NOT THE
Many
‘UNJUSTIFIED’
Students share disappointment, frustration over Unity Field closure
BY KALEY MELANCON Staff Writer
Many LSU students and organizations are expressing disapproval and disappointment over the closure of Unity Field for the remaining football season.
Last Thursday, LSU announced it would be closing the tailgate area in an attempt to strengthen game day security and safety, along with adding drone security and closing Highland Road, among other measures. However, many students feel the decision to close the field was unfair and misguided.
The outcry centers around the fact that Unity Field is traditionally where the university’s Black Greek organizations and minority student groups host tailgates.
“I feel like alienating and isolating the majority of the Black student body is not the answer,” said Layla Battley, a music vocal performance senior.
After LSU announced Unity Field’s closure, many students took to social media to show how much Unity Field meant to them, posting pictures and videos with #UnityIsHome. Among them was biological science freshman Emanda Demons, who said she felt very connected there.
Demons said the area brought a sense of community. She said she always wanted to go to a very diverse school, and she said she found that feeling at Unity Field.
Another student, Brooklyn Thornton, shared a statement of her thoughts addressed to LSU in an Instagram post that received over 3,000 likes and 1,400 shares.
“The closure of Unity Field is unjustified and represents a clear attempt to erase Black culture and community from Louisiana State University campus,” Thornton’s post read.
Thornton, an English junior, said she’s been tailgating at Unity Field since her freshman year. She
I feel like alienating and isolating the majority of the Black student body is not the answer.
With the closure, Thornton said she feels like LSU is overlooking the Black student body. She said it was unfair to strip it away suddenly.
LSU Interim President Matt Lee said Oct. 16 that, through the university’s investigation, it traced the origin of two recent game day shootings to a “well-defined geographic area,” referring to Unity Field.
One shooting was during LSU’s Homecoming game and occurred at the corner of Highland Road and Dalrymple Drive, resulting in two injured and the arrest of a 16-yearold. Last month, a shooting happened near the LSU Law Center during the LSU-Florida matchup. Both incidents were around half a mile up Highland Road from Unity Field, and both were closer to the Parade Ground.
“I don’t think they would ever discipline the white fraternities as they do the Black fraternities,” Thornton said.
When asked, Lee denied the idea that the decision targeted Black students at the press conference announcing the changes.
“This isn’t about race. It’s about place,” Lee said.
members, led by Black Caucus Chair Chloe Berry, sent a letter to university officials advocating for a “more inclusive LSU.” The letter also referenced the administration’s phasing out of diversity, equity and inclusion programs over the past year.
The activist group LSU Students for a Democratic Society posted an official statement on Instagram that focused on LSU’s treatment of students of color.
“[Unity Field’s] closure is just another example of LSU administration targeting students of color,” SDS’ statement read.
Battley pointed out that instead of just the individuals responsible for the shooting being held accountable, everyone who uses Unity Field is affected by the punishment.
“I feel like now we’re looked at as a collective and we all share responsibility for the actions of that one person,” Battley said.
If we took more precautionary steps from the beginning, we wouldn’t have to be reactive now.
said she’s always felt more included and safe there. To Thornton, the area stands for exactly what it’s named after: unity.
“There’s not a lot of places on campus where you can go and see that much diversity and the culture we have,” Thornton said.
Other groups on campus have weighed in. The Black Student Union released a statement Wednesday saying it was “deeply disappointed” by LSU’s decision and called for “true collaboration and transparency between students and administration to ensure that decisions about campus spaces include the voices of those most affected.”
“We cannot ignore that this decision impacts a space that has long been a symbol of Black community,” the statement read.
A group of Student Government
Battley said tailgating will be a different experience without Unity Field and the community she is usually with. She said it was always a great experience laughing and dancing with people who felt like family.
Many students felt that targeting Unity Field was misguided and that the focus should be on securing LSU’s open campus.
Gigi Cole, a biological engineering senior who’s been tailgating at Unity Field since her sophomore year, said students are not the ones involved in these incidents — it’s individuals outside the community.
Cole said she wishes the university had attempted to communicate and get students’ input before making the decision to close the area.
“If we took more precaution-
ary steps from the beginning we wouldn’t have to be reactive now,” Cole said.
While opposing the university’s decision, students also offered alternative solutions to ensure campus safety. Battley proposed giving Black Greek organizations more space to tailgate where they could be more spread out.
She also said checking IDs to make sure people younger than 18 years old are supervised would be a better solution than shutting down a space where Black students feel safe. Battley said safety should be the university’s priority, but that closing the entire area was not a solution to the problem.
