The Student Printz: March 31, 2021

SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • MARCH 31, 2021 | VOLUME 106 | ISSUE 26

CUT SPRING BREAK

PG 3

INK IN THE ALLEY PG 5

FALCON & WINTER SOLDIER PG 6

NEWS

MARCH 31, 2021

MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor

Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu

News & Features Editor Mary Murphy mary.s.murphy@usm.edu

Sports Editor

Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu

Multimedia Editor

Earl Stoudemire earl.stoudmire@usm.edu

Design Editor

Marissa Haas marissa.haas@usm.edu

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

Courtesy of Moffitt Health Center

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NEWS

MARCH 31, 2021

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Krispy Kreme offers a new reward for getting vaccinated

BRIAN WINTERS EXECUTIVE EDITOR ave you gotten vaccinated for COVID-19? Do you love doughnuts? Then you’re in luck. For the rest of 2021, Krispy Kreme is offering one free doughnut a day for anyone with a COVID-19 vaccination card.

“We all want to get COVID-19 behind us as fast as possible and we want to support everyone doing their part to make the country safe by getting vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available to them,” Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme Chief Marketing Officer, said.

Even if you have not yet been vaccinated, you can still get free things from Krispy Kreme. Each Monday from March 29 to May 24, anyone can go to Krispy Kreme and get one free medium coffee and glazed doughnut. This is done so that everyone’s week starts off on a good note.

Krispy Kreme will continue to encourage everyone to share joy and take care of each other by launching “Be Sweet Weekends.”. If any guest purchases any dozen doughnuts, they can order an additional “Be Sweet Dozen” to safely share with a friend or neighbor for just $1.

The Original Glazed dozen with a special smiley-face doughnut will also be available for nine consecutive Saturday and Sundays from March 27 to May 23. Krispy Kreme encourages sharing the joy on social media, using the hashtag #KrispyKreme and by tagging the company using @krispykreme.

For more information about the promotion, a FAQ can be found at https://www.krispykreme. com/promos/vaccineoffer. If you qualify for a vaccine and haven’t yet gotten one, you can schedule an appointment to get the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine with help from the VaccineFinder at https://vaccinefinder.org/search.

Brian Winters | Printz

Students are stressed over cut spring break JENNIFER SHIELDS PRINTZ REPORTER ast October, the University of Southern Mississippi decided to get rid of spring break for the condensed, COVID-19 adapted Spring 2021 semester. When this was announced, students were incredibly upset, as they saw spring break as a necessary break from the stress of school life. Months later, students are still upset about not having spring break, and worry about its impact on other students during an incredibly stressful semester.

In an attempt to combat student stress, Amy Chasteen, the Executive Vice Provost, worked with other school officials to have additional school holidays throughout the semester.

These holidays, taking place on Feb. 19, March 19 and April 2, all fall on Fridays.

“Where we are unusual is that we made an effort to add two new ‘holiday’ weekends in addition to the already scheduled April 2 holiday. This decision was made after feedback from students about the difficulty of having assignments every weekend all semester in fall[. We] wanted to offer some relief since there would not be a traditional spring break,” Chasteen wrote in an official statement.

However, some students, like junior Business Administration major Kiera Hathorn, believe this was not enough.

“I was actually pretty upset because it’s really not the same as having a full week off, because I mean you already get weekends off as it is so that’s nothing new. Plus having one day out of the three weeks, it was just a rip-off to me,” said Hathorn.

It doesn’t help that most Academic depart-

Meg Fuller | Printz

ments at Southern Miss currently do not have classes on Fridays, making these “holidays” somewhat redundant. It only further added students’ frustrations at the lack of spring holidays.

“I personally think that that wasn’t a very well thought out decision by the board,” said Elizabeth Collum, a freshman English Licensure major. “Most of us already have threeday weekends, the majority of USM doesn’t have classes on Fridays. […] I understand the idea, but I don’t think that it in theory worked out very well and it did more harm than

good.”

Spring break is typically utilized by students to travel, rest, work and do other activities that they were otherwise unable to find time for during the semester. However, without it, some students are noticing the negative effects it has created on their mental health.

