O
September 22, 2016 Vol. 54 No. 10
DANGEROUS?
Page 3 Controversial speaker Milo Yiannopoulos to talk at USF Failure to disclose sinkhole What to know: Bulls ready for shows poor company ethics USF vs. FSU showdown with ‘Noles Page 4
Page 6
Page 8
2
T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966
Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag oracleeditor@gmail.com Managing Editor Miki Shine News Editor Abby Rinaldi oraclenewsteam@gmail.com Sports Editor Vinnie Portell oraclesportseditor@gmail.com Opinion Editor Breanne Williams oracleopinion@gmail.com Lifestyle Editor Nicole Cate oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com Multimedia Editor Jackie Benitez oraclemultimediaeditor@gmail.com
Graphic Artist Destiny Moore Mark Soree
News..............................3 classifieds.................8 Opinion.......................4 Crossword................8 Lifestyle......................6 sports......................12
Advertising Sales Alyssa Alexander Jess DiLiello Destiny Moore Dylan Ritchey The Oracle is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and once weekly, Wednesday, during the summer. The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the Oracle office (SVC 0002).
BY PHONE
Website: Facebook: Twitter:
T H E O R AC L E
The Index
Copy Editor Grace Hoyte
Main .................. Editor ................. News ................. Sports ................ Advertising ............ Classified ..............
●
974-6242 974-5190 974-1888 974-2842 974-2620 974-6242
usforacle.com facebook.com/usforacle @USFOracle
CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors. Contact Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag at 974-5190.
News Briefs Rapper 2 Chainz to play Homecoming after-party
news Cypress D Sparking campus controversy residence site of UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
Milo Yiannopoulos’ campus visit gains student attention
3
vandalism By Morgan Blauth S T A F F
SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
USF Homecoming announced that rapper 2 Chainz will be the performer for this year’s Homecoming after-party concert on Oct. 6. Hip-hop artist Dreezy will open for him. Doors open at 8 p.m. for the concert. The event is free for students and tickets will be available starting Sept. 27, according to USF Homecoming. Guest tickets will be $10 along with additional online fees.
Student Government Senate elects ASRC members
Student Government Senate elected the new members of the Activity and Service Fee Recommendation Committee (ASRC) at its Tuesday meeting. ASRC is responsible for the allocation of Activity and Service Fees students pay with their tuition. ASRC has eight seats, two of which are alternates to serve in the absence of the six permanent members. Those elected to the six fixed seats were Senators Aladean Elmunaier, Saeed Sinan, Melanie Marshal, Shawn Leaver, Moneer Kheireddine and senate president protempore Jessica Vanek. The first alternate seat went to Senator Juan Pablo Sanchez. The second went to Senator Allison Kuhn.
Breitbart Tech editor and controversial conservative speaker Milo Yiannopoulos is coming to campus Monday as part of his “Dangerous Faggot” tour. At past events, he’s been met with both enthusiastic support and protest. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G
E D I T O R
At his event at UC Santa Barbara, Breitbart Tech editor Milo Yiannopoulos entered the room on a gold thrown carried by four men he referred to as “very brave and strong” with a student waving an American flag before him. Visiting the UC Irvine, Yiannopoulos entered dressed as a police officer leading a student wearing a Donald Trump mask by a chain collar to the front of the room to “fire” current president Barack Obama, played by another masked student. On Monday, Yiannopoulos will be speaking at USF in the Oval Theater as one of the four Florida stops in his officially titled “Dangerous Faggot” tour. Yiannopoulos’ past tour stops have been the subject of protests by Black Lives Matter and feminist
groups. People have stormed the stage, shouted and blown whistles in the crowd, smeared fake blood on their faces, and picketed outside for hours prior to the event, as evident in several videos online. Yiannopoulos was born in Greece, raised in Britain and educated at the University of Manchester in Manchester, Indiana. He is an editor at Breitbart, a conservative opinion website based in the states. He is openly gay. The Young Americans for Liberty (YAL), a student organization at USF, are bringing Yiannopoulos to campus. Ryan Hoskins, YAL president and the event’s organizer, said the club’s aim in inviting Yiannopoulos is more about starting a conversation than sparking controversy. “I am glad that we have him now because the conversations
that this has started is more than we ever could have anticipated, and frankly, I’m just really happy that we ended up getting it because of the conversations it’ll start,” he said. “Not necessarily that I believe in what he has to say, but that he has the chance to say it.” Hoskins sent a request at the beginning of the summer when Yiannopoulos tweeted about finding universities to visit during his upcoming tour. And though Hoskins thought actually being elected was a long shot, he received a response a few weeks later saying that the team was interested. At the time of publication, about 400 people had reserved tickets to the free event and Hoskins is looking at extra staff, which means it’s not clear yet how much the event is costing YAL, he said.
