The Reveille 11-4-2021

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L SU at Al abam a Sp e ci al P r e v i e w Edition T hu r s d ay, Nove m b e r 4 , 2 021

2 GREAT NATIONAL CHAMPIONS IN THE YEAR’S BIGGEST MATCHUP

TUSCALOOSA, AL NOV 6.

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ED ORGERON vs.

ALABAMA’S OWN

N I C K

SABAN NEWS

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Some students think campus has become politically polarized. Are civilized debates the solution?

ENTERTAINMENT

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Find out what to do this weekend in Baton Rouge from LSU’s Block and Briddle Rodeo to the Cap City Beer Fest.

SPORTS

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Follow the moments Jack Bech’s life changed, along with what makes No.80 who he is.

OPINION

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“...university leadership obviously doesn’t find cover-ups of sexual crimes to be a fireable offense.”

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Football Notebook Orgeron criticizes scheme, Brennan transfers and injuries run rampant

BY REED DARCEY & JOE KEHRLI @byreeddarcey &jokerhli9 Ed Orgeron laughed Monday when he was asked if he had thought about the last time his team traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to face the No. 3 Crimson Tide. He said he hasn’t had much time to reflect.

But he did recall one memory, when he was sitting on his porch in 2019 before the Alabama game.

Thinking.

“I knew if we won that game, we had a chance,” he said. “We had to go through Alabama. That was a big victory for us.”

It was a legendary victory.

Orgeron, Joe Burrow and the Tigers toppled Alabama, ran the table and won the national championship. That was almost two years ago.

“Things are different now,” Orgeron said, “but it’s still LSUAlabama. My job is to get these guys to play as hard as we can.

We gon’ be prepared and we’ll go.”

Indeed, things are different.

This year, LSU is a 29-point underdog. Its coach was fired three weeks ago. And up to eight defensive starters could be out for the Tigers as they prepare to face an Alabama team that is averaging 46 points and 600 yards per game.

If Orgeron’s team loses Saturday, he’ll finish his tenure with one win and five losses against Nick Saban’s juggernaut.

Here are a few storylines to watch during Alabama week.

Scheme: Too simple or not simple enough?

Two years after winning a national championship, Orgeron’s team has neither found an identity nor stuck with a schematic approach that suits both players and coaches. On Monday, the interim coach answered a question about his self-scouting report with a rambling diagnosis of all the problems he and his staff have yet

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to solve this season.

“Well we’re too predictable in our formations, too predictable on first down,” he said. “We’re very, very predictable on defense.

We need to have more of a variety on first down. We are giving them the same looks over and over again. There’s not much disguise.

What we lined up in, we were in.”

Orgeron didn’t seem hopeful his staff could solve the problems.

“This part of the season, you just can’t put a lot of new stuff in,” he said. “But, we put in a couple of wrinkles to make it tough. And then the biggest part for us on defense is adjusting.

“We have not been in the right adjustments. We’re not really in the right position. The coordinators assume formations, so we had an adjustment period all last week, an adjustment period all this week. We’ve been doing it.

But we’re really, really honing in, being in the right place at the right time.”

Ask Orgeron in 2020 what was wrong with his Bo Pelini-led defense, and he’ll say things were too complicated.

“We’ve gotta simplify,” he said after an embarrassing loss at Missouri. “I don’t care if we have to play one defense and one coverage. Play it. Play it right. Do whatever we need to do, put our athletes in a good position and let them make plays.”

“I do believe that there was some complicated stuff going on,” Orgeron said. “I do believe there was some miscommunication going on. Guys were out of position.

Guys didn’t play stuff right.”

A year later, ask him again what’s wrong with his Daronte Jones-led defense, and he’ll say his unit is entirely too simple, too predictable. What does Orgeron mean by that? Perhaps he wants a combination of the two: variety pre-snap, but simplicity postsnap. Regardless, eight games into an important season, according to Orgeron, LSU is lost on defense.

Injuries have played an important

role, but whatever Jones drew up in fall camp did not work.

In LSU’s four losses — to UCLA, Auburn, Kentucky and Ole Miss — its defense was embarrassed.

“We’re too vanilla on defense,” Orgeron said Wednesday. “We do have to mix it up a little bit to give the opponent a challenge.”

The Quarterback Room: Out with the old, in with the new The night before the Florida game, Walker Howard, LSU’s prized five-star quarterback recruit, learned Orgeron had been fired, a source told The Reveille.

Howard knew Orgeron’s job status before the public knew and before current players knew, if what some players said publicly is true. His inside knowledge may be an indication of LSU’s priorities at the quarterback position.

And it could help explain why Myles Brennan decided to enter the transfer portal on Monday instead of returning to LSU to compete for the starting job again.

Orgeron said Brennan walked into his office “teary-eyed” Monday morning, as he told his coach his decision.

“I said, ‘Listen, hold your head high,’” Orgeron said. “‘You gave all you can to LSU, you graduated from LSU, and I wish you the best.’”

Max Johnson has been solid in Brennan’s absence. Orgeron said Monday that he hopes to redshirt four-star freshman passer Garrett Nussmeier, who’s shown promise in limited action. Howard, if he holds true to his verbal commitment, will enroll at LSU next fall.

Time has simply passed Brennan by.

He showed up to campus in 2017 too frail for the SEC. After bulking up, he had a chance to compete for the starting job, but lost it to Burrow. When he was finally handed the keys in 2020, Brennan performed well in his first three starts. But an oblique injury knocked him out for the

season. When he healed, Johnson had emerged in his absence, which meant Brennan had to compete for his job yet again. But a freak arm injury suffered in a fishing accident ended the competition and the quarterback’s LSU tenure.

Now, LSU will hire a new coach, hand the reins to a young gun and look to the future. Brennan, who almost outlasted Orgeron at LSU, will try to get one last shot at impressing NFL scouts.

“And Joe Burrow did the same thing, and it worked out for him,” Orgeron said. “I hope the same thing works out for Myles. He wants to play pro ball. I hope he gets that shot.”

The secondary: In rough shape All-American Derek Stingley Jr. is likely out for the year, which means he may have played his last snap as an LSU Tiger. His All-American partner, Eli Ricks, is also out for the season. Starting safety Major Burns, the transfer from Georgia, will not suit up against Alabama, and neither will starting nickel Sage Ryan.

Cordale Flott, who has taken the top corner spot in Stingley and Ricks’ absence and performed well, did not practice Monday or Tuesday, Orgeron said. He is “very questionable” for Saturday. If he’s out, he’ll join the four aforementioned injured defenders, as well as Andre Anthony, Ali Gaye and Joseph Evans on the defensive line.

