Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Volume 140, Issue 6 Wednesday, September 22, 2021

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UT TikTok star @gibz_ Photos by Jamar Coach / The Daily Beacon

Gabby DePietro: Fame, self love and what’s next RACHEL PARKISON Contributor

For most students at the University of Tennessee, classes, clubs and social events are more than enough to keep the calendar full.

But for TikTok star and UT senior Gabby DePietro, also known as @gibz_, life as a college student is just a little extra busy.

Since joining TikTok in 2018, DePietro has amassed 2.5 million followers and 177.1 million likes on the app. It was not until the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, that DePietro’s comedy and lifestyle page first began to garner the attention that it now receives and became the platform for expression that it is today.

“I think that (my TikTok) is just relatable content. It’s comedy, it’s about body positivity, it’s about me posting when I feel pretty, it’s about storytimes. It’s just literally everything. I think it’s just relatable content,” DePietro said. “I honestly think that when people go on my profile, they probably just laugh.”

With a following made up almost entirely of women — 92% to be exact — DePietro’s content has been largely focused on self love, body positivity and breaking conversational and social taboos directed at women.

Behind the scenes, however, viewers may not expect that juggling life as a high profile TikToker is not always sunshine and rainbows. From tracking the growth of her follower count to analyzing why some videos perform better than others, a large part of DePietro’s presence on TikTok hinges on the analytics of her account.

“People don’t realize that you have to look at the numbers. Being an influencer is looking at numbers a lot, because numbers predict who you are going to work with in the future. I think a lot of people just don’t realize how much work goes into it,” DePietro said.

DePietro’s older sister Amelia DePietro is also well aware of the challenges that her sister faces as someone in the public eye.

“I think the cons … are just the hate that comes with it. Obviously you’re not going to appease everyone. You’re not going to touch everyone’s soft spot in their heart. You’re not going to please everyone, and I think that

kind of gets to Gabby sometimes,” Amelia DePietro said. “I think that’s definitely the biggest con of working anywhere close to social media, just the risk of your own mental health being affected by what people have to say and the awful things people do say behind a screen.”

Another unexpected downside: the often unwanted attention. Since her account took off last year, Gabby DePietro has had to adjust to the phenomenon of being recognized in public by total strangers.

“Sometimes I just wish no one knew who I was when I went out. There’s been a point where I went to a bar and I kid you not probably 17 to 20 people came up to me in the span of like an hour,” Gabby DePietro said. “It’s really hard to keep a conversation with that many people in that amount of time, and I get really overwhelmed sometimes, and I just get really bad anxiety. I just sometimes wish that not as many people knew who I was.”

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CAMPUS NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 22, 2021

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STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

about her future: Will she do TikTok professionally? Is this the path she wants to take? Can she handle it on her own?

In other words: What’s next?

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However, the pros outweigh the cons. Having received sponsorships from top name brands like American Eagle and Princess Polly, as well as PR packages filled with products from high profile designers Steve Madden, Tommy Hilfiger and Yves Saint Laurent to promote their brands, Gabby DePietro admits to the perks of having such a large following.

As a result of the attention she has received, Gabby DePietro is now pursuing a contract with a talent agency to take the reins on the professional aspect of her TikTok presence.

With her fan base continuing to grow and her college career coming to a close, Gabby DePietro has also had to confront a number of questions

“You’re not going to find me when I’m 60 years old doing TikTok. That’s just not going to be a thing. But now that I’ve had a job, I just like being self-employed, and I think that I could make a career out of this — not just with TikTok, but also helping companies with their public relations and marketing and branding and working with brands and collaborating with people.

So I definitely think that this could be a career,” Gabby DePietro said.

Regardless of what’s next, Gabby DePietro’s fanbase, and certainly those that know her best, have seen the ways in which her presence on the popular app has brought positive change into her life.

“Within the last year, I’ve really just seen her grow into the person that she’s meant to be.

Gabby has never really been afraid to speak her mind or to be her plain, genuine self. Just within this last year she has really grown into that genuine self and felt comfortable in her own skin,” Amelia DePietro said.

Between body positivity, weird jokes and goofy dances, Gabby DePietro has, if nothing else, made a name for herself — a name that Amelia DePietro doesn’t expect anyone to forget any time soon.

“Not only is she creating a good thing for other people, she’s creating a good thing for herself

too,” Amelia Depietro said. “Obviously we never know — TikTok could literally end in two days — but I think that the impact she has made on herself and other people would last a lifetime.”

QR code to exclusive interview with UT TikTok star Gabby DePietro. The video can be found on The Daily Beacon’s YouTube channel.

Black trailblazers cut ribbons on residence halls renamed in their honor CULLEN MCCURRY Contributor

On Friday, Sept. 17, the University of Tennessee hosted a dedication ceremony to honor the legacy of UT alumnus Theotis Robinson, Jr. and Rita Sanders Geier, both of whom were instrumental in Tennessee’s fight for racial justice in higher education.

The former Orange and White Halls, located on the corner of 20th St. and Caledonia Ave., were renamed Geier and Robinson Halls, respectively.

The event took place in the courtyard connecting the two residence halls, and speeches were given by Chancellor Donde Plowman, Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Engagement Tyvi Small, Vice Chancellor for Student Life Frank Cuevas, as well as the two honorees.

Geier and Robinson are both pioneers in the UTK community for their advocacy for equal rights for Tennesseans from a young age. Introducing the two, Small talked about the profound influence both of them have had on him.

“We are honoring two people who did not just change the trajectory of our campus or our state, but our nation,” Small said. “Because of their relentless advocacy, they have created meaningful change and helped many others find their way.”

After Small’s speech, Plowman introduced the two guests of honor, giving historical context about their fight for equal rights.

“Ms. Geier is best known for the landmark lawsuit that sought to disband inequities in our state’s higher education system,” Plowman said. “Dr. Robinson is known as the first Black undergrad student at UTK. After pressing his case to the university president and the Board of Trustees, he demanded that they see him and admit him, and this fight for justice opened the doors of the university to thousands upon thousands of students who had never had that opportunity before.”

Cuevas returned to introduce Geier, where she humbly accepted the honor and gave thanks to the university for its continued advocacy for racial equality.

Geier praised the university for recognizing “a struggle that has had many phases, has had many triumphs, but has also faced many trials.”

“That struggle will never be over but it takes strong hearts, strong determination and sharp minds,” Geier said.

Geier described the building as an “overwhelming honor,” serving as a reminder of the hard work that has made the university what it is today. Concluding her speech, Geier gave a reminder to current members of the UT community.

“My heart will always be with you on this mis-

sion,” Geier said. “I am so proud to have the Geier building, but I’m also just proud of where you’ve come and the confidence I have leaving today that much more will be achieved.”

Following Geier’s speech, Robinson thanked his wife and two sons for their support along the way.

He then spoke of his experiences in 1960 that revealed just how much progress the state and university have since made.

