The Reveille 9-18-23

LSU

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Impressive win over Mississippi State could be turning point.

BY JASON WILLIS @JasonWillis4

LSU marched into Starkville needing to make a statement.

After a disappointing opening loss to Florida State that raised questions about aspects of the team that were supposed to be rock solid and the type of win against Grambling State that’s hard to make any real conclusions from, this was LSU’s first chance to show it had grown.

It was in a similar position a year ago.

The Tigers looked sloppy and uncoordinated in a loss to Florida State in New Orleans before hosting Mississippi State, with a blowout win over Southern sandwiched in between.

LSU had questions then about an underperforming defense, a brand new offensive line and an offense captained by a transfer quarterback that had yet to earn the fan base’s trust.

Mississippi State came into the game favored, with a highpowered passing offense and wins over Memphis and Arizona. The Bulldogs jumped ahead to an early 13-0 lead, and though LSU had come up with two fourth down stops to keep itself in the game, there was nothing to suggest the Tigers had a chance of coming back. There was no energy.

That was until Jayden Daniels directed a seven-play drive capped off with an eight-yard passing touchdown to Jaray Jenkins in which Daniels passed or ran for all 75 yards. The score came with less than a minute

left in the half, with LSU stealing points that would serve as the springboard for a 24-3 run to close the game with a 31-16 win.

The Tigers answered the questions. They proved they were capable of solving problems and overcoming adversity. This Saturday, they did it again.

LSU had no issues with a slow start this time, rocketing out to a 24-0 lead before Mississippi State finally scored with less than a minute left in the second half.

Heading into halftime leading 24-7, LSU had 310 yards to Mississippi State’s 79, 72 of which came on its two-minute drill touchdown drive. Unlike LSU the year prior, the Bulldogs weren’t able to turn that last-second score into any momentum, as the Tigers shut them down in the second half for a 41-14 win.

LSU was the favorite this time and came in as the more complete team with a dynamite passing offense, but the game was still critical. The Tigers needed to show what they were capable of to flip their season around.

“We needed this game,” head coach Brian Kelly said. “It was the need to go and validate who we were. They knew what they had, but they needed to go out and prove it based on the bad taste that was left in their mouth.”

The Tigers now have a chance to build confidence from this performance as they head into the heart of their Southeastern Conference schedule, beginning with next week’s home game against Arkansas.

A major question coming into the game was how LSU would

handle Mississippi State’s rushing attack, with running back Jo’Quavious Marks leading the SEC in rushing yards up to that point in the season. With the Tigers having struggled to contain even Grambling’s run game, it was a real possibility that Mississippi State’s strengths would play into a key LSU weakness.

Instead, just as it did last year, LSU answered the doubts with a fantastic performance from a previously underwhelming front seven. Not only did the Tigers hold Mississippi State to 94 rushing yards, a previously dormant pass-rush that had only one sack on the season went off for four sacks and four quarterback hits.

“I just think we were all having fun out there, flying around,” junior linebacker Greg Penn III said. “Today we really came together as a whole. We went out there and brought a lot of physicality.”

Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers was under duress for most of the game, and his limitations as a pocket passer made for an easy target for the LSU defense. Harold Perkins, Mekhi Wingo, Major Burns and Sai’vion Jones each came up with sacks.

In addition to setting the tone for a successful 10-4 season, last year’s Mississippi State game also served as the first breakouts for a few freshmen. Perkins burst onto the scene with 2.5 sacks and 6 tackles against the Bulldogs, and right tackle Emery Jones Jr. picked up his first start in the matchup. Both, of course, are now stars for LSU.

This game may have intro -

duced some breakout stars for LSU, as well. With starters Omar Speights, Greg Brooks Jr., Ovie Oghoufo and Mason Taylor all limited with injuries, plenty of freshmen were given opportunities, most prominent of which was linebacker Whit Weeks.

The former four-star linebacker manned the middle alongside Penn and played a key role in shutting down Mississippi State’s ground game, being involved in most tackles and showing his solid instincts.

“He can go from sideline to sideline. He sees an open gap, he’s going to take it. He recognizes,” Kelly said.

“He played a great game. He’s gonna be a great player,” Penn said.

It’s unclear how big of a role Weeks will have once Speights returns to health, but it will be hard to keep him off the field going forward. Kelly noted that his breakout at inside linebacker will help free the team up to use Perkins more off the edge.

In addition to Weeks, edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack, safety Ryan Yaites, tight end Mac Markway and running back Kaleb Jackson were each spotted snaps. Jackson in particular dazzled with a few highlight runs that showed off his explosiveness, but all of these freshmen have impressed the coaching staff and will only see their roles grow.

Just like last year, LSU leaves its matchup from Mississippi State with newfound hope. Against a quality conference opponent, the Tigers showed a glimpse of how good they could be.

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.

