The Battalion — September 29, 2022

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2022 STUDENT MEDIA

Guide to fall student government elections

Maroon & White vs.

White & Maroon

ELECTIONS ON PG. 2

SPORTS ON PG. 7

Preliminary A&M enrollment surpasses 74,000 Record enrollment secures A&M among largest U.S. universities

By Michaela Rush @Michaela4Batt On Thursday, Sept. 22, Texas A&M released its fall 2022 enrollment data, announcing a grand total of 74,829 enrolled students.

This headcount is still considered unofficial,

with final verification to be released later this semester.

This number includes campuses in College Station, Galveston, Qatar, as well as other state educational sites, such as the School of Law in Fort Worth.These numbers come from the preliminary enrollment numbers from A&M’s Data and Research Services, which can be directly compared on their website, dars.tamu.edu.

For the College Station main campus and

Health Science Center, student enrollment reached 71,871 total students, broken down into the following categories: Undergraduate: 55,525 Graduate: 8,497 Doctoral: 5,030 Professional: 2,729 Post-doctorate certificate: 90

is 2,243 students, and 715 students at the Qatar campus.With the increase in numbers across all divisions, the university as a whole and the College Station campuses will remain among the largest universities in the nation, by enrollment.

Finalized numbers, set to be released on Nov. 15, will include further data, including demographic breakdowns and admissions details.

Total enrollment at the Galveston campus

RALLY IN RUDDER

MSC early voting location off agenda for 2022

By Caroline Wilburn @Carolinewilb

Robert O’Brien— THE BATTALION

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke speaks to students on stage at Rudder Theatre on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.

Candidate Beto O’Rourke visits state’s largest university during Texas college tour

By Caroline Wilburn @Carolinewilb Thirty-five days ahead of Election Day, Democratic nominee for Texas governor

Beto O’Rourke visited Texas A&M’s campus — hitting his most controversial talking points at the state’s largest university.

Hundreds of students gathered in Rudder Theater on Wednesday, Sept. 28, to hear O’Rourke speak about the state’s largest issues, including abortion rights, gun violence and the power grid. Six months after his previous visit to College Station in March, ahead of the gubernatorial election, O’Rourke honed in on specific goals he hopes to achieve if elected to office.

Following his opening remarks, O’Rourke spoke on the issue of abortion in Texas, citing the story of Texas women prevailing in the original 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case ultimately winning the constitutional right to abortion. With the case being overturned in June, O’Rourke said it is now up to voters to return rights to women.

“If Texas women want the right for privacy, to access abortion, to make their own BETO ON PG. 3

Despite a lengthy fight from Texas A&M students, the Memorial Student Center, or MSC, will not be reinstated as an early voting location for the 2022 November election.

As they left in the middle of the Sept. 27 Commissioners Court meeting in a rage, dozens of students verbally expressed their displeasure with the court’s decision to remove the MSC early voting location discussion off the agenda moving forward, shutting down any possibility of its return before November. Precinct 1 Commissioner Russ Ford and Precinct 2 Commissioner Steve Aldrich were absent from the meeting due to an ongoing issue with a proposed tax bill.

Now only 27 days from early voting, College Station City Secretary Tonya Smith spoke at the meeting and said the entities involved in the election had to move forward with the court’s original decision.

“This late in the game, adding an additional location, not only will it be a rush, but we’ll also have to go back to our councils and/or our boards to amend our orders calling the elections,” Smith said at the meeting.

Smith cited multiple logistical issues preventing the MSC from being reinstated as an early voting location this year.

“You must re-test the equipment, the election equipment, all before Oct. 24, when early voting starts,” Smith said. “Rushing causes mistakes — mistakes in elections are detrimental. Then there is the cost of adding another polling location, that most of us did not budget for.”

Mobilize., Organize., Vote., and Empower, or MOVE, President and biology senior MSC ON PG. 3

‘A new golden age’

A&M President M. Katherine Banks unveils new plans for university at Sept. 28 address

By Kenzie Finch @KenzieFinch6

After a year of rapidly announced and implemented changes, President M. Katherine Banks addressed plans for campus improvement at the State of the University address at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center.

During the speech, Banks announced Texas A&M’s initiatives to improve the campus moving forward, with increased scholarship opportunities, development of new programs, a new museum and new student activities.

Two different protest groups also attended the meeting, peacefully holding signs throughout the entire address.

Finance senior and Student Body President Case Harris said during his opening remarks that the Student Senate is looking to improve sexual assault awareness, mental health, parking and more to ensure A&M students have the tools they need to succeed. The Student Senate is striving to make Aggies feel more connected to A&M by “building unity through tradition.”

“We have traditions and culture campaigns where we will make sure that every student

that steps foot on Texas A&M, they feel that spirit,” Harris said.

Banks said A&M is embarking on a scholarship campaign to add an additional $100 million over the next four years to assist with the cost of education, beginning with open access textbooks for students and doubling Student Health Services over the next three years.

“We are poised to launch a new era of success at our university,” Banks said. “Chancellor John Sharp recently said, ‘We are living in a new golden age of Texas A&M.’” Faculty is an essential part of A&M, Banks said, and the university plans to hire over 500 faculty members over the next four years, with an investment of $50 million in startup packages. As requested by the faculty, Banks said A&M will finalize a plan for more flexible, remote options for staff, as well as committing an additional $8 million to improve older facilities on campus.

“I recognize that change is difficult, I’m grateful for all of your effort,” Banks said. “Because of your hard work and commitment to the university, we are in a position to advance Texas A&M like never before.”

Banks said A&M is working to improve Liberal Arts programs, through intiatives to reinstate the journalism program, with the first set of journalism students set to be welcomed in fall 2023 as part of the new College of Arts and Sciences. Esports was also listed as something A&M looks to include in future plans.

“I’ve grown weary of hearing about outstanding, respected students who chose to at-

Ishika Samant— THE BATTALION

University President M. Katherine Banks delivered the State of the University address from the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.

tend other universities because Texas A&M lacks opportunities [for] the arts,” Banks said.

“Exposure to the arts expands critical thinking which brings greater job opportunities for our students.”

The Aplin Center will work to create a more hands-on learning approach with a $50 million donation by Arch Aplin. Professor of soil and crops sciences Steve Hague, Ph.D., said he was most excited to hear about this program.

“I’m particularly excited about what is going on with the Aplin Center,” Hague said.

With 8-Week Courses Classes begin October 24 www.blinn.edu/fall

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“That is going to be transformative for the students … They are going to see A&M and see what we really do.”

The Bush School of Government and Public Service is looking to expand its opportunities by allowing undergrad students opportunities to interact in the school, Banks said, and there have been discussions to add a new museum and library complex at West Campus.

A&M is also continuing its plan to increase research opportunities, Banks said.

“I want to hear your ideas and your conBANKS ON PG. 3

* Available online

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The Battalion | 9.29.22

Fall SGA Elections SGA Elections will be held online at vote.tamu.edu starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday

By Ana Renfroe @aeoenia1 The Fall 2022 Student Body Elections for the Student Government Association, or SGA, will be held from Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. to Sept. 30 at 12 p.m. Online voting will be available to students via the election website at vote.tamu.edu.

