Garrett Nussmeier waited for his time to shine, and now he’s leading the Tigers to victory.
PLAYING THE LONG GAME
LSU takes over in second half for win over UCLA
BY LIZZIE FALCETTI
@lizziefalcetti
Garrett Nussmeier knows resilience.
While many quarterbacks would feel discouraged spending multiple seasons as a backup, he stuck it out with LSU, patiently waiting for his time to start.
He didn’t transfer to a smaller school where he could increase his playing time. Nussmeier knew the long game was always his to play.
Now as a redshirt junior and in his fourth season with LSU, Nussmeier is leading the Tigers to gritty, powerful wins. In just four games and five starts total, he’s racked up 1,247 passing yards and 13 touchdowns.
“He’s progressing every single week, and it shows in our preparation,” tight end Mason Taylor said.
“I think we have one of the best preparations in the country, just with practice-wise, and I think it shows Nuss is getting better every single week.”
Many wondered how this inexperienced quarterback would fill such big shoes – Heismanwinning shoes. But he’s quickly become the answer for a team whose defense digs itself into holes. Nussmeier responds with clutch passes to help LSU climb its way back up.
Against UCLA on Saturday, he completed 32 passes for 352 yards, but it wasn’t a cakewalk to the win.
The game was tied at 17 entering the third quarter, and Nussmeier showed his resilience to help LSU come back for a 34-17 win over the Bruins. In total, he threw three touchdowns against UCLA.
When asked about his progression through the start of the season, Nussmeier spoke about his team and the players around him who contribute to the success.
“I think we just did a great job as a team in general,” Nussmeier said. “The offensive line did a great job keeping me upright.”
In the second quarter, Nussmeier launched a 45-yard pass, which was perfectly placed in the hands of wide receiver Kyle Parker. With this pivotal play, LSU was able to take back the lead 14-10.
On top of four touchdowns, the LSU offense had two back-toback 90-yard drives. Nussmeier said the offense focused on each play, instead of thinking about the total distance.
“It’s awesome,” Nussmeier said about completing these long drives. “It’s a great feeling, especially as a quarterback, and it’s not an individual effort. The coolest thing is I felt like we did it as a team.”
Being at the forefront of this offense and a new starter, Nussmeier would be closely watched.
His development through these first games shows he’s becoming more comfortable in the pocket as each week passes. Nussmeier’s resilience through these first four games is a testament to playing the long game, waiting for his time to shine.
Head coach Brian Kelly gave credit to the entire offense after the UCLA game, explaining how Nussmeier’s success comes from his support.
“He has a supporting cast,” Kelly said. “He has a really good offensive line. I think they keep him clean. They keep him protected. I think they allow him to do his job.”
While Nussmeier helped lead the Tigers to victory, the receivers also shined.
Tight end Mason Taylor had 77 yards and averaged 9.6 yards per catch. He came into the game against UCLA on Saturday with 91 catches, which is the most of any LSU tight end in history.
Midway through the game,
Taylor also became the leading tight end in receiving yards in LSU history with 990.
Wide receiver Aaron Anderson averaged 12.5 yards per catch and had 75 receiving yards.
Against the Bruins, the running game also improved. Running back Josh Williams had 63 rushing yards, also scoring a touchdown to put LSU up 24-17.
“Part of the running game is the comfortability of those backs to really see holes and make some people miss,” Kelly said. “Again,
that’s not a veteran group. Other than Josh, those are young players that are gradually coming into their own.”
With more carries, each of these running backs like freshman Caden Durham and sophomore Kaleb Jackson will build consistency.
While it won’t be an easy journey in these next weeks against South Alabama and Ole Miss, Nussmeier and the offense will take each hardship as a chance to be resilient.
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PEYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU football redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) prepares to pass the ball Sept. 21 during LSU’s 34-17 win against UCLA at Tiger
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU football redshirt freshman wide receiver Kyle Parker (12) is chased down by a UCLA player Sept. 21 during LSU’s 34-17 win against UCLA at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU football graduate student running back Ty’son Edwards (43) runs down the field Sept. 21 during LSU’s 34-17 win against UCLA at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’
LA attorney general critiques LSU President Tate’s pay
BY JOHN BUZBEE @thebuzzbuz
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill last week called the cash bonus incentives included in LSU President William F. Tate IV’s recently renegotiated contract “an unconstitutional donation.”
Tate’s employment agreement was renegotiated and unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors in mid-August. Aside from a raise of $25,000, which pushes his base pay up to $750,000, the contract outlines an additional $650,000 that Tate is entitled to if he completes objectives specified in the contract and a one-time additional $500,000 for completion of his fourth year as university president under the new contract’s terms.
LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Jimmie Woods Sr. said in a statement on behalf of the board that it is well aware of the heightened pay the president is eligible to receive – one that if completed, nearly doubles what Tate makes by default in a year, totaling his yearly earnings to roughly $1.4 million a year.
The post was made Thurs -
AP file photo of Liz Murrill as an Attorney General candidate, a Republican and Solicitor General for the Attorney General’s office in 2023.
BR Trader Joe’s reopens
BY CROSS HARRIS @thecrossharris
Trader Joe’s in Baton Rouge reopened early Friday after hurricane damage had closed the store for more than a week.
A pink sign taped to the front of the door starting Sept. 11 told patrons the store was closed because of hurricane damage. Windows were blacked-out with trash bags.