After reading a piece in the Knoxville News Sentinel about UTK not admitting Black undergraduate students, Robinson was inspired to write a letter that began his “very improbable journey.”

“It is a benefit to all of our students to learn in a diverse learning environment,” Robinson said. “In 1961, there was not a dormitory that would have accepted me. Now to have a residence hall named in my honor right across the courtyard from another residence hall named in Geier’s honor, is such a pathway, a traversing of relations and understanding that spans decades, so I am honored to be here today.”

The announcement from Sept. 20 about the official renaming of the halls from UT News credited recent alumna Maria Urias with initially organizing the move to honor Robinson and Geier last year.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com

CAMPUS NEWS

Wednesday, September 22, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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New Food4All program turns unused dining hall food into free meals vorite because it just, to me, it’s really what we’re about: helping people and helping the environment at the same time.”

Students have many opportunities to help out with the program, including volunteering with delivery, donating money virtually or just spreading awareness to the community.

“I promote their daily menus through the RHTM UTK Instagram,” Grace Meister, a sophomore who volunteers with Food4All, said. “Food4All has helped so many students and staff. So many meals are provided, and I didn’t realize this until I started helping out.”

The RHTM UTK Instagram account covers retail, hospitality and tourism management across campus.

Each day, new meals provided to Big Orange Pantry are posted on a menu and promoted by their Instagram story, which tells the time and location of where to pick up meals.

“Being able to see how grateful everyone is for the food and meals they are able to receive is what makes Big Orange Pantry and Food4All so special,” Meister said.

Helping out with the community and making sure each and every individual is fed and sustained remains the goal of Food4All and their production of meals each day.

“When we first created the program, we envisioned preparing 5,000 meals in the first academic

year. Since (Aug. 18), we’ve already produced well over 1,000,” White said.

White also added that the program is on track right now to do 10 to 15 thousand meals in the whole academic year.

“Our big hurdle right now is that we don’t have the financing to keep up with that pace,” White said. “We’re trying to find sponsors and things like that for it. While our food is free, we have costs as far as the containers we put it in and the vehicle and operating expenses.”

More information can be found on the Food4All website and monetary donations can be made to Food4All through their donation form.

A student volunteer works to transform unused dining hall food into free meals for students, sta� and faculty through the Food4All program.

Courtesy of Tyler White

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Starting this year on campus, a program known as Food4All has paired up with campus dining in order to reduce hunger and eliminate the waste of extra food from dining halls.

Food insecurity and food waste are two of many factors that Food4All aims to address.

Making sure that each student and staff member is fed and nourished each day is a priority.

Along with this, collecting sustainable food that would have gone to waste becomes an important factor in feeding the campus community.

By partnering with the campus food pantry and Vol Dining in Aug. 2021, Food4All program manager and chef Tyler White has provided opportunities for student volunteers to collect available food, prepare it into ready-to-eat meals and package it accordingly to be dispersed safely. The meals are distributed through Big Orange Pantry, an organization that distributes food and other personal items to students and staff.

“I’m more of a manufacturer, Big Orange Pantry is more of the distribution side of it,” White said. “They are the ones who are gonna see the customer, and they interact with them. I do logistics, recovering food and then preparing the meals

that I then take to Big Orange Pantry.”

Food4All is not owned or operated by Big Orange Pantry. It is a program that works within the UT Culinary Institute and the Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management (RHTM) to transport the meals it makes to Big Orange Pantry and other pantries that it supports.

“Food4All has affected campus positively in that we are reducing the footprint of waste on campus by recovering the food,” White said.

Along with helping out the community, Food4All maintains goals and objectives when it comes to the process of obtaining food and delivering it to those who need it, making sure every individual is healthy and sustained.

“Our goal and hope with all of this is that a student who is no longer hungry can focus more on academics, sports and whatever else they are doing at the university because they don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” White said.

Jay Price, sustainability manager at the Office of Sustainability, said that Food4All is an initiative that combines food accessibility and sustainability in new ways on campus.

“It hits on so many sustainability aspects,” Price said. “To me, that’s the most exciting initiative that’s happening on campus in terms of sustainability right now.”

“I think it will probably continue to be my fa-

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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Remembering Bill Larsen, beloved professor of cinema studies KEENAN THOMAS Staff Writer

William Burton Larsen, a beloved longtime professor of cinema studies, passed away on Sept. 7 at the age of 73 and is remembered worldwide by faculty, friends and students.

Bill Larsen taught at the University of Tennessee for 31 years after earning his doctorate degree. He taught high school in New York for 20 years prior to his time at UT and led the cinema studies courses for the English department before it became its own department in recent years. He primarily taught Intro to Film Studies, Writing the Screenplay and Film in American Culture. Larsen was in the hospital for a heart-related health issue after retiring this spring.

Co-chair of cinema studies Paul Harrill gave a statement about how he and the department have handled this news.

“I’ve known Bill since 1993 when he was a grad student, and many of my colleagues have worked with him for more than a decade,” Harrill said. “So all of us, as well as so many recent students and alumni, are heartbroken over Bill’s passing.”

Harrill added that he and the department are planning a memorial event and film screening on Nov. 6 to honor William Larsen.

Professor Charles Maland was one of Larsen’s closest friends and colleagues. He got to know Larsen over many years, initially as a student until he began to teach at UT. Maland said that outside of teaching, he and Larsen often got dinner with friends or watched UT sports.

Courtesy of Eric Dawson

Courtesy of Olivia Aylsworth

But film, teaching and students were what Larsen poured his heart into. As many students will tell, Larsen was strict, often delivering severe feedback, impossible exams and a tough demeanor in the classroom.

However, his thorough grading with multicolored pens as well as his interest in students’ well-being and skills left impressions on students.

“That’s kind of the way he was,” Maland said. “He was demanding of students, but he cared about his students, and I always thought that Bill did not suffer fools.”

Maland compared Larsen’s outlook on students and people to Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative, which proclaims to treat people as ends instead of means.

“I just think the impact that he had, had so much to do with both the care and hard work that he did in responding to student work, but also his just genuine interest in his students as human beings, and each were different,” Maland said.

Film editor Ben Murphy knew Larsen since he began at UT. He sent statements while working on “Avatar 2” in New Zealand after he heard about his death. He said that he was glad to have been able to take Larsen’s courses every year that he attended UT and have him as a mentor afterwards.

“His classes were some of the highlights of my time in college, and he easily belongs on the Mount Rushmore of mentors I have had,” Ben Murphy said. “His classes were conversations.

He had a lecture style that’s full of energy and he could get really loud at points, and that was part of his charm.”

Ben Murphy said Larsen made him want to work even harder because of his care for students.

“I wanted to make this man proud,” Ben Murphy said. “He put in so much work into our papers, all the multicolored marks. If he gave that much care to each and every one of our papers, that made me want to put in that much more effort.”