According to the SGA Election Commission, the vacant student government positions are as follows: Freshman Class President College of Education and Human Development, 1 senator College of Engineering, 2 senators College of Arts & Sciences - Liberal Arts Caucus, 2 senators College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 1 senator College of Arts & Sciences - Geosciences Caucus, 1 senator On-Campus Residencies, 2 senators Off-Campus Residencies, 7 senators Freshman Caucus, 2 senators

While the online election is active, students will be able to vote for candidates. According to the SGA Election Commission website, unofficial results will be announced at the 12th Man Statue on Sept. 30, no earlier than 7 p.m.

The official certified results will be announced approximately one day after voting ends, according to the Texas A&M Online Student Elections platform.

The SGA Election Commission has released the Candidates Guide, a comprehensive list of all of the candidates for the positions. Each candidate is pictured with a bullet-point list of their campaign platforms, along with a brief introduction. The Fall 2022 Candidates Guide is available online on the Election Commission’s website.

According to the SGA’s mission statement, they are committed to serving A&M by “representing student opinion, addressing campus needs through targeted programs and maintenance of tradition, and providing opportunities for leadership development in order to enrich the quality of student life.”

However, the student body elections have had historically low voter turnout. According to the Fall 2021 Election results, only 2,195 ballots were cast.

Freshman Caucus candidate James Riley Pritzlaff is campaigning to represent the freshman class in the Student Senate. In an inter-

view, Pritzlaff said he wants to represent the ideas, needs and desires of freshmen to make meaningful change in the Student Senate.

“We want voter turnout to be as high as possible. Democracy doesn’t work if we don’t have people voting,” Pritzlaff said. “The higher the turnout, the more reflective of what it’s going to be of the needs and wants of the people voting. Right now, we have very low satisfaction.”

Pritzlaff encouraged all students to vote while the election is active.

“Having more people vote, higher participation, higher engagement is going to hold lawmakers accountable,” Pritzlaff said. “If you [don’t] vote, you have less say in that. Make your voice heard. Having that engagement is hugely important in a democracy.”

Freshman Class President and Off-Campus Caucus candidate Manan Khandelwal is campaigning to build class unity in a way that has never been seen before. Khandelwal wants to unite the study body. He said that on such a big campus, it can be hard to find your place.

However, Khandelwal said that voter turnout is low, and he was interested in trying to increase turnout.

“My main focus is to get them to vote in the first place and focus on campaigning for myself later. We don’t have a lot of students who vote,” Khandelwal said. “I want to focus on increasing the voter turnout so we have as many opinions as possible. Not just for me, but for any candidate.”

Khandelwal encouraged students to research the candidates and their platforms be-

FILE— THE BATTALION

The seal on the first floor of the John J. Koldus Building, home of Texas A&M’s Student Government Association.

fore the election opens. He said that all students should make educated decisions while voting.

“If one candidate is promising something that seems unrealistic, don’t go for it,” Khandelwal said. “With such a small voter turnout, every single vote matters. It really matters for every single student to make a decision for themselves and what they want [their representative] to stand for and serve them.”

Freshman Class President Guide

With one-third of the semester down, it’s time for the Class of 2026 to elect a president

By Amanda Hare @AmandaHare_11

The Class of 2026 can vote for their freshman class president from Thursday, Sept. 29 at 9 a.m. to Friday, Sept. 30 at 12 p.m.

There are 15 candidates on the ballot, but students can also vote for “write-in” candidates by manually inputting their name. Information about the class president’s responsibilities and eligibility requirements can be found at election.tamu.edu.

Editor’s Note: All candidates were contacted and invited to comment. If unavaliable, information from their campaign accounts was provided Briani Plancarte-Saenz Briani Plancarte-Saenz is a forensic investigative sciences major who said she hopes to promote diversity, class unity and traditions.

In addition, Plancarte-Saenz said she plans to implement fundraising and profit shares to raise money for the Class of 2026.

“I want to expand class unity throughout all freshmen because freshman year can be your hardest year physically and mentally because you need to adjust to this new life,” Plancarte-Saenz said. “You should just have someone at least to trust or talk to that is going through the same thing.”

Ciara Anderson Ciara Anderson is a telecommunications major involved in Excellence uniting Culture, Education and Leadership, or ExCEL and Century Scholars. Anderson said their main goals as president would be to make the freshman class feel they belong on campus through mentorship programs or increasing access to campus resources.

“I just want to be a representative for the students,” Anderson said. “I’m not doing this for the sake of the title. I’m doing this to selflessly serve my fellow Aggies and uphold the Aggie Core Values so that I can uplift and benefit and do what I can to make a change and make a difference for the freshman class.”

Editor’s Note: Prior to beginning their campaign, Ciara Anderson was commissioned to create

artwork for The Battalion, but has stepped away from their position, and will not return if elected.

Colton Whisenant

Colton Whisenant is an agribusiness major who is a member of the Corps of Cadets.

Whisenant said as president he would encourage participation in traditions, unite the class through class mixers and increase service involvement. Whether it’s through hosting class service events or open houses for service organizations, Whisenant said he wants to encourage students to give back to the community.

“I’m a third-generation Aggie, and I really believe in the traditions and values that A&M upholds,” Whisenant said. “I’d really like to have a positive impact on people. I’m willing to put in the time and effort that it takes to be a good class president, and I want to represent everyone here in Aggieland.”

Daniel Gardiner Daniel Gardiner is a political science major.

Demetri Zoutis Demetri Zoutis is a forensic investigation sciences major with a law emphasis and is a member of the Corps. Zoutis said he hopes to encourage class unification and excellence as president while promoting volunteer work.

“I understand that upholding the tradition of togetherness is the only way to get the full Aggie experience here at Texas A&M,” Zoutis said. “Students will be able to reach out to me for any concerns. A vote for me means guaranteed equal representation.”

Erica Jantz Erica Jantz is a history and political science major who wants to foster tradition and unity. Jantz said they hope to create a program called “Fresh Support” to connect freshmen, according to @ericajantz on Instagram.

Jorden Gabriel Hernandez Jordan Hernandez is an engineering major.

Jorgia Watson Jorgia Watson is a business major who said she hopes to serve the freshman class by uniting them through the Aggie Core Values, according to @join_with_jorgia on Instagram.

Kathryn Carter

Kathryn Carter is an engineering major and is a new member of Chi Omega. Carter said her biggest goal as president would be to support student involvement and promote events on social media.

“I’m a second-generation Aggie,” Carter said. “I always grew up going to football games and participating in all the traditions, and I’ve fallen in love with it. A&M has become like a family for me, and I just want everyone to get to experience that and get involved.”

Lucas Wheeler-Irizarry

community. He hopes to start a class service project and class social event, different from the annual Big Event and Fish Fest.

Hargrove participates in Ags Reach and the School of Education and Human Development Student Council.

“I’m just someone who wants to make a difference in the community and on campus,” Hargrove said. “I want to benefit people, and I’m hoping to make a change within our culture so everyone is accepted. Every voice is heard, and I want to best lead our class so that we can all be successful.”