“We are happy to be able to welcome customers back into their neighborhood Trader Joe’s,” a company spokesperson told the Reveille Friday.
Signs of life have returned to the grocery store with the talkative cashiers.
The plap-swoosh of its automatic doors made soft music as customers bustled through Friday afternoon.
day from the chief legal officer of Louisiana’s personal X (formerly Twitter) account and does not officially reflect the stance of her office or the Department of Justice. Murrill links to a report from the Louisiana Illuminator concluding that the $650,000 in bonuses are within easy reach of the LSU President, based on
comparing the contract’s requirements with university data and consulting with officials.
“I’m a two-time LSU grad and I want to see LSU succeed,” Murrill said in a statement to the Reveille. “I support Tate as president and also want him to succeed.
My comments are not critical of Tate – he should negotiate as
much as he can in compensation. But the board is spending taxpayer funds, and as chief legal officer, it’s clearly part of my job to ensure our institutions comply with the law.”
Murrill said she was not provided a copy of the contract un-
see POLITICS, page 4
LSU students help house hundreds of shelter dogs
BY MORGAN VANNOSDALL
@morgank2304
LSU students stepped in to help the Companion Animal Alliance Shelter prepare for Hurricane Francine when an Instagram post titled “emergency fosters needed” was uploaded to the shelter’s account.
Within 48 hours of making the post, CAA announced that 255 animals had received temporary foster homes in the lead-up to the hurricane’s arrival.
One such volunteer that offered up their home was kinesiology senior Miranda Chodzko, who helped foster a dog named Max. Having no previous experience in foster care, she wanted to help.
“The most rewarding part was knowing that we could give him a happy home with lots of attention and help out the shelter during the storm,” Chodzko said.
With the storm initially forecasted to hit Baton Rouge directly, the shelter needed to make room for possible strays and civilians looking for shelter for their household pets. Students received the opportunity to foster the animals and provide comfort and care during the storm.
When Francine made landfall,
COURTESY OF @CAAPETS ON INSTAGRAM
Ghost is a handsome make, 9 month old, terrier mix and looking for his forever haunt, just in time for halloween!
there were only two dogs looking for foster homes, who were then swiftly put into foster care.
LSU students are no strangers to helping out around the shelter.
Mass communications junior Morgan Charles has been helping at the CAA since February. This past week, she assisted in putting up posters for missing animals around Baton Rouge. When volunteering, she aims to provide companionship and care for the
COURTESY OF @CAAPETS ON INSTAGRAM
Blue Moon is a female, year old Shephard mix with a beautiful cream colored coat and one stunningly blue eye!
animals.
“The longer I have been there I have been more comfortable with the environment,” Charles said, “just trying to give the animals as much love and nurturing as possible.”
The shelter expressed their gratitude for the help from locals and students on their social media. The effort by all involved allowed for fosters to be returned back the following Tuesday, and
COURTESY OF @CAAPETS ON INSTAGRAM
Calvin is a year-and-a-half terrier mix, he’s constantly smiling and gets extra wiggly when he gets love and attention!
for some to find their “fur-ever” homes.
This was not the first time the shelter called for help. Once asking for emergency fosters when there was below freezing temperatures in January.
Those looking to volunteer or foster an animal, either short or long-term, can apply via CAA’s website.
The CAA is open throughout the week, with varying hours.
Sports administration freshman Lilly Lawrenz and business freshman Tessa Zonneveld sat outside on the low wall by the carts, looting snacks from paper bags.
“Our friends called us with the news. Finally, Trader Joe’s is open,” Zonneveld said.
Popping a banana chip into her mouth, she kicked her legs and smiled.
Lawrenz peered into the parking lot and, opening her mouth, began to speak.
“We came on Tuesday, and they had it shut down,” she said. “It was so sad.”
More shoppers recounted the dark days of more than a week and a half when Trader Joe’s sat shut and lifeless.
“It was terrible,” said communication disorders junior Courtney Barrett, who found the store closed earlier in the week on a shopping trip with her boyfriend, biology senior Jackson Boyd.
“We dropped to our knees and cried out in pain,” Boyd said with a laugh. He raised his fist to the air in a gesture of futility. “We just turned around.”
A burst of cold air shifted Barrett’s curly hair, and the couple walked gleefully into the store.
Humming, cool and wellmissed — Trader Joe’s is back.
BATON ROUGE
CROSS HARRIS / The Reveille Customers return to Trader Joe’s Baton Rouge location on Sept. 20.
STUDENT
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
LSU President William F. Tate IV makes opening remarks Feb. 27 at the LSU Foundation building in Baton Rouge, La.
COURTESY OF TRAVIS SPRADLING OF AP PHOTO
STUDENT LIFE
Students push for digital Tiger Cards
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME @aidanth
In their second meeting of the fall semester, LSU’s Student Senate voted to urge the university to continue its work on a new digital Tiger Card system and announce school closures at least 48 hours in advance of a natural disaster.
The plans, originally proposed in March, include an app that would be interchangeable with an actual Tiger Card for uses such as opening doors, buying food and identifying oneself.
College of Humanities and Social Sciences Sen. Brett Robertson, a psychology junior and author of the digital Tiger Card bill, explained, “The idea is that you use it like Apple Pay. You put your phone up to it, and it unlocks the door.”
“You can have it in your Apple wallet, you wouldn’t be able to lose it, or [have to] pay for replacements over and over again,” Robertson said.