Ben Murphy was recommended to Larsen by his older brother, filmmaker Scott Murphy, who loved the passion that Larsen put into teaching.

“There wasn’t a single class of his where I didn’t learn something that has resonated with me,” Scott Murphy said.

He added that Larsen pushed him to become better, more so than any teacher he ever had, and Larsen’s grades are the only college papers he kept.

Cinema studies senior Olivia Aylsworth spoke about her experiences with William Larsen. Aylsworth only took two of his classes, Intro to Film Studies and Writing the Screenplay. Through those two classes, Larsen left an impact on her.

“Dr. Larsen has taught me so much throughout my small amount of time that I’ve had him in class,” Aylsworth said. “He’s impacted how I’ve wanted to go forward in my career.”

She was previously aware of his health situation, keeping that information private at his behest. When the news reached her, it still came as a shock, saying that she was “speechless and heartbroken.”

“We lost a monumental figure at UT,” Aylsworth said. “It sucks because he has taught so many students throughout the years, ... and when I hear people who haven’t had him or heard of him but have always wanted to take him, it makes me sad that they’ll never experience that.”

Larsen’s impact and unique character led her to create a short documentary with him as the primary subject, simply titled “Larsen,” for one of her classes. She worked with Larsen and Maland closely for the project.

After his death, Aylsworth’s documentary resonated with people who knew Larsen, getting reposted and shared online. She plans on creating a longer version of the film.

“I’m glad that so many people have been able to see who he was and just the little quirks and everything that the students that do know him know,” Aylsworth said.

Larsen connected with people outside of UT as well. He regularly visited Barnes & Noble, sitting in the café section as he graded papers and ordered the same drinks, always tipping the baristas a $5 bill.

He got to know the staff there over time, including Eli Heaton who currently works for Big Slate Media. Heaton said that Larsen became the reason that he went to UT, leading him away from an expensive tuition at the University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts. “(It was the) best decision I’ve ever made, and I can say that, that was because of him,” Heaton said.

When the news came to Heaton, he did his best to keep his composure.

“I was at work, so I had to maintain a pretty straight face, and a couple people at work here had taken his classes … so I told them and then I had to keep a straight face,” Heaton said.

“After work, I had to go help with some family stuff, so I had to keep a straight face. Finally, I pulled up to the house and I told my girlfriend, ‘I need to watch this film that Olivia has made, and I really need you to watch it with me.’ I just broke. I sobbed for like three hours.”

Bill Larsen was the kind of professor who created emotional bonds with students. He pushed hard because he knew that his students could do well.

As most students will say, a class taught by Bill Larsen was unlike any other class offered.

He was tough and strict. But if students got to know him or began to understand his teaching methodology, Larsen revealed himself to be a kind, caring and sensitive individual that only wanted to see the best out of everyone.

Bill Larsen will be missed, with several faculty, colleagues and students carrying on his spirit.

“Here’s to a man whose legacy, love and light spreads across the globe. Rest in peace, Bill,” Ben Murphy said.

Courtesy of Bijou Theatre

NEWS

Wednesday, September 22, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

FRANCES SEITERS Contributor On Aug. 24, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 19-year-old member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, more commonly known as “FIJI,” at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Since that day, protests erupted every night consecutively calling to ban the fraternity.

Currently, a petition to ban the fraternity has reached more than 478,000 signatures with a goal of 500,000 signatures.

In a video statement from Aug. 25, UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green said the university would work towards preventing further instances of sexual assault, including introducing prevention training by spring 2022. Since the allegation, FIJI has been suspended and an ongoing investigation is looking into the details of the alleged assault.

“Sexual assault is heinous and should never happen. I wish we lived in a world where it didn’t,” Green said. “We have taken a number of steps on our campus to prevent sexual assault, to help ensure victims feel comfortable coming forward, to support survivors and to investigate and address allegations of sexual misconduct.”

The ripples of the protests reverberated on

campuses around the nation. According to Title IX Coordinator Ashley Blamey, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, can learn from these events and find ways to prevent sexual assault from happening on our campus.

“Part of my role is to be aware of the national landscape and learn from other campus’ experiences and work for continuous improvement,” Blamey said. “The work of sexual assault prevention is the job of every student, faculty and staff member. The Center for Health Education and Wellness in Student Life leads the prevention for students and the Office of Title IX works with faculty and staff. We work every day to articulate the expectation, to educate on the expectation and to have clear processes for addressing reports of violence.”

The Office of Title IX is the basis of how the university goes about sexual assault investigations and uses federal funding in order to carry these out. This office is constantly working to make sure every investigation is noticed and does what they can to hold those responsible.

Blamey spoke about how the university prevents situations like these.

“Title IX is a federal law that defines expectations for universities that receive federal money related to sex-based discrimination which in-

cludes sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating/domestic violence and stalking,” Blamey said. “My office’s job is to ensure the university is compliant with Title IX. The University of Tennessee’s Title IX Commitment is grounded in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social-Ecological Model. Our Commitment emphasizes five key areas: Policy, Prevention and Education, Supportive Measures, Investigation and Resolution, and Patterns and Trends.”

This prevention doesn’t mean only staff and faculty do all the work. Students play a large role in preventing sexual assault but that requires everyone to be compliant in the first place.

Fraternities are the group of students under fire for being a hot spot for sexual assault occurrences. The FIJI fraternity at UNL has not shown a reaction to the protests present every night. By working towards change and holding attackers accountable, fraternities across the nation can work towards preventing shut downs.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE

LILY MARCUM Contributor In light of recent events, it has once again come to the attention of the American people that the Supreme Court abuses their imbalance of power and is willing to abuse their power for partisan political ends.

Based off of their own website, the Supreme Court functions as a “guardian and interpreter of the Constitution.” It already seems unrealistic to guard and interpret the founding document that our nation is built on, there needs to be some sort of separation. It has become common language surrounding election time to say “Vote! The president will choose the next Supreme Court Justices,” which in and of itself is a distressing statement. In order to protect your potential rights in this country, you are going through a middle man in the hopes they choose justice in your favor.

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OPINION: Let’s Get Political: The Supreme Court is overpowered There are arguments suggesting that the Supreme Court is the best protection for minorities, but it has proven time and time again that this is not the case. Take Obergefell v. Hodges, a case many liberals and progressives took as a huge win. That was in 2015. Six years ago. Although this is a very simplified view, how are we supposed to take this as progress and change when Stonewall happened over 50 years ago?

Issues such as this move at a snail’s pace, and it is impossible for the Supreme Court to set precedent in the hopes of progress when they can barely catch up to the needs of modernity.

There are cases as recent as the last year in which the Supreme Court failed to protect voting rights. In the case of Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, the Supreme Court rewrote certain laws surrounding the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This ruling makes it significantly more challenging to oppose discriminatory voting laws, which is a direct action against the people.

