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Ohio prepares for MAC Championship
LOGAN ADAMS | SPORTS EDITOR
In the 130-year history of Ohio football, there has perhaps never been a game like this.
Ohio’s last Mid-American Conference Championship victory was in 1968 when Ohio coach Tim Albin was just 3 years old. That championship was Ohio’s second in a row, its fourth of the decade, and its fifth overall. In the 54-year Championship drought, Ohio has only competed for the title five times. For the second time in three years, Ohio has a chance to end the drought.
For the first time in program history, the MAC Championship game will pit Ohio against its longtime rival Miami. Friday, Miami beat Bowling Green for a chance to take down its rival for a second time in the same season.
The first matchup of the season, played Oct. 19, saw Ohio lose 30-20 in Oxford. Ohio turned the ball over twice and couldn’t outgain Miami despite taking 25 more snaps than its opponent. However, the Bobcats quickly put the loss behind them.
The loss to Miami was the last of Ohio’s season, its first and only loss in MAC play. In the five games following, the Bobcats have averaged 37.8 points per game, which leads the conference by over a touchdown. This has been a new Ohio team since the loss to Miami, and now it has a chance to show rejuvenation in a rematch against its rival with a Championship on the line.
Here’s everything to know before the game.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: Miami RedHawks (8-4, 7-1 MAC)
Location: Ford Field (Detroit, Michigan)
Time: Saturday at noon
Where to watch: ESPN
Historical record vs. Miami: 24-30-1
MIAMI NOTES (OFFENSE)
The RedHawks’ sixth-year quarterback, Brett Gab bert, leads the way for this offense. Gabbert ranks in the top five in the conference in passing touchdowns, total passing yards and passing yards per game. Miami’s talented group of receivers, led by Reg gie Virgil and Javon Tracy, who have combined for 1,547 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, have aided Gabbert tremendously this season. However, perhaps the RedHawks’ most dangerous weapon is the MAC’s leading rusher, Keyon Mazee, who has tallied 1,045 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on the season.
Despite this, the offense is not where Miami won the right to play for its second-consecutive MAC Championship. The RedHawks rank just seventh in total yards and ninth in touchdowns. In the red zone, they’ve converted 82.9% of their 39 opportunities.
MIAMI NOTES (DEFENSE)
Sixth-year linebacker Matt Salopek has been the enforcer of a talented Miami defense. Salopek has registered 106 tackles, good for fifth in the MAC, and three interceptions which is tied for fourth.
BATTLE OF THE BRICKS WINNER TAKES ALL
One more for glory
It hasn’t been Salopek alone though, as defensive backs Eli Blakey and Silas Walters have each recorded over 75 tackles and defensive lineman Brian Ugwu has tallied a fifth-in-conference 7.5 sacks.
This team has 12 interceptions and forced six fumbles, putting it toward the top of the conference in turnovers. If Ohio is going to avoid a similar fate to the first round of the Battle of the Bricks this season, it will need to do a much better job keeping the ball out of Miami’s hands.
Ohio has a chance to do something it hasn’t done in more than 50 years: take home the Mid-American Conference Championship trophy.
The 2024 Ohio Football team will head to Detroit, where it will take on Miami in the first-ever Battle of the Bricks for a MAC Championship.
THE PLAYERS
The 2024 Bobcats are a prime example of how a team can benefit from the transfer portal. The three biggest weapons on offense, Parker Navarro, Coleman Owen and Anthony Tyus, were all acquired in the transfer portal. Those three have been the backbone of a very effective offense which ranks second in the MAC in scoring during conference play.
The Ohio offensive line has been among the conference's best as well, featuring players such as Parker Titsworth and Jacob Dennison, paving the way for Ohio’s conference-leading running game.
The defensive side of the ball is no different, as transfers like Marcel Walker-Burgess, CJ Doggette, Blake Leake and Dustin Johnson have all been stellar this season. Homegrown recruits like Bradley Weaver, Shay Taylor and Roman Parodie have been elite as well. The one freshman who has gotten extensive playing time is safety DJ Walker, who has been excellent at filling in for the injured Jeremiah Wood.
THE COACHES
Ohio head coach Tim Albin has taken the football program and elevated it beyond what legendary coach Frank Solich left behind in 2021. A win for Albin in the MAC Championship game would make him the third coach in program history to win the conference.
Albin isn’t the only coach worthy of credit for Ohio’s 2024 success. First-year defensive coordinator John Hauser has excelled, picking up right where former coordinator Spence Nowinski left off.
Offensive coordinator Brian Smith has led an almost entirely new offensive unit to be one of the highest-scoring in the MAC.
Co-defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator Nate Faanes, praised by Albin after almost every game, is one of the bright young minds at Ohio who will almost certainly see a promotion, whether with Ohio or not.
The MAC is full of incredible coaches, and Ohio has shown up to out-coach almost all of them.
Albin said this is the best coaching staff he has ever worked with.
BIGGEST WINS
The biggest win of Ohio’s season was its 24-7 Wednesday night victory over Toledo in the Glass Bowl. Ohio has had trouble playing in the northwest part of the state, posting a record of just 1-16 going into this year's game against Toledo.
After a dismal first half that saw the Bobcats go scoreless, they came out firing on both sides of the ball. They forced turnovers and scored 24 unanswered points on the Rockets to keep their MAC title hopes alive.
Besides that historic win in Toledo, the Buffalo game was another key win for Ohio. The Bulls featured two of the best, most productive linebackers in the nation: Shaun Dolac and Red Murdock.
Despite the vaunted linebackers and Buffalo defense, Ohio scored a season-high 47 points, highlighted by three touchdowns from Coleman Owen and a Shay Taylor pick 6. ONE MORE WIN
Ohio has had a handful of players and coaches enter their names in the record book this season, but none of the statistics matter for them. The team has only one thing on its mind: a MAC Title Trophy.
A win for the Bobcats on Saturday would cement them as one of the greatest teams the program has ever seen. It would be Ohio's sixth title win and the first in almost 50 years.
Ohio also has a chance to avenge its earlier season loss to bitter rival Miami with a win. The Bobcats have never matched up with the RedHawks in a championship game. Not until Saturday.
ROBERT KEEGAN III | SPORTS EDITOR
CHARLIE FADEL | SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Roman Parodie steps up for Ohio
ROBERT KEEGAN III | SPORTS EDITOR
Walking off the field after a 30-10 blowout win against Akron, senior cornerback Roman Parodie was disgruntled. Parodie was pleased with the win; he and his teammates just picked up their first conference win and dominated almost every facet of the game, but Parodie knew they could still do better.
Since that game, Ohio has displayed one of the best defenses in the Mid-American Conference. Parodie's leadership and success, both on and off the field, are big reasons why.
“Ever since the Akron game, things started really clicking for me on the field, and I started playing a lot faster,” Parodie said.
Coming into the season, Ohio’s three defensive captains were safety Jeremiah Wood, defensive end Bradley Weaver and safety Adonis Williams. By the start of conference play, every defensive captain besides Weaver was injured and Wood was already out for the season.
All the injuries opened a spot for players like Parodie to step up as leaders for Ohio.
“I think the role kind of fell on to me,” Parodie said. “We had a lot of the older guys hurt, and I’ve been here for a while ... I just started taking advantage of what was going on.”
Parodie, hailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been with Ohio longer than anyone, having used all of his eligibility to stay in Athens. However, after that pivotal
Akron win, Ohio coach Tim Albin noticed that “a different Parodie” started showing up to practice.
Parodie knew that his time with Ohio was coming to an end, so he decided to take the role of leader by the reins and take the defense to heights that seemed previously unachievable due to injuries.
“I started getting into film a lot more and taking practice a lot more serious,”
Parodie said.
With Parodie spearheading Ohio’s defense, the team finished the regular season ranked in the top three in the MAC in scoring and rushing defense and in the top five in pass defense.
Parodie is a big reason Ohio has had so much success on the defensive end. He currently leads the team with nine pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
In Ohio’s pivotal 24-7 win against Toledo, the defense shined the brightest. The Ohio secondary held Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason to under 150 yards passing en route to one of the lowest scoring days the Toledo offense saw all season.
The turning point of Ohio’s win against Toledo was Parodie picking up a fumble to give Ohio possession with the lead, a play that took all hope away from the Rockets offense.
Ohio’s defensive unit has been special this season, which is a big reason why the team was able to clinch a spot in the MAC Championship game Saturday. For Parodie, the team could find such success because of the bond everyone has formed.
“Even though we’ve only known each other for under a year, it feels like I've been playing with this group for my whole career,” Parodie said.
That bond, combined with Parodie’s leadership on the field, led Ohio to the MAC Championship game. A win in the championship game would be the perfect end to Parodie's incredible tenure at Ohio.
“It would mean a lot for my last year here; I’m trying to go out with a bang,” Parodie said. “I think we have a special group of guys who can get it done.”
Get to know Ohio linebacker, captain, Shay Taylor
LOGAN ADAMS | SPORTS EDITOR
In his redshirt junior season under his second defensive coordinator, Shay Taylor led a dominant Ohio defense back to the Mid-American Conference Championship game for the second time in three seasons.