According to Robertson, the latest update from LSU’s Auxiliary services is that “the plan is to have it done by fall 2025.” However, he expressed some doubt, saying, “We’ll see how it goes.”
The virtual Tiger Cards would also be used by online students to identify themselves digitally. The final plans feature both physical and digital options.
In light of the recent impact of Hurricane Francine, the senate shifted its attention to disaster preparedness, voting on a resolution that calls for LSU to announce school closures 48 hours in advance of any forecasted natural disaster.
LA trooper arrested at LSU game
BY JOHN BUZBEE @thebuzzbuz
An off-duty Louisiana State Police Trooper was arrested and charged with two counts of simple battery from a squabble at Saturday’s LSU versus UCLA football matchup.
Law enforcement responded to a disturbance in the stands — a “physical altercation” between the off-duty trooper and two other men that started after an argument. Around 5 p.m., the off-duty trooper was charged.
After investigation, Louisiana State Police said the off-duty trooper is 30-year-old Artellus Bellard of Lake Charles. Bellard, part of Troop D Patrol since 2021, was released on a summons with a pending court date. Authorities say no further information is available at this time.
22, 2020
Student Union.
The bill’s author, University Center for Freshman Year Sen. Emma Miller, a political science junior, felt students were not notified of the closure in “enough time to safely evacuate if they chose to do so.” Miller says, “In the future, school closures from natural disasters should be announced two days before the storm.”
Additionally, senators voted to appropriate $2200 from the senate surplus to fund the Student Government Fall Fest Table in their first spending bill of the year.
In a speech to the senate floor, College of Engineering Sen. Kendal Frazier, an industrial engineering junior, claimed the table would be, “a good representation for the senate and all of student government.” Money that isn’t spent on tabling will end up back in the surplus, according to Frazier.
The two bills passed serve as recommendations to the university administration, urging action from LSU without mandating implementation.
The next Senate meeting will be on Sept. 25.
POLITICS, from page 3
til Friday, a day after making the post, and said she believes the $500,000 to be fair, being tied to his performance.
Murrill continues to question the incentive bonuses, cumulatively an extra $650,000 per year he completes them.
“The ‘incentive’ bonuses are poorly written camouflage for higher base pay,” Murrill said.
“This is not unconstitutional, but it does not incentivize improving. To be competitive with other SEC schools, LSU must pay its system president competitive compensation.”
The university should motivate its leadership to promote more than the status quo, Murrill said. She expects the Board of Supervisors to foster meaningful development, setting meaningful benchmarks that advances the school’s interests and improve nationwide rankings.
Woods, the board chairman, said in a statement on behalf of the board that Tate’s incentive payments were chosen in alignment with LSU’s strategic goals in mind: student success,
FACULTY
LSU Faculty Senate to issue report on student Grammarly usage
BY CADE SAVOY @c_savoy2504
LSU Faculty Senate President Daniel C. Tirone announced at the senate’s Thursday meeting that the joint committee formed to address the use of Grammarly in student coursework had concluded its work.
The committee authored a report detailing its findings, including a list of recommended best practices. Tirone said the report will be made public at one of the Faculty Senate’s two meetings in October, scheduled Oct. 7 and Oct. 29, respectively.
While Tirone, a political science professor, did not discuss the content of the report, he noted that the committee met with representatives from LSU Student Advocacy and Accountability “to better understand how faculty can work with SAA on these issues.”
Tirone said that the committee’s collaboration with SAA yielded important insights regarding the use of Grammarly in classrooms, including the importance of “setting clear expectations around the use of these tools, communicating them to students, and then providing as much documentation as possible when there is a suspected case of academic misconduct.”
The committee’s report comes at a time when colleges and universities across the country are struggling to determine how to regulate students’ use of generative artificial intelligence. As The New York Times reported last year, higher education officials are scrambling to crack down on the use of AI chatbots like ChatGPT in coursework.
research productivity and fiscal responsibility.
He said the renegotiated contract is more comparable to the base salaries of Tate’s counterparts. He added that it’s also recognized that this is the first time such incentive compensation is being used for the LSU president’s office.
But incentive compensation has been utilized by athletics now for years, he said.
“The President’s base salary was set at $750,000 which is considerably below the median,” Woods said. “The contract then layers a series of incentives, which are valued at $650,000, to increase the total compensation to slightly above the median at $1.4 million.”
Woods said the process of drafting and calculating the incentive pay began in summer 2023 by peer reviewing other institutions wherein it was found that the median total compensation for similar university presidents was $1.28 million a year.
Woods said the board used a precedent set by an opinion from the attorney general’s office decades ago pertaining to incentive
Schools’ failure to establish clear guidelines has led to widespread confusion among college students, who have been left unsure how and when they are permitted to use generative AI in their coursework. An Inside Higher Ed poll conducted earlier this month found that 31% of college students report being unsure or unaware of their schools’ AI policies.
To its credit, the LSU Library has compiled a list of “AI Resources and Suggestions” to help students navigate the increasingly complex world of AI in academic settings.
But the university’s official AI policy remains vague. The library summarizes LSU’s current restrictions: “Using any material, technique, application, AI or device on an academic assignment that is prohibited; having any forbidden or unauthorized material, technique, application, AI or device available on any academic work will be considered a violation.”
As the Faculty Senate’s efforts to establish best practices for Grammarly use have demonstrated, what constitutes an “unauthorized” use of AI remains unclear.
Grammarly, a popular essayediting website, has introduced a feature that allows users to access AI-generated writing, paraphrasing and idea generation. The site’s pivot to AI has made many edu-
cators wary of how students make use of the technology in their writing.
