The Oracle WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014 I VOL. 52 NO. 42
Inside this Issue
USF kicks of Fall Dance Concert. Page 6
Montage
SP O RTS Taggart brings in retired soldier to motivate Bulls. BACK
Scene & Heard.............................9 Crossword......................................10 sports.........................................................12
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Rick Scott, no pot for Florida
Republicans take majority of wins in state Senate, House and Cabinet. n
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The Index
Opinion.......................................................4 Lifestyle......................................................5 Classifieds..............................................8
By Wesley Higgins N E W S
E D I T O R
After the most expensive Florida election season in history, Republicans triumph. Gov. Rick Scott won re-election after defeating Democratic challenger Charlie Crist by over 90,000 votes, or an approximate 1 percent lead. The Associated Press called Scott’s victory over Crist at 10:20 p.m. and Scott took the stage in Bonita Springs over an hour later. Scott asked the room full of energetic supporters to move past the partisan divide that defined the 2014 elections. “Tomorrow is a new day,” he said. “Florida is on a mission to keep growing and be the best place in the world to get a job, raise a family and
live the American dream.” Crist kept his concession speech to fewer than two minutes at the Renaissance Vinoy in St. Petersburg. “We need to come together, we really do,” he said. “Losing in not fun, but what’s really important is that we need to come together as a state.” USF Professor Susan MacManus, a political analyst for News Channel 8, said Scott won because he understood what concerned Floridians the most. “Scott stayed on message with the number one issue … the economy,” MacManus said. “The exit polls showed clearly that those who were concerned with the economy voted for Scott and those fine with the economy voted for Crist.” The push for medical marijuana stalled out at 57 percent before it could reach the 60 percent supermajority needed to pass Amendment 2. “There were two big issues: opponents’ success at convincing people that the amendment itself was not well writ-
n See FLORIDA on PAGE 9
ORACLE GRAPHIC/ADAM MATHIEU
Grand theft reported in Argos center
By Wesley Higgins N E W S
E D I T O R
A report of grand theft was filed with University Police (UP) on Monday. The two suspects were reported to have stolen roughly $2,200 worth of music equipment Saturday night from the Argos center. UP said the music equipment included a valuable saxophone. The two suspects were captured on video feed carrying black cases. The victim positively identified the two black cases as his property, which he claims was
unlawfully removed from his office, according to UP. UP Assistant Chief Chris Daniel said the investigation is still ongoing and urged students to help identify the two suspects from the captured video. The suspects are shown as two white males wearing fur hats. Anyone who recognizes either of the suspects is encouraged to call the USF Police Department at 813-9742628. Tips may also be sent anonymously through the eyewitness program by texting to 67283 with a crime tip along with the alert code “USF14OFF007347.”
