The Reveille 11-20-23 by Reveille

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Jayden Daniels makes Heisman case vs. Georgia State

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How Daniels’ performance compared to other Heisman contenders TARUN KAKARALA / The Reveille

LSU football senior quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) prepares to throw the ball Nov. 18 during LSU’s 56-14 win against Georgia State in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. BY JASON WILLIS @JasonWillis4 As LSU football marches toward the end of the season, the primary goal on its mind is to win. Head coach Brian Kelly has said that the 10-win threshold, which LSU will reach if it wins both its regular season finale against Texas A&M and a potential bowl matchup, has symbolic importance for the Tigers. Double digits in the win column is elite. Reaching that mark, even in a down year, will show that LSU is a top program and, Kelly hopes, will make a statement to potential recruits and transfers. The Tigers’ 56-14 victory against Georgia State was another step toward that goal. LSU dominated down the stretch after a shaky start that saw a 14-14 tie early in the second quarter. After allowing touchdowns on two of the Panthers’ first three drives, the LSU defense tightened up and pitched a shutout, allowing 166 yards the rest of the way. As much as LSU met the Georgia State game with a businessas-usual approach, another stepping stone en route to reaching the goal of winning each game left on the schedule, it’d be silly not to acknowledge the other factors at play. Point blank, LSU is playing to win quarterback Jayden Daniels a Heisman. That goal is in the back of every player’s mind, and it’s certainly in the coaches’ minds as they dial up play after play for Daniels. “Clearly, we feel like we need to continue as an offense to give him an opportunity to show his

skills,” Kelly said. Daniels could’ve come out of the game at the half with LSU up 35-14 when he had a mere five touchdowns and 339 total yards. The coaches could’ve taken him out after he led either of his first two second-half touchdown drives, each adding to his astronomical statistical totals. Instead, he directed one more drive in the fourth quarter and capped it off with one more touchdown. In doing so, he tied a program record set by Joe Burrow in the 2019 College Football Playoff semifinal with eight total touchdowns. “We wanted to set some records,” wide receiver Malik Nabers said. “So, you know, it was all about our coaches having our backs on it, just to keep us in and let us keep rolling.” LSU scored touchdowns on all eight drives with Daniels on the field. “Once I found out I tied the record, you know, I was trying to go again, but I got shut down,” Daniels said with a smile. Daniels finally sat down after that final fourth quarter drive, making way for backup quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. The Heisman candidate ended the night with 413 passing yards on 83% completion percentage and 96 rushing yards. The game was yet another in a season of record-breaking performances that has launched Daniels, who now has 4,591 total yards and 46 total touchdowns, in the forefront of the Heisman conversation. According to most analysts and betting odds, the race for the Heisman has essentially come down to four players: Daniels, Or-

egon quarterback Bo Nix, Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. With Daniels demonstratively staking his claim to the award on Saturday against Georgia State, here’s how the other three players fared in this weekend’s matchups. Bo Nix, Oregon Nix and No. 6 Oregon traveled to Tempe to face off with lowly Pac-12 opponent Arizona State. The Sun Devils have won just two conference games this season, and much like Daniels and LSU, Oregon beat up on a lesser opponent and cruised to a victory. Nix led six first half drives and capped all of them with touchdowns, finishing with 404 passing yards and six passing touchdowns on an 82.7% completion percentage. He played just one drive in the second half, which stalled out in the red zone after an offensive pass interference call and a third down sack. Nix’s performance likely positions him as the co-frontrunner with Daniels for the Heisman. He has 3,667 total yards and 40 total touchdowns on the season. Next week, Oregon will face No. 15 Oregon State, and the Ducks could potentially then play in the Pac-12 championship game against No. 5 Washington, meaning Nix has a few high-profile matchups remaining in which to make his Heisman case. Michael Penix Jr., Washington Penix faltered slightly in his matchup with Oregon State Saturday. He started hot and led the Huskies to a 22-10 halftime lead. Washington didn’t score in the second half and mustered only 49

yards. The game was played in the pouring rain, and Penix struggled, putting up 184 total yards and three touchdowns while completing 54.2% of his passes. Oregon State drew within two in the fourth quarter, but Washington’s defense held strong when Oregon State had a chance to take the lead. Penix completed a third down pass on the final drive to ice the game, kneeling on three straight plays after. Penix now has 3,533 passing yards and 30 total touchdowns on the season. Penix’s performance hurts his Heisman odds, but he’ll have a shot at Washington State next week and a guaranteed stage at the Pac-12 championship. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State As a wide receiver, Harrison faces long odds to win the Heisman, something done by only three wide receivers since 1987: Tim Brown, Desmond Howard and DeVonta Smith. Still, Harrison seems to be the consensus most talented receiver in the country and a lock to go in the top ten of the NFL Draft. He carries a big role on an Ohio State offense breaking in a new starting quarterback. In Saturday’s matchup with Minnesota, Harrison was quiet, catching just three passes for 30 yards and a touchdown. Ohio State has had to lean on Harrison in its most challenging matchups, but it was able to rely on other stars against Minnesota. Unfortunately, that likely brings an end to Harrison’s realistic Heisman chances, although he still has a high-stakes matchup with Michigan and potentially the Big Ten championship ahead.

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The previous edition of this paper contained “Looking to start a club? Here’s how to do it” which erroneously referred to LSU Campus Life as “Office of Student Activities” and misstated Campus Life’s role in recruitment and the number of people necessary to start a student organization. The article has been updated online. We regret these errors.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille 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. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

NEWS JAM-PACKED

page 3 STUDENT GOV.