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REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille

LSU football sophomore left tackle Will Campbell (66) uplifts the crowd on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, during LSU’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.

GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE

With primary weeks away, Louisiana governor hopefuls fire shots at debate

BY CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire

The seven candidates for Louisiana’s next governor appeared on stage together for the first time ever in a Friday evening debate.

Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican who leads the polls, joined his competitors after skipping the first debate and a number of group events that are traditional campaign stops.

He and Shawn Wilson, a Democrat who trails him in the polls, caught shots from other candidates as they debated abortion, accountability in policing, pandemic restrictions and the insurance crisis.

The other contenders included four Republicans: state Sen. Sharon Hewitt of Slidell, state Treasurer John Schroder, former business lobby head Stephen Waguespack and state Rep. Richard Nelson of Mandeville. Hunter Lundy, a trial lawyer and political independent, was also on stage.

The candidates fought to distinguish themselves from the crowd with the Oct. 14 primary less than a month away. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote that day, there will be a runoff between the top two vote-getters on Nov. 18.

Abortion

Louisiana fell under a near-

EDUCATION

total abortion ban after Roe v. Wade was overturned, with few medical exceptions and no carve outs for incest or rape. Recent polls show Louisiana residents are split on the state’s abortion

policy.

Wilson declined to label himself as either “pro-life” or “prochoice” after a moderator asked why he removed language (from his website) describing himself

as the former.

Other candidates needled him on that point.

“Shawn Wilson is talking out

LEADERSHIP

New leadershipfocused student group

BY JALEN HINTON @JalenH2600

The newly formed Leadership Coalition hopes to build an all-inclusive space for students to develop leadership skills.

The new group comes after Hansley and Salone lot a bid for student-body executives last semester.

The founders—mass communication senior Byron Hansley, biology senior Amber Salone and kinesiology junior Macye Brown said they always envisioned an organization to connect LSU students and equip them with the resources to drive effective student leadership.

The new group held its first meeting on Sept. 11, in Coates Hall, room 152. Before the meeting began, conversation filled the air and eager students filled the seats. Shortly after, the committee chairs and executive board members introduced themselves one by one.

Membership in the Leadership Coalition is divided into three tiers: executive board members, committee members and general members. Each tier has varying responsibilities.

The Leadership Coalition is

LSU joins consortium of over 100 universities studying slavery

BY CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire

LSU has joined a consortium of over 100 universities examining slavery and its legacy today.

The group, Universities Studying Slavery, was founded by the University of Virgina in 2016. It includes higher education institutions across the nation and in Canada, Colombia, Scotland, Ireland and England, according to its website.

“Member schools are all committed to research, acknowledgment, education, and atonement regarding institutional ties to the slave trade, to enslavement on campus or abroad, and to enduring racism in school history and practice,” the website reads.

The collective has several purposes: to provide mentorship on educational projects related to slavery, educate students on the legacy of slavery, promote reconciliation practices by universities with histories intertwined with slavery and

foster collaboration between universities.

The legacy of slavery can be found on LSU’s campus. Geography professor Andrew Sluyter found in 2021 that the Student Health Center is built atop a cemetery for enslaved plantation workers.

“Founded in antebellum times, funded in part through the sale of indigenous lands, and located on campuses built on former plantations and indigenous lands throughout Louisiana, Louisiana State University has a lengthy involvement with slavery and indigenous peoples,” an announcement welcoming LSU to the group reads.

But despite its relevance to LSU, the group said, “the university lacks a comprehensive, detailed study of that aspect of its past, the need for which recent events have made inescapable.”

Faculty members at LSU have started working toward

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Branches frame the Louisiana State Capitol on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Baton Rouge, La.

PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Memorial Tower rises in the distance on July 7 on Tower Drive in Baton Rouge, La. see EDUCATION, page 4

of both sides of his mouth,” said Lundy, who noted he did not support adding exceptions for rape or incest to the state law.

Waguespack said he supports the existing law but doesn’t want “doctors to blink in that moment” when they need to make a life-saving decision for a mother.

“Shawn is both pro-choice and pro-life, which makes him either pro both or pro neither,” Waguespack said. “Jeff is willing to put doctors in jail and women in jail if they cross state lines to go and service their own health care needs. John’s not sure.”

Schroder said he supports the law as is, but then said there is confusion around interpretation of the law and what doctors can and can’t do.

Nelson said he would push the Legislature to add rape and incest exceptions as governor. He pointed out he was one of only a handful of Republicans to favor the exceptions in the statehouse.

Wilson said he can only make decisions for himself and that he wouldn’t put his will onto others.

“There’s only one person on this stage tonight who will ever experience that decision of having an abortion or not,” he said in an apparent reference to the only woman on stage.

Hewitt said she supports the law on the books and wouldn’t add further exceptions.

Another pandemic?

Candidates were asked how they would handle another pandemic — and if they would support mandates on masks, vaccines and shutdowns.