n See MILO on PAGE 5
W R I T E R
Last weekend, the USF community awoke to the appearance of graffiti in the Cypress D residence hall. The incidents occurred on Sept. 10 and Sept. 13, respectively, and Ana Hernandez, assistant vice president for Housing and Residential Education at USF, believes they are related. Hernandez said the “biasrelated graffiti … seemed to be targeting a particular individual or individuals that were in the hall.” She said she could not disclose what the graffiti said or where exactly it appeared. In an email to the Cypress Hall community, Linda Kasper, director of residential life and education, condemned the vandalism. “This past week, we had incidents of vandalism and hate speech in Cypress Hall, which is unacceptable,” Kasper said in the email. Hernandez emphasized that she felt the USF community is a welcoming one, highlighting programs that Housing and Residential Education puts on to “open up dialogue” among students. “We are very active with regard to programming and have some signature programs that we do throughout the year to … create those kinds of welcoming environments,” she said. Hernandez said that two of USF’s most important values are “civility” and “respect”, and that these qualities help students succeed where they live and where they study.
n See GRAFFITI on PAGE 7
Opinion
4
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
Fertilizer company is unethical in late reporting of sinkhole
●
T H E O R AC L E
What you said USF is creating a Bias Response Team to acknowledge students’ concerns while attempting not to infringe on the right of free speech. Opinion Editor Breanne Williams asked students whether or not they think it is a good idea.
“I think they’re just venting. Nothing’s going to change; they can’t take action.” - Valoria Thomas, a junior majoring in public health
The 300-foot-deep sinkhole has led 215 million gallons of acidic waste to flow into the aquifer. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/WFTS
Breanne Williams COLU M N I ST
Hundreds of millions of gallons of acidic waste were dumped into the underlying aquifer in Mulberry ,Florida last month due to the opening of a 300-foot-deep sinkhole. Despite the pollution, the company failed to inform residents of the spill. The fertilizer company Mosaic found out about the spill and informed the County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Then, they quietly went to work to stop the problem. Legally, Mosaic had no obligation to inform the public that 215 million gallons of contaminated water had fallen into the aquifer. There was no indication the pollution had entered groundwater supplies and therefore, technically, the company wasn’t harming anyone. If one is arguing technicalities, Mosaic isn’t at fault for failing to reveal the massive leakage at its site. However, in remaining silent, the company forfeited all claims of being an ethical business. Mosaic claims to “strive to be a thoughtful and engaged neighbor, using our financial resources, expertise and innovative spirit to demonstrate our shared commitment to good corporate citizen-
ship,” according to its website. A thoughtful neighbor would have alerted others if they accidently allowed 215 million gallons of waste into the aquifer. The danger of the Mosaic sinkhole is the contaminated water could possibly leave the area and pollute local residents’ groundwater. Mosaic, however, claims that possibility is practically nonexistent. “Mosaic said that the closest well, the water would take something like … three years to get there, but that’s probably just saying ‘Well, here’s a solid lump of rock and this is how quickly water can move through that rock,’” Philip Van Beynen, an associate professor in the school of geosciences at USF, told The Oracle. “That’s not Florida limestone. It’s full of holes, like, you know, think about Swiss cheese or a sponge. That’s kind of what it looks like.” Mosaic has attempted to extract the pollutants by sucking up the aquifer water and separating the contamination from the clean water. It will be nearly impossible to completely remedy this screw up, and the extraction will more than likely not be impactful, according to Beynen. The aquifer system runs throughout Florida and contamination could potentially affect drinking water for the state. Until the sinkhole is filled, every heavy rainfall will leak more contami-
