The Reveille 10-21-21

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LSU students protest university’s handling of student accused of rape Read on

page 2 NEWS

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LSU students who use Tiger Trails report unreliable pick-up times and mobile app inconsistencie.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Find out what to do this weekend in and around Baton Rouge, from a Halloween Party to live concerts.

SPORTS

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With Coach Orgeron leaving at the end of the season, what questions need to answered when looking for a replacement?

OPINION

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“Sometimes, you just have to be pessimistic, if only to later exceed your own expectations and break your negativity cycle.”

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

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‘SAFE NOT SILENCED’ ‘When we make our voices heard, that’s when we get change done’

BY MADDIE SCOTT & DOMENIC PURDY @madscottyy & @tigerdom16 About 100 students marched LSU’s campus Monday in protest of the university’s handling of a former French graduate student accused of raping multiple women, fleeing to France and avoiding trial for the third degree rape of a former UL Lafayette student.

The “March in Action” was organized by student organizations Feminists in Action WITH Le Cercle Français, where students chanted and hoisted signs in anger.

Among the speakers included Le Cercle Français president Miranda Albarez, who recounted to the crowd her years of work in student organizations with the 31-year-old graduate student Edouard d’Espalungue d’Arros.

She said she felt threatened by him, calling him a “manipulative monster” in an Instagram post earlier this month.

“That is the culture that LSU has created—a rape culture where predators are victimized and survivors are villainized,” Albarez, a music, French and digital art senior, said at the march.

Students demanded the university do a better job of prioritizing safety on campus following an Oct. 5 article by The Advocate detailing d’Espalungue’s alleged crimes.

The article recounts d’Espalungue’s prominent participation at the university as he awaited trial for the third degree rape of a woman after an arrest in 2018. The French graduate student participated in Student Government and started a French journal funded by the university. He was no longer allowed to teach freshman-level courses, but he stayed in touch with students.

LSU gave him little to no punishments until he was given a one-year suspension in 2020 for allegedly raping another student. Eventually a Rapides Parish judge granted him permission last year to return to France for Christmas—and he hasn’t returned since. Since his indictment, six women have accused d’Espalungue of rape.

Flyers distributed at the Parade Ground prior to the protestors’ march read “We want to feel #SafeNotSilenced.”

As the protest began in front of Memorial Tower at the Parade Ground, professor of history and women’s gender and sexuality studies Catherine Jacquet expressed her support for the students organizing the protest.

She has participated in similar protests herself for decades, she said.

“It’s hard to be surprised because this has happened so of-

ten at LSU. We expect this but it’s still every time absolutely infuriating,” Jacquet said. “It makes my head want to explode.”

Protestors wielded a sea of colorful signs displaying messages like “protect survivors, not rapists” and “Blanchard knew, Russo knew,” referring to administrators in the French Department. When the marching started, students roared chants throughout the trek to Hodges

Meyers said. “Nothing has really changed.”

Upon hearing of the protest, Civil Rights and Title IX Interim Vice President Jane Cassidy expressed her support for the protestors and their mission.

“This protest is a reminder of our accountability to the students and employees at LSU and provides yet another opportunity for us to reflect and improve upon past practices,” Cassidy

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

A LSU student holds up a sign demanding change Mon., Oct. 18 during the Feminists in Action march.

Hall and turned the heads of bypassers.

“Hey hey, ho, ho, Dr. Russo has got to go,” protestors chanted. “Shame on you LSU, victims we believe you.”

French Department Chair Adelaide Russo was removed from her position Oct. 13 after six women filed a lawsuit accusing LSU of failing to conduct a proper investigation into d’Espalungue. Russo reportedly defended d’Espalungue on several occasions following his multiple rape accusations.

Students unaffiliated with the protest stopped dead in their tracks on their way to class to watch the stream of protestors as they chanted.

“Stop the violence. We want to be safe, not silent,” they repeated.

Kayla Meyers, political science and psychology senior and FIA secretary, came with a list of demands. Chief among these was to support and believe survivors.

“I was at the [Title IX] protest last year in 2020, and we are having these issues still,”

said.

However, students still feel LSU has not lived up to its promise of a safer campus, even after the recent reorganization of the Title IX office.

Political science senior and FIA Planned Parenthood chair Isabel Sauviac wants more transparency on top of student outreach from the LSU Title IX office.

“They should actually listen to their students,” Sauviac said.

“They re-did Title IX, sure, but they didn’t talk to anyone. I feel like they should actually talk to the students and see what we want because it’s about us.”

International trade finance sophomore and political director of LSU College Democrats Cooper Ferguson not only believes the Title IX office isn’t properly funded but that it hasn’t accomplished its promise of hiring 18 new Title IX investigators.

“They’re more concerned about protecting their pocketbooks than actually protecting LSU students,” Ferguson said.

Even though President William Tate IV has only served

at LSU for three months, Ferguson was furious at his response to the allegations against d’Espalungue.

He said the president attempted to abdicate himself in an email sent to the LSU community by saying he was not serving when the allegations occurred. Ferguson believes Tate and the Title IX office are directly responsible for the continued sexual assaults on campus. “[LSU’s Title IX office] needs to hire more staff, and they need to be serious about addressing allegations against the university, not just covering their asses,” Ferguson said.

Social work senior and FIA vice president Gabriella Turner repeatedly announced her irritation for having to protest something that should not be happening in the first place.

“When we make our voices heard, that’s when we get change done,” Turner said.

Upon reaching Hodges Hall, the final destination of the march, the floor was opened up to protesters who wanted to share their thoughts and feelings.