Landry put his stance like this: “As governor, I will never allow the government to get in between you and your doctor. I will never let the government

EDUCATION, from page 3

that study, the group notes, and joining the collective is a step closer to building that report. Other unviersities in the Deep South engaged in the collaboration include Tougaloo College, the University of Mississippi, Southern University Law Center and Tulane University.

get between you and your hairdresser, and I also will not let the government get between you and your priest or your pastor.”

Wilson said he thinks “it’s oxymoronic that we can put the government in between a woman and her doctor, but not when it comes to vaccinations.”

He said he would make his decisions based on science and see what is warranted based on the situation.

“Remember, the mask mandate and other things that were done were there to protect the life of families around the state so that we can have hospital beds,” he said.

Nelson, Waguespack, Hewitt and Lundy said they would not impose such mandates. Nelson said he opposed shutdowns even in the early months of the pandemic and that the effects on school children were “terrible.”

Toll roads

INCLUSIVITY, from page 3

also organized into a handful of committees, including outreach, public relations, fundraising, community service, philanthropy and more.

After the presentation, the meeting turned into an icebreaker session of bingo, and students went around the room marking off different facts about each other.

Some might question whether there’s a need for the newly formed Leadership Coalition, given that a handful of other groups on campus already have similar missions.

But Hansley begs to differ. He envisions the organization as a hub instead of a competitor.

“We saw a need for this organization as the central ground to meet students where they are and bring resources to them by connecting leadership and professionalism,” he said.

The club’s goal is to cultivate leaders on campus, using the principles of advocacy, community and resilience. It highlights these three tenants, leadership said, because they want to teach

Every candidate but Lundy raised their hands when asked if they would consider adding toll roads to fund infrastructure repairs.

Lundy said he wouldn’t put up tolls because he feels they are essentially taxes.

Nelson said he would limit the tolls to expanding infrastructure.

“The state government should really appropriate that money to replace those bridges that have not been maintained,” he said. “But there are, there is a reason, and there is a justification of putting [a toll] in somewhere where you’re expanding infrastructure that wasn’t there before.”

Waguespack pointed to Texas as an example of how he would use tolls. Like Nelson, he said he would add them on roads that make commutes easier if there is a free alternative route to use.

Landry said that, for the last 100 years, whether a road would be built in an area depended on if the legislator voted with the governor.

“If you don’t, the asphalt stops,” he said.

Schroder said he is open to tolls and doesn’t want to rule them out as an option.

Making the case

With mere weeks until voters head to the polls, candidates made their case for why they’re the right person to lead the state.

Landry pointed to his experience as a police officer, sheriff’s deputy, ecoomic development officer and business owner.

“I have stood in the shoes of the people that struggle way more than they should in this state,” he said. “We deserve a state government as good as the people of Louisiana.”

Wilson highlighted “25 years of bipartisan leadership working

under Democratic and Republican governors.”

“Unlike others in this race, I’m not intimidated by race. I’m not intimidated by party,” he said. “We are going to make a difference and it’s time that we stop saying the quiet things out loud and deal with real issues and push forward for a better Louisiana.”

Lundy gave his blunt account of the race in his closing statement, saying he is the only one with the funds to beat Landry.

“Jeff Landry has already made his decision in fixing the race by having the GOP endorse him before any of these other people got a chance,” he said. “Of course, his desire is to have a run in opposition with Shawn Wilson. Shawn Wilson cannot win this race.”

Schroder said he would run Louisiana like a CEO.

“You got four lawyers, two engineers and a business guy,” he said. “...As your governor, I will address the cronyism and corruption that infects this state.”

Hewitt said the race is far from over.

“The political insiders would lead you to believe that this race is over and they’re also telling you who to vote for, but I think voters are smarter than that,” she said. “I don’t think you want a bureaucrat or trial attorney to run the state of Louisiana as governor. I think you want a real problem solver.”

Nelson, the youngest person in the race at 37, said the biggest problem facing Louisiana is migration out of the state. He looks to Texas and Florida as examples of what the state should follow.

“We’re losing 40,000 people a year because we don’t have the jobs and opportunity here in Louisiana,” he said.

their members to advocate for themselves and others, build community by bringing people

together and form resilience for overcoming the struggles associated with school and life.

Some upcoming events the organization has planned include a suicide prevention

CROSS HARRIS / The Reveille The founders of the Leadership Coalition—from left to right, Byron Hansely, Amber Salone and Macye Brown— pose for a photo at their first meeting on Sept. 11 in Coates Hall.

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille Memorial Tower stands tall on Sept. 8th, 2022, on Tower Drive on LSU’s Campus.

FRANCIS DINH / LSU Manship School News Service

Gov. John Bel Edwards, who is term-limited, gave his final State of the State address April 10 highlighting some of his victories as governor.