nated water into the aquifer. Unfortunately, Mosaic told the Tampa Bay Times it will probably take months to completely fill the 300-foot-deep hole. Residents have no choice but to sit and wait for the polluted water to either be extracted or seep through the limestone and into the local drinking water. Mosaic has offered to pay for tests of local residents’ wells and provide free bottles of water for all those concerned until the well tests are completed. Hopefully the excessive waste will remain isolated in the immediate location. If it begins to move, residents of Mulberry could find themselves in a situation reminiscent of Flint, Michigan: contaminated water with no plans for remedy. “I regret and apologize for not providing information sooner, and am committed to providing regular updates to the public as we move forward,” said Walter Precourt, senior vice president of Phosphates at Mosaic, in an address to the Polk County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday. “As new information is available, we will be posting it on our website, and providing continued updates to regulators, the press, our local community, and most importantly our neighbors.” Breanne Williams is a senior majoring in mass communications.
“It’s a great idea for students because it doesn’t eliminate free speech. If anything, it creates more discussion.” - David Vasquez, a freshman majoring in architecture
“It’s someone saying they’re upset and the university saying they’re sorry, they’re upset but there’s nothing they can do.” - Amarelis Garcia, a junior majoring in international studies
“It will probably help someone who has a really big concern if they know someone’s listening. I think it’s a good thing.” - Jessica Miranda, a junior majoring in health sciences
T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
5
T H E O R AC L E
Mosaic plant sinkhole leaks 215 million gallons of acidic water into Florida aquifer By Abby Rinaldi N E W S
E D I T O R
Looking down into the 45-foot-wide hole, water flowing over the side plunges like waterfalls into depths that reach all the way to a Florida aquifer. Surrounding the hole is cracked grey rock, reflective of the shifted earth. The sinkhole opened near Mulberry, FL, leaking acidic water. Later, gypsum from a gypsum stack at a Mosaic Company phosphate fertilizer plant leaked 215 million gallons of contaminated water into a Central Florida water source, according to officials from the company. The collapse that happened at Mosaic is not a rare occurrence in the state. Sinkholes are common in Florida and can happen in both rural and urban areas for a variety of reasons. They’ve opened on I-4 and even on USF’s campus, although these incidents varied in size and hypothesized cause, according to Philip van Beynen, associate professor in the school of geosciences. While Van Beynen has not gone to study the incident at Mosaic, he is aware of the geological processes that can result in sinkhole formations. Sinkholes can form, Beynen said, when the roof of an underground cave collapses due to the weight above it. In
MILO
Continued from PAGE 3
However, he said that he’s not expecting the price tag to be very high as YAL is only paying for security and microphones. “I just hope people (will) appreciate other people’s ideas a little more and aren’t so quick to silence them when they haven’t had the chance to listen to the primary source,” Hoskins said. University Police (UP), as well as a third-party security company, will be providing security for the event. UP Public Information Officer Renna Reddick said UP is not doing anything for this event that it wouldn’t do for others but was unable to disclose details on
●
the Mosaic case, the cave was filled with water that was part of the aquifer. “So, when all that weight is pushing down on it, the roof can’t survive anymore,” Beynen said. “That leads to the collapse, which creates the sinkhole.” The danger of the Mosaic sinkhole includes the risk of contaminated water leaving the area and getting into the groundwater local residents use, according to Sarina Ergas, a professor and graduate program director in civil and environmental engineering. Limestone, the rock that makes up much of Florida, is porous, meaning it allows water to flow through it, she said. The aquifer is a “patchwork” of tight spaces and large caves, meaning groundwater flows at different speeds, according to Beynen. “Now, Mosaic said that the closest well, the water would take something like … three years to get there, but that’s probably just saying ‘Well, here’s a solid lump of rock and this is how quickly water can move through that rock,’” Beynen said. “That’s not Florida limestone. It’s full of holes, like … Swiss cheese or a sponge. That’s kind of what it looks like.” Mosaic is currently working on extracting the contaminated water, but Beynen is unsure whether they will be able to