How LSU will regulate the use of Grammarly, if at all, is anyone’s guess. But some LSU students have expressed concern at the prospect of the university cracking down on the website.
“I use Grammarly as a spellchecker and to correct my grammar – not to come up with ideas for my papers,” said political science junior Roan Guidry. “If LSU starts checking my papers for Grammarly, not only will my grammar get worse, but I won’t be able to communicate my ideas as effectively. And that’s what professors should care about.”
Guidry also expressed skepticism that LSU would be able to accurately detect the use of Grammarly in student coursework.
“AI detectors don’t work well as it is,” Guidry said. “I don’t see how professors would be able to tell whether my paper has been spell-checked or edited for grammar. I just don’t think professors would be able to enforce it,”
However the Faculty Senate chooses to make sense of students’ use of Grammarly in their coursework, one thing is certain: AI isn’t going away any time soon. Both LSU faculty and students are set to reckon with this new technological domain – Grammarly and beyond.
compensation “which promise additional but reasonable future compensation for future performance by a public employee which is of a demonstrable public benefit” as one that is “constitutionally permissible.”
“The president is the highestranking executive of a multibillion dollar educational and research enterprise,” he said. “It is only natural that the president’s compensation package would evolve to incorporate incentives similar to athletics contracts as well as executives in other markets.”
What Tate’s new contract says about compensation.
Tate’s base pay was upped by $25,000 making his base pay $750,000. He’s provided a house on the LSU Lakes and $15,000 annually for vehicle payments.
His contract was renegotiated one year before his original 2021 contract was set to expire. To receive the full incentive compensation of $650,000, he must complete eight objectives.
$75,000 for each fiscal year university the meets or exceeds 776 new research grant awards.
$75,000 for each academic year the university maintains an 83% retention rate between first to second year for the Baton Rouge campus.
$75,000 for each fiscal year wherein the the university system meets or exceeds $150 million in new research grant awards.
$100,000 for each fiscal year wherein the the university system meets or exceeds $200 million in new research grant awards.
$100,000 for each fiscal year wherein the Baton Rouge campus’ research expenditures exceed $125 million and the whole system exceeds $300 million.
$50,000 for each fiscal year in which the university system’s operating revenues exceed the operating costs by 1.5% of the total operating budget.
$75,000 for each fiscal year in which the system’s philanthropic fundraising exceeds $50 million.
$100,000 for each fiscal year in which the system’s philanthropic fundraising exceeds $75 million.
Upon Tate’s completion of the fourth year of his new contract, he will receive a one-time payment of $500,000.
EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille A tiger card photo stand sits vacant in the Tiger Card Office on Thursday, Oct.
on the first floor of the
COURTESY OF GRAMMARLY
ENTERTAINMENT
LSU Student Health Center hosts ‘Sex-tember Trivia Night’
BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton
The LSU Library in conjunction with the LSU Student Health Center had their yearly Sex-tember Trivia Night on Sept. 19.
The room was packed full of students, filling in the first floor of the library only a minute after the event started. Swaths of groups came to participate and challenge their knowledge, with only the earliest getting their shot to compete.
Friends, partners and strangers alike sat at different tables preparing to compete with other tables for goodie bags and gold crowns. Sandwiches and Jeremiah’s Italian Ice were handed out to attendees while everyone found their groups.
Though the event hit capacity quickly, students passing through were welcomed to the resources offered by the Health Center. One of the more utilized offerings was the “condom buffet,” full of condoms and other kinds of contraception. Informative flyers and booklets were also given out discussing the Health Center and safe sex practices.
The Trivia highlighted the topics of consent, safe sex and re -
lationships, all while engaging attendees with its lighthearted presentation.
Challenging people’s knowledge, giving out resources and providing important information about sex and relationships were the focus of the night. Carli Dilorenzo, a wellness coordinator with the Health Center, was running the show.
“Sexual health is very important for students, and it’s something I am super passionate about for the students to learn, but also in a fun way,” Dilorenzo said. “You guys are in lectures all day, every day, so we really wanted to do an event where you can learn and have fun.”
Levels of sexual education vary greatly across the country, as different states, local governments and high schools all set their own standards for educating their students. It’s a divide that events like Sex-tember Trivia are trying to bridge.
“A lot of students when they come here, it’s their first time away from home, and we don’t know what kind of sex education they have been given. We don’t know if they have access to resources, so
we wanted to have a place for them to get resources. Instead of coming to the Student Health Center, we bring it to them,” Dilorenzo said. Her goal was that everybody left with one new fact
Different games during the night included guessing “green flags and red flags” in a relationship and Dilorenzo’s favorite: “Guess that Contraceptive!” Inspired by clips of the tv show “Pokémon,” she created a line of questions where students had to guess the contraceptive based on its silhouette.
Available throughout the night and on the way out were the informative flyers.
One side of the flyer had the phrase, “I love fries,” with the explanation of the abbreviation: “Freely Given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific.” All the parts that come with giving sexual consent.
The other focused on how to stay safe from sexually transmitted infections, and how people can protect themselves from contracting diseases and getting pregnant. Coincidently, Baton Rouge Metro Health was on campus offering free STI testing.
According to a 2021 study by the CDC, Louisiana is ranked 3rd in gonorrhea, primary and secondary syphilis and chlamydia cases, and 11th in congenital syphilis cases. There were also cards for the Lighthouse Program at LSU. The card talked about tips for “Navigating the Red Zone,” a time near the beginning of the fall semester on college campuses when sexual assaults are most likely to happen.