SG Senate calls for Is the Tiger Stadium student section overcrowded? LSU Athletics weighs in fossil fuel divestment

BY TYLER LAULAND @tlauland

Tiger Stadium is one of the largest stadiums in the world, hosting over 102,000 people any given gameday, but finding a seat to watch the Tigers play in Death Valley can still be a hassle for students, even with their own ticket. On gameday, students line up outside the stadium hours before the gates open to sit in the student section, which offers about 14,000 seats in sections 201-205 and 218-235. However, if you don’t plan ahead you might be left without a spot regardless of what your ticket says. Students that arrive closer to kickoff are often seen standing around, leaning on railings or sitting on the edge of the staircases, finding anywhere to squeeze in. However, changes have been made by LSU in order to improve the student gameday experience. “In recent seasons, we faced overcrowding issues in the student section, so we reduced ticket allotment minimally to prevent overcrowding,” said LSU Associate Athletic Director and Chief Brand Officer Cody Wor-

BY CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire

get all students the opportunity

LSU’s Student Senate passed a resolution Wednesday “to urge and request the LSU Foundation to divest from fossil fuels.” The measure, authored by Graduate School Sen. Alicia Cerquone and co-authored by several others, passed by a wide margin on a 37-2 vote, with eight senators abstaining. Its passage comes after a group of LSU community members marched to the foundation building earlier in the month to demand divestment from fossil fuels. Divestment, as laid out by the resolution, would mean ceasing investment of the university’s endowment in “companies that extract, refine, develop, or sell fossil fuel resources and/or engage in anti-climate lobbying.” The foundation is chiefly responsible for managing the university’s $700 million endowment, about 2-3% of which is tied into companies involved in fossil fuels or anti-climate lobbying, ac-

see CROWD, page 4

see DIVESTMENT, page 4

KARLI SMITH / The Reveille

The sea of LSU fans cheer loudly on Nov. 5, 2022, during LSU’s 32-31 victory over Alabama in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. sham over email. Due to high demand from returning students this year, we created two sepa-

rate three-game packages that were offered to incoming students only, which allowed us to

ENVIRONMENT

New LSU Litter Institute to clean up community, state, world BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton Gov. John Bel Edwards announced in late October the formation of the LSU Litter Institute, a new operation to clean up Louisiana and protect the state’s environment. The institute hopes to accomplish this by aiding projects working to reduce litter and by supporting research aimed at finding a solution to the problem of litter in the community, the state and around the world. “Louisiana is uniquely positioned to lead in litter abatement because of our geography and waterways,” Edwards said when he announced the institute’s formation at the State Capitol. Located at the last miles and mouth of the Mississippi River, Louisiana bears the brunt of litter traveling through the Mississippi River Basin. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency found in 2015 that Louisiana’s waterways have some of the highest microplastic concentrations in the world. LSU is no stranger to litter, and members of the LSU community

are no strangers to cleaning it up. Last year, LSU Law students volunteered to pick up litter as part of a grant received by LSU professor Jeff Kuehny. Kuehny is also director of the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden, where 10 acres of litter were removed from surrounding wetlands as part of another EPA-funded project in 2022. In 2020, Keep America Beautiful released a study estimating that, across America, there are over 49 billion littered items near water and roadways. The study also reports that 90% of Americans find littering to be a problem. Keep America Beautiful is a nonprofit organization that was created in the ‘50s, dedicated to ending littering and supporting the increase of recycling. According to Keep Louisiana Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Louisiana spends around $91.4 million every year on “litter abatement.” Litter is a growing problem. That same KLB study found Louisiana had increased its spending on litter abatement by 65% since MORGAN COOK / The Reveille

see LITTER, page 4

A flattened can of High Noon lays among gravel Nov. 16 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

Monday, November 20, 2023

page 4 CROWD, from page 3 to attend at least three games.” Typically, student ticket packages include tickets to all home games of the season. The last time separate packages were available was 2012, according to Worsham. Of course, students aren’t limited to the student section and can purchase tickets in other areas of the stadium. However, this has led to people entering the student section who had bought tickets elsewhere in the stadium, something LSU Athletics has taken steps to address this season. “Because we allow students to purchase in other sections of the stadium, they and others were coming and sitting in the student section. As a result, we’ve started wristbanding the student section this season to ensure students who have purchased a student section ticket

LITTER, from page 3 2010. KLB also found that Louisiana roadways are covered in almost 143.8 million pieces of litter, the average amount of litter per mile being 10,178 pieces. The need to end littering is not just for beautification, but also because littering can greatly harm

can access the section,” Worsham said. “Those with student section seating can only enter through Gate 7, and no other tickets are allowed to enter this gate. Students are given a wristband when they enter the stadium with their student section ticket, and only students with wristbands can sit in the student section.” There are currently no plans on expanding the student section seating area for the next few years, as well as, no current additional health protocols or procedures related to capacity, Worsham said. “I think at the bigger games like Alabama, Auburn, or any of the SEC schools, it can be very overcrowded,” computer science sophomore Samuel Bustamante said. It’ll always be hard to find some great seats if you do not show up right when gates open but I don’t think it’s a problem for now.”

cording to the resolution. “As a public university, students should have a say in how the funds that support Louisiana State University are invested,” the resolution says, “and the LSU Foundation should be more transparent about the investments they make with endowed funds.” The resolution also points to the acute environmental problems in the state. Louisiana’s coastline is quickly receding, a danger worsened by rising seas due to the burning of fossil fuels. And residents who live on the fence lines of petrochemical facilities — the 85-mile corridor called Cancer Alley — have long sounded alarm bells that the pollution was causing higher rates of cancer, respiratory illnesses and other health problems in their communities. Sharon Lavigne, an environmental justice advocate in Cancer

