’ve likely come across Barstool content creator Joey Mulinaro. His funny skits and spot-on impressions have gained him over 650,000 followers across his different accounts. A large following is not all that Mulinaro has gained from doing this, however, as the Indianapolis native has grown close to the LSU football program. I recently sat down with Mulinaro, ahead of his first time in Tiger Stadium at this weekend’s game against Central Michigan, to talk about how he got started and why he’s become a die hard LSU fan. “Making videos for a while, man. It all started really with me, my buddy Ben Polizzi,” Mulinaro said before we shared a laugh about Polizzi’s videos. “[I just want] to have fun and do something cool, make people laugh and hopefully make ourselves stand out a little bit from the crowd.” His niche that set him apart was something that he had actu-
COURTESY OF JOEY MULINARO
Joey Mulinaro shows off an LSU helmet signed by Ed Orgeron. ally been doing his whole life: impressions. “I didn’t start doing them publicly until about three years ago,” he said. “But through
school, when me and my buddies would be in the basement, I would always have an impersonation of one of their parents or a teacher or a coach you know.
So I’ve been doing them for a long time, but again, when I got to be in college and more in the media world, I was like, ‘alright, maybe this is a way that I can
make myself stand out a little bit. So maybe I should start trying to do impressions of people who everybody knows rather than just my group of six buddies.’” That, of course, brought him to one of the most recognizable voices in the country. Our own, coach Ed Orgeron. “The magical year for the Tigers,” Mulinaro said. “Once LSU started to really pop off, the whole country just kind of fell in love with Coach O — everybody besides the people from Alabama, I guess. That’s where I was like, ‘alright, there could be something here.’ So then I started doing some sketches with me impersonating him and putting him in different scenarios, and they just kind of caught fire and people seem to enjoy him.” Mulinaro’s growth as a content creator wasn’t the only thing that came out of the situation, as Mulinaro fell in love with the LSU program and its fans due to the reviving of support he’s received from Baton Rouge. “I’d say I’m all in. People want to give me a hard time about
see MULINARO, page 9
page 9 MULINARO, from page 8 hopping on the bandwagon and what not,” he said. “And I’ll fully admit that. I didn’t really follow him that much, besides just being a really big college football fan until 2019. But at the same time, I have way more of a connection than a lot of people have to them with my ties with Coach O. I formed the relationship with Joe Burrow, T-Bob Hebert, Jordy Culotta, Jacob Hester, all those folks down there at ESPN Baton Rouge. LSU fans and students, from the time that I went to the National Championship game when they beat Clemson, it really was a rise there. Then throughout, LSU fans have been so gracious with me, they’ve been so supportive of my work. They’ve welcomed me with open arms. I just really fell in love. Around me is the Big 10. Besides Ohio State, it’s a pretty big basketball area but there’s nothing like SEC football. So you combine all those together and. I’m ready to go, man. It’s Geaux Tigers forever.” He pointed out to me that he has two LSU helmets sitting prominently on a shelf in his office. Mulinaro said still being here despite the rough season really shows he means it. The National Championship was his first time seeing an SEC team live, which is not a bad way to open yourself up to the
MICHIGAN, from page 8 which came in his final drive of the evening. With five touchdowns, Johnson joined the company of LSU greats such as Joe Burrow and Zach Mettenberger, as he became just the fifth Tiger quarterback ever to throw for five touchdowns in a single game. Aside from Johnson, LSU’s leading rusher and two lead-
Monday, September 20, 2021 conference. Saturday against Central Michigan was his first time visiting Death Valley after multiple delays and game cancelations caused by COVID-19. “So my guys Jordy and T-Bob initially had me hooked up for the Alabama game last year before. You know, the shutdown happened. Then obviously with the shutdown and COVID that got axed. So, yes, Saturday night will be my first Saturday night in Death Valley and I am ecstatic. I cannot wait. I’ve got T-Bob and MeganMakinMoney, my coworker at barstool who is a Louisiana gal herself, to show me and my wife the ropes. You know we’re doing it up big so I’m glad that I’m not gonna have to search, I’m just gonna have people tell me where the best places to go, and I’m gonna be following their lead, and it’s gonna be great.” Mulinaro also offered some insight on what Barstool is like as a job: freeing “You know, [there’s] not a better place in the world for a creator to work, because they give you such freedom. They give you the ability to go after whatever you want. And you know somebody like me who just wants to create, whether it’ll be through writing or video or podcast or whatever, no better place to do it. It’s been a dream.” One of Mulinaro’s biggest goals this weekend was fulfilled when he met Coach O on Friday. “Yo Joe!” Coach said. ers in receiving yards were all true freshmen. Establishing the ground game was something that Coach Ed Orgeron continues to put emphasis on, and on Saturday we saw just that. True freshman Corey Kiner had a breakout evening against CMU, averaging 6.2 yards a carry, registering 74 yards on 12 attempts and a highlightreeling touchdown. Kiners’ performance caught the attention of
FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille
LSU football fans chant Sept. 18, during the LSU vs Central Michigan football game in Tiger Stadium.