“I think that it has definitely affected mental health. Spring break was supposed to be about a week or two ago[,] and that’s when everyone I knew was like ‘I’m burnt out’, ‘I’m done’, ‘I’m tired’, ‘I need a break.’ We should have had a week to do what we needed to do with

our lives to get back on our feet and plenty of us are stumbling just trying to stay caught up,” said Collum.

“I believe so because some people handle stress differently and then you spend a lot in isolation trying to study and make sure you understand the course. So not having that break to rest from that can cause a mental toll on people,” said Hathorn.

Southern Miss was not the only school to forgo and adapt new spring holidays in response to COVID-19. Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Mississippi College also changed their usual break schedule, with Mississippi College creating a “Spring Break Day” to make up for things. However, other schools, such as Tougaloo College, Louisiana State University and Pearl River Community College, were able to schedule spring break, Mardi Gras and the Easter holiday break into its spring calendar, even with COVID concerns.

Some students are also concerned that this will still be the case for next year, as COVID, though better managed, remains a threat.

“I’d be very irritated. We’re not doing okay. […] I think that, with the amount of backlash this [semester] has gotten, it would be foolish of them to do it again, because it’s obvious nobody’s happy with this decision,” said Collum.

“I’d be upset again [if they canceled spring break.] It would make me upset and have a negative impact on me graduating,” said Hathorn.

However, things seem more promising for next year. When directly asked about the Spring 2022 holiday schedule, Chasteen said, “The schedule for 2021-2022 is planned to be like the pre-COVID one, with the usual holidays of fall break, Mardi Gras and Spring Break.”

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NEWS

MARCH 31, 2021

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Pocket Museum shines a light on local art scene with Ink in the Alley MARY MURPHY NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR Photos by Brian Winters | Printz

attiesburg residents were able to explore and celebrate the city’s local art scene during the first ever Ink in the Alley on March 27.

Ink in the Alley, presented by and hosted near the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum, lasted from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Though there were some weather concerns going into the event, and a fair bit of wind to contend with at its start, guests came in droves to support local artists and businesses. Because it was an outdoor event, the Pocket Museum encouraged guests to socially distance in order to keep everyone safe.

Fully free to attend, guests were able to visit several booths near the Pocket Museum showcasing local art.

Prints, stickers, t-shirts, koozies and more were available for purchase, with all the proceeds going directly to the people that made them.

Hattiesburg local and Southern Miss alumni Melanie Uggen attended the event with her daughter and their pug, Charlie.

“I love it! I absolutely love it,” said Uggen. “I love how everybody’s got things that you can purchase from local artists and support local people, local companies. And I like that there’s things for the kids to do, there’s things for grown-ups to do -it’s been really fun so far!”

Some of the artists at Ink in the Alley also worked at local tattoo parlors like Lady Luck Tattoo and Hattiesburg Tattoo. Though guests were unable to get permanent tattoos on site, they were able to look through artist portfolios and schedule tattooing appointments for later on. More adventurous guests could even get a temporary tattoo for a dollar by sticking their arm into a makeshift graffiti door.

Stoneyboy, an artist at and the owner of Hattiesburg Tattoo, loved seeing the community come together to celebrate its art scene.

“It’s awesome,” Stoneyboy said. “I mean, this is our first year doing it and it’s a great turnout. I appreciate everyone coming out and supporting [us].”

The nearby Saenger Theater brought out their Art-O-Matic to help celebrate Ink in the Alley. The Art-O-Matic, made from an old cigarette dispenser, held several smaller paintings and trinkets for guests to get. The Saenger also helped out with Ink in the Alley’s Tattoo Contest, where guests showed off their best or funniest tattoos to win prizes.

Other local businesses also managed to get in on the action. The Blooms Company gave out free black roses for the first ten guests that bought an official Ink in the Alley t-shirt.

Southern Prohibition helped provide drinks for the event, while Hub Spins gave guests cotton candy to snack on. Even the Hattiesburg Zoo joined

the fun, allowing Sebastian the African porcupine to tour the event with Zoo Outreach Coordinator Laura Leggett.

