The Vista Aug. 28, 2018

Volume 116, Issue 21

the VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”

UCO Updates Medical Marijuana Policy

ucentralmedia.com vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista

Tuesday, August, 2018

UCO Professor Arrested for Indecent Exposure

Vy Luong @vy169

Reporter

Medical marijuana has been prohibited by the University of Central Oklahoma’s updated Code of Conduct, following the decision

by UCO’s presidential cabinet. (Provided/Pixabay)

Katie Standlee

@katiestandlee Managing Editor

Medical marijuana on campus was prohibited in an update to the University of Central Oklahoma Code of Conduct from a decision by the UCO presidential cabinet. The update said that even though State Question 788 passed, UCO receives federal funding and therefore still has to follow federal law.

State Question 788 was passed on June 26, making Oklahoma the 30th state to legalize medical marijuana.

Oklahomans, with recommendation from a doctor, can now apply for a Medical Marijuana Patient License

to be able to grow, use and possess medical marijuana.

However, federal law prohibits the use, possession, cultivation, manufacturing, being in the presence of or distribution of any federally controlled substance. Marijuana is currently considered a federally controlled substance, meaning UCO has included what is federally prohibited in Section III. H. 14 of the UCO Code of Conduct.

“UCO obviously adheres to federal law, but the very practical side of that is that we receive tens of millions of dollars every year from the federal government,” said UCO President Don Betz. “...federal dollars are im-

portant to the university and also the basic fact of U.S. government is that federal law takes precedence over state statute or state court rulings...”

Betz said some of the federal funding UCO receives is through students who receive federal funding from pell grants and Stafford loans, but the university also receives $15 million a year in federal grants for research.

Federal funds also fund student support on campus such as advising, mentoring, etc.

The medical marijuana policies and information section of student conduct, under ‘Keep It Off Campus’ states that if someone is caught in violation, they could be arrested, See pg. 6

A longtime University of Central Oklahoma associate professor for computer science was charged Aug. 20 in Oklahoma County District Court with exposing himself in public.

Court records show William Franklin Stockwell, 66, faces a felony count of indecent exposure and a misdemeanor count of acts resulting in gross injury.

Jennifer Wagnon, Edmond Police Department’s public information officer, said Stockwell’s family told Edmond PD detectives the behavior was new and erratic. The family had taken him to get medical testing, but Edmond PD does not have the results yet.

Stockwell was first reported to Edmond PD on Aug. 1. He went to a laundromat at 317 E. 2nd St., where he is the owner operator, and asked a woman to spank him. He said in the report that “he was just asking” and “didn’t believe there was anything wrong.”

On Aug. 7, Stockwell was at the same laundromat when a woman asked for help with the washing machine. After the washing machine was fixed, the woman, who was with her 3-year-old daughter, turned to see Stockwell pulling down his pants, exposing his buttocks.

A police report stated that Stockwell said his act “was no big deal, it was just a flash.”

“After the second incident we See pg. 3

Campus News

BRONCHO SPORTS

UCO Recognized for Student Success

Bronchos Rumble in the Pitt on pg. 11

on pg. 12

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the

Aug. 28, 2018

VISTA

Contents

CONTENTS

Indecent Exposure ..............................................................3 Around Campus ..................................................................4 Memorial/McCain............................................................5 Updated Policy ....................................................................6 STLR....................................................................11 Football................................................................12 Volleyball........................................................13 Bucking Broncho ...............................................................14 Concert..................................................................15

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On the Cover: Left: Students at the University of Central Oklahoma can participate in its Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR) through STLR-approved classes, projects and events, like Big Pink Volleyball, pictured, an event STLR-tagged for the tenet of Health and Wellness.

(Provided/ UCO Photo Services)

Illustration by Skyler Baldwin

Right: Jake Standlee, 20, runs during a game against Missouri Southern University. The Bronchos look to run to victory against Pittsburgh State Thursday night.

(Provided/ Vista Archives)

Indecent Exposure

Aug. 28, 2018

3

UCO Professor Arrested for Indecent Exposure Continued from pg. 1 went and interviewed him and he did admit to doing it,” Wagnon said. “So, we arrested him for indecent exposure for that incident.”

Adrienne Nobles, assistant vice president for University Communications said that Stockwell was suspended with pay on Aug. 9, two days after his Aug. 7 arrest. Before his suspension, Stockwell worked at UCO for 35 years in Computer Science.

Wagnon said Stockwell wasn’t in jail long and just two days after the second incident, Edmond police received another complaint about Stockwell’s behavior. While at the Walgreens at 1400 E. 2nd Street, Stockwell admitted that he asked people sexual questions and asked a woman repeatedly to use a sex toy on him.

When Stockwell exited the store, he asked the same woman if she had time to consider his proposal. After the woman yelled at Stockwell, he drove off as the woman followed him.

Stockwell noticed the woman following him and when he got home, he thought she was knocking at his door, but it was the Edmond police.

Wagnon said other than these three incidences, Edmond PD has never

The outside of the Math and Computer Science building, this is where Associate Professor for Computer Science William Franklin Stockwell worked for 35 years before his recent suspension. (Regan Rosson/The Vista)

had any other incidents with Stockwell.

On his website, Stockwell states that he has worked at UCO since the fall of 1979, except for a 2 year gap 1980-1981. He is currently suspended from his duties.

Lam Nguyen, a computer science alumni who took one of Stockwell’s classes, said he was shocked with what happened. He said Stockwell was overall a nice professor, and he never thought the professor could do something like that.

“Dr. William Stockwell is a very well respected professor at UCO, who has positively impacted the lives of many students during his thirty-eight year teaching career,” said

Billy Bock, attorney for Stockwell.

“Unfortunately, a medical condition has presented itself recently, causing him to act out in inappropriate and uncharacteristic ways. We are currently working with the District Attorney’s Office to find a fair resolution.”

With any sexual misconduct incident, students can call UCO police at 405-974-2345, or Edmond Police at 911. UCO also has a Title IX office that provides oversight to reports of sexual misconduct.

William Stockwell was charged on Aug. 20 with a felony count of indecent exposure and a misdemeanor count of acts resulting in gross injury. (Provided/Edmond PD)

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Aug. 28, 2018

4

Around Campus

The Freshman Convocation on Aug. 17 celebates incoming Freshman as the UCO Marching Band plays the fight song, while Orientaion Leaders and Alumni cheer. (Regan Rosson/The VIsta)

All Week: Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018 Pride. History. Culture. – Celebrating Latino Culture: From 4-5 p.m. in the Mary Fallin Room (NUC 304), the Hispanic American Student Association is hosting a jeopardy-style game for students to learn the meaning behind symbolism on Latin American countries flags. Students can also make a personal flag, which will be displayed in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

SPB New Member Open Meeting: From 7-8:30 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 320C, the Student Programming Board is hosting an open meeting for prospective members to learn about the organization and events for the year.

Welcome Back and Welcome to the Family Celebration: From 7-8:30 p.m. in the Will Rogers Room (NUC 421), the Student Alliance for Equality is sharing food, music and games to interested students. SAFE officers will discuss plans for the upcoming year.

Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018 SPB ButtonUp: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Broncho Lake ClockTower, the Student Programming Board will let students choose a button and discuss the reason why they chose

Passport UCO Online Film Festival: Students can take part in an online film festival for STLR credit by watching a featured film from Israel and writing a short response to the film. For each five films a student watches, they are entered for a chance to win a free iPad. Email jdaro@uco.edu for details on signing up. The festival is STLR tagged in Global and Cultural Competencies.

Those Who Can Do: UOC Art & Design Faculty Exhibition: From Aug. 20-30 in the Melton Gallery, UCO Art and Design faculty artwork will be on display to reclaim the quote “Those who can’t do, teach.” The exhibit displays visual artwork, design images, prototypes and research posters from 21 faculty members. The gallery is STLR tagged in Research, Creative and Scholarly Activities. their button. After the event, students can display their button to show what they stand for or connect with other students with the same button.

Meet Your Angry Birds: From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Broncho Lake ClockTower, the Student Programming Board will give students fun and informative facts about the campus geese and students can play a jumbo game of Angry Birds.

“Because the Middle East is Funny”: Explore Israeli History Through Its Comedy” - Benji Lovitt: From noon to 1:15 p.m. in the Radke Fine Arts Theater, Benji Lovitt will give a fun and educational talk on exploring Israeli language, culture and history through their media. The event is STLR tagged in Global and Cultural Competencies.