This season, Taylor took on the role of captain, helping to lead the defense with an impressive stat line of 63 tackles, nine for loss, two sacks, an interception and four pass breakups.
The Post sat down with Taylor to discuss everything from Ohio’s dominant defense, Taylor’s mentors and who among his teammates he’d choose to create a country with.
The Post: What’s your major? How did you go about choosing that?
Taylor: Psychology; (I) was originally criminology, but I switched over because I realized that I might want to be a sports therapist later on the road.
TP: What made you choose Ohio?
Taylor: It was kind of down to a couple of schools, and it was COVID going on, and with the whole transfer portal thing going on, it was kind of a no-guesser just because of how close at home it was, and both my sisters came here before so it’s very close at home. It’s a great program with a good coaching staff, so it was easy.
TP: Tell me a little about your hometown. Where’d you grow up?
Taylor: I grew up in a small town … called Thornville. It’s cornfield surrounded, pretty much the middle of nowhere, but it’s still that hometown tradition where everyone cares about the football
team and respects that program, and it’s a winning culture there.
TP: If you could pick three words to describe the season you’re having right now, what would you choose?
Taylor: Adversity, dedication and friendships. I mean, I think we’re all close, it’s the closest team I’ve been around the last 4 years.
TP: Pick one and the other is gone forever: movies or music?
Taylor: I have to go movies. I love movies.
TP: What’s your favorite movie?
Taylor: I’d have to say “Inception.” It’s too good, too good of a plot.
TP: You’ve been in Athens for 4 years now. What are some underrated spots you’ve found on or around campus?
Taylor: There are some hidden gems, they’re still opening up, some new ones, which is nice. I saw a new Chipotle around East State (Street) … but the hidden gems I like are like Eclipse (Company Store). DP Dough is one that people don’t really know about too much, but there’s definitely some good food around here.
TP: This is a fun one. You’re starting a country. You have to pick two of your teammates to act as president and vice president. You can choose yourself if you want. Who are you picking?
Taylor: I’ll pick me as president and Kadin Schmitz as my vice president. I love him. He’s our linebacker, and he’s a good dude.
TP: This is kind of your first year as the guy on defense, obviously with a lot of turnover from last year. What’s that role change been like for you?
Taylor: It’s been a blessing. I’ve had 3 years to develop under Keye Thompson and Bryce Houston, and coach Faanes has done a great job of developing his players, especially linebackers. So, it’s been a long process and a long, long stretch of hardships and injuries, and if I’m going to be good enough to play. Eventually, you get to a point where you mature, and you keep growing as a player, and I’ve just been blessed to be put in that position.
TP: Building off what you learned from Thompson and Houston, what did they teach you, and what has this newer defensive staff taught you?
Taylor: Especially with Keye Thomp-
son, it’s just kind of his play style. He’s just very aggressive; all eyes on him as far as being the field general because he was the mike last year.
Bryce Houston was off the field. He was always checking up on you, especially the younger guys. If you’re able to get in there and teach the younger guys the film and help them understand the game of football, it’s a huge difference. They did a great job with that.
TP: One more question. You’re on a deserted island, and you get to bring two things with you. What are you taking?
Taylor: I’ll bring my Bible, then I’ll bring one of those water purifier things, for the ocean — you have to have your water. I’ll probably bring my dog, Millie.
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Ohio University cornerback, Roman Parodie (4), runs the ball downfeild during the Bobcats’ game against Ball State at Peden Stadium in Athens, Nov. 29, 2024. .
(EMMA REED | FOR THE POST)
Linebacker Shay Taylor (35) defends the line during Ohio University’s game against Ball State at Peden Stadium in Athens, Nov. 29, 2024. (EMMA REED | FOR THE POST)
Ohio brought its own juice into MAC play
Any fan of the Ohio football team has certainly noticed a hot new item in the team’s postgame locker room photos and even on head coach Tim Albin's shirt. It’s not a new electrolyte drink or any sort of sponsor; it is a staple of many childhoods across the country. It is, of course, a Hi-C Orange Lavaburst juice box.
The sugary drink is not just a tasty treat for players and coaches but a prop that has sparked some of the best football the Bobcats have played this season.
Brian Smith serves many roles on Ohio’s coaching staff, including associate head coach, offensive coordinator, play-caller and running backs coach. A new title the seasoned coach can add to his resume is the creator of the juice phenomenon inside Ohio’s locker room.
Kent State happened to be Ohio’s first MACtion game of the season. It was played on a cold Wednesday night in Kent in front of 5,662 fans, a number that probably was whittled down to just triple digits as the Bobcats blew out the Golden Flashes 41-0.
“It started going into the Kent State game, just knowing that that would be a midweek evening game,” Smith said. “They had not won a game yet. So it's anticipating not a lot of crowd in the stands … the emphasis for our players was that we had to bring our own energy. We had to bring juice to the game.”
Smith was serious about his coaching point, making a grocery run to get the juice boxes for the offense the day before the game.
“(I) made a run to Target and picked up a bunch of juice boxes,” Smith said. “At our offensive unit meeting on the day of the game, we talked about it again and then showed them all the juice boxes. They all got to bring one to the game, so they were physically bringing their own juice to the game.”
The juice was saved for the postgame celebration and became so popular that Albin made it a team-wide emphasis, giving every player their own juice to bring to the weeknight MACtion games.
“The whole team got in the locker room, and all the offensive guys had their juice boxes out and (were) chanting 'juice,'" Smith said. "I think the defense might have felt left out."
Although it obviously boosted team morale, there might be something truly special within those Hi-C Orange Lavaburst juice boxes, which unlocks something in the entire Ohio team. The
Bobcats have been red-hot since starting midweek MACtion games, going 4-0 in games with the juice.
“I think players loved it," Smith said. "I think they loved the emphasis, they loved the prop and I think that they really embraced it. Just the way that our team is, they're a bunch of really good kids that like playing together. They have fun together. You can take something like that and they're gonna run with it and love it.”
Ohio’s offense is averaging 35.5 points a game in those four contests against Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Ball State. The defense has been stellar as well, giving up just 9.5 points per game in that stretch.
One player who has especially come through in these midweek MACtion games has been starting quarterback Parker Navarro. The graduate student has had some struggles this season but he has blossomed in recent weeks, punishing teams with his legs through Ohio’s MAC-ruling ran game.
In the four-game stretch since MACtion started and the juice was introduced, Navarro has run for 382 yards and nine touchdowns while throwing for 717 yards and three touchdowns, establishing himself as a true dual-threat weapon under center.
“The juice is real, and it's something you can't see, but it's there, and it's tangible,” Navarro said. “What that signifies is the energy and the passion that we have to dig deep (for) and find each game day and bring, and that's everyone on the team, that's that scout team, that’s starters, everyone needs to bring that.”
The juice came at the right time for Ohio, a team that has now road the success of the last four games to a MAC championship game appearance in a rematch against rivals Miami in Oxford.
The success was truly been a result of incredible team football, with all three phases of the team doing their job to grind out huge wins like the 24-7 victory against Toledo in the Glass Bowl, a place where Ohio was 1-16 historically when playing the Rockets on the road.
Another benefit of Ohio's success is the opportunity to accomplish something that hasn’t been done since 1968: winning the MAC championship. Even with a large crowd at Ford Field in Detroit for the final game, the Bobcats will surely bring the juice, physically and metaphorically.
CHARLIE FADEL | SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Parker Navarro is Ohio’s perfect leader
“Your football team takes on the personality of your quarterback, plain and simple,” Ohio head coach Tim Albin said when asked about quarterback Parker Navarro after Ohio’s 42-21 win over Ball State Friday. “He’s tough, so guess what? We got a tough team.”
With Ohio now staring at a chance to win the Mid-American Conference Championship for the sixth time in program history, Albin’s words couldn’t be more true.
Navarro’s season was a journey, to say the least, going from throwing three interceptions and getting benched against FCS Morgan State to being named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season. One thing, however, remained the same: the toughness and patience the Arizona native has shown all season.
That toughness is now reflected in a 9-3 record, worthy of a Saturday trip to Detroit to play for the MAC championship.
Navarro has had these traits since playing as a low-ranked recruit at Desert Vista High School in Tempe, Arizona. It wasn’t until late in his high school career scouts noticed Navarro’s skill.
“I had a pretty pivotal game against Chubba Purdy, Brock Purdy's younger brother,” Navarro said. “It was a shootout, like 70-something to 60-something, and he was highly recruited. A lot of people came to check him out, and I think that from that game, I finally got a little recognition.”
In the matchup against Chubba Purdy, a current quarterback at Nevada, Navarro threw for 435 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 108 yards and a touchdown on the ground. That game, a monumental win, got Navarro on the map, and he eventually committed to University of Central Florida.
“After my senior season, most of my offers came in, and it was definitely a test of a lot of patience,” Navarro said. “Sure enough, Hawaii comes into the picture … UCF came into the picture. Arizona State, North Texas, a bunch of these schools started coming in late, to the point where
I honestly didn’t have time to actually take all my visits.”