ENTERTAINMENT

Fall Involvement Fest: Spoon University, LS-Fur-U, Girls Club

BY SAM SEDILO @samsedilo

Another 90-degree day Friday did not stop this year’s Involvement Fest on LSU’s campus, near Azalea Hall.

One of the newest clubs out was LS-Fur-U club dedicated to people who enjoy the furry community and enjoy expressing themselves in a safe place. These students, know their community is looked down upon, and they hope that by starting their club, they’ll be able to change people’s negative perceptions.

Spoon University is a nationwide organization that has expanded to LSU’s campus this year. Spoon University is an online publication that shares a passion for food, whether it’s highlighting food spots in Baton Rouge, sharing recipes or bringing a community of food

lovers together.

Jillian Elliott, editorial manager, and Macie Billings, marketing manager, are working to bring the food culture of the city to more students.

“I think what’s really cool about Spoon University is that it’s going to be one of those clubs that if you want to give it your all, we’ll take it, and if you’re busy, I’ll take what you have,” Elliott said. “It’s one of those clubs where you get what you put into it.”

Elliott said that the club is super low maintenance and that they’re just excited to create a community on campus, whatever that means for people in their everyday lives.

Also at Involvement Fest were Elizabeth Steindorf, and Zahra Naeini spreading the word The Global Surgery Student Alliance.

Promoting, “We focus on

health disparities between the US and other countries and also highlight the gap in quality of care in underprivileged communities,” Steindorf said. “We have guest speakers that come, and they go to countries like Uzbekistan or other places that do not have the healthcare that we have here in the U.S., and we are organizing service events with Our Lady of the Lake. But we are pre-health oriented.”

Steindorf and Naeini have been working to bring more awareness of global health to campus since the club’s founding in October 2022.

“Right now, we are going on a trip to Panama for a medical outreach,” Naeini said. “But we are also looking for people who are pre-dental, pre-vet and other people that are interested in global health to be a team leader.”

She explained that a team leader would organize a team and go to other countries for dental, veterinary and global health trips.

The Girls Club offers opportunities for women looking to work in the sports field.

Bailey Walker, treasurer, and Carly Itzel, social media chair, were out encouraging women that a job in a male-dominated field is possible.

“We are a group that is focused on women in a male-dominated field, and give them an opportunity to work in sports and pursue what they are passionate about,” Itzel said. “Now it’s more possible than ever for women working in sports.”

They provide networking op -

portunities and career-building within the sports industry. They also do workshops and participate in conferences so women explore their true passion.

Next to the Girls Club was the National Council of Negro Women.

“The National Council of Negro Women was founded to promote Black women’s families and communities,” president Rachel Sheppard said. “It has turned into an organization that promotes financial literacy, education, entrepreneurship and economic stability.”

Lemon Racing was also out showing what they are all about. By using Italian ice cups

as paperweights, they demonstrate that typical garbage can be recycled and used for another purpose.

Joseph Hosford and the team is working to fix a run-down 1966 Dodge Coronet on a $500 budget. Their goal is to get it racing for 24 hours straight.

“We have to do whatever we can, as cheap as we can, to make it work,” Hosford said. “I’ve taken aluminum cans, flattened them out, and have cut them to the right shape for parts on the car, and they’ve worked.”

Hosford hopes the club will not only attract engineering students but also welcome students of every major.

Rev Rank: ‘Bottoms’ proves that real cinema is finally back

BY SAM SEDILO @samsedilo

Elizabeth Banks, producer of “Pitch Perfect” and “Cocaine Bear,” has brought back the early 2000s raunchy comedy genre with her new movie “Bottoms”, and it didn’t disappoint.

The sex-forward, satirical comedy starring Rachel Sennott (“Bodies, Bodies, Bodies”, “The Idol”) and Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”, “Abbott Elementary”) brings all the fun and dark humor back to the big screen.

There’s no other way to describe this movie than utterly insane.

The movie follows PJ and Josie, two unpopular and practically invisible friends trying to get with the girls of their dreams. How do they do that? They create their own fight club to find “solidarity”

with the other girls in school.

The plot seems simple, but the movie takes so many shocking turns and, at points, will have you gasping. It packs a punch, literally.

The writing for “Bottoms” is top tier. Many movies today don’t take the risk of dark humor, as it can often be misinterpreted. It’s hard to find that perfect medium in what can, and can’t, be said.

“Bottoms” pushed that boundary and didn’t look back.

Director Emma Seligman and Sennott wrote a script that makes it seem like you’re experiencing deja vu.

It’s a refreshing change from some of the bigger productions we have seen in theaters this year, and it doesn’t miss the mark of stepping outside the box.

Seligman’s direction should be applauded for taking a path less traveled.

It’s fun. Simply fun. The camera can be focused on one

character, but all you notice blurred in the background is a child in a cage. Like, what?

The level of extreme satire the film brings is unworldly.