Emotional students echoed Ferguson’s frustrations that LSU has not done enough. One speaker directly addressed Tate, saying his efforts of creating advocacy groups is not enough.

“None of that matters if you don’t do the hard work of actually enacting the legislation that is there to protect us,” one protestor said.

Student after student came up to the microphone and announced their experiences with sexual assault as busses whizzed by on the street and protestors freed space on the sidewalk for people walking past.

Campus continued its daily routine as students recounted their stories of sexual assault in front of the crowd of protestors.

“I came here to learn,” one protestor said. “I did not come here to be retraumatized continuously. All I wanted to do was practice French, and instead, I had another run-in with a rapist.”

The microphone waited to be held by a line of survivors wishing to tell their experience. It shook in the hands of passionate speakers and reverberated the vehement fervor of students sick of silence.

“LSU, you need to look in the mirror, find the problems and fix them. We are done asking,” Albarez said. “Changes start now.”

See more pictures from the FIA march on pages 6-7.

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NEWS

page 3 STUDENT LIFE

TIGER TRAILS LATE Tiger Trails riders report unreliable drop-off and pick-up times, mobile app inconsistencies SAVANNA ORGERON / The Daily Reveille

A Tiger Trails bus drives Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, on North Stadium Road at LSU.

BY AIDAN PRIMEAUX &BELLA DARDANO @acprimeaux & @BellaDardano Jessie Thomas has a medical condition that makes it difficult to walk to far-away classes, so she relies on LSU’s bus system, Tiger Trails, to get to her classes at the Journalism building and to pick up mail from the Union. She also has to take a Park and Geaux shuttle to get between bus routes, since the route by her apartment does not stop at the Union.

Normally, time is the biggest inconvenience, but during Tropical Storm Nicholas last month she was in for far worse. It began to pour down rain as she was taking the shuttle back to the commuter lot, and soon campus was flooded.

After her umbrella broke, she told other riders she had to walk from the parking lot to her home. If not for the kindness of a stranger who offered her a ride, she would have either been stranded or had to make the long trek home in the cold, pouring rain.

“If LSU cared about its students, the school would make the bus system more reliable by limiting the number of breaks drivers take and adding more buses to the routes, because one isn’t enough,” Thomas said.

She often has to walk to class despite her condition because she

can’t rely on the bus.

Transportation Demand Manager for Parking and Transportation Services Josh Galasso said in an email that Parking and Transportation Services is not seeing a noticeable increase in ridership of Tiger Trails. Galasso said the ridership levels this year are below average, with 20,314 passengers per month in comparison to the 2018 and 2019 monthly average of 76,487 passengers. Galasso also said COVID-19 has also been a factor in the decrease of transit usage.

Meeting demand levels is not a current issue according to Galasso, as there are 32 busses in the Tiger Trails system that can accommodate 64 passengers each. He also noted there is no plan at this time to add more busses because they are not struggling to reach demand levels.

LSU’s public transportation was previously handled by the Capital Area Transit System until 2009. After Student Government and the Office of Transportation Services pushed the university to hold CATS to higher standards that were not met, LSU severed business with CATS and started a new bus system as a partnership with First Transit. After a student vote, the new service was named Tiger Trails.

Tiger Trails added another bus on the Purple route during its bus-

iest hours prior to the pandemic.

Since in-person learning has come back in full swing, they have yet to see demand to justify adding more buses to any routes.

History senior Matthew Dreher says he only uses Tiger Trails when he cannot use his bike due to injury or unsafe weather and thinks the service is unreliable in terms of getting to places on time.

Dreher says bus drivers will skip stops if no one is there. There have been instances where the busses will just drive past him because they didn’t see him.

“If you do get there, you better hope that bus driver sees you, because if they do not see you for whatever reason they will just blow right past you,” Dreher said.

“Even if they do see you, I’ve made eye contact with bus drivers at a bus stop and they went right past.”

Riders can use the TransLoc mobile app on their phone to track where the buses are in real time and see the routes. However, some report that although the app is convenient, it isn’t always reliable.

Biology teaching associate Rafael Marcondes said that sometimes the app will indicate that the busses are stopped at one location.

He’ll walk there only for there to be no bus. Dreher says that sometimes the app displays the bus at the wrong locations and refreshing the app to see if the busses have

moved could be the difference between making the bus or being left stranded. He believes the app should only be supplemental and riders should not have to watch the busses “like an Uber” because there is a schedule that should be followed.

There have also been reports of bus drivers taking long breaks.

Marcondes says the app will show busses stopped in one location for a long period of time with no explanation. He believes there should be some sort of indication on the app that says when bus drivers take breaks or why a bus is stopped at one location.

“What’s the point of having an app that shows you where the bus is if the bus is just stopped for 30 minutes with no justification or no warning?” Marcondes said.

Dreher said there are a lot of points where busses are just sitting at different locations, and it’s unclear if it is due to bus drivers taking breaks.

“I’m of course hesitant to blame the bus drivers for this one because I think it’s obvious there’s not nearly enough buses to handle the volume of traffic on LSU’s campus,” Dreher said. “If it is the case that the system is understaffed and the bus drivers are overworked, I can’t really blame them for taking

see BUSES, page 4

Dorm entrances closed on game day

BY AIDAN PRIMEAUX @acprimeaux It’s Saturday morning in Death Valley. You just hit the dining hall to grab breakfast before you get ready for game day. You juggle everything you’re carrying, pull out your Tiger Card and swipe the reader at the door closest to your dorm room, but instead of unlocking it you’re greeted with a red light and a rapid beeping noise. After a couple more attempts, you see it’s no use and head to the main entrance.