Ramona Lisa Wicht, the owner of the Alley Cats Axe Throwing Company, was thrilled to help out with Ink in the Alley. She hosted an axe-throwing booth that guests could test their skills in.

“This is such a wonderful opportunity to get out, be among our community and start living again,” said Wicht. “God has given us a beautiful

day for this, people are here in such big numbers and I believe it’s kicking off the best that’s yet to come.”

Guests and coordinators alike were thrilled with Ink in the Alley’s success, and the Pocket Museum hopes to make the celebration an annual one.

For more updates about the Pocket Museum or Ink in the Alley, be sure to check out the Pocket Museum’s official Facebook page at www. facebook.com/HattiesburgPocketMuseum.

MARCH 31, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ explores legacies, cover-ups in MCU MORGAN LAWRENCE PRINTZ REPORTER isney+ once again expanded the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with its second original miniseries, ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’.

‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ premiered on Disney+ on March 19.

It comes a few weeks after the last MCU entry, ‘WandaVision’, ended on March 5. It is the second new MCU project this year, and there are plenty more coming up after it. With new episodes arriving every Friday until the finale on April 23, here is what has happened so far.

Unlike ‘WandaVision’, ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ does not start off as a sitcom.

This series feels a lot closer to the action-packed Marvel movies that we know. Even if some people feel like the first episode started off slow, ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ is filled with a lot more fight scenes and drama.

The show follows the late Steve Rogers’, aka Captain America’s, best friends/sidekicks Sam Wilson (The Falcon) and Bucky Barnes (The Winter Soldier) in the days after the “Blip”, when Thanos’s snap removed half of the universe’s population. Though Sam and Bucky have appeared in the MCU before, they were usually pushed off to the side in favor of other characters like Captain America. ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’, however, finally gives Bucky and Sam their time in the limelight, and we get to see more personal light.

Bucky, now 106 years old, has to deal with his

years of PTSD as a Hydra super soldier with his court ordered therapist. Sam, meanwhile, attempts to help his sister with their family fishing business in Louisiana. Everyone expects Bucky and Sam to work together in top secret military operations. There’s just one problem: Bucky and Sam are incompatible in every way. They might both be incredible fighters, but they are also two lone wolves that must learn to work together.

That’s far from the only problem our characters have to deal with, though. In ‘Avengers: Endgame’, Steve gave Sam his Captain America shield, wanting him to be the next Captain America. Now, since there is no longer an imminent threat to planet earth, Sam gave up the shield, wanting the government to display it in a Captain America memorial. Bucky disagrees with this decision, which caused new tension in their friendship. Things only get worse when they find out the government has instead knighted a new Captain America, John Walker, to take Steve’s place. Will this new Cap ever be able to fill Steve’s shoes? Will he ever get along with Bucky and Sam? Besides the replacement Cap, there is also a new enemy to deal with. The Flag-Smashers are a group of super soldiers who want to create “one world, one people”, no matter the cost.

Throughout the second episode, the Falcon and the Winter Soldier attempt to learn more about the Flag-Smashers, not knowing an unseen force follows close behind. Like with the replacement Cap, viewers want to learn more about the Flag-Smashers, wondering, “Are these people actually that bad? And if not, then what -- or who -- is the evil force following them?”

In an attempt to combat the Flag-Smashers,

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Photo courtesy of Disney+ Bucky goes to visit an old “friend” to try and recruit him. This old “friend” turns out to be another super soldier that served for America during the Korean War. His name is Isaiah Bradley, a now elderly black man. The trip turns out to be a disaster in more ways than one. Isaiah is reluctant to speak to Bucky, and Sam is upset that Bucky never told him about Isaiah. After all, “you’re telling me that there was a black super soldier decades ago and nobody knew about it?”

Sam and Bucky later get in a verbal fight in the streets outside of Isaiah’s house. Because their argument gets really heated, some police officers come by and racially profile Sam, asking for his ID and threatening to arrest him. Even though Sam doesn’t get arrested -- one of the cops recognizes Sam, and the other one quickly backs off -- the scene is an excellent example of how black

men are unfortunately treated in our society.

