The Reveille 10-26-20

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NOT BAD, ROOKIE Freshman quarterback TJ Finley filled in for an injured Myles Brennan on Saturday and led the Tigers to a dominant victory over the Gamecocks.

The Reveille has gone BATTY! Count the bats in this edition and email reveillenewspaper@gmail.com your answer. The first five people to send the correct answer will receive prizes!

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page 2 PHOTO BY SAVANNA ORGERON

NEWS

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Voting for fall Student Government elections will take place Monday through TigerLink.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Rising popstar OSTON chats with The Reveille on her new single “Me Forever” and experience on NBC’s “Songland.”

SPORTS

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TJ Finley surpassed all expectations on Saturday against South Carolina. Do the Tigers have a QB controversy on their hands?

OPINION

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“Many students are over attending ‘Zoom University’ and eager to return to their pre-pandemic lives.”

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

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TJ Finley shines in Brennan’s absence as LSU defeats South Carolina 52-24

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SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football freshman quarterback TJ Finley (11) calls for the ball during LSU’s 52-24 win against South Carolina in Tiger Stadium on Oct. 24.

BY ANTHONY MOCKLIN @anthony_mocklin The LSU football team returned to Death Valley after last week’s game against Florida was postponed to Dec. 12, a week before the SEC championship. The Tigers defeated South Carolina in convincing fashion on Saturday, winning 52-24.

This win marked LSU’s 11th straight game in which it scored at least 30 points, including 21 of its last 22, dating back to its 46-41 victory over Alabama in 2019.

Junior quarterback Myles Brennan suited up for the game but did not play as he continues to recover from a lower body injury suffered against Missouri. True freshman TJ Finley started in his place and was spectacular.

Finley completed all three of his passes for 19 yards on the Tigers’ opening possession. He added eight yards on the ground and capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown rush. Finley’s size (6-foot-6, 242 pounds) allowed him to punch it into the endzone for LSU’s first score of the game.

The Tiger offense was not on the sidelines for long, as the Gamecocks drove down the field and scored in three plays. Sophomore kicker Cade York hit a 27yard field goal to retake a 10-7 lead for LSU. The third offensive drive for the Tigers was when Finley really got into a rhythm. He threw for a perfect 6-6 through the air for 69 yards and a touchdown to junior receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. to go up 17-7.

A defensive stop gave LSU the ball back and sophomore receiver Jaray Jenkins took a slant pass from Finley 36 yards. However, Finley’s second pass of the drive was intercepted by South Carolina, who kicked a field goal to cut the lead to seven.

Finley bounced right back on the ensuing possession and found Marshall Jr. again for a 51yard touchdown. True freshman cornerback Elias Ricks blew the game wide open with a pick-six to make it 31-10 at halftime.

Finley went 14-18 for 216 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Aside from the interception, Finley was sharp on most of his throws. He was calm in the pocket, able to throw on the run and made quick decisions.

“I entered this contest really relaxed,” Finley said. “My quarterback crew did an amazing job supporting me throughout the week. A lot of preparation went into this game. I didn’t have many pregame jitters, but if I did, it was very quick.”

The Gamecocks made it a 3117 game to start the second half before the Tigers responded with a touchdown of their own. Sophomore Trey Palmer returned the kickoff 93 yards for the score, the first kickoff return for a touchdown in Tiger Stadium since Eric Martin in 1981.

LSU continued to pour it on with 21 unanswered points thanks to rushing touchdowns from Ty Davis-Price and John Emery Jr. Fellow true freshman Max Johnson entered the game at quarterback once the game was out of reach. The Tigers coasted to a 28-point victory to get back to .500 on the season.

Coach Ed Orgeron said he wanted to play both freshmen equally at quarterback unless one of them was doing exceptionally well. He said he initially planned to play Finley for the first quarter and Johnson for the second to compare the two’s play but left Finley in after he got off to a hot start.

Orgeron was also asked if there was a quarterback controversy but put it to rest almost immediately.

“Everybody’s yearning for it; I can feel it,” Orgeron said. “Myles is our starting quarterback. Now, if Myles isn’t doing well, I can put in TJ and feel good about it.”

Finley could very well be the clear-cut starter in 2021 if Brennan forgoes his final year of eligibility and heads to the NFL. Orgeron said he was most impressed with how calm Finley was but was not surprised due to the confidence he exhibited throughout camp.

Finley met up with the team as soon as he graduated from Ponchatoula High School during its bowl practices last season.

Orgeron said Finely spent lots of time with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Steve Ensminger studying film.

Finley was a three-star recruit out of Ponchatoula High and the No. 1 quarterback in Louisiana in 2019. He totaled 7,357 yards and 72 touchdowns (58 passing, 14 rushing) in his three years as a starter.

“The hits are a little harder.

I’ll tell you that,” Finley said on adjusting from high school to college. “Me and Max (Johnson) came in as early enrollees. The two practices we got from spring allowed us to adjust to the speed of the game quickly. Our defense did a very good job of getting us ready.”

Finley seems to have earned adoration from his teammates, as well. Emery Jr., who carried the ball 18 times for 88 yards and a touchdown, had nothing but praise for the quarterback.

“TJ was very calm before and during the game,” Emery Jr. said.

“For a freshman to come in and ball like that was sensational.”