All university residential halls change to a single point of entry for students on game days. LSU Residential Life increases the amount of resident assistant staff on duty in addition to this measure, but some residents say they don’t understand the reasoning for the policy because every entrance requires a resident’s Tiger Card to open anyway.

Director of Residential Life and Education Bill Mattera said the university began using the single entrance model for the last five years after they put together a group to examine game day policies from similar universities, and said the single entrance protocol is in place across several of LSU’s peer schools.

“The policy is in place to ensure that only residents of the community are entering the buildings and using the spaces as designed,” Mattera said. “Residence halls are students’ homes, and they aren’t for friends, families or off-campus visitors.”

He said the duration of the single-entrance policy varies on

see DORM, page 4

STUDENT LIFE

Homecoming King and Queen encourage involvement at LSU

BY AIDAN PRIMEAUX @acprimeaux Tiger Stadium roared without restriction as mass communication senior Claudia Henry and sports administration senior Chandler Black were crowned as Homecoming King and Queen during halftime of the Florida game Saturday.

After a week of Homecoming events leading up to the football game, from the Homecoming concert featuring Swae Lee to Fall Fest, both Henry and Black said the event represented a return to normalcy.

“I know last year’s king and

queen didn’t really get the full experience,” Henry said. “It was so crazy looking up at a full Tiger Stadium. Things are moving forward.”

The king and queen were determined by a vote of the student body. They were named out of a court of six seniors and eight freshmen, sophomores and graduate students. Both students said they are honored to represent LSU as Homecoming royalty but pointed to their extracurricular activities as their most impactful endeavors during their time at the university.

“I got pushed to do more as a

leader throughout Student Government,” Black said. “Leadership is a person-to-person thing.

It’s impacted me greatly and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Black, a native of Lawrenceville, Georgia, has served in SG since he was a freshman. He currently serves as the Chief of Staff and was previously the assistant director of Athletics, director of Student Outreach and part of the Freshman Leadership Council. In addition to serving in SG, Black has worked with The BRidge Agency, a nonprofit organization that supports community and economic development in low-income

areas of Baton Rouge. In Georgia, he has volunteered for Toys for Tots and as a youth coach.

Henry has been a member of the Delta Gamma sorority since her freshman year and served as president of the Panhellenic Council and on the Greek Board of Directors. She also joined LSU Ambassadors her freshman year and said the organization gave her a great appreciation for the campus and the diversity of the student body.

Through her sorority, she has done volunteer work with the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired and the Miracle League

of Baton Rouge. She and other members assist blind students by walking with them around campus or driving them where they need to go.

She credits her sorority sisters with encouraging her to get involved in areas of campus life outside of her sorority.

“It’s a community of amazing, supportive women who only want you to do your best,” Henry said.

“The women in my sorority always saw things in me I didn’t see in myself.”

Both students credited their

see HOMECOMING, page 4

Thursday, October 21, 2021

page 4 BUSES, from page 3 breaks when they can.”

Coastal environmental science sophomore Abby Roche said she likes to use public transport to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions, but her commute time greatly depends on the driver. Though she’s had problems with the same driver stopping and getting out to send texts, and she has had to get out and ask why he isn’t driving.

“Buses being on time is a very important thing for students who have to rely on public transportation,” Roche said. “I hope this problem can be fixed because it is quite ridiculous.”

She has also had issues with drivers skipping stops and said some drivers take double her usual commute time to get to campus.

Galasso said First Transit Operators receive an hour-long break when driving more than eight

HOMECOMING, from page 3 parents with supporting them in their extracurricular activities throughout their lives. Henry, a native of Alexandria who attended high school in Denham Springs, said she initially was hesitant to go to LSU because of its close proximity to home, but her mother encouraged her to change her attitude.

hours and the operator is relieved from duty by a Break Operator .

The process is designed to not affect the schedule.

There is no set time or frequency limits for restroom breaks, but if there is a situation where a break lasts longer than ten minutes they make an effort to check the Operator status. Galasso also said Parking and Transportation Services is currently working with First Transit to create a policy to handle this going forward.

In regard to the TransLoc app displaying the wrong location of busses or busses stopped for a long period of time, Galasso said there are very broad reasons why a bus may be stopped or stray from the normal route including traffic, construction and accidents along the road, but the app normally displays accurate location.

Parking and Transportation is working with First Transit on

a policy to address the need for communication about breaks in advance, but at this time First Transit does not require that a bus driver announce to passengers when they need to take emergency restroom breaks and in many instances advanced notice about breaks is not possible, According to Galasso.

Petroleum engineering sophomore Patrick Stapleton said he’s had mostly good experiences with the Burbank Ben-Hur and Nicholson Burbank routes, though the bus is usually very packed early in the day.

“The buses are super efficient,” Stapleton said. “When my car was in the shop I had no problem getting to school and back.”

His commute never took longer than a half hour, and usually took about 15 minutes. He also said one of the bus drivers was always very friendly.

After graduation, Black plans to attend graduate school and get his master’s in business administration, potentially at LSU or back home in Georgia.

Henry will take a gap year and hopes to travel internationally and learn about other cultures. She plans to eventually attend graduate school and is considering law school.

Henry and Black both stressed

that every student has the power to make a difference at the university, whether they are from Louisiana, another state or another country.

“You can have an impact on campus regardless of where you come from,” Black said. “If you make the life easier of one person on campus, you succeeded in leadership and leaving a legacy here at LSU.”

