April 21, 2020 - Utah Statesman - Utah State University

Week of April 21, 2020 www.usustatesman.com (435) 797-1742 TSC Room 118 Free single copy NEWS | Finding a treatment

STUDENT LIFE | Called to return

SPORTS | Building a team

Researchers at USU are a part of the global community looking for ways to treat COVID-19.

Many LDS missionaries that were living abroad are facing many unknowns after returning home early.

USU women’s hoops just signed two new players. How will the additions build the team?

see PAGE 3

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LUCKY PICK

Could Jordan Love become the first Aggie in 50 years to be picked in the first round of the NFL Draft? worth of starts to their name.

By Jason Walker SENIOR SPORTS WRITER

Gagliano was the last Aggie to play a down

Utah State isn’t exactly known for placing

guys in the NFL. Sure, being a Division I foot-

ball program, you can find several Aggies in the professional crowd — even big names like

Bobby Wagner and everyday starters like Nick Vigil, Kyler Fackrell and Donald Penn. In all,

12 Aggies played downs in the NFL last sea-

son spanning all three phases of the game, from long-snapper Patrick Scales to Wagner to

Super Bowl champion running back Darwin Thompson.

The one position lacking on the NFL stage

coming from Logan for most of the league’s

history, especially recent times, is quarterback.

But that may change in 2020 with Jordan Love being considered as a first round pick in the NFL draft — potentially top 10 overall.

In 1964, Bill Munson made USU history as

the school’s only first round pick when he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams, the seventh pick overall.

Just five former Aggie quarterbacks have

ever set foot on the field for a regular season: Munson, Eric Hipple, Bob Gagliano, Tony

Adams and Craig Bradshaw. Bradshaw never PHOTO BY Megan Nielsen Utah State quarterback Jordan Love plays in a game versus BYU on October 5, 2018. Love has been predicted by some to be selected in the first round of the upcoming NFL Draft.

even started in a game, and only two (Munson

at quarterback in the NFL with his last snap

coming in 1992 with the San Diego Chargers.

It was an underwhelming game where he completed 9 of 15 passes for 125 yards.

Every other position, save kicker, has seen

on-field USU representation in the 28 years since.

An even more longstanding gap in Utah

State’s NFL chart is the time it’s been since an Aggie was taken in the first round. Phil Olsen, brother of the great Merlin Olsen, is the most

recent first-round pick out of Logan. He was

taken fourth overall a short 50 years ago in the 1970 draft.

No Aggie has even sniffed the first round

since. The closest anyone has come in the last half-century is 42nd overall Rulon Jones in

1980, closely followed by Wagner who was taken 47th in 2012.

Thanks to that lengthy span, USU’s first-

round pedigree is limited to four players: Mer-

lin and Phil Olsen (third and fourth overall), Bill Munson (seventh) and MacArthur Lane (13th).

—jasonswalker94@gmail.com

and Hipple) had more than a single season’s

@thejwalk67

USU holds virtual town hall Campus may not return to normal for 12-18 months, Pres. Cockett said

By Taylor Cripe NEWS STAFF WRITER

Utah State University Presi-

dent Noelle Cockett and other administrators held a virtual town hall Friday morning to

announce the university may not be back to normal for 1218 months. There will also be

no postponement for the tui-

tion and student fee increases approved in March.

“I want to stress, this is not as

simple as flipping a switch,” Cockett said. “Unfortunately, the ‘way things used to be’

will not come until we have a vaccine for COVID-19.”

Because it could take a year

to 18 months for a vaccine to

develop, Cockett said USU must adjust to a “new norm.”

What does a new normal

look like?

According to Cockett, this

means

people

will

come

back to campus, but not “in the large, free moving ways we used to have.” Events

will occur, but the numbers

of people allowed at events will be limited. Classes may

also be face-to-face again, but

classroom sizes will be much smaller.

Similar to Gov. Gary Her-

75% of the funding towards

Cockett said the situation is

result, Cockett said, “we need

bert’s

analogy

on

Friday,

like a dial with different col-

ors. Right now, the school is in the “red phase” with severe

restrictions. During the sum-

mer and possibly into fall, the

those salary increases. As a tuition increases to keep university staff employed and

keep essential functions going.”

The

administration

also

university hopes to move to

wanted to dispel rumors that

measures. Then the “yellow

decrease

“orange” with some relaxed phase” will be larger class sizes and bigger events before finally hitting the “green

phase,” which will signal everything is back to normal.

In terms of tuition and stu-

dent fees, Cockett said there

is no feasible way to postpone

the tuition increases that were announced in March.

“Those increases are essen-

tial for keeping our people paid,” Cockett said of the

2.8% increase in tuition and $4.46 increase in student fees per student for the 2020-

university expenses would when

everything

moved online. According to

USU’s vice president for Business and Finance David Cow-

ley, USU has lost quite a bit of revenue due to cancelled

events and having to refund student housing and meal

plans. Extra labor hours spent to transition online have also been costly for the university.

Fortunately for university

employees, Cowley said labor

expenses have not been reduced, even without revenue coming in.

“One of my simple goals was

2021 school year.

to keep our employees, to

lature determines salary in-

to move them into furloughs

Cockett said the Utah legis-

creases for public employees

and has already determined all public employees will re-

ceive a 2.5% salary increase, but the state only provides

keep them paid and not have

or reduction in force,” Cockett said. “But there was never

any danger of that because everyone kept working.”

