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WEEKEND EDITION / THURSDAY, SEPT. 29, 2016 VOLUME 91 ISSUE 19 CAMPUS

CAMPUS

Nail, Nafees file formal OCR complaint against President, Texas Tech University

State of the University address hits on points of emphasis for the future

MAKENZIE HARRISON /The Daily Toreador

NAFEES

NAIL

By MICHAEL CANTU

regards to a grade changing complaint and a Title IX complaint regarding a News Editor visiting professor from Chile that was After an alleged verbal agreement was working with the Rawls college, according broken by Texas Tech President Lawrence to the email.

Schovanec, Lance Nail, former dean of Nail currently serves on the Tech Inthe Jerry S. Rawls College of Business novation Hub and Research Park advisory Administration, and Saba Nafees, former board and is a professor of finance.

Student Government Association GraduIn exchange, Nail said in the email ate Vice President, have filed a complaint that was sent on Wednesday afternoon, he against Tech. would not sue the university or speak to the media on subjects regarding an incident of discrimination against Nafees, a graduate student biology from Fort I glanced at it (email from Lance Nail on in Worth, by the Dean of the formal complaint). I saw some things the Graduate School, Sheridan. that I emphatically refute. With that said, Mark “ N o w t h a t D r.

I think we handled that whole process ap- Schovanec is the this good propriately, and I should probably refrain president, faith agreement has from any further comment at this time. been violated,” Nail wrote in the email.

— Lawrence Schovanec The review never Texas Tech President happened, and the vice presidential role was not offered, The complaint, which was filed on according to the email.

Sept. 12, asked the Office of Civil Rights, The root of Nafees’ complaint came a federal office, to conduct an investigation primarily from an incident she had with into the Equal Employment Opportunity Sheridan, according to the email. In and the Title IX practices of Tech and the a meeting with Sheridan, Nafees was Office of the President, according to an updating him on ongoing projects, while email from Nail sent to his friends and she was still graduate vice president for colleagues and to The Daily Toreador. the SGA. The catalyst for this complaint was a “In that meeting, Dean Sheridan put broken verbal agreement between Scho- his finger in her face and told her that she vanec and Nail, according to the email had better learn her place and would not sent Wednesday afternoon. The agree- remove his finger from her face until she ment was to have an independent entity would state that he was the sole person review earlier complaints regarding Nail in charge of all graduate related matters,” and to give Nail a new vice presidential Nail wrote in the email. role for Nail at the Tech Innovation Hub. The independent entity review was in SEE ORC, PG. 2

TIMELINE OF EVENTS EARLY JUNE

Horn professor Jay Conover attends graduation ceremony. He sees three MBA students graduate even though they did not pass his class. Conover contacts the Office of the Provost.

2015

MORNING OF JULY 29, 2015

2015

1:39 P.M. JULY 29, 2015

2015

SEPTEMBER 2015

2015

LATE OCTOBER 2015

2015

NOV. 10, 2015

2015

FEBRUARY 2016

2016

MAY 26, 2016

2016

JUNE 1, 2016

2016

AUG. 1, 2016

2016

SEPT. 16, 2016

2016

Conover goes to the media with the gradetampering allegations. In at interview with The Daily Toreador, Conover said College of Business Dean Lance Nail signed on the grade-change form as the instructor.

Provost Lawrence Schovanec releases a statement saying he formed a committee to review the alleged changes.

Saba Nafees alleges to Nail discrimination

by Graduate School Dean Mark Sheridan.

Ad hoc committee submits written report to Schovanec.

Tech releases report, and Nail announces his resignation as dean effective Dec. 31.

Nafees officially files complaint to EEO about Sheridan.

CAMPUS

Letter details alleged Title IX, EEO violations

By AMY CUNNINGHAM Editor-In-Chief

In a June 1 letter, Lance Nail, former dean of the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business Administration, alleges President Lawrence Schovanec and Graduate School Dean Mark Sheridan violated Title IX and EEO policies during events involving a graduate student.

Nail provided the letter, which was addressed to Vice Chancellor and General Counsel John Huffaker, as an attachment to an email titled, “An Important Message for Texas Tech Stakeholders.” The email was sent Wednesday afternoon from Nail’s personal email account.

Saba Nafees, 2015-16 graduate vice president of the Student Government Association and a graduate student in biology from Fort Worth, told Nail about two separate incidents involving then-Provost Schovanec and Sheridan, according to the letter.

Nail has been an informal mentor to Nafees since 2014, according to the letter.

On Wednesday after the State of the University event, Schovanec said “I glanced at it (email from Lance Nail on the formal complaint),” Schovanec said.

“I saw some things that I emphatically refute. With that said, I think we handled the whole process appropriately, and I should probably refrain from any further comment at this time.”

The Daily Toreador reached out to Michele Moskos, senior director of communications and marketing for the College of Business, for comment. In an email, Moskos directed all inquiries to Chris Cook, managing director of the Office of Communications and Marketing, who said Schovanec’s remarks were currently the university’s only statement.

SEE LETTER, PG. 2

Nail files complaint to General Counsel John Huffaker.

Official memo regarding Nail’s complaint is sent.

Schovanec takes office as Tech president.

Nafees and Nail file official complaint to the federal Office of Civil Rights.

President Lawrence Schovanec gives his annual State of the University address on Wednesday in the Student Union Building Ballroom. In his address, Schovanec provided a list of statistics and improvements the university has made within the past year regarding student success, enrollment and upcoming campus installations.

By REECE NATIONS Staff Writer

Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec, in his first State of the University address, discussed student achievement while focusing on how the university will continue to sustain its tradition of excellence and work toward greater and broader research accomplishments.

“Twenty years ago in 1996, the Board of Regents established the Texas Tech University System,” Robert Duncan, Tech System chancellor, said. “At that time it consisted of Texas Tech University with 22,000 students, a medical school and a nursing school across the Marsha (Sharp Freeway). 20 years later, we now have two comprehensive medical institutions, Angelo State University, and a $1.1 billion endowment.”

The goal of the system is to exemplify academic achievement and increase awareness of the outstanding accomplishments of Tech’s students and faculty, Duncan said. By expanding the system in its mission to strive for greatness, the prestige of Tech’s identity will grow in the same way.

In his introduction of Schovanec, Duncan highlighted the president’s qualities as a well-respected leader with the experience to lead the university to further achievement. Schovanec was appointed president of the university by the Board of Regents in July and officially took office on Aug. 1, according to the Tech website.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to work with (Duncan), and to work with our regents.” Schovanec said, “As well as the deans, faculty, staff and students of Texas Tech University.”

Schovanec emphasized the accomplishments of students and the institution as a whole in his address.

Enrollment is at 36,551 students, a record high for the university. While enrollment from the freshman class is down, total enrollment remains high because of a first-year retention rate of almost 84 percent, the highest in 10 years.

Hispanic enrollment is at 24.2 percent, less than 1 percent away from qualifying as a Hispanic Serving Institution, he said.

“This year, we’ve already committed to funding a new program called the Program of Inquiring and Investigative Thinking,” he said. “We’re going to recruit 100 students per year for the next four years to be in this program. We will pay them a stipend to be involved in creative activity and research, and then they will be paired with a faculty mentor. We want to connect our students to faculty mentors early on and for them to remain partners in their success for a lifetime.”

SEE STATE, PG. 2

2

NEWS

SEPT. 29, 2016

ORC

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 The alleged meeting happened around September 2015, according to the email.

During this time, Nafees was a representative on an ad hoc committee regarding a gradechanging investigation centered around Nail. At the time, Schovanec was also provost of the university and later dismissed Nafees of her position on the committee, according to the email.

Nafees then asked about an update with her incident with Sheridan, and Schovanec claimed Sheridan had no recollection of the incident, according to the email.

In February, Nafees met with Assistant Vice Chancellor and EEO Officer Charlotte Bingham about the interactions with both Schovanec and Sheridan, according to the email.

“After meeting with Ms. Bingham, Ms. Nafees was not given further financial assistance — a result of possible retaliation for

complaining about Dean Sheridan and the way she was treated for her service on the ad hoc committee,” Nail wrote in the email.