It’s a satire of violence, of the high school experience, of the dimwitted jocks. The movie creates a perfect mixture of dark and humorous.

Sennott is slowly making a name for herself in Hollywood. Not only her acting but also her writing were phenomenal in this movie.

Edebiri has made 2023 her year. She stars in the critically acclaimed FX Hulu comedy series “The Bear,” looking to take home her first Primetime Emmy. She has also been in “Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Big Mouth,” “Abbott Elementary” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.” Her resume for 2023 alone is impressive.

Marshawn Lynch was a big standout in the movie. Lynch plays Mr. G, a history teacher who becomes involved in the fight club, over watching its meetings.

The ex-NFL running back has become a big personality on TV and in the theaters.

Lynch has been funny since playing in the NFL, going to the 2015 Super Bowl interview only answering with “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.” The same out-of-pocket humor is put on display in “Bottoms,” and he doesn’t feel out of place at all during the movie. He fits right in with the cast.

Knowing the movie wasn’t the biggest production project of the year, I wish it were played in every theater and not just select theaters. Everyone should be able to experience the wild nature of this film in theaters. It will have you wondering, “Did they actually say that?”

We praise Nolan and Spielberg-esque films, but “Bottoms” is such a refreshingly fun movie that we need to see more often. I hope directors and production studios can take direction from this movie. It might not be for the faint of heart, but it was an insanely fun time.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille Students check out the various clubs and organizations on Sept. 15 at the Involvement Fest near Azalea Hall on LSU’s campus.

OFFICIAL POSTER / “Bottoms”

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

A poster board for the Furry Club sits on display on Setp. 15 at the Involvement Fest on LSU’s campus.

LSU VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE

LSU wins big on the road beating Mississippi State 41-14 on Sept. 16 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.

LSU football sophomore linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (4) attempts to avoid the offense.

LSU football junior wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) flies over his defender.

LSU football junior wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (11) rushes down the field.

LSU football senior quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrates a touchdown.

LSU football junior wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) receives a pass for the touchdown.

LSU football graduate student safety Andre’ Sam (14) steps over his opponent.

LSU football graduate student safety Andre’ Sam (14) looks to the crowd.

LSU football junior running back Logan Diggs (3) sprints down the field.

LSU football junior running back Logan Diggs (3) pushes through to the end zone.

LSU football senior quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) looks back at his defender.

Photos by Reagan Cotten

l a s s i f ieds

ANOTHER TIGER WIN

Offensive explosion leads LSU football to statement win in SEC opener

BY PETER RAUTERKUS @peter_rauterkus

STARKVILLE, Miss. Many say there are no easy games in the Southeastern Conference. LSU might’ve proved that wrong on Saturday.

In their SEC opener, the Tigers beat Mississippi State 41-14 on the road, and looked unstoppable for portions of the game. Jayden Daniels was 30 for 34 with 361 yards, Malik Nabers caught 13 passes for 239 yards and LSU’s offense rolled on its way to the win.

“We showcased what we can do if we execute at a high level,” Daniels said after the game.

Moving the ball was never an issue for the LSU offense through two games. However, finishing drives was.

When a false start took an LSU touchdown off the board on its first drive on fourth-and-goal, it felt like the struggles of the season opener were resurfacing.

That was far from the case.

After settling for a field goal on the opening drive, LSU scored touchdowns on three of its next four drives. The Daniels to Nabers connection was the driving force, as Nabers had 10 catches for 188 yards before halftime.

Head coach Brian Kelly attributed much of the team’s early edge to the way the team thought about the game coming in. The mentality adjustment was a point of emphasis following the Flori-

FOOTBALL

da State loss after a poor start to the second half of that game.

“Just love the way they thought about this trip,” Kelly said. “The way we presented it to them was, ‘Let’s get in. Let’s treat this like a business trip and let’s be the first ones back in Baton Rouge tonight and enjoy Saturday night.’”

That helped LSU to a 24-7 lead at halftime, one it never lost con-

trol of. LSU’s attack through the air looked unstoppable at times, and Mississippi State struggled to find answers.

A big part of that success came with how successfully LSU was able to push the ball down the field. The lack of deep throws was one of the main criticisms of the LSU offense against Florida State. The deep shots came early and often against Mississippi

State, and they opened up the offense which led in part to the 41-point explosion.

“I believe my guys are better than the other guys so I go out there, throw it to the spot and give them a chance and good thing will happen because 90% of the time my guys will come down with it,” Daniels said.

FOOTBALL

Three takeaways from LSU’s 41-14 win

BY PETER RAUTERKS @peter_rauterkus

LSU football made a statement Saturday, scoring a 41-14 win over Mississippi State.

The Tigers were efficient on both sides of the ball, and looked to be in control for every snap of the game. The win is a perfect start to Southeastern Conference play for LSU, who now will play four straight conference games before a matchup with Army.

