SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 VOL. 103 | NO. 3 RED 2022 NC STATE FOOTBALL TECHNICIAN SEE PAGE 11
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SOURCE: CNN Man travels 38 miles down Mississippi River by pumpkin Eight hundred forty-six pounds — 60-year-old Duane Hansen’s pumpkin boat weighed. Hansen set off from Bellevue, Nebraska down the Mississippi river in hopes of beating the previous pumpkin water travel record of 25 miles. He landed in Nebraska City, Nebraska 11 hours after his departure, traveling 38 miles in total.
STAFFORD COMMONS Free FUTURE OF FOOD: MEAT 2.0 Join NC State physics, biology and physiology professors for a discussion of plant-based proteins. The conversa tion is building on this year’s Wicked Problems, Wolfpack Solutions theme, the Future of Foods.
THE RADAR Events to keep an eye on for the week of September 1 WOLFPACK PICTURES: “THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY” Join University Libraries for their first showing in this semester’s Wolfpack Pictures series. This semester’s theme for selected films is desire. Thursday, Sept. 1, 7-9 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 6, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
SOURCE: NC STATE NEWS
D.H. HILL JR. LIBRARY AUDITORIUM Free ALL MUSIC SHOWCASE NC State boasts a vibrant musical community from orchestras to a cap pella. Head to Stafford Commons for live performances from student orga nizations and information on how to get musicals on campus. Friday, Sept. 2, 6-8 p.m.
SOURCE: UPI
A bald eagle named Clark took a trip out of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport on his way home from a trip to High Point University. Clark was a special guest at the university’s freshman convocation ceremony, flying over the new students’ heads. He was spotted after being taken out of his travel carrier at TSA and stretching his wings.
TALLEY STUDENT UNION, ONE EARTH LOUNGE Free
Tuesday, Sept. 6, 8-10 p.m.
Talley Student Union is half a cen tury old When Talley opened 50 years ago, it didn’t compare to the building it is now. There were no restaurants and far fewer places to sit, but it did provide a place for engineering and agricultural students to gather. A $120 million renovation began in 2011 and was completed in 2015, revealing the innovative building Talley is today.
TECHNICIANONLINE.COM 2 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Contents IN THIS ISSUE: 11page SPORTS NC State football set to conquer 2022 schedule 10page CULTURE Where to put your heinie in Hill; Our favorite seats in D.H. Hill Jr. Library 04page NEWS Student Senate appoints senators, officers at semester’s first meeting WHAT YOU MISSED: A quick look at the headlines in and outside of NC State 05page North legislatureCarolina’sisfailing its educators OPINION
Technician (USPS 455-050) is the largest student newspaper of NC State University and is published every Thursday throughout the academic year from August through May except during holidays and examination periods. Opinions expressed in the columns, cartoons, photo illustrations and letters that appear on the Technician’s pages are the views of the individual writers and cartoonists. As a public forum for student expression, the students determine the content of the publication without prior review. To receive permission for reproduction, please write the editor. Subscription cost is $100 per year. A single copy is free to all students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus. Additional copies are $0.25 each. Printed by Triangle Web Printing, Durham, NC, Copyright 2022 by North Carolina State
D.H. HILL JR. LIBRARY, FISHBOWL FO RUM Free KARAOKE NIGHT Show off your pipes at UAB’s kara oke night. Whether you’re a car-ride crooner or seasoned performer, all are welcome to take to the mic with a friend or as a solo act and belt away your semester blues.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN Man breaks Guinness World Record by solving three Rubik’s Cubes while juggling Li Zhihao, a Chinese puzzle enthusiast, broke a Guin ness World Record by solving three rotating puzzling cubes by juggling them. He solved the puzzles in just three minutes and 29 seconds. Li has previously bro ken several other Guinness World Records, including “Most rotating puzzle cubes solved upside down.”
Bald Eagle takes flight at Charlotte airport
CONTRIBUTED
NC Museum of Natural Sciences features ‘Life Before Dinosaurs’ traveling exhibit GRAPHIC
According to Dr. Christian Kammerer, the research curator of paleontology at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, the exhibit displays 50 millions years of pro to-mammal fossils sourced from around the“Weworld.have everything from fossils from North Carolina, from the American artifacts and adding Spanish translations to all graphics.
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“We added quite a bit to it,” Sutton said. changed the lighting of the exhibit to make it a lot more theatrical and really set you in the Permian age, but have some fun with it as well. ... Then we added Spanish translations on top of it. There was a lot that we did to modify and change for our institution in our museum.”
The NC Museum of Natural Sciences is exhibiting “Life Before Dinosaurs: The Permian Monsters” until Sept. 4. The ex hibit features casts of fossils from 250 to 300 million years ago, as well as anima tronic animals from the Permian Age. According to Javan Sutton, the head of exhibits at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, the special exhibition com mittee wanted to display an exhibit that would be interesting and informative to all“Aages.lot of times, we try to diversify the exhibits that we bring, but really, in the summertime, we want to bring exhibits that a younger audience can appreciate and really enjoy,” Sutton said. “The ex hibit is just a fascinating look into these creatures that look so strange and differ ent from what we’re used to seeing; these are not dinosaurs. These are the creatures that live before dinosaurs. And a lot of the creatures with it in the exhibit are actu ally really distant relatives of ourselves.”
Correspondent EPSILON continued page 4
Heidi Reid Assistant News Editor
Epsilon Eta provides community for students interested in conservation Epsilon Eta is a co-ed honors frater nity for students of all majors who are interested in the environment and its conservation.Beyondservice opportunities, the fraternity works to build a network for students and provide them with career resources. Ren Rooney, co-president and third-year studying environmental science, shared the fraternity’s objec tives.“We want to create a network within the school of students who are inter ested in [environmental] careers or just really interested in the environment and helping the environment,” Rooney said. “We also emphasize service and career preparation — things like, career advice, advice on classes and helping BY EPSILON ETA Gabby Griffonetti
According to Kammerer, the Permian Age ended with the worst mass extinc tion in Earth’s history, in which about 90% of life was wiped out. A period of global warming led to this extinction, caused by giant volcanoes spewing green house gases into Earth’s atmosphere for around 100,000 years. Geological events and changes in weather patterns that happened leading up to this extinction are similar to changes global warming is causing now, Kammerer said. “Basically, what’s happening at the end of the Permian is due to greenhouse gases,” Kammerer said. “We’re seeing geological evidence, strong evidence in case of global wildfires, increased inten sity of summer storms deoxygenation of the ocean, oxygen levels dropping and a lot of oceanic animals dying out [due to] increase in ocean acidification and the death of coral reefs and eventually even suffocation of the animals on the land due BY HEIDI REID
Rooney said the commu nity within Epsilon Eta was their favor ite aspect of the organization.
Rooney explained the professional and leadership opportunities the or ganization can bring. “We have a lot of different leadership opportunities,” Rooney said. “Not even just presidents, but we have our vice presidents, our board but we also have chair positions — so people that don’t necessarily want to be on the board but still want to get involved in leadership have those opportunities as well.”
Epsilon Eta will be hosting interest meetings Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. and Sept. 6 and 7 at 6 p.m. Locations for meetings vary. They will also be hosting rush events beginning with a litter clean up at Rocky Branch Creek on Sept. 1 at 1 p.m.Interested students must attend at least one interest meeting and one rush event before becoming a member.
The fraternity also hosts events for the professional development of its mem bers.These events include speakers from the Career Development Center, resume workshops, LinkedIn workshops and speakers who work in environmental fields.Corie Griebel, co-president and fourth-year studying environmental science, said the group also keeps a list of potential internships and jobs for its members.“Wekeep a running list of jobs or internships that relate to careers in en vironmental fields,” Griebel said. “We also usually present slides at our general body meetings that have opportunities for either internships and jobs, or con ferences and things like that that people canGriebelattend.”and
“We have thousands of graduate students on this campus who are super underrepresented at the institutional level, and I think there’s a real opportunity to connect our graduate students to the campus,” Baker said. “We are from all over the world, and we’re serving you at NC State, we’re teaching you, we’re engaged with you, but we’re often really disconnected from the campus, so I think there’s a real opportunity to try to connect the graduate student population to the campus.”
“That’sfair.really exciting to see so much interest in student government, especially because a lot of those were first-years,” Echeverry Mon tano said. “Whether they come into Senate or whether they go into [the executive branch] or both, because that’s always an option, it’s really cool to see that many people being that interested in student government.”
EPSILON continued from page 3
The Senate ultimately voted to appoint Polk and Boyd, with 16 affirmative votes and 11 negative votes.