SOCCER, from page 8 The skies cleared in Baton Rouge just in time for play to officially start around 7 p.m. The Tigers made striking efforts immediately on the pitch after kickoff. Midfielder Athena Kuehn made an on-goal shot which was blocked by Mississippi’s goalie, Maddy Anderson. LSU made a few more attempts that went off-target to keep the pressure consistent, as well as strategically making substitution changes before a chance came at the 28th minute. Senior defender Grace Haggerty took the corner kick, and both teams scrambled to gain possession. While dueling in the box, which was turned into a mud-pit, LSU forced State to make an error and score an own goal to put the Tigers in the lead one to nil. “The surface we played on tonight provided some challenges, but I thought the players dealt with it really well and put the ball in the box,” Hudson said after the match. “[We] created some really difficult moments for Mississippi State in the first half and got the first goal from it.” Shortly after, LSU assured their fans that victory wouldn’t come from chances alone, but also from skill. In the 34th minute, senior Lindsi Jennings made a quick pass to forward Tinaya Alexander, who sent the ball soaring into the top-left corner of the net, from outside the box to many, including former Tiger running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. With John Emery Jr. being sidelined this season due to academic eligibility, Kiner’s presence is going to be a key part of the Tigers’ ground game, along with Tyrion Davis-Price. As for the receiving core, we got our first glimpse of the former No. 1 prospect in the state of Mississippi, Deion Smith. In his outing, we quickly saw why Smith was compared to former LSU players such as Justin Jefferson. Orgeron said we might not see Smith until next week against Mississippi State, but his presence was a pleasant surprise to all. All Smith did was haul in five catches for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns. To compliment Smith, you have fellow true freshman, Jack Bech. The wide receiver had a highlight moment of his own, as he hauled in a one-handed snag in the corner of the end zone over a CMU defender. This marks the Lafayette natives’ first touchdown of his purple and gold career. Bech went on to haul in four more catches on the night for a total of 81 yards. With Smith and Bech playing the way they did, they were able to add some new elements to the Tigers’ offense. “I like getting mean, nasty and physical on the line, but I like going up and getting it,” Bech said. Bech went on to say that his touchdown moment was “surreal and a “dream come true.” “It was fun to see them do it in Tiger Stadium. I’ve been seeing them do it all the time in practice,
put the Tigers up two goals. This goal marked Alexander’s seventh goal of the season, which almost averages a goal per game. The rest of the match was about defense for LSU. Goalkeeper Mollee Swift and the Bulldogs’ Maddy Anderson kept the net for the entire duration of the match. Swift finished with two saves,
and Anderson, three. The Tigers gave the Bulldogs a few close calls before a quiet 15 minutes concluded the match. LSU will commute to Oxford, Mississippi, for their next SEC matchup on Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. CT. Tiger fans can catch the match against Ole Miss on SECNetwork+.
SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille
The LSU soccer team stands and kneels for the National Anthem Sept. 17, before their 2-0 win against Mississippi State at the LSU Soccer Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
LSU football graduate student defensive end Andre Anthony (3) scores a touchdown on Sept. 18, during LSU’s 49-21 victory over Central Michigan inside Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. and they finally got their chance,” Orgeron said of the pair of true freshman receivers. “I feel like we took the next step, and the only way to go is up,” linebacker Damone Clark said of the team. “We’ve just got to keep elevating.” This was by far the most all-
around, complete game that LSU has played to this point thus far. With a showdown in Starkville next week, the Tigers are going to have to continue to find ways to put points on the board if they have any hopes of keeping up with Bulldog Head Coach Mike Leachs’ high-powered offense.