The library holds the sex-trivia event every year, with the same goal of reminding students about safe sex, all while having fun.
“Sexual health, most people don’t think of it when it comes to their wellbeing. [Sexual health] is absolutely a part of [wellness]. It does not need to be stigmatized,” Dilorenzo said. “It’s okay to talk about it. The more we talk about it, the better access to resources people are going to have.”
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Infoboard sits in the LSU library Sept. 18th n Baton Rouge, La.
Fall Fest 2024
LSU celebrates its annual Fall Fest on Sept. 20 at the Parade Grounds in Baton Rouge, LA.
LSU cheerleaders cheer on stage at Fall Fest.
LSU mascot Mike the Tiger shoots a t-shirt gun at Fall Fest.
LSU Tiger Girls dance team begins performance at Fall Fest.
LSU alumna and 2023 homecoming queen Juliette LeRay speaks at Fall Fest.
LSU Golden Girls perform a routine at Fall Fest.
LSU Tiger Band performs at Fall Fest.
A pair of LSU students poses for a picture in their LSU gear at Fall Fest.
Photos by Alexis Persicke and Pilar Franklin
SPORTS BRUINS BEATDOWN
BY JASON WILLIS @JasonWillis4
Three takeaways from LSU’s win over UCLA
LSU’s win over UCLA featured another second half turnaround just like the week before against South Carolina.
The Tigers turned a tie game into a comfortable 17-point win, but the issues that plagued them in the first half were familiar ones.
Still, LSU continues to show glimpses of the team it could be if it nails down consistency.
“We’re going to keep working with them, and they’re going to turn the corner in terms of listening and trusting,” head coach Brian Kelly said.
Here are our takeaways from the win.
LSU’s defense continues to start slow
LSU emphasized all week leading up to Saturday’s game that the team needed to start faster after falling down 0-17 in the early going vs. South Carolina.
The team even restructured its practices, starting them with 11-on-11 drills to simulate the suddenness of jumping right into game action.
For the offense, it worked. The unit marched down the field and scored a touchdown on the opening drive.
The defense, however, once again took its time to find its footing. It allowed 17 points and
FOOTBALL
198 yards in the first half before allowing zero points and 83 yards in the second half.
“The mistakes are maddening,” Kelly said. “We got to clean them up.”
It’s clear that the recipe for defensive success may just be to create chaos; the Tigers have proven adept at getting to the quarterback and also at forcing turnovers.
At the moment, that explo -
siveness is coming at the expense of big plays. LSU allowed eight plays of 15 or more yards, with four of those coming on third downs.
For LSU to become an elite defense, it has to both prevent big plays and create some of its own. It hasn’t found that balance, especially in the first half of games.
“Now we just got to figure out how, next week, to come out in
the first half and not play sloppy for a quarter and a half,” sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks said.
Mason Taylor is the team’s most valuable weapon
Last week at South Carolina, junior tight end Mason Taylor became LSU’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end. On Saturday, he set another tight
Swim coach talks new season
BY ISABELLE CALLAHAN @isabellecal17
Over the past four years, head swim coach Rick Bishop has been diligently building his team from the ground up, seeking out the most resilient and ambitious competitors in both the pool and the classroom.
Bishop outlined how the LSU swim and dive team is preparing for the 2024-25 swim season with great optimism, even though the team has many newcomers, which can raise uncertainty.
“There is nothing more dangerous than an athlete who has something to prove, and when we get kids like that, they’re going to explode,” Bishop said.
This season, LSU welcomes 13 incoming freshmen and two transfers of all different specialties from sprint freestyle to individual medley. The team will largely be looking to build and surpass the previous season’s successes.
Last year, the Tigers saw solid individual performances from swimmers like Jere Hribar. He’s a 6-foot-9 sprint freestyler and swam an 18.81-second 50 freestyle at the 2024 NCAA Championship.
see WIN, page 10 see COACH, page 10
How Bradyn Swinson triumphed over tragedy for LSU
BY TYLER HARDEN @ttjharden8
One rainy day during his sophomore year of high school, Bradyn Swinson suddenly told his mom to pull the car over.
In front of them was a large snapping turtle trying to cross the road. Swinson got out of the car, walked over to the turtle, picked it up and brought it to the other side of the road.
“I thought it was the kindest thing, the sweetest thing that I saw him do,” Kelli Swinson, Bradyn’s mother, said. “He’s always just had a love for animals.”
You might not expect that from a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end. You’d think he’d be an intense, hard-nosed person both on and off the field.
But Swinson’s a gentle giant. There’s a switch he often flips between daily life and the game of football.
Swinson is the youngest of three boys in his family and has a younger sister who his family
adopted. Along with that, he’s the youngest of nine cousins.
Being the youngest growing up, he had to work twice as hard to compete with his siblings in video games, sports and other activities. Nowadays, though, the script has flipped. Swinson is the biggest, tallest and fastest of his family.
“He’s such a competitor,” Kelli said. “Now when he comes home, he wants to play the video games with his brothers so he can show, ‘no, I’m not losing to you again, that’s history.’”
Swinson’s competitiveness made him a highly-sought after recruit in high school. The former Chapel Hill High School edge rusher held 44 offers out of high school.
But he chose Oregon, which was one of his last two offers.