Alley, urged the flagship university to end its investment in fossil fuel companies. “We want LSU to divest from the companies that are poisoning us and killing us for profit while we don’t get anything,” said Lavigne, whose organization Rise St. James has called for large compa-

nies to divest from fossil fuels, in a statement included in the resolution. To take effect, the resolution needs Student Body President Anna Catherine Strong’s signature or for the time period for presidential action to lapse with no action.

the well-being of the residents of an area, as well as the surrounding environment and its animal inhabitants. According to Texas Disposal Systems, a waste processing services provider, “Litter can spread diseases, viruses, and parasites through two methods, direct and indirect contact.” Around one million marine

animals are killed each year due to litter, according to figures from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. To seed the Louisiana Litter Institute, the Louisiana Legislator has allocated $800,000. “The institute will work to end litter by connecting state, national and international experts, scholars

and students to address this serious issue,” Edwards said. “It is a problem that affects all of us, regardless of where we live. It’s up to us to solve it, and by working together and taking personal responsibility, we can keep our communities, state and beyond clean.” The LSU Litter Institute will likely be one of Edwards’ last initiatives on climate and the en-

vironment before he leaves office in January. During his tenure as governor, Edwards also formed the Climate Initiatives Task Force, Louisiana’s first exploration into studying carbon emissions and strategies for reducing those emissions, which published a climate action plan in 2022, detailing how the state could go net-zero for carbon emissions by 2050.

DIVESTMENT, from page 3

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Student senators listen to proposed legislation Nov. 15 inside the Capital Chamber in the LSU Student Union.

Mental Health can’t wait! Scan the QR code to have a virtual appointment in a few days!

Monday, November 20, 2023

DIVESTMENT, from page 3

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Student senators listen to proposed legislation Nov. 15 inside the Capital Chamber in the LSU Student Union.

Mental Health can’t wait! Scan the QR code to have a virtual appointment in a few days!

ENTERTAINMENT

page 5

LSU’s Feminists in Action sells ‘condom-grams’ to students BY MADISON MARONGE @MadisonMaronge Feminists in Action, LSU’s feminism activist organization, is fundraising through selling “condom-grams” for the Thanksgiving holiday season. These are little goody bags stuffed with candies, risqué notes and (most importantly) condoms, both male and female. With little suggestive statements like “Let me gobble your

turkey,” “Can I stuff you?” and even a small poem, these Trojan and Durex filled “condomgrams” are sure to turn some heads at their sale. Advocating for sexual health and safer sex practices, FIA will be selling these holiday treats for $1 in Free Speech Alley on Monday, Nov. 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Between 10-20% of the profits will go toward its partnership with Planned Parenthood

and the rest towards FIA’s fundraising. “We want people to come out and buy them so we can continue to do fun stuff like this for LSU students,” Lilli Sims, the director for Planned Parenthood affairs for Feminists in Action, said. In the past, FIA has done Valentine’s Day “condom-grams,” with similar playful innuendos, and regularly passes out free safe sex supplies, making sure

LSU students stay strapped with protection. As titillating and silly as these condom-grams may seem, Sims wants buyers to remember the importance of safe sex practices. “I believe every LSU students

deserves access to sexual health resources. Especially after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, it is so important that I, and FIA as a student organization, encourage our peers to engage in safer sex. That’s why we do this,” Sims said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LILLI SIMS

GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT

Perim Isim, Feminists in Action’s treasurer and head of the Fundraising and Philanthropy Committee, holds a Thanksgiving-themed “condom-gram” on Nov. 9 in Baton Rouge, La.

LSU student to ‘make an investment’ with Torchy’s free queso BY JOHN BUZBEE @thebuzzbuz

A restaurant’s queso has to be pretty decent to keep customers coming back. To make them want that queso free for a year? It’s got to be good. That’s what the latest promotion from Torchy’s Tacos banks on. Across the country, Torchy’s locations are currently offering a promotion where the first 200 customers, per location, who purchase $250 worth of gift cards will be awarded with free queso complementary to an order of any menu taco and drink for the next year. The physical manifestation of free queso for a year, included with a meal, comes out to be a “gold card” given to customers who satisfy the promotion’s requirements. The gold card signifies that customer’s worthiness of free queso to Torchy’s employees. Tomas Torres, kitchen manager of Baton Rouge’s Torchy’s location, located on LSU’s campus off of Nicholson Drive, said that his location is participating. It started Nov. 13, he added. “If I do say so myself, we have the best queso in all of Baton Rouge,” Torres said. “I’ve worked in many Mexican restaurants and been manag-

er to many other restaurants. Ours by-far surpasses everyone else’s.” Torres said that of the 200 gold cards sent to his location, so far four have been picked up. The card activates starting January 2024. He said some Texas locations, where Torchy’s started, are already selling through their cards. He said that in order to reach the $250 threshold, it doesn’t have to be a single, bulk gift card; it can be divided among multiple cards, which presents a less-thancheesy gift idea for the approaching holiday season. Electrical engineering junior and self-described queso connoisseur Gregory Field was the fourth receiver of a Torchy’s gold card. His mother, who told him about the promotion on the day of its debut, was the second to receive a gold card, Field said. “It’s making an investment,” Field said. “You can justify it by just going to Torchy’s every other week.” He said he thinks of the purchase as something utilitarian, especially at the volume he dines at Torchy’s already. At the end of the day, he said, it’s just paying upfront and getting free queso as a bonus. Acquiring free Torchy’s queso for a year isn’t the first

of Field’s investments. He also said after doing some “backof-the-napkin-math” at Panera inside of Patrick F. Taylor Hall, he invested $500 dollars in a promotion there which discounted gift cards by 20%, he said. Again, he said, he was just trying to front-load and discount the inevitable costs at a restaurant he frequents. “In my mind, it’s just economic,” Field said.