Navarro spent just two seasons in Orlando at UCF, playing under current Tennessee coach Josh Heupel and newly appointed Florida State offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn before deciding to transfer.
“Coaching stability was a huge factor. Who's going to hang around? Who really takes time building an intentional program and plans to stick around?” Navarro said. “I figured coach Albin and his staff were all that … When I came in, the team was 3-9, so I figured I can come in, I can make a difference here, make an impact.”
Navarro came to Athens in 2022, joining a quarterback room composed of Kurtis Rourke and CJ Harris, two players he sat behind on the depth chart. In the two years he spent with Rourke, they became good friends both on and off the field. Sitting behind the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year greatly benefited Navarro.
“I was in Kurtis' wedding; we developed a pretty good friendship together,” Navarro said. “Beyond just observing him as a quarterback — how good he is at passing, his preparation, executing each week — beyond that, he and I were just friends.”
Navarro saw some playing time in 2023 at the end of the season when he stepped in as the starter for the Myrtle Beach Bowl after it was announced Rourke was transferring. Navarro had a big opportunity which he cashed in on, throwing for 120 yards and a touchdown while adding 83 yards on the ground in a 41-21 victory over Georgia Southern.
The Myrtle Beach game is what propelled him to the starting job this season. Albin and his staff were so confident in Navarro they didn’t bring in any other quarterbacks from the portal and gave him the starting job in Week One.
The beginning of the season was dicey for Navarro, as he was benched in Ohio’s third game against Morgan State after throwing three first-half interceptions. After the Kentucky game, where Navarro did not play, he soon stepped back into the starting role and never looked back,
leading Ohio to a 7-1 record in the next eight weeks.
The offense looked better and better every week over the eight week stretch. Navarro’s connection with fellow Arizona native Coleman Owen became apparent, and the running game launched to a new level because of Navarro’s explosive legs.
“(Navarro’s) progressively gotten better throughout the season and continues to make good decisions and has been much better taking care of the football,” offensive coordinator Brian Smith said. “He's really embraced his ability to use his feet. He has an ability to extend plays and make people pay if they're going to play man, or if they're going to drop into coverage and not ac count for him.”
Getting star running back Anthony Tyus III back from an ankle injury has helped the ground tremendously as well, opening up the read option and speed option game for Ohio.
“I think having (Tyus) back there with me, but then also having the threat with (Owen) on the RPO option, teams can only take away one,” Navarro said.
“These last few games, we just had a stretch where (we were) making plays with the legs, and things started opening up.”
To go along with the 7-1 record in conference play since Navarro returned, the offense has put up 33.3 points per game, second in the MAC against conference opponents.
Navarro’s ability to lead the offense, mixed with a stout
defensive effort, earned Ohio a shot at a MAC title Saturday against rival Mi-
“This team overall has this love of the and they have a love of just done each week
that's how good we
“There's this awareness of
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CHARLIE FADEL | SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Quarterback Parker Navarro (13) during the Bobcats’ game against Ball State, Nov. 29, 2024. (EMMA REED | FOR THE POST)
Anthony Tyus continues to run angry
Running back Anthony Tyus has been a big addition for Ohio
EDITOR
When Ohio running back Anthony Tyus breaks free into the open field, he runs as if he’s angry at the ground. Tyus, one of Ohio’s newest additions on offense, has used his running ability to lead Ohio to a Mid-American Conference Championship game appearance.
Tyus would describe his running ability as a mix of Saquan Barkley and Derrick Henry, his two favorite NFL running backs who inspired him throughout his young career.
“I’ve always run hard,” Tyus said. “I’ve always been big on switching it up; being elusive sometimes, running straight sometimes. Defenders never know what they’re going to get.”
Since Week One of Ohio’s season, Tyus has stood out as a pivotal part of an explosive offense, which has scored north of 28 points per game. In his first game as a Bobcat, Tyus broke out with 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Tyus’ hard-running ability started when he was a kid, growing up with a dad who used to play middle linebacker in the MAC at Central Michigan.
“(My dad) always told me how defenders were tougher and how they’d whip up on the running backs,” Tyus said. “I didn’t believe that. We give the blows.”
Ohio got Tyus via the transfer portal after he spent three seasons with Northwestern.
“Ohio University was the first team to reach out to me in the portal, and that meant a lot,” Tyus said.
Since getting to Ohio, Tyus has rushed for 960 yards and eight touchdowns. With the MAC Championship game on the horizon, Tyus has a chance to become the 10th player with a 1,000-yard rushing season in program history.
Though he’s only spent 11 games with the team, Tyus quickly became familiar with the history and culture Ohio brings.
Tim Albin deserves MAC Coach of the Year
III | SPORTS EDITOR
Going into the season, Ohio was a difficult team to predict. Every one of the team’s skill positions on offense featured a new starter, and the team lost its captains and AllMAC players on defense.
Ohio was slated to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference’s preseason coaches poll. Now, just a few days away from Championship Saturday, Ohio is in contention for its first MAC Title in over 50 years.
Ohio coach Tim Albin deserves credit for the position Ohio finds itself in.
Albin hasn’t been at the helm long, taking over for legendary head coach Frank Solich in 2021. In his four years as head coach, Albin has led Ohio to a MAC Championship game appearance and Bowl game victory in 2022, a second consecutive 10-win season and Bowl win in 2023 and a chance to win a MAC title with a third straight 10-win season in 2024.
With all of Albin's success in his coaching career, 2024 put Albin in a spot well above many Group of Five head coaches.
Albin took a team full of inexperienced talent and turned them into one of the most competitive teams in the conference. How’d he do it? By never losing hope.
When The Post spoke to Albin in June at MAC Media Day, it was evident Albin wasn’t worried about what the team lost; he was just fired up to play some football.
Albin assembled a coaching staff that can lead anyone to the top of the MAC standings. Ohio proved it was a contender in the MAC every season if Albin remains in charge.
In the ever-changing environment surrounding modern college football, there will always be turnover with rosters and coaches. However, there is no cause for concern Albin will leave Athens anytime soon, even when he inevitably becomes a two-time MAC Coach of the Year later this week.
Albin has a passion like no other for the culture and history of Ohio football, and he uses it to lead his players to victory every week. Being a pupil of a Hall of Fame coach in Solich, Albin makes sure his players understand the winning culture Solich brought to the program.
“Coach Albin makes an emphasis that we know the culture behind everything,” Tyus said. “Who came before us, what we’re playing for, how much it means to win on The Frank. That all plays a big role in why it's so hard to beat us on The Frank.”
Tyus, a native of Portage, Michigan, has loved every minute of playing for Ohio, mainly due to the culture that Ohio coach Tim Albin has worked so hard to ingrain in his players.
“When you get here, there’s no one isolated; it’s a family,” Tyus said.
Riding that culture and family-like feel, Ohio has put together yet another incredible offensive season. Now, being one win away from a MAC title, Tyus is ready to give everything he has to bring Ohio its sixth MAC trophy.
“People don’t understand that not only is it hard to win college football games, but it’s really hard to get to conference championship games,” Tyus said. “It’s a privilege to be there.”
In Ohio’s final few games, Tyus helped elevate the team to the top of the MAC standings and clinch a berth in the title game. Against Toledo, Tyus rushed for 125 yards with a touchdown, which put Ohio in position to control its destiny in its final home game against Ball State.
Needing a win to advance against Ball State, Tyus once again had a huge game, leading all rushers with 109 yards on the ground.
Tyus has had a trip to Detroit on his mind since he put pen to paper on coming to Ohio. Now, he has a chance to deliver on a goal he’s had since stepping foot in Athens.
“(Winning the MAC) would mean a lot,” Tyus said. “That was my first goal when they offered me.”
Albin’s admiration for Solich is a big reason Ohio has only lost once at home on Frank Solich Field in the last three seasons.
No one in the MAC comes close to being more deserving than Albin for the conference's Coach of the Year in 2024. Ohio’s opponent in the championship game, Miami, was a unanimous favorite to win the conference after returning almost the entirety of its 2023 championship team.
Miami coach Chuck Martin, who won MAC Coach of the Year in 2023, is an incredible coach for the RedHawks but hasn’t had a challenging task this season, leading the best roster in the conference to a championship appearance.
Albin has completed a task that almost no one thought was possible, no one but himself and his coaching staff; for that reason, he is an easy choice for the MAC Coach of the Year.
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ROBERT KEEGAN III | SPORTS
ROBERT KEEGAN
Running back Anthony Tyus (2) breaks away from a tackle during Ohio University’s game against Ball State at Peden Stadium in Athens, Nov. 29, 2024.
(EMMA REED | FOR THE POST)
Head Coach Tim Albin walks into the locker room at halftime of the game against Miami University at Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio, Oct. 19, 2024.
(JACK TATHAM | FOR THE POST)
SB 104 signed, students worry over safety concerns
DREW HOFFMASTER | FOR THE POST
Gov. Mike Dewine signs Ohio Senate Bill 104 into law Wednesday, concerning Ohio University students.