After Nafees approached Nail for advice on the situation, Nail reported Nafees’ complaints to General Counsel John Huffaker on May 26, according to the email.

In the report, Nail explained the situation with Nafees and expressed his disappointment with both Sheridan and Schovanec, according to the email.

“We have no choice but to resolve the dishonorable practices of Texas Tech by seeking intervention from the Office of Civil Rights or litigation,” Nail wrote in the email.

Nail also expressed his concern with the Title IX reporting process, citing what he considered a lack of concern from Schovanec, in the email.

In an incident regarding a visiting professor was accused of sexually harassing a student on a study abroad trip to Chile during the summer of 2014, Nail wrote in the email, Schovanec was allegedly adamant about not reporting

the incident to Bingham.

Nail took Schovanec’s advice, according to the email, and did not file a report, which also was the same advice Schovanec alledgedly gave to Nail in regard to a grade-tampering incident.

In a news conference after the State of the University speech at 2 p.m.

We d n e s d a y, S c h o v a n e c briefly responded to some of the allegations made

by Nail.

“I glanced at it (email from Lance Nail on the formal complaint),” Schovanec said. “I saw some things that I emphatically refute. With that said, I think we handled the whole process appropriately, and I should probably refrain from any further comment at this time.”

Chris Cook, managing director for the Office of Communications & Marketing, said Schovanec’s comment is the university’s official statement on the situation for the time being.

T h e D a i l y To r e a d o r reached out to Nail and Nafees via email for comment, but they did not respond before press time. @MichaelCantuDT

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

STATE

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Tech recently achieved Tier One status through the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education this year, he said. Among its Carnegie peer group, Tech is above average in 17 of the 20 categories.

“Now as we approach the end of our first century (as a higher learning institution) of existence, I would like for us to think about what we’ve done well and what we can do better,” Schovanec said. “Not only to sustain and enhance the quality of the educational experience we provide to

LETTER

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Nafees and Sheridan Meeting The first event reported

by Nafees occurred early in the Fall 2015 semester, according to the letter, when Nafees met with Sheridan as part of her SGA graduate vice president duties. “(Nafees said to Nail) that as she was relaying students’ concerns to Sheridan that (Sheridan) pointed his finger in her face and told her emphatically in a loud voice that he was in charge of all graduate concerns and that she should learn her place,” according to the letter.

Sheridan allegedly would not move his finger from Nafees’ face until she said he was in charge, according to the letter.

Nafees told Schovanec and Senior Vice Provost Rob Stewart about the meeting, according to the letter, and Schovanec allegedly told the student he would handle the issue.

By Sept. 23, 2015, Nafees had not received an update from Schovanec, according to the letter, so Nail offered to speak with the provost on her behalf.

The incident particularly bothered Nail because he previously had reported to Schovanec another incident involving Sheridan, according to the letter. Instead of a student, the alleged incident with Sheridan included officials from the Rawls College of Business.

Sheridan and College of Business Meeting During a June 2015 meeting with College

To read the full documents concerning Nail’s formal complaint, visit www.dailytoreador.com. our students, but also to solidify our position as a Tier One research institution.”

The total number of doctorate degrees awarded is up 36 percent and research expenditures are up 25 percent within the past five years.

The most critical need for improvement comes in federal research dollars, Schovanec said. Many rankings do not consider universities with less federal research grant money than $40 million.

Tech ranks equal to or

better than a number of universities on the Center for Measuring University Performance Top American Research Universities list in eight of the 10 categories, but because federal grants total only about $30 million, it is not eligible to be on the list.

“The goal of the administration is to fortify (the University) as being one of the very elite schools in the country,” he said. “But above all, our goal is to put an emphasis on excellence.”

of Business representatives that Nail did not attend, Sheridan allegedly “pounded his fist on the table and told them that he was in charge of the graduate school and that he was not giving up control,” according to the letter.

The meeting was hosted to discuss dissatisfaction with the Graduate School’s handling of MBA program admissions, according to the letter, as well as concerns about recruiting software.

According to the letter, Schovanec told Nail he spoke with Sheridan about the incident, and similar events would not happen again.

Nail and Schovanec Meeting In September 2015, when Nail spoke to Schovanec for an update on S h e r i d a n ’s i n t e r a c t i o n with Nafees, Schovanec was upset Nail and Nafees spoke about the matter, according to the letter.

At the time, a university ad hoc committee was investigating allegations against Nail concerning grade-tampering, according to the letter, so Nail and Nafees decided not to meet during the investigation.

Nafees was a member of the ad hoc commit tee investigating Nail, according to the letter, and Nail said Schovanec was made aware of their mentor-mentee relationship soon after Nafees’ appointment.

According to the letter, Schovanec said the committee was “for show only,” so Nafees would be fine serving on the committee despite Nail’s mentorship.

However, because of

Nafees’ role in the committee, Schovanec allegedly told Nail he should not speak to Nafees under any circumstances, according to the letter.

Schovanec would speak with Sheridan, according to the letter, and Nail was told to not bring up the incident with Sheridan anymore.

The committee later concluded Nail violated university’s grade-change protocol, and he resigned his dean position, effective Dec. 31, 2015.

Nail and Nafees Meeting Nafees requested to meet with Nail on May 12, 2016, to update him on what happened since September 2015, according to the letter.

Nafees told Nail that Schovanec removed her from the investigative committee after Nail’s meeting with Schovanec, according to the letter.

“Schovanec stated that she was removed for communicating with (Nail) while she was on the committee,” according to the letter, “and that Sheridan had accused her of being inappropriately aggressive with him in their meeting and that he believed Sheridan.”

Nafees told Nail she would not receive Graduate School funding for the 2016-17 school year or receive a graduate summer assistantship, according to the letter, and she felt Schovanec and Sheridan were retaliating against her for reporting the incident with Sheridan.

Nail said he wrote the document on Nafees’ behalf, according to the letter, and it was sent to Huffaker at his request.

@ReeceNationsDT

@DailyToreador

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DEEPWATER HORIZON XD [PG13] 1:55PM 4:45PM 7:35PM 10:25PM DEEPWATER HORIZON [PG13] 12:30PM 3:20PM 6:10PM 9:00PM MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN REALD 3D [PG13] 2:15PM 5:25PM 8:35PM 10:10PM MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN [PG13] 12:40PM 3:50PM 7:00PM THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN [PG13] 11:25AM 1:00PM 2:35PM 4:10PM 5:45PM 8:55PM 10:30PM STORKS REALD 3D [PG] 5:05PM 10:05PM STORKS [PG] 11:20AM 12:00PM 1:50PM 2:35PM 4:20PM 6:50PM 7:35PM 9:20PM MASTERMINDS [PG13] 12:00PM 2:35PM 5:10PM 7:45PM 10:20PM

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN REALD 3D XD [PG13] 4:05PM 10:05PM XD [PG13] 12:55PM 7:05PM

SULLY [PG13] 11:40AM 1:00PM 2:20PM 3:40PM 5:00PM 6:20PM 7:40PM 9:00PM 10:20PM

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN REALD 3D [PG13] 11:30AM 5:30PM

DON’T BREATHE [R] 12:30PM 3:00PM 5:30PM 8:00PM 10:30PM

MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN [PG13] 2:30PM 8:30PM

WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS [PG13] 1:45PM 4:30PM 7:15PM 10:00PM BLAIR WITCH [R] 12:20PM 2:50PM 5:20PM 7:50PM 10:20PM SUICIDE SQUAD [PG13] 11:50AM 2:55PM 6:05PM 9:05PM

DEEPWATER HORIZON [PG13] 11:30AM 2:10PM 4:50PM 7:30PM 10:10PM

STORKS REALD 3D [PG] 3:35PM 6:05PM 8:35PM STORKS [PG] 11:45AM 1:05PM 2:15PM 4:45PM 7:15PM 9:45PM

MASTERMINDS [PG13] 12:00PM 2:30PM 5:00PM 7:30PM 10:00PM WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS [PG] [PG13] 11:30AM 2:10PM 4:50PM 1:10PM 7:30PM 10:10PM HELL OR HIGH WATER [R] 11:25AM 2:05PM 4:45PM 7:25PM 10:05PM