Cockett also wanted facul-

SCREENSHOT COURTESY OF USU Pres. Noelle Cocket and other administrators broadcasted a town hall online Friday to explain and answer questions about the Utah State University’s response to COVID-19.

ty members to know if they

fees,” Morales said.

plication will be similar to the

ceiving a promotion, they are

students should still be able

tion, but will cover more ex-

Cowley said money from the

seling services because those

have been notified about re-

still receiving that promotion. federal stimulus package will

help USU in coming months,

as well as potential assistance from the Federal Emergen-

cy Management Agency, or FEMA.

James Morales, USU’s vice

For example, Morales said

to access health and counservices have been moved

virtually to a “telehealth service.” Other things, like the

Aggie shuttle service, have to

and we determined the majority of students are still able

to access the array of services they are paying for with their

dents before summer sessions start.

Summer classes will also be

easier, Cockett said online

cial challenges presented by

best to manage these fees

tion will be available to stu-

The CARES Act passed by

will benefit students in the “We looked closely at how

fees. She added the applica-

happening, but they will be

they are a fixed fee.

congress in March will help

long run.

penses than just tuition and

keep their funding because

president for Student Affairs, said the student fee increase

annual financial aid applica-

students navigate the finanCOVID-19, Cockett said. The CARES, or Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Securi-

ty, Act will provide financial assistance to universities that

will go directly to students.

According to Cockett, the ap-

online. To make the process course fees will be eliminated. In addition, out-of-state

students will not be required

to pay non-resident tuition for the summer.

For incoming freshmen who

have been unable to take the SAT or ACT because of corosee “Town Hall” PAGE 5

PAGE 2

WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2020

NEWS

USU researching COVID-19 treatments

By Taylor Cripe NEWS STAFF WRITER

Utah State University is one of many research institutions around the country assisting the National Institute of Help in developing and testing antiviral drugs for efficacy against the coronavirus.

“We are working frantically, yet cautiously and carefully at the same time,” Bart Tarbet said.

Tarbet, a research professor in USU’s Veterinary Science department, is lead investigator for the project. He has worked in antiviral research for more than 25 years, including on the swine flu, or H1N1, in 2009.

One question researchers are asking is ‘are there currently any medications or drugs that work effectively against Covid-19’ According to Tarbet, the short answer is no.

The best defense against Covid-19 at the moment, he said, is to allow physicians to safely treat their patient however they see fit. He added physicians should be able to prescribe their patients “off label” drugs, which means they can be used in a manner not specified by the Food and Drug administration.

However, Tarbet also warned not to be fooled by misinformation about drugs. For example, the rumors floating around about hydroxochloroquine, or the anti-malaria drug President Donad Trump has suggested to treat COVID-19.

“The hard truth is there is no evidence this is effective,” Tarbet said.

The researchers in USU’s biosafety laboratory are testing licensed drugs and antiviral compounds to see what can be used against this new strain of virus. According to Lynnette Harris, a professor for the USU college of Agricultural and Applied Sciences, it’s important to understand that antiviral compounds are different from antibiotics and vaccines. Antibiotics destroy disease-causing pathogens and vaccines prevent the disease before infection. Antiviral drugs just stop the virus from spreading in the body.

“We are basically taking drugs that have already been tested and approved and trying to find a faster way to get them to people,” Harris said.

In terms of what this looks like, Tarbet said to picture all developed drugs in a line “waiting for their turn.”

“If we find something that we think could be successful in the coronavirus fight, we simply move it to the front of line and test it more aggressively,” he said.

Tarbet and his colleagues are using hamsters and mice to test their drugs. The rodents have human DNA inserted in them to mimic symptoms in humans.

“We want people to understand we are using the animals humanely,” Tarbet said. “There is no perfect model to test for disease in humans. However, over 25 years of research has shown rodent models are very successful.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASSOCIATED PRESS In this March 2020 photo provided by Gilead Sciences, a vial of the investigational drug remdesivir is visually inspected at a Gilead manufacturing site in the United States. Given through an IV, the medication is designed to interfere with an enzyme that reproduces viral genetic material. (Gilead Sciences via AP)

Harris agreed and added, “the greater good will be curing someone from a deadly disease.”

According to Tarbet, the rodents are being used to see how a drug will metabolize and break down in the human body. If a hamster has damage to its lungs because of the virus and a drug improves its health, the researchers have higher confidence the same will be true for humans.

Neither Harris nor Tarbet would name the drugs currently being tested but warned it would be a slow process.

“Finding the right drug is like trying to pinpoint a moving target,” Harris said.

Tarbet said the best bet is to work with drugs already in circulation because a brand new drug that is designed specifically for COVID-19 could take more than ten years to develop.

“We hope people understand we are working with something we have never encountered before,” he said.

“The only thing I can compare it to is the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.”

Harris also understands people may be tempted to compare COVID-19 to influenza, because it’s what people are familiar with, but said it acts very differently than the flu. She added misinformation on social media has only made these incorrect assertions worse.

Tarbet said this pandemic is a lesson in what happens when the conversation is run by politicians instead of scientists.

“The regular flu, which we have treatments for, is an upper respiratory illness,” Tarbet said. “However, this virus goes deep in the lungs and acts more like pneumonia. Very often this doesn’t get conveyed, and it doesn’t make sense because the virus doesn’t care about politics.

We can’t have federal and state leaders saying different things.”