Finley finished 17-21 for 265 yards, three total touchdowns and one interception in his collegiate debut. While Brennan is expected to be ready to go against Auburn, Finley showed that he can hold his own if Brennan misses more time.

“I feel like we have our swagger back,” Finley said. “Obviously this is a big win for LSU and for this team. If Myles isn’t able to play next week, then I’ll be ready.”

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NEWS

page 3 POLITICS

ELECTION WEEK

New Tiger Cards cannot be used to vote

BY MADELYN CUTRONE @madelyncutrone

and campaigns are conducted and how various student demographics are represented.

Aside from some students running as independents, undergraduate candidates are running under two different tickets this semester: Refresh and Forward.

Tiger Cards registered online in the fall 2020 semester are not a valid form of state-issued IDs and cannot be used to vote in the presidential election. This could impact a significant number of LSU freshmen, many of whom may be unaware of the situation.

All state-issued IDs have an electronic signature which makes them eligible to use when voting. A bill passed in 2016 required that student identification cards at Louisiana universities meet “certain requirements” which included the electronic signature. This bill allowed for students to use their Tiger Cards to vote and went into effect in January 2019.

Because registration was online for the fall semester, this option was not available.

see ELECTION, page 4

see TIGER CARD, page 4

Voting in the Student Government elections? Here’s what to know THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

LSU Student Government office operates during normal hours in the LSU Student Union on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018.

BY JOSHUA ARCHOTE @JArchote LSU Student Government elections open Monday; voting is available all day until 11:59 p.m.

An email was sent Sunday night to all students containing a link to the ballot, which will be accessed through TigerLink, and

further instructions on how to vote. The results of the election will be announced Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. via Zoom.

There are 59 Senate seats and 15 College Council seats up for election and a total of 79 candidates running. Although 15 College Council seats are up, only one candidate is running for a

College Council seat this semester, meaning the bulk of the election will take place in the Senate.

There is also a referendum on the ballot, which if passed, will replace Student Government’s runoff election system with a ranked-choice voting system.

This change would have significant effects on how elections

STUDENT LIFE

Tigerland bars use LineLeap app to take reservations

BY AMBER BUETTNER @Amber_Buettner After being closed for several months due to the state’s COVID-19 regulations, students over 21 can finally return to Tigerland.

Now, the bars are using an app called LineLeap to ensure they don’t exceed maximum capacity.

LineLeap is an app that originated in the Midwest at the Big 10 schools’ local bars and is now used at bars all across the country.

Users of the app must be at least 21 because users can order drinks through the app. However, the creators of the app are finding a way to make the app available to those who are 18, according to co-creator of LineLeap Max Schauff.

“Starting this in the Midwest and in the Big 10, policies are completely different for these bars. 99% of them are all 21 and up so that’s why we do that,” Schauff said. “We are searching for ways to navigate that through the 18 and up bars at LSU and, for that matter, across the country.”

Under normal circumstances, many bars in the Baton Rouge area permit patrons over the age of 18. Louisiana’s Phase 3 reopening plans ban those under 21. Along with the new age re-

strictions, bars can only provide table service and operate at 25% capacity up to 50 patrons.

The idea of the app came to creators Max Schauff, Nick Becker and Patrick Skelly when they were still in college and were tired of the long lines that came with going to the local bars. They soon realized the app could also help bars with reopening during COVID-19.

“We wanted to be the solution to this problem and basically allow customers to be as safe as possible while still having fun at their favorite bars,” Schauff said.

“This was actually born from one of our Minnesota venues that were forced to eliminate their lines.”

The original features of the LineLeap app were paying cover in advance, skipping the line and ordering drinks without flagging down a bartender. With COVID-19, now the app is used for contactless payments, reserving spots in the bar and letting users know when the bar is at capacity.

“Each location is different, each city is different and all the guidelines are different so they each use it in their own way,” Schauff said. “The whole goal is to, with their limited capacity, get them to reach that capacity so they are still operating and able

to operate but more importantly keep all the customers safe and all the staff safe.”

Sports administration senior and LineLeap LSU campus representative Gavin Assavedo likes that Reggie’s is taking advantage of the drink ordering through the app and thinks other bars in Tigerland will soon follow suit.

“The way it works at Reggie’s is that everyone has to sit socially distanced away from each other,” Assavedo said. “It isn’t standing like it used to be. One feature of the app is that you can order a drink through the app. You just show the server you paid and they bring it out to you.”

Users never have to enter any card information into the app. A Venmo or PayPal account can be linked to the app to pay on the spot.

“My favorite part about the app is that you can link it to your PayPal or your Venmo,” Assavedo said. “You don’t have to type in any card information and you can pay cover and reserve your spot.”

Anyone who wants to go to a bar in Tigerland is required to have the app.

“I think all LSU students should download the app and reserve their spots in order to keep everyone safe and also return to some normalcy,” Assavedo said.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

The Tigerland sign on Sept. 25 on Bob Pettit Boulevard in Tigerland.

Monday, October 26, 2020

page 4 ELECTION, from page 3 Voter turnout for fall elections is usually lower than elections in the spring, according to mass communication junior Claire Parish, commissioner of Student Government elections.

Roughly 1,300 students voted in last year’s fall elections, while close to 5,000 voted in the spring’s presidential election alone.