WAR DOGS [R] 4:05PM 7:00PM 9:50PM

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BLAIR WITCH [R] 12:15PM 2:45PM 5:15PM 7:45PM 10:15PM

SNOWDEN [R] 12:15PM 3:30PM 6:45PM 9:55PM THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS [PG13] 12:30PM 3:40PM 6:45PM 9:50PM

BAD MOMS [R] 11:55AM 2:30PM 5:05PM 7:40PM 10:15PM GREATER [PG] 12:40PM 3:50PM 7:00PM 10:05PM

ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE [PG] 11:50AM 2:20PM 4:50PM 7:20PM 9:50PM JASON BOURNE [PG13] 12:55PM 4:00PM 7:00PM 10:00PM PETE’S DRAGON [PG] 11:40AM 2:20PM 5:00PM 7:40PM 10:15PM THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS [PG] 12:00PM 2:30PM 5:00PM 7:30PM 10:00PM

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LOCAL

LA VIDA

Page 3 Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016

Volunteers, food sales contribute to fair

By HALEY DAVIS Staff Writer

The Panhandle South Plains Fair is a nonprofit organization and regional fair that provides entertainment, as well as volunteer opportunity, for attendees. The fair runs through Saturday.

Collier Sims, a mother from Oklahoma City, attended the fair Tuesday night and said it is not the fair without the food.

“We look forward to this every season they come to town,” Sims said. “The rides are alright, but I can’t go home without a corn dog.”

From cotton candy to turkey legs and funnel cakes galore, the food and refreshments booths sold a multitude of fair favorites.

What consumers on the fairgrounds might not be aware of is the fact that cotton candy is a total of 171 calories, funnel cake is 760 calories and turkey legs top the chart at more than 1,120 calories, according to WebMD. Since the first fair that came to the city of Lubbock in 1921, more than 11 million have walked through the turnstiles and tasted all the perennial treats, according to the Panhandle South Plains Fair website. In the beginning, the fair brought together farmers of all kinds to compare pumpkins and sheaves of grain, discuss farming methods and swap home recipes.

Since them, the eating options have evolved to deepfried everything. One of the first crowd-pleasers was the Corny Dog stand. Foot-long corn dogs total at about 470 calories and 26 grams of fat, according to WebMD. “If I ate this stuff all the time, I would probably have a ton of health problems,” Sims said. “Everything is okay in moderation, but I try to stay away from anything that is ridiculously deep fried or greasy.”

Fat takes the longest to di-

ERIN GRAHAM/The Daily Toreador

The Jones family enjoys funnel cake on Tuesday at the South Plains Fairgrounds. The funnel cake venue had five different types of funnel cakes, ranging from powdered to strawberry. The Panhandle South Plains Fair will run through Saturday, and it is a nonprofit organization. gest among all of the possible food macronutrients, according to the World’s Healthiest Foods website. Our bodies can process no more than 10 grams of fat per hour.

Emmy Lu Trammel is a licensed dietitian within the Center for Collegiate Recovery Community and said her favorite is the funnel cake with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. However, she thinks too much of that kind of food could be harmful.

“Many individuals will notice that they have a ‘heavy tummy’ for long periods afterwards,” Trammel said.

“It feels like the food doesn’t seem to be moving through their system.”

In the U.S., the most common problem is too slow

transit time caused by the intake of high-fat foods, according to the World’s Healthiest Foods website.

This slow digestion causes an increased risk of chronic disease, like colon cancer.

Foodborne illnesses also increase during the summer months, and unfortunately, safety precautions like food temperature and proper refrigeration are not always available on the fairgrounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

“I encourage individuals to enjoy their favorites at the fair,” Trammel said, “and balance out the rest of their day with fruits and vegetables.”

The food concessions on the fairgrounds are not only

ASSOCIATED PRESS

California governor signs bill dumping rape reporting limit SACRAMENTO, Calif.

(AP) — The emotional stories of women who say they were sexually assaulted more than a decade ago by Bill Cosby prompted California state lawmakers to approve a bill to eliminate the state’s 10year limit on filing rape and related charges.

On Wednesday, Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he has approved the legislation to revoke that limitation.

Beginning next year, the bill will end the statute of limitations in certain rape and child molestation cases.

It will also end the time limit on older cases in which the statute of limitations has not

yet expired.

The new law, SB813, will not, however, help women who made allegations against Cosby dating back more than 10 years, including some from the 1960s.

Cosby has repeatedly denied the sex abuse allegations made by dozens of women nationwide. He is facing just one criminal case stemming from sex abuse. A trial is set to begin in June in Pennsylvania.

Defense lawyer Angela Agrusa has said Cosby’s accusers have stirred passions even though their stories of abuse have not been investigated by police.

California lawmakers sent

the statute of limitations bill to Brown without a single dissenting vote.

State Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, credited intense lobbying of lawmakers and the governor by advocates who “kept the fight alive for the countless rape victims that have already spoken up and also those that have yet to come forward.”

The bill’s signing “tells every rape and sexual assault victim in California that they matter and that, regardless of when they are ready to come forward, they will always have an opportunity to seek justice in a court of law,” she said in a statement.

a substantial source of revenue, but by utilizing volunteer labor and non-profit groups, food concessions result also in substantial funds flowing back into the Lubbock community, according to the Panhandle South Plains Fair website.

Chase Smith, the booth manager of the Carpenter’s Funnel Cake stand, said he has volunteered at the fair for the last four years.

“We work with Carpenter’s Church, which is a ministry as well as a day shelter to combat Lubbock’s chronic homelessness,” Smith said.

“All of the proceeds for our concessions go towards our organization and are helping us work towards temporary housing facilities.”

The fair as a nonprofit organization has estimated an excess of $750,000 that it has contributed to community funds like youth science education, children with disabilities, youth ministry programs and youth sports programs, according to the Panhandle South Plains Fair website.

Audrey Peters, Caroline Pierce and Jaylee Peters, three students from Laura

Bush and Frenship Middle Schools, volunteered at the Children’s Barnyard Petting Zoo Tuesday night.

Peters said they volunteered as part of the Frenship 4H program, which is an organization that brings people together to help the community through volunteer activities.

“People attending the fair can enter crafts through 4H and learn about local agriculture,” Pierce said.

“This is the first time we’ve been to the fair, and it’s been a lot of fun.” @DailyToreador

Page 4 Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016

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COLUMN

OPINIONS

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Voting becomes pointless in 2016 election

T

his presidential election will be the first I am able to vote in. I constantly hear about how important it is to vote. “To vote is to do your part as a citizen,” everyone says.

I tend to agree. Our founding fathers sacrificed a lot to create what we have today, after all. The least we can do is vote.

However, I can’t shake the feeling that for this election, voting doesn’t matter in the slightest.

Donald Trump? Why not? Hillary Clinton? Sure.

We could settle this election with a coin toss, and I wouldn’t care.

Trump is an all-around idiot and a racist. Clinton is a liar and a slimy politician, through and through.

There is no good choice, but rather one terrible choice along with another equally terrible choice.

So, I could vote, but

Alex Olges is a freshman journalism major from Humble.

what’s the point, honestly?

Both options suck, so whether I vote for one or the other or simply not at all really doesn’t matter.

My colleague, Jake Wischkaemper, is of the opinion that Clinton is a “devious and devilish woman,” as he stated in a column titled “Vote for Hillary Clinton is vote for treason,” published on Sept. 21 issue of The Daily Toreador.

Yeah, I’d say that is a pretty good description of her.

However, Wischkaemper also states in that column that Trump is the only choice that will prevent our country from being filled with “lazy, ever-offended,

self-righteous proles.”

I’m not sure I would word it that harshly, but I think we may already be at that point. We’re certainly at a point where I can’t say something without at least one person being offended.

In his column, Wischkaemper never explains why Mr. Trump would prevent our country from such a fate. I’d be willing to bet it has something to do with Clinton’s plans for free or subsidized government programs.

In this case, yes, I can understand how Jake would believe this course of action would lead our country to becoming lazy.