For now, students affected by the closure of Unity Field are left wondering where they will go to tailgate the next home game — if they even still choose to.
“I think there are other ways to do that, especially in a way that doesn’t make Black students feel unwelcome on game day,” Battley said.
The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu. ADVERTISING (225) 578-6090
CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS ABOUT THE
REVEILLE
The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
LIV TEES / The Reveille
Unity Field sits partially barricaded on Oct. 21.
LAYLA BATTLEY Music vocal performance senior
GIGI COLE Biological engineering senior
Manship honors late cold case journalist
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME Staff Writer
The LSU Manship School of Mass Communication honored the life and work of Stanley Nelson on Wednesday at the Old State Capitol, celebrating a small-town editor whose investigations into civil rights era murders brought truth and peace to stories once buried.
Nelson, who died in early June at the age of 69, spent decades uncovering racial violence in Louisiana and Mississippi. His death was confirmed by his sister, but his family did not specify a cause of death.
As editor of the Concordia Sentinel in Ferriday, Louisiana, Nelson published more than 150 stories on Klan-era killings, giving victims’ families long-denied answers and earning a 2011 Pulitzer Prize finalist nod for local reporting.
“Most of us have a moment in life when something happens, and we can either step up or ignore the call,” said Christopher Drew, a Manship professor and the director of LSU’s Cold Case Project. “That was his moment. We’re all gathered here because of the inspiring way that he responded.”
Drew, who worked alongside Nelson and his predecessor Jay Shelledy, said the LSU Cold Case Project began as a way to assist Nelson’s reporting. The Cold Case Project is a national nonprofit dedicated to the victims of unsolved homicides. LSU’s project focuses on unsolved civil rights murders.
Nelson brought readers into the world of Frank Morris, the Black cobbler whose shoe shop once hummed with the sound of
whirring machines and city chatter before it was destroyed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1964.
“Stanley didn’t stop after that first story about Frank Morris, whose shoe shop was firebombed,” Drew said. “He wrote 150 stories over the next four years about Klan murders. His work enabled families to learn who had killed their loved ones and why.”
Hank Klibanoff, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and the director of Emory University’s Civil Rights Cold Cases Project, described Nelson as “the most inconspicuous person in the group, and the most auspicious.”
“Single-handedly, week after week, Stanley uncovered more leads, more witnesses, more documents and more information than the FBI,” he said. “He did it quietly, steadily, without pretense or ambush.”
Klibanoff said Nelson’s methods were rooted in humanity and personal connection.
“Stanley approached people slowly, face-to-face, hands out and notebook closed,” he said. “He was without guile. His goal was to avoid a one-and-done interview.”
That approach, Klibanoff said, allowed Nelson to reveal the depth of his subjects’ lives, victims and perpetrators alike.
“As a writer, Stanley used all these details to draw his readers into that world,” Klibanoff said. “He was a master of the art of source development. A slowcooked process that relied on being there day after day.”
Tori Stillwell, a former Cold Case Project student who now
see MEMORIAL, page 4
RESOLVED
Most arrested protesters won’t face school discipline
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME Staff Writer
At least six of the seven students arrested at LSU’s presidential search committee meeting on Oct. 1 won’t face formal discipline from the university, the students announced Monday in Free Speech Alley.
The students, who are members of LSU Students for a Democratic Society, said they were told at their hearing they will receive “informal resolutions.” This is a process where the university and students agree to resolve a conduct case through mediation or discussion instead of a formal hearing, without a disciplinary record being issued.
GeauxTeach STEM program tackles teacher shortage with scholarship
BY DREW SARHAN Staff Writer
LSU’s GeauxTeach STEM program is helping bridge the national teacher shortage by offering a prestigious scholarship.
The scholarship comes from a $1.2 million grant that LSU received, awarding science and math students $20,000 each year if they go into the second education program pathway of GeauxTeach STEM in their junior and senior years.
According to a 2025 analysis by the Learning Policy Institute, in 31 states and Washington, D.C. there are 45,582 unfilled teacher positions nationwide.
The program also has a service requirement, working with TRIO programs at LSU, de -
signed to help disadvantaged students.
“Their service requirements are that they are to work with Upward Bound, which is one of LSU’s TRIO programs,” Sarah Rispone said. “TRIO programs are programs created for highneeds students in high-needs settings.”
Rispone is the GeauxTeach STEM manager. She directly works with six students -- four seniors and two juniors -- who are recipients of the Noyce scholarship program.