Last fall, a sinkhole that was 10 feet wide, seven feet long and four to five feet deep under the road opened up on USF Sycamore Drive. Philip Van Beynen, associate professor in the school of geosciences, said campus’ higher elevation puts it at a lower risk for sinkholes. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU get all of it out. Beynen is affect Central Florida cities However, the ditch was unsure. The extraction involves like Orlando or other large approximately 10 feet wide, using a well and sucking up residential areas. The full extent seven feet long below the the water, which will remove and effect of the sinkhole and surface and about four to five both the contaminated water contamination is something feet deep. and the aquifer water, Beynen about which Beynen could not However, Beynen said a said, but due to the amount of give a definitive answer. small sinkhole like the one water in the aquifer and the “It’s always an educated on Sycamore, which happened fact that it is currently the wet guess because we don’t have during the dry season, could season, the extraction won’t all the data,” Beynen said. be attributed to a lowering of have a large impact. Last fall, a much smaller the water table instead of a Beynen said the water sinkhole opened on Sycamore case of too much weight. contamination won’t spread Drive, three feet long and In urban areas, Beynen said, to the point where it would three feet wide on the surface. n See SINKHOLE on PAGE 7
the security plan. Reddick also said the force hasn’t heard about any planned protests and Dean of Students Danielle McDonald said she hasn’t received any complaints about the event. However, some students are up in arms. Sam Beutler, a student in his third year majoring in history and a member of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), said some members are involved in a protest. He is expecting between 30 and 50 students. “This protest is being organized in reaction to Milo being invited to campus,” Beutler said. “That Milo is being allowed on campus to spread his violent brand of homophobia and sexism shows
administration’s complete rejection of LGBT rights and protection on campus.” Yiannopoulos has spoken at past events about how he feels that trigger warnings and safe spaces are ridiculous, that a gender-related gap in salaries is exaggerated and that the number of sexual assault cases on college campus is inaccurate. His last tour was titled “Feminism is Cancer.” “Supporters of Milo stress free speech as a principle, but free speech doesn’t exist in a vacuum,” Beutler said. “Milo’s free speech is hate speech in a time where hate crimes against Muslims, police shootings of African-Americans and homophobic legislation are on the rise around the country. “It is our job as SDS and as a
larger student body to tell Milo and administration we will not (give) them a free platform to spread hate on campus.” The protest will take place outside of the Marshall Student Center, but Beutler said there are “no safety threats or anything of the sort.” “Knowing some of my colleagues and fellow Bulls here, I’m not surprised,” Hoskins said. “We’re about free speech and we don’t mind if you dissent, but once you start disrupting the event its not free speech anymore because you’re disrupting something. “These people have gathered, they ordered tickets, they waited in line, they got there, they want to come to this show. If security deems it too much of a problem,
they’ll take care of it on their own hands.” Some schools, like Miami, canceled Yiannopoulos’ visit when a panel of faculty members said the event created “security concerns” that the school wasn’t prepared to handle, according to Fox News. While in Florida, Yiannopoulos is also scheduled to visit FSU, UCF and Florida Atlantic. The event is scheduled to take place 7 p.m. in the Oval Theater. “He says crazy, outrageous stuff,” Hoskins said. “I’m not even going to lie. He says crazy stuff and sometimes it gets my attention. I don’t really agree with a whole lot of what he says, but it gets me thinking.”