“The connections are a big deal for me,” Griebel said. “I’ve met friends that I’m gonna have for the rest of my life. I’ve joined a lot of organizations in col lege and I feel like this is the one that has helped me build the deepest con nections with people.”
Student Senate meetings are open to the public, and the next meeting will be held on Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Talley 4140.
College of Natural Resources Sen. Allison Markert, a second-year studying natural re sources, said she opposed appointing first-year students to the Senate before the fall election.
Miles Calzini, a doctoral student in chemistry and the Student Senate president, said typically, first-year students are elected in the fall elec tion to fill first-year senator positions, but technically the Senate can appoint first-year students to other delegations.
Wilson College of Textiles Sen. Stephen Mc Guinness, a third-year studying biological sciences and polymer and color chemistry, was appointed as webmaster. Maria Echeverry Montano, a third-year studying criminology and chair of the Board of Elections, gave a report regarding the fall election and student government involvement fair. Echeverry Montano said 39 students in dicated interest in joining SG at the involve ment
Student Senate appoints senators, officers at semester’s first meeting
The group builds community through things like pool battleship at Carmi chael Gym and camping trips at Falls Lake or Lake Jordan. Griebel and Rooney both shared why they encourage students to get involved with the organization. Griebel said the group has helped make new connec tions and friends.
“The process of the first-year seats is not just [voting], it’s also for their protection and let ting them switch around between different prospective majors,” Markert said. “I think that if we were to immediately put them into one certain grouping when they just got here on campus, I just think that’s wrong. I also think it kind of deflates the value of the firstyear election that so many people have gone through and so many people are interested inCollegedoing.”
“We started a kickball team,” Rooney said. “And we are not good. But it’s re ally fun because it’s great to just kind of bond with everyone and be not very good at kickball.”
The Student Senate approved the appoint ment of five senators and three senate officers at the first Senate meeting of the fall semes ter on Aug. 24. After some debate, the Senate also voted to appoint two first-year senators to their respective college delegations, although 10 first-year seats will be available in the up coming fall election.
GRAPHIC BY NOAH WEAVER
The Senate deliberated over whether to ap point Ryan Polk, a first-year in the college of engineering, and James Boyd, a first-year studying biological and agricultural engineer ing technology, to the College of Engineering delegation and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences delegation, respectively.
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of Engineering Sen. Hilton Stall worth, a fourth-year studying mechanical engineering and the Student Senate Sergeantat-Arms, said appointing Polk and Boyd would allow more first-year students to join the“JustSenate.my mindset of it all, I would say my thesis statement is, the more the merrier,” Stallworth said. “I know there’s precedent of going through the elections first, which I am in support of, however, since the two senators in question are going for delegation seats — one of which is heavily empty with a few filling it and one that still has open seats left — this would then leave more room for the first-year delegation to be filled, allowing for even more senators to come in.”
The Senate unanimously voted to appoint three students to vacant Senate seats with 27 affirmative votes and zero negative votes. Grayson Stocks, a fourth-year studying busi ness administration and political science, was appointed to a seat in the Poole College of Management delegation. Edward Siameh, a graduate student in accounting, and Margaret Baker, a doctoral candidate studying com munication, rhetoric and digital media, were both appointed to seats in the Graduate and Lifelong Education delegation.
Although there are 12 available Senate seats in the Graduate and Lifelong Education dele gation, currently, 10 are vacant. Baker said she feels graduate students are underrepresented and is eager to serve as a voice for her peers.
The Senate confirmed the resignation of Mark Farbman, a Graduate and Lifelong Edu cation senator, and Nonso Ayalogu, a Poole College of Management senator. Finally, the Senate appointed three students to Student Senate officer positions. College of Sciences Sen. Nathaniel Somma, a secondyear studying statistics and political science, was appointed as parliamentarian. College of Humanities and Social Sciences Sen. Nina Kudlak, a third-year studying political sci ence and parks, recreation and tourism man agement, was appointed as press secretary.
Emily Vespa Assistant News Editor people with those skills that are going to be really important in the industry.”
Many of their service events serve areas in Raleigh. They volunteer with the Carolina Tiger Rescue, Piedmont Wildlife Center, Rocky Branch Creek, Agroecology Education Farm and NC State’s composting facility. They also do litter pickups around campus, food drives and fundraisers. Rooney explained what volunteering with these organizations can look like. “[At the Carolina Tiger Rescue], we went in and helped them with main tenance type projects like working on fencing, working in the enclosures,” Rooney said. “We split into groups, and each helped out with a different project that needed to be done around there.”
Although emotional intelligence is impor tant for both personal and academic growth, it’s on the decline among college students, ac cording to a meta-analysis from the Journal of Personality. Specifically, well-being, emo tionality and self-control have been decreas ing over time, which all encompass emotional intelligence, the writers noted. They reasoned that this trend may be due to increased social media use and growing academic pressure. With this in mind, it’s clear that developing emotional intelligence is important now more than ever. While some researchers claim emo tional intelligence is innate, other evidence suggests it can be cultivated. Some basic tips to improve this skill include listening to oth ers, expressing empathy and reflecting on how emotions influence decision making. If you’re looking to develop your emotional intelligence even more, look no further than campus. At NC State, we have access to sev eral opportunities that can help us grow this important ability. For instance, the communication depart ment offers classes that focus on relational skills and development. One class I found beneficial was COM 112, or Interpersonal Communication. Despite the poor reviews on Rate My Professor, this class provided im portant insight into my relationships and ways in which I could improve them. Another resource students can use is the Counseling Center. In addition to individual and group therapy, the Counseling Center offers free workshops that cover an array of health and wellness topics, from healthy rela tionships to conflict management. Students can even request workshops tailored to a spe cific audience’s needs. Moving forward, we should all take a mo ment to step away from our screens and per sonal bubbles. As college students with so much to explore, there isn’t a time more perfect than now to make connections and grow our interpersonal skills. For the betterment of our lives, let’s be emotionally intelligent.
For students interested in gaining master’s degrees, it’s possible that, under this plan, there would be a near-zero direct financial benefit to acquiring that level of education. Because of the system’s quantity-over-quality
For NC State education majors, the plan scraps bonuses for the bachelor’s degrees they receive, instead shifting bonuses to their time as apprentices. This might help ease the debt accrued for obtaining education but would also put even more stress on students who will now have to juggle a new and stressful class environment on top of their school work.
Academics are important, but don’t forget about emotional intelligence
We are currently in the midst of a K-12 edu cator shortage, unlike anything we’ve seen in recent years. As one of the fastest-growing states, North Carolina necessitates higher investment in education, yet North Carolina spending-per-pupil is below the national aver age. That hasn’t stopped the state legislature from instating a plethora of motions intended to make education even more unappealing. Republicans have taken egregious mea sures in recent weeks to make education an unaffordable position. Firstly, a plan titled the North Carolina Pathways for Teaching Professionals, which has a reform that could introduce merit-based pay, is being supported as a means to address the teacher shortage. Beyond the fact that overhauling pay struc tures when teachers are concerned about pay is extremely poor timing, the way in which teachers are getting paid is ill-informed. Pay seems to be shifting to performance, specifi cally as it pertains to “skills acquisitions and proof of competency,” according to the pro posal.Forthose who aren’t aware, the way we as sess these “acquisitions” and “proofs of com petency” is through standardized tests like the EOC, EOG, SAT, ACT or other final tests and grades. In a time when teachers are leaving en masse, largely because of poor pay, this new pay structure is beyond tasteless. While it is important that students succeed and that teachers get recognized for stellar performance, we’ve seen the effects of meritbased pay before. Look no further than the No Child Left Behind Act, which set standards for education based on benchmark test scores. Under NCLB, schools with poorer perfor mance on tests were punished. As with NCLB, this Pathways program will benefit wealthier areas. Because local taxes are a crucial component of school funding, student performance in less economically ad vantaged areas generally tends to be lower. This is because most funding for afterschool programs, supplies and even extra teachers and teacher assistants comes from the county rather than the state. This has the potential to further deplete the quality of education in poorer areas which, due to a history of redlining and segregation, affects POC disproportionately. The poverty rate for Black Americans was nearly double that of white Americans in 2020. Because merit pay will be based on test results, and poor areas tend to test lower due to having fewer resources, teachers will start making less in these areas.
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From 160 studies, researchers observed that students with high emotional intelligence tended to receive higher grades and test scores than their less emotionally intelligent counterparts, regardless of age or baseline intelligence. They noted this may be due to the fact that individuals who score high on this measure experience less boredom and disappointment, which are two contributors to academic failure.