“I can remember looking at him, and seeing him completely overjoyed and happy that I knew just from that first day of interacting that that was the school he wanted to be [at],” Kelli said.
On Jan. 16, 2020, Swinson made his commitment to Oregon, where he totaled 35 tackles, three sacks, three pass deflections and a forced fumble in three seasons.
After three seasons with the Ducks, he made the decision to enter the transfer portal, and with a connection he had with thenLSU defensive line coach Jamar Cain, Swinson ended up taking his career to Baton Rouge.
“I’m real big on manifesting things,” Swinson said. “Manifesting the life I want to have, manifesting the team we want to be. Manifesting everything.”
In just his junior season at LSU, Swinson was two tackles short of matching his number of tackles in his three seasons at Oregon with 33 tackles. In addition, he finished with two sacks, two forced fumbles and four pass deflections.
With the promise he showed last season, his role in a revamped defense was expected to grow in 2024, allowing him to take a big step toward his dream of playing in the NFL.
“Coach Baker’s just putting me in different positions every week that he believes and trusts me in,” Swinson said. “I’m just trying to do whatever he needs me to do, and do it to the best ability I can.”
On Sept. 1, the day of LSU’s season opener against USC, Swinson and his family received some tragic news.
During the first half of the game, Kelli got a call from her uncle telling her that her mother had passed away due to cardiac arrest.
Swinson received the news at halftime of the game, and he somehow managed to play through the second half.
A day before the Tigers’ season opener, Swinson’s grandmother had given him a call, but he was unable to answer it because he was in team meetings.
On Saturday at South Carolina, he found peace.
Swinson finished with a teamhigh of three sacks along with five total tackles and a forced fumble in an LSU comeback win. The performance earned him the SEC Defensive Player of the Week award.
He accredits it to his grandmother.
“I feel like that’s off the strength of my grandmother, her watching over me,” Swinson said. “I really put that toward her and gave all the credit to her.”
Between his NFL dreams and competitiveness, family and love will always prevail for Swinson. He knows the value of someone lending a hand.
Because just as he was there to gently guide that snapping turtle across the road, his grandmother will be there to guide him this season and beyond.
“He was trying to rationalize that he had the opportunity to try to talk to her, and he wanted to have the opportunity to close things out,” Kelli said. “But I told him, ‘you don’t always get an opportunity, we don’t always know when that last phone call is the last phone call… she knows how much you loved her, you know how much she loved you.’”
SWIMMING
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
LSU football sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks (40) tackles a UCLA player Sept. 21 during LSU’s 34-17 win against UCLA at Tiger Stadium.
BY REVEILLE SPORTS @ReveilleSports
The Reveille is starting a new tradition this year of selecting an Athlete of the Week. At a university where nearly every athletic program is nationally relevant, there’s never a shortage of options. There are always electric playmakers to be found.
As LSU’s one and only student newspaper, the Reveille will be using its unique perspective to honor a standout student-athlete each week.
The inaugural Reveille Athlete of the Week is LSU football’s Mason Taylor.
The junior tight end had eight catches and 77 yards, both of which led the team in its 34-17 win over UCLA.
Three of those catches converted third downs to keep LSU’s offense on the field.
“When we need plays or it’s third down or something, something big, I can pop out and make a play,” Taylor said.
So far this season, he has 25 catches for 237 yards and a touchdown.
Taylor compiled 414 yards as a freshman and 348 yards as a sophomore with Jayden Daniels as his quarterback, and he’s on pace to surpass both marks.
Taylor is also LSU’s alltime career leader in both receiving yards and receptions by a tight end, both records he’s set in the last two weeks.
“It means a lot,” Taylor
said of breaking the record. “But I just want to keep working, keep succeeding every single day. I think I’ve yet to reach my potential.”
Taylor has proven himself as a capable playmaker dating back to his freshman year, which was highlighted by a standout performance to beat Alabama where he caught both a touchdown and the game-winning twopoint conversion.
He said he’s able to make those plays in big moments because he trusts in his preparation.
“As long as you trust that you’ve practiced it, you just kind of block out all the extra noise and just be confident in yourself,” Taylor said.
He’s the son of former NFL defensive end Jason Taylor, a Hall of Famer and six-time Pro Bowler. Taylor says he and his father, who’s currently the defensive ends coach for University of Miami, still get in touch after each other’s games every Saturday.
“He’ll tell me throughout the week, he’ll put my game on and watch film like he’s one of my coaches and let me know some stuff,” Taylor said.
In his career, Taylor has twice been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and was also a Freshman All-SEC selection in 2022.
Taylor will continue to be one of the key pieces for LSU’s offense as it continues to push for a College Football Playoff berth.
Jenna Bridges also offers strong talent for the Tigers. She swam the 200 fly at the 2023 SEC Championships with a time of 1:54.18, which shattered the school record. Bridges was also named team captain this season.
With these exceptional athletes leading the charge, the team is ready to make an impact this season. But it won’t be easy.
The Tigers’ schedule is packed with competitive dual meets, featuring strong matchups against top programs like Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 8 and the University of Texas in Baton Rouge on Oct. 11.
The upcoming meets will be a strong indication of their potential to shine at the SEC Championship in Athens, Georgia, and then, at the NCAA championship in Washington State.
With the team bringing in so many freshmen, it’ll be interesting to see the rookies make the transition from being big fish in a small pond back home to becoming little fish in a big pond in the SEC.