JOHN BUZBEE / The Reveille

The Baton Rouge Torchy’s Tacos location stands tall on a rainy day on Nov. 14 in Baton Rouge, La.

JOHN BUZBEE / The Reveille

Chips and queso are served on a table at Baton Rouge’s Torchy’s Tacos location on Nov. 14.

Monday, November 20, 2023

page 6

TIGERS DEFEAT GEORGIA STATE

Monday, November 20, 2023

page 7

Photos by Tarun Kakarala

LSU football takes down Georgia State 56-14 in Tiger Stadium on Nov. 18.

LSU football fifth-year senior offensive line Charles Turner III (69) gets into position.

The LSU marching band performs on the field.

LSU football freshman running back Kaleb Johnson (28) runs with the ball. LSU football senior wide receiver Kyren Lacy (2) scores a touchdown.

LSU cheerleaders make a tower.

LSU football junior defensive end Sai’vion Jones (35) and senior linebacker Omar Speights (1) run.

LSU football fifth-year senior offensive line Charles Turner III (69) prepares to snap the ball.

LSU football senior quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws the ball.

LSU football senior wide receiver Kyren Lacy (2), sophomore offensive line Emery Jones Jr. (50) and fifth-year senior offensive line Charles Tuner III (69) celebrate a touchdown.

LSU football senior wide receiver Kyren Lacy (2) runs toward the end zone.

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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle by Jacqueline E. Mathews ACROSS 1 Sore 5 Waterbird 9 Quiche ingredients 13 Wined and dined 15 Aesop’s race loser 16 __-purpose; having two functions 17 Overdo the role 18 Insect eater 20 __ up; arrange 21 Crazy 23 iPad 24 Blackish wood 26 Perpendicular annex 27 Willie Nelson’s age 29 Scornful looks 32 Sidestep 33 Cracker spreads 35 Nocturnal bird 37 Victories 38 Opposite of hollow 39 “Guilty” or “Not guilty” 40 Reasonable bedtime 41 Transparent 42 Dinner course 43 Part of GPS 45 Divides 46 Garden tool 47 Actor Martin 48 Count every penny 51 Actress Leoni 52 Slimy substance 55 Wig 58 Phi Beta __ 60 Sty cry 61 Grand __; 4-run homer 62 More devious 63 Tight __; football positions 64 Joints nearest the navel 65 Lodges DOWN 1 Fills with wonder 2 “O __, All Ye Faithful”

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

3 Folk singers’ gathering 4 “Are we there __?” 5 Not on the up-and-up 6 Armed conflict 7 Limb 8 Tidied up 9 Safe to eat 10 Harbor bird 11 Storm wind 12 Job opening 14 Lower in rank 19 Lowlands 22 Word attached to one or body 25 Pieces of furniture 27 Mr. Gingrich 28 Wall creepers 29 Recipe verb 30 Dough flattener 31 Brow beads 33 “If” or “Trees” 34 Thirst quencher 36 Boys 38 Bashful 39 Not vivid in color

11/20/23

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

41 __ off; walk away angrily 42 Says something 44 Neglects one’s duty 45 “Thar __ blows!” 47 Flower stalks 48 Clog or moccasin

11/20/23

49 Son of Adam 50 Cantaloupe casing 53 Ajar 54 Boat movers 56 Inventor Whitney 57 Head topper 59 2001 Will Smith film

SPORTS NO DAYS OFF

page 9 COLUMN

Star freshman Jayden Daniels leads LSU football with 509 total yards in 56-14 blowout leads LSU hoops

BY PETER RAUTERKUS @peter_rauterkus

BATON ROUGE – It would’ve been easy to take the night off against Georgia State. The game meant nothing to a team already eliminated for Southeastern Conference Championship and playoff contention, and that was evident in the quiet crowd that watched on in a half-empty Tiger Stadium. But Jayden Daniels and LSU football didn’t take the night off. Daniels accounted for 509 total yards and eight touchdowns, and the LSU offense scored on every possession except its last, which ended the game. The defense had its ups and downs but did enough to help lead LSU to a 56-14 win over Georgia State. “Eight possessions, eight touchdowns. What more can you say?” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said. “It’s been exciting watching, and I hope everybody’s enjoyed the the efficiency in which they operate.” Like he has to every opponent on LSU’s schedule this season, Daniels lit up the Georgia State defense in multiple ways. He threw for 413 yards and was once again LSU’s leading rusher with

BY TRE ALLEN @treday0314

receiving. It was the first time in program history LSU had three receivers with 100 or more yards and a receiving touchdowns in a