Fall elections aren’t as closely followed since there is no campus-wide executive race, which takes place in the spring, according to Parish. The fall election includes positions on the legislative branch while the spring election includes student body president, student body vice president, College Council officers and the Student Senate.

Positions on the judicial branch are also appointed by the student body president and confirmed by the Student Senate at this time.

“We’re trying to increase voter turnout every year as much as we can,” Parish said. “LSU [is] a big campus, and if you really would like to have your voice heard, I think it’s important to know who your senators are and who you should talk to in order to get your voice heard around this very big campus. It makes it feel a lot smaller. It makes you feel like you have a part in things that are going on.”

Student Government ticket heads emphasized the importance of both fall and spring elections. Political science senior and head of the Forward ticket

TIGER CARD, from page 3 Geaux Vote, a student-led non-profit organization, worked with Auxiliary Services to ensure

Justin Martin said SG is the most immediate link most students have to the administration and LSU’s decision making process.

Martin is also the current Student Senate speaker.

“It’s imperative that students use their voice in that process of selecting who will represent them and what they want their representatives to say,” Martin said.

Political science junior and Refresh ticket head Javin Bowman said student senators make legislation on many issues directly affecting students, from accessible resources to student fees. Bowman currently serves as the assistant director of student outreach.

“These decisions affect the student body in its entirety and this is why it is important that students vote for the people who will represent their voices in the room where it happens,” Bowman said.

Political science graduate student and LSU graduate school senator Jordan Landry said the pandemic and nationwide protests this year have added to the importance of voting in this fall’s Student Government elections.

“This is the first chance for the student electorate to register their judgment of the current Senate and its members since the pandemic and the aftereffects of George Floyd’s killing hit campus,” Landry said. “This has put more serious matters than usual on SG’s plate — have the senators been up to the job, and who should handle the job going forward?”

LSU Student Government office operates during normal hours in the LSU Student Union on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018.

that if students need to use their cards for voting, they can have it replaced free of charge by visiting the Tiger Card office. A nonrefundable fee of $20 is charged

to replace lost or stolen Tiger Cards.

LSU sent out a broadcast message to all students explaining voting practices for Louisiana

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

EMILY SCHEXNAYDER / The Reveille

A Tiger Card photo stand sits vacant in the Tiger Card Office on Oct. 22 on the first floor of the Student Union.

residents and out-of-state residents.

“On election day, you’ll need an official ID with you that contains your photo and signature, such as your Louisiana driver’s license or state ID, an official U.S. military ID card or your LSU Tiger Card if it has your legal signature on it. If it doesn’t, visit the Tiger Card office in the LSU Union before election day to get a replacement card, free of charge, with your signature on it,” the email read.

Assistant Vice President of Auxiliary Services Margot Carroll said that out of the 6,814 preprinted Tiger Cards distributed by LSU, fewer than five students have come in to replace their card.

“Students can definitely use their Tiger Cards to vote, they just need to come in to the Tiger Card Office to obtain a free replacement card if they currently have one without a signature,” Carroll said.

Mass communication junior Mia LeJeune is the president of Geaux Vote and said that until recently, the organization was not aware of the Tiger Card issue. The Tiger Card voting ability is still advertised on LSU and government websites, according to LeJeune. She said the biggest problem right now is raising awareness among students about the issue.

“I don’t think students who

need this know there’s a problem. I get about 15 emails from LSU a day; most of them are going to my spam folder,” LeJeune said. “The fact that we’re not seeing any kind of communication on social media or anything like that [is disappointing].”

LeJeune said this is a COVID-19 oversight from an administration standpoint and should be rectified by the University as soon as possible.

“I do think that administration and universities should take more responsibility for these kinds of mistakes that end up suppressing youth votes,” LeJeune said. “Geaux Vote would like to see more widespread administrative action to correct the issue.”

Geaux Vote is asking the University to guarantee the electronic signature option for next semester and to recall the IDs given out this year and replace them. The organization is concerned that the freshmen who received the cards this year will go on to be juniors and seniors and still not have a proper voting ID. LSU has not yet confirmed it will take these actions.

“My concern at the end of the day, every day, is students having every opportunity and resource available to them to vote,” Lejeune said. “I have always seen LSU as an ally in this effort and I want everyone to have that same experience.”

ENTERTAINMENT

ARTIST HIGHLIGHT:

OSTON

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BY ENJANAE’ TAYLOR @_queenet_

The Reveille chats with OSTON about creating during quarantine, ‘Songland’ appearance and new music OSTON is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists. After getting in touch with her over the summer I long awaited our chance to talk. When she told me she had new music coming out this month, I jumped at the opportunity to chat with the LA pop star.

With infectious good vibes and a pure spirit, both qualities you can sense through her music, OSTON is an up and coming artist whose songs you’ll have on repeat.

Sitting in her room with her headphones in and her bright contagious smile planted on her face, we hit it off from the very beginning of our Zoom call.

She uniquely has an artist name similar to her own, staying true to herself. OSTON — no, not Boston like the city or the rock band — is a play on her real name Austin Wolfe, pronounced the same way and allows her to still be herself as much as possible.

Growing up loving to sing, there was nothing else she could see herself pursuing as a career other than music. She double majored in music performance and marketing at Columbia College

in Chicago where she focused on crafting her pop sound.

“I’m glad that I went to school in a city where I was able to meet lots of creative people,” the singer shared about her college experience.