Disney and Marvel are not only expanding the MCU with ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’, but they are also taking a stand against racial injustice and providing representation. Not only does the police scene ring true to many viewers, but there are also a lot more African-Americans and people of color as actors and extras throughout the show. This level of representation means a lot for fans, especially in the superhero genre, which has been known to be predominantly white.

‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ is exciting, inclusive and action packed. Every episode leaves more to be desired, and many fans are enthusiastically waiting to see what’s to come.

Tune into Disney+ this Friday to find out what happens next to this unlikely duo.

Lil Nas X takes us on a queer journey with new single JAKORI BEAUCHAMP PRINTZ REPORTER il Nas X released the second single from his upcoming album, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”, March 26 alongside a flagrantly queer music video.

The video begins with a voiceover spoken by Lil Nas X: “In life, we hide the parts of ourselves we don’t want the world to see. We lock them away. We tell them, ‘No.’ We banish them. But here, we don’t.”

The video, co-directed by Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino, takes us to a world called Montero, where Lil Nas X takes part in a Christian-styled story where the snake tempts him to divulge in queer activities. The song itself hypes up a queer relationship, as Lil Nas X wants to get involved with another man. The video also seems to be making fun of common anti-queer rhetoric that is still very prominent today. Lil Nas X goes through a Marie Antionette-style stoning, slides down a pole into hell and gives the devil a lap dance.

The name of the song and the world is taken from Lil Nas X’s real name, Montero Hill, and is heavily

Photo courtesy of Teen Vogue

inspired by his own experiences.

Shortly after releasing the song and video, Lil Nas X released a letter to his 14-year-old self on Twitter.

“I know we promised never to come out publicly, I know we promised to never be ‘that’ type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret, but this [song] will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist,” Lil

Nas X wrote.

There is a lot going on in “Montero’s” video. It had a lot of eye-catching moments that still related to the song. It played on the old “gays are going to hell” saying in every possible way, from having Lil Nas X stripping down a pole into hell to him being hit with a butt plug at his stoning. The video shows more of Lil Nas X’s creative

side than we were previously shown with the video for “Holiday”, even as it got dark towards the end. It was a “whoa” moment from beginning to end.

Just like I said in my “Holiday” review, though, “Montero” is another Lil Nas X song where the visual is more powerful than the music. Not saying the song is bad at all, but it’s just that the song is just less groundbreaking than the visuals. The song itself is very cute with the potential of being a great hit.

However, I still want to hear something more notable from Lil Nas X. With his creativity skills, I can definitely see this being his “Teenage Dream” Katy Perry era, but he needs a song to pull it together. Maybe his “Bad Romance” song will take him to the next level of musicality and video iconography.

Still, the song and video are huge for queer people, and for black queer people especiallly. “Montero’s” success is pushing the community to new heights and allowing them areas they were previously left out of. Hopefully, this could be history in the making. I just hope that, when his debut album comes out this summer, I will receive the powerhouse song and video combination that I have been looking for.

MARCH 31, 2021 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM “Only a woman could dare to make this film”: Remembering Agnès Varda

ENTERTAINMENT

ZAIN HASHMAT PRINTZ REPORTER rench filmmaker Agnès Varda once said that “I didn’t see myself as a woman doing film but as a radical film-maker who was a woman.” An icon of France and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Varda passed away two years ago this month. The loss of such a radical figure even years later can still be felt today.

Filmmaker, photographer, artist and activist, Varda was often called the “Grandmother of the French New Wave”, if only because she was the sole female filmmaker in that relatively niche genre. Varda’s influence lasted long after the dwindling of that movement, though, giving way to an artist whose impact went far beyond the confines of 60s rebellion and French filmmaking.

It’s an understatement to call Varda a visionary. She was a true empath who used her camera to capture people rarely seen on film, and often through the most nontraditional viewpoints.

Looking is a major interest of Varda’s, probably best shown in how she captures the titular Cleo in her film ‘Cleo from 5 to 7’.

‘Cleo’, arguably Varda’s most famous film, captures 90 minutes in the life of a musical star as she awaits the results of a cancer diagnosis. Cleo, played with immaculate sensitivity by Corrine Marchand, puts quite a bit of her self-worth in her youth and good looks.

Photo courtesy of Variety

Real Parisians stare at Cleo as she anxiously wanders the streets, and her reflection never seems to be far behind.

We, the audience, watch Cleo as much as others do, and must wonder what her fixation on her reflection truly means. Is it vanity? Is it an inability to escape being looked at when you’re a woman? Or is it mortality forcing one to see themselves anew?

Varda’s camera lingers on Cleo in a meditative trance. Her camera swings around Cleo in clothing stores and coffee shops, obsessed with how she reacts to a world that might soon be gone.

The film is photographed purposefully in gorgeous yet clearly pessimistic black and white, coloring in Cleo’s disparaging outlook.

Varda also shoots ‘Cleo’ in real time, adding onto the bracing attentiveness one develops when they realize nothing is forever. Death is ugly and taboo yet still a part of aging. No one really thinks about it until it is right in front of you, which is part of Cleo’s internal conflict. What happens when you’re the pinnacle of beauty, youth and success, and you’re told that all of that could be gone in 90 minutes?

For Cleo, it takes a complete stranger - a soldier - to help her assess what a positive cancer result might mean. This solder, Antoine, has seen more death than Cleo can probably imagine, and so helps her develop a new outlook on death. Just like Cleo, Antoine is about to come face to face with what might be a short-lived life, as he is about to leave Paris for the Algerian War. However, in contrast with Cleo’s despondent fatalism, Antoine sows his fears in stoicism. He values the pleasures of

daily living above all else, reveling in conversations and walks in the park.

It takes no more than 20 minutes with Antoine for Cleo to stop fearing the future and start relishing in the present.

Yet Cleo still must reckon with her status and looks, and how that affects her as a woman. Cleo is constantly ogled by passersby in the film, yet they neglect to listen to her on a jukebox.

When Cleo puts on one of her own songs in a crowded coffee house, no one cares. If anything, they are irritated by this song interrupting their conversations. Here, Varda makes a statement on how the image of a woman almost always trumps anything else revolving around femininity. It’s a devastating yet brutally honest statement, and one unheard of in a major film at that time.

Three years later, Varda went from ‘Cleo’s’ bleak black and white, fatalist view of the world to a colorful, impressionist daydream of a film named ‘Le Bonheur’. ‘Le Bonheur’, written and directed by Varda in one summer, shows how men ruin the lives of those around them without a care, or even an understanding, of what consequences it may lead to.

‘Le Bonheur’ follows François, a woodworker who lives an idyllic life in the French countryside with his wife, Therese, and their two kids. ‘Bonheur’ means happy in French, and the world that François lives in is of pure joy.

The aesthetic is that of tinted pastels, beautiful people and blooming flowers, all accompanied by the serene music of Mozart.

But this serenity doesn’t last long.

François almost unwittingly starts an

affair with a younger woman, Émilie, who uncannily resembles Therese.

Yet he does not believe he is being a dishonest, destructive husband in having this affair. Instead, François sees his affair simply as another form of happiness. Why feel guilty about being happy?

Life goes on for François, and he relishes in his double lives. For an hour of this 80 minute film, the audience wonders if this is all merely celebrating François’s actions. That the cultural revolution of the 60s, especially its sexual viewpoints, are being fully praised instead of critiqued.

But then François takes his family to the woods for another picnic, one that parallels the introduction to our picture-perfect family. And then, tragedy strikes. For five minutes, the entire tone of the picture changes. The colors become dreary and muted, the music sobs gently and François’s smile leaves his face for the first time.

And then, in a masterstroke by Varda, ‘Le Bonheur’ goes back to its familiar, joyous fantasy world. Now the film’s entire presentation, from its mise-en-scène to its characters to its musical choices, mean something else entirely. Nothing changes, but everything does. There is still so much happiness in the very last frame, and yet the audience is left screaming in shock.

‘Le Bonheur’s’ tagline claims that “Only a woman could dare to make this film.” But, really, only Varda herself could make something as shocking, provocative, beautiful and entertaining as ‘Le Bonheur’. Agnès Varda’s insight throughout all of her films was truly unique and sorely missed.