“The metaphor we use is ‘it’s like drinking water from a hose;’
you’re taking so many things in at once,” Bishop said.
The team also has impressive divers, who are expected to make a significant impact, especially after Helle Tuxen represented Norway at the 2024 Olympics.
LSU had even more swimmers and divers represent their respected country at the Olympics.
Eleven Tigers were under the bright lights of the Paris games.
Four of them will be returning to Baton Rouge to compete this season and contribute to the team chemistry on the pool deck.
Back in the 2021-22 season, the Tigers made big waves in the water with their strong performance by swimmers. Olympic sprint freestyler Brooks Curry took home two NCAA champion titles, and sprint butterflyer Maggie MacNeil won the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.79.
In that NCAA championship, LSU was on the map and became a force to be reckoned with on the scoreboard. There was no denying they had talent.
So how will Bishop continue pushing his team to the next level and prove the Tigers are here to stay in the competition scene?
Well, Bishop sees the grit of this young team and how they are putting in work to prove their talent to the rest of the swimming world.
“We will not back down from teams like the University of Texas and Alabama who are all very strong on the senior side,” Bishop said.
In the coming weeks, LSU’s new and returning swimmers of LSU will take the blocks and show the SEC what they can do. Along with this, there is already a strong recruiting class underway for the 2025-26 year, Bishop said.
He also discussed that the team is not worried about the new NCAA time standards that have recently been released. These Tigers know what it will take to prove that they can go toe-to-toe with the top competitors of the SEC.
The tools to be successful are right in front of them and within reach. So who will be the athletes that go that extra mile and swim their way into podium finishes?
Only time will tell, as the season begins in the first week of October.
LSU swimming freestyle/butterfly
at the LSU Natatorium.
WIN, from page 9
COACH, from page 9 end record for the most receiving yards in school history.
It’s a stunning accomplishment for a player that, as good as he’s been since his freshman season, has always gone under the radar.
“Nobody talked about him coming into the season,” Kelly said. “You were talking about everybody else but Mason Taylor.”
No, Taylor isn’t as explosive as Kyren Lacy or as outspoken of a leader as Josh Williams, but his role just might be more integral to the current offense.
On Saturday, Nussmeier looked his way four times on third down, and Taylor converted three of those opportunities into first downs.
“I’m the type of guy who kind of gets hidden and pops out somewhere,” Taylor said.
He’s the ultimate safety valve for Nussmeier, and he continues to be endlessly reliable.
He’s also versatile; he has the skill to block, the speed to get loose in the seams and the awareness to find soft spots in zone coverage in the middle of the field.
The team may need to adapt without Harold Perkins Jr.
After the game, Kelly said that the team was still waiting on a more detailed diagnosis on Perkins’ knee injury, which he suffered in the third quarter.
“We’ll do all the diagnostic testing tonight and tomorrow,” he said.
However, it seems possible LSU could play at least one or two games without the All-American linebacker, which would force the defense to change its scheme slightly.
The Tigers would likely use fewer formations with three linebackers and rely more on their defensive backs. Given how the defensive backs have been the root of some of LSU’s problems – missed tackles and poor pass
coverage – that may not be a good thing for the Tigers.
However, LSU is also expected to have senior linebacker West Weeks back next week after sitting out with a foot injury, and he may allow the Tigers to maintain some schematic continuity.
Still, LSU won’t be able to find someone who can replicate what Perkins does, particularly in terms of his blitzing prowess.
Defensive coordinator Blake Baker may need to dial back his aggressive blitzes knowing he’s lost one of his best in terms of executing them. Several times against UCLA, those blitzes were taken advantage of for huge gains in the flats.
No matter what, replacing Perkins will be a team-wide effort.
“We hope he’s back for us, but we’ll be able to move into other packages that resemble what we’ve been doing,” Kelly said.
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
junior Jenna Bridges competes Jan. 20 during LSU’s meet against Texas A&M
Graphic by Jacob Chastant
OPINION
Chick-Fil-A is all hype, and no game—stop falling for it
Never out of fashion, the yearround traffic jam continues at Chick-Fil-A. Behind the wheel, drivers await craving the crispy, soft bun experience of the chicken sandwich that has captivated taste buds across the nation. Employees, armed with a tablet, are thrown into the elements of a double-laned drive-thru, nudged for extra Chick-Fil-A sauce as the line wraps around the parking lot and onto the road.
A sandwich the size of your palm dressed without an ounce of love and sold without the hallmarks of a proper sandwich. I hope you’re not expecting freshly sliced tomatoes, evergreen lettuce or a perfectly portioned dollop of sauce. Because at Chick-Fil-A that is a “deluxe” option, which the company has so masterfully marketed, coming with an upcharge for what should already
be provided. Giving in, we opt for the deluxe option only to be led astray by a patty with the flavor profile of a store-bought chicken patty.
Despite its 55-ingredient makeup, the classic chicken sandwich stirs little buyer hesitancy as shown in the year-over-year growth the company exhibits. Consumers indulge in fatty, sodium-rich meals with high sugar sauces and fountain drinks without moderation.
The number of Chick-Fil-A locations pale in comparison to other major chains; nevertheless, according to QSR Magazine, Chick-Fil-A generates the highest revenue per restaurant of any chain in the United States. Knowing this, how could you not be drawn to something attested by all your friends? Especially when you see the line as you drive by, wondering how it draws in such a crowd all-day long.