The result will be a decrease in veteran teach ers’ pay because of their students’ and schools’ lower performance. With a reform like this, it is truly hard to tell whether the effects will be positive or negative until its implementation.
What does it take to be suc cessful in college? Anyone who has ever been a student knows there are many ways to answer this question. From time management skills to organization, there are a myriad of traits important to a student’s success, but I’m sure no one argues that intelligence isn’t important. Yet, as many of us are aware, there is more to life than calculus and European history. Beyond every internship and career oppor tunity, there is a person, or a group of people, with whom we will interact with and work alongside. For that reason, it’s important we turn our eyes to a dying art form — to people skills, or emotional intelligence. There are many models of emotional intelli gence, but they’re all rooted in one overarching idea. Broadly speaking, emotional intelligence is “the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others,” according to Psychology Today. In other words, emotional intelligence is what allows us to recognize when someone is stressed, to stop to think before we yell at our roommates and to put ourselves in other people’s shoes.
While the idea of emotional intelligence car ries much appeal, there is debate surround ing its validity and application. Critics argue emotional intelligence is not a real form of in telligence; rather, that it’s poorly defined and poorly measured, and its claims are overblown.
North Carolina’s legislature is failing its educators
Yet, individuals who possess traits charac teristic of emotional intelligence experience a range of positive effects. Some benefits include improved relationships, job satisfaction, lead ership skills and overall well-being. The ability to recognize and understand emotions can even boost academic perfor mance, according to a meta-analysis published by the American Psychological Association.
Many who have lived and grown up in North Carolina are well aware of the fragile state of the current public school sys tem. Teacher protests are becoming annual. School funding has been dry for decades. Claims of indoc trination from the left and the right have been ongoing, making the pro fession nearly unbearable.
This will have a doubling effect, disincen tivizing teachers from working or retaining their positions in these areas. Teachers will then leave the state in bigger droves, further driving down student performance and de grading teacher pay. In addition to the revised pay structure, the redesigning of licensure requirements for be coming a teacher might serve to “de-profes sionalize” the field, as claimed by Michelle Burton, president of the Durham Association of Educators. The plan contains a section that provides a sort of apprenticeship for aspiring teachers.Theprovision is controversial, allowing stu dents on track to receive bachelor’s degrees in education to begin teaching after two years in college. This seems good in principle, allow ing students to gain on-the-job experience. However, it also means that the initial pay for students coming out of college could start drastically lower than previously established.
RichardsLauren Staff Columnist
aspects, some veteran teachers are concerned that lower education quality will drop overall pay for teachers as the state increasingly relies on inherently inexperienced students to teach. Because of their lack of skills in teaching, the scoring of their students, some say, will drop.
There’s been moderate success so far in the recommendations of a subcommittee of the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission to reinstate higher pay for teachers with advanced degrees. We must continue to work with teachers, going to protests, city council meetings and town halls to get them the pay they deserve. Follow groups like the NC Association of Educators and the Carolina Teacher’s Alli ance and continue tracking legislative efforts to reform educator pay. By bearing down on politicians to enact change that educators actually support, we can provide a more eq uitable solution that enhances teacher pay to livable wages while increasing the quality of education in the state.
If you haven’t gotten the picture by now, these actions being taken by the state legisla ture are not only failing to address the teacher shortage but have the potential to make it even worse. All the while, the state is sitting on a $6 billion surplus. Please reach out to your politi cians and state your opposition to this action.
RodenbaughKoen
Correspondent
TECHNICIANONLINE.COM 6 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Opinion
North Carolina is on the wrong side of the gun debate
As a new academic year begins, excitement from students and teachers alike is reviving schools and uni versities across the state, and NC State in particular has been preparing for the larg est incoming first-year class in its history. In Madison County, the public school system is gearing up for the school year with a different newcomer: AR-15s. Yes, you read that right. In response to the Uvalde school shooting last spring, the Madi son County Sheriff’s department has decided to arm each of the six schools in the district with the same style gun that killed 19 chil dren and two teachers in Texas. In an effort to enhance security, one of these semiauto matic weapons will be placed in each school and made available to the school’s resource officers. The growing role of police presence in schools to keep kids safe is hotly contested, but Madison County’s new policy falls right in line with North Carolina’s recent trajec tory in the gun discussion. While the nation’s calls for comprehen sive gun action in the summer resulted in the most significant federal gun legislation for decades, North Carolina’s state legislation has remained inactive because of partisan divides. Democrats, along with the endorse ment of Governor Roy Cooper, have offered several gun control bills since 2021. How ever, they have stalled in committee, with a Republican-controlled General Assembly obstructing their progression. The most re cent gun legislation to make it to the gover nor’s desk was an attempt to remove permit requirements for pistols, North Carolina’s one credible provision in preventing gun violence.Thebill was passed along party lines and promptly vetoed by Governor Cooper, a se quence not foreign to the state’s gun politics. In the same summer, the Governor vetoed a Republican-backed bill to allow open and concealed carry in churches that share a venue with private schools. In 2020, Cooper vetoed a similar bill. These efforts by the state legislature are in the opposite direction of where North Caro lina should be aiming on guns. The state has the eighth most guns in the country and con sistently ranks in the top 10 for most firearm deaths. According to Giffords Law Center, this amounts to over 1,300 deaths a year and makes guns the third leading cause of death for children in the state. These numbers reflect an underwhelming catalog of gun restrictions in North Carolina. In the state, there is no law barring the pur chase of a gun and giving it to someone else. The state does not require a comprehensive registration of firearms. There is no state li censing requirement to purchase or own a long gun, being a shotgun or rifle. While a purchase from a licensed dealer is subject to a required background check, no such pro vision exists for a purchase from a private seller. The state is also without red flag laws or magazine capacity limits. The absence of restrictions in North Carolina is comparable to the same deficiencies in Texas that allowed the Uvalde shooter to conduct a massacre. Laws regulating gun ownership have been one of the most contentious issues in Ameri can politics for decades. An abundance of case studies and academia in recent years mostly point towards stronger gun control as the solution. States that have implemented tougher laws see less gun violence and pre vent mass shootings. Entire countries that enact similar policies find the same results. Even if the effects are in the capacity of a few percentage points, those are potentially hun dreds of lives spared. The conjecture that has given life to the gun debate has driven North Carolina down the wrong path. The news coming out of Madison County is no surprise given the misguided dialogue on the subject. Facts and awareness of our state’s position on guns is imperative to the understanding of everyone at NC State, all of whom are subject to the dangers of a school campus in the United States. One of the country’s worst and most well-deserved stigmas is its political complacency in gun violence; our community and state should avoid the same complicit reputation.
WelchJustin Correspondent Nova and Comet: Makeup Challenge Pearl Knight, staff cartoonist A fourth-year studying art and design Parasocial Pets Emma Reid, staff cartoonist A second-year studying business administration
… [You] start becoming way more aware of infrastructure — what is lacking in some parts that you want to avoid. Taking baby steps and taking time to learn basic bike maintenance and hand signals is impor tant. There’s certain parts of streets that can be more dangerous, like turning intersec tions, so just general knowledge. If you’re going out with someone who’s ridden for a few years, they can easily save you so much research.”Withsome basic cycling knowledge, bik ing through campus can be a rejuvenating way to break up your day. Phillip Fries, a third-year studying fashion and textile management, whose bike is his main form of commute, rated the campus eight out of 10 for “[Bikingbikeability.is]better on the environment,” Fries said. “It’s nice exercise, and it’s hard not to smile when you’re on a bike.” Bikes on the Brickyard celebrated this joy that comes with biking while promoting safety and sustainability on campus. Refer to NC State Transportation’s bicy cling page for a complete list of campus cy cling resources, tips, maps and directions.
Bikes on the Brickyard gave students a chance to talk to Transportation about the resources they have available to them, the Office of Sustainability about the envi ronmental benefits of cycling and Outdoor Adventures about cycling and mountain biking opportunities on campus.
Jameson Wolf Assistant Culture Editor
JAMESON WOLF/TECHNICIAN
The Brickyard was filled with bicycles of all makes and models on Thursday, Aug. 25 as students and staff pedaled up for free safety checks, bike registration and infor mation at the Bikes on the Brickyard event organized by NC State Transportation.
“The greenway is nice and convenient,” Selna said. “The bricks, unless they’re loose, are wonderful to bike on. I have yet to fall. There [are] few bike lanes that I’ve noticed.”
NC State’s campus is behind some sur rounding campuses when it comes to bik ing infrastructure. With no specified bike lanes, cyclists are always sharing space with either vehicles or pedestrians, requiring ex tra attention and communication when it comes to navigating.