The bill updated Ohio’s College Credit Plus program to increase awareness of the program and allowed for 7th to 12thgrade students to enroll.
“This bill provides students with opportunities to access a college degree in a more cost-efficient way,” Sen. Andrew Brenner, a primary sponsor of the bill, said to the Ohio Senate. “Additionally, SB 104 sets parameters to protect students’ safety.”
The bill passed through the House as Ohio House Bill 183, with the House adding a ban on transgender students from using the bathroom matching their gender identity. HB 183 required Ohio K-12 schools to have single-sex restrooms, showers and changing rooms; however, accommodations can be made to individual circumstances.
“House Bill 183 addressed the concern from many Ohio parents about their local schools allowing the opposite sex into shared restrooms or locker rooms,” Brenner said. “I support protecting women, and our daughters, by simply providing the specific facilities reserved for them.”
Hazel Quitslund Escobedo, a junior studying mathematics, said she thinks the
bill may be a scapegoat for politicians and may create unneeded fear against transgender people.
“I feel that this bill unfairly is portraying transgender people, especially transgender women, as criminal or as likely to harm others,” Quitslund Escobedo said. “I think that it plays on fears of various transphobic tropes, and I think that it could really harm people.”
Furthermore, Quitslund Escobedo currently feels transgender people are already excluded due to the costs of gender-affirming care.
According to the National Library of Medicine, in 2018 hormone therapy costs ranged from $72 to $3,792. In addition, oftentimes insurers will not help with the costs without a proof of referral letter for hormone therapy and surgical procedures from mental health professionals, which further creates barriers.
“(The bill) tries to exclude (transgender people) from public life by making them not able to use the restroom and further than that, it incentivizes cisgender people to view trans people as a potential threat,” Quitslund Escobedo said.
Even though she said OU is an inclusive university, Quitslund Escobedo worries the bill will further marginalize transgender students.
“I can’t go into the male restroom,”
Quitslund Escobedo said. “It’s unsafe for me, obviously, and when people talk about women’s safety, they’re never talking about women like me, so that is part of the issue.”
Currently, to help students who are transgender, the university provides inclusive housing, gender-affirming care, the Pride Center and a map of all the single-user and family restrooms.
“I do not have a large amount of faith in the Ohio University administration,” Quitslund Escobedo said. “I don’t think they’re particularly transphobic. But ultimately, they want to do as much as they can for as little as they can. In my experience, that means that if a transgender student needs help that would require a lot of effort or resources, the school is not usually willing to extend a ton of resources and help.”
Quitslund Escobedo said she does not have much confidence the school would construct gender-neutral restrooms as part of these resources to help transgender students.
SB 104 will take effect 90 days from signing.
University spokespeople were contacted to get a statement from the university about the bill but did not provide one.
Inside Ohio campaign spending, what happens to leftover funds
AVERY ST. GEORGE FOR THE POST
Every year, millions of Americans give money to political campaigns. Many people, though, do not know where this money goes, what it’s spent on, what happens if the candidate they backed loses and who else is contributing.
Political campaigns are required to keep track of all contributions and expenses during the election and the information must be made public record to ensure fairness, according to Section 3517.10 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Cody Sigmon worked as deputy campaign manager and treasurer for Micah McCarey’s campaign. McCarey challenged incumbent state Rep. Don Jones in November for Ohio House District 95 but lost the election.
Sigmon said during his time with the McCarey campaign he had to upload receipts about what the campaign team was spending money on.
“You have to keep track of all these expenses and report those to the state of Ohio,” Sigmon said. “Who are you giving money to? What are you giving them money for? You have to have a reason.”
Sigmon said the McCarey for Progress campaign spent the largest portion of their funding on printed materials. The McCarey campaign was based in Athens, so it spent a lot of its funding locally.
Nearly $2,000 was spent at MinuteMan Press for things like stickers, postcards and posters. The campaign team also spent another $4,117.44 on yard signs supporting McCarey, according to the Secretary of State website.
The Jones campaign’s biggest expense during this election cycle was $7,700 spent at the Noble County Fair for a livestock donation and advertising at the fair, according to Sigmon. Jones also made similar donations in Morgan County, Belmont County and Athens County.
Sigmon said more localized elections
tend to put more of their campaign money toward printed material or signage because they have a smaller audience.
Statewide or national races such as the U.S. Senate race between Moreno and Brown will typically spend more money on more expensive ads like commercials.
Statewide candidates receive larger donations and need to reach a wider audience.
Moreno’s campaign spent $11,631,686.94 in media buys, a majority of which went toward buying airtime for commercials, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Brown’s campaign spent $38,427,939.40 in media buys, making the race one of the most expensive Senate races of all time, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Obviously, individual contributions are helpful to a campaign, but candidates receive most of their money from organizations like Political Action Committees and Legislative Campaign Funds.
LCFs are defined by the Ohio Secretary of State as “an entity that is associated with one of the caucuses of the General Assembly and is established as an auxiliary of a state political party.”
One of the four Ohio LCFs is the Ohio House Republican Alliance, which contributed $48,294.94 to Jones’s reelection campaign, according to the Secretary of State website. The OHRA contributed to races across the state to ensure Republi-
cans maintain their supermajority in the Ohio House.
Meanwhile, the largest contribution to the McCarey campaign came from a PAC called Blue Ohio. The Ohio Secretary of State defines a PAC as “a combination of two or more persons, the primary or major purpose of which is to support or oppose any candidate, political party or issue.”
Blue Ohio is an organization committed to electing Democrats to the Ohio statehouse, and it contributed $11,597.23 to McCarey’s campaign for District 95. McCarey also received $1,000 from the Athens County Democratic Executive Committee, according to the Secretary of State website.
The election is over and McCarey lost, but his campaign still has some leftover funds. Sigmon said money contributed to a losing campaign can be used on a few different things like donating it to a political party or group to be given to another campaign. The money can also be saved if McCarey wants to run again, even if it’s for a different office.
“Oftentimes you’ll see the names of these committees are something generic enough that indicates they could run for other stuff,” Sigmon said. “(It’s) McCarey for Progress, it’s not McCarey for District 95; he could use it if he runs for office again.”
The sign for a single person bathroom on the first floor of Baker Center in Athens, Nov. 19, 2024. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)
A cart of empty provisional ballot boxes sits in the Athens Board of Elections Office on Court Street, Athens, Nov. 6, 2024. (EMMA REED | FOR THE POST)
Police Blotter: Warrants, tree troubles, intoxication
ELIZABETH TALAGA | SLOT EDITOR
22 Fri____________________________
Out of control
Officers from the Ohio University Police Department responded to a traffic crash in parking lot 57 Nov. 22.
A non-injury crash report was taken for failure to control the vehicle, according to OUPD.
Damaged computer
OUPD responded to Alden Library regarding a damaged computer Nov. 22.
A report was taken for the computer, but after investigation, the case was unfounded, according to OUPD.
Mackinnon Hall mischief
OUPD officers responded to Mackinnon Hall for destruction of property Nov 22.
A report was taken for a damaged vehicle, according to OUPD.
Traffic stop
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in Glouster after noticing an equipment violation Nov. 22.
Deputies discovered the passenger in the vehicle had an active felony warrant for his arrest. The individual was taken into custody and transported to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
23 Sat____________________
Mental health evaluation
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to North Plains Road in The Plains regarding a caller’s report of hearing and seeing people Nov. 23.
Deputies found the individual met the criteria for a mental health evaluation and was transported to a local hospital, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
Arrest warrant
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded Nov. 23 to old state Route 56 in New Marshfield in an attempt to locate an individual with an arrest warrant out of Athens County.
Deputies located the individual and she was placed under arrest and transported to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail without incident, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
24 Sun____________________
Protection order
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to May Avenue in Chauncey regarding a protection order violation Nov. 24.
Deputies spoke to all involved parties upon arrival, and the individual
was transported to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
Now you see me, now you don’t
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to The Plains regarding a report of trespassing Nov. 24.
Upon arrival, deputies were unable to locate the trespasser and the area was patrolled, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
25 Mon____________________
Athens County warrants
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office arrested an individual with several arrest warrants out of Athens County Nov. 25.
The individual was transported to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail and will remain there until released by the court, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
Unresponsive male
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Walnut Street in Trimble regarding an unresponsive man Nov. 25.
On scene, deputies administered a dose of Narcan and provided aid until emergency medical services arrived. The individual was transported to the hospital, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
26 Tues____________________
Unknown visitor
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Glenn Drive in Athens after reports of an unknown individual walking around a residence Nov. 26.
The caller reported the individual got back into their vehicle, left the premises and returned to the residence before leaving again. Deputies patrolled the area but did not find the vehicle, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
Tree troubles
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office filed an incident report for a man hired to cut up and remove a tree from an individual’s property Nov. 26.
According to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, the man was hired by the individual’s mother to cut up a downed tree and remove it from the property.
The man cut up the tree and was paid for his services, but never returned to clean up the debris from the property. The case is under investigation, according to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.