Looking at what happened last month in Texas, Senate Bill 8 was introduced, directly conflicting with Roe v. Wade. It was strategically introduced because the Supreme Court was stacked in conservative favor.

This blatant political skewing goes against everything that the Supreme Court is supposed to stand for. It is not about party alliance, it is about the American people and their wants and needs, not a temporary political agenda.

In times such as this, when the population has outgrown its justices, it is possible to ad-

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UT leaders respond to University of Nebraska sexual assault protests, investigation

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just. The amount of justices allowed to sit on a court has changed six times, with the last being in 1869, leaving us at our current nine justices.

Although there is a belief that a small court can lead to greater action, how can nine people, who are all appointed in their party’s interest, supposed to respect, interpret and update a document that our country’s values rest on? The idea of increasing the size of the court usually comes up from a party when it strongly leads in an opposing party’s favor. Taking the idea of packing the court aside, it makes logical sense to expand the court in reference to population.

The Supreme Court has become a game of waiting. Waiting for it to swing in your party’s favor, waiting for your “constitutional” rights to be honored or overturned, waiting for real positive change.

The original intention of a life term with the Supreme Court was to diminish the tie to one’s party, though it has historically done the opposite.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com Lily is a sophomore at UTK this year studying journalism, political science and philosophy. She can be reached at lmarcum1@vols.utk.edu.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

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NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 22, 2021

OPINION: Rumor has it: Gabby Petito was murdered by her fiancé

LAUREN REID Columnist

If you keep up with social media, you’ve more than likely heard of Gabby Petito. But, if you haven’t, Gabby Petito was a 22-year-old aspiring YouTube star who was last seen traveling with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in August out West.

The two were childhood sweethearts who had been living with Laundrie’s parents in Florida for over a year now. Recently engaged, they decided to take Petito’s Ford Transit Van across country. The last place the couple visited together was Grand Teton National Park in

Wyoming.

Petito was reported missing by her family on Sept. 11 after not hearing from her for over two weeks. Her mom had last FaceTimed her on Aug. 25, and her last text from her daughter was received on Aug. 30, which read “no service in Yosemite.” This text didn’t make much sense because of Petito telling her family she’d be in Grand Teton.

There are a lot of questionable situations and circumstances that are attached to this missing person’s case, and every day more information is unearthed. For one, Petito’s fiancé had driven the van home to Florida without reporting his future wife missing and without contacting her family about her unknown whereabouts.

He has also refused to comment or cooperate with police.

In addition to not reporting his own fiancée missing, there has been released police body cam footage by the Moab police of a response to a potential domestic violence situation between Laundrie and Petito. The report was called in on Aug. 12 because of a fight the couple had in a parking lot of a grocery store in Moab, Utah. The van was pulled over due to Laundrie driving 45 mph in a 15 mph speed zone. In the footage, viewers can see Petito in hysterics while Laundrie remained cool and collected.

Laundrie told officers that Petito was causing him to swerve on the road by grabbing the

steering wheel. He also alluded to Petito having mental health issues, to which she confirmed by telling officers she had bad OCD and that it had been causing the couple to fight a lot.

The officers decided to split the couple for the night, allowing Petito to have her van and finding a hotel for Laundrie.

So, with this footage we see that the two were facing relationship problems while on the road. I found Laundrie’s calm demeanor to be a little weird compared to Petito’s hysterics. But there is no way to know if Petito was being dramatic or if Laundrie was being cold.

Through circulating theories over multiple social media platforms, Petito’s Instagram has been thoroughly analyzed. Interesting things that have been pointed out, regarding her social media profiles, are that Petito always included her location in her posts, the roots of her hair were dark their entire trip out West and the diction and grammar of her most recent post is unusual compared to her other Instagram captions.

Petito always pinned her location to every post on their trip up until Aug. 19. Notice that this change occurred after the domestic violence report in Moab. The caption of the post is the one theorists have been referring to as strange. Her writing is more precise than her other posts. It was also pointed out that if you search Laundrie’s Instagram, it’s evident he

writes in more a proper way than his fiancée.

Another thing conspiracy theorists of the internet have uncovered is that Petito’s roots are more blonde in her most recent post compared to that of her others. The post is of Petito holding a small pumpkin with a Halloween related caption. The picture is completely unrelated to Petito’s aesthetic, causing theorists to believe she didn’t post it.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com

Lauren Reid is a senior at UTK this year majoring in journalism. She can be reached at lreid9@vols.utk.edu.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

A Tennessee Conversation: Bill Haslam’s inspirations, hopes for America AVERY WITT Contributor

First Presbyterian Church in Downtown Knoxville hosted former Mayor of Knoxville and Governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam, on Sept. 16 as he met with retired Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Gary Wade to discuss his new book, “Faithful Presence: The Promise and the Peril of Faith in the Public Square.”

Haslam’s novel relishes over the presence of religion in politics, outlines his largest inspirations as both a family man and American politician and discusses his hardest decisions as the Governor of Tennessee.

Judge Gary Wade opened the conversation with a brief introduction of the book. “‘Faithful Presence’ tells us not only about the political climate today, but it tells us a lot about Bill Haslam,” Wade said.

“I don’t know that I would have run for office, mayor or governor, if it wasn’t for my faith,” Haslam said.

Judge Wade asked for elaboration on many of Haslam’s greatest inspirations, including Abraham Lincoln, C.S. Lewis and Nelson Mandela. Haslam outlined his affinity for past

President Abraham Lincoln.

“He held the country together with strength and conviction that all of us would love to see again today,” Haslam said.

Wade referred to Lincoln’s “House Divided” address that urged American citizens to understand that the country cannot survive half free and half slave. Wade asked Haslam his thoughts on being back in that divided place today.

“I think we are. The motivation attribution asymmetry between Republicans and Democrats is greater than that between Israelis and Palestinians,” Haslam said.

Haslam also spoke about his belief in Nelson Mandela’s modeling of forgiveness, noting that using Mandela’s ideals are a good model for us today.

Yet sometimes, Haslam had to put his own beliefs aside, making decisions for the betterment of the state of Tennessee. When asked if the Bible should be the state book, his answer was no, for although he fosters a personal connection with God, he felt like making the Bible the state book was crossing a line into an unnecessary territory.

The pair then discussed the former Governor’s hardest days in office. For Haslam, deciphering his worst days was simple: the three times executions were scheduled.

Cyntoia Brown’s case, and Haslam’s decision to grant clemency, garnered an entire chapter of his new book. When asked about Brown’s impact on him, he noted that he feels incredibly grateful for getting to meet someone with such a great influence on him.

“In life, a lot of times your story intersects with other people, but you don’t really see the other folks’ side,” Haslam said.

“I’m a very privileged, white guy from Tennessee, she’s a biracial, adopted child that grew up in Middle Tennessee, our backgrounds could not have been more different. But you really did see what Paul talks about in the Bible, ‘all that goes away and you are one in Christ,’ and it was just this incredible privilege to get to see the other side of the tapestry that you don’t get to normally see,” Haslam said.