TECHNICIANONLINE.COM 8 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Culture Bikes on the Brickyard: support for cyclists
“We always try to encourage sustainable transportation in terms of reducing the amount of cars on campus and choosing alternative methods,” said Lani St. Hill, communications and outreach coordina tor for the Office of Sustainability. “We all have this goal to reduce our dependence on cars here at NC State and get students to ride their bikes.” Free safety checks from Oak City Cycling drew lots of students to the event with the line of students waiting to have their bike inspected stretching across the brickyard for the full three-hour duration of the event.Jessie Pittman, a second-year studying communication, came for the safety check and free registration. “I’m doing a mountain biking class, and I’m a little hesitant about it,” Pittman said. “So I just want to make sure everything’s in order, and I want to make sure that I have everything registered because that’s mandatory.”Manystudents expressed appreciation for the biking experience on NC State’s cam pus. Addison Selna, a first-year studying parks, recreation and tourism manage ment, feels that campus and Raleigh are both bikeable.
Students wait in line for free bicycle safety checks at NC State Transportation’s Bikes on the Brickyard event.
‘On Black’: the lived experiences of the Black community at NC State “On Black” is an up-and-coming pod cast hosted by NC State students that em phasizes the Black experience on campus through conversation and commentary. The podcast is the place to turn to under stand the Black culture and community at NC “‘OnState.Black’ is … just a space that we can showcase our Blackness and our Black community,” said Jeanine Ikekhua, a third-year in international studies and communication and one of three hosts of the podcast. One of the founding goals of “On Black” is to raise awareness, particular ly for incoming students, of the Black community at NC State. Host Hamsata Mazou, a second-year in exploratory studies, said not seeing Black people on campus was a driving factor in starting the“Aspodcast.incoming freshman, we [were] just looking all over social media and you just saw no Black representation at all,” MazouIkekhuasaid.agreed that it is not easy to find Black representation by looking through NC State’s websites and social media.“Wego to a PWI [predominately white institution], and our social media 100% reflects that,” Ikekhua said. The hosts of “On Black” want to re solve this oversight by showing that the Black community is alive and thriving at NC State. Mazou believes they can accomplish this by presenting their lis teners with stories of casual Black life onThecampus.production process is flexible to accommodate the hosts balancing the podcast with their coursework, and while there is no set day of the week that they record, the three hosts do have dis tinct roles and voices as a part of “On Black.”Alexis Grant, a second-year studying material science engineering and the fi nal host, leads the conversations and ed its episodes while Mazou handles social media. Ikekhua has experience in radio, having worked as an intern with NPR which she uses to guide the three of them on this journey and give the podcast the professional voice that is neces Skye Crawford
Karen Stritzinger, a volunteer with local bicycle advocacy group Oaks and Spokes, shared some tips for sharing roadways and walkways, especially for beginning cyclists. “Finding other people that you can ride with helps,” Stritzinger said. “It can be very intimidating the first time you go out, especially if you’re riding [in] traffic.
Correspondent EXPERIENCES continued page 10
Limited parking and long walks between classes have turned bicycles into the ideal mode of campus transportation for many. It’s hard to beat a bike in efficiency and speed. When you add in the indepen dence and flexibility they give pedalers, it’s no wonder that bikes are everywhere onThiscampus.independence also allows the biking community to be easily overlooked in cam pus transportation planning. In an effort to support and protect cyclists on campus, NC State Transportation partnered with other university offices, local businesses and advocacy groups to set up a temporary one-stop shop for all things campus cycling on Thursday afternoon. “[Cyclists are] one of those groups that we probably need to do a better job of reaching out to,” said Demar Bonnemere, the com munications manager for Transportation. “So we’re trying to think of ways that we could engage with the student cycling com munity more and really show them that we hear them, we see them, we care about them. We just want to promote cycling on campus as much as possible.”
In his first film since “Mad Max: Fury Road,” George Miller delivers a dizzying and extravagant experience with “Three Thousand Years of Longing.” Starring allstars Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba alongside a cast of relative newcomers, “Three Thousand Years of Longing” packs a dreamy punch, lavishly spinning tales of old and new. Swinton plays Alithea, a contently alone “narratologist” on a trip to Istanbul. Alithea begins as a tightlaced intellectual until she happens on a Djinn, or genie, played by Elba. The Djinn is a romantic and thoughtful being, sharing stories of the women he en countered throughout history before Alithea. Elba and Swin ton are two performers I would never think to put together — their general taste in roles and perfor mances didn’t seem compatible to me, but Miller’s direction and the complementary nature of their characters made them a strong duo. In the film’s interwoven storytelling and Alithea’s profession as a narratologist, — essentially a media scholar — this is es sentially a story about storytelling and its influence and necessity. An adaptation of the 1994 short story collection “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye” by A.S. Byatt, this film ends up a worthy “art about art” film. As a story itself, it’s well-crafted — mostly. Elements of the Djinn’s stories come back to the present day in noticeable but sub tle ways. It’s primarily a “flashback” film, going back to the Djinn’s past of sumptuous royalty and previous clients of his three-wish promises. The first two acts of the film are incredibly strong and enthrall ing, as this sort of story should be, but the third act lacks a bit. Multiple fades to black in the final minutes and many scenes that feel like the end but weren’t quite made the ultimate conclusion short and a bit anticlimactic. Although the end ing’s execution is disappointing, the close is still satisfying to the story at large. Visual effects in this film contribute to the dreamlike and fantastic imagery of the Djinn’s past. Elba is a modified version of himself with pointy ears, colored hands and scaled legs, but none of these or other effects fall flat; they all serve their purpose smoothly. It’s an over-the-top film in many ways, but it never feels excessive. After all, this is a love story, and even fanciful imag ery can’t undercut that. Perhaps the most striking element of this film is the cinematography by John Seale. For his prior film, “Mad Max: Fury Road,” Miller coaxed Seale out of retirement and was nominated for an Academy Award. Miller again cajoled Seale to shoot “Three Thousand Years of Longing,” and Seale delivered once more. Flashback shots are incredibly vivid and dreamlike, swooping across the ornate sets with ease and beauty. In a time where movies can all look and feel the same, a film like “Three Thousand Years of Longing” is a breath of fresh air. Utilizing big names like Swinton and Elba in a pulpy and overexaggerated film like this is a delight, and I’m hoping this will set a new standard for emerging maximal ist movies. BY ELLIE BRUNO Allie Remhof Copy Desk Chief It’s an over-the-top film in many ways, but it never feels excessive. After all, this is a love story, and even fanciful imagery can’t undercut that. -Allie Remhof
TECHNICIANONLINE.COM TECHNICIAN 9 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Culture A L P H A X I D E L T A N O R T H C A R O L I N A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y A N E W S O R O R I T Y J O I N I N G P A N H E L L E N I C A T B E A L P H A X I . O R G L E A R N M O R E A T @ a l p h a x i n c s @u a l p h a x i n c s u
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‘Three Thousand Years of Longing’: George Miller’s maximalist return
your heinie in Hill: Our
in D.H.
Abigail Ali, News Editor: I love the study cubicles in the Bookstacks. They have little desks and a little wall that surrounds the chair offering students a private cubby to work in. Also, since these seats can be found in the top floors of the Bookstacks, the location is super quiet, which can be so important dur ing exam season.
Jameson Wolf, Assistant Culture Editor: My go-to Hill study spot is the special collections reading room on the first floor. As far as seating goes, it’s somewhat unimaginative with a time-tested wooden chair style (why fix something that isn’t broken), but the long tables and low lamplight cre ate a Library of Alexandria atmosphere that makes it easier to pretend what I’m working on is direly important. There are also big atlases to flip through if you need a brain break.
Home to a variety of seating op tions in different settings, D. H. Hill Library can be overwhelming for new students who have never ventured into the building to find the best place to study. We put together our personal favorites, from silent study to floors perfect for group conversation.
Wade Bowman, Managing Editor: I won’t lie, not much of my time at NC State has been spent in D.H. Hill. De spite normally preferring to study in the comfort of my own room, on the couple occasions that I did find myself in Hill, I’ve always gravitated towards the booths with whiteboard tables on the second floor. Being able to get anything that’s on my mind out on the whiteboard has always been a nice feel ing, and going to the library definitely benefits my productivity — when I can get myself in there.
Library
Myra Bari, Culture Editor: Person ally, my favorite type of chair in the library (or seating technically) are the carrels on the third floor of the library. They’re so comfy to stretch out on, and I love the privacy they give you. They can be really hard to find during peak library hours, so make sure to venture out early if you’d like to nab one!