OU resources help students prepare, destress for finals week
SOPHIA ROOKSBERRY HUMAN INTEREST STAFF WRITER
As the semester begins to wind down, the panic of finals week is on the horizon. In anticipation of students needing ways to destress and prepare during the busy time, there are multiple events and resources offered across the university.
During the week before finals, as well as during finals week itself, Alden Library offers a full schedule of programming to help students alleviate some stress during an academically challenging time. Two of the events are button and bookmark-making sessions throughout the weeks.
“I think people appreciate that creative outlet and that tactile experience that gives them something to focus on that’s not their notes,” Chad Boeninger, the library’s interim assistant dean for research education services, said. “For half an hour they can engage in something they can see the product of.”
According to Kelly Roder, the library’s events and exhibits coordinator, the bookmark-making event is a new addition to Alden’s services this year.
“I’m hoping throughout the year we’ll find new little events like that that become popular that we can help students enjoy at finals time,” Roder said, looking to the future of finals week events.
Another event is the 4-H PetPals, which allows students to release some stress while playing with animals.
“The PetPals are always popular,” Boeninger said. “There’s a 4-H club,
basically they bring their … certified pet pals … so we’ve had rabbits, dogs, chickens … it’s always kind of a literal menagerie.”
Additionally, the library will be offering s’mores, and Phi Beta Kappa will be distributing cupcakes at different times throughout the next two weeks. All of these events come with the primary goal of helping students maintain a balance while they are overwhelmed with studying.
“Just take time for yourself,” Roder said. “Just take a minute to do something that's not academic, something that you can come with your friends or your roommates and just have fun, take some time to relax and do something for yourself.”
In terms of helping students prepare for finals academically, the library offers the same services they do throughout the year: easy access to study spaces and a proactive service desk.
“We continue to offer help services at our service desk — in person, telephone, online chat, etc.,” Boeninger said. “This time of year people tend to not be doing too many research projects but tend to need help with printing or formatting a paper or things like that, and so our staff helps students with that kind of work at our service desk.”
Other academic resources throughout the university can be found at the Academic Achievement Center. Learning communities can also be a valuable resource for those about to embark on
their first college exam experience.
Nate Caudill, a freshman studying geography, has been connecting with his learning community leader to discuss finals week resources.
“In my learning community we have study sessions twice a week,” Caudill said. “It’s nice because everybody in my learning community are all in the same major, we’ve all kind of got the same classes.”
Although it will be his first experience with college exams, Caudill has internalized some advice he plans to bring into the next few weeks.
“Don’t cram it all into one night; study a little bit every day instead of a lot in one night,” he said.
In a similar vein, Roder advises prioritizing sleep the night before an exam and practicing healthy sleeping habits in the days leading up to a big exam.
“Don’t forgo all of your sleep for studying because then you won’t be on your game for an actual exam,” she said.
Boeninger advised practicing kindness, something the library staff does by being extra mindful and considerate with all patrons during a time of high tension. Whether by showing someone a bit of extra grace or ensuring communal spaces are
taken care of, these small acts can go a long way.
“Clean up after yourself after you’re done so the next person who comes in has a clean place to sit and study and whatnot,” Boeninger said. “Not only looking out for yourself … but look out for other people too because they’re probably just as stressed as you are.”
@SOPHIAROOKS_
SR320421@OHIO.EDU
NICOLE REESE | ASST. ART DIRECTOR
ABBY JENKINS HUMAN INTEREST EDITOR
Girl Idiot ‘goes stupid’ on stage, off
Five figures are outlined by purple lights on The Union stage while the rest of the venue goes dim. Drummer Jack Perry hits his drumsticks together, counting down as his two lead singers make their ways to center stage. The melody of the band’s original song, “Can I Take You Home? (Can’t Help Myself)” blares through the speakers, and Girl Idiot is warmed up for its set for Benefest.
Adorned in a black tank top and a recent haircut is lead vocalist Isaac Kurtz, a junior studying sociology criminology. To his left stands co-lead vocalist Brogan Bosworth, a junior studying creative writing and entrepreneurship, also dressed in black to compliment her bandmate.
Behind them remains Perry, a sophomore studying strategic leadership and management, along with guitarist Christian Ortiz, a sophomore studying music production and recording, and bassist Josh Key, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering.
In addition to its vivid talent, the band’s chemistry is palpable and refreshing, all smiles on stage and off, constantly conversing and jokingly ripping on each other, signaling the close friendship Girl Idiot has provided the group of unlikely friends.
Bosworth woke up one morning with a dream, and all it took was one social media post to the OU class Snapchat stories to make it a reality.
“I put a post out and said, ‘If anybody wants to get a band together, let’s do it,’”
she said. “I actually had a ton of people reach out, so I had to pick and choose.”
Perry was the last to join the band during spring semester this year and in “the tiniest little room in Glidden,” Girl Idiot was born.
Although the name of the band started out as a placeholder, a play on the all-fem band boy genius, the members of Girl Idiot said it just stuck.
“I was like, ‘I’m going to name my f----- band that, and nobody can stop me,” Bosworth said, laughing. “The only way we’re going to change it is if it’s unanimously something else.”
Drawing inspiration from bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica, the band has experience in nearly every genre. Each member said their musical backgrounds differed, from jazz to grunge to theater. On stage, the group acts and plays as though they’ve known each other for a lifetime.
Even with its melting pot past, Girl Idiot has one thing in common; even through nerves, coming together to play is the most gratifying feeling.
“I start looking up from the drum kit and looking at everybody else, that’s when I feel like everything starts locking
in, because sometimes I just go and stare at the snare drum, and then I look up, I’m like, ‘Oh s---, I’m playing with people,’” Perry said.
The band’s first show Oct. 5 was a collectively fond memory of the band, as every rehearsal and get-together came to fruition. At the end of each day, no matter how stressful, the band’s members have each other’s backs.
“It’s motivation for sure,” Kurtz said. “Just throughout my day, like, ‘I got to wake up for class today, that way I can go to practice later’ ... These guys have definitely brought me out and have given me something to hold onto.”
As for the future, it’s all gas and no breaks. The band, although resting for the holidays, said it’s ready to take on every gig it can get its hands on for Spring. That includes branching out and traveling to places in Columbus and Cleveland to explore the grunge scenes present there.
On a whim, Girl Idiot came to life on South Green and the group believes the music it makes truly means something.
“Music is such an art and there’s three things in life that everybody can understand, it’s food, music and sex,” Perry said. “When you’re able to share your art with everybody else … it’s just awesome.”
Girl Idiot posts its upcoming shows on its Instagram for those looking to see when it will play next.
Students practice philanthropy during holiday season
SOPHIA ANNESS
ASST. ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Holiday festivities bring joy and cheer to many households around this time of year. However, the holiday season is a challenging time of year for some. Financial issues can make the season of giving a stressful time of year. Students are doing what they can to help out this season. Many student organizations are taking part in service projects and philanthropy to help those in need.
Schey Sales Center, a marketing student organization, partners with Athens Children Services to put on a toy drive every year for children in Athens. Montanna Buck, a sophomore studying strategic leadership and management, is the director of philanthropy for the Schey. She is in charge of organizing the center’s toy drive.
“Not only did we get all 75 children adopted and taken care of,” Buck said. “But we’re able to continue donating this money to Athens Children Services.”
This year, the Schey initially adopted 50 children to buy toys for Christmas. In the first two weeks of the four-week period the toy drive occurred, all 50 children had students and faculty purchase toys for them. Because of this, the center was able to adopt 25 more children, all of whom received gifts. The center raised an additional $700, meaning all of the children’s Christmas lists can be completed. Any surplus money raised will be donated to Athens Children Services.
“Once we learned the Athens Children’s Services did something like that, we were able to get in connection with someone that could help us find children in need,” Buck said. “We just really thought that it would be something that we would be able to have a direct impact (on) many people with.”
Another service project taking place on campus is Adopt a Family, which is put on by the Residence Hall Association with the help of Hall Councils throughout campus.
Brayden Kaufman, a junior studying integrated social studies, and as vice president of finance for RHA, organizes Adopt a Family.
“RHA works with (Hall Councils) to fundraise to get gifts for the holidays for families in Athens that are less fortunate,” Kaufman said. “We work through the Athens County Children’s Services. Then we match those Hall Council donations to meet that donation.”
Usually, RHA raises between $3,000 and $4,000 for Adopt a Family. This year, they are looking to once again meet their $4,000 goal.
“I think it’s good for the residential community to hear that stuff like that is happening,” Kaufman said. “A lot of the time, hall councils might just be programming and putting on fun events and stuff. This is a good way to kind of expand what they do.”
Another large point of philanthropy on campus occurs through Sorority and Fraternity Life. Caroline Mattox, a junior studying journalism, discussed
the importance of philanthropy around the holiday season.
“I believe that is very important, especially during the holiday season,” Mattox said. “I feel like the main purpose, at least for me, (of) Christmas, is giving gifts, giving back, celebrating everyone. I feel like a great way to do that is through volunteering and giving back time.”