As to the question of whether there will be a resurgence in the fall, Tarbet said there is no way to know, but warns COVID-19 is not following migratory patterns like influenza.

“Influenza has a reservoir in migratory birds, which is why it occurs in different hemispheres at different parts of the year,” he said. “However, this disease has found a safe reservoir in humans and doesn’t appear to be leaving anytime soon.”

Despite the gloomy outlook, Harris said people should not be discouraged and said researchers are working tirelessly to find a solution.

“We will get through this,” she said. “No one is more anxious to get this done than these researchers.”

Antiviral research has a long history at USU. And, according to Harris, USU has an excellent track record with the NIH and getting to work on a project like this is rare for any university.

—taylorcripe@gmail.com @cripe_taylor

Hardship fund applications reopen at USU

By Taylor Cripe NEWS STAFF WRITER

Earlier this week, Utah State University re-

opened its application process to allow students affected by COVID-19 to apply for hardship funds.

The ability to apply on USU’s Division of

Student Affairs website was muted for several

weeks after the university received a surge of applicants following the school’s closure.

According to USU’s vice president of Student

Affairs James Morales, the Student Emergen-

cy Hardship Fund has shifted its criteria to meet the needs of students specifically affected by the pandemic.

“We don’t just give out money,” Morales said.

“Based on their immediate needs, some students may get a dining card for free meals at USU instead.”

The odds of approval for funds are high.

Of students who applied for the first round

of funds, 93% were approved for some help

by USU. However, Morales added, students should exhaust all other possibilities before applying.

“If you are coming to us first, we may ask you

to look for help elsewhere,” he said.

Hardship criteria must be linked to COVID-19

and includes situations like losing a job, large

medical bills or students’ parents losing work.

For some students, the university’s decision

to reopen the application process has made a

huge impact. A USU junior who asked not to be identified said it provided a ray of sunshine in a difficult situation.

“I was so disappointed when they closed the

website a few weeks ago,” she said. “At the moment I have essentially no money.”

The student, whose job included short-term

gigs like tutoring and catering, was immedi-

ately affected by business shutdowns around the state.

PHOTO COURTESY OF Utah State University Scholarship Office

submit receipts as proof of payment for living

to help students.”

rent next month,” she said.

to their donor.

due to limited funds, Morales said students

Emergency Hardship Fund as soon as it

time thing,” Morales said. “It’s meant to help

week.

back on their feet and figure out what they

“I’m behind on my last tuition installment

and I’m not sure what I’m going to do about

expenses and asked to write a thank you note

She added that she applied for the COVID-19

“Students should understand this is a one-

opened and hopes to hear back within the Another student, junior Maddie Soto, re-

with immediate needs so students can get are going to do.”

Although not every student will be approved

should remember everyone is in this together.

“This is unprecedented for all of us,” he said.

“But there will be an end to this, and we will get past it.”

Morales said students should hear back with-

According to USU’s website as of Friday;

in the week after getting approved for funding

to her.

student fund so far. However, according to

money quicker. He added the amount of mon-

even that won’t be enough to make up for

supplied by the university, as well as generous

ceived around $700 from the emergency fund and said getting the money meant the world

$76,647 has been raised for the COVID-19

“I’ll get the government stimulus check, but

Morales, this is just one segment of the funds

unemployment,” Soto said. “Every little bit helps.”

According to Soto, students are required to

donations from faculty and alumni.

“We have been doing this for seven years,”

he said. “Each year the need grows and each

year the university tries to give more money

but said students with direct deposit may get ey allocated for students is also on a case-bycase basis.

— taylorcripe@gmail.com @cripe_taylor

WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2020

PAGE 3

STUDENT LIFE

LDS missionaries face uncertainty as COVID-19 spreads

@morrillofstory Utahns really be out there saying “Ee-en” instead of Eaten like we’re from the UK

@fr0g_enthusiast I woke up to snow so I went back to bed. When I woke up again the snow was gone so I’m not saying you can sleep away ALL of your problems but certainly some of them

One of those affected was

By Dara Lusk STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER

The

unfolding

COVID-19

pandemic has impacted every

aspect of life from education, to travel, to social interaction

and even how we go to the

grocery store. It comes to no surprise, then, that its collateral damage has reached religious worship and service outreaches.

With the recent COVID-19

outbreaks and calls for social

distancing and self-isolation, missionary service has become not only difficult but potentially

dangerous

for

those serving in highly affect-

ed areas or who are at high risk themselves.

An example of how church-

es have responded to keep their missionaries safe can be

found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In late March, a serge of mis-

sionaries were sent home from their missions early.

were shutting down.

aren’t the only ones affected

Utah, who was nearly done

plane leaving the country.

have had to cut their mission-

Ghana in mid-March.

to London, then Boston, then

was a little crazy,” Rob-

he was greeted by his family.

Regan Robins from Logan, with his mission in Kumasi, “The process coming home

ins said. “We got a call on

Robins boarded the last From Ghana, he flew first

lastly to Salt Lake City where

On March 18, when Rob-

Wednesday telling us that the

ins was first informed he

we had to pack our bags and

only 585 confirmed cases of

mission was closing and that be ready to leave at any moment.”

On March 21, Robins, along

with

all

the

missionaries

from his mission and a few

would be leaving, there were

COVID-19 scattered across the continent of Africa. When he left on March 22, the number had more than doubled.