“We are building sustainable support so that our teams can continue to win and continue to excel in practice, in the field,” Rispone said.
GeauxTeach STEM is through the LSU College of Science. The
scholarship allows students to continue their degree in science or math while also earning a teaching certificate. Because of the national shortage of qualified STEM teachers, recipients of the program are not required to teach in Louisiana.
Laura Carroll is a biology junior with a concentration in secondary education. She is a recipient of the scholarship and will be awarded up to $40,000 in her two years of eligibility. For each year that a student is in the program, they must work two years at a high-needs school district.
“Coming to LSU was a big deal because I didn’t know if I would have the money to come
The other student, junior Gabriela Juárez, was the first student arrested and the only student sent to East Baton Rouge Prison. She met with university officials Wednesday but said she wouldn’t disclose whether the university chose to discipline her.
Juárez was released on bond early Oct. 2 and has a bond hearing on Jan. 5.
“Regardless of the repression we face, we hold firmly to our demands so that students can have democratic control over their lives and the campus,” said Margo Wilson, president of LSU’s SDS chapter, on Monday. “Again and again, LSU administration makes decisions that harm the students, and this can only be stopped by putting
the power back into our hands.”
The group said their two main demands are that students be included in the presidential search process and for a public apology from the university for what they described as mishandling of the students’ arrests.
“LSU is in the process of picking a new president and this decision is in the hands of people handpicked by Jeff Landry,” Wilson said.
Nine members of the committee have donated directly to Landry’s political campaigns, according to the Louisiana Campaign Finance Portal. A tenth, Ben Bordelon, since 2014 has been the CEO
see SDS, page 4
Higher education board suggests TOPS changes
BY EMILY BRACHER Staff Writer
The Board of Regents unanimously approved the TOPS annual report detailing new recommendations for the program during its meeting on Wednesday.
A detailed report of the program’s past decade was presented at the meeting, showing a gradually declining proportion of people who are eligible to receive TOPS that actually accept it. Many of those students who deny the funding leave the state for their higher education.
The board’s deputy commissioner for Academic Affairs and Innovation Tristan Denley said this decline can be traced back to when the TOPS money
a student could receive was frozen based on universities’ costs of tuition during the 2016-17 academic year. This cannot be changed unless the state Legislature adjusts it.
“The real term dollar of the support from a TOPS scholarship has gradually declined across that decade, so consequently has been the attractiveness to take it,” Denley said.
In response, Denley said the board put together a group of recommendations to send to the state Legislature during its session earlier this year.
One of the approved motions was the creation of the TOPS Excellence Award, which is specifically designed to make it
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Students for a Democratic Society members speak Oct. 20 at the Free Speech Alley in Baton Rouge, La.
Student groups celebrate Diwali, Indian culture with lantern painting
BY JORJA ETHRIDGE Staff Writer
LSU’s Asian Student Union and Namaste LSU partnered to celebrate the Diwali holiday and Indian culture Tuesday on the Parade Ground.
Namaste President Jay Patel explained that Diwali is a Hindu holiday that celebrates the defeat of the villain Ravana by Lord Rama. The holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
Patel, a mechanical engineering junior, said Namaste’s goal is to spread Indian culture and keep its traditions alive. Partnering with ASU made for a bigger celebration that reached more people.
Students gathered at the Parade Ground around sunset to paint lanterns, connect with others and learn more about the holiday and culture. One Namaste member that attended, Pooja Garlapati, said her family has always celebrated Diwali.
“I don’t get to celebrate with my family now that I’m away at school,” said Garlapati, a computer engineering junior. “So getting to celebrate with a lot of people around here is really
on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.
SCHOLARSHIP, from page 3
here, that I’d have to work really hard to get scholarships, and I knew I was going to have a lot of loans,” Carroll said. “But with the Noyce program, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I can focus on my education, and I can focus on bettering myself.”
Tailenn Fungcharoen-McCray is a mathematics senior also eligible for the program. She originally wanted to work in a lab, but her extroverted personality and passion for helping others helped guide her towards an education track. Fungcharoen McCray is expected to graduate in May 2026.
“Stumbling upon Geaux Teach was the best thing [that] could have happened for me,” Fungcharoen-McCray said. “The faculty, or master’s teachers are great, and personally, the best thing I would say up to
TOPS, from page 3 nice.”
Garlapati said she joined Namaste because it was the first group she found that was inclusive and representative of Indian culture.