In fact, I’d agree.

I actually agree with most of Jake’s column; at least, up until the part when he urges us to vote for Trump. Even then, I don’t really mind it. Sure, go vote for Trump.

I really don’t care.

Because the way I see it, we’re screwed either way.

If Trump wins the election, the world will almost assuredly hate us even more than it already does.

In a time where radical Islam is our biggest threat, electing a president who has called for the banning of Muslims in our country will surely not help our case.

This is just my opinion, of course. However, I think the way to run a country is to avoid aggravating everyone around you. Let’s not take a page out of Kim Jong-un’s book.

If Clinton wins the election, who the hell knows what will happen. She’s a proven liar, so I doubt she will actually stick to anything she says.

In truth, Clinton’s platform lines up fairly well with my own — at least in social matters — but I’m

not foolish enough to believe she will follow through with anything she says.

Like I said earlier, Clinton is a slimy politician; she’ll say whatever she needs to win the election.

Of course, there’s also her private email scandal. I have nothing to add to this discussion that hasn’t been already stated, but nonetheless, she should be tried in court.

The fact that she hasn’t been put up against a grand jury and is going to get away with the whole affair is a prime example of corruption.

So vote for the racist, blithering fool that is Donald Trump. Vote for the lying, scummy senator that is Hillary Clinton.

Don’t vote at all. I don’t care. It’s all going to hell in a hand basket, anyway.

Long live America. opinions@dailytoreador.com

COLUMN

Opinions Editor Avery Aiken opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Duncan Stanley photo@dailytoreador.com

Voting in election vital for sake of nation

T

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his presidential election is easily the most important election in 50 years, and it is, by far, the most contentious election I have witnessed.

The United States has everything to gain and everything to lose, and we will indeed get the government that we deserve.

As this election approaches, the prospect of being associated with the Millennial generation is a source of constant insecurity and overwhelming agony for me.

People can and do tout the Millennial generation for all of its alleged promise and the like. However, the reality of our generation’s character is starkly different than how we view ourselves.

Millennials tend to see themselves as the next generation of leaders and admire themselves for their open-mindedness and overt liberalism.

This is very worrying to

Today’s

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In Sudoku, all the numbers 1 to 9 must be in every row, column and 3 x 3 box. Use logic to define the answers.

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Jake Wischkaemper is a senior history major from Lubbock.

me. I have come to see laziness, a sense of entitlement, nihilism and utter apathy as defining characteristics of my generation.

There is perhaps no better manifestation of these seemingly irredeemable qualities than in the realm of our politics.

For instance, the only candidate to inspire the Millennial generation is a career politician who has sustained himself and his family on the backs of American tax payers for decades.

How did Bernie Sanders manage to inspire such an apathetic group of people?

He reinforced the notion that they are entitled to that which others have worked for and promised them free

opinions@dailytoreador.com

Tell us your opinion on the importance of voting this November by taking our online poll at

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM COLUMN

BLM necessary yet lacks clarity

O

ne of the most polarizing social movements in American history is currently at the forefront of a national conversation about race.

The movement I’m referring to is the Black Lives Matter Movement, also known as BLM. It’s no secret that Black Lives Matter, as an organization, is flawed. Communication from the organization is often unclear.

This results in a message that is somewhat muddled which promotes confusion on a national front as to what exactly the movement does or does not support.

A lack of clear communication is also problematic for the movement during events such as what we

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LETTERS

as a member of the greatest society on earth. Learn to love your country as you love yourself.

Find yourself in the splendor of this shining City on a Hill, and remember that you were born of freedom and of the sacrifices of great.

Americans who have preceded us in their pursuit of an ever-perfectible, free and just society.

Honor the sanctity of our great republic by participating in self-government and make known the fact that our right to self-determination has been endowed to us by the one God of Nature.

If we fail to assert our rightful status as the masters of our own destiny, it is surely true that government of the people and by the people shall perish from the earth.

Libera te ex inferis (Latin for “Save yourself from hell”).

IS A FEATURE IN WHICH COLUMNISTS PRESENT OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS ON A TOPIC.

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those who wish to steal our country from us.

The mindless self-indulgence of our generation may very well prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, keeping us ever-separated from the government that rightly belongs to us.

However, I do not believe that this is the end we are destined to meet because each generation of Americans is responsible for seizing control of that which is rightly its own.

I will not simply ask you to vote. I will ask you first to care, then to learn and then to vote.

I will ask Millennials to make a conscious decision to transcend our collective identity that relegates us to the existence of a loose assortment of impotent proles.

Make the conscious decision to undergo a transformation from an indifferent idler to a pious patriot.

Embrace your identity

OPINIONS MAY VARY

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PUBLISHING INFORMATION

college and the like.

This reality is deeply troubling to me. This fallacious worldview has proven to be the only thing capable of wrenching our troubled generation from the throes of apathy.

What happened when Sanders was not nominated?

The millennial voters retreated back into the abyss of nihilism and selfabsorption from which they only momentarily emerged, enticed by the promises of a false prophet.

Why elect Donald Trump?

Why elect Hillary Clinton?

These questions are of immense importance.

It is true that in addition to being the most contentious election in modern history, it is also perhaps the most disappointing.

That is, however, no excuse to retreat into ourselves.

We must not be distracted by the bread and circuses so cleverly placed before us by

The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name, signature,

Jordan Butler is a freshman arts and letters major from Lubbock.

saw in Charleston, South Carolina, when riots and looting are occurring and individuals are unsure as to whether or not the movement endorses the events.

The exclusivity of the movement is also a hotbutton topic.

Many individuals in support of the movement claim there is an implied “too” at the end of the phrase, Black Lives Matter, while critics cry foul and claim the movement leaves out non-black individuals.

Of course, all of these issues are somewhat exacerbated by the media.

More often concerned

with sensationalism and ratings than the reporting of actual facts, news channels and print sources alike tend to focus on more extraordinary occurrences rather than the entire situation.

It’s no secret that Black Lives Matter, as an organization, is flawed.

In saying this, I am not saying I believe the lives of African-Americans are inferior.

I do believe the grievances aired by the black community are legitimate

phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown.

We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

GUEST COLUMNS

The Daily Toreador accepts submissions of unsolicited guest columns.

While we cannot acknowledge receipt of all columns, the authors of those selected for publication will be notified. Guest columns should be no longer

and that a conversation on race is long overdue.

As a country, we need to do better. It’s time to discuss implicit bias and the way it affects white people and our dealings with people of color.

It’s time for a discussion about police brutality and the overall pervasiveness of racism to take place all the way from the judicial system to the education system.

It’s time to make a meaningful change.

However, I don’t believe that a meaningful change can be made unless there is a seat at the table for every person and every voice. opinions@dailytoreador.com

than 650 words in length and on a topic of relevance to the university community. Guest columns are also edited and follow the same guidelines for letters as far as identification and submittal.

EDITORIALS

opinions@dailytoreador.com

Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The Daily Toreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The Daily Toreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

SPORTS

SEPT. 29, 2016

5

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The Baylor Bears started off their season 4-0. They defeated Northwestern State 55-7 in their season opener.

The Bears have scored a total 168 points and have allowed 54 points in their first four matchups. The starting quarterback for the Bears is senior Seth Russell who, in four games, passed for 1,148 passing yards and had 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Terence Williams leads the rushing statistic for the Bears. He has 284 rushing yards in 55 carries and four touchdowns. Baylor could face some challenges, as TCU is right behind them and possibly closer than might be expected, in taking the top spot in the Big 12. Watch out, Baylor. For Baylor’s next game, they face Iowa State, which should be an easy game for the Bears after a tough opponent like Oklahoma State.

Texas Christian University falls into conference play with a 3-1 record. The Horned Frogs had wins against South Dakota State, Iowa State and their most recent win against SMU, but had a close loss against Arkansas. Last season the Horned Frogs finished overall 11-2 and in conference 7-2, with the o n l y

losses in conference against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. Junior quarterback Kenny Hill is expected to lead the team this year after sitting out in 2015 after transferring from Texas A&M. This season, so far, Hill has collected 1487 passing yards. Hill follows closely behind junior running back Kyle Hicks in rushing yards.