Rushil Jayant

Lucas Wheeler-Irizarry is an accounting and business honors major involved in the Muster Committee, the Diversity Commission and Ags Reach. Wheeler-Irizarry said he wants to connect the freshman class through campus events and sporting events. He also wants to help students get involved in organizations and embrace diversity.

“A lot of freshmen are struggling to find their place and their community and their belonging,” Wheeler-Irizarry said. “My biggest goal as president is to help advocate for help finding the resources of organizations and help them find their place here.”

Manan Khandelwal Manan Khandelwal is an engineering major who hopes to pursue computer science.

Khandelwal said he hopes to increase class unity, reimagine Fish Fest and provide more resources such as newsletters.

At A&M, Khandelwal works as director of finance and registration for Leadership Education for APIDA Development, or LEAD, and participates in intramural sports. He also is a chair for the Houston Area Model United Nations conference.

“I love meeting new people and talking to them, but more than that, I value my ability to understand hardships in someone’s life, and I tend to do everything in my power to help them,” Khandelwal said. “I understand that checking up on every single student is extremely unviable, but I can’t consider myself a good leader if I don’t try and fight to get as close as possible. Also, I am a firm believer in equal opportunity for everyone.”

Robert Hargrove Elementary education major Robert Hargrove said he wants to serve his campus and

Rushil Jayant is a general engineering major.

Thomas Cannon Business major Thomas Cannon said he wants to be a leader in his community. He hopes to uphold the traditions and Core Values while increasing student engagement.

In high school, Cannon was involved in Student Council, Academic Decathlon, Varsity Football and was a Texas Boys State Delegate. At A&M, he’s involved in Greek Life, and plans to pursue law school after graduation.

“Students should vote for me because I am a trustworthy, honest and hard-working individual,” Cannon said. “I am also an effective leader. I know how to get the job done and get it done in a way that is going to please those above me while also keeping my team’s morale high. I am not afraid to face adversity head on and, no matter the leadership position someone is in, adversity is going to strike. It is up to the leader to handle that adversity and still be able to lead his team.”

Yusuf Ozgel Engineering major Yusuf Ozgel said he wants to make the campus more inclusive while increasing academic and extracurricular achievement.

Ozgel said he wants to improve quality of life on campus such as tents at ticket pulling and increased accessibility to traditions, extracurriculars and career opportunities through online access and more communication.

“I am running [to serve the freshman class],” Ozgel said. “I will do anything in my power to make tangible changes for the needs of the student body.”

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The Battalion | 9.29.22

believes could be resolved with legalized marijuana. O’Rourke said beyond legalizing the substance, he intends to expunge arrest records for anyone charged with marijuana possession or use.

“All customers of all ethnicities and all races and all backgrounds use marijuana at roughly the same rate,” O’Rourke said. “But disproportionately, it will be Black and brown Texans who are stopped, who are frisked, who are incarcerated for possession.”

Standing outside of O’Rourke’s speech were protesters showing their support for the current governor. One protester, John Nicks, said he believes O’Rourke will only have negative effects on the state, if elected.

“There’s just a lot of things that Beto [O’Rourke] does that I just don’t like,” Nicks said.

BETO CONTINUED decisions about their own bodies, I bet in 2022, women are going to win it back right here in the state of Texas,” O’Rourke said.

O’Rourke then transitioned to current Gov. Greg Abbott’s failures to maintain the Texas power grid in extreme weather — resulting in the death of almost 700 Texans in February 2021.

“The fact is we’re reminded earlier that the people in power can’t keep the power on for the people that they serve,” O’Rourke said.

“Last February, your lights went out, heat stopped running [and] water stopped flowing because it was literally frozen in your pipes.”

In addition to the power grid failure, O’Rourke cited Abbott’s missteps to prevent and respond to the Uvalde tragedy in May. O’Rourke described his goals of implementing a red-flag law, universal background checks and raising the age of purchase for AR15s to 21 years old. He said it’s important to put children first, above gun lobbyists and the National Rifle Association. “[The children in Uvalde] were defenseless against a governor who would not lift a finger to prevent that from happening in their school, this school or any other classroom across the state of Texas,” O’Rourke said. “Five of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history have taken place on this governor’s watch.”

O’Rourke ran through a list of his goals in office including: eliminating the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR test; lowering the rate of adolescent diabetes in Texas; increasing mental health services outside of the county jail system; Medicaid expansion and property taxes.

To conclude his speech, O’Rourke criticized the current treatment of U.S. veterans which results in homelessness, fatal disease and mental illness — some issues which he

“

The fact is we’re reminded earlier that the people in power can’t keep the power on for the people that they serve,”

Beto O’Rourke Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate

MSC CONTINUED Kristina Samuels attended the meeting, and said the students were not given a chance to testify after Brazos County Judge Duane Peters motioned to move the issue off the agenda.

“The commissioners began to deliberate, and they weren’t even going to give us a

BANKS CONTINUED cerns,” Banks said.

Two groups of protestors remained throughout the duration of Banks’ speech.

The two groups were Students for Democratic Society, or SDS, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA. The groups silently held signs from their seats, however, Banks’ speech didn’t include either of the complaints.

Volunteers were present at the event to sign students up to go door-to-door, urging their peers to vote in the upcoming election. Business management senior Yovanka Gonzalez said it’s important for students to be informed on O’Rourke’s policies.

“I think there’s a huge miscommunication and misinformation happening [often] on the internet,” Gonzalez said. “It’s very important and vital for college students to come out and hear politicians themselves talk about their policies, and the importance of that, especially when it comes to voting and considering that we had the early voting location taken away here from the [Memorial Student Center].”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke speaks to students at Rudder Theatre on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.

chance to speak, even though we all signed up to speak in the room, even though we all filled out the form,” Samuels said. “We had every right to speak.”

Samuels said MOVE is now focused on next steps to best help students have the ability to vote.

“There isn’t an AggieSpirit bus that goes to City Hall, and we asked for one and we were

told no,” Samuels said. “[We’re] just trying to find funds to have charter buses or figure out some way that we can carpool with students.”

Precinct 3 Commissioner Nancy Berry confirmed the issue will not return to the agenda before November.

“We had reports today from both city secretaries who said that it would have to go back to the City Council, and that because of the

Military Overseas Act, it would disenfranchise completely the military overseas vote and so we don’t want to do that,” Berry said. “I think it’s off the agenda for this election cycle.”

However, Berry said she and the other commissioners have voted to have the MSC return as an early voting location in 2023.

Philosophy Ph.D. student Jyothis James is a member of SDS and said the organization was protesting the lack of representation of historically marginalized groups on campus as well as A&M’s decision to keep the Sullivan “Sully” Ross statue in its prominent location on Academic Plaza.

“This university is significantly underrepresented and historically has been, although there have been improvements in the [19]90s and [19]80s, but has since gone down,” James

said. “This primary campaign is to point out the racial discrepancies and the racial tensions that this university upholds.”

Members of PETA were also in attendance.

Manager of campaigns Tricia Lebkuecher said records show A&M has nine dogs in its custody currently who are being used for research for A&M’s school of veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences.

“Dogs suffer and die for years, and the least the school can do is give them a loving

home,” Lebkuecher said. “We will take them all and give them the homes they deserve.”