Safety Jay Ward may be the only healthy starting defensive back on Saturday. Orgeron said Monday the team will likely place Cam Lewis opposite Ward at safety. He said that he’ll turn to Raydarious Jones, Darren Evans and Todd Harris as replacements for injured defensive backs.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has completed 70% of his passes, averaged nine yards per attempt and thrown only three interceptions this season.

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

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NEWS POLITICAL DIVIDE

See how LSU students identify politically and polarization across campus

BY MADDIE SCOTT & BELLA DARDANO @madscottyy & @belladardano LSU’s share of conservativeminded students is much higher than other universities, but the political divide on campus doesn’t fit into the traditional Democrat-Republican divide, as a large percentage of students identify as independents, democratic socialists and libertarians, a new college survey finds.

In the latest college free speech rankings, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a civil liberties organization, surveyed students at 154 universities on how they identify politically.

The results for LSU: Party Affiliation • Democrat: 38% • Republican: 34% • Independent or other: 29% Ideology • Liberal: 43% • Conservative: 30% • Moderate: 10% • Other: 10% For students who didn’t identify as liberal, conservative or moderate, 69% identified as Democratic Socialist, 23% as Libertarian and 7% as other.

LSU’s share of conservative students is significantly higher than the national average. Nationally, 55% of college students identify as Democrat, 21% Conservative and 31% as independent or other.

The survey also tracked which political and social issues students found most challenging to discuss on campus. LSU stu-

CHYNNA MCCLINTON/ The Reveille

LSU students watch speakers Oct. 18, during the Feminists in Action protest following reports of LSU mishandling sexual assault cases at Hodges Hall on LSU’s campus. dents identified abortion, racial inequality, sexual assault, the George Floyd protests, transgender issues and gun control as the most difficult subjects.

From free speech alley protests to anti-mask marches, some

students feel campus is becoming more politically polarized.

Political communication senior Bryant Randall is co-president for Tigers for Civilized Politics, a student-led club on campus that aims to defeat po-

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International students at LSU

larization by providing a safe space for students to freely express their opinions.

“We are always very disheartened whenever we see political polarization spreading on campus,” Randall said. “People just point fingers at each other, insult each other and basically they just feel like the other side has bad intent going after them.”

Randall, who leans conservative, said he’s changed his mind on many issues after engaging with students with differing opinions and that TCP is a perfect outlet for opportunities like this.

Engineering junior Colin Raby is the executive chairman of the club, and is passionate about the mission. He wanted to be part of a cause that fostered civil discourse instead of promoting a competitive atmosphere concerned about winning.

“As long as people are learning things that maybe they hadn’t considered and hearing other people’s point of views, I think that’s a win for everyone involved,” Raby said.

Raby said the Feminists in Action protest last month was an example of an important issue students came together on despite political beliefs. He believes it’s an important issue, especially to the students of LSU, and noticed it brought both sides together.

“I know people that are kind of on the right side of the aisle and people on the left side of the

Peter Allen, a native of England, has been infatuated with American culture since his family visited New York City in 2017.

“Visiting there for a week-long holiday was what really kickstarted my whole interest in thinking ,‘Hey, maybe I can study this country,’” Allen said.

When it was time for Allen to study abroad, he chose LSU from a list of nearly 50 American universities offered by the University of Sussex.

All Allen really knew about Louisiana and LSU were its Cajun cuisine and famous athletic alumni like Shaquille O’Neal and Pete Maravich. But in the end, it was Louisiana’s culture and southern hospitality that made Baton Rouge the place he wanted to call home for a semester.

“I wanted a good cultural atmosphere regarding food, music and sport, which Louisiana tops in my opinion,” Allen said.

This semester, LSU is the temporary home to 1,520 international students, according to LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard.

While Allen purposefully selected LSU, Mimi Baral came to LSU by chance.

While Baral always wanted to come to America to study, having grown up on a steady diet of American films and television, she

see POLITICS, page 4

see INTERNATIONAL, page 4

BY DOMENIC PURDY @tigerdom16

COVID-19

LSU immunologist explains efficacy vaccine booster shots

BY DOMENIC PURDY @tigerdom16 Shortly after LSU’s vaccine mandate at the start of the semester, the Centers for Disease Control approved booster shots for the three currently approved vaccines. The purpose of the vaccine booster is to increase the levels of antibodies within a person’s immune system when their levels from the original vaccine dosages decrease, LSU Biology professor Hollie HaleDonze explained.

“The vaccine is like creating a game plan and having football practice to prepare for a real game,” Hale-Donze said. “A booster shot is like the coach concerned that the defense is getting a little tired and is worried that they might get scored upon too easily. So they go over

the game plan again, adjusting the plays to make them more effective.”

Put simply, “A booster shot perks up your immune system to keep it alert,” Hale-Donze explained. A booster is similar to the annual flu shot, which increases your body’s resistance to an ever changing flu strain.

The question now is whether or not LSU will mandate these booster shots for its students and faculty.

The university plans to “follow the guidelines provided by the Louisiana Department of Health” regarding vaccine boosters, according to LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard.

“We are encouraging those eligible to receive a booster to receive one,” Ballard said. “But keep in mind that ‘fully vaccinated’ means someone received

JULIAN COOPER / The Reveille

LSU COVID Testing assistant gives an LSU student their dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on September 10.

Johnson and Johnson or both doses of Pfizer or Moderna.”

Despite increasing an immune system’s antibody count to combat the virus, the booster shot is intended, at the current moment, to be administered to higher-risk individuals or those who will come in contact with high-risk individuals.

“If you have a weakened immune system to begin with, your immune response may not be optimal to protect you against serious illness, so a third shot has been shown to increase those antibodies in this population of individuals,” Hale-Donze said.

According to the CDC, the groups most advised to receive the vaccine booster include: • Individuals 65 years and older • Individuals 18 years and

older living in long-term care settings • Individuals 18 years and older who have underlying medical conditions • Individuals 18 years and older who work or live in high-risk settings However, these guidelines are only recommended for those who took the two-dose vaccines — Pfizer and Moderna. For individuals who received Johnson and Johnson, “it is recommended that everyone over 18 get a booster because this was a single shot vaccine,” Hale-Donze said.

“You don’t have to get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine again; you can elect to get either of the two dose vaccines,” HaleDonze said. “The best advice is to talk to your health care provider about getting boosters or any vaccine.”

Thursday, November 4, 2021

page 4 POLITICS, from page 3 aisle that were both there protesting the same thing: We need to be safe on our campus,’” Raby said.