ASU member and freshman anthropology major Grace Henry-Tarrant attended the Diwali event because she wanted to experience more celebrations of Indian culture. She added that
MEMORIAL, from page 3
works as a lawyer in Washington, D.C., recalled her first meeting with Nelson after hearing him lecture at the University of North Carolina. She soon joined his investigation into Morris’ case, where Nelson insisted she accompany him to confront a former Klan member suspected of the murder.
“I was a Black 19-year-old young woman and we were going to approach someone who was not only a member of the Klan but an alleged murderer,” Stillwell said. “Stanley handled my emotions with care and sincerity. He approached his work with the same kindness he showed me.”
Stillwell said Nelson often put himself in dangerous situations
while in pursuit of interviews and documents connected to the longunsolved killings. His persistence, she said, stemmed from a sense of responsibility to the families affected by the violence.
“He was fearless,” she said.
“He picked up the ball where others dropped it.”
Nelson stayed in touch with Stillwell for years after her internship, attending her graduations, officiating her wedding and celebrating her first pregnancy.
Two days before his death, Nelson sent her a photo of the home he shared with his wife, Nancy, writing, “This is now my home.
The old school doors creak and wail when they open.” A simple note that, Stillwell said, captured Nelson’s warmth and descriptive way he saw the world.
the ASU has provided a community for her here at LSU.
“I was a part of my high school’s Asian American Association, so when I heard that there was an Asian Student Union here, I was really excited,” Henry-Tarrant said.
ASU president and pre-dental kinesiology senior An Tra said ASU had mainly social events last year to bring the Asian community together. This year, the group is focusing on fostering a welcoming environment and also being a voice for the Asian community. He said that ASU succeeded in that at the Diwali event and through its collaboration with Namaste.
Cognitive neuroscience psychology pre-med freshman Niki Patel said that she joined Namaste to connect with others of her ethnicity and attend Indian celebrations like this one. She said her favorite part of the Diwali celebration was feeling welcomed.
“It feels nice to have so many people celebrate this holiday and accept who we are,” Patel said.
“Stanley knew I was nervous about motherhood,” Stillwell said. “His last words to me were ones of reassurance and optimism. ‘Think less about the fear and more about enjoying it.’”
The memorial drew journalists, students and family members of civil rights victims whom Nelson helped bring justice to. Through their stories, they portrayed a man who pursued truth not with confrontation, but with compassion.
“Stanley showed us what journalism can be at its best,” Drew said. “Patient, fearless and deeply human. He reminded us that the stories worth telling are often the hardest to uncover, but also the ones that matter most. He didn’t just write stories. He gave families the dignity of knowing the truth.”
this point that GeauxTeach has given me is Mrs. Rispone. Mrs. Rispone has been the person that I can go to with education, with personal things, and I know that she truly cares about my success.”
While the Noyce scholarships provide a comfortable amount of money for eligible students to continue their education, the community cultivated through GeauxTeach STEM provides students with a culture and family richer than any financial incentive.
“The biggest piece that’s critical to our program is community,” Rispone said. “Building that community with our scholars is looking through the different levels of mentoring, the extra meetings we have them go through at different lenses of teaching. It’s looking at even more support once you graduate. We are building a community. We are building a family.”
more attractive for high-achieving students to stay in Louisiana for college. While many campuses are taking advantage of that, Denley said most of the money students receive from TOPS is still frozen based on 2016 and 2017 tuitions.
With the goal of encouraging students back to Louisiana, Denley said the report has some new recommendations. This includes making sure the board can align the ability to qualify for TOPS with the future of pursuing higher education. This includes more dual enrollment opportunities at the high school level, which can encourage students to go to college.
The problem at hand is that dual enrollment does not qualify a student for TOPS; it just pushes them to continue their education, Denley said. ACT scores and GPA is what qualifies a student. Denley said the board wants to push for that to be switched and believes it would cause a significant increase in the number of students that receive the reward and apply for college.
“Students who received TOPS support are much more likely to graduate, much more likely to move on and complete the credential,” Denley said.
The board will send the report and its recommendations to the Legislature, the body that would make the changes.
The board also unanimously approved the creation of the Institute for the Health and Performance of Champions at LSU.
The institute is a partnership between Our Lady of the Lake, LSU School of Kinesiology and the LSU Health Sciences Center. It will offer training and education for both undergraduate and graduate students that want to focus on the improvement of health, performance and wellness of not only athletes, but also those in physically exerting fields such as the military and fire departments.
With the board’s approval, LSU can begin the process of establishing the institute. A progress report and request for continuation will be due to the board in 2028.