Banks said the Vet School aspires to have the best animal hospital in the world, and will be building a new research and teaching hospital to help educate students on animal health.

“We must demonstrate to our country what a great American university can do to improve the lives of every American,” Banks said.

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Connor May— THE BATTALION

Shoppers walk through the Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market in Downtown Bryan on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

Fresh fun at farmers market

Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market provides a fun opportunity to support local businesses

By Emma Lawson @ELawsonAtTheBat

For those willing to wake up early and enjoy the crisp morning air, the Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market has fresh and homemade goods from local businesses.

Located in Downtown Bryan, the Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market has been committed to hosting local vendors every Saturday to sell their goods, according to their website.

The market is open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. year-round, but due to the outdoor format, visitors are asked to prepare beforehand for the weather. With over 30 local businesses, the market offers goods or services that might not be available at grocery stores, such as artisan crafts.

Carrie Ahr said she is a frequent visitor to

the Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market and tries to visit as much as possible.

“This is our grocery store,” Ahr said. “We shop here first, and then we shop at the grocery store second.”

Ahr said she appreciates the variety of items at the market, including some items that might be difficult to find and fresher at the market than at chain stores.

“We love to get rabbits from Holly [a vendor], as well as raw milk and whatever fresh veggies we can find,” Ahr said.

Ahr said she feels connected to her community when shopping at the market and wants to see it grow in size and influence.

“It brings so much diversity, and we love supporting the local people,” Ahr said. “[I hope] the farmers market grows so we don’t need grocery stores anymore.”

Marina Peregrino is the operations manager and farmers market coordinator at The Salumeria, a business that focuses on pork, and said they raise their own hogs.

“We’re able to do high quality, small batch and artisan-made goods and bring them here,” Peregrino said. “[The market] is a cool way to

learn about farming in the Texas area.”

Located in Austin, The Salumeria just recently joined the Brazos Valley Farmers’ Market, and Peregrino said they utilize farmers markets all around Texas with benefits for both the business and customers.

“Shopping locally is so great for the environment and for local commerce,” Peregrino said. “It’s also important to learn about local farming and agriculture, and this is the perfect opportunity.”

Peregrino said farmers markets have gained popularity lately which gives local businesses a stronger chance of success.

“We’ve been seeing some great growth around farmers markets all across Texas,” Peregrino said. “More customers are wanting to learn about products and step outside their comfort zone.”

Justin Scott is an apprentice beekeeper at Prime Bees, a business that provides honey, bee removal services and more. Scott said he has worked with Prime Bees’ co-owners and husband-wife duo Ashley Ralph and Justin Russel for five years.

“They became master beekeepers and went

from one hive to 100 within the first year,” Scott said. “This job has only gotten more important with changing cultures and food statuses.”

Due to the farmers market allowing a more personal touch with customers, Scott said he’s made connections throughout the community.

“I like being more vocal with people and just asking them how their day is going,” Scott said. “As a beekeeper, we meet a lot of our clients just by saying, ‘Hi.’” Erin Scott, Justin Scott’s sister, works at Prime Bees as a sales associate and said local honey can bring health benefits.

“It’s good for allergies, but to a certain extent,” Erin said. “It can help, but you have to keep taking it.”

Erin said one of her favorite aspects of the market is how willing every business is to lend a hand to others whenever needed.

“It helped me learn how to network with people because the businesses help each other out here,” Erin said. “All the vendors like each other.”

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The Battalion | 9.29.22

Cameron Johnson -- THE BATTALION

Clearing up degree plan confusion With degree plans due Friday, take advantage of university resources, support systems

By Emma Lawson @ELawsonAtTheBat Don’t let creating a degree plan stress you out. Instead, use it to make your life easier.

Undergraduate degree plans are due in the Howdy portal on Friday, Sept. 30, according to the Texas A&M academic calendar. The degree plan is annual, and those who do not have an approved degree plan could have a registration hold, which prevents students from signing up for classes.

Although intimidating, there is a wide range of resources at A&M to help students navigate their planners. While students should mostly rely on their academic advisers, they can also reach out to fellow students who have experience with degree plans and Academic

Peer Mentors, or APMs, for help.

Juan Lopez, Ph.D., is the sole academic adviser for the Human Resource Development Department and said the degree planner helps guide students through the classes they need to take before graduation.

“I call it a blueprint for your graduation requirements,” Lopez said. “It allows the student to be able to be prepared for the next semester, and every major has a different process.”

The planner ensures that students don’t encounter significant issues as they register for classes, but Lopez said students shouldn’t try and pack all of their classes into a small amount of semesters.

“This is not a sprint. This is a marathon,” Lopez said. “It won’t do you any service if you rush your degree just to finish on time and save a few bucks. Make the most out of your experience.”

Lopez said there are great resources available to students who need help with their degree planner, including professors, upperclassmen and academic advisers.

“Do your homework on your degree plans

and don’t be afraid to use your resources,” Lopez said. “[Academic advisers] are here to make sure students are successful in their higher education.”

Visualization junior Patrick Curoe is currently filling out his degree plan and has done it before, but said he still has difficulty figuring out how to arrange his classes.

“Some majors, mine included, have classes that are a prerequisite to another class,” Curoe said. “You have to plan that accordingly so you’re able to graduate on time.”

Previously, Curoe said he used resources to write down which classes he needed for his major and classes he was interested in that fulfill credit requirements.

“I like to write things down, so I used resources like Google Sheets and the advising [resources],” Curoe said.

Overall, Curoe said the best things to do when creating a degree planner is to avoid stress, remember deadlines and stay flexible.

“It’s not going to stay the same throughout your college career, but it’s definitely a good baseline,” Curoe said. “Just make sure you

know when things are due so that you can get on top of those classes that you need.”

Biology sophomore Josseline Martinez is an APM and said they can assist with many common degree plan problems.

“We can help you look at a degree planner and give some general information,” Martinez said. “But if you’re looking for more specific help, an academic adviser would be better.”

Martinez said, for her own degree plan, she used her Regent scholarship adviser and mentors for help.

“My Regent scholarship adviser had great insights, like how a lot of students prefer to take BIOL 214 before BIOL 213,” Martinez said. “I asked around a lot.”

Asking students in a similar major is a huge resource because they have hands-on experiences in those classes, Martinez said.

“Definitely ask for help, especially from those who have the same major,” Martinez said. “They’ve gone through the classes before, and they know what would benefit others in terms of which classes to take first.”

CRITICISM

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The Battalion | 9.29.22

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

Darling, I’m Worried “Don’t Worry Darling” Director: Olivia Wilde Release Date: Sept. 23, 2022 Runtime: 2 hours 3 minutes

6/10

By Caitlyn Porras @caitlyncarole With so much anticipation festering over the course of nearly a year, Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling” has finally hit public theaters on Sept. 23. The month leading up to the release has been riddled with drama and rumors among the director and her cast, something that feels fitting after experiencing the movie.

Starting off with the strongest element across the entire film, Florence Pugh plays Alice Chambers, a picture-perfect cutout of a 1950s housewife that enjoys simple chores, ballet class and waiting for her husband Jack Chambers, played by Harry Styles, to come back from working to provide for her “happy” life.