As Wade and Haslam closed the conversation, Haslam faced the question of the future of America. Haslam stated his answer with confidence.

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less, and I think that’d be a pretty healthy prescription for us today,” Haslam said.

This article has been edited to include additional information.

Bill Haslam and Gary Wade at First Presbyterian Church on Sept 16, 2021.

Avery Witt / The Daily Beacon

Wednesday, September 22, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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CITY NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 22, 2021

‘Cry Macho’ review: Emotionally mature cowboy KEENAN THOMAS Staff Writer

It takes a lot to be a cowboy, but you don’t need to be overly macho to fit those boots.

“Cry Macho” is a new film from Clint Eastwood following recent films “Richard Jewell” and “The Mule.” It was written by N. Richard Nash before he died in 2000 based on his book of the same name, with an additional credit for Nick Schenk. It was released in theaters and on HBO Max. Set in 1980, the film follows Mike Milo, a former Texas rodeo star. Mike is tasked with finding his former boss Howard’s son Rafael in Mexico. Mike journies across the border to retrieve Rafael from Howard’s ex-wife.

“Cry Macho” is a surprisingly heartfelt film that beautifully captures the Mexican landscape, even though its awkward acting and dialogue doesn’t land consistently.

The film stars Clint Eastwood as Mike. For a 91-year-old actor and director, he does pretty well as the gruff, yet sensitive, lead. Even when he fumbles over his lines here and there, Eastwood provides a softer side to the traditional cowboy accompanied by some sly comedy.

Still, it is hard to shake the notion that a slightly younger actor would have fit this role better.

Eduardo Minett plays Rafael next to Eastwood. He does a decent job, especially in a larger English role. But his line delivery is a little awkward, not fully conveying what the scene’s emotional implications seem to be. Several scenes show his potential to grow as an actor.

Finally, Dwight Yoakam plays Howard, and Natalia Traven plays cantina owner Marta. For the few scenes he is in, Yoakam fits the role well, although he could’ve used a few extra takes. Traven does an excellent job in the film, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in each of her scenes.

As for the film’s story, it keeps everything consistently on track, taking its time to settle in with these characters. There are several slow scenes, letting the audience sit down and take in the world of the film. Being on the run creates quality conflict for Mike and Rafael. However, nearly every time they encounter danger it’s choppy presentation kills momentum.

One of the film’s strengths is the chemistry between characters, aided by the slower nature of the film. Mike and Rafael build an understanding of each other, which resonates with the audience.

But Mike’s and Marta’s ability as aged lov-

ers to live past their losses stands out the most.

Despite the unclear age gap, they share many tender moments, ultimately giving the film more heart than it would otherwise have.

Along with heart, the cinematography captures the landscapes of Mexico beautifully, showing the incredible nature that surrounds these characters as they live and breathe in it.

There are many well composed shots, namely those that speak volumes by showcasing quieter character moments.

The final noteworthy aspect of the film is its exploration of cowboys and masculinity. The film isn’t afraid to throw a wrench in some of the genre and character stereotypes. Instead, this film showcases a much more tender cowboy hero, one unafraid to show kindness and emotion.

“Cry Macho” is an incredibly well shot film about not being a traditional, tough guy. The acting doesn’t work all of the time, but the quiet story and the focus on character makes this movie work.

The refreshing lack of worry about fitting into the Western genre significantly improved this film.

Truthfully, that’s what makes “Cry Macho” worth sitting through. Even when the acting and dialogue aren’t great, everything else

Courtesy of IMDb crafts the movie into a touching piece.

Even the most macho of us can come out of this film feeling emotional.

Kacey Musgraves’ ‘star-crossed’ Review KEENAN THOMAS Staff Writer

The best catharsis can come from pouring yourself into your art, and Kacey Musgraves does that here. “star-crossed” is an album from Kacey Musgraves, following 2018’s “Golden Hour.”

It is heavily inspired by her recent divorce from musician Ruston Kelly last year. It’s 15 songs in length, running for about 47 minutes. “star-crossed” is a good album overall that deconstructs Musgraves’ relationship and divorce as it moves away from her country influences. There are some great tracks, but they lean into more pop-music stereotypes leaving a slightly empty feeling at different moments.

The overall lyricism dives into Musgraves’ perception of her relationship. Pretty much every song focuses on her actions, thoughts and feelings through her relationship and life postdivorce. It succeeds by placing the listener into her head, seeing everything play out over time.

The lyrics throughout are sparse, only offering brief passages from different parts of her relationship. Sometimes, they are used to great effect as she captures the right words to project the desired feeling onto the listener, like in “cherry blossom” and “camera roll.” However, there are a few instances where more could have been said, as the short verses leave a little more to be desired like in “angel.”

That’s also a slight problem with the overall tracklist. Although there are 15 songs, most of them are really short. Most of the time, they do everything they need to and more within about three minutes. But there were several times where songs felt only half-completed, like there was more that could have been done to expand them.

STORY CONTINUED ONLINE Read more at utdailybeacon.com

Courtesy of Spotify

CITY NEWS

Wednesday, September 22 , 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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‘Protect the Afghans’ rally in Market Square supports incoming refugees ABBY ANN RAMSEY Contributor

People gathered in Market Square on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. to rally together in support of Afghan refugees and to speak out against the Taliban occupation in Afghanistan.

Husna Iqbal, a freshman nursing major at UT, was the main organizer of the rally and was inspired by the other protests with similar goals going on across the country.

“We just saw the protests that were occurring, and we thought it was our duty as well as Afghans to hold it in our city since we had the ability to do that,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal’s primary goal in organizing the rally was to signal to Afghan refugees that they are welcome in East Tennessee. Advocating for Afghanistan since she was 11, Iqbal feels the need to change the narrative surrounding Afghan people that floods the media.

“Just having a demonstration like this with or without a lot of people attending, I just feel like it’s a symbolism of, ‘we support Afghan refugees, and we want Afghan refugees to come to Knoxville,’ and that rhetoric about like, ‘we don’t want refugees,’ we don’t want

them to feel like that,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal expounded upon this idea in her speech at the rally, explaining her personal connection to the country and how it feels to see its beauty misconstrued in America.

“As an Afghan-American woman growing up in the United States, I always felt like I was in this constant cycle of begging,” Iqbal said.

“Begging the media to see Afghanistan for more than it narrates it as, to see Afghanistan in the stories my mother would tell me growing up, to see Afghanistan for all its good.”

Isabella Ansary, a junior majoring in psychology at UT, also delivered a speech at the event explaining the history of occupation by foreign countries in Afghanistan and her own personal experience as the daughter of an Afghan refugee.

“We left Afghanistan in a time of dire need and now we must help support the hundreds of thousands of Afghans seeking to escape their harrowing conditions in any way we can,” Ansary said.