SPORTS

MARCH 31, 2021

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Spring practice showcases the “new era” of Southern Miss football CHARLIE LUTTRELL SPORTS EDITOR nergy and excitement filled M.M. Roberts Stadium as Southern Miss concluded its first spring practice under new Head Coach Will Hall’s leadership.

“We want to give people a reason to believe in something,” Hall said. “You see people working together because they love each other.

That’s what we’re trying to build here. It was a great spring building that, obviously football-wise. We got a lot better at a lot of things. There are some things we’ve got to improve on, but all in all, we’re better today than we were on February 23.”

The team practiced and improved game situations throughout each practice leading to its annual spring game. After 15 practices this spring, Hall said the team knows its strengths and weaknesses.

“We know what kind of ingredients we have now,” Hall said. “We know what we can do and what we can’t do, what pieces we might want to add over the offseason and what we feel pretty good about.”

Takeaways: Quarterback Play All eyes were on quarterback Trey Lowe III during practice. Lowe threw two touchdowns and three interceptions in four games last season after Tate Whatley was injured and Jack Abraham opted out of the season.

Now, Lowe gets a chance to start for the Golden Eagles in 2021.

“I think we had a really good spring[,] so I’m just excited to get the season going, to be honest. We’re going to have a really good offseason. We’re going to keep pushing and keep going hard. We know we want to win 12 games,” Lowe said.

Lowe said he wished he made more passes during the spring practice game. He threw two interceptions during practice, but connected multiple times with wide receiver Jason Brownlee, including a dart on a slant route and a

touchdown pass.

“I think Lowe came on as a leader and his attention to detail is unbelievable,” Hall said. “He had a great spring throughout.”

Freshman quarterback Tee Webb, who recently transferred from Louisville, also displayed his talents in the scrimmage. Webb connected with wide receiver Matt Pleasant for a thirty-yard gain on one of the first plays.

“Tee really got better every day,” Hall said. “I thought he had a nice day. You can really see the touch that he has on his passes. He’s got smooth delivery and he’s only going to get better as he grows.”

Jake Lange and L.J. Leonard also played during the scrimmage and performed well. Hall said that his staff will assess the starting position before the season begins.

“We’re going to go back and evaluate all 15 practices and make a decision based on data,” Hall said. “But I feel really good about both of them [Lowe and Webb] as long as they keep progressing.”

Defense Southern Miss’s defense ranked eleventh in defensive efficiency last season and allowed the third-most touchdowns in Conference USA, but the unit stole the show with big plays during the scrimmage.

“We’ve got some dogs, we’ve got some guys that really stepped up and I give my hats off to Coach [Brandon] Lacy,” defensive lineman Jacques Turner said. “He’s done a good job with us. This is the best I’ve ever seen the defensive line production-wise.”

After stepping away from the program in 2020, Turner is returning to play for the Golden Eagles this season.

“It feels like a fresh start. Everybody feels like it’s a fresh start around here,” Turner said. “It’s like being a freshman again.”

Turner said that he’s been working to get back in game shape after taking the year off and, compared to last season, has seen the defensive line stepping up during spring.

“From stepping back, I’ve seen guys like [defensive lineman] Tahj Sykes taking on bigger roles and being that alpha male on the D-Line and I tell him every day, ‘You’ve got to be a dog and a leader because other guys are looking up to you,’” Turner said.

Linebacker Zach Portlock was everywhere in the

Charlie Luttrell | Printz scrimmage, breaking up a pass, grabbing an interception and making a hard hit. Portlock first showcased his talents last season with an eight-tackle and one-sack performance against WKU. “Zach is always a guy that’s ready. He’s been showing up big time [...] and doing that every day this spring,” Turner said.

Cornerback Natrone Brooks also grabbed an interception in the endzone on a pass from Lowe during the practice, showing how the team has continuously improved.

Offense Southern Miss’s offense has its fair share of playmakers at the skill positions, including freshman running back Frank Gore Jr., who looks to carry on his success from his first year.

“I’m looking to be faster, stronger, more explosive and just being able to take more hits to become an every-down running back,” Gore said.

Gore finished fourth in the conference with 708 yards on 121 rushing attempts for two touchdowns.