As could be expected, the

from neighboring areas, were

sudden transition home has

ident’s house, working to

“It didn’t feel real for the

gathered at the mission presmake sure everyone would be

able to get home as quickly, safely and effectively as possible.

Early the next morning, Re-

gan and his companion were able to begin their trek home

by flying to Accra, Ghana.

While waiting in a 10-hour layover, they heard over the intercom

Ghana’s

borders

felt strange for Robins.

first couple days,” Robins said. “It has been a pretty bit-

tersweet experience because

there was just no time for a

heads up. I still was planning

on being around and seeing a couple people before I left

Ghana, but we weren’t able

to. It feels really weird to be home.”

Young

adult

missionaries

@lewnitedstates

PHOTO BY Ryan Wells

Hundreds of LDS missionaries have been sent home from international missions to the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

those four words I love to hear you say baby ~your order has shipped~

by these times: senior couples ary service short, too. One

such couple — Becky and

Brad Bruton from Ashburn, VA — was serving in the Texas, McAllen mission. They

presided over the small Lat-

ter-day Saint branch in Roma, Texas, along the Rio Grande river.

The Bruton’s case was dif-

ferent from Robins because

they had completed their six-month

call

when

the

notice to return home was issued. However, they had

volunteered to stay for an additional three months in the mission. They were only

two weeks into their exten-

sion when they were brought home.

“We saw the spread of coro-

navirus from China to Eu-

rope and on to the States.

We saw in church sources that missionaries were being

evacuated from some areas.

That said, the news for us

of the decision to send mis-

expectedly,” Brad said. “On

“We already had two Sun-

to go kind of fell on us un-

sionaries home.

Wednesday, March 18, we got

days without meetings,” Brad

8:30 a.m. that senior mis-

ed, for the well-being of our

a Whatsapp message about sionaries over 60—we’re 67 and 66‚— were to pack up, go

home, and stay home— without delay.”

The couple spent the next

two days cleaning, packing, organizing the branch’s busi-

ness and dropping off all the younger missionaries, now

said. “Then we were instructmembers and for ourselves, not to make home visits...We

had several members in their

70’s and even 80’s. Our visits to them were dangerous to

them. Being in such a limit-

ed situation, it made sense to come home.”

Due to the many cases of the

quarantined, before loading

virus in southern Texas, the

miles home to Virginia. (On

for two weeks after returning

up their car and driving 1,800

March 18, there were only 82 confirmed cases in Texas. By

March 21, there were more than 200.)

Despite their quick depar-

ture, the Brutons said they

could recognize the wisdom

Brutons remained in isolation home. They took this time to

thoroughly clean their house and belongings and are now adjusting to quarantine life.

“Above all, we’ve been well

and healthy so we feel

see “Missionaries” PAGE 5

Attend USUSA events from your bed?

Officers move events online following COVID-19 cancellations

By Darcy Ritchie STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER

With a closed campus and restric-

committee, Chiararmonte said that

putting on virtual events falls on the directors.

“Virtual events are not the same as

tions on large group gatherings, the

putting on an actual event,” Chiara-

ciation (USUSA) has decided to put

easier, but I know as a director how

Utah State University Student Asso-

on virtual student events rather than cancelling them.

Nichole Chiaramonte, series director

for USUSA Student Events, said that the decision was made in order to re-

monte said. “In some ways it is much much I miss working with people and

being in contact. Virtual events can be hard to figure out or they can be super simple. It has its pros and cons.”

Chiaramonte is sad to see her last

main engaged with students.

year as a student leader end like this.

and no USUSA officers have ever had

with student events, as well as a re-

“It is such an unprecedented time,

to do this, but with the help of our

advisors we were able to make some great events on campus virtual to allow for students to engage with their fellow Aggies,” Chiaramonte said.

Because it is difficult to engage her

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF USUSA

“This will be a year to remember

minder of how much students impact our events,” said Chiaramonte. “We miss the people attending our events,

and we cannot wait until we can all be reunited!”

Here are the upcoming online events

to look forward to:

April 20-22: Favorite Event Memo-

ries: submit stories, videos and pictures

April 21: Virtual Gripe Night

April 23: Instagram poll on new

event ideas

April 24: Swipe and Winner April 25: Netflix Party

—darcy.ritchie@aggiemail.usu.edu @darcyrrose

PAGE 4

WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2020

SPORTS

Jordan Love, David Woodward headline Aggies in the 2020 NFL Draft

By Jason Walker SENIOR SPORTS WRITER

Normally, the NFL draft is an event most Utah

State fans are able to ignore as the school hasn’t exactly been known as a factory for NFL players since the 1960s Aggie golden era. This year,

however, Aggie fans have a little more invest-

ment in seeing the results — namely in former USU quarterback Jordan Love and inside line-

backer David Woodward. These two, especially

Love, are among the better NFL prospects Utah

State has produced in a decade. This makes their fate on draft-day a popular topic of discussion.

And despite the sports world coming to a grind-

ing halt in the face of the COVID-19 onslaught, the NFL will still hold its annual draft, albeit without the live crowd and arena spectacle everyone has come to know so well.

While Aggies clearly hold Love — the pro-

gram’s all-time leader in total offense among 10

other career and single-season records — in very high regard, the NFL world can’t seem to make up its mind on him, something that has cast Love’s draft stock into the realm of mystery.

On the one hand, no scout can deny the arm

talent the young Californian displayed in his

32 starts across three seasons for the Aggies.