Movie watchers were correct in their assessment that Pugh held the film to its potential with her acting, despite having Styles as her co-star. Pugh gave an anticipating, hand-gripping look into what truly lies in a relationship and what love looks like in the eyes of the beholder. There was not a moment of doubt as the British actress gave the audience an emotional performance that left them on the edge of their cushioned seats.

As for Styles, the British singer-songwriter should reevaluate entering the film industry after this project. What felt like a key piece to the story, Styles butchered it with his inability to act beyond simply saying lines. The new actor created a 2D character with his incompetence to stay in one accent and lack of portrayal of any type of emotion. The scene that was considered to be the feeling of betrayal, after practically snitching on his wife, seemed like a joke that had the theater snickering from seeing a grown man throw a temper tantrum.

The one credit that should be awarded to Styles, would be his portrayal of a modern-day incel; he truly mastered the art of

clingy and hopelessness.

On another note, it was odd to notice the unnecessary sight of Bunny, played

by Wilde, throughout the film while the audience was left questioning about truly important characters like Margaret and Shelley, the only characters that were played by non-white actresses in this film. Both female characters were essential roles in explaining the true harshness of this man-made “virtual reality,” it would only be fair and good directing to keep their scenes instead of cutting them, like Kiki Layne expressed recently on social media.

It is understandable to consider this a “feminist” piece of media given the way that our main heroine breaks from the mind-washing, monotonous life that comes with constantly providing for a working man. But the way that it is being interpreted from certain audiences is concerning, all because the villain of this story is an attractive white man who takes gaslighting to another level.

Besides Pugh’s acting, the soundtrack is truly an experience that is worth a drive to the local theater. John Powell, a film composer known for “How to Train Your Dragon” and the “Bourne Identity” franchise, created an eerie and blood-pumping score that framed the scenes to be the thriller film it is.

The score mixed with the classic 1950s allowed for the audience to be immersed in the 1950s drama with a dream-esque feel.

With colorful scenes and thought-provoking dialogue that is sure to be remembered based on which British actor is saying it, the directing of this film was all in all mediocre. Wilde has several movies under her directing sleeve, 2019’s “Booksmart” being one of them, but none that dive into the mind thriller genre like this film.

It is important to note that some things are better left for interpretation for the audience member to think about on the drive home or to discuss with friends over dinner. But, this film had too many plot holes to the point of wondering what was cut and what was used from production. Why did Gemma Chan’s character stab Chris Pine when there was no real reason shown before the scene? Why was Margaret always mentioned but never seen? There is a fine line between intentional lack of information to get the brain thinking long after the movie and just not showing enough due to poor writing.

Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling” has the potential to be an enjoyable watch when one goes in expecting the worst. It is a film filled with pastel colors, cocktails and the ups and downs of a married life, but the longer the audience stays, the more chaos it brings.

“Don’t Worry Darling” is out now in theaters.

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Cameron Johnson — THE BATTALION

Junior QB Max Johnson (14) celebrates with fans after the Aggies defeated the Razorbacks 23-21 to win the Southwest Classic on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

A&M Revenge Tour: Headed to Starkville

A&M looks to continue winning streak in Mississippi against maroon and white Bulldogs

By Grant Gaspard @grant_gaspard

“I’m disappointed in the outcome,” Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said.

On Oct. 2, 2021, exactly a year minus one day before its next matchup against Mississippi State, Fisher spoke these words to the media following the 26-22 loss at Kyle Field.

On Saturday, Oct. 1, Fisher and his Fightin’ Texas Aggies’ will be given a golden opportunity to draw up a better outcome and grasp their second conference win against an SEC opponent, who trampled them on their own turf last season.

Historically, Mississippi State has the upper hand. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with eight wins to the Aggies seven losses.

However, the record is tied 5-5 as SEC opponents, and on Saturday, one of the maroon and white-coated schools will come out superior.

For their first road test of the season, the Aggies will be entering a stadium packed with a capacity of over 61,000 fans and a countless amount of cowbells.

Yes, cowbells.

Its origin dates back to the time of World War II when a Jersey cow wandered onto the field during a matchup between their interstate rival Ole Miss, and ever since then, cowbells have been rung loudly and proudly by the Bulldog fanbase.

This will serve as a perfect evaluation for the large number of freshmen on A&M’s depth chart in its first game in an opposing stadium.

Mississippi State coach Mike Leach is entering his third season as a head coach in

Starkville, Miss., after coaching 10 seasons at Texas Tech and eight seasons at Washington State. With him, he brings the renowned and prominent “Air Raid” offense.

Through his 20 years as a head coach, this offense has averaged 4,870.4 passing yards per season, which leads the nation over the past two decades. Ten different quarterbacks have been able to reach at least 4,000 passing yards, one of them being a Mississippi native that is entering his third season as a starter for the Bulldogs.

Junior Will Rogers starts his third year in this system, and to say he has mastered the art of the Air Raid would be an understatement.

In two of his last four games, he has thrown over 400 passing yards with a 74% completion rate over the last four games. He sits comfortably at the top of the SEC in passing yards with 1,386 and is tied for first in the nation in passing touchdowns with 16.

If Rogers is given enough time in the backfield, expect him to pick apart the Aggie secondary like he did last season as he threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns on 59 passing attempts.

Returning to Leach’s offense is a junior wideout who accumulated three receptions for 52 yards in last year’s matchup against the Aggies. Lideatrick Griffin sits third on the depth chart in receptions with 19 and fourth in receiving yards with 177. Along his side are multiple receivers who can make a similar impact in the passing game as Rogers enjoys spreading the ball around.

Senior receiver Caleb Ducking leads the Bulldogs in every statistic that relates to his job. Ducking has 21 receptions this season for 258 yards and five touchdowns, two of them coming from his last matchup against Bowling Green.

“I think Ducking’s gotten better and better,” Leach said. “It was kind of a work in progress when he got here, but he’s worked hard, and he’s [a] fast, relatively dynamic guy

… When he uses his hands, he’s awfully tough to cover … He’s gotten better and better the longer he’s been here.”

Minus the center, the offensive line is inexperienced, and it shows. Through four games, the Bulldog front line has given up nine sacks this season with four of them coming from their first loss of the year against LSU. Mississippi State’s wall likes to line up with a substantial size gap between each individual player. If A&M defensive coordinator DJ Durkin makes the right calls, the Aggie defensive line could have a field day in the opposing backfield.

As for its run offense, Mississippi State has two returning backs from the 2021 season that have been dynamic in both the run and pass game. Juniors Dillon Johnson and Jo’quavious Marks have a combined 65 carries for 373 rushing yards and a combined 29 receptions for 163 receiving yards. In their last two games, Johnson and Marks had only 20 rushing attempts for 157 yards. However, this doesn’t mean they won’t utilize them. In the Air Raid offense, the run game consists of a number of screens and flats to set the running backs up with an open sunset to run to.

As for the defense, expect a similar scheme from last year. Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator Zach Arnett runs a 4-3 scheme that utilizes numerous blitz packages from the linebackers, corners and safeties in order to suffocate the Aggie backfield and limit junior quarterback Max Johnson’s time in the pocket.