Ben Smith, a history senior and former chair of the Louisiana College Republicans, said that LSU needs to do a better job at fostering more open political discussion, specifically among the humanities and social sciences.

“I think having greater ideological diversity in the humanities department will turn us into a top research school for the humanities, which I think is equally important to being a top research school for STEM,” Smith said. “It can place LSU above our peers and it can turn us into a Mecca for political debate and political discussion.”

Corbin Ross contributed to this report.

INTERNATIONAL, from page 3 had no specific reason for choosing LSU until she landed in Baton Rouge.

She began studying with the university’s IT department and found a job working with the International Cultural Center on campus as a student worker.

“That’s how I met people. I just made conversation with them so it wasn’t particularly hard for me,” Baral said. “I’d like to think I was lucky.”

The ICC exists on LSU’s campus to “promote internationalization at LSU, foster friendships and facilitate greater interaction and understanding among international students at LSU and the Capital Area community,” their website reads.

“Part of our goal at the ICC is to bridge that cultural divide between our domestic community and our international one,” Laura Dean, Director of International Student Engagement at the ICC, said. “A sense of community is vital to their feeling like this is a place that they can call their home away from home.”

Dean helps create programs to help international students engage with the wider university community, including activities for the upcoming International Education Week starting Nov. 15. She called the family that’s formed there in spite of cultural differences and roadblocks “impressive.”

“It is such an amazing feat that they come to the U.S. to pursue a higher education degree potentially in a language that is not their native one and succeed to such a degree that [rivals] a domestic student who’s been in the U.S. their whole lives,” Dean said. “There’s a real humility to these students that come here. They’re so open and happy to be a part of campus. That open-mindedness that they come with is so great to see.”

After the culture shock of studying so far away from home, it’s the ICC and the international student community at large that many students cite as instrumental to their experience in Baton Rouge.

“I didn’t know much about Baton Rouge before I came here,” Saachi Chugh, former president of the International Student Association, said.

A neuroscience graduate student from Panjab, India, Chugh describes how she felt like an outsider coming to an American university. Despite diversity and inclusion being encouraged on campus and within campus life, Chugh said she still felt isolated when she didn’t understand the social touchstones of American culture.

She was specifically confused

by American football, specifically the traditions surrounding it like tailgating.

Once she began interacting with members of the ICC and ISA,

Chugh felt more at home, despite COVID preventing her from returning to her family in Panjab.

“I was able to find my people through the ICC,” Chugh said. “It’s easier to find that connection because what we feel is the same, being away from home. That feeling of being able to connect with each other and understand what others are feeling instantly makes you get attached. I was kind of able to find my own family here through ICC.” Banal feels more patriotic and in love with her own culture after studying in America. Despite enjoying the “freeing individualistic culture” in America, she still longs for a taste of home, specifically a bowl of Laphing, a spicy cold mung bean noodle dish native to Nepal.

Even after standing in awe at Tiger Stadium and researching recipes of his “new favorite foods like gumbo and jambalaya,” Allen said he misses the little things about England like the culture of walking that is simply absent in many American cities, especially Baton Rouge.

“You can compare things constantly but you fall in love with your own culture even more when you get exposed to different cultures. It’s a win-win: you get to learn someone else’s culture and you start to like yours even more than you did,” Allen said. “You realize, ‘Gosh, I really do miss a nice rainy English day’.”

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ENTERTAINMENT

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THIS WEEKEND IN BR

Want to see your event in The Reveille?

Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

BY AVA BORSKEY @iamavab

The Reveille Archives

Two team ropers work together to capture a steer on Nov. 21, 2013, during the Block and Bridle rodeo in the LSU Parker Coliseum.

courtesy of Block and Bridle Club at LSU

FRIDAY

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LSU Block And Bridle Rodeo | Parker Coliseum

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Block and Bridle Club at LSU presents the 83rd annual Student/Open Rodeo benefitting Cancer Services of Baton Rouge, a local nonprofit providing aid to families affected by cancer. The Student Rodeo, open for Louisiana college students, B&B alumni and B&B honorary members, will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, at the Parker Coliseum on campus. The Open Rodeo, a competitive traditional, professional rodeo, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door for LSU students.

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Henry Turner Jr. Day-A Taste of the Deep South | Riverfront Plaza

courtesy of Henry Turner Jr. Day

The 4th Annual Henry Turner Jr. Day kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 6. A Taste of the Deep South is a music festival promoting new talents and saluting philanthropic efforts in Baton Rouge. The festival is named in honor of band leader, singer/songwriter and musical mentor Henry Turner Jr. Expect music, dancers and DJs; a host of vendors with arts, crafts, clothing and jewelry and a food court with southern festival favorites. The free festival is a two-day event held on Saturday, Nov. 6 and Sunday, Nov. 7, from noon to 8 p.m. at the Riverfront Plaza, 300 S. River Rd.

Gabriel Iglesias | Raising Canes River Center Arena

Stand-up comedian Gabriel Iglesias will be at the Raising Canes River Center on Sunday, Nov. 7. Also known as Fluffy, Iglesias is one of YouTube’s most watched comedians and the star of Netflix’s original comedy series “Mr. Iglesias.” The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $36.50 on Ticketmaster.

Cap City Beer Fest | Downtown

Drink beer and save animals on Sunday, Nov. 7 at the Sixth Annual Cap City Beer Fest.

Sample local brews, eat delicious food and enjoy live music from the Michael Foster Project from 2 p.m.-5 p.m. on North Boulevard and Lafayette Street, near the Shaw Center for the Arts. The free event is open to all ages, but you must be 21 or older to purchase a wristband for beer sampling. General admission wristbands are $40 in advance or $50 at the door. Money raised goes to Companion Animal Alliance, Baton Rouge’s open intake animal shelter.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

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‘THE HARDER THEY FALL’ Jeymes Samuel’s star-studded Black western is quick on the draw and hits its mark

BY CONNOR MCLAUGHLIN @connor_mcla Stars: 4/5 Jeymes Samuel’s “The Harder They Fall” is an absolute riot from start to finish. Co-written, directed and scored by Samuels, this revisionist Western soars with energy, style and Blackness with one of the greatest casts ever assembled possibly since “Dune.”

As the opening scrawl explains, this movie tells an inherently fictional story, but with an exceptionally star-studded cast of Black cowboys, outlaws, lawmen and gunslingers that existed in real life. It reads: “While the events of this story are fictional… These. People.

Existed.”