Mattox’s sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, partners with Ronald McDonald House in Columbus. Once a month, the sorority takes a trip up to Columbus to volunteer with the organization. Mattox feels this trip is especially important
during the holiday season.
“I remember last year I helped cook a full meal, and it was so great to be able to give back in that sense, even though it was just a few hours of my time, just seeing how much joy they had on their faces and how much light we got to bring,” Mattox said.
The holiday season is an opportunity for students to come together to participate in service projects and philanthropy, with various ways to help others.
The stage on the second floor of The Union, Nov. 7, 2024, in Athens, during Battle of the Bands night. (MEGAN VANVLACK | FOR THE POST)
Christmas lights hung up on Court Street, December 2023.
(GRACE BROWN | FOR THE POST)
Photo Staff: Fall semster in review
ALAINA DACKERMANN | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
A photojournalist’s lens is a powerful tool often overlooked in the grand scheme of reporting the news. Words are impactful, as are the photos that accompany them. Without the people behind the cameras that take those photos, there would be a significant lack of visual elements in journalism. This semester’s photo staff has gone to great lengths to showcase the people, places and events in the Appalachian hills of Southeast Ohio. From the beginning of Welcome Week to the impromptu spot news and all of the wins and losses of sporting events that fill the semester, the staff has rarely backed down from a challenge or moment to capture history, and there were many in these past five months.
It takes work to put oneself in the moment to capture news. While the events that take place in this region of Ohio are not always world-wide news, they are still crucial to the community and its members, and as photojournalists, it is the nature of the job to be there with those people. A protest can seem calm and peaceful, but it does not mean that one can cover it without having to constantly have one’s head on a swivel and look out for any potential danger or the next newsworthy image. The same goes for something as simple as a football game, where one minute, you are taking a photo of a player making a one-handed catch, and the next, that player is sliding into you.
Newsrooms and the staff that fill them are constantly on-call, and when it comes time for them to be called up, there is only a little time to decide if the news is worth more than oneself and their ability to do their job. In turn, a great deal of praise is needed for those who are able to do so and have done so far this school year. I commend every one of the photographers on the staff and the writers who have also taken it upon themselves to join and take their photos for stories. While the job may seem simple at times and often is, it does not make up for the fact that it is a job at the end of the day and no matter how passionate one is about something, there is still a chance it can take a toll on one’s livelihood and health. To understand what people go through, one must have sympathy, compassion and empathy, and I see those traits in every one of the members of this staff and the thousands like it across the world. It is those traits and abilities that allow these journalists to create headlines, sub-headings, captions, photos and stories daily that document history and share it with the world around them.
View the full gallery here
From left to right
Owner Timothy Sole holds Charlie, one of the cats in his care at the Paws of Hope Cat Sanctuary Nov. 5, 2024.
(MADELINE LYNCH | FOR THE POST)
Internet phenomenon, Sister Cindy, talks to students on College Green. Sept. 30,2024. (AUDI REED | FOR THE POST)
Ohio University’s starters getting ready to play against Toledo, Oct. 17, 2024. (ANTONIO RAHMAT| FOR THE POST)
DJ Gonzalez shows a friend his broken teeth and wounds from a fall during Skate Jam’s Young Buck competition.
(JACK TATHAM | FOR THE POST)
The Hocking River Sept. 10, 2024.
(BECKETT STARK | FOR THE POST)
Kennedi Watkins goes for a layup over Leah Johnson. (ANDREW UHRIG | FOR THE POST)
A Students for Justice in Palenstine member during the 2024 Homecoming parade in Athens, Sept. 28, 2024.
(AMBERLEE GLADWELL | FOR THE POST)
Ohio back Emily Risser (16) hits the ball downfield aginst James Madison University at Pruitt Field in Athens, Oct. 4, 2024. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)
Festival goers look at the accumulation of bugs on the moth sheet during the night hike at the Fungi Festival in Athens, Oct. 5, 2024. (ANDERS SALING | FOR THE POST)
The right side of the road was blocked off for the election workers so they can drop off ballots to the Board of Election. Court Street, Athens. Nov. 5, 2024.
(RACHEL KLACNHER | FOR THE POST)
Carnegie Mellon University police officers and hired security stand outside of Philip Chosky Theatre as Kamala Harris arrives for her campaign event at the Economic Club of Pittsburgh Sept. 25, 2024. (SKYLAR SEAVEY | FOR THE POST)
THE POST
Editor-in-Chief | Alyssa Cruz
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Equity Director | McKenna Christy
EDITORIAL
News Editor | Emily Stokes
Asst. News Editor | Maggie Amacher
Human Interest Editor | Abby Jenkins
Asst. Human Interest Editor | Disha Hoque
Sports Editor | Logan Adams
Sports Editor | Robert Keegan III
Opinion Editor | Megan Diehl
Asst. Opinion Editor | Brianna Tassiello
Entertainment Editor | Trey Barrett
Asst. Entertainment Editor | Sophia Anness
Copy Chief | Jackson McCoy
Slot Editors | Carly DeLuca, Emma Erion, Elizabeth Talaga, Daphne Graeter
ART
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Director of Photography | Alaina Dackermann
Photo Editor | Megan VanVlack
DIGITAL
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9 great Athens bar specials
ASHLEY POMPLAS | FOR THE POST
There are over 20 different bars in Athens that all have their own distinct food and drink specials for all customers to enjoy. Here is a list of 9 different bar specials in town.
Broney’s Alumni Grill
Broney’s Alumni Grill, located at 7 W. Carpenter St., is one of the best places to stop during the week for its Taco Tuesday. Patrons can grab $1 dine-in tacos or dine-in chicken tacos for $1.50. Tuesday deals also include $2 well tequila shots, $3 margaritas, $5 loaded margaritas and a $2 Mexican beer.
The bar also serves a variety of drinks and food deals for all customers to enjoy every day of the week. Wednesdays, Broney’s has a 75-cent dine-in wing night from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays, dine-in appetizers are half-priced from 4-10 p.m. Sundays, patrons can get $3 loaded nachos and single drafts for $2.50.
Pawpurr’s Bar
Pawpurr’s Bar, located at 37 N. Court St., has daily specials for anyone 21 and up. At Pawpurr’s, every day has a different drink special. Monday and Tuesday each have $3 doubles, but Thursday has a second special where doubles are $4. Wednesdays, Pawpurr’s Bar has $5 liquor mugs. Finally, Friday’s special is half off the top shelf with Prime Time occurring from 6-9 p.m.
North End Kitchen and Bar
North End Kitchen and Bar, located at 77 N. Court St., has specials including getting $1 off well margaritas until 9 p.m. Monday-Friday. At North End, the week’s drink specials include $18 margarita pitchers Mondays; $3 Mexican beers and $1.50 tequila shots after 9 p.m. Tuesdays; Thursdays offer $3
double well drinks and $6 liquor pitchers. The restaurant and bar have a variety of meal specials as well. Mondays, customers can purchase crostini flights for $6.95. For taco fans, traditional tacos are only $1 and chicken tacos are $1.50 Tuesdays. Wednesdays, the restaurant offers a Bobcat Burrito for $5.95 and a triple drip special for the same price. Finally, the Thursday special is a quesabirria for $6.95.
Lucky’s Sports Tavern
Lucky’s Sports Tavern, located at 11 N. Court St., has a weekly updated updated weekly specials menu for all customers to enjoy. Lucky Hour runs Monday through Friday from 4-8 p.m. with $2.50 domestic bottles and mug deals.
Mondays, patrons can get well margaritas for $3 and discounts on 26.5 ounce mugs. Tuesdays, patrons can get two shots from Lucky’s shotboard for $2. Well liquor pitchers are $5 Wednesdays, and Sundays have an all-day happy hour and mug deal.
Tony’s Tavern
Tony’s Tavern, located at 7 W. State St., has a large drink menu with extensive alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. Happy Hour runs every day from open to 9 p.m. with 50 cents off everything. On the last Sunday of the month, Tony’s has a Bloody Mary bar that runs from 1-4 p.m.
Other specials at Tony’s include 50 cents off all draft pints and well drinks for $2.50 Mondays. Patrons can also get 50 cents off infusion drinks Thursdays. Tony’s signature shot, the Hot Nut, is available for $1.50 Wednesdays and $1.75 Sundays.
The Over Hang
The Over Hang, located at 63 N. Court St., has a Happy Hour from 4-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, with $1.50 well-drink or ice cold pitchers.
Each day, O-Hang has special themes
which coincide with the specials offered. Man Crush Mondays include $1.50 vodka drinks and $2 chardonnay. On Tequila Tuesdays, O-Hang offers $1.50 tequila and $2 beers of Mexico, which include Corona, Modelo and Land Shark. Finally Friday has the bar's popular F-bomb drinks for only $3.
Cat’s Corner
Located at 110 W. Union St., Cat’s Corner has specials including Happy Hour running from noon to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Margaritas are $2 Mondays and long islands are $3 Tuesdays. Whiskey Wednesday offers 50 cents or $1 off select whiskeys. On NFL football Sundays, buckets range between $8-10 and blood mary drinks are $3.