Additionally, Ansary values the importance of awareness when it comes to global humanitarian issues, as many people ignore or misunderstand situations like what is going on in Afghanistan.

“I just think that people should understand that there’s so much suffering going on in

these other countries that we don’t really pay attention to until it becomes some big headline,” Ansary said. “I think it’s important for people to just be more aware of the other situations going on around the world instead of focusing on just domestic issues.”

“To support would just be being welcoming to refugees and shutting down any anti-refugee rhetoric that comes our way and just supporting and being informed about the issue in Afghanistan and the Afghan refugees and setting up resources for those refugees when they are here,” Iqbal said.

order to help Afghans both inside and outside of East Tennessee.

“Obviously there is always going to be that feeling of hopelessness but just community outreach and awareness are just the most important things,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal is hoping to start an organization at UT in the near future that focuses on global and social issues. For now, she is attentive to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and supporting Afghans in whatever way she can.

Be more aware of the other situations going on around the worls indtead of focusing on just domestic issues.

HUSNA IQBAL Main organizer of Protect the Afghans

Iqbal suggests increasing knowledge and awareness of the situation in Afghanistan by reading Afghan news sources like Tolo News and volunteering with local organizations in

Rally speakers holding the Afghanistan flag during the “Protect the Afghans” rally in Market Square on Sept. 15, 2021. Jamar Coach / The Daily Beacon

CITY NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 22, 2021

‘MONTERO’ by Lil Nas X: An album as authentic as its name CLINT HARRIS Contributor

2021

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FOOTBALL

PICK ‘EM

Ethan Stone Asst. Sports (14-7)

The word that perfectly encapsulates “MONTERO” is authenticity. Titled after his birth name, “MONTERO” is a direct view of Lil Nas X’s world.

This album is a deep dive into his psyche, ego and creativity. With help from frequent production collaborators, Take a Daytrip, Lil Nas X stays true to his claim to fame, effortlessly blending elements of pop, rap and rock.

When talking about Lil Nas X’s debut album “MONTERO,” it’s important to acknowledge its rollout period. In late March 2021, Lil Nas X released his lead single, “MONTERO (Call Me

By Your Name),” with an accompanying music video.

This song came with high anticipation, seeing as it would introduce the first project since his critically acclaimed EP, “7,” so it’s no surprise that the single was met with large commercial success.

Beyond this praise, however, the song’s music video specifically drew plenty of controversy. The Christian community lashed back at Nas X, as the video includes plenty of religious tropes and concludes with Lil Nas X giving Satan a lap dance.

To top it all off, Nas X released his Satan Shoes, merchandise for his new single containing a drop of human blood. This release was also met with backlash and a lawsuit from Nike. In spite of all of this, Lil Nas X refused to back down.

Remaining true to himself through and through, Nas X continued mercilessly with his rollout strategies, finally releasing his authentic self-titled debut on Sept. 17, 2021.

The second track on the album, “DEAD RIGHT NOW,” captures both of these themes perfectly. Lil Nas X laments about the twosided nature of fame over a horn-centered 808 beat: “You know I never did you wrong / Even though I’m right here by the phone, dawg / You know, you never used to call / Keep it that way now.”

Nas X continues to divulge into his personal relationships, touching on his mother, singing, “My momma told me that she love me, don’t believe her / When she get drunk, she hit me up, man, with a fever, like, woah.” While unveiling all of these personal details, Lil Nas X balances rap and pop effortlessly, singing earworm melodies with a trap-inspired flow.

This is where Lil Nas X strides on the majority of “MONTERO.” Songs like “INDUSTRY BABY (feat. Jack Harlow)” follow this same formula as Lil Nas and Jack Harlow confront their haters over trumpet-heavy production.

The beat is infectious, vibrant and incredibly trendy: the recipe for a hit.

Tennessee (21) vs. Florida (35) Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin LSU vs. Mississippi State Texas A&M vs. Arkansas West Virginia vs. Oklahoma Texas Tech vs. Texas UCLA vs. Stanford Lil Nas X Montero album cover released Sept. 17, 2021. Courtesy of Spotify Nas continues providing braggadocious bangers with songs like “SCOOP (feat. Doja Cat)” and “DOLLA SIGN SLIME (feat. Megan Thee Stallion).” The chorus of “SCOOP” is sure to be stuck in listeners’ heads for days, while on “DOLLA SIGN SLIME,” Lil Nas and Megan fluently flow through their verses. If one thing is for certain about “MONTERO,” it’s full of viral moments.

However, Lil Nas X still delivers plenty of emotionally-driven cuts on this project. “All of my feelings are gone / I left them all on the floor,” Nas X begins his first verse on “LIFE AFTER SALEM.’’ “Man, who’s to blame if you don’t love me no more? / No, I don’t mind, just take whatever you want,” sings Nas X. The grunge-style instrumental embodies Nas’ heart-wrenching lyrics, something that Nas implements several times on “MONTERO.” “TALES OF DOMINICA’’ and “VOID” peer into the dark corners of Lil Nas’ anxiety and relational doubts.

The finale, “AM I DREAMING (feat. Miley Cyrus),” is an acoustic duet between the two, a song that perfectly illustrates the emotional crux of “MONTERO.” As both the song and album come to a close, Nas and Miley sing, “I’m fadin’, replayin’ / These thoughts I thought while sinking down / Oh-oh-oh, never forget me / And everything I’ve done.” Addressing the album’s themes of fame, self-doubt and a conclusion of hope, this closing track is exceptional.

At its core, “MONTERO” is an album about Lil Nas X, both good and bad. Over the course of the album, the audience is taken on a ride through the complexities of Lil Nas’ mind.

On songs like “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” Nas X is confident and playful, while “VOID” sees him at his lowest.

It’s this very dichotomy in both sound and theme that “MONTERO” flourishes in. Aside from a few run-of-the-mill, pop tracks like “THATS WHAT I WANT,” “MONTERO” is totally unique, and appropriately so. After all, this seems to be Lil Nas X’s goal: delivering an album that lives up to the weight of its name.