By 1896, there were about 35,000 cowboys across the United States. Over 9,000 of them were Black, including outlaw Nat Love, played by Jonathan Majors. Set in 1876, “The Harder They Fall” focuses on Love and the Nat Love Gang, who rob oth-

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er outlaws instead of banks and stagecoaches. They plan to retire until Love gets wind that his nemesis, Rufus Buck, played by Idris Elba, is being broken out of prison and pardoned for all his heinous crimes by the government. After teaming up with Marshal Bass Reeves, played

by Delroy Lindo, he sends Nat Love, Stagecoach Mary, played

by Zazie Beetz, sharpshooter Jim Beckwourth, played by RJ Cyler, and gunslinger Bill Pickett, played by Edi Gathegi, on a violent collision course with Buck, cutthroat second-in-command Trudy Smith, played by Regina King, and sly Cherokee Bill, played by Lakeith Stanfield, when Buck ruthlessly takes control of the Black-run town of Douglastown. this revisionist Western is equal parts revenge story and hilarious ensemble comedy.

The style-over story vision is refreshing because it gives a meaningful voice to those rarely heard. By putting these historical Black cowboys and outlaws into a delightfully bloody, ener-

getic contemporary western, the audience gets to see how these

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tional manner.

To quote cast member Danielle Deadwyler, who portrays Cuffie, one of Stagecoach Mary’s bodyguards, “Representation is the invitation to dig deeper into the culture.” Deadwyler is absolutely right. Seeing these historical figures come to life in today’s world through the optics of modernity is breathtaking. Audiences have seen John Wayne and Clint Eastwood rule the western genre with their cowboy characters for decades, but this movie offers something different.

“The Harder They Fall” suggests that it is time to see the genre through a Black lens. It aims high and hits its mark perfectly.

The cast is more than up for the challenge with Majors once again proving his leading man status after the critically acclaimed “Lovecraft Country” and Zazie Beetz shutting down that she is anything but a damsel in distress as Stagecoach Mary. There are so many standouts to name in this film, but

everyone embodies their roles to a tee. Veteran actor Idris Elba effortlessly plays antagonist Rufus Buck with real bravura and surprising emotion. Seriously, this cast is too cool for school.

“The Harder They Fall” subverts the western conventions in dynamic, overly satisfying ways.

Through this, these historical figures are given their time in the sun-soaked and blooddrenched spotlight of cinematic history. The camerawork is electric, harkening back to the Spaghetti westerns of old without ever feeling pandering. Every scene is perfectly tuned to Samuel’s extravagant, Morriconelike score that comes across like a Jay-Z track (who, unironically, produced the movie). The violence is also devilishly depicted with intensity throughout. It’s a lot of fun and has a great story to boot.

I’m so glad I got to see this film in a theater because the score and unrestrained ferocity of it was such a blast. You can see it in theaters or on Netflix today.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

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MOVIES

‘The French Dispatch’ is a treat for fans of Wes Anderson, blasé for everyone else

BY EDDY HAGE @hage_eddy Stars: 2.5/5 Wes Anderson returns with an anthology film retelling past articles from a weekly French dispatch for a small-town Kansas newspaper.

“The French Dispatch” is an ode to lots of things: journalism, France, curiosity, French New Wave, artistic sociopathy and most importantly, The New Yorker. In typical Anderson eccentricity, the plot centers around the quirky American journalists who report on the happenings of the ridiculously-named French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé, which translates to “jaded on boredom.”

The owner of the newspaper dies, and with his death comes the final release of the paper’s French dispatch. One obituary is written to the owner, played by Bill Murray, and serves as the flimsy overarching narrative of “The French Dispatch.” Then, an introductory travel column by Herbsaint Sazerac, played by Owen Wilson, writes about Ennui-sur-Blasé.

The meat of the film is told

through three vignettes which pay homage to “long fact” articles typically written in The New Yorker.

Just like in the film, these pieces serve as double portraits through which a journalistic report is told with the added impact of the journalist’s experience within the chaotic event. Each tableau would take too long to properly summarize since each one is filled with many characters and plot lines, especially with the convoluted final article. In order, the articles are about prison art, student revolutions and food (which turns out to actually be about crime.)

Anderson is in full force – the dialogue is quippy, the characters are dead-pan, the shots are symmetrical and the cast is ensembled.

The production is off the charts with spectacularly vibrant cinematography that Anderson always excels at, this time with a French new wave touch. If you like Anderson for his mise-en-scene, this movie is for you. But, if you come to Anderson for characters or themes of any kind (typically related to melancholy or nostalgia,) you will be disappointed.

The characters in this film are all rather weak and underdevel-

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oped, as is typical of anthology films. They are all one-note. Their motivations are not deep if they exist at all, and their choices are predictable if they make any in the first place. There is no sense of characters developing the story because they are actual people with real motivations and lives. Rather, characters do as the plot demands with no sense of cause-and-effect or consequence. Things happen, and we watch the characters watch those things happen.

While that sort of metatextual

awareness is a running theme in all of Anderson’s meticulously crafted films, the characters in his other movies tend to draw the audience into their obviously-staged world by being charming and quaint. Even if the characters have little depth or agency, their personality makes the audience care.

The characters in “The French Dispatch” are given too little time to mean anything to the audience, and the time they do have feels tedious and empty, especially after the first main vignette.

I came into “The French Dispatch” with very high expectations since I love Wes Anderson and French cinema. I wanted to appreciate this film, but “The French Dispatch” sparks no passion or interest of any kind within me. Rather, it comes off as overly pretentious and unwelcoming – an alien feeling for Anderson’s typically fuzzy, childlike whimsy. I left the screening with stars in my eyes, mais l’ennui dans mon esprit. Hopefully, Anderson’s next film has a story as striking as its visuals.

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

The University of Alabama and Louisiana State University are long-time rivals.

Alabama has won four of the last five games. LSU is set to play Alabama this Saturday, Nov.6

ONE IN FIVE?

CAROLINE MAGEE / The Reveille

LSU junior running back Leonard Fournette (#7) gets tackled on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, during the Tigers’ 10-0 loss to Alabama in Tiger Stadium.

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WHITNEY WILLISTON / The Reveille

LSU senior running back Darrel Williams (28) pushes past Alabama’s defense during the Tigers’ 10-24 loss to the University of Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

page 9

LSU junior defensive end Breiden Fehoko (91) prepares for play during the Tigers’ 29-0 loss against Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Tiger Stadium.

MITCHELL SCAGLIONE / The Reveille

LSU junior running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (22) jukes a defender during the Tigers’ 46-41 victory over Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019.

MATTHEW HINTON / Associated Press

Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) makes a touchdown grab against LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020.