The J Bar
Located at 41 N. Court St., J Bar has some of the best specials in town. Mondays, Kona Big Waves and Miller beers are $2. Most whiskeys are $3 for Whiskey Wednesday.
Fridays, well drinks start at $3 at open, but the price increases by $1 every two hours. Busch draft drinks are $1.50 Saturdays and domestic pitchers are $7 Sundays.
The Red Brick Tavern
Located at 14 N. Court St., Red Brick has many specials including Brick Break, which runs Monday-Thursday from 7-9 p.m. and all day Sundays.
The bar has Crown Royal drinks for $3 and $1.50 beer bottles Mondays. Tuesdays include margarita pitchers for $7 and mega mugs for $6. Wednesdays, vodka jugs are $6 with Jack Daniel’s and Jameson Orange drinks for $3. Patrons can also get trashcans and pitchers for $6 Thursdays.
@ASHLEYPOMPLAS
Fashion trends for winter 2024-25
ALICIA SZCZESNIAK | FOR THE POST
As the temperature drops and the first snowflakes begin falling, fall is quickly fading into winter. With this weather shift, it's time to transition our closets from more lightweight and airy clothing to the heavier and thicker materials of winter. Here are a few of the trends to look out for this season.
SHORTS OVER TIGHTS
The shorts over tights trend had a moment during the early and mid 2010s. However, the trend is making a comeback, though a bit more updated.
Rather than just denim cutoffs, leather shorts and dress shorts have now been added. Although the trend initially spread across social media as a holiday look, models such as Alexa Chung and Kate Moss have been spotted wearing the revived style.
LONG COATS
Winter is cold in much of the country, and long coats have always been a means to counter it, so this one should not come as much of a shock. However, this trend is much more in style right now, being spotted both on runways and on everyday people. Oftentimes made of wool, long coats are evolving to include more patterns, colors and materials, such as leather or plaid.
FAUX FUR
Speaking of timeless winter trends, fur is making its rounds once again. However, the trend is
expanding as well.
This season, fur and faux fur are also being given the trench coat treatment, with longer coats becoming more “in style.” Shorter coats are still very much on-trend, however, as they can be seen in multiple colors and even in multiple prints.
GRANDPA SWEATERS
Grandpa sweaters have been steadily in the mainstream for the past few years. However, many stores have been releasing expansive collections of these cozy closet staples. Retailers like Old Navy, JCPenney and Urban Outfitters have been part of this, releasing both men and women collections.
LEATHER
Leather has historically been used to stay warm during the cold winter months. But within the past few years the material has been used in other articles of clothing. Shorts and pants have been the two main pieces, with the style being used as a way to either warm up an outfit or give it a bit of an edge.
BURGUNDY
Burgundy is usually a staple color of fall, but many designers are giving it a wintry update. Jack ets, dresses and tops are suddenly taking on the wine-red color. Even accessories such as boots, purses and sunglasses are being spotted in the shade, indicating that the color is here to stay with the season.
LEOPARD PRINT
Print styles come and go, and one of the ones that has certainly come this year is leopard print. The pattern has had a massive resurgence this year, pairing with 2024’s undercurrent of standing out and mixing different styles.
As a result, the trend has been dressed up and down, being seen on boots and dresses as well as more casual pieces, such as pants and jackets.
Like peppermint and snowfall, Mariah Carey has become an iconic Christmas symbol.
Each year, the singer releases a video marking the end of Halloween signaling the start of Christmas and welcoming her hit song “All I Want for Christmas is You” back to the radio and music charts. From 2019 to 2024, Carey has kicked off the holiday season in creative and festive ways.
Here are Carey’s best holiday videos, ranked.
6. 2020 VIDEO
Although it’s inventive, Carey’s 2020 video comes in last place. The video depicts a Halloween creature opening on a door and being greeted by Carey in Christmas pajamas checking her watch and declaring it time.
This video was effective in its message but is lackluster compared to Carey’s other videos. Ultimately, Carey could have done more.
5. 2019 VIDEO
Carey released her first Christmas video in 2019. The video begins at 11:59 p.m. Oct. 31, Halloween night. Carey goes to bed in her Halloween costume, but as the clock strikes midnight, “All I Want for Christmas is You” begins to play as Carey gets a phone call from Santa Claus. It’s then that Carey sings “It’s time,” which has become a featured point in her subsequent videos.
This video achieves its purpose of ringing in the Christmas season but lacks the flair and drama the other videos on this list utilize. Although it places low on this list, the video started the Christmas video tradition for Carey and is fun to look back on.
4. 2022 VIDEO
Carey’s 2022 video features a fun transition from
Halloween to Christmas. First, Carey is riding on an exercise bicycle before she is transported onto a reindeer in a snowy, winter wonderland.
This video is simple but gets the job done. The transition is quick but captivating enough. However, it still leaves much to be desired and is outdone by several other “It’s time” teasers.
3. 2021 VIDEO
The point of Carey’s Christmas videos is to end Halloween and welcome the Christmas season, and the 2021 video achieves that.
Carey physically puts an end to Halloween by smashing pumpkins carved to said “it’s not time,” declaring it is
in fact time. There is a message at the end of the video that says, “It’s time to smash that pumpkin and treat it as a pie … cause we still gotta get through Thanksgiving,” ensuring no holiday is forgotten on the road to Christmas.
This video was strong in its messaging and included so many fun details within the Halloween and Christmas decorations. It plays heavily on Carey’s “it’s time,” catchphrase and sets the tone for the Christmas season.
2. 2024 VIDEO
Carey’s newest Christmas video comes in 2nd place overall. This video is quite dramatic and features a longer Halloween scene than prior videos. Carey is first seen dancing in a dark vampire-esque castle, before opening a cabinet and revealing her Santa outfit. The Christmas scene is extravagant with diamonds, crystals and a dancing snowman.
MIA PISHOTTI | ART DIRECTOR
Seeing smaller films is on the decline
JUDE HANNAHS | FOR THE POST
With the rise of big tentpole franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the constant mass producing of sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots and spin-offs, the moviegoing experience was filled with works catering to people’s nostalgia as of late. As a result, it can be harder for original works with a much smaller budget to receive recognition, and some even underperform at the box office. This leads most distribution companies to essentially dump the film on a streaming service such as Netflix or Hulu instead of potentially losing money with a wide release.
If a distribution company were to put the film in theaters, then it would only be shown in select theaters instead of all across the country. A recent example is the decision by Warner Bros. Pictures to only have Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” (2024) play in 50 theaters in the U.S. The film will be available to stream Dec. 20 on Max.
Similar to Eastwood, some of the biggest filmmakers have been pushed to rely on streaming platforms to promote their films. In 2019, Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” had a limited theatrical release starting Nov. 1 and ending Dec. 5. The film was picked up by Netflix and earned an average of 13.2 million viewers in its opening weekend on the streaming service.
“The Irishman” stars Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino, and it is an example of a “smaller” film with notable actors who each have their own fanbases. If “The Irishman” was released 30 years ago in theaters, it could have made a substantial amount of money at the box office. Many people were familiar
with the cast members and had seen films like “Raging Bull” (1980), “Home Alone” (1990) and “The Godfather” (1972) which they starred in.
In today’s culture, many trendy celebrities include those who play famous comic book characters such as Tobey Maguire’s Spider–Man. Viewers often support media that is more akin to a superhero film or television show.
Although some older directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan still manage to break through and have their films play in theaters, it can be
This video perfectly rings in the Christmas season and is the festive extravaganza people have come to know and love. Each year Carey’s videos get bigger and better.
1. 2023 VIDEO
In 2023, Carey defrosted. Frozen in time, waiting for the signal, Carey shatters free from the ice encasing by belting her catchphrase “It’s time,” and releases joy and Christmas magic. Snow cascades down and people dance as Carey belts her signature tune.
Everything about this video is perfect. It’s dramatic, it’s spirited and it captures the essence of Carey’s Christmas videos. This one will forever be hard to top.
hard for other directors to have their films shown and for moviegoers to see smaller films.
However, the rise of streaming services saves many films from being completely wiped from existence. Additionally, there are some movie theaters that showcase smaller films as well as bigger films.
In Athens, The Athena Cinema, located at 20 S. Court St., is primarily known for showing independent and foreign language films for extended periods of time. Movies 10 - Fun Barn, located in Nelsonville, Ohio, also balances between showing newly released films, whether it was shown in a film festival the year prior or if it was scheduled to release on a specific date.
The Athena Grand also showcases popular films people have seen many times through advertisements and trailers as well as films that go unnoticed in the marketing world. However, The Athena Grand announced via Facebook it will be closing soon, and the last day to see a film there will be Jan. 5, 2025. It is a lot different for people to see films today than it was 15 years ago. The biggest films today often have high budgets and actors seen in other similar films. Years ago, the biggest film of the year could have been an eerie horror movie or an indie drama. At the moment, it is unknown whether or not smaller films will still have the chance to be watched on the silver screen going forward. However, the options near Athens and online provide opportunities to see smaller films.