Learning responsibility and time management are things she values from her time in school, aiding with the transition into adulthood.

Leaving the Chicago music scene for more opportunities in LA, the singer has elevated her career by working, with various new artists everyday in sunny California. Drawing inspiration from artists like St. Vincent and Jack Antonoff, OSTON strives to be brutally honest when writing her lyrics to connect with people.

Having to share a name with another artist and a popular porn star (yes you read that correctly), she realized she was going to need a stage name to keep the focus on herself and her music.

“It’s kind of cool. When I go up on stage, I’m like this character, OSTON, that I created versus when I’m off stage, I can be my truest dorky self with the same name,” OSTON said.

They say don’t meet your idols, but OSTON got to meet hers in a very cool way. Earlier this year OSTON was on an episode of “Songland” with one of her favorite songwriters, the queen of raw lyrics and catchy tunes, Julia Michaels.

The singer got a call from a friend who was on the show during the first season asking if she wanted to be on “Songland” and of course, she said yes. The producers needed someone to sing one of the contestant’s songs, and without knowing she was going to meet one of her favorite artists, she agreed to do the show.

Nervous to have to learn the song in a few short days, the singer nailed it and got to meet the pop superstar all in one day.

“It was one of the cooler things I’ve ever done on a whim,” OSTON said.

Unfortunately, no one is getting to see artists and attend concerts due to COVID-19. When it comes to attending concerts, the singer misses them as much as the rest of us, along with getting to perform her own music live.

“Oh my god, I miss all of it,” OSTON shared. “I miss being in

the audience; I miss being on stage. Concerts are my heart and soul; I love going to my favorite artists’ shows and feeling their art in such a different way because it’s just such a personalized experience.”

Planning to release new music soon, the artist shared how it won’t be the same without getting to perform her songs live. Even though she can’t have a concert in person, she does plan on having a live performance of a few of her songs along with her new single soon after its release.

Bonding over our love of Lorde, personal lyrics and live music, I talked to OSTON about how quarantine has impacted her creative process. She felt overwhelemed by the shock of the pandemic and a pressure to write more music, but she learned how to take all of the emotions she was feeling and use them to her advantage to share her experiences in her music.

Like the rest of the world back in March the artist expected quarantine to be short-lived but had to learn to adapt to our new normal.

Watching “Harry Potter” marathons and drinking with friends, OSTON enjoyed a tiny break then

got right back to work. Over time, she began writing daily again and found that the restrictions made her work even harder.

One good thing that came out of quarantine is her new single “Me Forever” which releases on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The singer created a series on her social media called “quarantunes,” where she attempts to make new songs in a limited amount of time and film the process.

“Me Forever” was a “quarantune” the artist loved so much she had to finish it.

“The whole idea behind the song is the concept of how people nowadays with social media and with computers are able to leave rude and nasty comments and then walk away from it, but you have to see that and live with that forever,” OSTON said.

Realizing she was holding back on her first project, the singer is opening up now more than ever on her new EP “Am I Talking Too Much?,” set to release next year.

Being honest about her life in hopes that fans connect to her music, OSTON is an open book, and her lyrics fill every page ready for listeners to fully take in.

MUSIC

Swan song: The Madi Swan Band is reaching new heights

BY GIDEON FORTUNE @asapfortunate When you leave a concert you should be sad. Sad because the hairs on your arm are no longer standing from the guitar solo. Sad because you are no longer dancing to the beat of the drums with complete strangers. Sad because your lifeline is no longer tethered to the bass strings. Sad because you are no longer being serenaded by the singer’s voice. Safe to say, after seeing the Madi Swan Band perform I was beyond devastated.

The Madi Swan Band was founded by none other than the lead singer, LSU marketing junior Madi Swan. Swan is an Honors College student who attends the School of Music, where she takes vocal lessons that have made performing with her band much easier. She had been making music as a solo artist but desired to be a part of a band about a year ago, which is when it all came together.

Brandon Johnson is a drummer at Restoration Christian Center in Clinton, Louisiana and a longtime friend of the lead

singer. He was the first person who Swan asked to accompany her on this new endeavor. She met the next member during her time working at the Varsity right outside of campus. After seeing LSU communication disorders junior Arib Qureshi play a show, Swan jumped at the opportunity to ask him to play bass for the band. All that was a rocker on the guitar and Johnson delivered via his former high school peer, LSU experimental music junior Jarrett Gustafson. They stumbled into musical love at first sight following their initial practice.

Three of the four band members are currently enrolled in the School of Music, which has helped them perfect their respective crafts immensely. It requires them to practice vigorously and to constantly perform with their peers.

“Dr. Bishop is my bass teacher here at LSU and he has given me the confidence to be creative,” Qureshi said. “A lot of what I play comes from what I learned at school.”

Before the coronavirus, the Madi Swan Band had begun to

familiarize itself with each other more. It also began to book more shows.

“Every week we had a show,” Swan said about how smooth business was before COVID-19.

No matter how hard you rock, coronavirus proved to be a plan stopper free of discrimination.

The pandemic pushed back the band’s plans, but there was something good to come out of it as well. It provided a time of focus as life seemed to pause for a bit. They were able to spend a lot of time together and the band became best friends on top of people who make wonderful music together.

Watching the Madi Swan Band perform in the crisp Friday night air, it was obvious how much they band members enjoyed being in each other’s presence.