Blake Albright, second-year studying biology human bio concentration, does his homework in the back room at D.H. Hill Library on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. sary to take the podcast beyond NC State.According to Grant and Ikekhua, an other central goal of the podcast is to highlight Black women’s voices. “I feel like it’s important to highlight Black women and especially our place in radio,” Ikekhua said. “I feel like ‘On Black’ is just that.” While “On Black” currently focuses on NC State students, the hosts hope to car ry their ideas beyond the studio. Ikekhua, Grant and Mazou have big plans to uplift the silenced voices of Black women, be ginning with the conversations that “On Black” initiates and so far seem to be on the right “Peoplepath.seem very engaged in the con versation and want to be a part of it,” GrantDespitesaid.its focus on the Black experi ence, the podcast is a space for people of all demographics to come together and share different perspectives. The women cover topics that anyone can relate to, from personal growth and friendships to romantic relationships. The podcast builds on these topics by emphasizing what it means to be Black in these con texts.Each episode covers a different set of ideas, so listeners will get something new out of each listen. Episodes are available on several apps. For more details and in formation, visit the podcast’s Instagram.
to
Heidi Reid, Assistant News Editor: The leather chairs with the round side tables on the ninth floor reign supreme. The ninth floor is always fairly empty, very quiet, and, if you are sitting on the west side of the building, the view is amazing. Mary Kate Giuffrida, Assistant Copy Desk Chief: My favorite chairs in D.H. Hill are the ones by the win dows on the third floor! I love being in the natural light and being able to look out at all the other students when I need a break from my work. I also like that there’s always a lot of other students working so there’s plenty of white noise. Elyse Boldizar, Assistant Opinion Editor: I love the reading room near the Technician historical display on the first floor, especially when I’m editing for Technician for obvious reasons. It also has such a nice atmosphere, espe cially if you can snag a spot near the windows where you can see the peaceful trees outside. On weekends when I’ve procrastinated and really need to ham mer some studying out, I love sitting in the blue chairs near the windows by the Brickyard entrance — only on off days though because it can be distracting watching people come in when Hill’s busy.
Ellie Bruno, Design Editor: I would love to say that I’ve always been a studi ous college student, but in reality I did most of my “studying” (aka hanging out with my friends) in the common areas of the dorms. When I actually had to study, I would find myself in D.H. Hill’s special collections reading room. The lighting, old wood furniture, the long hallway leading into the space – it all felt like a scene out of “Legally Blonde,” which somehow made me work harder (?!). It also helped that Hill of Beans was just a short walk away whenever I needed a mid-study snack!
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Cameron Rhinehardt, Brand Man ager: I love to study with friends, so my go-to at Hill is the round booths on the third floor. There are always white boards around to utilize for studying and it is the perfect fit for friends or study groups to do work together. Not to mention everyone is generally noisy on the third floor so you don’t have to worry about being too loud. If you need to talk for any reason, this spot is great.
Where put favorite seats Hill Jr.
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EXPERIENCES continued from page 8 COURTESY OF THE “ON BLACK” HOSTS
It’s finally here. Another year of NC State football is only days away, and with a new season comes a new slate of challenges for head coach Dave Doeren and company to overcome in the team’s search for postsea son glory. From make-or-break conference matchups to classic Wolfpack trap games, the red-and-white has plenty to be cautious of as its hunt for 12-0 gets underway. Nonconference Matchups
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Over the past 52 years, NC State has earned itself a slight advantage in the alltime record with 18 wins to 13 losses against the Pirates. Within those 31 matchups, the Pack has fared much better at home than on the road, with a 16-7 advantage when playing in Carter-Finley Stadium compared to a losing 2-4 record in Dowdy-Ficklen. The last time the red-and-white was able to walk out of Greenville with a win was 2007, and in the six matchups since, the two teams are split three wins to three. After the showdown at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, NC State returns home to face the remainder of its nonconference sche dule. Weeks two through four see Char leston Southern, Texas Tech and UConn all making the trip to Raleigh in hopes of knocking off an NC State team with a lot of hype surrounding it. The largest unknown to NC State is Charleston Southern, a program that the Pack has never had the opportunity to face off against before. Fortunately for the Wolfpack, Charleston Southern is coming off a rather disappointing 4-6 (3-4 Big South) season where struggles on the road were its biggest killer a year ago. NC State hopes to capitalize on that shortcoming in its home opener, where Wolfpack fans will march out in droves to start another year of football in Raleigh. If it weren’t for such a potentially competi tive matchup in the season’s first game, this would likely serve as the Pack’s warm-up for the remainder of the year, similar to how South Florida did a year ago when NC State managed a 45-0 shutout of the Bulls in week Weeksone.three and four welcome two teams in Carter-Finley that NC State has a history of success against in the past. The Wolfpack hasn’t dropped a game to the Red Raiders since 1952, and over the course of the 70 years between then and now, NC State is 4-0 against Texas Tech. History doesn’t mean everything, however, as a lot has changed since the last time these programs faced off inThe2003.same sentiment rings true for the UConn matchup in week four, with NC State coming into the game with a 2-0 alltime record against the Huskies. Again, a lot has changed in the 10 years since these teams met on the field in 2012. Despite the week zero loss to Utah State, the Huskies’ offense looked potent enough to give the Pack a run for its money, especially in the run game where UConn back Nathan Car ter started off his season with a career-high 190 rushing yards on 20 carries.
Battle for the Atlantic
TECHNICIANONLINE.COM TECHNICIAN 11 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Sports NC State set to conquer 2022 schedule
Coastal Competition
The first four weeks of the season are going to have to give the Pack all the time it needs to prepare for a week five matchup that has to be the most anticipated game of the season. Despite walking away with a 27-21 2OT victory in Carter-Finley last Sep tember, everything the Pack learned about Clemson in that game will fly off the table when NC State sets foot in Death Valley. It’s been said a million times before, but, with every repetition, it remains just as true; to be the best, you have to beat the best. Even if you consider a 10-3 season a down year for the perennial powerhouse, the Tigers have claimed six of the last seven ACC tit les. The ceiling for such an experienced and talented Wolfpack football squad extends past winning a conference championship, but it’s an essential stepping stone to get where this team undoubtedly wants to be. To get there, a win over Clemson is all but necessary for the Pack to control its own destiny within the conference. If NC State can manage to pull off a mi racle in Tigers territory, a week six matchup against Florida State has all the makings of a classic Wolfpack heartbreaker. In terms of “trap games,” this one is as real as it gets, with the potential high of downing Clemson sure to fog the minds coming into the game against the Seminoles.
DANIELLE MEYER/TECHNICIAN Sophomore linebacker Drake Thomas intercepts the ball and runs towards the end zone on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Carter-Finley Sta dium. Thomas had four tackles and two sacks throughout the night. The Wolfpack won 41-17 against the Orange.
In the final season before the ACC shifts to a conference without divisions, NC State will have to face a pair of opponents from the other side of the table that are gua ranteed to give the Pack trouble. The first of the two is a week nine faceoff against Virginia Tech at home, a series that historically has favored the Hokies. NC State comes into the season 18-28-4 against Virginia Tech all time and is currently on the tail end of a five-game losing streak da
ting back to Sept. 4, 2005. The four-point loss from nearly 17 years ago stands as the closest the Pack has come in the time frame to taking the Hokies down, with the average margin of defeat from the past five games sitting at almost 16 points.
The matchup in 2020 saw the continued slow rollout of now redshirt junior quarter back Devin Leary, who entered the game in the third quarter to lead a touchdown drive. Leary finished the contest throwing 12-16 for 165 yards and the aforementioned touchdown and will hope to put up even more impressive numbers in his first career start against the Hokies. The last of the coastal pairings comes against every Wolfpack fan’s least favorite program, UNC-Chapel Hill. The final game of the regular season on Friday, Nov. 25 could be an absolutely electric one, with NC State primed to hold a pretty distinguished ranking heading into the start of postseason football.Whether it wants to be heard or not, his tory favors the Tar Heels, which hold a 68-37 advantage in the all-time record with six ties sprinkled across the 128 years of the rivalry. The last 10 matchups between the programs are far more indicative of the nature this rivalry possesses, with the two teams split at five games apiece since 2012. No matter how good or bad of a year either program has had heading into the game, it’s anyone’s crown for the taking year after year. Mack Brown will probably be hellbent on redemp tion as well after last season’s historically humiliating loss at Carter-Finley.