Special to the Oracle
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Second federal complaint filed over primate death By Roberto Roldan M A N A G I N G
E D I T O R
Ohio-based watchdog group Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) filed another complaint against USF with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Thursday after new revelations stemming from a University Police (UP) investigation into the death of a research primate. The new alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act are based on interviews with veterinarian Robert Engelman and primary researcher Barbara Hansen conducted by UP Sergeant Frank Wassenberg. SAEN said the police report reveals “negligence” and a “lack of adequate veterinary staff” on the part of the university. SAEN spokesman Michael Budkie said the group has asked the USDA to fine USF
the $10,000 maximum allowable fine for the new violations. “Any time we see animals dying through negligence we think they should be subject to the maximum penalty, because this isn’t like they filled out a form wrong,” Budkie said. The complaints filed by SAEN stem from two incidents occurring in April of 2013 and January of this year. In April, USF reported to the National Health Institute review board that primary researcher Barbara Hansen withheld water from 27 research primates in a study on aging and diabetes. The withholding of water, which the university admits was is violation of protocol, resulted in the death of one primate. The university self-reported in January that the diabetic monkeys had been deprived of water on multiple occasions, were not being weighed
USF now has two federal complaints filed against it related to a breach of research protocols that resulted in the death of a research primate. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU at established intervals, and SAEN filed its original the well-being of the research research staff failed to contact complaint with the USDA on primates is the “responsibilveterinarians once the mon- Sept. 15. ity of the clinician, or the keys reached the clinical end According to the police researcher” and that it would point of the study. report, Engelman told UP that n See PRIMATE on PAGE 6
Students headed to the poll at the Marshall Student Center
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Physician-assisted death is a necessary right live with it, but to suffer and have no a choice about it is inhumane. Currently, Florida does not authorize physician-assisted suicide and in such occurrences, the physician would be guilty of manslaughter. Charles Hall, a Florida man who contracted HIV/AIDS from a blood transfusion during surgery, fought the Florida Supreme Court in 1996 for his right to an assisted death after being bedridden due to complications from the disease. Hall was denied the right to such a death and eventually died from natural causes after suffering from what he said was indescribable pain, and was in the care of hospice, where terminally ill patients are cared for from the time of diagnosis until death. While hospice provides dignified care for its patients, there is only so much it can do for patients in pain to keep them comfortable until death. Because of Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act, 71 people were able to choose a dignified death in 2013. Of these, 68.4 percent had cancer, 53.5 percent held at least a bachelor’s
Brandon Shaik COLU M N I ST
Brittany Maynard, who became the face of the rightto-die movement following her diagnosis with a stage 4 malignant brain tumor, died on Saturday by assisted death. Maynard moved from California to Oregon following her diagnosis to pass away on her own terms in one of only five states that allows assisted suicide, or death by choice in which the patient chooses the time of death and is assisted by a physician. People who have terminal illnesses face a great deal of pain and a long process of accepting death. It’s difficult enough to be given an expiration date and be forced to
the Oracle
degree and 90 percent were ages 65 or older, according to a state health report. Boo Archer Cole, a wellness coach in Alabama who works with terminally ill patients, claims that patients “have to feel it to heal it,” and Maynard couldn’t see past her pain, so she took medication to die that gave her a “sense of power.” Maynard was only one terminally ill patient who suffered from pain and she was fortunate to have the choice to end her suffering. It was not a sense of power Maynard was looking for. She sought dignity in death rather than the humility of dying feeble and frail in a hospital bed. Floridians who are faced with a terminal illness have a right to end their pain and suffering when they feel it’s necessary and to die a dignified death before physical debilitation takes over. The Florida Supreme Court has no right to put unwilling patients through that kind of pain.
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What you said Assistant multimedia editor Sebastian Contento asked students how they felt about the right to die for terminally ill patients in the wake of Brittany Maynard’s death in Oregon.
“Even though I do not blame others’ for their decisions, I believe doctors aren’t always right, because there is always hope and keeping it alive is very important.” — Monique Cruz, a senior majoring in chemistry “If the person is suffering, and there is no more selfwill to live, doctors should be allowed to assist only if it is the individual decision of the patient.” Javi Rodriquez, a — freshman majoring in music and biomedical sciences “I believe assisted suicide should be legal in other states, but the patient should state this before disease affects their mental health.”
Brandon Shaik is a senior majoring in psychology.