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DORM, from page 3 each game day, depending on the kick off time, the Tigers’ opponent and how much traffic is expected on campus. Mattera added that ResLife does not receive much student feedback regarding their game day security policies.

Business freshman J.R. Brandon said the single-entrance model can be very frustrating for students, especially the first time it happens or if they’re in a rush and don’t remember the policy is in place until they’re swiping their card.

“I didn’t understand why this

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Daily Reveille

The backdoor to Evangeline Hall sits closed on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, on East Campus Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

would even be considered a security measure,” Brandon said. “It’s not like I’m getting a flat tire or anything, but it is frustrating.”

Biochemistry freshman Aidan O’Neal understands that the policy is a security measure but doesn’t see how it offers any extra protection to students.

“I honestly don’t understand how this would make me feel safer,” O’Neal said. “You still need a card to get into the side doors regardless.”

He added that it was a minor inconvenience more than anything but believes residential life should be more clear as to why this policy is in place. He thinks restricting entry to a single point is irrelevant because only a Tiger Card programmed to a specific residence hall will allow anyone entrance to the building, no matter which entrance they use.

Architecture freshman Jorden Robinson agrees that students having a Tiger Card and potentially a hard key as well precludes the need for more security, and having a single entrance simply makes it take longer for people who live in the building to get inside.

“I had groceries dropped off one day in the back of Cypress and had to lug them all the way to the front of the building just to get in,” Robinson said. “I see no need for this precaution.”

ENTERTAINMENT

page 5

THIS WEEKEND IN BR

Want to see your event in The Reveille?

Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

BY AVA BORSKEY @iamavab

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nd

courtesy of Seaux LA

Plaquemine’s International Acadian Festival kicks off on Friday, Oct. 22, with events running through Sunday, Oct. 24. The festival has been held annually since 1969 and includes festivities like a cornhole tournament, gumbo cookoff, Texas Hold Em tournament, fair rides and live music. The event is held at the Bayou Plaquemine Waterfront Park, 57845 Foundry St., Plaquemine.

Mid City Hallows | Mid City Ballroom

Halloween Party | Mid City Beer Garden

Break out your best costume for Mid City Beer Garden’s Halloween Party on Friday, Oct. 22, from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. at 3808 Government St. The costume contest starts at midnight, with MCBG gift card prizes for winners in these categories: best group, funniest, scariest and overall best costumes. DJ KMO will provide the night’s sounds. You must be 21+ to attend.

Movies & Music on the Lawn | Baton Rouge Gallery

Seaux LA presents Mid City Hallows, a Halloween event showing off local and community talent that is Seaux Louisiana. Enter the costume party for a chance to win cash prizes and check out local art from vendors like Ori’s Mystics, Blerd-ish and more, with live music from _thesmoothcat, Jireh and others. There’s a $15 entry fee when doors open at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22, at the Mid City Ballroom, 136 S. Acadian Thruway.

Movies & Music on the Lawn, a film series hosted by the Baton Rouge Gallery, combines silent films with the talent of local bands. Just in time for Halloween, this season’s final showing will be the 1920 silent film “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” starring John Barrymore. Baton Rouge duo Palomino Darling will be providing an original score to accompany the scenes on the outdoor screen at the Baton Rouge Gallery located at 1515 Dalrymple Drive. The show starts at 8 p.m. and has an hour and a half run time. Tickets are $7 and include bottomless popcorn.

October Market | Circa 1857

This month’s MidCity Makers Market takes on a spooky theme. Enjoy live music, food, drinks and shopping on Saturday, Oct. 23, from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. at Circa 1857 at 1857 Government St. Wear your Halloween costume for booth-to-booth trick-or-treating.

Trey Gallman | The Texas Club

LSU alumnus and former Tigers fullback Trey Gallman will be rocking the Texas Club, 456 N. Donmoor Ave., on Friday, Oct. 22, at 9 p.m. The alt-country singer and songwriter is a Prairieville native with singles like “Down a Little Backroad” and “Fast Lane.”

Tickets are $12.

OCTOBER

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SATURDAY

FRIDAY

OCTOBER

International Acadian Festival | Bayou Plaquemine Waterfront Park

SUNDAY

Tour: Avery Island | New Iberia

The UREC Adventure Center is hosting a trip to Avery Island. On Sunday, Oct. 24, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., you can tour the home of the famous McIlhenny Tabasco factory. See how the spice is made and bottled with a tour of the factory. After taste-testing all the hot sauce you can, enjoy a bike ride through the Jungle Gardens, a semi-tropical stretch of nature that offers the chance to see blooming flowers and wildlife.

OCTOBER

24

TH courtesy of lafayettetravel.com

Thursday, October 21, 2021

page 6

LISTEN, BELIEVE, SUPPORT.

Thursday, October 21, 2021

page 7

LSU international studies third year student Jake Murillo hugs a fellow student Monday, Oct. 18 after speaking during the Feminists in Action protest following reports of LSU mishandling sexual assault cases at Hodges Hall on LSU’s campus.

LSU philosophy senior Jada Battle holds two signs Monday, Oct. 18 during the Feminists in Action protest following reports of LSU mishandling sexual assault cases at Hodges Hall on LSU’s campus.

Attorney Mimi Methvin speaks to the crowd Monday, Oct. 18 during the Feminists in Action protest following reports of LSU mishandling sexual assault cases at Hodges Hall on LSU’s campus.