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

10-0

24-10

29-0

46-41

17-55

SPORTS BECOMING BECH

page 10

From family ties to a foundation in faith—the story of No. 80

BY MACKAY SUIRE, HENRY HUBER & JOE KEHRLI @macthetiger, @HenryHuber_ & @joekehrli9 It was another Saturday— Jack Bech was with his highschool teammates, watching film. He was hanging on to every play that ran across the projector screen before him and absorbed every word his coaches spoke.

Then, an abrupt phone vibration distracted his focus.

Walker Howard, Bech’s childhood friend and highly sought after collegiate prospect, eagerly followed him out of the room

FOUNDATION IN FAITH

and listened intensely as to what the notification was about. This was the call that would change the whole course of Bech’s next four years. This of course, was LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron, offering Bech a place on his roster.

This was a dream the duo of Bech and Howard had been working on together, and the pieces had finally started to fall in place. Now a year later, Howard has committed to LSU and Bech has quickly proven that his place at LSU has been earned.

While Howard would immediately impress LSU at a camp they held in the summer of 2019, it Bech graduated high school in 2021 from St. Thomas Moore, a private Catholic school that has a mission statement which revolves around creating individuals of character and servants of God. This type of environment was a building block of Bech’s character, as many of his personal truths are rooted in the strong foundation that was built upon in his

took a while for the Tigers to pursue Bech.

Bech has quickly become one of the leading faces of LSU football. The true freshman from Lafayette has made a name for himself on the field, striving to follow in the footsteps of two of his uncles: Brett Bech and Blaine Bech, both exceptional wide receivers for the Tigers in the early ‘90s and 2000s, respectively. The new wave of media attention on Bech have made fans wonder more about what kind of person he is, outside of the No. 80 displayed across his chest. four years at STM. “I feel like my morals and faith are grounded, probably more because I attended a school like STM, and there were different people there to help ground you,” Bech said. “I was really lucky to be able to attend a school like that.”

Bech’s faith developed over those four years, and upon his ar-

rival at LSU, it only grew stronger, he said. As different obstacles and successes, have presented themselves, he has always relied on his faith to guide him.

Time after time this season, he has consistently proved that he can be a pivotal play maker. Although Bech only has accounted for one touchdown, the wide-receiver has accumulated 333 yards

on 28 receptions. With Kayshon Boutte out for the season, Bech is now Max Johnson’s No. 1 target.

While Bech relies on his faith to lead him in his everyday routine, it is the way that he performs on the field that has made his leadership qualities apparent to others.

see BECH, page 11

FOOTBALL

Scouting Report: Does LSU have a chance against Alabama? has come into his own in the latter half of the season, and Robinson Jr. is a big dude who is hard to take down. The 6-foot, 1-inch, 228-pound back is first in the SEC in rushing touchdowns with 10.

The run game is clearly the weak link in Alabama’s offense,, so LSU can’t let it get out of hand if they want to have a chance. Take what they give you, and don’t let them have a better game than usual on the ground.

BY DYLAN SANDERS @DillySanders This Saturday, LSU will be taking on an Alabama team that is fresh off being ranked the No. 2 team in the country. Bama is Bama, and LSU will not be given much of a chance heading into this game. LSU is currently a 28.5 point underdog, with a 10% chance to win from ESPN. But why is it so low? Alabama has lost this year. Are they the same team as always?

ALABAMA DEFENSE STATS

ALABAMA OFFENSE STATS

Total Defense: 13th Rushing Defense: 4th 3rd Down Conversion % Allowed: Tied 25th (34%) Turnovers Caused: Tied 11th Sacks: Tied 26th Tackles for Loss: Tied 33rd

Total Offense: 10th Passing Offense: 11th Rushing Offense: 59th 3rd Down Conversion %: 1st (58.3%) Offensive Efficiency: 2nd Time of Possession: 13th In typical Alabama fashion, they have a dominant offense, being run by a former high-profile coach. Bill O’Brien is a name that’s been thrown around for LSU’s upcoming vacancy, so fans may want to keep an extra eye on the offense in this weekend’s game. O’Brien hasn’t done much to change Alabama’s scheme, and like usual, is just using the insane talent he has on call however it

fits them best.

Bryce Young has stepped into the starting role for the first time this year and has worked his way into being the Heisman favorite. Young has thrown for almost 2,500 yards and has a 26 to 3 touchdown to interception ratio. Young should have one of his easier matchups this week because of how many LSU defensive

backs are out.

Speaking of taking advantage of secondary injuries, Bama shockingly has an unfair wide receiver group. Jameson Williams is a future top-20 NFL pick; he is currently second in the SEC in receiving yards behind Treylon Burks. His speed could prove deadly for LSU. John Metchie is sixth in the SEC in receiving

and is an all-around playmaker.

They’ve had some injury issues at tight end, but have a ton of talent there too.

Brian Robinson Jr. has run the ball well behind an offensive line, who is being coached by former NFL head coach Doug Marrone. Robinson Jr. versus Damone Clark could be the most fun matchup on the field all day. Clark

Hammond, Louisiana native Pete Golding is in his third season as defensive coordinator.

So LSU has not only seen his schemes before, but they have beaten him. Now, we know this team is nothing like 2019, but it is worth mentioning. Golding’s defenses have not been known to be the best tacklers. LSU has some elusive players who could get free to create some offense.

see SCOUTING, page 11

Thursday, November 4, 2021

page 11

BECH, from page 10 James Hightower, head football coach at STM, was quick to explain that Bech’s mindset and drive have been the groundwork of his success. In his four years at STM, Bech garnered 35 touchdowns, along with an impressive total of 2,827 receiving yards from his junior and senior year alone. “[Bech] was a natural leader by his performance, work habits,

IN HIS BLOOD

and demeanor. People respected Jack for his on the field and off the field example. He would never let anything get in the way of him achieving his goals,” Hightower said.

“That is probably the most outstanding characteristic that Jack has always had: a focus on what he wanted to achieve.”

While Bech rocked the blue and maroon for STM, he earned every aspect confident. The 6-foot,

Bech charges out onto the field of Death Valley on the side of his teammates. Decked out in sleeves, custom cleats, and the iconic purple and gold helmet, Bech still found a way to incorporate another part of what has created the person he is into his uniform.

“The messages on my eyeblack say RIP Pop; my grandpa, RIP G; for Garrison, a friend of mine that passed and RIP Kat; who is [Howard’s] mother, who passed away from cancer,” Bech explained.

“With it on my eyes, it constantly

Because of his size, LSU has Bech play a wide receiver, tight end hybrid player, and he’s classified as a tight end on the depth chart. However, he isn’t asked to do much blocking, as he’s utilized more as a match-up nightmare than anything.

Bech is second on the team in both receptions and receiving yards, averaging about 42 yards

2-inch dual threat has performed to the best of his ability on every occasion. Hightower attested to this as he reminisced on the years of coaching Bech in high school.