Running backs Darius Maberry and Dee Baker also

rushed during the spring practice, and the latest redshirt freshman Antavious Willis, or “Rambo”, also took carries.

“Maberry’s played a lot of football here, and he’s got a chance to do some things,” Hall said. “Rambo and Dee are learning every day. Rambo probably had his best three days of practice last week.”

On the offensive line, Hall said he believes senior Khalique Washington has pro-potential after improving during the spring. Hall also noted the potential of lineman Gerquan Scott in practice.

While the team lost its senior receiver Tim Jones at the end of last season, the team added four freshmen to its roster, and has veterans who aim to increase their production. In his first season at Southern Miss, Brownlee led the team in all receiving categories with 34 catches for 610 yards and 5 touchdowns. Hall noted Brownlee’s potential.

“Jason Brownlee’s got a chance to be one of the best players I’ve ever coached,” Hall said.

Southern Miss has four months until its season opener, which is an away game at South Alabama on Sep. 4.

Southern Miss drops first series of the season against Louisiana Tech CHARLIE LUTTRELL SPORTS EDITOR outhern Miss (14-9, 1-3 Conference USA) lost three of four games as it began conference play last week with a series against nationally ranked Louisiana Tech (17-6, 3-1 Conference USA).

Game One The Golden Eagles started the series with a 3-2 loss Friday that went down to the wire in the ninth inning.

Southern Miss came into the ninth needing at least one run to tie the game and got runners on second and third with one out. However, Louisiana Tech closed out the game as pitcher Landon Tomkins struck out the Golden Eagles’ last two batters.

“We thought we were in it the whole time,” sophomore Reece Ewing said. “I think everybody in the dugout thought that in the last inning that we were going to at least tie it up[,] and I thought we were going to take the game right there. It was a tough loss.”

Head Coach Scott Berry said that the team missed opportunities earlier in the game to win and didn’t get the runs they needed, but that he wasn’t disappointed in the team’s approach at-bat.

“As far as the approach, I wasn’t disappointed at all.

I think there were times especially whenever we had a chance to get that run that maybe we didn’t tighten it up enough to get it done,” Berry said.

Both teams’ aces battled in the first game. Senior Hunter Stanley pitched for six innings and recorded seven strikeouts, only allowing three hits and no runs.

Louisiana Tech’s Jonathan Fincher pitched for seven innings, posting a 1.69 ERA. “He [Stanley] did not have his best stuff[,] but he went out there and pitched with it and I think that’s what’s important,” Berry said.

Southern Miss struck first with an RBI double in the fourth inning, but it was the only lead the team held for the game. After being held scoreless throughout Stanley’s first six innings, the Bulldogs put three runs on the board in the seventh inning to go up 3-1.

Ewing again delivered in the bottom of the eighth with a single RBI to narrow the score, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win.

“Both those hits that he [Ewing] had tonight were off of a left-hander. I thought he had a really good approach there. I think he’s been one of our more

consistent hitters,” Berry said Game Two Southern Miss responded to its loss in the first game with its highest-scoring game of the season for a 14-6 victory.

The Golden Eagles started with a two-run deficit, but launched their hitting soon after with seven unanswered runs as senior Walker Powell threw two scoreless innings.

“I had a long inning coming in, but I sat down and finally took a breath,” Powell said. “It was good to see the offense putting up some rocks. That’s definitely good and something you like to see as a pitcher.”

Powell pitched the team’s first complete game of the season through all seven innings. He recorded eight strikeouts, and only allowed 11 hits and six runs.

“Walker just gutted through there. That’s a tough lineup that Louisiana Tech throws at you [...] but Walker was able to weather the storm and keep our bullpen fresh,” Berry said.

Southern Miss hit four home runs in the second game against LA Tech, the most the team has had in three years.

“We do feel a lot more confidence [...] especially since we now know that we can put up that kind of offense,” junior Gabe Montenegro said.

Montenegro and sophomore Danny Lynch each hit two-run homers in the second inning to kickstart the Golden Eagles’ onslaught. Montenegro led the team with three hits, three RBIs and three runs in the game.