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Editor in Chief: Alex Rosenthal ............................ oracleeditor@gmail.com Managing Editor: Roberto Roldan .................. oraclemeditor@gmail.com News Editor: Wesley Higgins ......................... oraclenewsteam@gmail.com Sports Editor: Vinnie Portell ........................ oraclesportseditor@gmail.com Lifestyle Editor: Courtney Combs .......... oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com Copy Editor: Grace Hoyte Multimedia Editor: Adam Mathieu Assistant Editors: Sebastian Contento, Jacob Hoag, Brandon Shaik Graphic Arts Manager: Chelsea Stulen
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“I think that everyone has the right to choose between life and death in a situation like this, but it should be done at a doctor’s hands.” —Jordan McKinnon, a freshman majoring in psychology
Lifestyle
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Fall Dance Concert By Alina Rodriguez C O R R E S P O N D E N T
A fruitful blend of delicate movements, storytelling and animalistic grace is making its debut at USF this week. The Fall Dance Concert will feature the choreography of faculty members as well as guest choreographers from around the country. Some of the dance styles for this season’s performance include contemporary ballet, modern dance and even a new-age cultural mixture called transnational dance fusion. This concert will embody the direction dance has taken in the modern world. Every piece displays the current focus the art form has evolved through the bodies of about forty of USF’s talented dancers. Jacqueline Dugal, a senior majoring in dance performance and minoring in entrepreneurship, has been cast in two performances. The first is a contemporary modern piece by Michael Foley. This style breaks away from classical ballet, while still including some of its elements, and is combined with floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation. Her second piece is transnational fusion,
brought in by Donna Mejia who is an assistant professor in the University of Colorado Boulder department of Theatre and Dance. This style is inspired by Middle Eastern dance. “It evokes such a different type of feeling,” Dugal said. “There’s a sense of ownership of oneself and beautiful power in one’s own body and movement in a way that I haven’t experienced in contemporary modern or ballet because the style is so different.” Sharon McCaman, a senior majoring in dance performance, will be in two pieces, one of which is a duet in classical modern. It will incorporate the Horton technique as well as some of the Dunham method. The Horton includes movements from Native American folk dance, Japanese arm gestures, and Afro-Caribbean elements. The Dunham incorporates contrasting simultaneous rhythms of dance, merging movements of the Caribbean and African cultures with European ballet. Madison M c G rew, a junior majoring in dance performance and biomedical sciences is performing in three duet pieces. Guest choreographer Maurice Causey, a former ballet master for the Royal
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brings modern dance to Swedish Ballet and the Nederlands Dans Theater 1, orchestrated one of her dances.
“It’s important for everyone to see art. It’s a reflection of life. John Parks USF dance instructor and coreographer
“It’s so animalistic. It kind of takes on this whole other realm that you don’t even
know if it’s human. It’s very cutthroat and really fun to get into,” McGrew said. USF dance instructor and choreographer John Parks attended Juilliard and has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera. He was also the assistant choreographer and dance captain for “The Wiz” on Broadway and danced in the film version. As dance is a huge part of his life, Park’s encourages students to see the diversity in the Fall Dance Concert. “It’s important for everyone to see art,” Parks
USF
said. “It’s a reflection of life. We have a particular kind of kinship of moving through time and space and relating that to communication. There’s a deeper intrinsic value in investigating oneself and one’s surroundings and understanding that from a creative point of view.” The concert runs from Nov. 6 – 8 and Nov. 12 – 15 at 8 p.m., and Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. in Theatre 2. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or over the phone for $8 – $12 or at the box office the day of the show for $10 – $15.