Caleigh Rozmenoski Copy Chief (14-7) Tennessee (14) vs. Florida (37) Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin LSU vs. Mississippi State Texas A&M vs. Arkansas West Virginia vs. Oklahoma Texas Tech vs. Texas UCLA vs. Stanford

Josh Lane Sports Editor (13-8) Tennessee (20) vs. Florida (28) Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin LSU vs. Mississippi State Texas A&M vs. Arkansas West Virginia vs. Oklahoma Texas Tech vs. Texas UCLA vs. Stanford

Jake Yoder Managing Editor (12-9) Tennessee (7) vs. Florida (49) Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin LSU vs. Mississippi State Texas A&M vs. Arkansas West Virginia vs. Oklahoma Texas Tech vs. Texas UCLA vs. Stanford

Sarah Rainey Editor-in-Chief (10-11) Tennessee (7) vs. Florida (42) Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin LSU vs. Mississippi State Texas A&M vs. Arkansas West Virginia vs. Oklahoma Texas Tech vs. Texas UCLA vs. Stanford

Alexandra Ashmore Photo Editor (9-12) Tennessee (21) vs. Florida (42) Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin LSU vs. Mississippi State Texas A&M vs. Arkansas West Virginia vs. Oklahoma Texas Tech vs. Texas UCLA vs. Stanford

SPORTS

Wednesday, September 22, 2021 • The Daily Beacon

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What the Vols can learn from their last game against Florida JOSH LANE Sports Editor

The last time the Vols played Florida was Dec. 5, 2020, and it marked the low-point of their miserable season. Quarterback Harrison Bailey made his first career start for the Vols as they dropped the game 31-19 to Florida in Neyland Stadium.

Bailey passed for 111 yards and a touchdown in limited action, but the story of the game was on the other sideline in Florida’s quarterback Kyle Trask. The Gators’ signal-caller threw 4 touchdowns as they clinched their first SEC Championship Game berth since 2016.

Here are two lessons the Vols can learn from their 2020 loss to Florida.

Don’t let Florida’s quarterback beat you Trask picked up the Gators and carried them to a win in that 2020 game. The Vols actually shut down Florida’s run game that day, so in response the Gators put the ball in their redshirt senior’s hands, and he didn’t disappoint.

Trask completed a career-high 35-of-49 passes for 433 yards on top of the 4 touch-

down passes. He was particularly effective on third down, converting 6-of-13 third down attempts, including three on third downs 10 yards or further.

But the 2021 Gators don’t have Trask anymore. He was selected in this past NFL Draft, and redshirt junior Emory Jones has gotten the starting reps the past three games. Jones has struggled so far as the starter, completing 63.6% of his passes for 459 yards and 2 touchdowns. Turnovers have been Jones’ biggest problem. He’s thrown 5 interceptions on the season – 2 against both Florida Atlantic and Southern Florida.

Jones was a bit smarter with the football last week in Florida’s 2-point loss to No. 1 Alabama, but he still threw an interception. With Jones’ early-season struggles, many in Florida have called for backup quarterback Anthony Richardson to start, in similar fashion to the Vols.

The redshirt freshman Richardson has impressed the Gators in limited snaps, but it remains to be seen if Jones’ valiant effort against Alabama secured him one more week as QB1.

Coming off a dominant 4-interception game versus Tennessee Tech, the Vols’ defense will be looking to add more to its total. Jones is definitely no Willie Miller or Davis Shanley at quarterback, but if the Vols play fundamentally sound football, they should be able to stop

Jones – or Richardson – from taking the game over the way Trask did.

Don’t waste opportunities Before the Vols’ 2020 loss got out of hand late, they actually trailed Florida 10-7 with under four minutes remaining in the first half.

Tennessee was driving at midfield with the chance to take the lead, or at least tie the game, but it stalled out and punted on fourth and 16.

Bailey was sacked for a loss on third and long on the previous play.

Florida added a touchdown before halftime, and opened the second half with another demoralizing 75-yard touchdown drive. In under five minutes of game time, Tennessee went from a 3-point to 17-point deficit and could forget any thought of an upset.

So what do the Vols have to do to not repeat that same mistake? Not stalling out on a drive with major implications would be an excellent place to start.

Tennessee’s dealt with this in its own right this season, most notably in the Pitt game when a first and goal at the 3-yard line turned into a third and goal at the 37 thanks to 3 offensive penalties. Tennessee settled for a field goal, and Pitt took the lead on the next possession.

The Vols were much cleaner against Tennessee Tech in penalties and overall drive efficiency, but it remains to be seen if they can do the same against a Florida team ranked No. 11 in the Coaches Poll.

Simply put, Tennessee cannot afford to shoot itself in the foot with penalties, three and outs, turnovers or whatever else might kill a drive. To pull of an upset in Gainesville, the Vols will need to be near-perfect in every aspect of the game they can control. And scoring on promising drives is a big one.

Tennessee special teams tries to block a field goal during game against Florida on Sept. 22, 2018 at Neyland Stadium. File / The Daily Beacon

Heupel, Tennessee preparing for first major test at Florida ETHAN STONE Assistant Sports Editor

Tennessee’s first road game of the season is a tough one. The Vols (2-1), after blanking in-state opponent Tennessee Tech in week three, travel south for an evening matchup against the Florida Gators.

“They’re well-coached in all three phases of the game. Their ability to run the ball is a huge part (of their game), top-5 in the country in rush offense,” head coach Josh Heupel said on Florida, Monday. “Defensively, they’re physical. They’re tight on all levels, they make you beat them. Our guys are really excited about that challenge.”

The Gators are looking to improve to 3-1 after their fourth straight game in the state of Florida.

Florida opened the season at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium with a 35-14 win over Florida Atlantic before traveling 120 miles south to pick up a 42-20 victory against Southern Florida.

Emory Jones leads the potent Gators offense. Jones is a legit dual-threat quarterback that leads the team in rushing yards ahead of running back Malik Davis. The redshirt junior has thrown for 445 yards and 2 touchdowns

while also rushing for 235 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Jones and the Gators offense have had their share of struggles as well. The Gators feature a run-heavy offense that is meant to wear opposing defenses out but is sometimes criticized for being one-dimensional. This is apparent when considering Jones’ 5 interceptions.

It’s just about going out there and getting the job done. The team is mentally locked in right now.

JAVONTA PAYTON Tennessee Football Wide Receiver

Redshirt junior Jacob Copeland is the only player on the team with over 100 receiving yards.

Head coach Dan Mullen is entering his fourth year at the helm of the Gators. For week three, his team travelled back home to host the No. 1 team in the nation — Alabama.

Mullen’s squad took the Crimson Tide to the wire, eventually falling 31-29. They were a failed 2-point conversion away from taking the defending national champions to overtime.

This is a game certain Tennessee fans circle every year on the calendar.

“They don’t really like Florida up here,” wide receiver JaVonta Payton said. “It’s just about going out there and getting the job done.

The team is mentally locked in right now.”

Tennessee is also looking to improve to 3-1 on Saturday against a Gators squad the Vols haven’t beaten since 2016. Florida sits at 14-1 against Tennessee in the past 15 matchups.

The Vols’ chances against a top-15 team such as Florida may rely on the play at the quarterback position. Hendon Hooker played an impressive game in relief of Joe Milton III in week three against Tennessee Tech, totaling 4 touchdowns and 199 yards passing.

Heupel has not publicly stated who will get the start between Milton or Hooker against the Gators, though Milton was listed as the starter on this week’s depth chart.

Milton has dealt with a minor injury the past couple weeks after exiting the Pitt game early. His status, as well as the status of Cade Mays, Kingston Harris and Jabari Small, are unknowns heading into Saturday’s evening rivalry matchup.