6
LIFESTYLE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
●
7
T H E O R AC L E
GRAFFITI
SINKHOLE
“We have very diverse student body,” she said. “We want everybody to feel welcome and have the opportunity to be successful for the purpose that they came to the university for.” Adam Freeman, USF’s media and public affairs manager, encouraged students who witness or know of actions like the one that happened in Cypress to contact University Police immediately. “If somebody is doing something (harmful) it’s probably important for members of the community to note what’s going on and report that,” he said. Hernandez agreed with Freeman’s suggestion. “If anybody discovers somebody that is creating vandalism in any form, we Signs were put up at the sites of vandalism that occurred in the certainly want to encourage Cypress D residence hall. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/SOPHIA ESCALANTE them to inform University Police so that we can have line and a regular one that any barriers that may exist to an active investigation and students can utilize to report people really getting involved resolve that issue,” she said. any issues that they notice in and taking an active part in Hernandez said that USF their community. the community,” she said. has both an anonymous tip “We’re trying to remove
nontraditional sinkholes on roadways can be caused by leaky pipes. The one on I-4, he said, was due to the pumping out of groundwater to keep strawberry crops alive during the cold season. Sinkholes are more common toward the coast, according to Beynen. The higher elevation of campus compared to its surrounding areas puts it at a lower risk for sinkholes due to more sediment of bedrock, serving as a protective layer, Beynen said. He mentioned that heavy buildings on campus can be a risk, however, or construction that takes way some of that protective layer. “Generally, the thicker the sediment you have above a sinkhole, the less likelihood it is you’re going to get a sinkhole,” Beynen said. Contamination due to a sinkhole opening up underneath a building, Beynen said, would often be less than that of a sinkhole that breaks sewer pipes or opens underneath a chemical plant.
Continued from PAGE 3
Continued from PAGE 5
In cases like the sinkhole that opened on Sycamore, Ergas said the contamination would be less serious and involve less serious compounds than the one at Mosaic. Mosaic has stated that it will test residents’ wells for contamination, as some inhabitants surrounding the sinkhole have expressed concern both with the water contamination and Mosaic as a company. Ergas encouraged concerned residents to get the water tested but make sure the compounds and chemicals that are causing concern are being tested for, instead of tests for things like bacteria, which are unrelated to the contamination. “I’d say it’s not a dire emergency, but if people do have concerns then they should take Mosaic up on their offer to test the water,” Ergas said. “If they are concerned about Mosaic’s results, then they should get the water tested independently, but to make sure they’re testing for the right things.”
8
Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
To place a classified ad go to HELP WANTED You can have fun AND make money! Snapshoot Photobooth is looking for attendants to work parties and wedding receptions. Must be at least 18, be personable, and be able to interact with guests. Call Jason at Snapshoot Photobooth (813)501-7627 or e-mail your qualifications to info@snapshootphotobooth.com. UPS store, energetic, happy personality for counter sales.preferable freshman,or sophomore. $9.50 hr to start.15-18 hrs. Apply 16057 Tampa Palms Blvd, 33647 between the hrs 1:30-5:30. 813-632-7969
ANNOUNCEMENTS Tutor for Apple Computer with Creative writing/editing skill. Can pay to start $20.00 an hour, Tim Pelaez, Class of ‘75’ 813-928-9540 tap entities@gmail.com
●
Crossword
T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds
●
T H E O R AC L E
Over 56,000 tickets sold for Saturday matchup with FSU
T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
With over 10,000 student tickets already requested, USF aims to fill its 12,501-seat student section to the brim Saturday. ORACLE PHOTO/JACOB HOAG
After leading the nation in forced fumbles per game in 2014, senior Nigel Harris is back to his old form. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACOB HOAG
By Jacob Hoag
SHOT
E D I T O R
I N
C H I E F
With arguably one of USF’s biggest tests in No. 13 Florida State coming to Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, it’s no surprise that one of the biggest crowds in USF history is set to attend. When the ‘Noles set for a noon showdown with the Bulls, a crowd surging close to capacity is anticipated, with over 56,000 tickets already sold, according to USF. Among those tickets distributed, USF has fielded over 10,000 student ticket request — including guest tickets — for the game. When USF opens up its auxiliary student section in the 300level, it has the potential to hold 12,501 students, but doesn’t plan on stopping there if the requests keep pouring in. USF has hosted nine home crowds over 56,000 in its 20-year history, including FSU’s
last visit to Tampa in 2012, when USF drew its largest crowd of 69,383. “I hear it’s going to be packed,” USF coach Willie Taggart said. “I’m sure it’s going to be loud and I’m sure I’m going to see a lot of green and gold in Ray Jay and I’m going to be excited for each and every last one of them. “ This will be the largest home crowd most Bulls have seen in their time at USF, but it adds more fire to an already muchanticipated matchup. Senior linebacker Nigel Harris, who missed last year’s game against the ‘Noles due to a suspension, said it adds “ a lot more juice” to the game. “It’s gonna be great,” Harris said at Wednesday’s practice. “That’s what you sign up for college football for.” Among the nearly 10,000 students projected to attend the game is freshman statistics major William Statzer, who is looking to begin tailgating at
6:30 a.m. in preparation for the early kickoff. Others, like freshman premed student Daniel Mora are heading out at 6:30 a.m. in hopes of good seats near the field. Taggart, who’s all for the early tailgating, is implementing a new rule for Saturday. “We don’t need anyone getting in late so tailgate starts at 7 and tailgating is closing at 11, new rule this week,” Taggart said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “New rule we’re going to make: you can’t walk around up in that area up in RayJay, you have to come sit in your seats.” With a nearly packed stadium and a top-15 team coming in the building on national TV (ABC), USF is ready to show the college football world that it can hang with the big guys. “When the spotlight comes on, I believe that this USF team will show out,” Harris said.
Continued from PAGE 11
of young guys in there and unfortunately we had some guys suspended,” Sanchez said. “So those were veteran guys we counted on the rest of the season. We were a gap short a couple times and it was still kind of a new defense, it was the second game we were in the 4-2-5 of the defense that coach (Tom) Allen brought over. “So, we were still kind of learning it. A couple plays we were off on blitzes, couple plays we were a gap short. FSU, they’re the type of team that takes advantage of that.” Both Sanchez and Harris are raring to go at the thought of another chance against the Seminoles on Saturday, as the two linebackers have been the crux of the “Bull Shark” defense through the first three weeks. The linebacker duo, which
leads USF in tackles and sacks, is benefitting from both the experience and friendship the two have shared. “Nigel, he’s a big-time player,” Sanchez said. “He’s definitely one of my best friends on and off the field, we have awesome camaraderie. We kind of know what each other’s going to do without sometimes even talking. I guess this is what we expected from Nigel.” Harris and Sanchez will once again face a Florida State team led by Cook, but this time the two starters will have ample opportunities to stop him. “(It’s tough) knowing one of our top guys went out and both of our backups were in,” Harris said. “That does make a difference sometimes in critical games like that. Just in case something crazy happens, we have another starter in the game, so I’m feeling better about our situation this year.”