It’s been an up-down season for LSU women’s basketball after an upset loss in its season opener, but one undeniable thing has been the performance of Mikaylah Williams. The No. 2 player in the country coming out of high school has been lighting up the scoreboard in her first four collegiate games. The freshman from Bossier City, Louisiana, leads the team in points with 20.2 points per game while shooting 58% from the field and 56% from three. Coming into this season, people were aware of what Williams brought to the table with her elite scoring ability, but many eyes were on Angel Reese, Flau’jae Johnson and new transfers Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow. Though they do play important roles on the team, the success of Williams is paramount for LSU down the line. The Tigers came into this season losing key assets such as Alexis

see DANIELS, page 10

see BASKETBALL, page 10

TARUN KAKARALA / The Reveille

LSU football senior quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws the ball Nov. 18 during LSU’s 56-14 win against Georgia State in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. 96 yards on the ground. Daniels’ eight touchdowns tied the LSU single-game record set by Joe Burrow in the 2019 season. “Many people were saying: ‘Would eight touchdowns ever be

touched?’ He tied that,” Kelly said. One difference, though, was the share of targets. Seven different players caught a pass and Malik Nabers, Kyren Lacy and Brian Thomas Jr. all had over 100 yards

SOFTBALL

A look at LSU softball’s new signees from the class of 2024 BY AVA HERBERT @avahebe4 LSU softball had one of its best recruiting classes sign to officially be Tigers this past signing day. The Tigers landed six recruits from around the nation. The class is “one of the strongest classes to sign with LSU and one of the strongest in the country in the 2024 class,” head coach Beth Torina said. Sa’Mya Jones Jones is an elite player from Pearland, Texas. The utility player and pitcher is tied as the No. 2 overall ranked recruit and No. 1 ranked middle infielder in the class of 2024. Jones ended her summer as a Hotshot with a .485 batting average, 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases. She ended her 2023 high school season with a .475 batting average and .571 on-base percentage. With 38 hits, 34 RBIs and 42 runs, she had attention from schools all over the nation. However, Jones wanted to make the best decision for herself. “I wanted a school that wanted me as bad as I wanted them,” Jones said. Before making her final deci-

sion to come to LSU, Jones had over 20 other Division I offers including Tennessee, Stanford and Washington. Although Jones knew that she wanted LSU early on, her father encouraged her to tour the schools to be sure of her decision. However, her immediate connection with Torina made her decision fairly easy. “I can earn any spot I wanted to go after, and she gave me the feeling that she expects me to earn it,” Jones said. “I like that.” Jayden Heavener Heavener is a utility pitcher out of Pensacola, Florida, and arguably one of LSU’s best commits. The joint second-ranked player in her recruiting class, Heavener is one of the best pitchers in the country and will help LSU’s program become more elite. During her time at Pace High School, Heavener was named the FACA 6A player of the year. In addition to the award, she led her team to an 18-2 season with 300 strikeouts and a .19 ERA in 127.2 innings pitched. Among the games, Heavener had 10 shutouts, six no hitters and three perfect games. It doesn’t end there. Heavener is the class of 2024’s

top-ranked pitcher duo, meaning that she’s a pitcher who plays another position or hits at an elite level. For Heavener, her hitting makes her such a valuable player. Heavener ended her 2023 season with a .459 batting average, 39 hits, 33 RBIs, an .823 slugging percentage and seven home runs. LSU landing a commit like Heavener will elevate its program to new heights. “I think in my heart, I always knew where I wanted to be, but now I have no doubt at all,” Heavener said. “I knew I wanted to be an LSU Tiger on Sept. 1.” Jada Phillips Phillips, a Florida native, is a catcher and utility player from Braden River High School. She ended the 2023 season tied as the No. 2 recruit overall and the highest ranked catcher in the class of 2024. In her junior year, Phillips had a .479 batting average, 34 hits and 28 stolen bases. She ended her summer with a .522 batting average and .620 on base percentage. Lightning quick, Phillips has a 2.68 home-to-first speed, allowing her to go 18 for 18 in steals during her time with the Mustangs over the summer of 2023. Zoe Calvez Calvez is an outfielder from

West Orange High School. She was named a FHSAA 7A All-State player after ending her 2023 season with a .420 batting average and 25 stolen bases. She was also selected for the 2023 PGF All American futures team and was part of a three-time FHSAA 7A All Metro and District Softball team. Calvez ended her summer with the Hotshots with a .417 batting average, .550 on-base percentage and 16 stolen bases. Tied as the No. 9 overall recruit and No. 4 outfielder, Calvez had a multitude of schools to choose from. “I went to a lot of different SEC, ACC and Big 10 schools/ camps in and out of Florida,” Calvez said. “But ultimately, LSU was the one that stuck out to me the most and felt was the best fit for me.” Calvez felt comfortable at LSU with Phillips as a previous teammate and Jones as a familiar face since they attended camps together. As a Tiger, Calvez plans to “exceed and get better.” She’s “ready to play anywhere they need me to.” Destiny Harris Harris is the No. 5 ranked outfielder from Granby High School.

In addition to her top-notch fielding skills, she’s also widely known for her hitting. In her junior year, Harris had a .468 batting average, 49 hits, including nine home runs, 36 runs and 24 stolen bases. Harris committed to LSU because of its iconic outfield legacy. “[Ciara] Briggs just got the golden glove. The Andrews sisters, they’re both top notch players, and they’re playing at the next levels as some of the best outfielders out there. I think that just shows how good LSU’s outfield program is,” Harris said. She hopes to continue the legacy in her four years as a Tiger. Alix Franklin Franklin is LSU’s only commit from Louisiana. The infielder from St. Amant High School led her high school team to back-to-back Louisiana 5A State Championships in 2022 and 2023 and is hoping to threepeat in 2024. Tied as the No. 27-ranked prospect, Franklin is a solid addition to the Tiger’s lineup. In her junior season, she ended with a .544 batting average, 56 runs, 49 hits and 22 home runs. With her 4.0 GPA, Franklin is expected to be a reliable player for the Tigers.