Hicks has had 314 rushing yards with five touchdowns.

TCU is predicted to be one of the Big 12’s top contenders.

The Cowboys have lost two games so far this season.

One loss came from Central Michigan, and it was a hot topic because of a controversial last call that gave Central Michigan the last play of the game. Although Oklahoma State lost its Big 12 opener against Baylor, it is good enough to defeat the rest of the conference.

Junior quarterback Mason Rudolph is a key player for the Cowboys in their success in the conference.

With the Big 12 front runner ahead of them, TCU may be the only other school to give the Cowboys a challenge for the second spot in the conference.

The Texas Longhorns started off hot defeating Notre Dame and ranking up to No. 11. The game showed off the Longhorns’ willingness to not give up, and their drive to win games and to become the Texas they used to be. However, after a huge disappointing loss for Texas against California, Texas’

run to become top dog in the Big 12 might have to wait another year. Texas still has a lot of fight, but the games will only get harder, especially against Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State, which is who they play this weekend.

Freshman Shane Buechele leads the Longhorns currently. He stepped up big against Notre Dame, throwing for 280 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and also scoring one rushing touchdown. He had an even bigger game against UTEP, throwing for 244 passing yards and four touchdowns.

However, he did struggle against California. So, if a defense can figure out ways to stop Buechele, it has a better chance of beating Texas. The Longhorns defense also needs some work as it has allowed 104 points, but their offense is up there with Baylor.

The Sooners have had a rough stretch these first three games. They lost to Houston and Ohio State, behind by at least 10 points in both games. Their only win came against Louisiana, which was basically a shutout from the start.

However, if Oklahoma can’t beat big teams like Houston and Ohio State, then it will struggle against Oklahoma State, TCU, Baylor and even Texas. Oklahoma might be middle of the road this season. It’s not looking good for the Sooners.

Their offense is pretty average, and their defense is good, but against high ranking powerhouse teams, they just can’t seem to win.

If they aren’t careful, Texas Tech could be the new middle team for the Big 12.

Oklahoma does have a few things to fix to get back on track. Its offense needs

to score a bit more points, and its defense needs to not allow as much points. It’s pretty much that simple. The Sooners are still a good football team. They just need to clean some things up in order to get back into being a powerhouse team.

Tech’s offensive is leading in the Big 12 right now.

Tech heads into conference play 2-1. Tech had its home opener against Stephen F. Austin and came out with a win. The Red Raiders traveled to Arizona and had a loss against Arizona State and then redeemed themselves against Louisiana Tech at home. This is the Red Raiders’ fifth season under coach Kliff Kingsbury. Tech is currently third in the Big 12.

Junior quarterback Patrick Mahomes II continues to prove he has what it takes to run a skilled offense. Mahomes has bottled up 94 complete passes for a total of 1493 yards. Last season the Red Raiders left conference play with a record of 4-5.

This season, the Red Raiders hope to prove themselves defensively.

West Virginia has had a pretty good start so far in its season. It defeated Missouri, Youngstown State and BYU to start off the season.

However, its offense is really below a lot of teams in the Big 12. In its first three games, it scored 99 points, and its defense is rocking by only allowing 64 points in three games.

Even t h o u g h We s t Virginia is having a great start, if its offense doesn’t score more points, then its awesome defense will not be able to save it from the likes of Baylor, TCU, Texas, Tech, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, who all have total points scored more than the 100s. The team will be outscored if it isn’t careful.

Kansas State heads into conference 2-1. It faced off against Stanford and lost on Stanford’s home turf. Junior quarterback Jesse Ertz is returning for the Wildcats after a season-ending knee injury in the first game of the 2015 season, according to Kansas State Athletics. Ertz leads in passing statistics at Kansas State. The Wildcats won against Florida Atlantic at their home opener with high offensive score of 63-7.

Last season, Kansas State had a 3-6 record in conference. They had wins against Kansas, West Virginia and Iowa State.

The Jayhawks have hit some very, very rough patches as of late. After their win against Rhode Island, they lost to both Ohio and Memphis, which is not a good sign for them. This week they play Tech, and even though Kansas has allowed only 86 points, look for them to get banged up against the high powered Red Raider offense.

The main problem for Kansas is its offense, which is simply too average to compete with the other h i g h

powered offenses in the conference. Let’s face it, the only offense that hasn’t scored more points than Kansas’ is West Virginia’s. Look for the Jayhawks to be kind of bottom of the standings this year, but it is possible for them to beat Kansas State in the No. 8 spot in the Big 12. Maybe if luck goes their way, they could beat out West Virginia, but that may not happen, at all.

Iowa State played Big 12 TCU in Fort Worth and came away with a loss; the score was 41-20. The Cyclones stand at 1-3 before conference. They also faced up against Northern Iowa in Iowa States’ home opener and Iowa; both of these games were away games. They played their most recent game against San Jose and won. The Cyclones’ junior quarterback Joel Lanning had 127 passing yards against TCU. Lanning took over the Cyclones’ offense in the final five games of the 2015 season, according to Iowa State Athletics. In the 2015 season, Iowa State left conference 2-7; it had wins against Texas and Kansas State. This season it is predicted that the Cyclones will finish at the bottom of the conference.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAM BURTON / TCU 360 LIESJE POWERS / BAYLOR LARIAT MAX GOLDBERG / IOWA STATE DAILY

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SPORTS

SEPT. 29, 2016

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FOOTBALL

Red Raiders begin conference play against Jayhawks

By JACK DENSMORE Staff Writer

The Texas Tech Red Raiders will face off against the Kansas Jayhawks at 7:30 p.m. today at Jones AT&T Stadium.

The Red Raiders are 16-1 against Kansas with Tech’s current win streak at nine wins from 2004-2015. The only loss Tech faced against the Jayhawks was in 2001.

In that game, it came down to a Kansas field goal in double overtime for the Jayhawks to win their first and only game against Tech.

At that time, Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury played quarterback for the Red Raiders. Kingsbury had 23 completions on 37 pass attempts, 242 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in that game.

Jumping to the 2016 season, Kingsbury leads the Red Raiders on the coaching side and will face a 1-2 Jayhawk team looking to utilize its offense to exploit the Tech defense.

Because of a bye week, the Red Raiders have had more than a week to prepare for Kansas.

“I think that we got a handle on Kansas, but we focused a lot on ourselves and what we need to do to get better,” Kingsbury said. “I thought we had a good attitude. Good energetic practices, it was encouraging.”

Tech currently has the highest scoring offense in the Big 12 Conference with 183 points scored in three games. Meanwhile, Kansas has 83 points scored so far this season. In terms of defense, Tech has allowed 130 points, and Kansas has allowed 86.

Kansas lost its only road game against Memphis. Tech is 2-0 so far at home, with the wins coming against Stephen F. Austin and Louisiana Tech.

“The last game was not a true statement of who (Jayhawks) are as a football team,” Kingsbury said. “They had six turnovers, it kind of got out of hand. But (coach David) Beaty, I know him very well, he does a good job motivating. And I think they’re better than probably

their record indicates.”

Tech leads the conference in passing yards averaging 547.7 per game.

However, Tech has had 27 penalties for 231 yards in its first three games.

Junior quarterback Patrick Mahomes II said during a press conference that the team worked on reducing the penalties during bye week.

“Playing hard, but at the same time not getting those holds and not getting those just silly penalties that move us backwards,” Mahomes said, “because other than the penalties we really, against La Tech, moved it forward the entire time, and it’s something where we have to cut those down if we want to be a contender in the Big 12.”

Kingsbury spoke about his friendship with Kansas coach David Beaty and said Beaty’s attitude is positive around his team.

Both Kingsbury and Beaty worked together coaching for Texas A&M before they went their separate ways. Now, they are both head coaches.

“He’s very positive, energetic, what you see is what you get,” Kingsbury said. “I think the players feel that.

He’s going to push them hard on the field, he’s going to give them everything they got every practice, every meeting, and he’s always got a smile on his face.”

The defense has turned the ball over three times in the span of three games.

Two of those turnovers were interceptions, and one was a fumble.