10
T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
11
Sports
Bulls take center stage
Football
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 1 6
●
T H E O R AC L E
Bulls’ Saturday matchup with Seminoles more than just ‘the next game’
USF linebackers ready for second shot at FSU By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
Vinnie Portell COMMENTARY
If you ask USF coach Willie Taggart about the Bulls’ home matchup with No. 13 Florida State this Saturday, he’ll tell you it’s nothing more than the next game on the schedule. He’s right to stick with preaching that philosophy in the face of USF’s most anticipated game under his command. What else could he say to his players and the media? Acknowledging that Saturday means something special to the Bulls detracts from all the growth they’ve accomplished in the past year. There’s also no reason to change the mindset or the mantra of a team that’s only lost twice in its past 12 games. “It’s the next game and each game is a big week,” junior linebacker Auggie Sanchez said. “I think that’s been the biggest thing for us this year is that it’s on to the next game and every game is the next biggest game. In years past, we would have looked at this game as ‘Yeah, this is Florida State, this is a crazy big game, and we have to get up for it.’ “But if we don’t get up for all our games this year, we would be 0-3 right now and be in these trap games as you call them.” But no matter what Taggart or any of his players say about hosting Florida State, the opportunity this game presents is like none other
Football
COURTESY OF MATHEW PASKERT/FSVIEW
the Bulls have seen under his leadership. With a national platform on ABC at noon and a crowd anticipated to be one of the largest in program history, the stage is set for USF to reveal itself as a force in college football. “I told the guys, ‘This is why you come to college, you want to be on the national stage, you want to play in big games and let the whole country see you,’” Taggart said. “And you’ve got a great opportunity this week. I shouldn’t have to say anything for them to be fired up this week. You’re on national TV; the entire country gets to watch you. “If you just think about it, you don’t even have to have cable to watch this game, you just need some rabbit ears and you can watch this game. It’s big time, everyone gets to watch it.” Forget the Seminoles losing their status as second in the country following last week’s 43-point loss at the hands of Louisville. A Bulls’ win will undoubtedly earn them a national ranking, which would be a first since 2009. As far as the Seminoles’
motivation following a blowout goes, Taggart said the Bulls also have plenty to be fired up about. “When we weren’t winning and things were tough, I think you’d find all those ways to try and motivate your guys to go out and try to win a ballgame. With our football team now, I don’t think we have to do those things. Our guys understand what it takes to win ballgames. “They have to have a great week of practice, a great week of preparation and then go out and play their absolute best against this opponent to get what we want. But, we don’t need a miracle or anything like that. We need to go out and play football the way we know how to play football.” Even if Taggart and his players somehow treat their matchup with FSU just like any other Saturday in September, the audience certainly won’t. With aspirations of joining a Power 5 conference hanging over its head, USF will have the chance to back up everything it’s been touting to Big 12 officials in the past few months. As far as football goes, it may
just be another game. But when it comes to opportunity, this is USF’s biggest chance to show the nation its best days of football aren’t behind it. For the Big 12 and fans alike, Saturday represents a litmus test of sorts. The Bulls will show how they handle the pressure of facing a major college football power on national TV. They’ll show if they can draw a Big 12-worthy crowd. Most importantly, the Bulls will prove whether or not what they’ve been building is an entertaining product that can captivate the attention of the nation. For one Saturday, USF has the stage. “It’s a great opportunity to go out and show the progress we’ve been making,” Taggart said. “I’m sure people have probably heard about it and have been cheering us on from afar, but now they get a chance to see it for themselves on national TV. “It’s a great opportunity for our guys to go out there and put on a show, show everyone what they’re capable of doing against a very talented football team. It’s big time.”
E D I T O R
Heading into halftime against Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium last year, USF had held the Seminoles in check for seven points and a tied ballgame. However, with starting linebacker Nigel Harris already suspended from the game for a violation of team rules, USF’s defense began to buckle when Auggie Sanchez, USF’s other starting linebacker, was ejected for targeting in the third quarter. “I just sat in the locker room mad, upset,” Sanchez said. “(I) said some bad things to myself in there, took a shower and got ready for the bus ride home. But yeah, I was very upset with myself; I was very upset with the call. Just disappointed.” The junior linebacker said USF had the targeting call reviewed by officials who later deemed the call should have never been made in the first place. “Just to know it wasn’t targeting, it kind of makes you a little more upset,” Sanchez said. “Still to this day, it makes me a little upset.” From that point on, the Bulls were outscored 17-7 in an eventual 34-14 loss. With both starting linebackers out of the game, Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook seized control. Cook finished with 266 yards and three of FSU’s four touchdowns. “We were in kind of a bad situation with a lot
n See SHOT on PAGE 9
12
“ WHEN THE SPOTLIGHT COMES ON, I BELIEVE THAT THIS USF TEAM WILL SHOW OUT.” SENIOR LINEBACKER NIGEL HARRIS
PHOTO: MATHEW PASKERT/FSVIEW