Feminists in Action hosted a protest Oct. 18 against LSU’s handling of alleged rapist Edouard d’Espalunge D’Arros.

Read the full story on page 2.

PHOTOS BY CHYNNA MCCLINTON

A student raises up a French sign Monday, Oct. 18 during the Feminists in Action protest following reports of LSU mishandling sexual assault.

A student holds a #safenotsilence sign Monday, Oct. 18 during the Feminists in Action protest following reports of LSU mishandling sexual assault cases at Hodges Hall on LSU’s campus.

SPORTS WHO’S NEXT

page 8 FOOTBALL

Five questions to answer as LSU football coaching search begins

BY PETER RAUTERKUS @peter_rauterkus After weeks of speculation, it is now official that Ed Orgeron will not return to LSU for the 2022 season.

With the news of Orgeron’s departure now confirmed, the search for a new head coach officially begins. Here are five questions to answer as the search starts.

Will LSU only consider coaches with a clean background?

A large part of the downfall of Ed Orgeron’s time at LSU was the off-the-field issues that came to light after 2019. From verbal altercations with fans, to viral photos, to a massive Title IX scandal, Orgeron had created just as many issues off the field as he did on it.

Obviously, the biggest of these issues is his alleged Title IX violations, which is still ongoing and is a massive stain on the university. With that being said, LSU can’t afford to hire a coach who has bad off-the-field history due to the current climate at the university. This would take potential names like Urban Meyer and Hugh Freeze automatically off the list. Those two are just high-profile examples that may not necessarily have been considered anyway, but any candidate that has a history of off-field issues or scandals will likely not be considered.

Will Scott Woodward look to land another big name?

Looking at Scott Woodward’s

Film Room: How DavisPrice broke the record

BY TREY DAVIS @THETREYDAY2

Will LSU make an effort to hire its first Black head coach?

In the 128 year history of the LSU football program, there have been 32 head coaches, and all 32 have been white men.

With LSU selecting William Tate VI as its first Black president early this year, now would be the perfect time to change

Death Valley was bumping on Saturday morning as LSU dominated a ranked Florida team with smash mouth, hard-nosed running and controlled the tempo on both sides of the ball. The Tigers upset the No. 20 Gators 49-42 in a contentious battle that could have swayed to either team.

A great deal of credit must be given to the players for playing the most diligent game so far even without their best players available. Many fans have the same question: Why was LSU not able to run the ball like this at the start of the season?

The simple answer is the difference in coaching, play calling and player personnel. Having the proper players on the field can either hinder or enhance how conservative or aggressive a play caller may devise his plays through the course of a game.

The best play callers understand the preconceived notion of crafting a worthwhile script for players, when the script is working and when it must be ditched if it is not working.

This week the starting offensive line featured some new faces who are expected to continue starting the rest of the season: Jack Mashburn, and Marlon Martinez.

Jake Peetz finally figured out

see COACHING, page 9

see DAVIS-PRICE, page 9

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU football Head Coach Ed Orgeron interviews with an ESPN host Oct. 16, after LSU’s 49-42 win against Florida at Tiger Stadium. career as an athletic director, he’s had a history of making big-name hires, even during his short time at LSU. Just earlier this year, he hired arguably the best women’s basketball coach in the country in Kim Mulkey. While at Washington, he hired Chris Petersen, who was coaching Boise State at the time, and would go on to completely turn around Washington. At Texas A&M, he hired Jimbo Fisher, who was coming of an 83-23 record at Florida State, and has Texas A&M a

game away from the College Football Playoff last season.

Woodward’s track record when it comes to hiring coaches is a strong one, and that combined with the draw of the LSU coaching job makes the coaching search feel promising.

Coaches like James Franklin, Lane Kiffin and Fisher are just a few of the big-name coaches who have been rumored candidates so far. There have even been rumors that Woodward will try to go after Dabo Swinney, which goes to show almost

no name is too big to be written off for the job.

FOOTBALL

Players react to Orgeron news: ‘We’re still going to be great’

BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha What were perceived to be rumors have been shut down.

The deal is done. Coach Ed Orgeron does not have a future with this program after the conclusion of this season.

Even though the remaining games are what the players have to set their focus on, many didn’t shy away from touching on the impact that Orgeron had on them.

“At the end of the day, I’m gonna forever be grateful for the opportunity coach (Ed) Orgeron gave me to be able to play at this great university,” lineback Damone Clark told the media on Tuesday.

“I appreciate Coach O for everything he has done for me,” wide receiver Jaray Jenkins said.

“It was a couple more [schools], but LSU was leading the pack out of all of ‘em.”

The infamous motto that brewed around Orgeron and company, “block out the noise,” is exactly what the Tigers are going to need to trust if they have any hopes of continuing to turn their season around.

“One day at a time, one game at a time,” Clark said.

“We’re handling it the same,” defensive lineman Glen Logan added.

Logan went on to emphasize the importance of eliminating the outside distractions as they continue to stay in-tune with their games plans and to simply just have some fun out on the field.

All-and-all, despite the recent news, this is an LSU team who has more than enough weapons

to still put together a good season. Coming off their biggest win of the season where they played complimentary football on both sides of the ball, LSU’s ability to continue to establish the strong run game, behind good offensive line play, is crucial if they’re going to be able to keep up with the high-powered offense of Ole Miss.

“Stay humble, and believe in the process. Things are going to get ugly before they get better.

We’re at a great program,” Logan emphasized. “And this program is not going to die down. I just feel like we’re going to be okay.

Through everything, LSU is still going to be a dominant program.

We’re still going to be great.