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OPINION
page 11
Board of Supervisors silenced faculty governance SULLY’S SCOOP
CLAIRE SULLIVAN
@sulliclaire
Tucked quietly into a recent LSU Board of Supervisors’ agenda was a resolution to abolish the Faculty Council, which had voted overwhelmingly to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine in its first meeting in years this May. University leaders have spent months ignoring repeated health concerns from faculty and staff— anxieties that only amplified as the Delta variant tore through a largely unvaccinated Louisiana. Lackluster pandemic protocols have left many on campus—faculty, staff and students—to question what regard, if any, the administration has for their health and safety. An attempt to silently destroy an arm of faculty governance is particularly troubling at a time where many professors have made desperate pleas concerning
workplace safety. Altering the structure of faculty governance is a major proposal that should require the consultation and endorsement of those it represents. Instead, faculty only discovered the resolution the night prior to the Board meeting, and many didn’t hear of it at all. Prof. Robert Mann of the Manship School of Mass Communication spoke in opposition to the resolution at the Friday morning Board meeting. “This is happening only a few months after an overwhelming percentage of the Faculty Council voted for a COVID vaccine mandate,” Mann said. “The Council has existed for decades, but just months after more than 700 of its members asserted themselves on behalf of this school and the Baton Rouge community, you are planning to abolish that council?” He went on to ask, “If you assert—as I suspect that some of you will—that this is a harmless or even helpful reorganization of faculty governance, then why did
you fail to involve the faculty?” Pres. William Tate stated he didn’t propose the resolution, but he did defend it, saying the design of the two faculty bodies was “very confusing” and that he’d “never seen anything like this before.” “I do think there is a need for greater clarity about who actually is the faculty representative body,” Tate said in response to Mann. “And for me, quite frankly, that clarity is mandatory if I’m gonna actually govern with you. Because it is not clear who I am governing with in light of the way we’re designed.” Tate admitted faculty should have been consulted in this resolution but continued to defend it by claiming he’s not even sure which body to which the resolution should have been brought. But this cuts at one of the things that made this resolution so bizarre: If the Board was truly confused about which body to engage with, how is erasing one of those bodies from university
regulations without faculty consultation any sort of solution? And it’s also not entirely clear where this confusion comes from. The Faculty Senate is a smaller elected representative body, whereas the Faculty Council includes “all full-time members of the faculty” as voting members. The Council, Mann explained, is an avenue to check Senate power, if needed. Would we eliminate the U.S. House of Representatives if the president found bicameral legislature too confusing? The May meeting of the Council is a perfect example of its distinct purpose: to capture the will of a large swath of faculty. The Council hadn’t met for years until it voted to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine. That vote allowed the faculty to prove forceful support for a mandate and echoed an earlier resolution of the Senate (though, unfortunately, these resolutions were largely disregarded by the university).
Claims that these two bodies are simply too confusing to coexist are worthy of heavy skepticism. No one on the Board took issue with the organization of faculty governance until the Faculty Council voted forcefully in favor of a policy the administration had no intention of supporting. Though this resolution was tabled for the time being, its proposal only further eroded the strained relationship between faculty and the administration. Faculty shouldn’t have to beg for adequate workplace conditions, and they shouldn’t be informed of proposed changes to faculty governance as an afterthought. Tate’s goal of a “scholarship first” university is a noble one. But it will not be achieved if the administration continues to undermine the trust of its faculty. Claire Sullivan is a 19-year-old coastal environmental science sophomore from Southbury, CT.
Seasonal out-of-state jobs are great for college students CRADDOCK’S CORNER KATHRYN CRADDOCK
@kcradd4
It was this past March when I was studying with a friend on campus and I realized how close summer was. As a college student who had recently changed majors, I was not going to secure an internship any time soon. I had three months of free time ahead of me and I needed to find a job. I randomly got the idea of working in another state for the summer. Little did I know that I would end up staying in a cabin, for free, on a lake bordering Canada as I bartended and made plenty of new memories and friends. I hear people talk about the importance of finding internships and doing career-oriented volunteering during your summers in college. But for those of us who are still early in our career paths or who have yet to decide on our post-college plans, these opportunities may not be available. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fun summer, though, because seasonal jobs around the country can provide invaluable life experiences.
THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES
Students crowd the PMAC to explore the variety of career opportunities offered at LSU job fair on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014. I used the job-searching site coolworks.com, which mostly posts adventurous seasonal work at national parks, resorts or summer camps. Many jobs also provide free room and board to their employees. Summer is the busiest season for these types of jobs, which makes it perfect for college students on break. Workers can quickly be hired with minimal experience and
leave after only a few months. I applied for about 20 jobs, and the first one to call back was a bartending gig at a resort in the northern woods of Minnesota, right on the border with Canada. The resort offered free housing in a cabin on the premises with a much higher salary than I was used to in Louisiana. I accepted the job soon and after drove 24 hours up the Mississip-
pi River from southern Louisiana to northern Minnesota. I quickly fell in love with my cozy lakeside cabin in the woods, a mere 20-second walk from the bar where I worked. It was my first time bartending, so it took me a while to learn the different drinks and find my groove in the bar. Luckily, all of my new coworkers were friendly and patient with me as I learned. My home for the summer was a
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The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The 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 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 Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
small vacation town filled with other resorts, each of which had seasonal workers my age that I could befriend. My summer was filled with bonfire parties, kayaking, paddle boarding, cliff jumping and boat rides on the clear, deep blue lake. It was freeing to swim and feel fish brush against my legs without a lingering fear of being eaten by an alligator. Right after the bar closed at 1 a.m., a lot of us seasonal workers would jump in the lake. The town was so secluded that there was no light pollution, so the sky looked magical. Lying on my back in cold lake water while I stared at the open sky full of stars will always be a special memory for me. I will admit that the bugs were terrible, but the rest of the landscape made up for it. Looking back, I am thankful that I decided to get a job somewhere new for the summer. Seasonal work is an excellent option for college students looking for something different and rewarding, and I hope that more students can have experiences like mine. Kathryn Craddock is a 21-year-old mass communication junior from Patterson.
Quote of the Week “Good food, good eating, is all about blood and organs, cruelty and decay.”
Anthony Bourdain chef and writer 1956 — 2018
Monday, September 20, 2021
page 12
This year’s Met Gala theme: ‘A Lexicon of Hypocrisy’ HADEN’S HOUSE OF HYSTERIA HADEN DEVILBISS
@SullenDucken Monday, Sept. 13 was a day that shook me to my core. I’m an American, a proud capitalist and lover of luxury, but seeing the goings on of 2021’s Met Gala made me willing to give it all up. As I saw the ostentatious outfits, the tone-deaf political maneuverings and the gushing hypocrisy on display, I nearly sympathized with the Communists. Since then, I have taken a few days to reconnect with my inner American—eat at McDonalds, yell at Europeans online, purchase weapons with alarmingly little credential verification—and I am happy to report a full recovery. But this event can’t be something we simply ‘move on’ from. Though it may cost me my own health, the Met Gala must be held accountable for its faults. The Gala is an annual fundraising event for the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art. The event is the fashion equivalent of the Oscars or Grammys, where a convergence of designers, models, and celebrities
showcase an annual theme, this year’s being “In America: a Lexicon of Fashion.” Conceptually, all of this is perfectly fine. A night chock-full of wealth and glamour is something that anyone with a passing interest in entertainment or fashion can enjoy. Even I have a sartorial streak, and if the Gala was confined by its descriptor, then it would have been harmless indulgence. But in our modern political climate, we can’t have nice things. Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez attended the Gala, accompanied by this year’s hottest accessory—a ham-fisted political message. Ocasio-Cortez wore a white dress emblazoned with “Tax the Rich” in bold red capital letters. The message itself is fine, and making a direct political statement—while it certainly shouldn’t be encouraged at a non-partisan event such as this—is acceptable. The problem is the sheer hypocrisy on display. Attending an event like the Met Gala, where tickets can cost upwards of $30,000 and the clientele are exclusively elite, while wearing a dress advocating for increased taxation for the wealthy is so obviously hyp-
COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES FOR THE MET MUSEUM
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attends the 2021 Met Gala on Sept. 13 in New York City. ocritical that it hurts. To defend herself, OcasioCortez revealed that she was given the ticket and didn’t have to pay for it. Nevertheless, the opulence of the event and net worths of her fellow attendees seriously defanged an otherwise potent rallying cry against the 1%.
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masks, there are plenty where they aren’t, including when they are talking to each other in close proximity. Most of these celebrities have expressed promask sentiments in the past, vehemently so in some cases. However, it seems as though it’s all performative ritual as soon as it inconveniences them. While all staff and guests were required to be vaccinated to attend, only the staff observed the mask requirement, the elites strutting about them without a care in the world. The hypocritical idea that virology doesn’t apply when you’re wealthy is absurd. The entire Gala was one big celebration — not of fashion, art or even pompous decadence, but of hypocrisy. From politics to COVID regulations, all this sham of an event shows is the attitude of elitism that deludes these people into thinking they are exempt from the rules they set for the lower classes. We can only hope that the Met uses the Gala’s revenues for genuine education and the betterment of the public, values its wealthy patrons clearly have no care for.
If it was simply one politician acting like a hypocrite, it would just be another Monday. But no, the hypocrisy extended to almost all of the stars there, as they didn’t practice any social distancing guidelines or properly use masks for mitigation. While there are photographs of these stars wearing
Haden DeVilbiss is a 19-yearold history and psychology sophomore from Lake Charles.
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