That wonder elicits soft sighs for genuine food lovers seeking a meal packed with flavor, condiments, and toppings. In preparing to write this piece, I went to Chick-Fil-A and ordered their fa-
mous spicy chicken sandwich. In an excellent timely manner, I received my order and headed for a table.
For full transparency, I ordered one spicy chicken sandwich and two packets of Chick-fil-A Polynesian sauce. As I unwrapped my sandwich, I realized to truly evaluate the taste of the chicken, I had to try it in its plainest form. Without sauce, I lowered my head above the table arching the sandwich forward and took the first bite. I was met with a fierce sensation of spice without any flavor. As if a jalapeño and an unseasoned chicken had a baby while I unfortunately indulged in their creation. Simply put, the sandwich is subpar.
It is in no way terrible; however, the taste does little to give credence to its wide acclaim. The Polynesian sauce worked well giving it flavor and balancing the spiciness, but how do you rate a sandwich when its flavor depends on drenching it in sauce?
The fact of the matter is that when I choose a fast-food establishment to give my hard-earned dollar to, I want a seasoned, sa-
vory, juicy experience which Chick-Fil-A fails to provide. Let us introduce the idea that maybe it’s time to consider broadening our chicken connoisseur horizons. Baton Rouge has a variety of options from brick-and-mortar sandwich shops to famous chains such as Zaxby’s and Atomic Burger. Considering these options will expand your palate and lessen the wait
you suffer each time you crave a chicken sandwich. Be brave and seek out new restaurants you have yet to try. You may find a new favorite spot, or at very least, realize Chick-Fil-A is just a well marketed mediocrity of a restaurant.
Mohammad Tantawi is a 23-yearold mass communication senior from Smyrna, TN.
Revive the Baton Rouge streetcar to help our environment
car, but it would also be safer for the average pedestrian.
@SarhanAndrew
Between 1890 and 1936 there were a few routes designed for streetcars within the Baton Rouge area, but unfortunately in 1936, the final route was shut down. Since then, most routes around the city have been replaced with the Capital Area Transit System, or CATS.
Let’s face it, CATS sucks. There never seems to be a bus available when you need one, and they often get stuck in traffic, because Baton Rouge has some of the worst traffic that you could ever experience. This is one of the many reasons why a streetcar would be perfect here, because it would decrease the number of cars on the road.
A streetcar could also offer an alternative to those who cannot drive. Not only is this safer for students and teachers who live near the street -
EDITORIAL BOARD
Buzbee
Furthermore, with less cars on the road, that will also reduce the amount of CO2 produced daily, according to KCATA.org. It would also lessen the cars on the road, which will reduce city wide traffic, making commutes for those not using the streetcar lessen also.
Streetcars are a known thing in New Orleans, and the streetcars there are mostly ridden by tourists, especially the St. Charles Line, which is the oldest continuously running streetcar line in America.
So, what if Baton Rouge took a slice of that pie as well? What would a BR streetcar even look like?
In my mind, this laid out plan would start in downtown, service LSU and Perkins Rowe, and finally end at the Mall of Louisiana. The proposed plan is around 12.7 miles long. While this may be a long distance for a normal streetcar, the implementation shouldn’t be too difficult, con -
sidering the current repairs on Nicholson Drive, Burbank Drive and Bluebonnet Blvd. that would run throughout it. This proposed streetcar route that would maximize usage would start on Fourth St., go through downtown, with stops by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, City Hall, and the Raising Cane’s River Center and go onto Nicholson Drive with a few LSU stops, and then turn onto Burbank Drive with various stops along the way until the final turn, on Bluebonnet Blvd., with services to the Mall of Louisiana and Perkins Rowe.
In total, there would be 16 stops, which will be serviced by both Northbound and Southbound streetcars. Each of the stations will have a crosswalk from the stop to the sidewalk.
The price for implementing this system would cost around $1 billion dollars, and around $500 million per subsequent year after implementation. The cost for the consumers
would be around $2.00, which is the same price as Portland, Oregon’s streetcar, as reported by PortlandStreetar.org.
Similarly to Portland, the BR Streetcar would offer a reduced fare of $1.40 for honored citizens, which includes those who are elderly, impoverished or college students. Similarly, this system will exist so that those who are in need can still travel where they need to go without the worry of the cost.
A billion dollars is a lot of money, but it’s merely a fraction of what the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) spends on our roads per year. In fact, Louisiana spends $7.6 billion per year on roads. That seems like quite a large figure considering the quality of our roads down here. The roads in Louisiana have been the worst that I ever drove on with all of theirw bumps and potholes. I’ve driven in a ton of states, and by far the worst roads have been in Louisiana.
Not only this, but every
Editorial Policies and Procedures
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 editor@lsu.edu 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.
year, the LADOTD and the US Department of Transportation operates highways in this state at a loss. This means that roads will never pay for themselves, especially because there are no toll roads in Louisiana. The streetcar will eventually pay for itself, even if it takes a while. Moreover, the streetcar will boost the local economy by allowing easier access to the Mall, Perkins Rowe, LSU Campus, and Downtown.
With all this in mind, the idea of a streetcar in Baton Rouge is not too far-fetched. It would also be quite beneficial to the city. Not only would it benefit those traveling to watch a concert or football game at Tiger Stadium, but it could help LSU students take a day-trip to the Mall or Perkins Rowe. Ultimately, this implementation will be better for the environment and traffic.
Andrew Sarhan is 18-year-old mass communication freshman from Baton Rouge, LA.
Quote of the Week
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT/ The Reveille