Senior linebacker Nathaniel “Bookie” Watson is back for his fifth season, third season as a starter. Watson is second on his team in total tackles with 29, tied for first in sacks with two and has one interception. Watson led the Bulldogs in his last matchup with 10 tackles, four solo, and had one sack and tackle for loss.

As for the No. 17 Aggies, they will be entering their second SEC matchup of the season without their versatile and experienced

wideout in senior Ainias Smith after he left last week’s Southwest Classic with a season-ending leg injury.

“Diversity and leadership and experience,” Fisher said. “He’s a unique player, a unique competitor and I love him to death.”

Smith has been a reliable punt returner for the Aggies this season, Fisher said he plans on plugging in junior running back Devon Achane or sophomore wide receiver Moose Muhammad III at this position.

“He’ll be around to help those guys and mentor those guys, and that’s the best he can do,” Fisher said. “As far as that goes, he’ll be right there with them.”

Johnson will be entering his third start for the Aggies after defeating No. 13 Miami and No. 10 Arkansas. In his last three starts as a collegiate quarterback dating back to his time at LSU, the Georgia native has taken down three top-15 ranked opponents and will carry this momentum to Starkville this weekend.

“He’s getting better,” Fisher said. “He definitely understands what we’re doing, there’s no doubt.”

Achane is coming off his best performance of the season after he dashed for 159 yards rushing on 19 attempts in last weekend’s 2321 victory against the Razorbacks.

As for the defense, junior safety Antonio Johnson has lived up to his high expectations at the beginning of the 2022 season. So far, Johnson has 38 tackles and a sack through just four games and currently sits second in the SEC in total tackles. After his dominant performance against Arkansas, Johnson was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.

The Fightin’ Farmers will look to carry this two-game momentum on their backs as they set foot in Mississippi on Oct. 1 at 3 p.m. to battle out their second conference game of the season against Mississippi State.

Will they redeem themselves after last season’s disappointing loss, or add their second straight loss to the Bulldogs in two years?

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AROUND THE SEC

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A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE FOR WEEK 5

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By Neomi Brown & Jordan Epp @neomib_03 & @j_epp22

No. 7 Kentucky @ No. 14 Ole Miss

No. 2 Alabama @ No. 20 Arkansas

Saturday, Oct. 1 — Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — Oxford, Miss.

11 a.m. on ESPN

Saturday, Oct. 1 — Razorback Stadium — Fayetteville, Ark. 2:30 p.m. on CBS

Both Kentucky and Ole Miss come into this matchup with a perfect 4-0 record, so someone is going home with its first loss of the season after this game. The Rebels haven’t faced off against a ranked team this season, but the Wildcats have been on the rise since they took down the Florida Gators at The Swamp in Week 2.

The Wildcats’ star senior running

Arkansas is coming off a tough 23-21 loss at the hands of the Aggies themselves. After battling back to take the lead with a 42-yard field goal, sophomore kicker Cam Little missed after the ball hit the right upright.

Meanwhile, the Alabama Crimson Tide handled business and defeated Vanderbilt with a staggering 55-3 victory.

back Chris Rodriguez will return after he missed the start of the season for disciplinary reasons. Kentucky has the defense to slow down Ole Miss’ offense, but the question is how the Rebels will contain redshirt senior quarterback Will Levis and the Wildcats’ offense.

Prediction: Kentucky 28, Ole Miss 24

Both teams have stud quarterbacks leading the offense with redshirt junior KJ Jefferson for the Razorbacks and Heisman winner Bryce Young leading Alabama. It’ll be a shootout to the finish as both programs have their own arsenal of star players to use.

Prediction: Alabama 41, Arkansas 35

LSU @ Auburn

No. 1 Georgia @ Missouri

Saturday, Oct. 1 — Jordan-Hare Stadium — Auburn, Ala. 6 p.m. on ESPN

Saturday, Oct. 1 — Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium — Columbia, Mo. 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network

For the second week in a row, the Auburn Tigers face another team of Tigers, this time taking on LSU. The purple and gold are 3-2 on the season, losing their first two games to teams that are now ranked in the top 25 before winning their next three. As for the orange and blue, their 3-1 record

doesn’t quite reflect how poor the team has looked to start the season, narrowly beating the Missouri Tigers last week.

This might be another close Tiger fight, but the injuries on Auburn’s end will likely hold them back and LSU will make it four straight wins since its slow start.

Bulldogs stand no chance against Tigers in a fight to the death, but this is an exception. Missouri is tied for the worst record in the SEC at 2-2, and despite multiple opportunities, the gold Tigers were unable to pull out a win against a battered Auburn team in Week 4.

The Tigers aren’t without talent — it’s just that Georgia has a lot more.

Senior quarterback Stetson Bennett has been much improved and is leading one of the best offenses in the country, and the defense has allowed just three touchdowns all year.

Georgia struggling against Kent State in Week 4 should give Missouri hope, but in reality, I think it made the Bulldogs angrier. Good luck, Mizzou.

Prediction: Georgia 40, Missouri 6

Prediction: LSU 28, Auburn 20

WEEK 5: STAFF PICKS Texas A&M @ Mississippi State Saturday, Oct. 1 at 3 p.m. on SEC Network

Michaela Rush

Editor-in-Chief @Michaela4Batt

In the words of Miss Rev: BARK BARK BARK BARK GRRRR RUFF RUFF!!!

Jordan Epp

MICHAELA

KYLE

Sports Editor @j_epp22

2-0 when I pick against them, I’m doing y’all a favor tbh!!

Kyle McClenagan

Managing Editor @KMcClenagan

Mr. Field is my father, call me Kyle.

Zoe May

Asst. Sports Editor @MayZoella

Rough Collies are obviously the superior dogs.

JORDAN Caroline Wilburn

News Editor @Carolinewilb

ZOE

Maroon vs. Maroon? I pick maroon.

Kenzie Finch

Asst. News Editor @KenzieFinch6

M-I-S-S-I ... still think you’re going to lose.

CAROLINE Grant Gaspard

KENZIE GRANT

Asst. Sports Editor @Grant_Gaspard

Mike Leach has more chins than bowl wins.

Cameron Johnson

Photo Chief & Graphics Editor @cameronjdot

I’m not allowed to predict dog fights anymore.

CAMERON Ruben Hernandez

Asst. Life & Arts Editor @BattandMuse

RUBEN All bull, no horns :(

BOBBY

Bobby O’Brien

Design Editor @Bob4Batt

Needs less cowbell, much, much less cowbell.

8

SPORTS

9

The Battalion | 9.29.22

Robert O’Brien -- THE BATTALION

Redshirt freshman Andersen Williams (6) jumps to head the ball during the Aggies’ match against Mississippi State at Ellis Field on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022.

Aggies chase first SEC win, aim to reclaim Ellis

A&M soccer heads into its first conference road game, plus another home-field matchup

By Kylie Stoner @sportsbystoner Texas A&M soccer looks to win its first SEC game of the season away from home against the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, followed by a home weekend matchup against thr Rice University Owls.

The Aggies’ last game against the University of Alabama ended with a 3-0 loss on the road on Sunday, Sept. 25. The top-10-ranked Crimson Tide were the 12th Man’s thirdstraight SEC loss.