“This confidence that [Bech] competes with now was earned by always preparing harder than anyone else. [Bech] was always the last guy to leave the practice field,” Hightower said. “He has loved this game from as early as I can remember.”

reminds me, and it lets other people see it too. You know, if you are looking at me, you have to look at that too.”

“I play for them, and I wanted other people to see that.”

His deep passion for the game of football has only grown since watching family members thrive in the sport as well. Along with his uncles, who were successful both in and out of the LSU uniform, Bech’s older brother, Tiger Bech, (yes, Tiger Bech), recently completed his four years at Princeton as

on 3.5 receptions per game. He was particularly useful in the games against Central Michigan and Auburn, where he went for 80 yards in each and scored his first touchdown in the former.

When asked how it felt to score his first touchdown in purple and gold, his answer was simple: “Surreal.”

“We’re still young, so the pres-

sure really isn’t on us,” Bech said.

“I mean there’s definitely a little bit, but not to the point where we feel like that’s all we think about.

We can still, just as freshmen, play loose, and we’re still learning a lot.”

Overall, Bech is a talented receiver with a solid skill set. It will be interesting to see how much his impact on the team grows

SCOUTING, from page 10

CONFIDENT LEADER

a wide receiver and kick returner.

In respect to the athlete’s success, fans can expect Bech to continue prospering on Saturday nights. For those close to him, his success at LSU has not been surprising.

“Jack’s early success at LSU doesn’t surprise me in the least,” Hightower said. “I know his work habits and preparations have not changed. I know Jack is willing to help his team, but most of all, I know Jack is a winner, in every way.” when Howards arrives, a quarterback who Bech says he has a better connection with than Johnson.

“Being a Tiger is a dream come true … [Howard] and I have been through so many of life’s ups and downs together, he is like a brother to me, and that’s a hard connection to recreate with anyone.”

Alabama has one of the best players in the country in EDGE defender Will Anderson Jr., who has amassed 13 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He will look to get to Max Johnson frequently. The LSU offensive line hasn’t looked as bad as it did to start the year, but I don’t have much faith in them to keep Will Anderson quiet for four quarters. They’ll also have Phidarian Mathis and Byron Young on the defensive line making impacts.

Linebackers Christian Harris and Henry To’oto’o make up one of the smartest and most athletic linebacker duos in the country.

I would say that LSU’s best bet for consistent offense would be to try and conjure up some leftover magic from the Florida game and get Tyrion Davis-Price to run through some faces.

LSU’s young receivers will have the pleasure of going against what is probably the weakest link on the defense, but like the running game on offense, it’s still not that bad. Alabama’s secondary is more experienced than LSU’s wideouts, but have been shown to be liable at times.

BOTTOM LINE Strengths: Coaching. Pass offense. Will Anderson Jr. Weakness: I guess rushing offense and pass defense?

Pick up your copy of the Dining Guide in a Reveille Rack on campus or visit www.lsureveille.com/themag/

Thursday, November 4, 2021

page 12

FOOTBALL

TRICKY NICK

Column: Saban made LSU the easiest and hardest head coaching job PETER RAUTERKUS @peter_rauterkus It’s no secret that Nick Saban laid the foundation for the renaissance the LSU Football program has seen in the 21st century, but it can also be said that he has been a major part of the downfall of his two successors.

Les Miles’ record was 114-34 when he was fired from LSU just four games into the 2016 season.

It’s record that most coaches and fanbases can only dream of witnessing under a single tenure, but when the decision to fire Miles was made, few complained.

You can make a strong argument that the downfall of Miles at LSU came at least partly at the hands of Saban’s success.

Miles was Saban’s immediate successor, and for the first three years of Miles’ stay in Baton Rouge, it seemed like LSU had struck gold with another coach.

Miles and LSU went 34-6 during this span which was capped off with a national championship at the end of the 2007 season. The other major event that coincided with LSU winning it all in 2007, however, was Saban’s return to the SEC. Saban was hired as Alabama’s head coach prior to the 2007

Column: LSU, ’Bama not the same NICK OMBRELLARO @NOmberllaro

LSU program. Saban’s consistent success for the Tide made competing for championships every year an expectation rather than just a goal. This is a tough ask

Alabama.

Just the name elicits an eyeroll when thinking about them in the college football world. Nick Saban has shown year after year that the program he has created is what others must compare themselves to.

After joining the Crimson Tide in 2007, Saban has led the team to the championship game eight times, winning three BCS championships and three College Football Playoff championships in five appearances.

With Alabama currently leading the SEC West, and ranked second in the CFP rankings, LSU is looking like another easy win for the Tide on their way to a SEC Championship matchup against No. 1 ranked Georgia.

Being favored by 28.5 points and in primetime will further showcase how distant these two universities have felt when it comes to football.

LSU especially has felt in the

see SABAN, page13

see TALENT, page 13

COURTESY OF MICKEY WELSH

season after a short two-year stint in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. After a 7-6 finish in his first season, Saban and Alabama have since dominated the SEC and college football during his tenure. Saban has posted an

overall record of 172-24 during his time at Alabama, and he is 11-4 against LSU. Saban’s success both during his time at LSU and at Alabama completely changed the standard and expectation surrounding the

FOOTBALL

Film Room: How LSU can beat Alabama on both sides of ball

BY TREY DAVIS @THETREYDAY2 This weekend could be a thriller in Bryant Denny Stadium as the No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide will combat the Tigers of LSU. LSU has a chance to make this game captivating from the opening kick, but there are three ideals that LSU must take into Bryant Denny to get the upset win over their rival.

LSU can learn from their mistakes in the past games they have lost this season and understand that in order to get the desired results, the offense must start off hot. This means LSU must protect the football, limit their penalties and manage the clock well.

Alabama is allowing 20.6 points per game, which ranks 33rd in the country. The defense is allowing all of 2.8 yards per carry in the run game and 7.17 yards per game passing.

Alabama Defensive Coordinator Pete Goulding will be showing 3-3-5 and 4-2-5 schemes to start the game, and this is where the Tigers have a chance to test their might against this defense physically. Both defensive sets

by Goulding are used to get his extra nickel backers and line-

backers flying around in the pass game while simultaneously showing unfamiliar blitz packages at the line of scrimmage. This is where LSU can find a loophole in Alabama’s system to put up a lot of points, but the scenario for the LSU offense is to establish a run game early and often.

If the LSU offense prioritizes a run-pass-option, this could make Bama have to adjust their alignment. An example of that is when they played Texas A&M, Alabama was not able to keep a safety in the box near the front seven.