Weeks one through four see NC State facing off against the entirety of its non conference schedule for the 2022 season. From afar, many onlookers would scoff at the quality of competition the Pack will square off against early in the year, but make no mistake — plenty of these teams possess the upset potential to knock NC State off its high horse. The Wolfpack has no time to slowly work its way up to playing speed with a daunting week one matchup against the Pirates down in Greenville, North Carolina. For those outside of North Carolina, a name like East Carolina doesn’t mean much. Within the state, however, this is a rich and competitive rivalry spanning back to the first time these two programs faced off in 1970.
During his freshman year at Fairmont State, Zavala’s dad prescribed him a diet of five meals and three snacks every day. While putting on weight was the overall goal, he utilized his knowledge as a trained chef to guide his son over the phone about what to eat (and what not to eat) as well as how much. That dietary training has paid off for Zavala, who now towers at 6-foot-5, 325“I’mpounds.justmaintaining now,” Zavala said. “I’ll probably just eat four times a day, and just some little snacks here and there.”
Zavala entered fall camp with a renewed appreciation for the opportunities before him. He spent months going back and forth with the NCAA, not knowing if he’d play college football again. He went through months of rehabbing his back to return to playing shape. He nearly lost his father. After coming so close to losing so much, Zavala also cites his faith as something he’s been able to lean on throughout this process.“Icherish every day I go in,” Zavala said. “I always get emotional; through this whole process I’ve been getting closer with God. Every time I go onto the field I also pray and every time I come off, I pray.” Through several strenuous situations on and off the gridiron, Zavala’s fortitude has been bolstered by his family, faith, coaches and teammates. Now, he’s prepared to an chor the Pack’s offensive line this fall.
CONTRIBUTED BY GREGG FORWERCK/NC STATE ATHLETICS
Bryan Pyrtle Sports Editor Florida State has been an underperfor mer in recent years, but not due to a lack of talent. The program builds rosters that can compete with anyone year after year down in Tallahassee, Florida, and 2022’s unit is no exception. The dual-threat quarterback Jordan Travis may finally have found his footing in the passing game, and if that’s the case, NC State’s going to have its hands full trying to contain him.
“I’d say Chandler is probably the stron gest O-lineman we’ve got,” said junior run ning back Jordan Houston. “He’s freakishly strong.”Houston’s praise carries even more weight when considering Zavala’s company on the offensive line. It’s tempting to think that Zavala is the lone standout with offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu now with the Carolina Panthers, but in reality he is one of many. Graduate center Grant Gibson is enter ing his third season as a team captain and was named to the preseason watchlist for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top center. Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Anthony Belton, dubbed “Escalade” by strength and conditioning coach Dantonio Burnette for his combina tion of size and quickness, is the frontrun ner to start at left tackle. With Zavala also among those set to line up for the Wolfpack offense this season, NC State is primed to wreak havoc in the trenches.
Going into his final year with the Wolf pack, Zavala is set to play a key role in NC State’s offense. Oftentimes football games are won and lost in the trenches, and Zava la’s soccer and basketball background helps him use his strength and frame to hold pass rushers at bay as well as clear paths in the running game.
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Chandler Zavala embracing one last season with NC State football
It’s difficult to convey the degree of hard ship that Zavala endured these past several months. Between recovering from a back injury that ended his 2021 season and bat tling with the NCAA for one more year of eligibility, Zavala also nearly lost his father Demitrio, who underwent emergency sur gery right before the Wolfpack traveled to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl. It was the first of three surgeries that Demitrio Zavala would“Beforeundergo.Iwent to California for the bowl game, I actually almost lost my father,” Zavala said. “He had emergency surgery; it was a seven-hour procedure, and he was dead on the table for 10 minutes. He had to have surgery that day, also in mid-February and then his last surgery was the first week ofZavalaApril.”continued by describing the im portance of his support network in helping him through such a difficult period of his life.“It was a really hard time,” Zavala said. “If I didn’t have the coaches, that woman over there [associate athletic director] Miss Annabelle [Myers], [head] coach [Dave Do eren], it would have been a very hard time.” Zavala’s father also played an integral role in his development as a player. Demitrio Zavala is a chef and a two-time Chopped champion, so when Chandler started play ing football in his senior year of high school, Demitrio was primed to help his son bulk up.Before he was a stalwart of the Wolfpack O-line, before he started playing college football at Division II Fairmont State, Chan dler Zavala did not have a football back ground. Growing up, he preferred playing soccer and basketball despite clocking in at roughly 6-foot-2, 240 pounds around his sophomore and junior years of high school. Zavala picked up football as a high school senior after his paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather, both die-hard Miami Dolphins fans, passed away. After starting out as a tight end, Zavala’s coach at For est Park High School had him put on some muscle to slide in at right tackle.
The Pack has had the Seminoles’ number over the past five seasons, going 4-1 in that time and 2-0 when playing at home. Week seven’s matchup against Syracuse is NC State’s last game before what will be a much-needed bye week. Historically speaking, the Pack hasn’t dealt with much pressure from the Orange in the past, ow ning a 13-2 record against Syracuse all time. That being said, NC State is still going to have its hands full on the defensive side of the ball when trying to close holes on Sean Tucker, the running back receiving the most preseason All-ACC votes. This matchup leans towards an offensive show case for both teams, but Wolfpack fans have seen wilder things happen than a tightly contested, low-scoring outing against Sy racuse right before a week off. Rounding out NC State’s schedule before the previously mentioned matchup with the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, the Pack squares off against both Wake Forest and Boston College at home before making a road trip to Louisville, Kentucky. Maybe the most underrated of NC State’s rivalries, the matchup against Wake Forest never fails to entertain. It’s the Pack with the all-time advantage against the Demon Dea cons, owning a record of 67-42-6 since the first meeting between the programs in 1895. However, similar to the history with UNC, the last 10 meetings between the teams are split an even five to five. Things in college football have progressed quite a bit since that 1895 matchup that ended in a 4-4 tie. In modern times this rivalry seemingly always guarantees one thing — points in bunches. Expect much of the same this year, especially if Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman is cleared to play by early PerhapsNovember.themost surprising series that NC State doesn’t hold a firm grasp on is against Boston College, which the Pack is 8-10 against all time. In the past five mee tings between the programs, NC State has started to turn the tide, however, holding a slight three-wins-to-two advantage over the Eagles. On senior day, for a program that managed to retain so many veteran pieces from last year’s team, expect the ex perienced members of the Pack to use their last home game as an opportunity to leave their mark on Carter-Finley one last time. The regular season’s penultimate mat chup, and final ACC Atlantic game, is set for Saturday, Nov. 12 against Louisville. In an all-time series that is extremely reminiscent of the previously mentioned one against Boston College, the Cardinals hold a 7-4 all-time advantage but the Pack has taken three of the last five games. A win in Car dinal Stadium would go down as NC State’s second-ever road win against Louisville and could be just enough to punch the Pack’s ticket to an ACC championship appearance.
“The strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.” This quote from Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” is a well-known adage in and around NC State, especially in athletics. But perhaps no one player exemplifies its mes sage better than graduate offensive guard Chandler Zavala.
A lot of stars have aligned for NC State to face the slate of opponents it’s preparing for in 2022, but for everything that could go right — just as much can go wrong. Sure, the Pack has faced much tougher schedules in the past, but a team of this year’s caliber can’t afford to look over some of its non-pri metime matchups. Every week will be its own independent battle, fought in order to break through the front lines of the ACC, which NC State may finally be built for.
2022 continued from page 11
Correspondent
“As a recruit, you understand that NC State really is QBU,” Leary said in a post practice presser on Aug. 9. “The amount of everything they produce on the next level, you know they hold their quarter backs to a really high standard.”
Sports 2022 NC State football roster headlined by Leary, stacked defense
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary runs with the ball in the game versus UNC-Chapel Hill on Friday, Nov. 26, 2021 at Carter-Finley Stadium. Leary had 247 passing yards during the game. NC State beat UNC-Chapel Hill 34-30.
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There are several new faces that look to stake their names to the running attack, but junior Jordan Houston looks to use his veteran experience to help lead the way.
Tight Ends The tight end play was a large factor in the Pack’s offensive success last season. Redshirt junior Trent Pennix and redshirt sophomore Christopher Toudle both had the opportunity to play the position for the first time and they ran with it. Pennix, who was a running back at the time of his recruitment, made the position switch and he put up 236 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Toudle, a former receiver, also provides another reliable option as he hauled in four scores of his own. It should be noted that he had to have surgery in the offseason which required him to miss spring practice. However if healthy, both should be reliable options in the redzone.
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Defensive Line Despite losing star lineman Daniel Joseph, the defensive line still looks to be talented heading into the season. It is led by gradu ate defensive tackle Cory Durden who was named to the All-ACC First Team in his first year after transferring to the program. He recorded a respectable 31 total tackles and three sacks on the season. Junior Savion Jackson looks to build off of a strong season which was interrupted by injury. He was honored this offseason with being able to wear the legendary number nine that past greats Mario Williams and Bradley Chubb donned during their time in Raleigh.
Offensive Line The front line for NC State has continued to be an integral part of the team and that was certainly evident last season. There is a noticeable gap in the line however as standout left tackle Ikem Ekwonu was drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. However, the line is still in good hands as the projected starters for this year average around 5.2 years of team experience.Thelineis led by graduate Grant Gib son, who was named to the All-ACC third-team last year, has exemplified de pendability by starting each of the Pack’s last 35 games at center. It also should be highlighted that he led the entire team in total snaps played at a staggering 828. As noted above, the absence of Ekwonu could prove to be troublesome but the presence of graduate Bryson Speas should help. Even though he has primarily played at right tackle, he could be shifted to the left. Graduate Timothy McKay could fill in the missing tackle spot after be ing the sixth man on the line last season. Other veterans returning include redshirt sophomore Dylan McMahon and gradu ate Chandler Zavala, who will most likely be used as guards. After originally losing his battle for an extra year of eligibility, Zavala was able to secure another season after suffering a back injury that kept him out for seven games.
Gavin Gallimore
“I feel as the most experienced back, it’s my role now to lead by example and mini mize mistakes,” Houston said. The former three-star recruit has been used sparingly since the 2019 season in which he ran for 526 yards and two touch downs.“2019 I feel like was great for me because I was able to get that early experience,” Hous ton said. “Experience goes a long way when it comes to playing college football.”
The highly anticipated 2022 NC State football season is less than a week away. In the meantime, it is time to take a look at each position group for the Wolfpack and the starters and reserves that stand in the balance. Quarterback Heading into his third season as starter, redshirt junior Devin Leary not only serves as the leader of the quarterback room but the whole team. He received a lot of praise this offseason as he was named the ACC Preseason Player of the Year. Last season was one for the ages for Leary as he was able to play an entire season after fractur ing his fibula during the 2020 season. He helped guide the Wolfpack to nine wins, six of which were in the ACC. Leary passed for 3,433 yards, 35 touch downs as compared to only five intercep tions. He also had an impressive 65.7 completion rating. It should be noted that each of these stats ranked in the top five in the ACC last season. In the season finale against UNC-Chapel Hill, he passed for his 35th touchdown which broke the NC State single-season touch down record set by Philip Rivers. Leary looks to continue his legacy as the next great quarterback to play for the Pack. If he is able to continue his success from last season, he will definitely be a top prospect in next year’s NFL draft.
There are key depth pieces that help round out the quarterback room. Red shirt freshman Ben Finley is the most experienced when it comes to the other quarterbacks. He appeared in three games last year behind center but saw rela tively limited action. Freshman MJ Morris and graduate transfer Jackson Chambers are both newcomers on this squad. Running Backs Running back looks like an area of rela tive uncertainty for the Pack at the moment. Over the offseason, NC State bid farewell to veterans Ricky Person Jr. and Zonovan Knight who both went pro. The job to re place them looks to be a rather challenging task as they both combined for 1,389 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
Another name to keep in mind is sopho more Demie Sumo. Even though he did not see much playing time outside of special teams, Sumo looks to be a very promising ground force as he put together a rather im pressive career for Willingboro High School in New Jersey. Redshirt sophomore Delbert Mimms III also looks to add his name to the mix. The Indianapolis product saw relatively limited time at running back last season as he only played in two games. He mostly contributed to special teams where he recorded the most snaps. It should be no surprise if both spend considerably less time on special teams this season.
Wide Receivers Offensive coordinator Tim Beck has to be pleased with the level of talent that currently resides in the NC State receiving room. De spite star pass-catcher Emeka Emezie turn ing pro, there is still lots of talent in Raleigh. It starts with graduate Thayer Thomas and redshirt junior Devin Carter. The two of them combined for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Thomas, a former walk-on, has plenty of experience as he heads into his fifth season with the team. He has undoubtedly left an impact on the program as he ranks seventh in receptions and third in receiving touch downs in school history. Carter has proven himself to be a serious threat in the passing game as he led the team in yards per recep tion last season. His frame and skillset have made him a reliable target in the red zone as he hauled in six touchdown receptions, one of which was the game-winner against Clemson last season. One name that has begun to emerge on the scene is sophomore Porter Rooks. The former four-star receiver from Charlotte, North Carolina posted 298 yards last year primarily as a slot receiver. He should cer tainly be expected to be a larger piece of the offense this season.
The depth begins with graduate transfer Darryl Jones, who transferred to the Pack after four seasons with Maryland. Also, ju nior Keyon Lesane and sophomore Anthony Smith add options as they have both been contributors in years past.
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sophomore Shyheim Battle rounds out the starting secondary as he started nine games at corner last season. He was also an honor able All-ACC selection. There is considerable depth on this squad as there are several others who saw at least a decent amount of playing time. Sophomore nickelback Devan Boykin was crucial com ing off of the bench, as he started four games near the end of the season. Another name to mention is junior safety Jakeen Harris, who started seven games last year. Special Teams The new season brings with it the return of the leading scorer in NC State history, graduate kicker Christopher Dunn. He is notably very accurate, nailing 48 field goals last season and has yet to miss an extra point in his entire career. He was responsible for one of the biggest moments of the season as he executed a perfect onside kick to help the Pack complete a late comeback against UNC-Chapel Hill. In regards to punters, there will be chang es as Trenton Gill left for the NFL. Graduate transfer Shane McDonough looks to fill in for Gill as he showed great promise with Towson. McDonough was a two-time all conference section and averaged 41.3 yards per punt last season. The special team’s unit as a whole should continue to be a strength for NC State.
Six hundred and seventeen miles. That is the distance graduate defensive tackle Cory Durden traveled when he made the ultimate decision to become a member of the Pack before the 2021 season. Before his arrival in Raleigh, the Newberry, Florida native played three seasons for the Florida State Seminoles. Durden is not the only for mer Seminole to join the Pack in 2021, as graduate safety Cyrus Fagan arrived earlier in the year. Durden credits Fagan with be ing a huge factor in his decision to enroll at NC State.
Durden looks to replicate 2021 success after ‘life changing’ transfer to NC State
With an improved mindset and a new playing environment, it was Durden’s des tiny to create an impact on the field for defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. During the 2021 season, Durden was a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. He started eight games, including the final seven games of the season, switch ing between the nose tackle and the edge. During his first year with the Pack, Dur den racked up 31 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. His most impressive out ing came during the Wolfpack’s upset win against the Clemson Tigers. In the game, Durden totaled six tackles, 1.5 sacks and a QBDurden’spressure.impact however, did not go un noticed as Durden was one of the six mem bers of the Pack to be featured as a mem ber on the All-ACC First Team. On top of his All-ACC selection, he was selected as a member of the All-ACC Academic First Team. Earning all of these accolades in just his first season with the Pack was a huge accomplishment for Durden.
Jacob Allen
“It felt pretty good … it’s a testament of my hard work,” Durden said. “This is what I worked so hard for in the offseason last year, just to have that pay off. It was big time.”
To go along with his All-ACC selections, Durden was awarded the Carey Brewbaker Award, which is handed out annually by the NC State coaches to the top defensive line man, and he was selected to serve as one of the team captains for the Pack during the 2022Afterseason.adisappointing finish to the season that saw a last-minute backout in the Holi day Bowl by UCLA and head coach Dave Doeren’s opportunity for his first 10 win season with the Pack stripped away, the goals for Durden and the Pack are high. This season, the Wolfpack has its eyes set on Charlotte where it can end its ACC Cham pionship drought with the NC State’s first conference title since 1979 and potentially book a trip to the College Football Playoff.
Graduate defensive tackle Cory Durden works to sack Tar Heel quarterback Sam Howell during the last home football game of the season against UNC-Chapel Hill at Carter-Finley Stadium on Nov. 26, 2021. The Wolfpack won 34-30.
GRIFFIN BRYANT/TECHNICIAN
“Consistent behavior over a long period of time, as a coach that builds trust,” said head coach Dave Doeren. “He’s put on good weight, he’s moving well and he’s been out there every day working hard.” To round out the starting three will most likely be sophomore Davin Vann. He was able to garner his fair share of experience last season, playing in place of an injured Jackson. He started the final three games of the year and he collected 25 total tackles and 3.5 sacks.
TECHNICIANONLINE.COM 14 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Sports
“He was probably the sole reason I came here,” Durden said. “Cyrus played a major part. He just kind of told me how every thing was … just the situation. It worked out perfectly for us.” Durden’s decision to transfer to the Pack has presented him with countless benefits. He believes his life has changed greatly since his transfer to NC State.
“I feel like I’m playing at a higher level and I’m in a better headspace,” Durden said. “I’m just pretty happy about that.”
Experience goes a long way when it comes to playing college football. -Jordan Houston
Linebackers Arguably the most talented and most deep position group on this entire team belongs to the linebacker core. All three presumed starters have the potential to collect post season awards and establish themselves as top NFL prospects. For redshirt junior Payton Wilson and graduate Isaiah Moore, the season cannot start fast enough. After both were named as preseason All-ACC First-Team selec tions and having a very strong start to the 2021 season, they both experienced seasonending injuries. Wilson hopes to build off a strong 2020 campaign which saw him rank fourth in all of college football in tackles and be named to the All-ACC First Team. Moore would also like to duplicate his 2020 season after posting 94 tackles, three sacks and being named an honorary All-ACC member.“Youalways have to get better as a player, you’re never a finished product,” Moore said. “The more reps I can give helps me continue to refine my craft and to get bet ter.”When both Wilson and Moore went down, junior Drake Thomas stepped into the spotlight and took advantage of it. He helped take a leadership role in the Pack defense and collected 763 total snaps, the second most of any defensive player. He recorded his best season as he amassed 99 total tackles and six sacks. At the end of the season, he was named to the All-ACC FirstSomeTeam.other names to keep in mind are sophomore Devon Betty and junior Jaylon Scott. Both saw action last year in the ab sence of Wilson and Moore. Secondary Over the course of the past few years, the Wolfpack secondary has continued to improve and that is in large part due to its veteran presence. The leader of this unit is senior safety Tanner Ingle. He recorded the most snaps played on defense at 776 and earned All-ACC First Team honors. Gradu ate safety Cyrus Fagan also looks to have a strong season after he missed the bulk of last season with an injury after transferring from Florida State. Honorary All-ACC se lection Tyler Baker-Williams will also line up at corner. The senior nickelback con tinued his excellence as he helped lead the conference in passes defended. At cornerback is talented redshirt senior Derrek Pitts Jr. In his first season with the Pack, he started 11 games, the most of any corner on the team, and ranked fifth on the team in terms of tackles. Lastly, redshirt
Ben Ellis Assistant Sports Editor
With NC State football primed to have its biggest, most important season yet in 2022, stars such as redshirt junior quarter back Devin Leary, junior linebacker Drake Thomas and graduate linebacker Isaiah Moore are at the forefront of the Pack’s campaign to win the ACC. But with talent covering every inch of NC State’s roster, it’s important to remember how it got there and how NC State is in position to have its most successful, exciting and highly anticipated season in recent memory. Spoiler alert: it’s because of head coach DaveDoeren,Doeren.whose job was called for after a disappointing 2019 season, has now guided the program to new heights in just three seasons thereafter. By crafting an excellent roster and beating some of the best teams and coaches in the ACC, Doeren is solidify ing his legacy as one of the best head coaches in NC State football history right before our veryThateyes.three-year turnaround has perhaps been the most impressive part of Doeren’s tenure in Raleigh. After the Pack’s dismal 4-8 record in 2019, he’s been able to guide the red-and-white as far as the No. 13 spot in this year’s AP college football rankings. The consistent and momentous improvement in NC State’s roster, coaching and on-the-field execution can all be attributed to Doeren. Bringing a team back from the brink of failure is always a positive sign. However, Doeren bringing the Pack back from the bottom of the ACC standings to the top in just three short seasons was an entirely dif ferent feat. This was largely due to the revo lutionized roster that Doeren was able to engineer amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and while battling NC State’s interconfer ence and national recruiting disadvantage. Year in and year out, NC State falls be hind its strongest ACC competition when it comes to recruiting. Despite having an average recruiting class grade of 44th in the nation from 2019 to 2022, Doeren has still earned his team a top spot in this season’s preseason rankings, beating out programs from all across the country in terms of tal ent development and recruiting efficiency.
TECHNICIANONLINE.COM TECHNICIAN 15 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 Sports Doeren prepared to cement his legacy ahead of highly anticipated 2022 season
What’s more is that the Pack’s ACC rivals, such as UNC-Chapel Hill, Clemson, Flor ida State and even Duke, are perennially recruiting at a higher level than NC State. Somehow the Wolfpack has a 5-1 record against those teams in the last two years.
quarterback Devin Leary returns after set ting the school record for most passing touchdowns in a season and was picked as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year. Graduate student Thayer Thomas and redshirt junior Devin Carter make up an experienced receiving corps. Junior Drake Thomas, redshirt junior Payton Wilson and graduate student Isaiah Moore make up one of the best linebacking units in the country, and senior safety Tanner Ingle rounds out theInsecondary.thewords of former NC State offen sive coordinator Dana Bible, it’s “the perfect storm” for NC State this season. But if his
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Redshirt junior
Simply said, Doeren’s doing more with less. NC State is now ranked ahead of the rest of the ACC except for Clemson, even after beating the Tigers in last year’s thrilling matchup at Carter-Finley Stadium. That victory, which was perhaps Doeren’s signature win as head coach, was a turning point in his tenure. It showed he could not only beat Clemson in terms of team-build ing efficiency, but beat them on the field as well, something the red-and-white had not done since 2011. So if Doeren has brought the Pack back from the brink, has shown to do more with less when it comes to recruiting and has beaten some of the best teams in the ACC, what’s holding him back from being the best coach in NC State’s history? He’s been able to transform the program and become one of the winningest coaches in school history, so what’s the holdup? Well for now, it’s the all-important ACC title that other Wolfpack coaches can hold over Doeren’s head. Coaches such as Lou Holtz and Bo Rein won one each in the ‘70s, but Doeren’s already eclipsed their win totals with his 69-50 record over his nine years with the Wolfpack. However, it’ll be hard for anyone to ever pass the legendary Earle Edwards in ACC Championships, who led NC State to five titles between 1957 and 1968. So while Doeren still has some catching up to do in terms of conference champion ships, especially compared to Edwards, he still boasts a .580 win percentage and has the chance to overtake Edwards’ 77 wins in 2022 despite having coached seven fewer seasons.WithDoeren now locked in with the Pack through at least 2026, he’ll likely become the winningest coach in school history, but that conference title still remains the final piece of the puzzle in his career. If he’s able to lead the Wolfpack to its first ACC Cham pionship in 43 years, there’s no doubt he’ll be dubbed the best coach in school history sinceHowever,Edwards.even if Doeren and the Pack aren’t raising the trophy in December, NC State will still look toward a bright future,. Knowing that Doeren be in Raleigh for the long run, should keep the red-and-white in the hunt for that elusive ACC Champi onship.With its best roster in years, expecta tions through the roof and Doeren in his prime, this year is largely considered to be the Pack’s best shot to win the conference. If Doeren gets it done, he won’t just emerge as one of the best coaches in the nation, but he’ll also cement his legacy as one of the best head coaches in NC State history.
NATALIE FOLSOM/TECHNICIAN NC State football head coach Dave Doeren holds up his “wolfies” during the Walk of Champions before the game against Furman on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021 out side of Carter-Finley Stadium.
Ethan Bakogiannis Assistant Sports Editor
The last dance: NC State football looks to make one last run at championship One last ride. One last chance. One last dance.That’s what this season feels like for NC StateWithfootball.anall-star cast of returning starters, many of whom are seniors, this may very well be the last great chance NC State has of winning a championship in what is one of the most highly anticipated seasons in school history. The hype is real. Everyone saw what the Pack did last season, going undefeated at home, winning two epic games against Clemson and UNC-Chapel Hill and very nearly winning 10 games for just the second time in school history. But there’s one more feat the Pack has yet to accomplish, one reason why so many have chosen to “run it back” one more time: to win a championship. Despite such an excit ing season in 2021, the Pack fell just short of its ultimate goal of reaching the ACC Championship game and taking the crown, something it hasn’t done since 1979. Fans say it every year, but this time it may finally be true: this could be the Pack’s year. All the pieces are there.
tory has been any indication, high expec tations don’t always translate into success for the Pack. In 2002, Philip Rivers and the Wolfpack won a school record 11 games but weren’t able to reach the ACC Championship. In Rivers’ last season in 2003, the Pack went a mediocre 8-5.
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