Coach G Guerrieri recognizes the challenge that the Razorbacks will be for the maroon

and white, but he is confident in his players.

“Another tall task, I wouldn’t go with any other group,” Guerrieri said to 12thMan.com.

The Fightin’ Farmers are 0-3 in conference play, but they are 5-4-2 overall. Sophomore defender and forward Mia Pante believes in her team and knows what needs to happen for this upcoming game and the rest of their season.

“This is conference play,” Pante said. “You need to win, so that’s [the] bottom line.”

The Razorbacks have a better record in SEC play with two wins and one loss. Arkansas has an overall record of 7-2-1 and has won all four of its home games so far this season.

The Aggies’ away statistics are 1-1-2.

“Luck will turn with our hard work,” Guerrieri said to 12thMan.com.

Arkansas averaged 2.96 goals scored per game, and its opponents averaged just one against them in the 2021 season. Last season, the Razorbacks won nine out of 10 confer-

ence matches and ended at the top of the SEC. Of the past two conference opponents that A&M has faced, both have been ranked as top25 teams. The Aggies have totaled 26 fouls in those two games, but their opponents have fouled A&M 27 times between both teams.

“Playing in the SEC, it’s a lot more physical. It’s faster,” junior midfielder Taylor Pounds said.

The maroon and white will face off against an unranked Arkansas on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. hoping to kickstart a conference winning streak and end the Razorbacks’ streak of winning at home.

“A little bit of good luck would be very welcomed,” Guerrieri said to 12thMan.com.

A few days after the game against the Razorbacks, the Aggies will play Rice University on Sunday, Oct 2, at 7 p.m. at Ellis Field.

The Owls are 3-0 in conference play heading into a match on Thursday, Sept. 29, against Florida Atlantic who is 1-1-1 in Conference

USA play. The Aggies have won five out of the last six match ups against Rice, including every home game against the Owls.

Rice’s starting goalkeeper is senior Bella Killgore. Killgore has an average goals-against statistic of 1.67 goals per game over her 971 minutes played so far this season for the Owls.

The goalkeeper has also scored the most goals out of any other player so far this season. Killgore scored three out of her four goals off of penalty kicks.

“Every game we’re growing. We’re getting better and better and better,” Pante said.

A&M has only lost one time to a non-conference opponent so far this season. That athome loss took place against a ranked TCU team who won 2-1.

Both the away SEC matchup and the home non-conference games offer the Aggies room for improvement in the pursuit of Guerrieri’s pre-season goal: a spot in the SEC conference championships.

Robert O’Brien -- THE BATTALION

Junior P/OF Grace Uribe (8) gets a base hit during the Aggies’ game against Arkansas at Davis Diamond on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

Swinging into a new season

Aggie softball, along with new head coach, readies to host two home exhibition matches

By Brad Bennett @Brad_Bennett13 Texas A&M softball kicks off its 2022-23 season with an exhibition against McLennan on Friday, Sept. 30, at Davis Diamond. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

The 2022 A&M team had an underwhelming season with a 31-28 overall record and a 6-18 record in the SEC. A number of changes were made to the softball program, chief among them was a new head coach.

New coach Trisha Ford replaces previous coach Jo Evans at the helm for A&M. Ford is coming off a successful six-year stint with Arizona State.

A&M also has 10 new players donning

the maroon and white: five transfers and five freshmen recruits.

The new freshmen are catcher Gracyn Coleman and shortstop Amari Harper from California, catcher Riley Valentine from Arizona and two Texas natives: first baseman Aiyana Coleman from College Station and outfielder Keely Williams from Cibolo.

As far as transfers, A&M adds both sophomore infielder Brianna Evans and senior catcher Julia Cottrill from Oklahoma State, graduate pitcher Madison Preston from Ford’s previous stop at Arizona State, sophomore pitcher Emily Leavitt from Minnesota and sophomore outfielder Allie Enright from Arizona.

Some holdovers from the previous regime include sophomore infielder Rylen Wiggins and junior pitcher/outfielder Grace Uribe.

Wiggins slugged 12 home runs in her freshman season while Uribe struggled to the tune of a 5.45 ERA, but she did have an impressive 3.64 ERA in her freshman season. Uribe is an interesting bounce-back candidate for the

maroon and white in 2023. a powerhouse in the junior college softball In terms of departing players, A&M’s most scene, coming off a 59-8 record in 2021. Fifimportant losses include senior catcher Haley ty-nine is a lot of victories. However, McLenLee and Makinzy Herzog. Lee departed for nan’s season ended in heartbreaking fashion the back-to-back national champion Oklaho- with its loss in the NJCAA Softball Champima Sooners while Herzog has yet to land with onship to Florida Southwestern State College. a new team.

Whereas, Houston is in a similar situation as The Aggies hope the sweeping changes A&M coming off a mediocre 27-27-1 season. made to their program will result in a successWhile the results of the exhibitions aren’t ful season. However, as seems to be the case important long-term, they can serve as a great with every SEC sport, it will not be easy and starting point for an A&M team looking to the Aggies will need to be ready for a compet- incorporate new players and coaches in a relitive conference slate. atively risk-free environment.

No matter what, A&M figures to be in a good position with Ford leading the program for 2023 and beyond.

Friday’s matchup is the first of two home exhibitions for A&M, the other being on Sunday, Oct. 2, against Houston at 2 p.m.

30% off your first four rides (up to $50 off each ride) CODE: AGGIENEWS3 A&M’s first opponent, McLennan, is something of

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The Battalion | 9.29.22

Offense intended A&M offense looks to find its footing at first road game in Mississippi

By Shanielle Veazie @shanielleveazie The offensive line has been a hot topic this season for Texas A&M football. After the thrilling win against No. 20 Arkansas over the weekend to open up SEC play, the squad seems to be finding its offensive niche and setting the tone for the remainder of the season.

Head coach Jimbo Fisher has had to continuously make offensive adjustments throughout the start of the season.

Ahead of the matchup against the Miami Hurricanes in Week 3, junior Max Johnson was named starting quarterback. Although the Aggies got the win over the Canes, the team was missing key pieces on offense from freshmen wide receivers Evan Stewart and Chris Marshall, who were suspended from the matchup.

Against Arkansas, Stewart scored his first career touchdown and broke A&M’s scoring drought with a 10yard pass from Johnson into the end zone.

Junior running back Devon Achane, one of the most explosive offensive components for the Aggies, has scored a touchdown in all four games this season and rushed for a season high 159 yards against Arkansas.

Unfortunately, during such a big night for the team, senior wide re-

ceiver Ainias Smith suffered a lower body injury and will be out the remainder of the season.

Smith is one of the team’s leaders and an offensive weapon. With his absence, Fisher will be forced to make additional offensive adjustments as A&M prepares to take on Mississippi State this Saturday, Oct. 1.

“Now we have to get ready to go on the road against Mississippi State, which is an excellent team,” Fisher said. "[Defensive coordinator Zach] Arnett does a great job of mixing things, multiple blitzes, multiple fronts, three-down, four-down, standing guys up, mixes the secondary coverages up. They’ve been great on defense.”