We’re still going to go to bowl games, go to championships, do everything that everyone expects us to do.”

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU football senior linebacker Damone Clark (18) speaks to his teammates Oct. 16, during LSU’s 49-42 win against Florida at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

Thursday, October 21, 2021 COACHING, from page 8 that. The two names that immediately come to mind when considering this are Franklin and Mel Tucker. Franklin is arguably the most realistic candidate that has been mentioned for the LSU job, and if hired, would be LSU’s first Black head coach.

Franklin has spent the last seven years at Penn State, leading the program to a 65-29 record and a Big Ten Championship in 2016. Before his time at Penn State, Franklin coached at Vanderbilt, leading the program to three consecutive bowl appearances—the only coach in program history to do so.

Tucker is the other possible candidate that would make history in this way, and is currently seeing massive success at Michi-

DAVIS-PRICE, from page 8 that for this team to be successful in the run game, they should instead be a zone-heavy run team, but become three dimensional and pull their lineman across the field. In a zone-run scheme, if a lineman is covered or a defender is lined up in their area, the blocker will step toward the play side and block that defender. This allows closed-side tight ends, tackles, guards and centers to work in unison while blocking

page 9 gan State. Tucker has led the Spartans to a 7-0 record so far this season, the program’s best start since 2015. Like Franklin, Tucker has also had experience in the SEC, making recent stops at both Alabama and Georgia.

Tucker is also familiar with LSU and Baton Rouge, having been the defensive backs coach for the Tigers in 2000.

It has been made clear that Tate will have an active part in the ultimate decision, and with that being the case, hiring the university’s first Black head coach will be something that is, at the very least, taken into consideration.

played a key role in turning LSU into the program it has become over the last 20 years.

Those two are the obvious names that come to mind, but assistants like Offensive Line Coach Brad Davis and Special Teams Coordinator Greg McMahon could also be considered.

What assistant coaches should be retained?

Whenever a new coach is hired at a school, it also comes

with a whole new staff. The best course of action is to give the new head coach the freedom to assemble his staff however he wants. There are a few assistants currently on staff at LSU that are worth holding on to, no matter who the head coach is.

At the top of that list is current defensive backs Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Corey Raymond. Raymond has been at LSU since 2012 and is known to many as the “Godfather of DBU.” Raymond has been the driving force behind LSU’s dominant secondary for years and has proven himself as an excellent recruiter as well.

Another assistant that is definitely worth keeping is Strength and Conditioning Coach Tommy Moffit. Moffit has been on staff at LSU since 2000, and has

Will a Group of Five coach be considered?

Despite Woodward’s track record of making big name hires, there are multiple Group of Five coaches whose names have been in the mix.

Luke Fickell is the most notable of these names, but with Cincinnati’s status and impending move to the Big 12, he is still considered by many to be a big-name hire.

Apart from Fickell, the other

two Group of Five coaches who have been mentioned are Billy Napier and Jamey Chadwell.

Napier was one of the early rumored candidates due to his success at Louisiana-Lafayette.

His success there and his familiarity with Louisiana led many to believe that he could be in the running for the LSU job.

Chadwell is another interesting name, especially when looking at what he has accomplished at Coastal Carolina. He has turned Coastal Carolina into arguably the second-best Group of Five program in the country behind Cincinnati, and has even had success over Napier.

These two obviously won’t be at the top of the list, but it will be interesting to see if they are considered if some of the bigger names turn down the job.

the first defender that shows up in their gap.

Jake Peetz called pin & pulling techniques, which are implemented when an offensive lineman goes behind the line of scrimmage and blocks the other side of the play. This allows for a more offensive lineman to get involved, both inside and outside zone runs. The notion for LSU to maintain only zone runs and not mix up the play calling would be unsuccessful. The technique used against Florida allowed for

better run schemes in between the gaps and made for even more riveting playcalls: run-pass options (RPO).

The RPO made LSU the superior team Saturday. Florida’s defense was not equipped to withstand physical play at the point of attack, so it will be imperative for the next five games that LSU adjust schemes in favor of pulling lineman across scrimmage lines for more running success similar to Saturday.

Also, Tyrion Davis-Price final-

ly got a chance to show his true ability and this is in large part due to the newly implemented offensive schemes and his workhorse mentality. Davis-Price ran for 287 yards on 36 carries, scoring three touchdowns and breaking the school record for running yards in a game.

LSU may not be the same team as when they won a national championship, but the talent is there. Yes, teams may have LSU figured out, but majority of the time that is a conceptual or

coaching error through playcalling. Accountability must be called to action toward the coaches for not placing players in a position to succeed.

The real issue with the Purple and Gold is still the inconsistency of the coaching every week and implementing the scheme that the players can execute no matter who is across the field from them. The Tigers will look to stay afloat as they travel to Oxford, Mississippi to combat the Rebels Saturday, Oct. 23.

Brewing...

SOMETHING’S

11.3.21

Classifieds

page 10

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Now twice a week. To place your ad, visit www.lsureveille.com/classifieds and click Submit an Ad Costs: $0.34 per word per day. Minimum $3.75 per day. Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 21, 2021

Help Wanted SOHO Boutique Salon is seeking front desk associates to assist clients in all aspects of their visit.

Candidates will be expected to have a great upbeat attitude, able to work with computers, and capable of multitasking with a smile! $10-$15 with lots of perks.