It was inspiring watching the lead singer step into the hyped crowd to watch her friends rock out. Nobody wanted to be the star or overshadow anyone. The transitions were seamless, and they were as cohesive as any band. They have the ability to criticize each other without taking any offense. Everyone plays

COURTESY OF MIRKO HENDRIX

their role and plays it to the fullest.

“It always feels like a live show to me,” Johnson said in response to Swan reiterating how fun the rehearsals are.

These are conditions in which greatness is cultivated in any type of group.

The Madi Swan Band is planning to maximize its greatness and fly to new heights in the upcoming months. It is constantly practicing and recording new music to give its fans the unique

sound that they crave. The fanbase will soon expand across state lines when Swan and the band travel to Mississippi this Halloween.

The band members are dedicated to each other and their unique genre-less sound. Great things are in store for this diverse group because the love for what it does is boundless.

“Talking about music is the same as dancing about food,” Gustafson said. You really have to hear them to know.

page 6

BACK IN THE GAME

Monday, October 26, 2020

Monday, October 26, 2020

page 7

VOLLEYBALL

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU Volleyball Head Coach Fran Flory coaches during a time out on Oct. 21 during LSU volleyball’s 3-1 win against Mississippi State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N Stadium Drive.

LSU volleyball won 3-1 against Mississippi State on Wednesday Oct. 21 and Thursday, Oct. 22 in the PMAC.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football sophomore safety Maurice Hampton Jr. (14) and junior linebacker Damone Clark (18) tackle a South Carolina player Oct .24 during LSU’s 52-24 win against South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

FOOTBALL

LSU football won 54-24 against South Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 24 in Tiger Stadium.

KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU volleyball sophomore defensive specialist Jill Bohnet (10) serves the ball on Oct. 21 during LSU volleyball’s 3-1 win against Mississippi State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Drive.

LSU volleyball players sophomore middle blocker Allee Morris (14), sophomore defensive specialist Jill Bohnet (10), sophomore middle blocker Anita Anwusi (11) and senior right side hitter Taylor Bannister (7) kneel during a moment of silence for victims of racial inequaility on Oct. 22 during LSU volleyball’s 3-1 win against Mississippi State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Center Drive.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football sophomore running back John Emery Jr. (4) runs the ball while junior wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. (6) blocks a South Carolina player Oct. 24 during LSU’s 52-24 win against South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille

LSU volleyball senior right hitter Taylor Bannister (7) goes for the kill on Oct. 22 during LSU volleyball’s 3-1 win against Mississippi State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Center Drive.

SOCCER

LSU soccer tied 3-3 against Alabama on Friday, Oct. 23 at the LSU Soccer Stadium.

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football junior placekicker Avery Atkins (32) kicks the ball to South Carolina Oct. 24 during LSU’s 52-24 win against South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

LSU soccer junior forward Meghan Johnson (31) watches as her teammate competes for the ball on Oct. 23 during LSU and Alabama’s 3-3 tie at the LSU Soccer Stadium on West Lakeshore Drive.

JALEN HINTON / The Reveille

LSU soccer sophomore forward Rammie Noel (7) collides with Alabama junior defender Reese Moffatt (2) on Oct. 23 during LSU and Alabama’s 3-3 tie at the LSU Soccer Stadium on West Lakeshore Drive.

LSU volleyball middle blocker Anita Anwusi (11) looks up at the ball on Oct. 21 during LSU volleyball’s 3-1 win against Mississippi State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Drive.

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at

SPORTS Ole Miss 1-4

Auburn Alabama 3-2 (2) 5-0

28-35

vs

page 9

48-17

Tennessee Missouri 2-3 2-2

20-10

Kentucky LSU 2-3 2-2

Next week for LSU

@ 2:30 p.m.

at Auburn

BACK ON TRACK

LSU defense, pass rush make progress as Tigers dominate Gamecocks

BY REED DARCEY @byreeddarcey On Saturday against South Carolina, LSU took advantage of its surprise week off and bounced back from its embarrassing loss to Missouri. The Tigers beat the Gamecocks 52-24.

Early in the first quarter, it seemed for a moment that the LSU defense would repeat the same mistakes that plagued the

unit through the first three weeks of the season. Another week, another day of miscommunications and confusion that would lead to huge gains and turn the game into a shootout.

The Gamecocks opened the contest with a three-play drive.

On the first play, South Carolina wide receiver Shi Smith took a jet sweep and bounced outside after LSU safety JaCoby Stevens broke contain and

crashed inside. Smith gained 36 yards.

On the third play of the drive, Kevin Harris took a handoff to the left. Damone Clark shot a gap, and Ali Gaye crashed inside. Harris bounced outside. 45 yards later, six points were on the board, after he ran untouched for 45 yards.

It was a familiar sight for LSU fans, who have grown accustomed to seeing their defenders confused

52-24

South Carolina 2-3

and on different pages this season. Either Clark or Gaye had to seal the edge, but they both ran inside, leading to the huge touchdown run. Four South Carolina passes gained over 30 yards, and four runs tallied over 20 yards.