One of Love’s record-setting marks, four career touchdown passes of 80-plus yards, is a mere symptom of his ability. It’s largely why many

scout who drooled over his 2018 performance to hit the pause button.

After throwing just 12 career picks between

2017 and 2018, Love tossed 17 passes that

ended up in the hands of his opponents in 2019 alone, the most among all Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) quarterbacks. Love had games of

three-plus picks three times. These interceptions weren’t just a collection of poor luck or bad

bounces. The vast majority of these turnovers could be boiled down to baffling decisions or poor reads from Love.

To no one’s surprise, Love was asked by teams

at the NFL Scouting Combine about throwing more interceptions last year than any of his collegiate peers.

“I threw 17 interceptions — obviously I’m

going to have to talk about them,” Love said.

“It’s never fun, but if I don’t want to have to talk

about it, I don’t have to throw 17 interceptions.”

If one looks closely enough at the 2018 tape,

and even further back into 2017, the evidence of Love’s interception-prone nature is buried beneath the facade of weaker schedules and

better receivers. But these frustratingly numerous bad plays from Love throughout all three

of his seasons are sandwiched between gobs of

highlight-worthy throws that would make several NFL starters turn red with jealousy.

According to ESPN, former USU head coach

Matt Wells, who coached Love during his re-

David Woodward brings down a UNLV player in the Aggies’ game on Oct. 13, 2018.

he can — and should — go inside the top 10.

Repp started just one of his collegiate years as a

volatility of the draft makes it impossible to

ing record going for him. His hands and body

It’s a wide gap for Love to be placed in, but the predict accurately if Love will be the first top 10

pick from USU in 50 years or “just” a mid-to-late first round pick.

Woodward will enter the draft having not

played football for 180 days as he missed the

final six games of Utah State’s season. Had the Washington native not missed those games,

part of what may entice a team to Woodward as a prospect is the growing number of Aggie linebackers to have entered the professional

ranks. Three former USU linebackers have been drafted in the first three rounds since 2012 — Bobby Wagner, Kyler Fackrell and Nick Vigil

that comparison on the basis of arm talent.

Using his gifted arm, Love set five of his

single-season school records including 3,567 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns in

2018. His low interception total, just six, and

64.0 completion percentage solidified that year as the best-ever for a quarterback in Utah State history, and it caught the eye of scouts.

However, Love’s 2019 numbers forced every

to be capable of Hall of Fame-level throws, or

is he bound for the bargain bin of long-armed quarterbacks?

Coaches, scouts and GMs seem desperate to

know as none want the shame of passing on an All-Pro quarterback or the equal ignominy of reaching for an over-hyped bust.

As it stands, most believe Love will not fall out

of the first round, while others are convinced

Galeai’s situation is eerily similar to Repp’s,

lacking the typical size found among NFL

reach, as Galeai boasts a well-above average 6-foot-5 frame with long arms. Rather, the

mere 235 pounds found on that frame, when his NFL contemporaries range from 30 to 70 pounds heavier, is what has teams worried

about Galeai’s ability to transfer his talents to the pro level. At the very least, it puts a ceiling on

Galeai’s chances of making an immediate impact on the next level.

As far as Eberle goes, most people, even Aggie

always a long shot. Since 2000, only 43 kickers

didn’t pop off the sheet for 2019, he led the

who Love is. Is he the football savant, destined

experience at tight end.

with the Seattle Seahawks. Vigil also topped 100 Cincinnati Bengals, and while Fackrell’s statistics

MVP, Patrick Mahomes. Love, himself, offered

tight ends and the previously mentioned lack of

fans, would assume that despite being the best

total tackles, posting a career-high 111 with the

over the last five days wanting to figure out just

slight build unbecoming of most professional

— and all three have proven valuable to their

squads. Wagner led the NFL in tackles in 2019

the 2018 NFL MVP, and reigning Super Bowl

for the former Aggie is he currently has a very

defensive ends. It’s not a lack of height, or even

Aside from his boggling tackle totals, a big

calls from no less than seven NFL head coaches

ple highlight-reel catches. The primary drawback

Since 2000, only five players have eclipsed 170

this season, as Woodward was on pace for 172.

seven games.

cord-book altering 2018 campaign, has received

control are good, and his resume includes multi-

being a talented and athletic specimen but

season with 93 tackles to his name through

have been bold enough to compare his stock to

tight end, but he’s got a solid modern pass-catch-

he could very well have achieved 180 tackles

tackles in a season. As it stands, he ended the

PHOTO BY AP Photo/David Zalubowski Utah State quarterback Jordan Love looks to pass the ball in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Air Force Saturday, Oct. 26, at Air Force Academy, Colo.

PHOTO BY Tim Carpenter

Green Bay Packers in sacks in 2018 with 10.5 — nearly double the next-closest Packer.

This USU pedigree of linebackers could become

kicker in Utah State history, being drafted was

have been drafted, an average of just over two

per season, and only a mere four of those kickers were taken before Day 3. The assumed path for Eberle will be to sign on with a team and win a job in training camp.

Despite a solid record of making 50-plus yard

a deciding factor for a GM considering taking a

field goals, NFL scouts don’t seem overly im-

poorly in NFL Combine metrics, coming from a

by his kickoff skills, which do show inconsistency

chance on Woodward despite him performing

smaller school and having an injury history that raises red flags regarding long-term health.