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YMCA seeks Before and Afterschool Care Counselors at select school sites. This position will assist in the caretaking and supervision of youth placed in YMCA care. The counselor will assist students with homework, light tutoring, and provide recreational activities. Free membership with employment. Contact Monica Brown, 225-924-3606 ext. 1405, mbrown@ymcabr.org.

Apply online at ymcabr.org/jobs

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ACROSS 1 Item for Jack & Jill 5 Biblical bread from heaven 10 Word attached to tear or rain 14 Prom transport 15 Figure of speech 16 Rant and __ 17 Lawn trees 18 Gives up 20 As flat __ pancake 21 Racing sled 22 Keep from happening 23 The ones over there 25 Sault __. Marie 26 Actor Tom 28 Pines 31 Brass instruments 32 Barge hazard 34 Is __ to; probably will 36 Fail to mention 37 Wild weather 38 Hoopla; uproar 39 Beloved animal 40 On __; in the spotlight 41 Complain childishly 42 __ stew; creamy white soup 44 Select 45 Haw’s partner, in phrase 46 Martin or Charlie 47 Hiawatha’s boat 50 Fava or lima 51 1939-45 event 54 Vanquishes 57 Mastercard alternative 58 Muddy slush 59 Depart 60 Sandler or Brody 61 Chances 62 Stopped 63 Part of the eye DOWN 1 __ bargain; defendant’s deal 2 Falls ill 3 Childishness 4 __ Alamos, NM

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13 Nuisance 19 Deadly 21 Gambler’s woe 24 Helpful suggestion 25 __ ripper; tailor’s item 26 Use an ax 27 Shakespearean lover 28 Days of __; ancient times 29 From coast to coast 30 Rotates 32 Oscar hopeful 33 Greedy person 35 Yuletide ornament holder 37 Flower stalk

10/21/21

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49 Not the coolest kid in school 50 Rosary piece 52 As bald __ eagle 53 Crashes into 55 Bullring shout 56 Actress MingNa __ 57 Actor Kilmer

OPINION

page 11

The mental health fallacy is harming our generation’s mindsets HADEN’S HOUSE OF HYSTERIA HADEN DEVILBISS

@SullenDucken It was late in the spring of 2021 when I was confronted with the insanity of our ideas on mental health. On a walk to the Union to pick up a package and some lunch, one of the yellowclad proselytizers of The Point ministry stepped toward me with outstretched arms, offering: “Bubble wrap?”

Normally my protocol is to ignore whatever they offer, but this time was different. After a brief exchange, I learned the satisfying “pop” of the packaging was meant to ease the mind and promote this fabled “mental health.”

I mulled over the interaction with my chicken sandwich before picking up my package (which, ironically enough, was banged up from a lack of bubble wrap) and heading back to my dorm.

It seems like an innocuous little anecdote, but the more I thought about it, the more uneasy

I became. This idea that our psychological well-being is so delicate as to be defenseless without the curative effects of tiny plastic dots is detrimental and borderline offensive.

If even Christians—the people taught to bear their cross and like it—are getting in on this mental health trend, then it must be incredibly invasive.

Mental health isn’t just a Catholic concept, obviously. The buzzword has dominated the public discourse in the last few years, with increasing calls to treat psychological well-being as equal in importance to physical health.

However, therein is the problem. Our perception of mental health is in reality far off from our perception of physical health.

Rather than thinking of mental exercise and training the same way we think of the physical conditioning necessary for fitness, we think of it as a separate discipline entirely, following a completely different set of rules. Our brain can be developed like a muscle, and yet we let it atrophy.

In physical fitness, a couple key factors are emphasized: training, recovery and fueling.

Training is the part people focus on the most; you get to listen to anything from Van Halen to Wu Tang and throw around weights (or yourself) for an hour or two.

Recovery is the boring part, but the most enjoyable, as your only objective is to not overwork the systems and structures that you recently trained.

Fueling is the most annoying, but most integral part, where you cook chicken and broccoli for the hundredth time while eyeing the Hungry Howie’s ad you got in the mail, all to make sure your body gets the nutrients it needs.

Our current treatment of mental health, however, forgoes this sequence of steps and focuses exclusively on recovery. We advocate for “mental health days,” where we shrug off our obligations to ourselves and our peers in favor of taking time off to recuperate from the daily stresses of life.

Sure, knowing when to take

it easy is the mark of a healthy person, but if our ideas of mental health fail to develop beyond rest, we’re seriously screwing ourselves over.

Let’s take, for example, someone sprawled out on their futon, washing down hot Cheetos and mint Oreos with a two-liter Coke while binging the James Bond films (not that I would know what that’s like). If this person were to tell us they were taking a break from their physical health, we would think their 20th viewing of “Spectre” had finally fried their brain.

But, for mental health, this seems to be more and more the case. Instead of emphasizing a balance of proper training, recovery and fueling, our only concern when promoting this concept is recovery: sheltering ourselves away from anything that would put stress on our mental faculties.

Obviously, if we aren’t getting that mental work in—be it intellectual, emotional or spiritual— then all our focus on relaxation is going to be for naught, and when we’re confronted with a situation

that will tax our mental capabilities, we’re going to be screwed.

If Nietzsche was right, and what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, then it stands to reason that what makes it easier on us may make us weaker.

This could be a disaster for the younger generations in particular, as this whole trend, being so synonymous to most with only pleasant things, is only going to become more extreme if we don’t curb it soon. Yes, the “Gen Z is lazy and entitled” trope is played out, but without a desire for strengthening our minds we may soon enough really have a lazy and entitled generation— a role already plentifully fulfilled by the Baby Boomers.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to do away with a better societal understanding of the importance of serious mental health. However, I don’t see anything serious about our current mental health fallacy.