Cook-out with the Latino Faculty & Staff Association: From 4-5:30 p.m. at the Volleyball Court north of Murdaugh Hall, the Latino Faculty and Staff Association welcomes Latinx students to meet faculty, staff and fellow students to create a network of support.

The Gathering: From 5-8 p.m. in Plunkett Park, the Native American Student Association, Native American Faculty and Staff Association, Chickasaw Nation Chokka’ Kilimpi’

Recruitment & Retention Program and ROTC are partnering to welcome Native American students and connect students with their peers, faculty and staff. The event will have music, Stickball, lawn games, food and a Native American dessert.

Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 Campus Prayer: From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, members of Anchor are offering a worship and prayer event to pray for UCO’s campus.

ciation of University Women will have information about resources for women on campus and ways for students to empower women on campus and in the community.

Focus+Determination+Engagement=Success: From 6-8 p.m. in NUC Room 201, members of the UCO NAACP will discuss how community advocacy is essential to student and personal success. There will be food, prizes and information on how to navigate through the university lifestyle.

Homecoming Organization Representatives Meeting: From 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Come Meet Your Fam: From 2-4 in the Cherokee Room (Nigh Universip.m. in the Will Rogers Room (NUC ty Center 213), the University of Cen421) the African American Faculty/ tral Oklahoma Homecoming Activities Staff Association is welcoming stuBoard will provide more information dents to meet their new extended famabout homecoming for organization ily of faculty, staff and administrators representatives. Each organization’s at UCO, and enjoy food, games and representative is required to attend. fun.

Open House, Food and Fun: From 3-5 p.m. in the Women’s Research Center and BGLTQ+ Student Center (Thatcher Hall Room 106), the Center is hosting an open house to show its facilities, programs and opportunities. There will be food, goodie bags, free condoms and other information and materials about sexual health.

Let’s Make HERstory: From 5-7 p.m. in the Will Rogers Room (NUC 421), members of the American Asso-

Friday, Sept. 1, 2018 Women’s Outreach Center PopIn: From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in NUC Room 113, the Women’s Outreach Center is hosting a pop-in event with snacks, WOC swag and resources and a Roadmap to Success. The first 30 visitors will receive a limited-edition T-shirt.

Veteran’s Memorial

Aug. 28, 2018

5

Veterans’ Memorial Task Force Assembles Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 Reporter

The Veterans' Memorial Task Force, a division of the City of Edmond, had it's first meeting on Aug. 15. This task force was created to come up with details of a new veterans' memorial in Edmond.

Meetings about needing a remodeled veterans' memorial began May 29 and subsequent meetings have worked on the details of the process. The original veterans' memorial is in Stephenson Park.

During the first meeting there were introductions and an election for a new chair and vice chair, who will be in charge of future meetings, as well as talking about expectations for future meetings.

Meetings, which started Aug. 15, will be every other Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. The second meeting for the task force will be Aug. 29 at the Downtown Community Center, which is on Main Street, and is open for the public to attend.

“We have a little area at Stephenson Park, and we have a little area at the [Gracelawn] cemetery.

Both of them just don’t do the correct justice for a veterans' memorial area,” said Craig Dishman, director of Edmond's Department of Parks and Recreation. “We’re really wanting to create something more permanent someplace else.”

Roughly 100 people applied to be on the task force this summer and 17 were chosen: three people from each of Edmond’s wards and five chosen

by Edmond Mayor Charles Lamb. The task force consists of a range of people, including those on active military duty, retired veterans and community members who may or may not have a personal tie to the military.

The timeline of when and where the new memorial will be is unclear, but Public Information Officer Casey Moore said those are the questions the task force will try and answer.

The Poppies WWII Veteran Memorial by Sandy Proctor sits near 15th & Broadway to honor veterans. (Provided/ City of Edmond)

“There’s no concept yet, so that’s what the task force is going to be charged with,” Moore said.

“Location, potential concept, budget and funding sources, those are the four things they’re going to be working to figure out.”

The only certain thing about the new memorial is that it will be larger than the one in Stephenson Park, as it was brought up during city council meetings in the spring.

“Any time you have a veterans' memorial, there tends to be large veterans events, and so you want to have sufficient parking,” Dishman said. “We just don’t have enough parking at Stephenson Park to do something where it was going to attract a lot of people.”

Moore said when the task force comes up with specifics about the memorial, they will make their recommendation to city council, who will make the final decision. He also said the plan is for the task force to bring their plan to city council by December and start implementing specific plans in January 2019.

The full Aug. 15 meeting can be found on CityofEdmondOK's Youtube channel.

The Latest: McCain dies at 81 after battle with brain cancer WASHINGTON (AP) — Arizona Sen. John McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, has died. He was 81.

His office says McCain died Saturday. He had battled brain cancer.

In 1967, his plane was shot down on a bombing mission over North Vietnam. He was severely injured and spent more than five years as a prisoner of war.

He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982 and the Senate in 1986. A conservative on most issues, he pushed for campaign finance reform and the effort to account for those missing in Vietnam.

He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, then won it in 2008. But he and running mate Sarah Palin lost to Barack Obama.

FILE - In this Oct. 11, 2008, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a rally in Davenport, Iowa. Arizona Sen. McCain, the war hero who became the GOP's standard-bearer in the 2008 election, has died. He was 81. His office says McCain died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018. He had battled brain cancer. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

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Aug. 28, 2018

Updated Policy

UCO Updates Medical Marijuana Policy Continued from pg. 1

evicted from university housing and/ or suspended from the university.

“I would say we have been talking about this issue for months as its developed across the state in a rather surprising way, but ultimately having been a political scientist my whole life, I know about the precedents of federal law and our lawyers had advised us in the same direction,” Betz said.

This was not a decision that the presidential cabinet made alone, the Regional University Systems of Oklahoma and the UCO legal team were also consulted.

RUSO is UCO’s governing board, and Betz said RUSO has a strong decision on this matter that they have to adhere to. He said UCO, as well as the other five RUSO institutions, had to bring their policies in conformity with that decision.

Myron Pope, vice president of Student Affairs, said the decision was also made with a group from the Center Counseling and WellBeing, the Office of Legal Council, Student Conduct, representatives from the Student Affairs Vice President office, University Communications and Housing and Dining.

“Our team had done some best practices analyses from other states - Oregon, Arizona, and other states that have legalized medical marijuana - and we looked at their student code of conducts as that process evolved in terms of implementation and in terms of what our code of conduct should say,” Pope said.

“Basically, from that analysis, we discussed that and also based upon input from our RUSO regents, they provided us with a great deal of guidance also in stating that it is in our best interest, based upon the receipt of federal dollars, that we stick with the federal laws in terms of the plan

Edmond-based Natural Remedy opened earlier this month as a dispensory, where people can go and get a medical marijuana evaluation by appointment. (Regan Rosson/The Vista)

of implementing or not allowing medical marijuana on campus.”

Betz said due to an understanding of the law, the Presidential Cabinet was not split in the decision to prohibit medical marijuana from campus.

Allie Shinn, spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union, said making the decision to follow federal law because the university receives federal funds was not the best option for UCO. "This is a mistake on UCO's part.

Medical marijuana is medicine and there is no other medicine that I am aware of that is banned on college campuses," Shinn said. "Students should have a right to make personal decisions with their doctors about what should and should not be treated and how it should and should not be treated."

Shinn said if UCO, or any university, is concerned with following federal law to continue to receive their federal funding, then they should be lobbying with federal government to modernize their own drug laws to come into greater harmony with Oklahoma's new laws.

"What UCO and other college campuses are doing now is,

rather than having their students backs [and] standing up for what was overwhelmingly passed here in the state of Oklahoma, they're caving to pressure from the federal government, if any such pressure exists," Shinn said. "What instead they could and should be doing is working to ensure that the federal government falls more in line with what Oklahoma has adopted."

Shinn said this is a new and always developing area of law, so any kind of recourse would depend on individual circumstances.

"As [the law] is getting sorted out, we would encourage students to think about the type of policies that they want to have at their university and work to ensure that their university is representing their interests through organizing, through lobbying, through getting involved in student government," Shinn said.

"There are definitely opportunities on every college campus to make your voice heard and we would really encourage the students of UCO who are concerned about this new policy to do exactly that."

John Wood, associate professor for the UCO Political Science Department, said UCO has to protect

itself, not only because of federal funds, but because of the state legislature and the perception. He said UCO’s board did what it had to do at this point.

“It’s not surprising because you have an insurance risk if something negative happens,” Wood said. “We have to follow federal guidelines and until the federal government deschedules marijuana, I think the whole medical marijuana industry itself or even the recreational industry in other states is going to have issues across the board.”

Along with Betz, the Presidential Cabinet includes the Provost and the vice presidents for the divisions of Development, Enrollment Management, Finance, Information Technology, Operations, Public Affairs, Student Affairs and University Communications.

“I think from my professional prospective, we felt that we need to make sure that we abide by the federal law, and what we want to do is make sure that we alert students through the code of conduct, as well as through various other modes of communication, about what the policy was going to be,” Pope said.

STLR

Aug. 28, 2018

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UCO STLR Recognized for Stellar Accomplishments Christian Tabak @CaffeineWallace Editor-in-Chief

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities recognized the University of Central Oklahoma as a 2018 Excellence and Innovation Award winner for the success of the university’s Student Transformative Learning Record in addressing student success and retention.

Now in its fifth year, the AASCU award program recognizes outstanding work among its more than 400 member institutions in areas such as international education, teacher education and student success and college completion. For STLR, UCO earned recognition for student success and college completion, a distinction it has accomplished two years in a row, according to UCO President Don Betz.

“We are honored by AASCU’s recognition of UCO’s sustained commitment to transformative learning and the encouraging success of the Student Transformative Learning Record,” Betz said. “The STLR team’s dedication has impacted faculty development and student persistence across the university, and Central’s STLR approach to student success has attracted robust interest from institutions in the USA and beyond.”

Recognition for STLR primarily came as a result of increased retention and grade point averages for participating students. Those who were first-generation, low-income and underrepresented students returning for their sophomore year, according to Jeff King, UCO’s executive director of the Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching & Learning.

King said retention for fall 2015 freshmen returning as sophomores in these categories was 13 percent higher and that their GPA was 0.56 grade points higher than average.

He said the same population for fall 2016 saw a 25 percent higher retention with a GPA that was 0.52 points higher than average.

“STLR gives students the opportunity to consider their own development and growth as humans who expand their understandings about how to relate to others, the community and the environment, even how to relate to themselves,” King said.

While UCO has included the concept of transformative learning within its mission statement since 2008, the STLR model of student transformative learning was not introduced on campus until 2014.

Work on the project began in 2012

Pictured, UCO graduate Miguel Elizalde receives recognition, a certificate and graduation cords for achieving transformation in the tenets of Global and Cultural Competencies, Leadership, and Service Learning and Community Engagement, as part of the STLR initiative. (Provided/UCO Photo Services)

as a way to implement transformative learning within curricular and co-curricular activities. The university applied for a U.S. Department of Education grant to help bring the project to life and, while UCO was denied the first time, the project was approved on the second attempt, according to King.

A campus-wide initiative, the program works by providing a way for students to track their transformative learning experiences and demonstrate workplace readiness to potential employers within UCO’s Central Six tenets: Global and Cultural Competencies; Health and Wellness; Leadership; Research, Creative and Scholarly Activities; and Service Learning and Civic Engagement.

How much a student actually experiences transformative learning in these areas is evaluated through reflections and project completion, with students achieving Exposure level, Integration level or Transformative level progress, according to King.

Students engage with STLR primarily through reflective STLRtagged class assignments, attending a STLR-tagged event associated with a Central Six tenet and swiping their student ID card, participating in student organizations that are STLRtagged or by participating in out-ofclass transformative learning projects associated with a Central Six tenet.

“We are in early stages with a fifth kind of STLR-tagged activity based on swipe-in at various campus locations,” King said. “Going to the Melton Gallery, for instance, will eventually be a STLR-tagged swipein location that will earn Exposure level in one or more of the tenets.”

Progress in these areas are recorded through an online dashboard called the STLR Snapshot, which functions similarly to an activity transcript utilized at other universities.

The benefit of this transcript is that students not only demonstrate academic knowledge that comes with a degree, but also the soft skills, initiative and career-readiness that can help students in the workforce, according to Elizabeth Enck, director of UCO’s Career Development Center.

“By participating in STLR events, assignments and services, students are gaining skills that employers are looking for,” Enck said. “The STLR Snapshot is the record of this learning, and is a great tool that students can use to help marketing their transformative learning to future employers or graduate programs.”