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DANIELS, from page 9 single game. “Without them, I wouldn’t be able to do nothing like this,” Daniels said of his receivers. “To be able to catch the ball and be explosive after the catch, that’s something that not too many people have in the country.” LSU didn’t take its foot off the gas either. Daniels and the rest of the starters played well into the fourth quarter, despite holding a big lead. LSU scored 14 points in

BASKETBALL, from page 9 Morris, LaDazhia Williams and Jasmine Carson, players who contributed in big ways last season, especially with Morris who added that additional scoring to help out Reese. Getting Morrow and Van Lith was big, as many people were already calling them the 2023-24 national champions. However, after an early loss to Colorado, things have started to cool down. Both Van Lith and Morrow led their previous teams in points last season, but things have been a struggle for them. Van Lith is shooting 38% from the field and 15% from three while Morrow is shooting 48% from the field and 22% from three. I’m confident those players will find their groove, but in the mean-

Monday, November 20, 2023 the fourth quarter, highlighted by a 40-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Nabers with just under 9 minutes left in the game. With the Heisman Trophy ceremony inching closer, Daniels needed every single one of those yards. Especially with his biggest competitor, Bo Nix, throwing for 404 yards and six touchdowns in Oregon’s win over Arizona State. “Everybody knew what was at stake. We just kept flowing,” Daniels said. Early on in the game, though, LSU needed explosive play from

Daniels and the offense after a slow defensive start. Georgia State scored on two of its first three drives, taking advantage of one-on-one matchups in the secondary early on. The first drive included multiple deep shots down the sideline that either resulted in a catch or a pass interference. The early success in the passing game created opportunities in the run game, leading to a 44-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter. LSU buckled down after that.

The Tigers held Georgia State scoreless for the remainder of the game and the lead only grew as the offense kept churning. Georgia State only gained 120 yards of total offense in the second half compared to 245 in the first half. As pressure was taken off the defense with more scoring, the unit grew into the game and looked more comfortable. “We’ll be somewhere game planning on the sideline and talking about the plays and you look up and it’s a touchdown. So that’s always a good feeling,” LSU safety

Major Burns said. It was the type of offensive domination that has become the norm from LSU, and no one expected any different. Given the opponent, it remains to be seen how much this performance from Daniels will sway Heisman voters, but 509 total yards and eight touchdowns sure doesn’t hurt. “I think he’s the best player in college football and every opportunity that I get, I’m going to make sure that people understand that,” Kelly said.

time, someone else is going to have to step up. So far that’s been Williams. Williams brings another scoring dimension to the offense; she is able to score everywhere on the court and has done it efficiently. Against Kent State, she dropped a staggering 42 points on 83% shooting from the field while also knocking down five 3-pointers. She set a record for the most points in a game by an LSU freshman in the NCAA era. This alone shows you what she brings to the team already as a freshman. She has shown great composure and made the transition from high school to college very smoothly. Her playing so well gives head coach Kim Mulkey more options to work with down the line with specific lineups.

If you want to go with a bigger lineup you can have Van Lith, Johnson, Williams, Reese and Sa’Myah Smith. If you want a more smallball lineup you can take out Smith and put in Morrow, moving Reese to the five. The production of Williams allows Morrow to continue to play that sixth-man role off the bench and brings veteran leadership and the scoring ability we saw at Depaul. On top of that, you still have players such as Kateri Poole and Last-Tear Poa who played crucial roles last season off the bench. People already knew how loaded this roster was, but now with Williams playing the way that she is, Mulkey has more to work with. The starting lineup becomes even stronger, and the bench becomes versatile.

LSU women’s basketball freshman guard Mikaylah Williams (12) directs the play Nov. 9 during LSU’s 112-55 win over Queens in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

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Vape bans are the first wave of racism against white people SERIOUSLY KIDDING FRANK KIDD

@FK446852315 Editor’s note: The following column is satire. The idea that it’s not possible to be racist to white people is a simple one. In a society that gives advantages to white people, regardless of the counteracting factors of other intersections, other races can be prejudiced but don’t have the power to be racist. This sociological definition of racism doesn’t take into account the potential of legislation being passed that marginalizes white people to the point that whiteness is no longer an exclusionary creation; it becomes a real oppressed class. That legislation will go into effect soon. The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control will soon publish its V.A.P.E. Directory, which will lay out which vape products can be sold. It’s expected

to lead to a ban on flavored vapes. Of course other races also vape, but it’s clear who the target of this legislation is. This law may not be the last step; there may come a day when vapes are banned entirely and are punished the same way that crack cocaine was in the ‘80s. At that point, it would become appropriate to say that there is structural anti-white racism. The future where white children lose their fathers to the system, and those fathers are given 30-year sentences for selling blueberry mango flavored vapes is coming. Once thriving suburban neighborhoods will be hollowed out, filled with vape junkies itching for their next fix. Fraternity rows at universities across the countries will become indistinguishable from the most underserved inner cities. LSU junior Kyler Chaz Pennington is concerned about the effects of the vape ban. He opened up about it, saying, “It’s really scary, like they’re really cracking down on us. It’s like, what’s next? Ban-

ning Monster energy drinks? We got a group chat of every white frat in the state, and we’re going to march on the Capitol. It’s crazy to see history repeating itself, like this is just like the civil rights movement.” LSU sophomore Brody Tanner Austin said, “It’s, like, wild. I took a class on racism last semester, and I’m watching like, yo, these are, like, the beginning stages of fascism. Like, I can’t believe it’s happening. I’ve actually been reading a lot of Malcolm X recently, and I’ve noticed similarities between the societal issues he was describing and what’s going on with this situation.” As the tide of racist vape bans grows across the country and antiwhite racism becomes a tangible force, it’ll become important to be more mindful of being sensitive to anti-white stereotypes. While the structure of American society will benefit white people in some ways, the blow of an insensitive joke is felt more when it’s told to someone who’s been personally