Senior defensive back Justis Nelson said the defense focused on several things during the bye week.

“I felt like we had good practices. We’re just trying to focus on us and what we can do to get better,” Nelson said.

“Guys giving more effort, guys trying to make plays and not just going through the motions, so that was the main emphasis of a bye week, just having all that effort.”

The Jayhawks in the past three games have turned the ball over nine times to opposing defenses.

They have had two interceptions and seven fumbles.

In the past two games, Tech has not given the ball

1

2

3 FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

1. Texas Tech junior quarterback Patrick Mahomes II drives the ball to gain yards during the first quarter of Texas Tech’s 59-45 win over Louisiana Tech on Sept. 17 at Jones AT&T Stadium. 2. Texas Tech junior running back Justin Stockton drives the ball for a touchdown during the first quarter of Tech’s 59-45 win over Louisiana Tech on Sept. 17 at Jones AT&T Stadium. 3. Tech freshman wide receiver Keke Coutee sprints past a defender during the first quarter of Texas Tech’s 59-45 win over Louisiana Tech on Sept. 17 at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders will face the Kansas Jayhawks at 7:30 p.m. today at Jones AT&T Stadium. up on a botched play.

“The past two games we haven’t had a turnover, which is a characteristic of what coach (David) Gibbs wants from this defense,” Nelson said. “So we started back doing turnover circuits

and stuff like that. So any time we can get our hands on that ball, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Playing a game on Thursday night is different than the usual Saturday games, but Kingsbury said the play-

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ers and the team are excited to play on Thursday night.

This game will be the only Thursday night game this year for Tech. “(It) sounds like it will be a great atmosphere,” Kingsbury said. “The ones over

here the last Thursday night it was rocking, and they expect the same thing. So it’s a good change up, a couple games on TV. They know it’s a good showcase to show who they are.” @JackDensmore_DT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rangers rally again to beat Brewers 8-5 Doug Fister’s tough start dooms Astros ARLINGTON (AP) — Carlos Gomez hit a towering three-run homer in the eighth inning and the ALleading Texas Rangers beat

the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 on Wednesday night for their MLB-best 49th come-frombehind victory.

Texas (94-65) moved clos-

FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 29, 2016

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 “La Vie en Rose” singer 5 Ashtray array 10 Interest greatly 14 “There __ joy in Mudville ... ” 15 Livid 16 Cambodian currency 17 Lump 18 Hasbro soldier 19 Raison d’__ 20 Lake Michigan port 22 Dietary need 24 TriBeCa neighbor 26 Backspaced over 27 1974 hit with a Spanish title meaning “You are” 31 Jedi Council VIP 33 VCR successor 34 Brief meeting?

36 Army rank above maj.

41 Told ... and a hint to this puzzle’s six sets of circles 44 Ivy League sch.

45 “Rebel Without a Cause” star James 46 Where a retriever may be retrieved: Abbr.

47 Blacken 49 Prepare 51 Kansas motto word 55 Omit 57 “Moby-Dick” crew 59 Made possible 64 Italian air 65 Cumberland Gap explorer 67 Hall of Fame linebacker Junior 68 Copper that’s mostly zinc 69 Corned beef __ 70 Not fem.

71 __-Ball 72 Construction rod 73 Long haul DOWN 1 Draft item often traded 2 Vacation destination 3 Erelong

9/29/16

By Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

4 Snap, commercially 5 Michigan Stadium nickname, with “The” 6 Heep of trouble?

7 __ Mahal 8 Camaro roof option 9 What 15-Across people do 10 Former Fox News anchor Van Susteren 11 Ceremonies 12 Where eagles hatch 13 Some of this and some of that 21 JFK-to-Heathrow flier, once 23 Dental care name 25 Seafood found in beds 27 Website for handmade art 28 Electrolux spokeswoman Kelly 29 Pernicious 30 Something underfoot 32 DOL division

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

er to home-field advantage with a 1 1/2-game lead over Boston for the best record in the American League after the Red Sox lost earlier on Wednesday.

Jonathan Lucroy, the catcher traded from Milwaukee to Texas on Aug. 1, reached to start the eighth on a two-base error when the ball ricocheted off the glove of center fielder Hernan Perez. Delino DeShields came on as a pinch-runner, and after Mitch Moreland walked, he scored the tying run when Elvis Andrus greeted reliever Tyler Thornburg with a single to center.

Gomez then hit a 418-foot homer to left, his 13th this

season. It was the eighth in 31 games for the former two-time All-Star with the Brewers since joining the Rangers last month after being released by Houston.

He had a three-run homer on Tuesday night, that one traveling 444 feet.

Rougned Odor also homered for the Rangers, his 32nd a two-run shot in the first that snapped an 0-for-22 slide and put Texas up 3-2.

The Red Sox clinched the AL East title even after blowing a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning and losing 5-3 to the New York Yankees when former Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira hit a game-ending grand slam.

HOUSTON (AP) — Another bad start by Doug Fister doomed the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Astros 12-4 to keep pressure on the other AL wild-card contenders.

Kyle Seager added another three-run drive in the eighth, his 30th home run this season, as Seattle remained two games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card. Houston dropped 3½ games back as its magic number for elimination was cut to one.

Fister gave up five runs and five hits over 1 1/3 innings in the shortest start of his big league career.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” he said. “I let the team down.

The last couple of starts haven’t gone what I would call my way at all.”

Fister has lost five straight decisions, and Houston has lost his last seven starts — all five innings or fewer.

“Getting into the game was very difficult for him,” manager A.J. Hinch said.

“His command wasn’t great.

He didn’t execute the way he does when he’s good.”

Cano’s career-best 36th home run, a drive off Fister (12-13), landed in the first row of the Crawford Boxes in left field. Cano has nine homers and 25 RBIs in 19 games against Houston this season.

Seattle doubled its lead in the second on Nori Aoki’s RBI single and Seth Smith’s tworun single. Ketel Marte made it 7-0 with a run-scoring infield single in the third.

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35 Scandinavian literary work 37 Try out 38 Toy gun ammo 39 Almost never 40 Six-part undergrad exam 42 Money 43 Tech graduate 48 Abet, in a way 50 Grime-fighting org.

51 Spy plane acronym

9/29/16

52 Toondom ogre 53 “Common Sense” writer 54 Give a big lift 56 Uganda neighbor 58 40-decibel unit 60 Realty ad abbr.

61 “I am a very foolish fond old man” speaker 62 Comfort 63 “Fore!”

66 Sun or moon

Houston ready for UConn after Huskies’ win last year HOUSTON (AP) — Coach Tom Herman’s only loss since taking over at Houston came to UConn last season.

As the sixth-ranked Cougars (4-0, 1-0 American) prepare to meet the Huskies (2-2, 0-1) again Thursday night, they’re determined not to let them ruin another perfect season.

“We don’t focus on it (but) there is a bit of internal sense of liability, of atonement, to right some of the wrongs that occurred,” Herman said.

The Cougars were 10-0 last year when they were

toppled 20-17 by the Huskies in Connecticut in the first meeting between the two schools.

Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. didn’t start that game because of an ankle injury, but had to come in for the last series when backup Kyle Postma was injured.

Though the Cougars would certainly like to have an undefeated season, their first goal is to win the American Athletic Conference title and know that if they lose this game it could hurt their chances to do that.

SPORTS

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SEPT. 29, 2016

7

COLUMN

Key conference games ahead for Red Raiders 1.Texas Tech vs Oklahoma Texas Tech will face Oklahoma Nov. 22 at home.

This will be Tech’s first game against a ranked opponent this season.

Tech is currently second in the country in yards per game with 579.5 and Oklahoma is seventh with 530.2.

It’s safe to say this will be a very high scoring game.

I think the first one to 50 points wins.

Both teams have two of the best quarterbacks in the country with Patrick Mahomes II and Baker Mayfield.

It will be interesting to see which quarterback outplays the other to lead his team to victory.

Tech’s history against Oklahoma isn’t very good.

The Sooners lead the Red Raiders with a 6-17 total record, and Tech has not won a game against them since 2011.