The reason Texas A&M did this was to divert the defenders’ eyes away from the action so that they could run the ball right in front of them all night long. If you watch the very first play of that game, you will notice that A&M is in a bunches formation with two receivers on each side of the field and one running back beside their quarterback. During this play, A&M motions receivers to the other side, which is a ploy to see if the Alabama defense was in man or zone coverage to start the game. Since the first play was a run and not a pass,

see FILM ROOM, page 13

COURTESY OF BLEACHER REPORT

Thursday, November 4, 2021

page 13

SABAN, from page 12 for any coach, especially when the one man standing in the way of that year in and year out is Saban.

This is where, down the stretch, the Miles era fell apart.

After beating Alabama in the “Game of the Century” in 2011, Miles was never able to get another win against Saban. His tenure would end with five straight losses against the Crimson Tide, a record that seemed to be the driving force in the case to move on from Miles.

The end of the Miles era led to the start of the Ed Orgeron era which, like many coaching changes, brought some hope to the eager fanbase. For the first three years, however, the results against Alabama stayed the same.

The program just didn’t feel like it was on the same level as Alabama anymore, and that was certainly reflected in the matchups between the two teams.

Then, three years into Orgeron’s tenure in 2019, it seemed like everything changed.

For just the third time during Saban’s tenure at Alabama, LSU

TALENT, from page 12 shadow of Alabama during this tenure, going 4-11 against the Tide.

Saturday will mark the sixth game, and final matchup, between Nick Saban and Ed Orgeron. Although the head-to-head record is depressing from an LSU perspective, it is interesting to see how close the teams are considering talent and how far away the two have felt.

Since Orgeron took over for Les Miles in 2016, LSU has only beat Alabama once in five games. Outside of the one victory in 2019, Alabama has outscored LSU 118-27, and in two of those games the Tigers were held scoreless.

Talent has not been the issue for the Tigers. During the past five NFL drafts, the top three colleges with players drafted are Alabama with 51, Ohio State with 43 and LSU with 39 players. Both colleges have produced one Heisman winner, Joe Burrow in 2019 and DeVonta Smith in 2020, but

FILM ROOM, from page 12 A&M was able to sneakily attack the inside zone of their defense for a large part of the game.

LSU could benefit from watching that game because earlier in the year the Tigers were a zone-run team very often. Even though it was not that brilliant earlier in the year, LSU should not be timid to mix in some pin and pull runs, and counter runs, which will open up cutback lanes for those LSU running backs.

Secondly, the LSU defense will have to play one of the best games of the year to contain the high-powered offense of Alabama. LSU will have to get away from their usual base defensive concepts and possibly show an

came into the game undefeated, and behind legendary performances from Joe Burrow and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU defeated Alabama for the first time in eight years. LSU would go on

to win the national championship that season, and it felt like the program was finally back where it was supposed to be.

Then 2020 happened. Suddenly it felt like LSU was right back

to where it was toward the end of the Miles era. Just one year removed from Orgeron’s infamous “Roll Tide what?” speech, LSU lost at home to Alabama 55-17 in what was one of the program’s lowest points in recent memory.

Not even a year after from that embarrassment, LSU announced that they would be moving on from Orgeron at the end of the 2021 season. Two years after reaching the pinnacle of college football, LSU is looking for another new coach, and just like with Miles, few fans have complaints.

The downfall of Orgeron was much quicker than that of Miles, but it followed a similar path.

Massive success followed by — in Orgeron’s case — mediocrity at best in the following seasons.

In the aftermath of this decision, two things seemed to become clear regarding LSU Football in the last 20 years. Saban’s success at LSU created an environment where any coach can come in and have some success, but whoever is the coach at LSU will be held to the nearly impossible standard that Saban has created at Alabama.

The difference between Saban’s Alabama teams and any other team in the country is that there never seems to be a rebuilding period. After every national championship comes a mass exodus of players to the NFL, but there is never a drop off. For LSU that happened after each of its last two national championships and resulted in an 8-5 finish in 2008 and a 5-5 finish in 2020.

This is something to be expected from a team that lost as much as LSU lost in these years, but when the standard is that of Saban’s success it is not acceptable. After finishing 5-5 in 2020, questions were raised about Orgeron’s job security and after a 3-3 start the next season, the plug was pulled. The same questions were raised about Miles after 2008 and if it weren’t for a nationwide higher education crisis in 2009, Miles would’ve suffered the same fate.

It’s no secret that Saban has had a huge impact on the sport as a whole during his career, but it flies under the radar just how much of a positive and negative effect he has had on LSU and every coach that takes that job.

LSU players out vs. Alabama: Myles Brennan (QB) - Transfer portal; John Emery (RB) - Academically ineligible; Kayshon Boutte (WR) Out for the year; Koy Moore (WR) - Transferred; Chris Hilton (WR) - Injured, out indefinitely; Deion Smith (WR) - Injured; Charles Turner (OL) - Injured; Anthony Bradford (OL) - Out for the year; Jared Small (LB) - out for the year; Navonteque Strong (LB) - Transfer portal; Derek Stingley (CB) - Out for the year; Elias Ricks (CB) - Out for the year; Major Burns ( DB) - Foot injury; Sage Ryan (DB) - Injured; Micah Baskerville (LB) - Injured; Cordale Flott (CB) - Injured Alabama has had two other topthree finishes as well (second place Tua Tagovailoa 2018, third place Mac Jones 2020).

Orgeron’s coaching record is ultimately what has made the university decide to move on from him in 2022. Having a 49-18 head coaching record would allow for most coaches to have job security; however, since winning the national championship, Orgeron is 9-9. With questionable coaching hires and not interviewing some candidates for those vacancies, the record shows how Orgeron has faltered in trying to create longevity and sustainable winning for the program.

Nick Saban’s 72-6 record stands alone in the FBS over the same time span, and even though there is constant roster turnover, the standard of winning has been established.

Orgeron may have been what the university needed at the time, a representative of the state of Louisiana and a top-tier recruiter. Despite this, it is clear he can not be the standard of coaching going forward. With off-the-field issues surrounding the team and the consistent average coaching record of late, this team needs to be held to a higher standard.

Every head coach LSU has had since 2000 has won one championship for the university. Whoever the next head coach is for this team needs to look beyond this and find a consistent way to beat Saban.

Four-11 cannot be the standard for this university, and being 26-54-5 against Alabama alltime needs to be corrected. If they can find a way to consistently beat Saban and Alabama, then the championships will follow.

entirely different look to combat their spread offense. First, LSU will need to show a different look from the 3-4 or 4-3 look and instead look to disguise the actual defense they need to run, which would ideally be a 4-2-5.