While STLR now exists as a cornerstone of the student learning experience at UCO, King said that the program originally faced skepticism from various departments across campus as the university attempted to integrate it within the programming of every department from Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to Housing and Dining and IT Services.

“For something like STLR, which exists pretty much in every nook and cranny at UCO, it takes widespread buy in, and humans are naturally, and rightly, skeptical about new initiatives,” King said. “We had to convince people STLR would work, was worth the effort to do it and would help improve student success.”

Despite the enormous scope of the program, STLR is primarily funded

through the grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education and King said that by improving student success, the program is self-sufficient by ensuring students return.

“Bottom line, though, is that better retention means UCO recoups revenue that would otherwise be lost, so STLR pays for itself in this regard,” King said.

Progress on improving STLR and its work with student success is the primary goal of King and his team, but King said that they are also looking to help expand the program to other universities within the U.S. and abroad.

“We help them every way we can, providing guidance, [and] information about how to make STLR work in whatever learning management system they use,” King said.

STLR or some version of it has already been integrated by institutions such as Western Carolina University in North Carolina, as well as international institutions like the Collège La Cité in Ottawa, Canada and Massey University in New Zealand.

Work is currently underway at Tarleton State University and the University of Houston in Texas, University of Northern British Columbia in Canada and the Institute of Technology-Blanchardstown in Dublin, Ireland, according to King.

“We’re really proud of the work so many people at UCO have done for so many years to create and implement STLR because we know it’s helping our students in really important ways that go beyond simply what’s learned in the classroom regarding the content of the class,” King said.

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Aug. 28, 2018

Football

SPORTS Bronchos look to tame Gorillas Jonathan Goudeau @Goudeau_jdg Sports Editor

After last season’s 31-28 loss to Pittsburgh State, the University of Central Oklahoma head football coach Nick Bobeck said he believes a fast start will lead to a different result.

“I want to see them start fast,” Bobeck said. “I want them to go play sound football. If you can execute and eliminate mistakes, you give yourself a good chance to win.”

Last year, the Bronchos scored with 2:30 left in the game, but couldn’t come up with a stop as Pittsburgh State ran out the clock.

Bobeck said if a similar situation arises that his defense will make the stop.

“We could’ve made the stop last year, we just had a kid bust an assignment,” Bobeck said. “I feel like we can make those stops and will make those stops.”

The defense is tasked with stopping a rushing attack that averaged 229.2 yards per game last season,

including 229 yards in last year’s matchup. While last season’s leading rusher graduated, Pitt State’s Tucker Horak takes over after running for 405 yards.

“Number one with those guys is you have to stop the run,” Bobeck said. “It’s all about tackling. It’s all about getting people lined up.”

The defensive line, led by senior nose guard Carson Smith, will be a key part of stopping the rushing attack. Bobeck said the defense is up to the challenge.

“We’re talented along the front seven and we’re hoping that’s an advantage for us,” Bobeck said.

When Pitt State does go to the air, look for quarterback John Roderique to get the ball in the hands of wide receiver Lorenzo West, a Lawton native and high school teammate of Broncho quarterback Will Collins. Last season, West had 40 receptions for 518 yards, five touchdowns and averaged 12.9 yards per catch.

Roderique, a Sam Houston State University transfer, is a two-time team captain who played in nine games last season, throwing for 919 yards with three touchdowns

L’liott Curry, No. 15, runs towards the end zone on a 48-yard pass from quarterback Chas Stallard Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. Curry finished with 53 yards on 2 receptions with 1 touchdown. (Vista Archives)

and seven interceptions. The Bronchos will be tested in both areas, but Bobeck said he likes the talent of his defensive unit.

“I feel like we’re better on the defensive side of the ball and I don’t think many people are going to argue with me about it,” Bobeck said. “We’ve got a pretty good, talented group on that side of the football.”

Offensively, the Bronchos enters the game with new players in different roles. Bobeck has decided on one of the key questions: who will be the quarterback?

“We’re going to play all three of them,” Bobeck said. “They’re all going to have separate roles.”

Keats Calhoon, Will Collins and Chandler Garrett, who all competed for the starting job, will all play.

While Bobeck did not go into detail about each player’s role, he did say that he is looking forward to see how each handles the crowd and first game jitters.

“They’ll have some adversity they’ll have to overcome,” Bobeck said. “It’s going to be really important we start fast and get them moving in the right direction.”

For the Bronchos to come away with a win, Bobeck says they have to capitalize on the big play opportunities that they missed last season.

“Last year was a game of missed opportunities,” Bobeck said. “We had a lot of big balls that we missed in the pass game and that was a key part of it.”

Bobeck said he also wants to create plays in the run game to help his quarterbacks.

“We’ve got to do a great job of blocking in the run game to create explosive plays,” Bobeck said.

To do that, an offensive line, which had some injured players in the spring, will have to come together quickly. Bobeck said he likes the talent he has and sees the spring injuries as a positive moving forward.

“It’s really a blessing in disguise,” Bobeck said. “Those guys can play multiple positions so we just have to figure out who is our best five and put them out on the field.”

Kickoff is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Kansas.

Colton Lindsey, No. 27, Makes a tackle during a Nov. 4, 2017 game against Washburn. Limdsey led the Bronchos in tackles with 100 and will be a big part of the Broncho defense this season. (Vista Archives)

a

Volleyball

Aug. 28, 2018

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Bronchos serve up wins in tournament

The University of Central Oklahoma hudles durning a Sep. 30, 2017, match against Nebraska-Kearny. The Bronchos Improved to 2-2 on the season after winning two games in the Tarleton State Invitational. (Vista Archives)

James Jackson

@JamesDJackson15 Sports Reporter

The University of Central Oklahoma split their four games in the Tarleton State Invitational in Stephenville, Texas on Friday and Saturday to set their record at 2-2 on the season.

“We had an up-and-down weekend,” said volleyball head coach Edgar Miraku. “But I think we learned a lot about what we need to do moving forward.”

The No. 16 Bronchos defeated Southwest Baptist University in three sets (25-8, 25-17, 25 -15) to record their sixth straight season-opening win.

In the first set, the Bronchos didn’t commit any attack errors and recorded a .583 attack percentage, finishing the match with 40 kills and 10 miscues in 84 attempts.

UCO’s leading scorers were All-American senior Taylor Bevis, who recorded 11 kills on a .667 attack percentage in just two sets played, sophomore Malia Kaaiohelo, who hit .538 with eight kills, and senior Karyn Chrisman, who recorded six kills.

“We came out ready to play and our offense was really working,” Miraku said. “It was a good start for us. We were able to get a lot of players some time on the court.”

Despite the first victory, UCO dropped their next two matches as

they fell to Midwestern State University in five sets and Texas A&M University-Commerce in four sets.

UCO lost the first two sets against Midwestern State (25-22, 25-23), but won the next two (25-17, 25-13) to generate a fifth set. However, the Mustangs scored the final two points and upset the Bronchos 17-5 in the match.

Facing Texas A&M-Commerce, UCO won the first set 25-21, but lost the next three sets (25-18, 25-20, 2519) after hitting .130 and committing 20 hitting errors.

“We just made too many mistakes,” Miraku said. “It sounds simple, but we just have to play better.

Teams aren’t going to give it to us.”

In their final match, the Bronchos defeated No. 18 Tarleton State University in three sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-19) as UCO posted 49 kills on 115 attempts.

Bevis, who was named to the all-tournament team, had a team high 14 kills, eight digs and three assisted blocks. Chrisman posted 10 kills on a .714 attack percentage in the match, while teammate Haley Deschenes recorded nine kills.

“I was really proud of the way our players responded after two tough losses,” Miraku said. “We came out really focused and performed at a high level throughout the match.”

UCO will travel to Shawnee to play Oklahoma Baptist University on Tuesday at 7 p.m. for their next match.

14

Aug. 28, 2018

Bucking Broncho

Contenders or Pretenders?

The 2018-19 college football season is officially upon us. Teams will battle all season long in hopes to make it into the coveted four-team College Football Playoff. Here are the four teams with the best chance at making the cut. #1. Alabama Crimson Tide: It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Alabama tops this list of teams most likely to enter the playoffs. The Tide defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in last year’s national championship to claim the national title. Alabama is currently one of the top programs of all time. In his 10-year career at Alabama, head coach Nick Saban has won five national titles, which is more than the amount of home losses he has in his tenure. While Alabama may have lost some of their premier players to the draft, the Tide have consistently reloaded their team and show no signs it won’t happen this year. The Tide are currently in the midst of a monumental quarterback battle between Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts led Alabama to a 26-2 record as the starter for the past two seasons and would be a solid choice to start again this year.

While Hurts got them to the national championship, Tagovailoa finished it off, starting in the second half for Alabama and leading them to a game-winning overtime drive for the title. The winner of the quarterback battle in Alabama could drastically change the feel of this Crimson Tide team.

Alabama quarterbacks Jalen Hurts (2) and Tua Tagovailoa (13) runs drills during an NCAA college football practice, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama enters game week with no answer, publicly at least, to the question of who will start at quarterback against Louisville. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

#2. Clemson Tigers: Yet another team that has earned its way into a top spot on this list is the Clemson Tigers. Clemson has lived in the shadow of Alabama for a couple years now. The two have played each other the last three years, with Alabama coming out on top in two of the meetings. The first time Alabama defeated Clemson, the Tigers went on a revenge tour the following season, going 12-1 in the regular season and claiming the national championship over Alabama. This season is looking to be another under the radar year for

Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant (2) passes in the first half of the Sugar Bowl against Alabama, in New Orleans. Tigers open the season Saturday at home against Furman. (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza, File)

the Tigers. Clemson has already been ranked No. 2 behind Alabama in this year’s AP poll. The Tigers’ defensive line is a sight to behold. Their d-line was already among the top defensive units last season and didn’t lose a single starter to the NFL. Every player on it is an NFL talent, something the ACC is not looking forward to. While starting quarterback Kelly Bryant is currently firmly in control of the job, top-ranked high school recruit Trevor Lawrence could steal the show this year. #3. Wisconsin Badgers: Despite narrowly missing out on last year’s playoffs, look for the Badgers to sneak their way into one of the final four spots this coming season. The Badgers finished 13-1 in the Big Ten conference last season, an impressive feat in a tough conference. This Wisconsin team is a powerhouse in disguise. The Badgers have a sound, proven offense, a defense good enough to win games and a returning running back, my favorite to win the Heisman, Jonathan Taylor. The Badgers quarterback Alex Hornibrook now has a full year of experience and should be able to win a lot of games for the Badgers. Wisconsin’s biggest question marks will be at the cornerback and defensive end positions. If the Badgers can figure those

out, they have a very good chance at bringing a national title back to Madison. #4. Washington Huskies: While it was difficult for me to kick Penn State out of the top four, the Huskies schedule is too bad for them not to make the playoffs. Washington will be a decent team. They have an experienced quarterback in Jake Browning, who could be a top QB this year, an elite offensive line and a NFL-caliber running back to run behind it.

Even better than the offense will be the Huskies’ defense. Washington has nine players returning to their star-studded defense and will most likely be a top-three defense in the entire league. However, the Huskies’ playoff berth doesn’t lie in its offense or defense, but in its schedule. It would take a miracle for Washington to screw this up. After the Huskies first game of the season against the Auburn Tigers, they go on to play an exceptionally weak schedule in the weakest conference in football.

Even if they lose to Auburn week one, Washington could win out and potentially enter the playoffs at 11-1.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, beating Auburn week one almost guarantees their entry to the 2018 college football playoffs.

Ying Yang Twins

Aug. 28, 2018

15

Stampede Week Concert Shakes UCO

Top left: The Ying Yang Twins perform live at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Annual Stampede Week Concert on Aug. 21. The concert was held by the Student Programming Board and Stampede Week for all UCO students, faculty, and staff.

(Gerald Leong/The Vista) Below right: A group of UCO students pose for a photo in the Wantland Stadium parking lot before the Ying Yang Twins and Travis Porter Concert begins on Aug 21.

(Gerald Leong/The Vista) Above left: Donquez “Quez” Woods, a member of Travis Porter, performs on stage at the Annual Stampede Week Concert on Aug. 21 in the Wantland Stadium parking lot.

(Gerald Leong/The Vista) Above right: Lakeem “Ali” Grant and Harold “Strap” Duncan, two members of Travis Porter, perform live at the Stampede Week Concert. (Gerald Leong/The Vista)