Fortunately for Red Raiders fans, there is hope. Tech is scoring at a very high rate, averaging 45.1 points per game, which is second in the country.

Tech’s junior quarter-

Tobias Bass is a junior journalism major from Missouri City.

back Mahomes is doing a sensational job this year.

Mahomes has 18 total touchdowns and only two interceptions on the year.

Mahomes also has a 71.2 percent completion percentage and a quarterback rating of 93.8.

This game will be a big test for the Red Raiders as they try to improve their chances to win the Big 12 and complete their goal to go to a BCS bowl.

2.Texas Tech vs TCU Another big test for the Red Raiders is the TCU game in Fort Worth on Oct. 29.

In last year’s game, TCU edged Tech in a 55-52 showdown. Whichever defense will make the most key stops will win the game.

TCU look very different this year. It replaced Trevone Boykin with a new stud in junior Kenny Hill, the former Texas A&M

quarterback. TCU and Tech have similar teams.

Both offenses gain a lot of yards. They are currently second and third in the country in total yards per game with more than 560 a game.

Tech and TCU are also both in the top 10 in the country in points per game with more than 40.

Quarterback play will be very important in this game. Both quarterbacks are in the top 10 in passing yards per game.

Both teams’ defenses also seem to be nonexistent this season, giving up more than 5,000 total yards this season.

Both defenses will have their work cut out for them if they want to stop either teams’ high powered offenses from scoring.

If you’re looking for a game with plenty of yards and points scored, this is the game to attend.

Will Mahomes’ golden arm give the Raiders a slight advantage in Fort Worth when his team needs him most?

3.Texas Tech vs Texas The Red Raiders have a tough task when they

play three of the four best teams in the conference back-to-back.

These games will show what the Red Raiders are made of this season. Coming to Lubbock on Nov. 5 Texas Longhorns are scrappy but unpredictable.

The Longhorns run a two quarterback offense with freshman Shane Buechele and senior Tyrone Swoopes.

Texas has great athletes all over the field, but nevertheless it has one of the worst defenses in the country.

Looks like the Red Raider high powered offense won’t have any trouble scoring points. It seems like a pretty easy win for the Red Raiders.

However, that would be true if the Raiders defense wasn’t ranked 126 out of 127 teams based on yards given up per game.

This will be a very high scoring game in the upper 50s possibly 60s, depending how fast the teams score.

Whichever defense gets the first stop will end up winning the game.

The Red Raiders will need

a great game from their quarterback Mahomes to continue to outscore the Longhorns.

In last year’s game, the Raiders outlasted the Longhorns in a 48-45 victory which was their first win against them in the last 7 years.

Hopefully this year the Raiders can continue their win streak against the Horns.

4.Texas Tech vs Baylor The last game of the season for the Red Raiders could be the most important one they play all year.

They will face the Baylor Bears on a neutral site in Arlington on Nov. 25.

Tech hasn’t had very much success recently against the Bears. It hasn’t beaten them in five straight seasons.

But, this will be a close game because of the offenses.

Both teams have dynamic offensives ranked first and second in yards per game and points per game. This will be in all phases a shootout.

The stakes will be very high. This game could determine who wins the Big 12 and potentially who has a shot to go to a BCS bowl.

Neither team is known for

its defense, but the defense will be a necessity and a key factor to win this game.

This game could go down to the wire relying on great quarterback play to bring their team a win.

Fortunately for both these teams, they have two of the best quarterbacks in the conference and the country.

Senior Seth Russell and Mahomes are both at the top in the country in passing touchdowns and passing yards per game.

Another key factor in the outcome of this game will be the run game, and Baylor has one of the best running backs in the conference in sophomore Terence Williams.

Whichever offense can control the time of possession by using its running backs will have a significant advantage in this game.

Ironically, this game is the day after Thanksgiving. So, which team will be hungrier to win this key game and have a great feast with their teammates before its time to go bowling? @TheDT_Sports

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Famed Tal’s Hill to be removed from Minute Maid Park HOUSTON (AP) — When former Astros owner Drayton McLane prepared to spend $265 million of ownership and taxpayer money to build the field of his dreams, he could not expect it to last forever, but he wanted it to be unforgettable.

The Houston Chronicle reports in 1997 he looked around

a drab, cramped, windowless, eighth floor Astrodome conference room for inspiration from his brain trust.

“What can we do to make this ballpark special?” he asked.

President of business operations Bob McClaren, senior vice president of sales and marketing Pam Gardner and three architects from

the design firm Populous turned to the group’s venerable historian, an old-timer who expounded that nostalgia would reinvigorate the modern ballpark.

Tal Smith, the head of baseball operations, proposed that they build a hill in centerfield for the impending Enron Field.

When Smith finished his

presentation the architects remained silent. An awkward feeling hung while the notion of an obstacle in the outfield settled in.

“It caught them a little bit by surprise,” said McClaren, who liked Smith’s nod to the berm at Crosley Field, the Cincinnati Reds’ old ballpark.

“We were hungry for something different and unique

and distinguishable.”

Populous spent the next weeks mapping it out, materializing the quirky idea into Tal’s Hill, as it was dubbed.

Smith was elated they treated his suggestion seriously. He made it on a lark.

“I didn’t think the hill would survive,” Smith admits now. “I just thought because

it was different, somebody someplace along the line would kill it.”

Now, 20 years later, the Astros under Jim Crane’s ownership will.

In a shift from novelty to practicality, the team began discussing renovations in 2012, general manager Jeff Luhnow said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jaso hits for cycle as Pirates beat Cubs, 8-4 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Coming around second base in the seventh inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, John Jaso stumbled. Then, he went for it.

Ninety feet later, Jaso was safe at third base with a triple to become the first player to hit a cycle in the 16-year history of PNC Park.

The triple off reliever Pedro Strop clinched the Pirates’ first cycle since 2004. The last Pirate to hit for the cycle was Daryle Ward on May 26, 2004, in St. Louis. The last Pirates’ home cycle was by Jason Kendall on May 19, 2000, against the Cardinals at Three Rivers Stadium.

Jaso isn’t exactly a typical candidate for the cycle.

He has neither prodigious power nor speed, as he hit just his seventh home run and third triple of the season.

Jaso didn’t even realize what had happened until he had already performed the feat.

“It didn’t really dawn on me until I was standing on the base,” he said. “I was looking at (third base coach Rick) Sofield and it finally just hit me.”

Jaso’s teammates were well aware of what was going on. Shortstop Jordy Mercer said they didn’t want to jinx it by telling him.

“There was a little buzz going on and we were aware of the situation, but I don’t think it’s something you want to openly talk about when they have one more at-bat left,” Mercer said.

But when Jaso looked like he might settle for a double after rounding second, Mercer and the rest of the bench became a legion of third-base coaches.

“We were just yelling, ‘Keep going! Keep going no matter what, just go,’” Mer-

cer said. “It worked out. I couldn’t be more happy for him. It was awesome.”

Against Chicago starter Jake Arrieta (18-8), Jaso singled in the second inning, hit a three-run home run in the fourth and doubled in the fifth. Arrieta went five innings and allowed 10 hits and seven runs, both season highs.

“It’s just a great memory to have,” Jaso said. “You don’t really want to take this blessing for granted being here.”

Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-4) allowed one hit and struck out four in six innings.

Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer, his 32nd of the season.

The Pirates announced that they will play a two-game preseason series in Montreal against the Toronto Blue Jays March 31 and April 1, 2017.

The Pirates haven’t played in

Montreal since 2013.

OF Chris Coghlan left the game with a mild left ankle sprain. He ran into the wall in left field attempting to catch a fly ball in the fifth inning.

Manager Joe Maddon expects OF Jorge Soler (right side) to be able to play this weekend.

After being officially eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday, the Pirates will shut injured reliever Neftali Feliz down for the season, and will be “backing away” from C Francisco Cervelli, according to manager Clint Hurdle.

Cervelli had hamate surgery in July and has dealt with several minor injuries all year. OF Gregory Polanco did not play with a stiff neck. He had previously missed three games with a facial contusion following a collision with the wall in left field.