After the game, linebacker Jabril Cox pointed to “little mishaps,” such as linebackers who missed gaps, that led to those chunk gains. He said the team made adjustments along the

see DEFENSE, page 10

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football coach Ed Orgeron and the LSU football team run the field Oct. 24, before LSU’s 52-24 win against South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

VOLLEYBALL

LSU Volleyball sweeps Bulldogs

BY TAYLOR LYONS @taylorjlyons LSU volleyball defeated Mississippi State Thursday night in the PMAC in four sets with final scores of 25-21, 19-25, 25-28 and 25-11.

The Tigers improved to 2-2 on the season and sealed the series sweep of the Bulldogs, who fell to 0-4, after the Wednesday night win, also in four sets.

Senior Raigen Cianciulli, with two digs early in the first set, moved into second place on LSU’s all-time dig list. She finished the night with four digs, bringing her career total to 1,530.

The Tigers had two doubledoubles, one courtesy of freshman Paige Flickinger and the other from sophomore Samarah Hill. Flikinger’s was the first of her career and featured 11 kills and 12 digs while Hill’s, also with 11 kills and 12 digs, was her third straight.

“It felt great,” Flikinger said

see VOLLEYBALL, page 10

FOOTBALL

Finley’s stellar performance creates possible QB controversy

BY NATASHA MALONE @malone_natasha The Tigers left Death Valley with a 52-17 win over South Carolina, but they also left the game with one more thing: a reliable, solid back-up quarterback in 6-foot-6-inch, 240-pound freshman T.J. Finley.

First-game jitters can get the best of many, but Finley showed great poise, staying calm, cool and collected when he took the field for the first time.

The true freshman from Ponchatoula put on a clinic in his debut in the purple and gold, completing 17-for-21 passes through the air for 265 yards and recording a pair of touchdowns.

Finley’s performance against the Gamecocks are leaving many Tiger fans with one lingering question: Should he replace Myles Brennan as QB1?

Brennan, who has been the unanimous starter all season, is nursing a lower-abdominal injury, which gifted Finley the opportunity to showcase his capabilities.

While Finley ignited the LSU offense, putting up the most points it has had all season, the small sample size that Finley displayed Saturday does not take away from all Brennan has done.

You would not see it from the eye test, as LSU has dropped the first two of three games it has competed in this season behind Brennan, but his numbers and accomplishments thus far speak for themselves.

Over his first three starts, Brennan has solidified his name in the LSU record books in multiple categories.

Recording 1,112 passing yards and 11 touchdowns has been good enough to give him the

most passing yards and touchdowns in three starts in LSU history, including last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Joe Burrow.

In addition to that, he has also become the first Tiger quarterback to throw for 300 or more yards in a trio of starts.

Aside from on-field stats, Brennan brings a key component to a young, inexperienced Tigers team: leadership.

The junior quarterback has bought into the offense that Head Coach Ed Orgeron and Offensive Coordinator Steve Ensimnger has built. Instead of doing what many quarterbacks would do in his position — enter the transfer portal — Brennan has patiently waited his turn, taking notes behind Danny Etling and Burrow.

For anyone who may have had the lingering thought that Finley will replace Brennan as the starter, Orgeron has other

plans.

“Myles [Brennan] is our starting quarterback,” Orgeron said following the South Carolina game, shutting down any pos-

sible quarterback controversy.

There will be a clash of the Tigers on Saturday, Oct. 31 on the Plains as LSU takes on Auburn at 2:30 p.m. CT.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football freshman quarterback TJ Finley (11) looks for an open receiver Oct. 24, during LSU’s 52-24 win against South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.

page 10 DEFENSE, from page 9 defensive line that helped the unit clean up mistakes through the rest of the game. He believes that LSU’s tendency to allow huge plays can be fixed when the team is more focused and prepared.

“Were we perfect tonight?” Ed Orgeron asked after the game.

“No, we have a lot of things still to shore up on defense, especially in our coverage. Guys were running wide open. We still got to continue to fix it.”

Against South Carolina, the defense was better, slightly improved from the historically bad unit that in its first three games, allowed 96 points, the most through the first three games in program history. Missouri passed for 596 yards and gained a robust 8.6 yards per play on LSU two weeks ago. On Saturday, South Carolina quarterback Collin Hill, after an explosive start, completed only 12 of his 22 passes for 234 yards.

Orgeron repeatedly said that he was happy with the pass rush

VOLLEYBALL, from page 9 following the game. “Coming back after tough games at A&M, I’m really glad we were able to rally together as a team and pull out this win.”

Jill Bohnet had a match-high 22 digs, Taylor Bannister finished with a match-high 22 kills and Karli Rose added 38 assists.

The first set was a back-andforth affair. The story of the set, however, was Cianciulli moving into second place on LSU’s alltime dig list. The Tigers ultimately won the set 25-21 and took a 1-0 match lead.

The second set was dominated by the Bulldogs, as they got off to a 4-0 start and led by as much as 20-12. LSU rallied late in the match, going on an 11-4 run kickstarted by back-to-back Bannister aces to cut the deficit to 20-17.

The Bulldogs were able to hang on to the set, scoring two easy points out of a timeout, silencing the home crowd, and going on to win 25-19 to tie the match at 1-1.

Set three was the complete opposite of set two. The Tigers

Monday, October 26, 2020 but not so pleased with coverage in the secondary.

In freshman pass rusher BJ Ojulari, the Tigers have a budding star and a pass rusher of the

future. Saturday was his breakout game when he recorded three sacks. Through four games, he has four sacks. For context, LSU’s 2019 sack leader, K’Lavon Chais-

son tallied 6.5 sacks in 13 games.