This week’s offense performance against Mississippi State could set a precedent for the rest of the season, hopefully proving that the Aggies have found their balance, a goal of Fisher’s.

“I’m not very happy in the way we played,’’ Fisher said. "I don’t think we played close to our best. And that’s

encouraging in that there’s a lot more in there in how we have to play. But also we need to realize that and get it done.”

Mississippi State is currently 3-1 and looks to extend its win streak against the Aggies after defeating the team last year.

Arnett is in his third season with the Bulldogs and seems to have a pretty solid system in place. The defensive line held last week’s opponent Bowling Green to just 79 rushing yards.

Senior safety Collin Duncan recorded his second sack of the season with an 8-yard sack that forced a punt.

Redshirt linebacker Nathaniel Watson is no stranger to making big stops as he led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles, marking his fourth career double-digit tackle game while also recording a sack that resulted in a loss of five yards.

Defensive forces like Duncan and Watson could shake up A&M’s ability to move the ball through the air and on the ground.

Georgia 43

1

1478 4-0

–

Alabama 12

2

1437 4-0

–

Ohio State 5

3

1402 4-0

–

Michigan

4

1291 4-0

–

Clemson

5

1238 4-0 5

1

USC

6

1135 4-0 5

1

Tennessee

7

1083 4-0 5

4

OK State

8

1048 4-0

–

Kentucky

9

1005 4-0

10

–

NC State 870 4-0 5

Utah

11

827 3-1 5

Durkin's dogs

A&M defense aims to put Mississippi State in the doghouse this Saturday

By Jordan Epp @j_epp22

What happens if you cut the head off of a chicken? It runs around aimlessly and dies. While it can momentarily function without its head, it can’t maintain functionality in the long term. Now, what if that chicken was actually the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the head was a 6-foot-2inch junior quarterback named Will Rogers?

The Bulldogs are 1-4 against SEC teams over the last two seasons when Rogers throws for under 375 yards — yes, 375 yards. The last time a quarterback at Texas A&M threw for 375 yards was when Kellen Mond, now a Cleveland Brown, threw for 430 yards against No. 2 Clemson on Sept.

8, 2018.

Since becoming the Bulldogs’ full-time starter in 2021, Rogers has played in nine SEC games and has

thrown for over 375 yards four times, winning three of them. Disregarding conference, Rogers is 6-2 when throwing for over 375 yards. He is the head of Mississippi State’s metaphorical chicken.

While it’s easy to argue that it’s simply easier to win when you throw for 375-plus yards, the counterargument is that the Bulldogs’ offense is entirely predicated around the production of its quarterback. Rogers has thrown the ball on 66% of the team’s total plays this season. In contrast, A&M has only passed on 45% of its plays. The Bulldogs’ head coach Mike Leach’s offense, known as the Air Raid, is one of the most pass-happy systems in the country.

“It’s a different kind of spread [offense than Arkansas’],” A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said. “One was much more running; the other is much more throwing … What Mike [Leach] does, he’s going to throw the football; you’re going to have to give him different looks, different packages.”

A&M currently sports one of the best pass defenses in the country.

Through four games, the Aggies

have allowed just 153 yards per game through the air, good enough for 10th best in the country and third best in the SEC. However, in 2021, the Aggies held their opponents to an average of 193 passing yards per game — yet, Rogers threw for 408 yards in a 26-22 Bulldog victory in College Station. The Aggies travel to Starkville, Miss., this time and will put A&M’s defense to the test on the road.

In Week 4, A&M found success in limiting junior quarterback KJ Jefferson to 171 yards passing a week after he threw for 385 yards. Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin knew coming into the game how much of a threat Jefferson and the passing game was, and he adjusted accordingly.

“We had ran more defensive backs on the field [against Arkansas],” sophomore cornerback Tyreek Chappell said. “We played basically a threedown front, so we basically wanted to stop their explosive plays, so that’s how we really planned on winning.”

Durkin will continue to have to cook up a game plan for the Bulldogs who have an offense unlike any other in the SEC. The question will be whether or not the Aggies have the right dogs for the fight.

Junior safety Antonio Johnson has been the team’s ultimate chess piece on defense. He offers the versatility of having a player who can operate as a

safety, slot cornerback and linebacker all in one player. With 13 tackles against Arkansas, he will likely be a centerpiece for the Aggies’ game plan once again.

But, the players who will be tested the most are the Aggies’ cornerbacks.

Chappell, sophomore Jardin Gilbert and junior Jaylon Jones will be put in tough positions by the Bulldogs’ offense. Part of what makes Mississippi State difficult to defend is how much they spread the ball out. Five different receivers have between 15 and 21 catches through the first four games.

Because of this, all the team’s defensive backs will need to be locked in on every down, or Rogers will exploit their mistakes. “[The game’s] going to come down to the secondary,” Jones said.

“You know we’re going to get the rush up front; the back end, we’re just going to have to execute. We know they like to throw the ball, … so it’s just going to come down to us doing our jobs.”

If there is one weakness to Mississippi State’s offense, though, it’s the offensive line. Rogers has been sacked eight times this season, including four times in the Bulldogs’ Week 3 loss against LSU. If the Aggies want to find success, it’ll have to be by limiting Rogers, either by containing the receivers or getting the pass rush in.

12

787 4-0 5

Kyle McClenagan, Managing Editor Caroline Wilburn, News Editor Kenzie Finch, Asst. News Editor Cameron Johnson, Photo Chief & Graphics Editor Ishika Samant, Asst. Photo Chief & Social Media Editor Kathryn Miller, Life & Arts Editor Ruben Hernandez, Asst. L&A Editor

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THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2022 fall semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

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2

Oregon

13

619 3-1 5

4

Ole Miss

14

609 4-0 5

2

Oklahoma

15

603 3-1

16

6 10

Baylor 602 3-1

6 1

Texas A&M

17

560 3-1 5

18 19 20

2

Washington 516 4-0

5 3

Arkansas 443 3-1

69

Minnesota 359 4-0

NR

BYU

21 Michaela Rush, Editor-in-Chief

1

Penn State

Robert O’Brien & Cameron Johnson — THE BATTALION

The Texas A&M Aggies football team racked up another win against No. 10 Arkansas in the Southwest Classic on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

3

348 3-1

22 23 24 25

61

Wake Forest 269 3-1

64

Pitt 220 3-1

NR

Florida State 124 4-0

NR

Kansas 117 4-0

NR

Italicized numbers right of school names signifies first place votes New entrants: Minnesota (20), Pitt (23), Florida State (24), Kansas (25) Dropped out: Florida (22), Texas (23), Miami (FL) (24), Michigan State (25) Receiving votes: Kansas State (116), Cincinnati (78), Texas (42), Florida (40), Texas Tech (38), Syracuse (31), UCLA (21), LSU (20), Notre Dame (16), Wisconsin (15), TCU (14), Washington State (13), Oregon State (12), James Madison (10), Coastal Carolina (8), Michigan State (8), Mississippi State (7), Air Force (7), Maryland (6), Miami (FL) (3), Iowa State (1)

The SMP represents the top 25 teams in college football as voted weekly by student journalists across the nation Student Media Poll is sponsored by Indiana University Student Media