GRAPHIC BY MADDIE FTZMORRIS

impacted by racism. Jokes about white people not seasoning their food or using peanut butter to get a little familiar with the family dog will have to wait until a more equitable society is achieved. In a world where vapes are banned, slurs against white people will elevate in status. Non-whites should be wary of using the Cword and avoid anything that contains it. That means avoiding “C-

word” Barrell and eating “C-word” Jacks or cheese and “C-words.” Non-whites should do their best to remain compassionate as the white community is decimated by the vape ban. Being understanding during their time of persecution will go a long way. Frank Kidd is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Springfield, Virginia.

Cars are an eyesore and a drain, trains should be the future NATE’S TAKES NATHANIEL DELA PEÑA @NateDerDoner You’re waiting for a train to go back home, but you see a pretty lady drop a book on the other side of the train tracks. Naturally, if you’re a kind-hearted gentleman, you run to the other side, pick up the book and give it to the girl. She’s boarded the train already, so you need to dash to get on. You’re out of breath, but you’ve found her. You hand the book to her, and you start to fall in love. Otto Anderson (from “A Man Called Otto”) was lucky enough to find his soulmate at the train station. Unfortunately, that’ll never happen here in the United States. We live in the age of the automobile and the interstate system. When I enter my car, I turn into a beast with uncontrollable road rage. Unlike young Otto, I am without a soulmate and filled with fury. Those who decide to zig-zag lanes while going 15 mph over the speed limit or those who decide to go on their phones while

GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT

swerving across the highway will receive the brunt of my unadulterated, obscene yelling. What I value most about trains are the random encounters that are non-existent while driving a car. You can’t exactly meet friendly people while on a solo trip in your car. On trains, you can feel and experience the humanity of everyone. You’ll see the working man with his shoulders slumped, exhausted from a tiring day. Perhaps you’ll see a group of young college students excited to go to a concert or a grandma and her grandchild making a grocery run

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in the early evening. You can strike up a friendly conversation with all of these people while on a train. Even as an introvert, I found it relatively easy to start conversating with the fellow train traveler next to me. The discussion topics could be bland, like how their day went or how they feel about the weather. But if you’re a crazy lover of politics, like me, you’d ask them their opinion on the war in Ukraine or, since I was in a German train, their opinion on how Chancellor Olaf Scholz was handling the cost-of-living crisis. I admit that I might be glorify-

ing trains a bit too much. My experience with them only consists of a short spring break trip to Europe. Not every encounter you have on public transportation will go well. I certainly don’t like the inconvenient delays of trains nor the annoying phenomenon of “stranger danger.” But it sure beats getting in a car crash, going through the lengthy paperwork with insurance to get your car fixed and, of course, potentially dying (you’re 17 times more likely to die while riding a car over an Amtrak train.) Having a passenger network all across our state would be convenient for everybody. Last summer, I was lucky enough to do historical research at LSU. The only problem was that I had to drive four hours to Baton Rouge and back from my hometown of Alexandria, with my day starting at 6 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m. Driving 12 hours weekly for three months (along with working the rest of the day) took a toll on my physical health. If there was a passenger train between Alexandria and Baton Rouge, I would’ve taken that option in a heartbeat. And on game days, it’d be great if those coming from all around the state could do so by

train. It’s inconvenient going to Tiger Stadium by car, and it’s a nightmare getting out. Reducing traffic congestion by building a train network may be expensive initially, but it would be a great investment in the long term. Not only can people from around the state visit Baton Rouge, but folks from Baton Rouge and LSU could also regularly travel to other parts of the state whether for research or for fun. Most importantly, imagine drinking to your heart’s content, not having to worry about choosing a designated driver among your friends and not paying for an expensive Uber after going out. I think every college student would want that experience. Whether you’re looking for a potential soulmate or just a convenient way to get home, the train is for you. But since a train-dominated America is not on the table any time soon, I hope that y’all think of what could’ve been if our politicians cared about sustainable infrastructure earlier in our nation’s history when buckling up in the car. Nathaniel Dela Peña is a 21-yearold political science and history senior from Alexandria.

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“Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.”

Helen Keller American author 1880 — 1968

Monday, November 20, 2023

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Unpleasant perfume is an art form, evokes profound emotion GARRETT’S GAVEL GARRETT MCENTEE

@9are_bear Smells have a complex relationship with humans. Our olfactory sense is delicate and evokes primal feelings. In general, if one smells puke, one may find themselves feeling a touch green. The human nose also relays back to personal experiences you’ve had in the past. For instance, the smell of oranges makes me feel sick, because I used to gorge myself on them until one fateful evening when I puked. And what is scent trapped in a bottle for our smelling pleasure? Perfume! Perfumes are everywhere; they hold sway over humans. Wearing a sexy perfume will make you more confident. Wearing no perfume and smelling bad will (or at least should) have the inverse effect. Unfortunately, a majority of people see perfumes as tacky or excessive. They can’t fathom that perfume is an art form. When we let perfumers do their own thing and really develop their craft, they invent more and more complex smells, things that not only smell good and evoke a sensation but are entire worlds trapped in bottles and waiting to be sniffed.