Here are three takeaways from LSU’s win:

LSU might have the best offense in the SEC

LSU’s offense played its best game on Saturday, led by elite performances from Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers. Daniels had the best game of his LSU career against Mississippi State, throwing for 361 yards and two touchdowns while completing 88.2% of his passes, an LSU single-game record.

His top target was Malik Nabers, who finished the game with 13 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels’ ability in the game to stretch the field, specifically to Nabers, was something he hadn’t shown much of since coming to LSU.

The success throwing the deep ball helped open up the offense,

see OFFENSE, page 10 see TAKEAWAYS, page 10

It takes two: Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers shine in LSU win

BY MACKAY SUIRE @macthetiger

After many doubts, LSU football successfully took its first road win against Mississippi State.

This was a huge matchup for LSU. It started the season in a weak fashion, and a dominant win against a smaller program wasn’t enough to solidify the strength of the team, at least in fans’ minds. Fortunately for them, however, the Tigers took the game 41-14.

Headlining LSU’s first conference win was an explosive performance from the dynamic pair of quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Malik Nabers.

“They executed very well, obviously,” head coach Brian Kelly said. “...Daniels and Nabers hooking up to the level that we all wanted to see, we saw that today, and that’s certainly fun.”

Daniels and Nabers each had stellar performances. Of the 367

receiving yards that LSU tallied, Nabers accounted for 239 of them. In just the third game of this season, the receiver had reached a career high. He last recorded a personal best in receiving yards in the 2022 season, he totaled 163 receiving yards in LSU’s game against Purdue.

“He’s a very great player,” Daniels said, in regards to Nabers. “...How he attacks the ball and how he attacks his weekly preparation, everything... Once he gets going, he’s feeling it, and you know, we will play better as an offense also.”

Nabers was ultimately responsible for two of the five touchdowns that LSU scored. Daniels also rushed for two touchdowns of his own.

The two Tigers found a lot of success in the long game as well, something fans were not used to seeing from either player. Daniels has previously been known

,

10

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille

LSU football junior running back Logan Diggs (3) points up on Sept. 16 during LSU’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille

LSU football junior wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) reaches to receive the pass on Sept. 16, during LSU’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.

OFFENSE, from page 9

Another factor early on was how LSU was able to take advantage of the Mississippi State defense’s fatigue. This was caused by how effective the LSU defense was early in the game.

As much of a statement game this was for the offense, the defense also came in with a point to prove. After a poor showing in Week 1 from the secondary and more shaky moments in Week 2, Saturday became an opportunity to bounce back from the early struggles.

“Going to LSU we have a high standard, we call ourselves DBU. So we just want to uphold the standards that the greats set for us,” LSU safety Major Burns said. “We didn’t really get into all outside noise. We just locked in, and everybody in the building believed and we came out here and did a pretty good job today.”

Mississippi State punted on its first five drives of the game, and went three-and-out on four of those. The quick three-andouts gave the defense little time

to recover from LSU’s methodical drives, allowing LSU to keep wearing the Mississippi State defense down.

The end result was a 530-yard performance from LSU’s offense, 367 of that coming through the air. The offense’s ability showed in the win over Grambling State, but it gained new meaning coming against an SEC opponent.

Daniels had more passing yards than any game during his time at LSU. Nabers set a career high for receiving yards. Freshman running back Kaleb Jackson came off the bench and flattened a defender on a 13-yard run late in the game.

LSU earned a blowout victory without ever looking challenged. Both sides of the ball answered the questions asked of them, but the offense showed it can be elite.

The flashes came against Florida State too but total offense doesn’t matter when you can’t get in the endzone. Saturday, LSU did that.

The game ended as a statement win for LSU as SEC play

began. A statement showing that despite an early season slip up, LSU still has every intention to

contend at the top of what feels like a wide open SEC West.

“We needed this game,” Kelly

and is something that will make the unit almost impossible to defend throughout this season. On top of the big plays that deep throws create, it also opens up the run game that continues to improve.

With John Emery’s return on Saturday, LSU’s running back room only gets deeper as Logan Diggs, Josh Williams and freshman Kaleb Jackson continue to get carries and impress. Jackson showed promise against Mississippi State, running over a defender late in the game while making a serious case for more playing time.

It looks like all of the pieces on LSU’s offense are coming together, and it’s happening at the right time. Looking around the SEC West, there are few defenses who look equipped to stop an offense like LSU’s.

With a good pass rush, the defense can be very good

TEAMMATES, from page 9

more for his success as a rushing quarterback. His play style is polarizing to what LSU rosters had previously contained and for a while, fans watched puzzled as Daniels showcased what appeared to be more confidence in his own athletic ability than in his receivers. Because of this, it was refreshing to many to see a successful long passing game between Daniels and Nabers. According to Nabers, however, they were prepared for this success.

“On Wednesday, I said there were a lot of holes in their defense that me and Jayden saw,” Nabers said. “We were just picking at it all game, just trying to get me the ball in space to where it was open for me and him to be connected, for me to just gravitate.”