A 4-2-5 is a scheme that allows for the defensive coordinator to have a dime package also known as having five or six defensive backs on the field instead of the usual four-man defensive backs unit. When LSU defensive lineman have played at their best, they can be excellent pass rushers and sturdy run protectors, so they will be the preverbeable key to unlocking the potential of this LSU defense for Saturday’s game.

Finally, the controversy that

is surrounding this LSU Tigers team currently is not easily overlooked whether you are a coach, player, trainer, medical personnel or operations worker. The drama that is surrounded this season must be set aside from the moment the team wakes up to board that plane. It is a business trip to say the least and Alabama will not be forgetting what happened in 2019 anytime soon, so they will look forward to making their presence noticed from the sound of the first whistle.

LSU has a better chance to walk in with their heads high if they are not flustered at the first bit of turmoil that strikes during the game. Remaining focused, calm and even kilt will keep LSU mentally sharp and engaged

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football sophomore quarterback Max Johnson (14) speaks to the press Nov. 2, during the weekly press conference in the LSU Football Operations Center on Skip Bertman Dr.

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OPINION

page 15

Ed Orgeron should have been fired for Title IX violations

BY THE REVEILLE EDITORIAL BOARD It’s been nearly one year since USA Today released its investigative article detailing years of misconduct in the Title IX office.

Among the exposed mishandlings were Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron’s alleged coverups of numerous Title IX violations from football players, including former running back Derrius Guice.

Despite outcries from the student body in the last year to hold the coach and other athletics officials accountable, no sanctions were placed against him. In fact, it was obscene to entertain firing the coach who led an undefeated season just one season prior, especially after his contract was then renewed for six more years and would cost $17 million to end early.

As it turns out, it only takes a

few bad football games for Orgeron to get the boot. Not his clear attempts to shield Guice from accountability in allegedly raping a woman, sexually harassing a 74-year-old and committing numerous other sexual crimes. No, just three dismal losses to lesser football teams and dropping out of the AP rankings.

“Ultimately, we have very high standards for all of our sports programs at LSU, and we will stand proudly behind our expectations of competing for SEC and national championships year in and year out,” Athletic Director Scott Woodward said.

“Our last two seasons have simply not met those standards.”

Sure. Yeah. Right.

Orgeron’s predecessor Les Miles wasn’t fired for sexually harassing student workers. His crimes didn’t even surface until eight years later when the Husch Blackwell report revealed an in-

vestigation into his mistreatment of women.

And let’s not forget tennis coaches Julia and Michael Sell, who also saw no punishments after it became public that they ignored complaints of domestic abuse and created a “toxic” environment for players during their years at the university. They continue to coach, and the conversation of their potential firing has fizzled out over time.

This is the pattern of LSU Athletics. Even after its inability to hold sexual predators accountable became the subject of national scrutiny, it continues to prioritize winning games and maximizing profits over holding officials accountable for their compliance, crimes or both.

The decision to fire Orgeron following one bad football run has made one thing clear to the LSU community: the decisionmakers of this university have

been willing to fire Orgeron all along for reasons they care about – reasons not associated with sexual assault, sexual harassment and other appalling behavior.

What Orgeron’s dismissal does show is that university leadership obviously doesn’t find cover-ups of sexual crimes to be a fireable offense.

Ultimately, it’s no secret that this decision wasn’t only in the hands of Woodward. The true final say on the matter came from the almighty Board of Supervisors.

This is the same Board that doled out blatantly weak punishments for Senior Associate Athletic Director Miriam Segar and Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry after they clearly violated Title IX policies. The Board that has yet to take real action on the former French instructor and alleged rapist Edouard

d’Espalungue d’Arros, now escaped back to France. The Board that, just last week, couldn’t discern if the phrase “good morning, dahlin’” constituted sexual harassment during a Title IX training session.

This Board has shown its true colors time and time again this past year, prioritizing football and profit over accountability for perpetrators of sexual crimes on LSU’s campus.

You would think that a university and athletic department so fixated on profit would have fired Orgeron for cause while they still could to avoid spending $17 million to buy out his contract, but it looks like they didn’t have a crystal ball to predict the series of unfortunate events that has been the 2021 football season.

Sports editor Reed Darcey contributed to this editorial.

The Tiger Athletic Foundation needs to be dissolved CHARLIE’S ANGLES CHARLIE STEPHENS

@charliestephns The Tiger Athletic Foundation has re-entered the campus discourse, this time as the supposed piggy bank funding disgraced head football coach Ed Orgeron and his $17 million buyout.

TAF exists as a separate fundraising arm—distinct from the LSU Foundation—with the express purpose of supporting athletic endeavors here at the flagship university. Its function could easily be taken over by the LSU Foundation, which currently manages academic donations on campus.

However, as any time spent at our university will show you, the priorities of many LSU boosters is not to promote the academic well-being of our campus, but rather to ensure that football fans pay their annual dues for the privilege of buying a football ticket.

In an amended lawsuit regarding the university’s ongoing Title IX scandal, the complainant directly implicates TAF for its involvement in the athletic department and Title IX violations more broadly.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron speaks to the press Nov. 1 during the weekly press conference in the Bill Lawton room inside of Tiger Stadium.

“By subsidizing the salaries of LSU employees, including the Orgeron defendants, TAF exerts control over LSU athletics and protects the male student-athletes who generate large sums of money for TAF and LSU,” the

lawsuit writes.

In 2019, TAF donated over $60 million to LSU Athletics in the form of contributions made either directly to the department or through the foundation renovating various athletic facili-

ties. Among these renovations was the new football operations building that has often been compared to the neglected LSU Library.

To its credit, TAF once allocated part of its massive athletics

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revenue to support academics; however, that academic support was cut off in 2019 at the behest of Athletic Director Scott Woodward.

A 2016 report by The Advocate noted that the university is the only one in the SEC that raises more money for athletics than for academics.

“The University of Florida’s Gator Boosters athletic foundation resembles TAF, bringing in about $45 million a year. But the University of Florida Foundation, by comparison, brings in roughly $110 million a year for academics—nearly three times what its counterpart at LSU raises.”

If TAF does not wish to support academics—the core purpose of a university—but to instead unconditionally support and sustain the people who perpetuate the abuses detailed by the Husch Blackwell report, then the foundation doesn’t deserve a place here at the university.

LSU needs to do better at supporting the academic side of campus here and it could start by allowing the LSU Foundation to absorb TAF and require a donation to academics on campus to secure any athletics tickets.

Charlie Stephens is a 21-year-old political communication junior from Baton Rouge.

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