Haden DeVilbiss is a 19-year-old history and psychology sophomore from Lake Charles.

Fall Fest a great experience, encourages student involvement FROM THE CRO’S NEST ELIZABETH CROCHET

@elizabethcro_

On Friday, Oct. 15, LSU hosted their annual Fall Fest. Though the event had been postponed two weeks due to weather concerns, it was nevertheless a welcome return since the event’s COVID-19 hiatus.

The timing ended up being great—Fall Fest was the perfect finale for Homecoming week, and the event put everyone in a good mood before the 11 a.m. football game the next morning.

This was actually the first time I attended Fall Fest. My freshman year I was unaware the university held an event like this, so I completely missed it. Last year, Fall Fest was canceled for obvious reasons.

I was excited to finally attend this year but did not know what to expect.

It kind of reminded me of a school or church fair, but without the rides. Great food and drinks, music of all genres and the opportunity to learn about what differ-

CHYNNA MCCLINTON / The Reveille

LSU students stand at the Olinde Career Center booth on Oct. 15 during Fall Fest at the Parade Ground on LSU’s campus. ent clubs have to offer all across campus.

Despite the weather being more humid than a sauna, my Fall Fest experience was great. It was eye-opening to learn about clubs I didn’t even know existed. From churches to the UREC to the Reveille, each table had something

different to offer.

Not only did I get to learn about clubs, I was also able to participate in the games and activities sponsored by each organization to attract new members. The only mistake I made was not bringing a bag to carry everything I received.

Nearly every table gave out but-

tons, stickers, shirts and more, so you could walk around representing the organizations you liked.

While ambling around the booths, I met a lot of new people and reconnected with old friends, reminiscing over shared memories. The LSU Band, Golden Girls and cheerleaders performed, all

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terrific as usual.

There were also free burgers, jambalaya, hotdogs and brownies for everyone to enjoy. Raising Cane’s, Smoothie King and CocaCola had tents to promote their brands and invite students to enjoy some of their products.

Like many other attendees, I left Fall Fest with a full stomach and a full heart, both of which were much needed after the crush of midterms.

It’s certainly easy to feel disillusioned with our university, as we all know there is more than enough to criticize. However, events like Fall Fest that celebrate music, food, community involvement, friendships and school spirit are an important reminder of how fortunate I am to attend this university.

If you have not had the chance to attend Fall Fest yet, I highly encourage you to participate next year. Until then, look for ways to get involved in the university and help make it the best campus to attend college.

Elizabeth Crochet is a 20-year-old political communication junior from New Orleans.

Quote of the Week “Friendship ... is born at the moment when one man says to another ‘What! You too?”

C.S. Lewis author 1898 — 1963

Thursday, October 21, 2021

page 12

Pessimism isn’t always a bad thing, can help manage stress EMILY ON CAMPUS EMILY DAVIDSON @ichigoemily This has undoubtedly been the most challenging and unapologetically stressful semester of my entire life.

Sure, overwhelming assignments, back-to-back exams and a concerning amount of lost sleep have characterized every single semester of my college experience.

However, after this round of midterms, I feel like I might have finally reached a state of perpetual burnout.

And I know I’m not the only one who feels like they’re stretched out entirely too thin. I’ve lost count of how many friends and classmates have relayed the same desperate plea of “When will this semester end?”

This semester might be manageable if students were only expected to focus on their education.

However, we’re expected to give every ounce of our energy to our classes while also balancing our social lives, potential jobs and mental wellness.

To be frank, every time I hear someone say, “mind over matter” or anything else implying that you

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

The Tiger H.A.T.S. program is set up in the lobby of Middleton Library on Oct. 10, 2016 to help students destress during midterm week. just have to keep a positive mindset to succeed, I can’t help but roll my eyes.

If being relentlessly optimistic was so easy, don’t you think we’d all be little rays of sunshine by now?

The constant pressure placed on college students is pushing us to the absolute limit, and it’s honestly laughable that we’re encour-

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aged to put on a happy face while barely maintaining sanity.

So here’s my proposal: instead of feeling bad about ourselves for not being super positive all the time, maybe we should actively begin embracing our pessimism and unhappiness.

It might sound ridiculous to start expecting the worst, but I think it’s equally as ridiculous to

expect the best in every situation, pretending our stress isn’t eating us alive. I’m no philosopher, but it seems like openly accepting negativity can be healthier than feigning and forcing pure optimism.

These days, it’s getting harder and harder to pretend like I think everything is going my way. It feels horrible and infinitely more mentally straining to force positivity,

and I think this could be a contributing factor to academic burnout in the first place.

Don’t get me wrong—being happy and feeling positive about your life is so important, and it’s something most of us are striving to feel. If this is something that comes easy to you, I truly envy you. However, I don’t think the rest of us should put ourselves down for occasionally expecting the worst.

Sometimes, you just have to be pessimistic, if only to later exceed your own expectations and break your negativity cycle.

There is one caveat to my embrace of pessimism, however— please don’t be insufferable. It’s okay to feel bad, but it’s not okay to force others to feel bad, too.

We’re all trying to leave that middle school angst in the distant past.

No matter where you fall on the cynicism-to-idealism scale in life, I think the full range of emotions and sentiments, from ecstasy to despair, simply make us human. We shouldn’t feel pressured to push one feeling down in favor of another, especially when we already feel so pressured and stressed in every other area of our lives.

Emily Davison is a 20-year-old anthropology and English junior from Denham Springs.