NICOLE REESE | ASST. ART DIRECTOR
SUDOKU
Editorial: Recenter sportsmanship in sports
POST EDITORIAL BOARD
This year’s rivalry week in college football was filled with chaos, as various upsets set off a range of emotions both on and off the field. Most familiar to Ohio students is likely the conflict at the Horseshoe following Michigan’s victory over Ohio State.
Following the Buckeyes’ defeat, Michigan players attempted to plant their block M flag at midfield. This angered Ohio State players, fueling a brawl between the teams at the 50yard line that resulted in the use of pepper spray against the players and a $100,000 fine from the Big Ten to both the Wolverines and the Buckeyes.
One team attempting to put a flag on the logo of their rival happened four different times Saturday. NC State and North Carolina, Arizona State and Arizona and Florida against Florida State all faced similar moments in the post-game. Trying to plant the team’s flag is not necessarily new, and obviously football is a very physical and oftentimes aggressive sport. However, the slew of flag incidents and subsequent fights raise an interesting debate in deciding who exactly is to blame when rivalries get out of hand.
In the case of Ohio State and Michigan, there are a couple of factors at play. First, OSU was ranked 2nd in the Associated Press’s “Top 25 College Football Poll” before the game against unranked Michigan. For Ohio State to lose in such an upset was jarring for fans and players alike.
Of course, this does not give anybody the green light to start hitting their opponent. The loss clearly stung, and Michigan’s players should’ve known what they were getting into by further antagonizing an already emotionally wrought team. This all being said, OSU could’ve easily saved face in its response. Ohio State dragged out
the conflict when Buckeye Jack Sawyer took the Michigan flag and tried to tear it in half.
Football rules can seem different from the rules the rest of the world follows; there are fuzzy lines players must walk between passion and aggression and overtly instigating in a way unconducive to the game. This is where it is important to remember the virtue of sportsmanship and the importance of not getting so caught up in a moment that the impact of a player’s actions reaches far beyond the moment an action was taken.
As these conversations occur, sports journalism is even more important in providing fans with the facts of these situations. At the same time, sports reporters must be conscious of not worsening already deep divisions among sports fans. Just as political reporters must be meticulous in not allowing personal bias to infiltrate their writing, sports reporters cannot place blame on either team, but instead provide the facts and allow readers to make their own informed decisions. Both Michigan and Ohio State forgot the value that exists in sportsmanship and how that carries players both on and off the field. College football and the sports world as a whole would benefit from taking a step back and reevaluating what is really being fought for on the field.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors: Editor-in-Chief Alyssa Cruz, Managing Editor Madalyn Blair and Equity Director McKenna Christy. Post editorials are independent of the publication’s news coverage. The Post can be reached via editor@thepostathens.com.
JACKSON PENNINGTON FOR THE POST
Lately with Layne: Timely political themes emerge from ‘Wicked’
LAYNE REY | FOR THE POST
Since “Wicked” released Nov. 22, fans and newcomers to the story have obsessed over the story’s themes of friendship, overcoming and the powerful music linking each scene to the next. Although “Wicked” has notes of nostalgia and happiness for many viewers, the entire storyline carries serious and timely political themes hidden in plain sight.
The Wizard, a manipulative and controlling leader, uses his power to marginalize the talking animals of Oz. Once meant to represent former president George W. Bush’s role in the Iraq War, the Wizard’s rhetorical tactics and actions are now more representative of President-elect Donald Trump’s own rhetoric and actions. Both Trump and the Wizard alienate certain groups and strive to strip them of their rights. On the other hand, Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, stands up for the marginalized animals as an allegorical protagonist against fascism.
A fan of “Wicked” went to Reddit and said, “I noticed that Elphaba is like Kamala Harris and the Wizard is like Donald Trump. Wicked is about a strong, capable woman
who deals with relentless discrimination based on her skin color. She faces off against a narcissistic, authoritarian leader who spreads lies to defame others. Doesn’t that sound like Kamala Harris and Donald Trump? I know that the similarities are unintentional, but the parallels are impossible to ignore.”
The fan, like many other viewers, noticed the timely parallels, especially post-election. This highlights how timeless “Wicked” is, as its themes apply to American politics across administrations.
John M. Chu, the director of the “Wicked” movie, sarcastically said, “A charismatic leader who gaslights a community that this woman is wicked just because she’s standing up for a marginalized group of people in the society, how could that be (political)?”
“Wicked” takes the story of the Wizard of Oz and narrows in on Elphaba’s backstory, reframing her narrative once perceived as evil. The story reframes her as a woman strongly motivated by social justice born with green skin, setting her as an outcast from other characters. Those aspects of Elphaba raise larger themes of performative activism and discrimination.
Elphaba, a clear progressive, is contrasted with Galin-
da, the Good Witch, who seemingly prefers performative activism. Galinda is more comfortable with maintaining the status quo and does not outright support Elphaba in her moral fight against the Wizard after learning about his deception, despite their friendship. This complex relationship touches on the differences between progressives and democrats in American politics: both groups desire the same outcome, but one is more willing to fight for it.
Throughout the movie, Elphaba is characterized by her green skin, touching on racial discrimination. Her family members and peers highlight the tendency to alienate groups that don’t fit conventional standards. However, Elphaba’s experience with discrimination leads her to stand up for other minority groups.
The political themes that emerge from “Wicked” are both timely and timeless, highlighting its intertwinedness with American politics as it relates to power dynamics, activism and discrimination. Movies such as “Wicked” that are consumable and entertaining may be the answer to explaining and understanding the nuances of American politics.
Metal Mondays Read punk zines, small music publications
JACKSON MCCOY | COPY CHIEF
A total of 626 million people listen to their favorite music using Spotify every month. Apple Music has over 93 million subscribers. In 2023, Pandora had around 46 million active users. People listen to music in numbers that are almost inconceivable to the human brain — try picturing a crowd of 46 million, let alone 600 million.
In the current streaming era, music journalism is facing a crisis. Many people believe music journalism is dead or dying, while some argue it’s just adapting to the relative affordability and immediate availability streaming provides. What consumers are forgetting, however, is music journalism is still a vital part of the music industry’s ecosystem; without it, the PR agents of streaming giants and major record labels shape musicians’ narratives, and young writers are stifled.
Listeners everywhere need to turn to punk’s DIY culture and small music publications to remind themselves exactly why journalism is an integral part of the listening experience. Zines, magazines and small music blogs are still important to sustaining a well-balanced music experience and uplifting beginning artists and bands.
Born out of the minds of science fiction authors in the early 1930s, zines became popular sources of information for every niche people could find. There have been Star Trek zines and horror zines, all of which provide content specific audiences were craving.
During the 1970s, when GG Allin was defecating on stage and Iggy and the Stooges were inventing stage
From
diving, punk zines dug up the hidden gems of local music scenes. Produced by the people in these scenes and sold for cheap or given out for free, punk zines often featured interviews, reviews and gossip columns. Zines were produced en masse and were relatively easy to make, giving agency to the people in local scenes to shape the musical experiences for regulars and visitors alike.
In recent years, zines have made somewhat of a comeback among Generation Z. The zine revival has a number of benefits; zines allow for community-building among people with similar interests. In a time of increasing loneliness, bonding over a shared love of riot grrrl bands or the Lord of the Rings franchise could be incredibly beneficial.
Many currently running punk and music zines represent the benefits of their existence. In Southern California, Dead Relatives magazine showcases musicians and artists of color who shape the SoCal underground, presented in a boldly punk-influenced design template. Similar publications in the area, such as SoCal Grind magazine, promote local extreme metal shows.
Closer to home, zines shape punk scenes across Ohio. In Columbus, Knuckle Dragger 614 promotes punk and hardcore bands in the area through show announcements and interviews. Up north around Cleveland, Starvation Army Zine provides updates and news on regional shows ranging from punk to blues.
Buying and reading DIY zines is an important step in creating a hospitable music landscape for new groups and artists, but supporting all forms of music publica-
tions is necessary for giving artists the best chance at success.
Major players in music coverage such as Billboard and Rolling Stone are both great for reading news and features about established bands and music festivals. Expanding reading lists to smaller music publications — Rock DNA Magazine, Atwood magazine and The Line of Best Fit are great places to start — can expose readers to new artists or new perspectives on popular ones.
For people wanting to stay informed about the world of heavy music, starting with publications like Kerrang!, Revolver Magazine and CREEM are great, but adding in issues of Razorcake and similar outlets supports upcoming artists and new writers alike.
Both media professionals and consumers have attempted to perform autopsies on music journalism, claiming it started dying when physical media stopped selling. Music journalism may not be what it once was; magazines with pop stars and rock legends on the cover don’t fly off the shelves like they did before Spotify shook up the industry.
Very few aspiring authors and journalists come out of college with a job at big name publications, a fact across journalistic disciplines. Getting a subscription to a small music magazine or buying zines from someone at a concert might seem small, but could open your eyes to your new favorite musician or your new favorite writer. Next time you see a photocopied collection of interviews and essays at a venue, or just on the street, take a chance and buy it.