The final three former Aggies with any serious

chance of hearing their names on draft weekend are tight end Caleb Repp, edge rusher Tipa Ga-

leai and kicker Dominik Eberle. As of now, each has their own attractive aspects but also glaring

flaws when it comes to transitioning to the NFL.

According to NFL.com’s pre-draft ratings, Repp

is actually the second-best prospect out of USU despite appearing on virtually no draft boards.

pressed by Eberle’s leg and are underwhelmed

and poor hang time. The main draw for Eberle

is his ability to hit just about anything within 50 yards — a valuable skill in the NFL. Very few

teams are dead-set on their current kicker, so

there are plenty of openings for Eberle to try and slip through as long as he’s able to capitalize on any of those chances.

— jasonswalker94@gmail.com @thejwalk67

USU women’s hoops adds 2 players to 2020-21 roster

By Dalton Renshaw SPORTS CONTENT MANAGER

On Wednesday, Utah State University

women’s basketball announced the signing of Jessica Chatman, a 6-foot guard from

Ridgefield, Wash. The next day, the Aggies added 5-foot-5 guard Amit Lustgarten of

Salt Lake City, Utah who graduated from Skyline High School.

Chatman — who earned a bachelor’s de-

gree in elementary education from South-

ern Utah University — comes to USU as a graduate transfer for the 2020-21 season.

“We are very happy to have Jess joining

the team,” USU head coach Kayla Ard said.

“She brings instant maturity and leader-

ship to our squad. Her infectious positive

attitude will be an asset to our program on

3.0 steals and 2.5

fits our offensive system well and will give

a high school senior

and off the court. Her skill set on the court her, and the team, a great opportunity to excel.”

Chatman appeared in all 31 games, in-

cluding 23 starts, as a junior in the 2019-

20 season and averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. At 6-foot, Chatman

becomes the tallest guard on Utah State’s roster for the next season, while Taylor

Franson and Halle Nelson are both listed

as guard and forward at 6-foot-1. Chatman will alsco become the most experienced

player on the roster as Steph Gorman entered the transfer portal on March 31.

Lustgarten arrives to Logan as a freshmn

gaving averaged 11.0 points, 4.1 assists,

rebounds per game as in 2019-20. She was

named a 5A honorable

mention by the Deseret

News in her last season with the team and was part of Skyline’s 201617 4A state championship team.

—sports@usustates-

man.com

@dren_sports PHOTO COURTESY of SUU Athletics Jessica Chatman pulls up for a jumper in the team’s game against Sacremento State.

WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2020

PAGE 5

Kayla Ard takes on challenge with USU women’s basketball considering the young state of her roster (for

scoring go up. It’s very different.”

known that Gorman was transferring).

in Logan, Ard said as much herself. But she is

top half of the conference,” said Ard. “I want

basketball that Cache Valley residents can get

some context, at the time it wasn’t publicly “My goal in our first year is to finish in the

to make a big jump. That can be done here.”

Painting Ard as a hopeless optimist, doomed

“It gives the players something to be excited

In her 10 years spent as a coaching assis-

Utah State has historically been more of a

basketball school when it comes to athletics.

If not, the reign of Stew Morrill and a quar-

ter-century of football ineptitude made it so.

Despite the fact the men’s team has surged back into its Morrill-era prowess, the women’s team has never managed any of the consistency produced by its male counterparts.

That being said, the current women’s pro-

gram isn’t near the dire state of the 1980s,

where they won just 18 games between 19821987, followed by the program being disbanded for 15 years, the Aggies do not possess any recent run of success.

Since joining the Mountain West at the onset

of the 2013-14 season, Utah State women’s

hoops has two winning seasons overall (out of seven tries) and just one year where the Ag-

gies managed a winning record in conference play (10-8 record in 2018-19).

This past season was filled with bumps and

bruises for the program, with an 8-23 overall win-loss record, paired with a 2-16 conference record. This marks the worst league performance since the 2003 reinstatement by

a notable margin and only undercut by the

Malene Aniambossou were all seniors and the third-leading scorer, Steph Gorman, has

entered the transfer portal and will not be returning.

Hailey Bassett plays for USU Women’s Bas-

ketball in the Mountain West Tournament in

their game against SDSU. USU Women’s Basketball beat SDSU 81-79 in overtime at the

team’s first game in the Mountain West Conference Tournament. The game was held in

the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on March 1, 2020.

That leaves the team with a roster that is

uniquely depleted with just five upperclassmen, few of which can claim much experience.

Consider that, up until Southern Utah grad

transfer Jessica Chatman committed this week, Utah State was poised to enter the up-

coming season with zero players on its roster

who have ever averaged four points per game

in a Division I season. Chatman defies that trend by having averaged 6.9 points in 201819 and 6.4 in the 2019-20 season.

It’s on that note that Kayla Ard takes over

the reins as head coach of the USU women’s basketball team.

In her introductory press conference, filmed

back-to-back 0-12 conference runs of 1985-87

in the middle of an empty Dee Glen Smith

top scorers from that poor season are gone.

ic, Ard displayed a brave level of optimism

Not helping the matter is that the team’s four

Spectrum thanks to the COVID-19 pandem-

“Town Hall” FROM PAGE 1 navirus-related shutdowns, the university’s

pointed we couldn’t share some of the cele-

Services, Robert Wagner, said the admissions

vous about the future and I’m scared,” Cockett

Vice President of Academic and Instructional office will be looking at GPA and handle students’ applications on a case-by-case basis.