Ultimately, Daniels pieced together what would become the best performance of his career

in purple and gold. Kelly immediately agreed.

“Without question,” Kelly said when asked if this performance was the best he’d seen from Daniels. “I mean, he accounted for over 440 something yards. There won’t be a better performance in the country, and if there is, you know, that would be pretty amazing.”

The senior completed 30 of his 34 passing attempts, throwing for an 88.2% completion rate. Daniels tallied 64 rushing yards, his longest run being 23 yards. Daniels managed to collect 361 passing yards, a new career high.

“I don’t always have to run or anything...” Daniels said, “just staying patient and letting my guys go out and make plays.”

It seemed that the receiving core finally reconnected with Daniels. That connection coupled with a stronger performance from the offensive line allowed Daniels and Nabers to

find a lot of success. In its game against Florida State in Week 1, an almost nonexistent offensive line completely shut down LSU’s offense, creating little opportunity for Daniels to find his receivers. The powerhouse that was the Seminole defense plucked apart the little movement that Daniels was able to put together.

LSU’s game against Mississippi State wasn’t just its first conference game, it was the first game since that devastating loss to truly prove its roster’s undeniable talent. Kelly says that this game wasn’t to aid the fanbase’s confidence, but it was more so to confirm their’s.

Kelly said “It was the need to go and validate who we were, and I think our guys really feel good about themselves.” Kelly said “Because they knew what they had, but they needed to go out and prove it, based upon the bad taste that was left in their mouth.”

Much of the criticism LSU received through its first two games was directed towards the defense. The secondary was the focal point of that criticism, giving up big plays in the passing game against both Florida State and Grambling State.

Against Mississippi State, the Tigers gave up just 103 passing yards to Will Rogers, who entered the season less than 2,000 yards away from breaking the SEC career passing yards record.

One of the biggest differences from the first two games was how effective LSU’s front seven was. The Tigers finished the game with four sacks and seven tackles for loss, and put constant pressure on Rogers.

The constant pressure led to Rogers only completing 39% of his passes, and the LSU defense overall had its best game of the season. LSU’s secondary may not be as talented or deep as in years past, but putting pressure on the quarterback is the best way to mask that deficiency.

Diggs and Jackson look like the two best running backs

said. “But it wasn’t the need for confidence. It was the need to go and validate who we were.”

It wasn’t the focal point of the offense this week, but LSU’s running backs had another good game. Diggs got the start after his 115-yard performance against Grambling and ran for 41 yards on nine carries. He showed off his ability to run hard in between the tackles while also being a threat in the passing game with three catches for 30 yards.

Diggs will likely continue to start, and in games more conducive to running the ball it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get 15 to 20 carries. Combined with that, his ability both as a receiver and pass blocker makes him a reliable three-down running back.

Jackson got carries late in the game, much like he did against Grambling. He had just 19 yards on five carries against Mississippi State, but 13 of those came on an impressive run where he ran over a defender at the end of it.

His explosiveness and power are Jackson’s most impressive traits, and he adds something to the backfield that LSU lacks. His power and ability in the open field makes him an exciting prospect, and a player that could add an extra wrinkle to this offense.

TAKEAWAYS, from page 9

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille LSU football junior wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) is lifted up by his teammate LSU Football sophomore right tackle Emery Jones Jr. (50) on Sept. 16 during LSU’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.

REAGAN COTEN / The Reveille LSU football senior quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) looks for a receiver on Sept. 16 during LSU’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille LSU football junior wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) runs down the field on Sept. 16 during LSU’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State in Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.

OPINION

Vivek Ramaswamy is an ideologically vacant politician

maybe those exist, too.”

Vivek Ramaswamy if you asked me who he was a few months ago, I would have been stumped. However, as of now, anyone can recognize that he’s a heavyweight candidate for the GOP and could successfully give President Joe Biden a run for his money.

Simply put, he appeals to many Americans. When he can say that he graduated from Harvard as an undergrad, graduated from Yale Law School and created a successful biopharmaceutical company, there’s no debate that he has “lived the full arc of the American dream,” as Ramaswamy himself put it.

Yet his success story can’t disillusion us from the truth. Ramaswamy has abandoned his humble immigrant roots for a path to power.

He made a bold claim at an Iowa campaign stop: “I’m sure the boogeyman white supremacists exist somewhere in America. I have just never met him … maybe I will meet a unicorn sooner. And

Perhaps his racial colorblindness has made him blind to the ubiquitous presence of white supremacy in American society. Or maybe he’s lucky enough to never know the feeling of being targeted for his race. But his statement misses the mark on how the average person of color feels about their place in America today.

He made this egregious statement in the background of a horrific racially-motivated shooting

committed by a white supremacist in Jacksonville, Florida. While he eventually did acknowledge the motivations of the gunman in a CNN interview, the fact that he claimed more racism comes from the left to deflect the danger of right-wing white supremacy is concerning.