“I thought our pass rush was outstanding,” Orgeron said. “Led

by BJ Ojulari, what a tremendous freshman.”

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football sophomore cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) gets into position Oct. 24, during LSU’s 52-24 win against South Carolina in Tiger Stadium. got off to a hot start with a 7-1 run and never trailed on their way to a 25-18 win to go up 2-1.

The fourth and final set was once again dominated by LSU, winning by an even greater margin of 2511 to secure the 3-1 match victory.

“Well it’s great, you know, Mississippi State is always a really difficult team for us to play. They play great defense; their coaches do a great job. Today I thought our team responded really well to doing what we asked them to do,” Head Coach Fran Flory said.

“She’s just such a great volleyball player. She just understands the game and she makes the game look easy. She’s one of those kids who has great vision and can create and can hit any shot on the court at any pace.

I thought she did a great job of picking them apart and crushing a couple balls,” Flory said when asked about Flickinger’s breakout game.

The Tigers will return to the PMAC to face off against Ole Miss Nov. 7 and 8 for their final home series of the season. Both matches are set to begin at 1 p.m.

Part of that uptick in sacks is a product of a shift in defensive philosophy from new Defensive Coordinator Bo Pelini. He and Orgeron want to rush the quarterback more often, and they’ll send the scary trio of Ojulari, Ali Gaye and Andre Anthony to accomplish that goal.

“That’s what we wanted out of our 4-3,” Orgeron said.

On Saturday, the defense showed that if it makes only slight improvements and helps the high-powered offense, the team can meet expectations set before the season and crawl itself out the hole it dug during the first three games of the season.

A gauntlet of SEC opponents is next, with Auburn up first.

Ask running back John Emery, and he’ll stress the importance of this win. South Carolina beat Auburn, he said, and LSU beat South Carolina. Apply logic to this crazy, backwards, topsy-turvy season at your own risk. After game four, Emery and the Tigers are willing to take that risk.

“We really needed this win.”

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU volleyball sophomore middle blocker Allee Morris (14) jumps up for a spike on Oct. 21, during LSU volleyball’s 3-1 win against Mississippi State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Drive.

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OPINION

page 11

We need to know what the next semester will look like FROM THE CRO’S NEST ELIZABETH CROCHET

@elizabethcro_

It’s crazy to think we are already more than halfway through this semester. It has definitely been a strange one; each one of us has had to adapt in one way or another. Yet with fall coming to an end; planning for the next semester is already underway.

Over the past week, students began receiving emails regarding priority scheduling for next spring. Thinking about scheduling my courses has made me wonder what next semester is going to look like as a whole.

I began to question which classes, if not all of them, are going to be held virtually. Will regular in-person activities like club meetings and campus events start to resume? Will school life finally feel normal again? These are important questions the University needs to answer and soon.

Scheduling for the fall se-

mester, students were more willing to adapt to the reality of online classes because there were a lot of things we didn’t know yet about the coronavirus, and the number of cases in Louisiana was still fairly high at the time.

However, many students are over attending “Zoom University” and eager to return to their prepandemic lives.

Okay, maybe going back to exactly how things were before the pandemic is unrealistic... but that’s not to say we can’t make a few changes to give students a taste of their old lives back.

If we keep the masks and distancing, in-person classes should be doable — if not on a full-time schedule, then a hybrid. One of my classes has under 20 students and we still meet via Zoom. Such a small class should be meeting in a classroom by now; there is no reason for this not to be the case.

Zoom can still be available as an option for those who do not feel safe, but it shouldn’t be something that affects all students.

The cure cannot be worse than

the virus itself — and we need normalcy. If the University intends to take the same route in spring that it took in its “Roadmap to Fall,” students and their families deserve to know now.

Students living on campus have the opportunity to renew their leases come January, but many are questioning whether that will be necessary if most of their classes are going to be virtual again anyway.

Many students used this semester as a trial-run of the distance learning format. If they aren’t happy with all the restrictions, some may decide to sit out a semester until campus life returns to normal — but they need to be informed enough to make that decision.

Before scheduling begins, leases are due and tuition requested, the University owes it to the LSU community to tell us what exactly we’re signing up for: another gloomy, Zoom-y semester, or an actual administrative effort to bring back students’ college experience.

EMILY SHEXNAYDER / The Reveille

A tiger card photo stand sits vacant in the Tiger Card Office on Oct. 22, on the first floor of the Student Union.

Elizabeth Crochet is a 19-yearold political communications

sophomore from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Quick Takes: Are the Saturday make-up classes justified?

BY ELIZABETH CROCHET @elizabethcro_ “So...these make-up days. Are they justified? Sure. Are they necessary, though? I would say no.

My current professors are doing the same thing my professors did with the make-up days from the National Championship last semester — not having them. Yes, we missed days due to the hurricanes — but most classes are online anyway, or even asynchronous, so classwork is still being given. I do not think it’s necessary to have these make-up days; but I like that it is ultimately up to the professors to determine whether their classes need the extra time to catch up.”

BY CECILE GIRARD @_cegi_ “Students pay big bucks to come to college, so I believe they should receive every minute of class their tuition promises them.

That being said, in a primarily online semester that has already been stripped of its fall break,

most professors have wiggle room in their schedules to account for a few missed days.