Tickets for the recital can be purchased at theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
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be “impossible for the three veterinarians who cover Pinellas, Sarasota/Manatee and Hillsborough County to be responsible” for following the thousands of research protocols. Budkie said SAEN believes Engelman’s statements are a clear admission that the university does not employ sufficient veterinary staff. In the complaint to the USDA, Budkie accuses researchers of violating Section 2.33 of the Animal Welfare Act, which says, “each research facility shall establish and maintain programs of adequate veterinary care … to comply with requirements.” “Principal investigators are not veterinarians,” Budkie said. “They aren’t going to know procedures to perform, treatments to prescribe. If you don’t have veterinarians looking at these animals, then you’re going to have situations which are going to result in exactly what happened here.” The second violation listed in the complaint refers to the discovery of a rectal tumor by researchers. According to the police report, researchers discovered the primate’s tumor after it was euthanized. The tumor had caused a 20 – 30 percent decrease in the primate’s food intake. Engelman told UP she felt that “veterinarians were negligent in determining what was causing this primate’s health
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and appetite to decline.” The primate had been suffering from issues of decreased food consumption for six months prior to being euthanized. In the complaint to the USDA, Budkie cites Engelman’s statement to UP as another violation of the Animal Welfare Act’s conditions regarding adequate veterinary care. “One must begin to question either the qualifications or the level of personnel there in terms of whether they have enough veterinarians there to do what is required and whether the staff is sufficiently trained,” Budkie said. After speaking with the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office, UP decided not to move forward with criminal charges against Hansen for animal cruelty. Following the first complaint, Hansen’s research projects were closed, her animal research privileges were revoked and the remaining research primates were placed under veterinary care, according to USF Health spokesperson Anne DeLotto Baier. Though the university claims it no longer conducts primate research projects, Budkie has contacted USF President Judy Genshaft, asking the university to make it a permanent policy. “It’s very clear that the university is not adequately supervising the experimental procedures that are going on,” Budkie said. “One of the first things they should be eliminating then is one of the most difficult animals to deal with: non-human primates.”
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Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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ten,” MacManus said. “The second aspect was that 60 percent of Floridians felt that full legalization would just be a step away if the amendment were to pass. People were concerned with that.” MacManus said medical marijuana could make a comeback on the ballot in 2016, and may receive increased support from youth who tend to vote more during the presidential election cycle. USF’s voting precinct gave approximately 70 percent of the vote to Crist, and medical marijuana received nearly 85 percent approval. The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections reported 319 votes were cast in the precinct. Chairman of USF College Republicans Tommy Rayder said Scott’s victory would create more jobs by getting government out of the way of business. “We’re very happy the people of Florida will keep going in the right direction and keep working,” he said. “Students should know Scott will fight tuition increases.” President of USF College Democrats Alyson Strand said she is concerned that Scott is not fighting for funding education, protecting the environment and equal pay for women. “It will be the same path we’ve been going down for four years,” she said. “We worked day and night to bring change to Florida. We feel let down, but we’ll support the governor.” Both the USF College Republicans and College Democrats campaigned on campus in the weeks leading up to the election, though most of the rallying seen at the university was for medical marijuana. Colin Fitzgibbon, state campus coordinator for Students for Sensible Drug
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Policy, held up a sign that read “Vote Yes on 2” Tuesday afternoon in front of the Marshall Student Center, where the precinct vote was held. “I will weep for the thousands of sick who don’t have easy access to this natural medicine,” he said. “I don’t even know what I’ll do with myself – lose faith in humanity and move out of Florida, I guess.” However, Fitzgibbon said, in all likelihood, he would keep fighting for medical marijuana. He said he might move to Tallahassee and lobby against Charlotte’s Web, a non-psychoactive marijuana extract, as only a half-measure. “I can’t wait for the day I see the faces of people who doubted us and said marijuana would only lead to abuse,” he said. “They’ll see it can be used for good and not just for stoners who want to sit around getting high.” Even if medical marijuana is put on the ballot again, pre-med student Mario Cuzzi said voters shouldn’t rush into it before all of the medical research is in. “Marijuana is so much more potent today,” he said. “We need to research how these strands affect the brain.” Cuzzi also said he feels like most students voted for medical marijuana because it’s a stepping-stone to recreational use. “It’s going to be talked about more openly and kids may be desensitized,” he said. “I just hope little kids don’t think it’s fine to try it just for fun.” Though the defeat of medical marijuana was called early in the night, the Governor’s race was anyone’s guess until the very end. Crist didn’t concede for an hour after the elections were called; and he considered asking for a recount, according to the Tampa Bay Times. 80,000 of the 5.9 million votes cast isn’t usually a narrow enough margin to warrant a recount. Crist did ask for an emergen-
cy extension of voting hours for Broward County earlier in the evening. He cited multiple electronic voter identification system errors in multiple precincts, but the county’s supervisor of elections denied the request. Republicans in the Florida cabinet coasted to victory. The GOP secured seats for Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Agriculture Commissioner. In a victory speech scored by Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said she has no intention of backing down from the fight against the Affordable Health Care Act. “I won’t be silence,” she said. “I won’t be bullied by anyone in D.C.” Republicans reclaimed a supermajority in the Florida House of Representatives after winning 17 seats to the Democrats’ ten. Republicans flipped the seat of Tampa Representative Mark Danish who lost, with 47 percent of the vote. The GOP continued its winning streak in the state Senate race, winning five of the seven contested seats. Voters highly supported Amendment 1, expanding land conservation initiatives to beaches, wetlands, forests and historical sites. However, Floridians struck down amendment 3, which would have allowed the governor to prospectively fill Florida Supreme Court vacancies. Former USF Student Government Senator Christopher Carlos Cano lost his bid for state representative with 40 percent of the vote for the Soil and Water Conservation position. Tuesday marked the close of a bitter election cycle that cost an estimated $345 million and lasted over a year. “Things were so intense and nasty,” MacManus said. “It was the longest, most oversaturated campaign that I’ve ever covered as an analyst.”
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Saturday, despite throwing only five passes in the first half. The Bulls didn’t have a single player with 50 rushing yards and the longest run of the game was a 13-yard scamper by freshman Marlon Mack. Taggart said the Bulls will be making the running game a point of emphasis heading into the Bulls’ next game on Nov. 15 at SMU. “One of our main goals this week in practice is to establish a solid run game that we can count on, no matter what situation,” Jozwiak said. “So we as an O-line have taken that upon ourselves and we take it personal, because we want our backs to rush for a ton of yards. That makes us look good.” To improve blocking strength and technique, the offensive line has been working extensively with sleds at practice. “(We’ve been) pushing and driving the sled and doing a lot of team work against our defense, who are good guys to go against,”
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Jozwiak said. Fixing the play-calling In Saturday’s game against Houston, USF had difficulty getting the play call in before the clock ran out. Twice, the Bulls had to call timeouts to avoid a delay -of-game penalty because they were taking so long. Offensive Coordinator Paul Wulff said speeding up the playcalling has been a top priority this week. “There’s just times when we’re getting guys in and out and sometimes the clock gets set quickly,” Wulff said. “There were a few times where it happened and we have to eliminate that and improve on that and we have worked on that this week a lot.” Taggart said the issues with getting the play call in falls on the shoulders of the coaching staff and that’s something that will be worked on before the Bulls’ next game. Freshman Marlon Mack broke the USF record for rushing yards in a season by a freshman, but was “That was part of getting the held to only 47 yards against Houston on Saturday. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU play in,” Taggart said. “We have to do a better job of getting the play in so the kids can go execute.”
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Football
Quarterback stability is key to success for Bulls Jacob Hoag C O M M E N TA R Y
Competition is a part of any sport; players battle for starting roles while others slide over to the bench. In some cases, however, stability trumps competition. Under coach Willie Taggart, USF has seen seven different quarterbacks take snaps in 21 games. “(Having so many different quarterbacks) is a challenge,” junior guard Thor Jozwiak said. Jozwiak has blocked for each one of those seven quarterbacks. Last year, Matt Floyd entered the season as the starter, only to be replaced at halftime by Bobby Eveld, whose slightly longer tenure of two games ended with the substitution of junior quarterback Steven Bench. Mike White, a freshman at the time, was the last to see the field and survived until the season’s end. None of these starters made much of an impact on offense, leading USF to a 2-10 record and ranking it 112th in the nation in passing for 2013. This year has seen many of the same problems at quarterback, though the Bulls (3-6, 2-3) have one more win than last year. White continued his roller coaster career for most of this season. At Tulsa, he made USF’s largest comeback in history, only to give up two turnovers in the first half against Cincinnati, forcing Taggart to look elsewhere for the next starter. After starting Bench on Saturday against Houston, Taggart must have figured this would be the end of the Cleveland Browns-esque quarterback carousel. But the junior’s performance left much to be desired. Bench gave a lackluster performance, completing fewer than 50 percent of his passes for 147 yards and an interception. Yet again, Taggart has reopened the quarterback battle.
Football
Taggart brings in soldier to speak By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
Coach Willie Taggart burned freshman quarterback Quinton Flowers’ redshirt this season, but hasn’t used him for more than one drive per game. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU But this time around, things could go a little different. Taggart has used 4-star freshman quarterback Quinton Flowers sparingly this season and hasn’t let him take hold of the offense. The Bulls need a spark, as Taggart has said on numerous occasions, so why not throw in the only quarterback on the roster who is a true dual threat? With a 6-foot, 217-pound frame, Flowers doesn’t fit the mold of the ideal quarterback, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in speed. Even better, what he lacks in experience, he makes up for it in skill. “(Flowers) has a strong arm, running ability and plays the spread option pretty good,” sophomore wide receiver Rodney Adams said. “His arm is really strong. You really don’t see it much, but when he has the opportunity in practice, he lets it fly.” Throwing for over 6,000 yards and rushing for another 2,000 in his high school career, Flowers has the speed and the
arm to be a concern for opposing defenses, but has been underutilized thus far. Taggart has said that he has plans for Flowers and special packages to get him playing time, but the inept offense has left the Bulls trailing in most games, eliminating the chance for Taggart to get him the reps he needs to become the next starter. “We’ve had plans (to play him more), but with playing inconsistently and with turnovers, you don’t get a rhythm going and it’s hard to do those things,” Taggart said. “We can’t use that as an excuse when he’s one of our better players and not hold him back.” Taggart has resorted to throwing Flowers in for three or so plays a game, but keeping him on a short leash. Flowers will typically hand the ball off or run the read option with the occasional pass. But this isn’t helping him gain experience. The one time he was designated to throw in the N.C. State
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USF is coming off one of its worst losses of the season and has two weeks to prepare for the SMU Mustangs (0-7, 0-3). In an effort to inspire the team and offer a unique perspective, coach Willie Taggart brought in retired U.S. Army soldier Leroy Petry, who is one of only 79 living recipients of the Medal of Honor. Petry spoke to the Bulls about teamwork and how it’s no different on the battlefield than on the football field. “His message was just amazing,” junior guard Thor Jozwiak said. “Telling us to push through the mental blocks. The human body will do things that you don’t know it can unless you’re pushed to that point. That can apply to the football field: when we get tired or are going through a little adversity, you have to have that positive mindset and keep pushing.” Taggart said having the message come through a military hero such as Petry helps because he has been through some of the most difficult things a person could go through. “It’s some of the same message we’ve been delivering to our guys and just to hear it from a different voice – a different person – in a more serious situation than football,” Taggart said.
game, he threw two deep passes that resulted in interceptions. Flowers has had some trouble wrapping his head around the playbook this far in his first season, as most freshmen do, but should have enough of it down to be able to make it through a game. Just as Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher did for Sean Maguire when Jameis Winston was suspended, Taggart can easily shorten his already bland offense into an even simpler form to give Flowers a chance. Taggart has been known to use his freshman at key positions; White, Nate Godwin and Marlon Mack all saw extensive time in their first seasons. Facing a winless SMU following the bye week and with most bowl game hopes dashed, Taggart has nothing to lose. Flowers should be the team’s Bulls focused on running starting quarterback going forgame for SMU ward and continue to be developed because the game of musiUSF (3-6, 2-3) only rushed cal quarterbacks that Taggart is playing is leading to an unstable for 76 yards against Houston on n See SOLDIER on PAGE 11 offense.