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FOOTBALL

Mahomes, Washington headline Big 12 standouts

T

here’s always a star on every team, whether it’s the man in the pocket trying to throw for a touchdown or the man trying to break through the offensive line and stop that from happening.

The Big 12 football Conference is no different. From Texas to West Virginia, every team has a standout player fighting to make his team a contender for the Big 12 title.

Texas Tech For the Red Raiders, that promising athlete is junior quarterback Patrick Mahomes II. All eyes are on him as he has become one of the top quarterbacks in the nation.

Tech’s ring leader has helped the Red Raiders gain two victories this season for a record of 2-1. He has thrown 14 touchdowns and has a pass completion rate of 71.2 percent.

What makes Mahomes such a strong asset is not only his passing efficiency but also his ability to maintain composure and make plays while scrambling out of the pocket.

In the first win of the season against Stephen F. Austin, Mahomes threw for four touchdowns and ran for two.

He completed 30 of 43 passes for 483 yards as well as 57 rushing yards.

After the loss to Arizona State 55-68, the Red Raiders followed Mahomes’ momentum to come back and defeat Louisiana Tech, 68-55. He threw for five touchdowns and ran one into the end zone.

Mahomes currently leads the Big 12 with a pass efficiency of 198.2, an average of 497.7 passing yards per game and 543.7 total offensive yards per game.

Not only has he dominated the conference, Mahomes leads the nation in total offensive and passing yards per game.

With a quarterback who seems to have it all, the Red Raiders will continue the season riding on the momentum he’s produced.

University of Texas The No. 22 Texas Longhorns’ start to the season has been bet-

Alexa Boutwell is a junior journalism major from Iowa Park.

ter than expected with the help of a new, promising quarterback, freshman Shane Buechele.

With Buechele leading the offense, the Longhorns have a record of 2-1 and have jumped into the top 25 in the nation after their victory over Notre Dame, 50-47.

In three games, Buechele has 57 completions in 86 attempts.

He has also thrown for seven touchdowns this season with a total of 720 passing yards.

In the first win against the Fighting Irish, Buechele threw for two touchdowns. The freshman kept the chains moving that night with a pass completion rate of 61.5 percent.

Riding off the win against Notre Dame, Texas defeated UTEP 41-7 with Buechele throwing for four touchdowns. In 27 attempts, he completed 22 passes for a completion rate of 81.5 percent.

The young quarterback is fourth in the Big 12 in passing efficiency at 158.8. With Buechele only being a freshman, he has a lot of time to grow and be a strong leader for the Longhorns.

Oklahoma State When it comes to Big 12 receivers, Oklahoma State’s junior wide receiver James Washington is a name to be mentioned. He currently is leading the nation in receiving yards per game with 122.

This season, he has collected 488 yards in 25 receptions. In the 45-38 win against Pittsburgh, Washington had two touchdowns and nine receptions for a total of 296 yards.

He put on a strong performance for the Cowboys against Pittsburgh. During the game, Washington had his longest reception yet for a 91 yard OSU touchdown to secure the win.

The wide receiver has put

up some strong statistics this year, and only being a junior, he still has another year left to light up the field.

Oklahoma When talking about allpurpose yards, Oklahoma Sooners’ sophomore running back Joe Mixon currently has 327 yards.

To add on to his success, he is also third in the Big 12 in kick return average with a total of 196 yards on six returns.

In OU’s 45-24 loss to Ohio State, Mixon hustled down the field on a 97-yard kick return for an OU touchdown.

This season, Mixon has rushed for 235 yards, has 92 receiving yards in seven receptions, and 22 yards on punt returns. Even with the help of Mixon, the Sooners’ season hasn’t started off well as their record stands 1-2.

OU claimed its only win against Louisiana Monroe 59-17, when the sophomore running back recorded a total of 117 yards in 14 attempts.

With the numbers Mixon has put up this season, he has proven to be a reliable option on the field for the Sooners.

Baylor The Baylor Bears have one of the strongest defensive sides in the Big 12. The defense has been attacking offensive opponents with the help of senior linebacker standout Patrick Levels.

Baylor is currently leading the Big 12 in scoring defense, averaging 10 points a game and 97 passing yards per game.

The Bears currently have a perfect record of 4-0. Levels has summed a total of 29 tackles in just four games with 16 of those being on his own.

In the 40-13 win against SMU, Levels had 12 total tackles, seven of which were solo tackles. He also came up with four solo tackles in the 38-10 win against Rice.

This senior linebacker has been a blockade on the field, keeping the offense from moving the chains by coming up

with tackles to stop plays. This being his last year as a Bear, Levels needs to keep attacking to be a defensive leader.

Kansas State Another Big 12 linebacker to watch out for is Kansas State’s junior Elijah Lee. He is currently tied for second in the Big 12 in tackles per game at eight tackles.

In only three games, Lee has collected a total of nine solo tackles and 10 assists on tackles. In the loss to Stanford 26-13, Lee came up with four solo tackles and eight assists on tackles for a total of 12.

After this season, Lee will have one more year to complete tackles and put the Wildcats defense on his back.

TCU Texas Christian has had a strong start to the season with a record of 3-1. The Horned Frogs offense is run by junior quarterback Kenny Hill.

In 180 passing attempts, Hill has completed 119 of those for a 66.1 pass completion rate. This season, he has thrown for six touchdowns with four interceptions.

In the four games played this season, Hill has rushed for a total of 166 yards in just 33 attempts. As it stands, Hill averages 371.75 yards a game in passing.

Hill’s strongest outing was in the win against South Dakota State, 59-41. He had a pass completion rate of 67.3 and threw for two touchdowns to get the win.

Hill has become a strong offensive presence on the field to help guide his team to getting back on top in the Big 12.

West Virginia West Virginia is currently one of the top contenders in the Big 12 with a perfect record of 3-0. A strong offensive option for the Mountaineers is senior running back Rushel Shell.

This season, Shell has collected a total of 209 rushing yards and has run in three touchdowns for the Mountaineers.

He averages 69 yards per

COURTESY OF EMILY BLOBAUM/Iowa State Daily

Mike Warren, a sophomore running back from Iowa State, breaks a tackle during the team’s 44-10 win over San Jose State. This season, Warren has rushed for 256 yards in 61 attempts. game in just three games played. Shell also has 49 receiving yards and averages 8.2 receiving yards a game.

In the season opening win against Missouri, Shell rushed for 90 yards in 16 attempts and also ran in a touchdown. In his three years at WVU, he has tallied up 2,137 rushing yards.

Already proven to be a valuable asset over three seasons, Shell has one more shot at leading WVU to a Big 12 title.

Iowa State With only nine wins in the last three seasons, the Iowa State Cyclones need a bright spot in what seems to be a dwindling football program.

The help the Cyclones need just might come from promising sophomore running back Mike Warren. This season, Warren has rushed for 256 yards in 61 attempts.

Last season, Warren tallied a total of 1,339 total rushing yards in 227 attempts on the field.

In this season’s 41-20 loss to TCU, Warren gave a strong performance with 95 rushing yards in 23 attempts for an average of 4.1 yards.

In last week’s win over San Jose State, 44-10, Warren put on a show rushing for 103 yards in just 19 attempts. Warren even ran in a touchdown for the Cyclones to help propel the team to a win.

Warren is still a young player who can keep building his talent and give the Cyclones the offensive help they desperately need.

Kansas Kansas has had a weak start to the season going 1-2, so far. The one bright spot in the Jayhawks’ football program is sophomore wide receiver Steven Sims Jr. Sims has had 235 total receiving yards in only 11 receptions this season. He has also tallied up four touchdowns for Kansas and become a primary offensive option.

In the 55-6 win against Rhode Island, Sims had 124 receiving yards in five receptions and also collected two touchdowns for the Jayhawks.

The following week Kansas lost to Ohio 37-21, but despite the loss, Sims put on another strong display with 114 receiving yards in just four receptions and added two more touchdowns to his total.

With Sims only being a sophomore, he has time to keep growing in his receiving game and become a star wide receiver in the Big 12.

The Big 12 has many standout offensive and defensive players. Only time will tell which of these promising athletes can lead their program to the Big 12 title. @ABoutwellDT