The make-up days should have been optional, therefore offering extra class time to the students that need it while not burdening the others with weekend work and extracurricular responsibilities.”

BY DOMENIC PURDY @tigerdom16 “The University’s make-up classes are not justified, especially when they are announced days before they are supposed to take place. Students with jobs are often only able to work on weekends due to long days of classes during the week, so scheduling Saturday classes can potentially throw a wrench in these students’ wellbeing. Similarly, the weekend is meant to be a reset from a potentially strenuous week of classwork — extending into the weekend can make classes seem to never end, allowing no reprieve from the mono tony of college coursework.

Thankfully, my professors felt the same way and did not hold classes

during the scheduled make-up days.”

BY MARIE PLUNKETT @MarieC_216 “Saturday make-up classes are official LSU policy, so it’s completely justified for the University to schedule them given the number of days we’ve missed this semester because of natural disasters. Whether it’s really necessary for professors to enforce that policy, however, is highly dependent on individual situations. For students affected by the hurricanes, forcing Saturday make-ups is insensitive; but for those who have missed valuable instruction time, an extra day could be highly beneficial. Professors should discuss with their students whether the extra day would be viable or not.”

BY CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire “Saturday make-up classes are sometimes a necessary evil.

The University needs to hold a certain amount of class days to

stay accredited, so they don’t have much choice in the matter either.

Choosing the weekend after midterms was a questionable decision, but the University was justified after makeups in scheduling overall.”

BY EVAN LEONHARD @evan_leonhard “Making up classes is the last way I’d like to spend my Saturday. I doubt many would disagree. However, we all paid for those two days. Considering how much money and effort is put into making our education possible, it only seems right the University offers a chance for students to get the full bang for their buck.”

BY TAMIA SOUTHALL @tamiabrem_ “Students should not have to be punished with Saturday classes because of circumstances that are out of our control. The University did not even give students enough notice to make time in our schedules to accommo-

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Bailey Chauvin Brittney Forbes Anna Jones Katherine Manuel Grace Pulliam

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) 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. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

date for its last-minute decision.

Saturday classes are a big inconvenience for both students and faculty. Also, most professors don’t even hold make-up classes on Saturdays anyway.”

BY OLIVIA JAMES @afroliviaa “The University’s Saturday classes are not justified.

Fall break, a crucial breather from the stress of midterms, was taken off of the calendar this year to “prevent traveling,” yet I see many of my classmates traveling anyway. The days we missed for the hurricane were a much-needed break for some students, and for others, a nightmare. Regardless, they shouldn’t be made up.”

BY GABRIELLE MARTINEZ @martinez_g0 “I think it’s important for students and teachers to have some days to catch up on missed work; I just wish it wasn’t on my Saturdays.”

Quote of the Week “Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth. Sooner or later, that debt is paid.”

Valery Legasov Chernobyl

page 12

Monday, October 26, 2020

Trump is still setting a bad example for Americans GOING SOUTH TAMIA SOUTHALL

@tamiabrem_

Earlier this month, President Trump announced he and his wife Melania had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The president revealed the diagnosis shortly after his one of his aides, Hope Hicks, tested positive while returning from a rally in Minnesota. In the weeks since, Trump has repeatedly shown the American people just how unfit he is for the presidency.

The CDC put guidelines in place months ago to slow the spread of coronavirus in the U.S., urging people to practice social distancing and wear masks in order to flatten the curve.

Yet, even after contracting the virus, the president has continued to come in contact with others without wearing a mask.

Meaning every day, Trump risks the lives of those around him — including key White House employees and Secret Service agents — out of his stubborn refusal to listen to scientists.

In addition, he’s been spreading false information about the virus, endangering lives and turning a blind eye to the millions of Americans that have struggled

with the virus this year. Many Americans are already not taking the pandemic seriously and ignoring guidelines, and Trump’s behavior is only making it worse.

The president tweeted about his COVID-19 diagnosis on Oct. 1. On Oct. 10., he hosted his first public event since announcing he’d tested positive, meaning he didn’t even remain in quarantine for the full recommended two weeks.

In the past several months, Trump has hosted multiple events without enforcing masks and social distancing among crowds. In essence, the president has been living his best life, despite America’s struggling economy and dwindling physical and mental health.

Despite health experts’ consistent urges for people to practice social distancing, thousands have gathered for Trump’s 2020 rallies.

Many high school seniors and college graduates couldn’t even walk across a stage to get their diplomas this year, yet Trump’s supporters will risk their lives to hear the president’s speak.

Trump’s message about not letting the virus “dominate your life” is a slap in the face to the families of over 200,000 Americans who have passed away this year as a direct result of his administration’s failures.

cartoon by BRANDON SHEPHERD

He’s setting a bad example both to his country and as the supposed leader of the free world. The number of people he may have infected through his travels should be enough of a reason on its own for people not to reelect him.

Donald Trump is trying to

hide the severity of his experience with COVID-19. For several months the president ignored the advice of experts and led a poor excuse for an administration amid a worldwide crisis. He knows he has spread nothing but lies to the American people.

Since the outbreak began,

Trump has been trying to make it seem like the coronavirus is under control in the U.S. After seven months and over 8 million cases nationwide, that has proven to be what he calls “fake news.”

Tamia Southall is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore.