The Reveille 11-2-20

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Mond ay, Nove m b e r 2 , 2 02 0

HALLOWEEN

HORROR SHOW LSU fans, coaches and players look for answers after Saturday’s game against Auburn, one of the worst losses in program history.

Read on

page 2 PHOTO BY BUTCH DILL / Associated Press

NEWS

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LSU crowned the 2020 Homecoming royalty at the Oct. 24 football game against South Carolina.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Yellopain’s song “My Vote Will Count” educates listeners while encouraging them to vote in the election.

SPORTS

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LSU stumbled out of Jordan-Hare Stadium with more than just bloody noses and black eyes.

OPINION

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“This is a very dark time in American life, but I think we now have an opportunity to build an even brighter future.”

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‘IT WAS JUST MISCOMMUNICATION’ How a 99-yard drive erased defensive progress, defeated LSU

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EXACTLY HOW BAD WAS IT?

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• Worst loss ever to Auburn • Worst loss since 1996 • Worst loss to unranked opponent since 1981

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Auburn running back Tank Bigsby (4) carries the ball during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against LSU Oct. 31 in Auburn, Ala.

BY REED DARCEY @byreeddarcey LSU’s defense had played its best football of the season as the first half against Auburn wound down.

It had allowed only one touchdown, scored after Auburn returned a T.J. Finley interception inside the five. Auburn’s defense notched the other seven points with a scoop and score after a Finley fumble.

Finley threw a pass behind John Emery on third down with under four minutes remaining in the first half, forcing LSU to punt. From the 45-yard line, Zach Von Rosenberg booted a kick 54 yards, downed at the one-yard line by a diving Jabril Cox. LSU had a chance to force a punt, receive excellent field position and march back into the game. It was important to keep it close — Auburn was to receive the second-half kickoff.

Before the punt, hope remained of another tight game in a series with a history of drama.

After the punt, that hope was dead. Auburn mounted a 99-yard drive, went up 21-0 and never looked back. It defeated LSU 48-11.

“We just got punched in the face,” center Liam Shanahan said.

“We got absolutely killed.”

LSU was in man coverage on the first play of Auburn’s 99-yard drive. Auburn brought the slot receiver in motion, and Cordale Flott sprinted after him. Quarterback Bo Nix faked a handoff to the receiver in motion, and the LSU linebackers, who were crowding the line, bit on the fake.

The defense shifted left, Ali Gaye broke contain and Tank Bigsby took a handoff to the right for 26 yards.

Giving up large gains to the outside is not new to this LSU defense.

“As a whole, our communication wasn’t there,” Cox said.

“Certain people had bad eyes and then just let men go free.”

In the next three plays, Auburn took a one-yard loss, scrambled for 11 and completed a beautiful back-shoulder throw for 28 more. BJ Ojulari had a shot at Nix on the fifth play, but the elusive quarterback evaded the rush, improvised and completed a checkdown that gained a handful of yards.

Nix lined up under center on play five, and receiver Eli Stove ran in motion, receiving a quick handoff. Nix then carried out a fake handoff to his tailback, and three LSU defenders, JaCoby Stevens, Cox and Gaye, stared at the dummy action. A huge hole opened up for Stove, who ran free

for 12 yards.

Nix juked Gaye out of his cleats on the next play and lined up his offense on the nine. LSU was in man coverage again. Auburn’s outside receiver, Seth Williams, brushed past Flott, who stumbled. Ze’Vian Capers, Flott’s assignment, moseyed around the clump of players, wide open into the end zone. Nix threw to him for the touchdown.

When the dust had settled, Auburn had traveled 99 yards in eight plays and three minutes.

Its lead had ballooned to 21, and any progress the LSU defense had made against South Carolina and Auburn was erased. Auburn then scored four unanswered touchdowns, a scoring spree capped by a 91-yard bomb, fittingly made possible by what appeared to be a miscommunication between Derek Stingley and Jordan Toles. The score was 48-3.

“At the end of the day,” Cox said, “it was just miscommunication on our end.”

Much of this season’s failures have fallen on new Defensive Coordinator Bo Pelini. Fans have blamed him for failing to adjust on the fly, adequately prepare his players and ensure everyone stood on the same page.

Those fans expect Pelini to be fired, if not during this season, then definitely after it mercifully

concludes. But last week, LSU’s athletic department announced layoffs and pay cuts to mitigate roughly $80 million in losses, making Pelini’s $4.6 million buyout hard to swallow. Head coach Ed Orgeron said he does not expect to make a mid-season change.

Auburn’s 37-point margin of victory is the largest in the history of LSU-Auburn. It’s LSU’s worst loss since 1996 and, if not for a late, garbage-time touchdown, it’d be its worst loss to an unranked opponent in the 84-year history of the AP Poll.

The offense, the lone bright spot of the 2020 season, struggled. LSU rushed 27 times for 32 yards. Finley, after three turnovers and only 143 passing yards, was benched. Auburn outgained LSU 506 to 347.

“We’re evaluating every day,” Orgeron said. “I’m always evaluating, but you know, we gotta go through a season, give everybody a chance and look at what we’re doing. And at the end of the season, we’ll evaluate anything.”

Orgeron, after a quick pause, promptly corrected himself.

“Everything,” he said.

Read more about the LSU-Auburn game on P age 9

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication.

A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

NEWS

page 3

‘A DREAM COME TRUE’ LSU Homecoming royalty crowned amid socially-distanced crowd

POLITICS

Students weigh in on voting in upcoming election

BY NICK FREWIN @itsnickfrewin

“I really think that the people on the Student Homecoming Committee, and the people from LSU Student Life who put this on worked really, really hard to make sure that we still had a special day, even though we didn’t get all of the same things that people normally get,” Jones said.

“I think they went above and beyond to make sure that we still felt special.”

The Homecoming Court selection is based on “leadership,

With the election coming to an end on Nov. 3, there has been a nationwide effort to increase voter participation, especially in younger age groups. The 2016 election saw a 3.2% increase in voting participation by college students, according to a report by Inside Higher Ed. After President Trump won the 2016 election, despite Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote by 2.9 million votes, some students have questioned the point in voting if the Electoral College is still in place. Communication studies junior Emmy Reedy said while the Electoral College is not the best system, students should vote.

“I really don’t agree with that [Electoral College]. It defeats the point of a democracy. I think it is important to vote; you are still doing your civil duty by voting,” Reedy said. “Even if you think your vote doesn’t matter, you’re at least doing everything you can.”

History and sociology major Charlais Ferguson agreed with

see HOMECOMING, page 4

see ELECTION, page 4

COURTESY OF ANNA JONES

LSU homecoming royalty Justin Lorio and Anna Jones were crowned on Oct. 24 at the LSU vs. South Carolina game in Tiger Stadium.

BY POET WOLFE @PoetWolfe COVID-19 didn’t take away the excitement mass communication seniors Justin Lorio and Anna Jones felt when they were announced Homecoming king and queen.

The two were crowned at halftime during the LSU Homecoming football game against South Carolina on Oct. 24.

“I genuinely did not expect to win, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up about anything, so

it was definitely very shocking to me,” Jones said. “It was a very exciting moment and one that I’m never going to forget.”

“It’s always been, since freshman year, something I have dreamed of,” Lorio said. “There’s just nothing quite like the atmosphere of being in Death Valley, and the experience you get out of being not only an LSU fan, but also a student. It was definitely a dream come true.”

In previous Homecoming celebrations, the King and Queen celebrate close together on the

football field. Due to COVID-19 regulations, Lorio and Jones were required to be six feet apart and wear their masks as they took photographs in the seating area.

“I looked at my pictures, and I wish you could see the smile on my face,” Lorio said. “You can see it in the eyes, but the smile tells the story. That was hard.”

Jones said that even though they were unable to be on the football field and share the same experiences as previous Homecoming Kings and Queens, it was still “a very special experience.”

STUDENT LIFE

‘We all deserve a break:’ Spring semester breaks canceled

BY CAROLINE SAVOIE @carolinesavo When Gabie deBruler discovered the University canceled class Oct. 28 due to Hurricane Zeta, she was relieved. The mass communication senior felt overwhelmed this semester with the cancelation of fall break.

“I know I should have been worried about the hurricane, but I thanked God that I finally had a night off. That sounds horrible, but it’s true,” deBruler said.

Many students share deBruler’s feelings and were disappointed with LSU’s spring 2021 calendar, which the University released Oct. 15.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, University administration canceled spring and Mardi Gras break under advisement of its team of medical experts, according to Executive Vice President Provost Stacia Haynie.

To reduce the likelihood that students will travel, these traditional holidays were replaced with one-day breaks: -Monday, Jan. 18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day -Tuesday, Feb. 16 – Mardi Gras -Friday, March 12 – Mid-Semester Break -Thursday, March 25 – March Break -Friday, April 2 – Good Friday LSU’s spring classes will have similar formats as the fall semester, with a combination of online, in-person and hybrid coursework. This announcement did not come as a shock to some students, but it offers little relief for those burnt out from the new stresses of online school.

Xavier Kent, Vice President of the University Center for Freshman Year (UCFY) said the stress of the pandemic warrants a break.

“With all due respect to LSU and the administration, they don’t know what it feels like to be an undergrad during this pandemic,” Kent said. “This semester is by far the hardest semester I’ve ever had to get through. Students won’t have the time to refresh and refocus for the second half of the spring semester.”

Haynie said she and the administration understand that students would rather have traditional spring breaks, but the medical team advised that leaving time for students to travel increases the risk of an outbreak when they return to campus.

“The experts are telling us that the virus will not behave any differently in the spring,” Haynie said. “We are tired of the virus, but as much as we are done with it, the virus is not done with us.

We have to be incredibly diligent to contain it.”

Haynie said the administra-

tion took student concerns into consideration when it finalized the spring calendar, sending the first draft to University leadership councils, Faculty Senate and Student Government. From there, SG worked to draft an alternative schedule that would offer more days off.

Angelina Cantelli, deputy chief of staff of SG, said the organization proposed two alternative calendars with two additional days off: one with a consecutive Thursday and Friday off and one with nonconsecutive days off. deBruler said SG knew students wouldn’t be satisfied with three days off, so SG President Stone Cox and Vice President Hannah Barrios fought to get the two additional days off.

The administration opted for the latter proposal, but Cantelli said she feels like the provost did what she could to mitigate student concerns about mental

health.

“I’m grateful they asked for our feedback because three days off wasn’t enough,” Cantelli said.

“Five days still doesn’t feel like enough. We all deserve a break, to not work straight through an entire semester.”

Kent said he and other SG leaders have gotten feedback from students reporting depressive episodes stemming from stress due to a constant and heavy virtual workload. Since his position focuses on freshmen, Kent expressed his concern for first-years being unused to a collegiate workload, much less a remote one with one-day breaks.

“They’re coming from high school where they’re used to getting a week off for Thanksgiving or Mardi Gras, so they’re already working more than they’re used to,” Kent said. “When you add

see SPRING, page 4

Monday, November 2, 2020

page 4 ELECTION, from page 3

COURTESY OF ANNA JONES

LSU mass communication seniors Justin Lorio and Anna Jones were crowned homecoming royalty on Oct. 24 at the LSU vs. South Carolina game in Tiger Stadium.

HOMECOMING, from page 3 service and spirit,” according to the Homecoming Student Committee. Lorio and Jones have contributed within and outside of the LSU community through multiple internships and volunteer work.

Jones’ position as treasurer of Tiger Prison Project and news editor at The Reveille are two activities that have “shaped [her] experience” the most.

“Tiger Prison Project has really been important to me,” Jones said. “That’s the legacy that I hope to leave here because I know the people that founded the club last year worked really hard to found it. They all graduated the year after, so it’s up to us, the officers who are in charge now, to keep it going.”

Jones is also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and serves

as her sorority’s collegiate relations chair. This year, she joined the campaign management committee of Dance Marathon, which raises money for Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital through various fundraisers. She is also a member of LSU’s women’s choir.

Lorio has been involved with multiple LSU organizations as well, including STRIPES, Bengal Bound, LSU Ambassadors, Manship Ambassadors, Student Government and Dance Marathon.

Lorio said he is passionate about incoming students and describes STRIPES as “an overall great experience every student should have.” “[STRIPES] shows you the spirit of LSU, the traditions and also educates incoming freshmen where they can find their fit and the resources that they could use as a first-year student,” Lorio said.

Outside of the University, Lorio has experience working for the New Orleans Children Hospital. He describes the Miracle League of Greater New Orleans as “a special home” for him. “[The Miracle League of Greater New Orleans] started as a baseball league, but now it’s a sports league for children with special needs,” Lorio said. “Being out there and getting to see the joy in a child’s face that typically wouldn’t have the ability to do so is something that has always found a special heart in me.”

After graduation, Lorio and Jones plan to pursue careers to help their communities. Jones hopes to attend law school to pursue a career as a juvenile defense attorney. Lorio plans to move to his hometown, New Orleans, and describes “being able to give back to lesser areas” as his ideal career.

SPRING, from page 3

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU students waiting to cross Highland Road on LSU’s campus Aug. 25.

coronavirus and remove breaks, the freshmen class gets stuck with a workload like they’ve never seen before.” deBruler, who serves as senior advisor to the SG vice president, said not having back-toback days off robs both in-state and out-of-state students of an opportunity to get a real mental break from school and time with family.

“What’s really awful is not having those consecutive days off, not just from homework but from extracurriculars,” deBruler said. “Not to mention, I live instate, and it’s been hard for me to go home. I can’t imagine being an out-of-state student.”

ISDS junior Nanine Cowan is an in-state student, and she said she was disheartened to see a lack of extended breaks in the new schedule.

“Since I’ve been to campus this semester, I have not been home once. The amount of time I spend doing school takes a toll on me. Looking at the spring schedule and realizing that there’s not really time for me to take for myself or my family was…awful,” Cowan said.

Students have also expressed their opinions on how they per-

the idea that the Electoral College may cause some students votes to be pointless.

“I would say that as long as the Electoral College is in effect, then unfortunately, there is always going to be that possibility that our vote doesn’t matter,” Ferguson said. “Because any electorate can decide at any time they don’t have to vote with the population.”

An Electoral College member who does not vote with their district population is referred to as a “faithless elector.” While electors generally vote with their populations, it is not required in every state.

Mass communication senior Schylar Harris believes that even if somebody’s vote does not matter, people should put the effort in to make their political stances known through voting.

“I understand where they are coming from, especially since I’m

a Democrat in a Republican state, so it feels like my vote doesn’t really matter at all,” Harris said.

“It’s important for me to voice my opinion no matter where I am, so I think it’s important to make an effort.”

Students have noticed a national increase in encouraging people to vote in this upcoming election due to the polarization of the current political spectrum.

“There’s a lot of controversy with the presidency this year.

There is the biggest political divide in our country that I think we have ever had,” Reedy said. “A lot of people are really passionate about the candidate they support, so they really care that the candidate that they’re voting for wins.”

Screen arts sophomore Chandler Robinson said students in college should vote in this election because their voices need to be heard.

“It’s important because politicians don’t take young people seriously,” Robinson said.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

ceive the University makes decisions seemingly disconnected from students’ best interest. Kinesiology junior Caleigh Foto said she didn’t see the logic.

“It feels like they made this decision to promote an image,” Foto said. “They say we can’t travel for breaks, yet every Saturday random people come to campus for football and mix with students anyway.”

Sociology junior Harlee Rowe said while she perceives LSU’s priorities as misaligned, student perception of administrative decisions could be disconnected from reality.

“I know students feel that the University sometimes makes decisions based on what will turn a profit,” Rowe said. “We don’t feel like our mental health was considered. If they do consider the student body – and they may – we surely don’t hear about it.”

According to Haynie, students should give feedback to SG because their feedback is considered. She meets with SG leaders regularly and those leaders are linked into decisions regarding the student body. However, in the midst of a global pandemic, Haynie made it clear that LSU administration must defer to medical experts in pandemicrelated matters.

Other Louisiana colleges released their spring schedules, with ULL’s providing eight days off with three consecutive days off for Easter and two consecutive days off for Mardi Gras.

UNO’s calendar gives students five days off with two consecutive days off for Mardi Gras.

The provost said other instate colleges might not have the same demographic makeup LSU has being a large state flagship university.

“I meet every two weeks with SEC provosts, and we’re all doing the same thing,” Haynie said.

“We’re all facing the same challenge. When you’re a large state flagship with 25% of students from out of state, that adds a layer of complexity.”

While some student feedback has not been positive, Cantelli said she thinks students will see that the administration is simultaneously working to keep campus safe and consider student feedback.

“While I would love to have breaks in an ideal world, I understand the threat of having people traveling and coming back in the middle of the semester,” Cantelli said. “At the end of the day, it was just an unfortunate choice administration had to make.”

ENTERTAINMENT MUSICAL LESSON

page 5

Yellopain uses his music to educate voters this election year

BY CAROLINE HEBERT @sister_carols Tyheir Kindred, better known as Yellopain, is an up and coming rapper aiming to educate listeners on why their vote counts with his single “My Vote Will Count” featuring Sevyn Streeter.

The Ohio native’s song informs listeners of how the three branches of the government impact our lives and how voting can influence a change.

“But we gotta learn, we can complain enough,” Yellopain raps. “Let me change it up. Everything I just said, everybody, I know think the same way. See, they don’t wanna see us vote.

And we never do so we see the same thing.”

Restoring hope for the unheard or confused is important to Yellopain because he too was once unsure of how to make his voice matter. Yellopain explains how this song was made to “give a wake-up call” for those who “might not necessarily care about voting.”

“My Vote Will Count” never intended to advocate a certain candidate but for Yellopain to say, “Yea I understand how you think and what’s going through your mind, but here is some more information you can use,

and this is why voting is important.”

His dexterity with music enables him to explain the confusing world of the government in a much simpler way.

Yellopain’s ability to use his platform to educate and entertain makes him unique to the music industry.

His music is not only intended to help others but a way for him to express his own emotions.

The young artist creates music as sincere and genuine as himself. “Music for so long has been an emotional outlet,” the 20-year-old rapper

says.

“What helps me make the type of music I make is just being true to who I am. I am a very emotional person, and I try to deny it…but it all comes back to who I authentically am.”

Using his music as a diary allows listeners to hear authentic lyrics, giving him the opportunity to relate to his audience. His words are inspired by the experiences in his and his loved one’s lives.

The candid work produced

by Yellopain is some of the most honest music out there.

Being true to himself

allows him to be well respected and adored for his talent. “My Vote Will Count” truly captures all that Yellopain strives to accomplish with his music.

To further promote voting, Yellopain released Voter’s Guide Cliff Notes for “My Vote Will Count.” The notes encompass the breakdown of the three branches. By quoting a song lyric, such as “Legislative branch; yeah they the ones that make the Laws,” he took that and explained what the Legislative branch does within the government.

Along with that, facts about term length for senators and representatives are provided. “So, if the country fail you can’t say it’s them; it’s your fault / Cause ya ain’t know to vote for Congress members that was for y’all / And they don’t gotta leave at the four year and we just let ‘em sit.”

The facts provided in these cliff notes can educate readers to support voting to make an impact in their world.

This feature is great for listeners who felt empowered to know more so they feel confident enough to vote. I feel this is exactly what Yellopain had in mind when creating this song, to influence a change for the better.

COURTESY OF YELLOPAIN

BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

Geaux Vote: Beat the time in a voting line

BY BRITNEY YOUNG @byoun99 Election week is here, and some students may not be looking forward to waiting in long lines to vote. Voting is an important and easy way to use your voice, but I understand being impatient in a long line. Sadly, this is part of the process, but there are some ways to make waiting in line.

Plug in and tune out Create a playlist or choose your favorite one to play while waiting in line. Make sure you phone is charged or bring a portable phone charger with you.

Music helps me get through the day, so I imagine it can help while standing in line.

Scroll through Twitter and Instagram while listening to some bops. Check emails or catch up with friends and family. It may kill some time and put you in a better mood.

Bring a pal

Friends are great in situations where you’re bored out of your mind and need someone to joke around with. Time does fly when you’re having fun in the voting line.

Having a friend along to chat with could kill some time and make voting fun. You’re also getting more people involved if your friends do come with you. You won’t be bored and will also help bring in more voters.

Make sure you and your friend live in the same parish, or your friend can wait outside once you’re inside the polling booth to vote.

Research, research, research If you’re waiting in a long line, this is the perfect time to read up on amendments and local candidates who are running for office.

This election isn’t only about the

presidency. It’s about the local government, too.

A site I use to do my research on the amendments was the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana website. It tells you the arguments for and against the amendments. It’s a great and informative way to have direct influence in your parish.

Also, Ballot Ready is a great website to use to do more research on the candidates. The site will tell you which issues they’re working on and their endorsements.

Be Prepared Waiting in line could take three minutes, 40 minutes or even 4 hours. Voting should be quick and easy, but it is harder for some people to vote than others. This is why you need to be prepared.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring some snacks. If you know your parish usually has long voting lines, it might be smart to pack a small meal in case you

get hungry. Bring a phone charger, so your phone won’t die if you have to wait for hours.

Also, don’t forget a form of identification. If you do not have that, you will not be able to vote.

An acceptable form of identification is your driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID, LA Wallet digital driver’s license, a United States military

identification or any identification that has your picture and signature. You can’t use your Tiger Card to vote if it doesn’t have a signature, but you can go to the Tiger Card Office in the Student Union to get a replacement Tiger Card with your signature for free.

Go vote and be patient. Your voice matters.

Monday, November 2, 2020

page 6

CROSS COUNTRY

Monday, November 2, 2020

page 7

LSU men’s cross country ranked 8th and women’s cross country ranked 5th at the SEC Cross Country Championship on Oct. 30, at the University Club on Memorial Tower Drive in Baton Rouge.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

SEC men’s cross country runners start the race on Oct. 30.

KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille

LSU women’s cross country junior Katy-Ann McDonald runs on Oct. 30, where she placed No. 12 in the 6k race.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU women’s cross country freshman Rachel James smiles as freshman Ashley LaJocies and redshirt-sophomore Julia Palin join hands and congratulate each other Oct. 30.

KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille

LSU women’s cross country senior Alicia Stamey runs on Oct. 30, where she placed No. 46 in the 6k race.

KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille

LSU men’s cross country sophomore Cade Martin fist bumps junior Blake Baldassaro on Oct. 30.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU men’s cross country sophomore Jackson Martingayle runs on Oct. 30, where he placed No. 52 in the 8k race.

KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille

LSU men’s cross country senior Eric Coston runs on Oct. 30, where he placed No. 34 in the 8k race.

KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille

LSU men’s cross country freshman Will Dart runs on Oct. 30, where he placed No. 43 in the 8k race.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

SEC cross country runners start the race on Oct. 30, during the SEC Cross Country Championship at the University Club on Memorial Tower Drive in Baton Rouge.

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Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

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40 Departed 42 Most unusual 43 Sprawling tree 45 Stringed instrument 46 Classic dog’s name 47 Scoop holder 48 Has unpaid bills

11/2/20

49 Certain 50 Boston __ chowder 52 Actor Sandler 53 Part of a royal flush 55 Floral delivery svc.

56 __ Smothers

SPORTS Georgia (5) 4-1 Alabama (2) 6-0

14-3 41-0

Kentucky Arkansas 2-4 2-3 Mississippi LSU State 2-3 1-4

page 9

Texas A&M Ole Miss (7) 2-4 4-1 Auburn (24) 4-2

31-42 11-48

CAT NAP

54-21

Florida Vanderbilt (8) 0-4 3-1

“We just got punched in the face,” Liam Shanahan said bluntly. “We got absolutely killed.”

LSU stumbled out of JordanHare Stadium with more than just bloody noses and black eyes. In their 48-11 defeat to Auburn, the Tigers were punched in their spirit, and it broke.

Tiger fans are entitled to ask many questions about the LSU team they saw Saturday. Let’s break down exactly what went wrong for LSU and what Tiger fans can expect to happen for the rest of the year.

To start, LSU lost the game at the line of scrimmage. Auburn’s defensive line could do no wrong in penetrating the offensive line’s first assignments. LSU running backs averaged a measly 1.2 yards per carry on 27 attempts. The line that helped control the momentum of the game, gave the defense easier opportunities to succeed and prevented T.J. Finley from

making too many mistakes by giving him a run game and pass protection against South Carolina was nonexistent. In comparison, Auburn averaged 4.7 yards per rush to total 206 rushing yards.

Freshman running back Tank Bigsby scored two touchdowns on the ground and quarterback Bo Nix rushed for one.

“We couldn’t block those guys,” Ed Orgeron said. “I saw other people block their fronts. I really was surprised we couldn’t run the football.”

“We just never really got anything going,” Shanahan stated.

“Really throughout the entire game. We weren’t really able to establish the run game early.”

No run game also gave LSU a lot of difficult third downs to convert. An average down to distance of 6.5 yards per third down, compared to last week’s 3.2 yards, doomed the Tigers’ third down efficiency to 5-of-17 for the day.

This made many drives sputter

see AUBURN, page 10

Missouri 2-3

Next week for LSU Bye week before facing Alabama on Nov. 14 FOOTBALL

Z Z Z

‘Absolutely killed’: What went wrong for LSU and where to go next

BY JARED BRODTMANN @_therealjarbear

41-17

Tigers gain top-ranked safety prospect

BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha

BUTCH DILL / Associated Press

Auburn running back Tank Bigsby (4) carries the ball during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against LSU, Oct. 31, in Auburn, Alabama.

Halloween afternoon was not very kind to the Tiger faithful, as Auburn had its way with LSU in their annual Clash of the Tigers, obliterating LSU in blowout fashion, 48-11.

Despite the monumental, heartbreaking loss on The Plains, LSU football was still granted one positive from Saturday’s disaster: Sage Ryan.

Ryan, who is the top-ranked safety prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle, announced his pledge to LSU. The five-star safety is the No. 62-ranked prospect in the country and No. 2-ranked prospect from Louisiana. Ryan, who is from Lafayette Christian Academy, joins fellow safety commits Khari Gee from Georgia and Matthew Langlois of Catholic of Pointe Coupee in Louisiana.

see RYAN, page 10

WOMEN’S GOLF

LSU women’s golf takes over No. 1 spot in Golfweek rankings

BY TAYLOR LYONS AND JOE KEHRLI @taylorjlyons and @joekehrli9 The Ingrid Lindblad-led LSU women’s golf squad has taken the No. 1 spot in Golfweek’s latest national rankings updated Thursday, Oct. 29.

The Tigers are coming off two straight second place finishes in their first two events of the fall season at the Blessings Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas and The Ally in West Point, Mississippi. Both courses are regarded as two of the toughest in the country.

“We essentially played an SEC championship on Arkansas’ home course for the first tournament of the year and finished second,” LSU Women’s Golf Head Coach Garrett Runion said on the SEConly competition at the Blessings Invitational.

“Obviously we would have liked to win the trophy today, but I was very pleased with another

second-place finish for the second tournament in a row to start the season,” Runion said weeks later at The Ally. “I felt like we got better each day. Everybody contributed.”

LSU missed out on first place in last week’s rankings by just 0.09 points, trailing only South Carolina who fell to fourth place this week. Now, LSU boasts a score of 70.18, 0.16 above second place Arkansas.

The rating is calculated by a combination of strength of schedule, team record and stroke differential. The two tournaments the Lady Tigers have competed in this fall season are rated as the two hardest tournaments in collegiate golf, yielding a collective score of 72.24: 71.90 for the Blessings Invitational and 72.24 for the Ally.

These tournaments have been regarded as top-notch competitions that resemble SEC champi-

see GOLF, page 10

COURTESY OF JUDY WILSON, LSU ATHLETICS

page 10 RYAN, from page 9 The Lafayette native was torn between the Tigers and the Tide, but the opportunity to stay close to home made all the difference in his decision. Keeping Ryan in-state and away from the Tide makes this get even bigger for Ed Orgeron and company.

With his pledge to the Tigers, Ryan will be following in his family’s footsteps. Ryan’s uncle, Trev Faulk, is a former LSU linebacker, along with his cousin Kevin Faulk, who is currently on the Tigers’ staff as running backs coach.

“I chose family, and at the end of the day, I thought that was the best decision for me,” Ryan said during his announcement.

In his junior campaign at Lafayette Christian Academy, Ryan was a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the football.

Ryan closed out his season with just under 1,000 yards on the ground and receiving with 15 touchdowns. In addition, Ryan returned a trio of punts and kickoffs for touchdowns. Defensively, Ryan got a pair of picks and a fumble recovery.

Just three days prior during his Coach’s Show, on Wednesday, Oct. 27, Head Coach Ed Orgeron stressed the fact that the Tigers needed help in the secondary,

AUBURN, from page 9 and fail.

Because of this lack of a run game and constant pressure from the Auburn defensive line, Finley’s comfortability in the pocket was disturbed often, and it caused him to make two crucial mistakes. The first was an overthrown ball to the sideline intended for Terrace Marshall Jr. that ended up right to Nehemiah Pritchett, who returned the ball to the LSU four-yard line and set up a Bo Nix to Eli Stove touchdown to put Auburn ahead 7-0. Finley was not pressured much on this play; it seems like he just made a lackadaisical throw.

The second was another freshman mistake by Finley, but this time the pocket collapsed on him.

In a haste to dump the ball off to a free receiver, Finley failed to protect the ball and Derick Hall forced a fumble, which Christian Tutt quickly recovered and ran into the endzone to score another touchdown.

These two plays gave Auburn 14 points and the overwhelming momentum to run away with the game. When a team is struggling to play defense as much as LSU has this year, these mistakes on offense cannot happen.

But soon after the turnovers, the defense, who played well in the first quarter, limiting Auburn to just 64 yards, got its back snapped in half. A 99-yard touchdown drive before the half blew the game open. The defense seemed to lose its focus and communication skills when Chad Morris called plays that utilized receivers coming into the flat, running wide for screens and executing out routes to perfection.

Monday, November 2, 2020 and they got just that in Ryan.

“There is a deficit,” Orgeron said. “I think we need to recruit more safeties in our program. I’m gonna solve that problem by getting more junior college transfers or in recruiting.”

LSU’s 2021 recruiting class now features 20 commits, five of whom are currently from

Louisiana. Ryan’s commitment strengthens the Tigers No.6ranked recruiting class.

LSU remains in the running for five-stars Korey Foreman, Tristan Leigh and Mason Smith and fourstar receiver Brian Thomas. Time will tell if Ryan’s decision will have a positive influence on other top-ranked recruits.

GOLF, from page 9 onships.

LSU has steadily climbed in the rankings this year, beginning the season at 13th place following the Blessings Invitational, then making the leap to second after The Ally and now coming in at the top spot.

In the individual rankings, LSU features two golfers in the top ten nationwide with a pair of sophomores, Lindblad in second and Latanna Stone at eighth place, with ratings of 67.38 and 69.46, respectively. Freshman Carla Tejedo Mulet is at 19th with a 70.40 rating.

“Carla is getting stronger every time she hits the course. This was just her second college golf tour-

nament. She finished even par and felt like she left a lot on the table. So you know we got a good one with her,” Runion said after Mulet’s performance at The Ally.

Women’s golf will look to remain in the top spot as the team travels to Athens, Georgia for the Liz Murphey Fall Collegiate Classic beginning Friday, Nov. 6. Following the 2019-20 season, the women’s team was ranked 12th

by Golfweek.

Lindblad’s 70.17 average leads the team, and Stone’s 72.33 is second. Tejedo Mulet, Jessica Bailey and Kendall Griffin round out the team’s top-5 scorers.

“Now it is time to get rested and recharged before the last tournament of the fall at Georgia,” said Runion.

COURTESY OF KELLY DONOHO

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

Coach O smiles big with the trophy on Jan. 13, after LSU’s 42-25 win at the National Championship in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Sophomore golfer Ingrid Lindblad competes at the Magnolia Invitational in West Point, Mississippi, in October 2019.

The Auburn offense utilized the LSU defense’s inability to diagnose and tackle players in space.

By the end, it seemed players were running free wherever they pleased, in part because Auburn did a great job of keeping the defenders from cheating on routes by running the ball successfully.

“That can just be a lack of communication on the defensive end, but as a whole, our communication was there,” Jabril Cox said. “Certain people just had bad eyes, or just let the man go free.

At the end of the day, it was just miscommunication at our end.”

So where can LSU go from here? The bye week seems like a good place to start. This LSU team needs to do a lot of soul searching and decide what it wants to be remembered for. Right now, it is remembered as the LSU team that gave up 500 yards in three of its first five games, could not muster any resemblance of a run game in those three showings and badly misunderstood the importance of communication and understanding of players’ abilities.

The Tigers will face the Alabama Crimson Tide next week.

Odds are that Alabama will win that game, but how will the Tigers play, and how will they continue from there? Big games against Arkansas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Florida still remain. Those are all matchups this team is certainly talented enough to win.

An understanding of what it takes to succeed is clear now after the same refrain has been sung in all three of the Tigers’ losses: it starts with the rushing attack.

Run the ball well, and it benefits nearly every other position group on the team. This has to be the emphasis this bye week.

with a solution.”

But an understanding much deeper than that is required. Fans are left to themselves to wonder why this team cannot correct the mistakes it continues to make. It is a frustrating and anxious feel-

“We’ve got to look at the tape,” Orgeron said. “See where we went wrong. We’ve got to continue to fix the things we can. We’ve got to be constructive. We’ve got to be positive, and just identify what the problem is and come up

ing, and it should be amplified for this coaching staff and these players. If they cannot answer these ponderings, it may be the boosters who decide to answer it for themselves, with money instead of cliché phrases.

BUTCH DILL / Associated Press

LSU quarterback Max Johnson (14) is sacked by Auburn defensive tackle Marquis Burks (92) during the second half of an NCAA college football game on Oct. 31, in Auburn, Alabama.

OPINION

page 11

This Halloween, political reality is scarier than fiction DOM’S UNCANNY DISCOURSE

DOMENIC PURDY

@tigerdom16

From literary boogeymen like Dracula and Frankenstein’s monster to modern reinventions like Freddy Krueger and Pennywise the clown, our culture has long been fascinated by the macabre.

In recent years, however, a new brand of horror has begun to haunt audiences — the terror of reality.

Whereas the monsters of Universal creature features and H.P. Lovecraft novels terrify our primal brains trained to fear the unknown, the horror of reality digs deep into the rational mind.

The modern status quo, in which our world leaders, fueled by narcissism and prejudice, wield immense control over a powerless society, terrifies me and my contemporaries more than Stephen King ever could.

Though previously any com-

mentary on the terrors of reality would be coded through metaphors, the horror genre has grown blunter in recent years.

Gone is the age of using monsters as metaphors for the prejudices of society. In 2020, the monsters we see are real, or at least reflections of our reality.

A particularly pertinent piece featuring this kind of horror, Amazon Prime’s “The Boys” — based on the Garth Ennis comic book — crafts a world not unlike our own, in place of politicians and moguls, super-powered egomaniacs maim and manipulate their way into society’s upper echelon.

“I realized what a perfect metaphor this was for the exact second we’re living in,” the show’s creator, Eric Kripke, told the New York Times, “for this world where authoritarianism and celebrity are combined and fascism is packaged through social media.”

“The Boys” reflects the terrors of corporate America, where those in power act as “heroes” but in private are deviants, rapists, power hungry creatures

of prejudice and even literal Nazis. Sound familiar?

Along the same trend as “The Boys” is HBO’s “Watchmen,” itself a sequel to the 1986 Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons comic books of the same name. Opening with a gut-wrenchingly real depiction of the Tulsa Race Massacre, an event which has been largely ignored in the American education system, “Watchmen” places an emphasis on America’s history of racial exploitation and its terrifying existence well into the 21st century.

While based on a superhero comic in which an apathetic nude blue god atomizes people, “Watchmen” is less concerned with the implications of this larger-than life-terror, but rather the real horror wrought by white supremacy’s real threat to society.

What makes both “The Boys” and “Watchmen,” along with countless other shows, books and movies so terrifying is not the implication of god-like beings that could destroy our way of life with supernatural powers but the real issues our own society faces

EVAN VUCCI / Associated Press

President Donald Trump talks with reporters as he tours a section of the southern border wall, Sept. 18, 2019, in Otay Mesa, California. today.

White supremacy, prejudice, narcissistic leaders and ego-driven elites don’t just go away once you turn off the television like Michael Myers or Godzilla do.

They are here to stay unless we act on them.

Through this new age of art, we don’t escape into fantastical horror; rather, we’re interrogated about what scares us as a society.

Amid a terrifying year in its

own right, it would seem the horror genre has finally caught up to how haunting real life is.

Horror is no longer the monsters under our bed or the ones in our closets, but the monsters outside our windows that propagate systems of oppression and exercise control over others.

Domenic Purdy is a 19-year old journalism sophomore from Prairieville.

Quick Takes: Will we ever ‘go back to normal’ after this?

OLIVIA JAMES | @afroliviaa “I think there will be a new ‘normal’ after COVID-19. Nothing will completely be the same as it was before. There are so many businesses that closed permanently, many of our favorite people have passed away, and though many businesses are reopening, the way we carry ourselves as it pertains to hygiene will be different. It will be a big adjustment period.”

GABRIELLE MARTINEZ | @martinez_g0 “I don’t think we’ll see what we used to call ‘normal’ again for a long time. Face masks and social distancing will likely overstay their welcome — and rightfully so — until there’s some sort of vaccine.

Conversations about all the bizarre things that happened in 2020 will carry on, with hopes 2021 isn’t any crazier.”

TAMIA SOUTHALL | @tamiabrem_ “There is no going back to normal after a year like 2020.

This year highlighted the many faults in different branches of our government. Now officials need to be held accountable and correct the failures that have been shown to the American people.

The administration’s faults in dealing with the pandemic cost us over 200,000 American lives.

Many families will never be the same. Government officials must take the necessary actions to implicate those responsible for this.”

MARIE PLUNKETT | @MarieC_214

ELIZABETH CROCHET | @elizabethcro_ “I sure hope we will be ‘getting back to normal’ come 2021.

I cannot imagine not returning to normal. Living like this has been such a challenge for all of us so I think we all need to do what we can to make a safe return to normalcy. With a vaccine coming soon and herd immunity continuing to happen, I think we can be back to our regular lives relatively soon. The masks might stay a little longer, but I am certain that we can come back and better than ever!”

KEVIN DOUCETTE | @kgdouce

“While I’m sure we’ll eventually embrace large public gatherings again, that won’t happen until a vaccine is made publicly available.

Many Americans, if not most, will remember the impact COVID-19 had on our communities and the dismissive and sometimes outright cruel reactions from some of our peers. For some, it may feel ‘normal’ to go to the bar right now. Personally, that moment is a ways away.”

“Even if returning to ‘normal’ is possible, I don’t think we should.

The reality of the pandemic in America is that over 200,000 are dead. That number is unimaginable. If we ever get to a point where we can resume our usual day-today lives — not wearing masks when sick/symptomatic, not routinely teaching basic hygiene, not cleaning public spaces on a regular schedule — we should consider what that means to those who have lost their lives and those who have lost loved ones. Are we really that bad at learning our lesson? We shouldn’t ‘go back to normal’ and just sit around and wait for the next deadly pandemic to

strike. We should learn from this episode in history and continue to implement the safety procedures we’ve become accustomed to.”

EVAN LEONHARD | @evan_leonhard “I hope I am wrong, but I have an unnerving impression that our customary expectations of ‘normal’ will have to be thrown out and redefined. Long after vaccines have been distributed and the virus has subsided, the world will still be haunted by what’s happened in these past seven months. This year has left many feeling cautious and paranoid. Moreover, I would not be surprised if mask wearing and social distancing become everyday occurrences in our postpandemic lives. Just as 9/11 forever changed the way we travel by air, perhaps the coronavirus will alter how we interact in public.”

DOMENIC PURDY | @tigerdom16 “The idea of `going back to normal,’ is an interesting one, as realistically our world is irreparably changed by this year’s events.

From COVID-19 to questions of so-

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cial justice, the year 2020 will not end on a return to pre-pandemic life... at least not immediately. Realistically there won’t be a return to normal, but a creation of a new normal — at least until a vaccine is widespread, effectively inoculating the population against the virus.

Unless we enact a ‘new normal,’ the pandemic will become our reality. Let’s use this moment as a harbinger for a new age. We must move forward, not backward.”

CLAIRE SULLIVAN | @sulliclaire “I don’t think we’ll ever go back to our pre-pandemic world, but I also don’t think that has to be a bad thing. Despite its tragedy and disruption, we can use the pandemic as an opportunity to better appreciate those we love and reflect on the improvements our country must make. This is certainly a very dark time in American life, but I think we now have an opportunity to build an even brighter future. The pandemic exacerbated a lot of problems already existing in our country — political polarization, wealth inequality, poor leadership, etc... We should look forward as we rebuild.”

Quote of the Week “Every election is determined by the people who show up.”

Larry Sabato

political scientist (1952 — )

page 12

Monday, November 2, 2020

Save the Christmas celebrations for after Thanksgiving EVAN ON EARTH EVAN LEONHARD

@evan_leonhard

Well, it’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about Halloween — I’m talking about something much scarier. It’s the beginning of that annual twomonth period during which everyone complains about having the Christmas spirit shoved down their throats.

It might as well be its own holiday tradition at this point. Nothing screams “it’s fall” like walking into a department store and cynically scoffing at fully-stocked shelves of Christmas lights and ornaments.

You may hate me for saying this, but while Halloween and Thanksgiving are fine (I guess), the superiority of the Christmas holiday is pretty self-evident.

The truth is, Christmas is simply unlike any other time of year.

What other holiday generates its own all-encompassing season?

Thanksgiving certainly does not. In many ways, it’s simply the doormat to the Christmas season.

It’s a nice appetizer; great at setting the mood for the festivities to follow, but just not the same as the real thing.

And Halloween owns the month of October — I won’t deny that — but does putting up some decorations and watching a few scary movies really compare to everything that comes with Christmas?

Of course not. The Christmas season uniquely affects nearly every aspect of daily life. Our homes, public spaces, and entertainment all become intertwined with a single aesthetic and an atmosphere of pure positivity.

Halloween, at least as we celebrate it today, is little more than a month of sugary, superficial kitsch. Christmas celebrations, however, resonate in a much more substantive and spiritual way.

As if there are not more pressing matters to argue about, it seems every year incites a bevy of petty squabbles about whether or not we should start celebrating Christmas months in advance.

Of course, many of us are familiar with the classic temptation of enjoying Christmas music and movies before it’s even Thanksgiving. Another frequent point of contention for me is deciding when I should put up the Christmas tree.

Arguments against early Christmas celebrations are usually pushed by fans of Halloween and Thanksgiving who re-

sent their favorite holidays being overshadowed each year. According to them, we should stop and savor the fall holidays before rushing into Christmas.

While there is something comforting about debating issues with refreshingly low stakes, I’m afraid I have to end this debacle once and for all: We should save Christmas for the month of December.

Not because Halloween and Thanksgiving deserve more attention, but because overextending the Christmas season cheapens the — I resent the term — “magical experience” that comes along with it.

Many of us have unique anticipation and excitement associated with the holiday, undoubtedly rooted in childhood experiences like receiving gifts and getting time off of school. Even as a college student, I can’t help but get a childish buzz of exhilaration when I see the world around me transition into Christmas mode.

But as with anything, overexposure is a recipe for apathy.

When we begin to exploit our Christmas celebrations beyond the traditional timeframe, we risk devaluing the very experiences that make the season so beloved in the first place.

Also, no one wants to go walking in a “Winter Wonderland”

cartoon by BRANDON SHEPHERD

for three months straight. Christmas is great, but it can be intense. When you start gearing up for Christmas before Thanksgiving even begins, everyone’s either too exhausted or too desensitized to fully appreciate it when the holiday actually comes.

Part of what makes Christmas so special is for a short period of time, it allows us to suspend the status quo. When it becomes a part of the status

quo, that defeats the whole point.

After such a difficult year, we deserve to enjoy the Christmas season properly. In the meantime, I guess we can give the people what they want and celebrate the rest of the fall holidays.

Evan Leonhard is a 19-year-old English and philosophy major from New Orleans.

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