“I’m confident we will be able to adapt,” he

said.

Cockett ended the meeting by expressing

thanks and saying she was proud of the university community.

“I’m sad that our spring semester could not

finish like other spring semesters. I’m disap-

brations and events we had planned. I’m nersaid. “I’m scared for my family. I’m scared for

my neighbors, and I’m scared for my commu-

nity. But then, I know I am incredibly proud of

our university community. I am proud of our students, I am proud of our staff, I am proud of our friends and we are going to make it.”

—taylorcripe@gmail.com @cripe_taylor

“Missionaries” FROM PAGE 2 really blessed,” Brad said. “We’ve refilled our

Latter-day Saints. I planned on turning my pa-

ly. So we’ve adjusted to the coronavirus period

call between the end of April to the beginning

freezer and pantry fairly successfully and easibut look forward to adjusting to the post-coronavirus period.”

On March 31, a letter sent by the church’s

pers at the beginning of April to receive my

of May and report to the Missionary Training Center.

Through the confusion, I still planned on

First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve

putting my papers in on time and serving, un-

justments to missionary service, but “The abil-

decided to wait to put my papers in until the

Apostles said there are many temporary adity to reassign these missionaries — even on

a temporary basis — has now become more limited by changing conditions. This has cre-

til the new statement was issued. I have since current situation dies down enough to allow me to serve at a full, unaltered capacity.

Everyone has been affected by this current

ated a measure of uncertainty for many mis-

outbreak in one way or another and it is no

One thing that remains uncertain is the reas-

ary service. Until this pandemic calms, it looks

sionaries and their families.”

signment of missionaries brought home early.

There’s also no guarantee missionaries who have received their calls will be able to report.

I myself have been personally affected by

this. At the time of the outbreak and quaran-

tine orders, I was in the midst of preparing my application papers to become a full-time

missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of

surprise that it has likewise impacted mission-

as though missionary service will continue to be heavily monitored for the safety of all mis-

sionaries as well as those they come in contact with.

—dara.lusk@outlook.com @dara_marie_

“I’ve had the privilege to coach against sev-

has fairly realistic expectations and, more imO’s standpoint.

By Jason Walker SENIOR SPORTS WRITER

behind.

eral teams in the conference already, and it’s

portantly, a plan, particularly from an X’s and

Hailey Bassett, Lindsey Jensen-Baker and

confident it will work and make for exciting

to fail at the hands of insurmountable odds, isn’t a fair way to look at this. It’s clear Ard

PHOTO COURTESY OF USU Athletics Kayla Ard, new head coach for USU women’s basketball, sits down for a press conference and interview.

This kind of offense hasn’t really been seen

worked. I know it will work here,” Ard said.

about. They want to do that. In today’s day and age in basketball, the kids want to run.”

Given the state of Utah State women’s hoops,

tant at Denver, Dayton, Clemson, Troy and

a fresh, new system that is fun just as Ard said,

offensive system. At Denver, her most recent

injection of energy into the program. In the

Pensacola State, Ard developed a fast-paced stop prior to Logan, she was able to fully im-

plement that system, being in charge of the offense both as an assistant and later as the interim head coach.

“It’s fast. It’s structured, so it’s not streetball,

but it’s run and gun if you will, structured system of makes and misses,” Ard said. “We’re

is exactly what the program needs. She is an

introductory interview, Ard alluded to Utah State Athletics Director, John Hartwell, calling her “the female version of Craig Smith.” The

intimation being Ard is a high-energy person

who brings that contagious energy to work every day.

“I think that comes from sheer passion,” Ard

going to get out and push the ball. It’s excit-

said. “I’m so passionate about the game. I’m

erything is predicated on where the ball goes,

my life. Basketball changed my life. Where I’m

ing. The fans love it, the players love it. Evwhere the players are on the floor.”

Steph Gorman and Kennedi Villa await a free

throw at USU and SDSU’s women’s game at the Mountain West Tournament. USU Wom-

en’s Basketball beat SDSU 81-79 in overtime

so thankful to the game. This game changed from, a lot of people stay there. A lot of people

don’t get out. Basketball gave me an avenue to do something very different with my life and very special.”

Year one, and probably year two, could end

at the team’s first game in the Mountain West

up being tough years, but if Ard, the players,

in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on

could be just as momentous as Craig Smith

Conference Tournament. The game was held March 1, 2020.

“It is not a ‘pull the ball out and run set

one, two, three.’ It’s not that at all,” Ard said.

“There’s situations for that. But, about 90 percent of the offense is very fast-paced. I want

to score in under 12 seconds, which gives us more possessions [and] obviously helps the

fans and administration stick with it, this hire was for the men.

— jasonswalker94@gmail.com @thejwalk67

PAGE 6

WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2020

OPINION

GRAPHIC BY Keith Wilson

The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the cartoonist.

Toddlers and tantrums and books ... oh my What being a university student in isolation with a toddler is like

By Scott Froehlich OPINION COLUMNIST

It’s 9 a.m. in the morn-

ing, and I am settling into

another school day online.

The room I’m in is relatively

tranquil. I’ve got my note-

book ready and the lecture has started. Sounds like a

typical class in the era of COVID-19, right? Well, it is, save for one tiny distinc-

tion: I’m quarantined with a toddler.