“It’s unique to get to go on the road (against a team like Florida),” Heupel said. “It’s a tough environment down there, night game.

Our guys are looking forward to it.”

Hendon Hooker, #5, prepares to pass the ball in the football game against Tennessee Tech, held in the Neyland Stadium on Sept. 18, 2021.

Nathan Lick / The Daily Beacon

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SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Wide receivers improving despite quarterback uncertainty JOSH LANE Sports Editor

Tennessee’s wide receivers left much to be desired over the first two games of the 2021 season. The group possesses elite speed at nearly every turn and in the new up-tempo offense under head coach Josh Heupel, passcatching is supposed to be a strength of the team.

But that wasn’t the case through Tennessee’s first two games. The receivers aren’t fully to blame for their struggles – the Vols have had inconsistent play out of both Joe Milton III and Hendon Hooker at quarterback – but wide receivers coach Kodi Burns knows his group cannot make excuses.

“My approach to it – I played quarterback – it’s not about the quarterback, we’ve got to be on point,” Burns said. “I don’t care who’s playing at quarterback, whether it’s Joe or Hendon, doesn’t matter. We’ve got to be on point. We’ve got to run the right depths, we’ve got to run the correct reads, we’ve got to run the correct routes and we’ve got to make plays for those quarterbacks to take pressure off of them. As long as we handle our part, the rest

will take care of itself.”

Part of the improved receiver play came in sophomore Jimmy Calloway’s return to the field in Tennessee’s 41-34 loss to Pitt last Saturday.

Calloway was a quarterback in high school, but he moved to receiver when he arrived at Tennessee and appeared in eight games as a freshman mostly on special teams. As he continued to learn the position over the offseason, Calloway rose up Tennessee’s depth chart.

“It’s really night and day how far Jimmy has come,” Burns said. “Last year being a COVID(-19) year, just a strange and unique year, which we all know. New staff, change of position coach, change of an offense, he really had to relearn everything once again.”

But a leg injury cost Calloway his season debut against Bowling Green, and he didn’t take the field for the first time until the Pitt game, but he quickly made his presence felt.

“Jimmy Calloway is going to be a special player when it’s all said and done,” Burns said.

“I think there was evidence out there on the field this past week that once he gets the ball in his hands, he’s a difference maker.”

Calloway caught only 3 passes for 59 yards in his season debut against Pitt, but he had Tennessee’s biggest touchdown of the afternoon.

Trailing by a touchdown with just over two

minutes to play in the first half, Hooker found Calloway open on the sideline for a simple screen pass, but with his athletic ability, he turned the play into something special. Calloway made two Pitt defenders miss on the initial tackle, and then sprinted down the sideline for a 44-yard touchdown, the first of his career.

“It was a simple jab step, catch and I froze the defender where I wanted to. The rest was just legs,” Calloway said after Saturday’s game.

What impressed Burns the most on the play was Calloway’s yards after the catch – all 44 yards on that play. It’s a skill that can’t be taught, but rather comes from Calloway’s natural abilities.

“Yards after catch, that’s a unique ability that most guys have talent that you recruit to,” Burns said. “We do have a couple of guys that are great ball in hand guys. It’s my job as coach to design routes and show you how to run the route to get you open, and the rest of it is up to you.”

It’s the big-yardage plays like these that make Tennessee’s sluggish offensive start so befuddling. The potential is clearly there. A combination of a well-planned scheme on the coaching staff’s part and good route-running on the receivers’ part have led to several chunk plays – four Tennessee receivers have a long catch of 30 yards or more – but there’s been

Tennessee wide receiver Jimmy Calloway (9) during the Vols’ game against Pitt at Neyland Stadium.

Kailee Harris / The Daily Beacon

several overthrows and missed opportunities too.

Despite that, Burns and the receivers are focused on themselves and improving their game in every way, not worrying about who will suit up at quarterback.

“So I tell my guys in the meeting, ‘You don’t ever question or worry about what’s going on at quarterback. Let’s be on point, let’s go out there and make plays,’” Burns said.

College Football Around the Nation Week 3: Top-25 matchups ANDREW PETERS Staff Writer

It was another exciting week of college football, with games that had everyone on the edge of their seats and others that had fans groaning out of boredom. Here’s how the nation fared in week three of college football.

The SEC went 7-3 in out-of-conference games this week. Tennessee, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and LSU all won games against teams that they were supposed to beat.

Auburn took on a tough Penn State team on the road and lost by just 1 possession. Tank Bigsby led the way for the Tigers with 102 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Vanderbilt got blown out against Stanford, in a game that did not have much upside for the Commodores.

Mississippi State lost to Memphis in a game where officiating might have made the difference.

With just under six minutes in the fourth quarter and the Bulldogs down 17-21, they punted it away to the Tigers. The ball landed inside the 10-yard line where two MSU players

touched the ball and the referee threw his bean bag to mark the ball down.

Memphis’s returner then scooped the ball up and returned it for a touchdown.

SEC officials released a statement after the game saying that the ball remained live because no player had possessed it, but that the play should have been reviewed, and if it had been, the ball would have been placed at the spot of the referee’s “stop the clock” signal.

Memphis went on to win the game 31-29.

South Carolina and Georgia faced off this week, and the Bulldogs came out on top big, 40-13. Georgia’s JT Daniels had a big game, throwing for 303 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Alabama and Florida matchup was one of the biggest in college football this weekend, and the game lived up to the hype.

Alabama looked like the clear favorite early, leading 21-9 at halftime, but the Gators were able to come back and bring the game to within a possession late. Ultimately the Tide came out on top, 31-29.

Jase McClellan #21 of the Alabama Crimson Tide dives for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Sept. 18, 2021 in Gainesville, Florida. James Gilbert / Getty Images

Alabama’s Bryce Young led the way for the Tide with 240 passing yards and 3 touchdowns.

Outside of the SEC, there were several notable top-25 matchups and some upsets.

Fresno State upset No. 13 UCLA 40-37. Fresno State’s Jake Haener fought through injury to record 455 yards and 2 touchdowns, including the game-winning touchdown.

West Virginia went on the road to upset No. 15 Virginia Tech 27-21. West Virginia’s Leddie Brown guided the Mountaineers to victory with 161 rushing yards and a touchdown.

No. 23 BYU and No. 19 Arizona State faced off with BYU coming out on top 27-17. Arizona State led the Cougars in the passing and rushing game, but the Cougars still came out on top.

Michigan State handed No. 24 Miami its second loss, defeating the Hurricanes 38-17.

Despite a great performance from Miami’s D’Eriq King, who recorded 388 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, Michigan State still came out on top.

After scoring over 60 points in its first two games, Oklahoma was given its first real challenge against Nebraska. The Sooners held on to win narrowly, 23-16, but Nebraska stayed with them for most of the game.