“He looked like the old Gabe Montenegro out there to me,” Berry said. “I was really proud of how he showed up and played. His swing really played, and it looked like that of old so hopefully, we can keep him going and get us going at the top.”

Montenegro said he made adjustments to his swing throughout the season to help his hitting.

“I’ve felt the same throughout the season, but it’s just little adjustments I’ve had to make and today, it just clicked finally,” Montenegro said.

Southern Miss exploded in the fourth inning with three runs. Sophomore Charlie Fischer hit a two-run homer, followed by a solo home run from Ewing to put the Golden Eagles up 7-2. The Bulldogs responded with three runs in the fifth inning, including a two-run homer of its own.

The Golden Eagles continued to hit successfully, however, and added five runs in the fifth inning.

Sophomore Chris Sargent batted in three runs after hitting a double with the bases loaded. But Montenegro ultimately gave Southern Miss its final score of the game with an RBI double in the sixth inning.

Game Three

Sean Smith | Printz The second game of the doubleheader was a different story from the first, as Louisiana Tech held Southern Miss scoreless in a 4-0 victory.

Southern Miss failed to carry its success hitting after one of its best outings of the season in the first game of the day.

“Since it’s going to be all season having these doubleheaders, we just need to stay locked in both games.

We need to do a better job at that,” Montenegro said.

Louisiana Tech’s Cade Gibson pitched a complete game through seven innings, recording six strikeouts and allowing Southern Miss just three successful hits.

“Gibson pitched well and used both sides of the plate,” Berry said. “He pounded the zone, mixed it and we didn’t get very good swings on him.”

The Bulldogs jumped to a 2-0 advantage in the third inning after two consecutive hits, and added their final score with a two-run homer in the fifth. The Golden Eagles had a scoring opportunity in the sixth inning with two runners on base, but Gibson struck out three batters in the frame.

Freshman Ben Ethridge threw for four innings, recording eight strikeouts and allowing four hits and two runs. Four other pitchers threw in relief for Ethridge after his four innings.

Game Four Southern Miss dropped its final game against Lou-

isiana Tech 8-7 after allowing seven consecutive runs during one stretch of the game.

“We didn’t do enough to beat a very good LA Tech team,” Berry said of the overall loss. “The shame of it is that we had a whole lot of opportunities. We just didn’t take care of business defensively [...] and we didn’t get the stops that we’ve been getting from the bullpen all year long.”

The Golden Eagles jumped to an early 4-0 lead after RBI singles from Fischer and fellow sophomore Will McGillis in the first. Freshman Reed Trimble ran Montenegro in, and then scored on a fielding error.

However, Louisiana Tech staged a comeback and gained the lead after consecutive three-run innings in the sixth and seventh.

“I think the storyline was that LA Tech was able to get their leadoff hitter on in many innings,” Berry said.

“They were able to start those innings with nobody out and I think that was the key in their scoring innings.”

Southern Miss responded to the Bulldogs’ runs to tie the game 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh.

“I was really proud of the way we came back after that three spot and put a three spot up ourselves,” Berry said.

After Ewing scored on a sacrifice fly and Lynch scored on a wild pitch, Trimble delivered a crucial RBI single to tie the game with two outs and two strikes in the count.

“I was just wanting to put the ball in play with two outs[. That’s] my job,” Trimble said. “I was trying everything I could.”

While Southern Miss was held scoreless in the previous game, the team surpassed its hit total from the third game in the first two innings, recording a total of 11 hits.

Montenegro continued to deliver for the Golden Eagles, extending his hitting streak to seven games. He started three for three, but struck out in his two last at-bats, including the game-ender in the bottom of the ninth.

Despite the Golden Eagles’ increased hitting, the team left 12 runners on base throughout the game.

“We had several opportunities to score, and we didn’t get the job done,” Trimble said. “That’s what it’s all about. [...] That’s something we’ve really got to focus on getting better at as a team.”

Sophomore Drew Boyd pitched through five innings, allowing seven hits and three runs.

“I thought he [Boyd] did a great job covering those five innings for us,” Berry said.

Four other pitchers threw for Southern Miss after Boyd. Sophomore Garrett Ramsey ultimately earned the loss as he gave up the last run in the eighth inning.