GRAPHIC BY MADDIE FITZMORRIS

When perfume does this, it’s not tacky; it’s art. And just like how you shouldn’t expect art to be pleasant, you shouldn’t expect perfumes to be pleasant. I don’t mean unpleasant as how some people adore the smell of oud (fragrant oil extracted from tree resin) and others find it overbearing. I mean unpleasant as in the smell of oil, blood, swamp air or metal—haunting smells. An experience condensed into a bottle. These artisanal perfumes are a rarity. Few brands trust consumers enough to risk breaking the

mold and making perfumes that don’t necessarily smell good but do paint a story. That being said, Toskovat’ Perfume knows that people want to breathe in its art. Toskovat’ Perfume’s entire brand is about creating a vivid image in the mind of the consumer using only the olfactory scent. For example, Toskovat’ has a perfume line aptly dubbed “Extrait de mémoire” or, “Extract of Memory.” One perfume from this line called “Age of Innocence” has the following notes. On top: cot-

ton candy, bubblegum and strawberry. In the heart: metal screech, rubber, gasoline, rose and car seats. Finally, in the base: aquilaria malaccensis (natural oud), Haitian vetiver, cade and cedar. It may be slightly difficult to imagine what exactly is supposed to be happening, but let me try to translate. It opens with a powerful sweetness, kind of like strawberry bubblegum. This then transcends into a metallic tang so pungent it’s like dropping a metal pipe in an empty stairwell. Smelling this perfume trans-

ports you into another headspace, creating a memory that never existed but can be experienced by all who have the pleasure of huffing this scent. Another scent that creates a powerful image is Tsokovat’s “Inexcusable Evil.” This perfume was not made to be worn, in my opinion. I gagged upon my first sniff. A few of the notes in this scent include gunpowder, blood, bandages, iodine, burning flowers and fallen concrete. The metallic notes are very clear to me in this fragrance. When I took the time to digest the scent, all I could think of was cleaning out my first ever stitchworthy wound at work—washing my cut in the metal sink, nose numb from adrenaline, oven firing out burnt pizzas, “lightly” scented hand soap. Tsokovat’ is just one example of an innovative perfume company creating art. Constructing an experience that forces you to contemplate feelings perhaps unfelt, having the same profound effect as staring at the Mona Lisa. Thus, it’s my opinion that perfumes aren’t some tacky ploy to cover up body odor. Perfumes aren’t here to just smell good. Perfumes are here to introduce the human race to a new experience, a story, good or bad, told through the sense of smell. Garrett McEntee is an 18-year-old English freshman from Benton.

A good night’s sleep is the most important part of your routine ISABELLA’S INSIGHTS ISABELLA ALBERTINI

@BasedIsabella

When it comes to improving your grades, sometimes what you need and what you want is the same thing. More sleep. At least 60% of college students get poor-quality sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Not sleeping or getting enough sleep can also lower your learning abilities by as much as 40%, according to the Sleep Foundation, a research organization. It can be hard to get enough hours of sleep as a college student. Between juggling school, a social life and, for some, work, sleeping enough is sometimes pushed to the back burner. But this can have detrimental consequences, not just physically but academically. According to a study published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, losing one hour of sleep nightly can lead to a 0.7 decrease in endof-term GPA. The recommended number of hours of sleep for a young adult is seven to nine. Not sleeping for the required amount of hours can have repercussions besides feeling tired the next day, as sleep debt is cumulative.

GRAPHIC BY MADDIE FITZMORRIS

Prioritizing sleep can make a difference in how you feel and perform academically. When you sleep, your brain filters information and decides what to keep and what to discard. It also clears up space for new information that it will learn the next day. During the deep sleep stage, your brain stores valuable information from the day. If you stay up late studying and miss the stages of deep sleep, your brain

may not retain all the information you’ve learned, and all that studying would be in vain. Instead of staying up late studying, it’s in your best interest to get enough hours of sleep, even if that means fewer hours of study. In the light sleep stage, your brain makes space to learn new information. If you wake up too early to study, your brain won’t have enough space for all this new information. And during the REM stage,

your brain processes and understands all this information. That means that without enough REM sleep, you won’t be able to understand everything you’ve learned and spent time studying. But let’s be honest, sometimes the reason why we stay up late and don’t get enough sleep isn’t because we’re fervently studying. TikTok and Netflix are some of the common reasons why we sacrifice sleep. Exposure to blue light, which is emitted by screens and LED

lights, leading up to bedtime can hinder sleep, according to the Sleep Foundation. Blue light suppresses the release of melatonin in our bodies, which makes us feel drowsy and ready to sleep. Avoiding blue light before bedtime is crucial to maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm, which is achieved when your sleep cycle is aligned with our environment’s daytime and nighttime. Electronic devices should be turned off two to three hours before bedtime to mitigate the effects of blue light, according to the Sleep Foundation. Turning off LED lights and using orange or warm lights instead also reduces exposure to blue light as well as makes sure the room you sleep in is completely dark. You could also use an eye mask to block any light. These habits can make a difference in sleep quality and help ensure that we actually fall asleep at bedtime. Having a good quality of sleep will not only affect your physical and mental health but also how you perform academically throughout the day. So next time you’re considering pulling an all-nighter to study for your exam, try a good night’s sleep instead. Isabella Albertini is a 23-yearold mass communication junior from Lima, Peru.