What was once a peace-

ful, productive moment in time becomes an aural as-

sault, as my two-year-old son, Adam, screeches at the

top of his lungs. Nothing is wrong, aside from him dis-

playing his “terrible twos.”

His blood-curdling scream pierces through my head-

phones, drowning out my

The

words

“controlled”

tional college students who

rotten.

oil and water these days,

dorms, but returning home

low Statesman writer Emi-

luxury to a non-traditional

structure during the shift

instructor’s lecture on polit-

and “environment” are like

Since my son’s daycare

to which I’m sure many of

ical economies.

was shut down and my wife’s

stu-

dent-teaching

program ended, my life has

been a cabin

fever-induced roller coaster.

Mind you, it is

my peers can attest. Every

were shooed out of their to parents sounds like a

After recently reading fel-

up during these uncertain

ly White’s story on finding

look around and appreci-

The words ‘controlled’ and ‘environment’ are like oil and water these days, to which I’m sure many of my peers can attest. Every to-do list begins to look like a “try to do” or “will eventually do” list, with free time consisting of cleaning food from our children’s hair.

enjoyable hav-

online

studies,

dawned

it

on

me that I’m not alone. As students, we

are all facing challenges online

to spend with

my family, but

to

adapting

— Scott Froehlich

ing extra time

to

in-

struction, restricted so-

a sleep-deprived child does

to-do list begins to look like

college family. Having fam-

cial lives and a heightened

mate. Conversely, I’m sure

tually do” list, especially as

with our toddler and a re-

buried in homework and

not make for the best class-

my wife isn’t thrilled about the time I barricade myself

from them, in order to get schoolwork done.

a “try to do” or “will evenmy free time tends to con-

sist of cleaning food from my child’s hair.

I empathize with tradi-

ily nearby would mean help spite for my wife and I. It would also give our son a break from us, as his grand-

parents would spoil him

So while we are all cooped

days, it is important to ate the family time we do get. Even though we have

all been ripped out of our normal lives, let’s focus on

the positives and control what aspects of our rou-

tines that we can. Whether that entails spending more

time Zooming with friends, or letting your kids sleep a little longer, we can all get through this together.

Scott Froehlich is a junior

anxiety. We are collectively

who is studying print jour-

scrambling to manage our

hockey and politics, both of

time — all while attempting

to hold on to any sense of

nalism. His passions include which are contact sports.

normalcy day to day.

A way-too-early look at the 2024 presidential nominee field

By Riley Smith OPINION COLUMNIST

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of two articles.

The next will take a way-

too-early look at potential 2024 Republican nominees.

Should former Vice President Joe Biden, the pre-

sumptive 2020 Democratic

nominee, fail to win the presidency in 2024, here’s a way-too-early look at the 2024 democrat lineup: The California Crowd

Kamala Harris — Senator

Harris has one of the most respected resumes in poli-

tics and is ambitious to add

nors needed for a 2024 run.

the governor of Michigan

2024 wouldn’t jeopardize

Eric Garcetti — I recently

national

reelection seems inevitable

White House staffer who

to it. A White House run in her Senate seat, since her come 2022. Harris has every tool at her disposal, and

with a decent showing in 2020, it appears she’s only getting started.

Gavin Newsom — The recent COVID-19 response

has put nearly every gov-

ernor in the spotlight, and the same can be said of

had dinner with a former assured me Los Angeles

Mayor Garcetti was the best

“dark horse” candidate for 2024. (If the name Garcetti

sounds familiar, it’s possibly due to his father’s po-

profile.

win

Should

reelection,

Whitmer could carry the

“establishment” baton from

both Biden and Clinton as the center of the Democratic Party.

Pete Buttigieg — After win-

ning the Iowa Caucus, the

famous OJ Simpson trial in

ana mayor will have four

District Attorney during the 1995.)

The Midwest Match

world, Gov. Newsom has

ing the most likely choice

the skills, qualities and do-

Trump

sition as the Los Angeles

Newsom. As chief of the fifth-largest economy in the

has significantly raised her

Gretchen Whitmer — Beas Biden’s running mate,

former South Bend, Indi-

years to beef up his resume, a major weak spot for him

in 2020. However, Indiana is still a fairly red state, and

it may be difficult for him to make a Senate or House

run, if that’s something he’s considering.

The East Coast Crew

Bernie Sanders — The Vermont senator will be 83

years old in 2024, well be-

yond the traditional age of presidential nominees — but nothing about Sanders

is traditional. It’s possible

Sanders will make another

run by demonstrating that two “establishment” can-

Joe Kennedy III — Pay attention

Kennedy.

to

Congressman

Essentially

the

“Crown Prince” of Ameri-

ca’s most famous political

family, Kennedy is a rising

star in the Democratic Party and will likely unseat Senator Ed Markey this September. Every recent move by

Kennedy signals a run for the White House in 2024 or 2028.

didates failed to win the

Riley Smith is a former Con-

back either Senator Warren

Mike Crapo (R-ID) and a

White House. If not, he’ll

or encourage Representa-

tive Ocasio-Cortez to make a run.

gressional Aide to Senator current Senior at USU majoring in Political Science.

WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2020

PAGE 7

since 1902

STUDENT MEDIA

Student-run newspaper for Utah State University since 1902. Reporting online 24/7. Printed each Tuesday of the school year.

THE BOARD Alek Nelson managing editor

editor@usustatesman.com 435-797-1742

—————— Alison Berg news manager TO PLAY: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.

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WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2020

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