By avoiding talking about the dangers of white supremacy and instead promoting a discussion on the problem of “wokeism” in this country, he has positioned

himself as a candidate who will use any type of useful rhetoric that will get him into power. He’s also following the concerning trend of Republican politicians focusing on low blows to discredit their opponents.

In the aftermath of the first Republican presidential debate, Ramaswamy’s campaign decided to counter Nikki Haley’s scathing attack on his foreign policy stance by making fun of her Indian birth name. On his campaign website, he calls her “...lying, Nimrata Randhawa” to counter her claim that he doesn’t support Israel.

Ramaswamy has potential to be a great candidate. He has the charisma and the youthful vigor necessary to make a positive impact as a politician. It’s unfortunate he has chosen to be a candidate with a vision for his future, not our country’s, and copied the same childish ad hominem attacks former President Donald Trump has used.

With his proposal on raising the voting age, he missed an opportunity to make inroads with younger voters like himself. He’s abandoned all hope in appealing to younger voters, preferring to raise the voting age to 25 and proposing that those who want to

vote should take a test or serve in the military. He claims that raising the voting age will help younger people with restoring “their national pride.”

He’s right when he says the “absence of national pride is a serious threat to our country.”

But he forgets that the absence of national pride within American society is a consequence of our decline as a country. Our politicians have stopped representing the average person in favor of appeasing big business and raking in campaign money for their next election. And he forgets that most Americans of voting age are disillusioned with the direction our country is headed in. Should we force every voter to take a test to “prove” their pride for our country?

His smiling face and commanding voice give the appearance that he’s a new face trying to improve our country. But, he’s part of the same old group of politicians making empty promises to get their foot in the door of politics.

Nathaniel Dela Peña is a 20-year-old political science and history senior from Alexandria.

There are steps you can take to stop chronic procrastination

a scholarship, and you’re putting it off because you don’t think you’ll do a good job and are afraid of seeing a bad result.

You’re probably putting off doing something right now.

It may be a chore, homework assignment or email that needs answering. But instead of getting it done, you procrastinate.

But procrastination isn’t laziness; it’s the manifestation of stress or negative thoughts about ourselves. We procrastinate because we are anxious about completing our tasks, or we believe we aren’t good enough and won’t be able to do a good job.

Procrastination can be beaten, though. It’s in our best interest to self-reflect on the root of the problem and why we are putting off accomplishing a task.

Maybe it’s the final essay for your class or an application for

EDITORIAL BOARD

Claire Sullivan Editor in Chief

Managing Editor Lauren Madden

Cross Harris News Editor

A way to defeat this feeling and stop procrastinating is to simply start whatever you’ve been putting off and evaluate your progress as you go. Maybe it’s not coming out as bad as you thought, and maybe it’s not as hard as you thought. You’ll never know whether you are truly good or bad at doing something if you don’t try it first, and you’ll never be able to improve unless you keep doing it. So, start.

Feeling overwhelmed and daunted by the amount or size of the tasks that you need to get done can also lead to procrastination. The to-do list is too long, or the math homework has too many problems, so you freeze and do nothing instead.

Dividing up a task into smaller chunks is a great way to put in perspective how long it will take you to accomplish. You can

calculate the time it takes to do an assignment if you know how long it takes to finish a quarter of it. All of a sudden, it seems doable.

Another reason we procrastinate is simply because we may hate doing the task that needs

to get done. Laundry, bills or phone calls (ew) will never seem appealing, no matter how you see it.

Come up with something you feel like doing instead, like eating a snack or watching TikTok, and reward yourself with it

after you finish. Give yourself a reason for being productive. Lastly, procrastination can be tempting because of the thrill you sometimes get when accomplishing tasks at the last minute. Cleaning your apartment in the morning? Boring. Cleaning it 10 minutes before your friends come over? Exhilarating! I used to believe that when I put off doing something until the very end, I would do a better job at it and feel more accomplished. However, a wealth of personal experience has taught me that this causes more total stress and is not always my best performance.

The value of your future self’s mental and physical health is worth the effort to beat procrastination and achieve tasks in the most efficient way possible.

Editorial Policies and Procedures Quote of the Week

“My life is so much better, it’s so much more enriched, if I make the effort. If I actually celebrate with gladitude the fact that I get to be on this gorgeous planet.”

Deputy News Editor Oliver Butcher

Colin Falcon Opinion Editor

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.

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 Commu-

ZACH BOYDEN-HOLMES / Associated Press Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy speaks at the Polk County Summer Sizzle fundraising event in Clive, Iowa, Aug. 25.

Isabella Albertini is a 23-year-old mass communication junior from Lima, Peru.

GRAPHIC BY MADDIE FITZMORRIS

G I V E A W A Y S ,