The second goal is to try and use the TOPS scholarship as a way to bring back students who left Louisiana for college. Denley said the board would use it to show students how they could build their career in the state, especially in the medical field.
SDS, from page 3 of Bollinger Shipyards, which has donated thousands to Landry. Another, Remy Starns, was appointed by Landry as a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors and as the state’s top public defender.
Wilson also criticized the university’s recent closure of Unity Field, an area that’s traditionally where the university’s Black Greek organizations and minority student groups host tailgates. LSU claimed the decision was based on game day security and said its investigation traced two recent game day shootings to Unity Field.
“President Lee says this is a decision that is meant to keep the students safe but it is clear … this
is just another way to chip away at diversity,” Wilson said.
The Black Student Union, several members of Student Government and many other students have opposed the decision, saying it threatens student inclusivity and limits spaces for Black Greek organizations and cultural groups.
The group also reiterated their support for Juárez, who was arrested at the meeting after exceeding her three-minute public comment limit and refusing to yield the microphone.
SDS members said they will continue attending LSU presidential search committee and Board of Supervisors meetings until students are formally included in the process.
ERIN BARKER / The Reveille
Members of LSU Asian Student Union and Namaste LSU paint lanterns to celebrate Diwali on Oct. 21 on the Parade Ground
ERIN BARKER / The Reveille Members of LSU Asian Student Union and Namaste LSU paint lanterns to celebrate Diwali on Oct. 21 on the Parade Ground on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.
ENTERTAINMENT
cryptids of the south:
The folklore behind Louisiana’s monsters
BY PAIGE CHERAMIE Staff Writer
Through thick foliage and moss-draped trees lies Louisiana’s swamps and marshes, hosting creatures beyond the typical wildlife. Folklore in this region runs rampant, with stories of ghostly orbs and monstrous beasts luring in helpless victims, often leading to their demise.
Grab a flashlight and come along as we dive into the stories of these infamous cryptids and restless spirits.
ROUGAROU
In the swamps, woodlands and sugar cane fields of southern Louisiana lurks a ferocious wolf-like creature, ready to pounce at its next victim. With the hairy body of a man and the head of a dog, the sharp fangs and horrid breath of this beast are enough to knock out its prey.
Some say the Rougarou targets Catholics who are ignoring their religious duties, while others say it attacks anyone who comes across its path. There are many ways to ward off this evil beast, but none are known to fully vanquish it.
THE GHOST OF THE CASTLE
Lined with creaky doors and dusty halls, Louisiana’s Old State Capitol located in Baton Rouge is rich in history. As the building has aged, spirits have found residence here; doors slam, rooms grow cold and motion detectors inexplicably go off.
Some even claim to have seen the apparition of a woman dressed in white, weeping as she drifts down the
the
As a member of the upper class, she adored the building, remaining in the halls over a hundred years later.
FEU FOLLET LETICHE
In the disorienting Louisiana swamps, small flickering orbs of lights sometimes pay stranded victims a visit. Known as Feu Follet, these spirits have sinister intentions. They lure lost boaters further into the Louisiana wilderness, bringing them to dense areas where boats can easily flip, drowning the passengers. The origin of these orbs are widely debated, with some believing they are the souls of loved ones stuck in purgatory, left to get vengeance.
PÈRE MALFAIT
Père Malfait, or “Father of Mischief,” quickly disappears if spotted, leaving behind a pile of moss and leaves. Cloaked in Spanish Moss and traveling through the shadows, this shapeshifting creature roams the Louisiana swamplands with the power to rip entire trees from the ground. He is known for his glowing amber eyes, the only sign of his presence in the dark.
PUZZLES
Letiche, the souls of children lost to the swamps and raised by alligators, are brutal spirits. For those brave enough to venture into wilderness, be aware that if you hear a drawn out scrape along the bottom of the boat, it’s too late to turn back. They target lone boats at night, attacking the unlucky souls onboard. Sharp teeth and a carnivorous hunger leave the water stained red, with the swamp quickly becoming quiet again in anticipation for the arrival of Letiche’s next victim.
HONEY ISLAND SWAMP MONSTER
A primate-like beast with grey hair, yellow eyes and sharp teeth stalks, the Honey Island Swamp Monster, rips out the throats of wild boar and destroys entire hunter camp sites.
The origin of this Louisiana bigfoot is widely speculated, with some believing it is the offspring of an escaped circus chimpanzee and an alligator of the swamps. It has also never attacked a person, and may even be a skittish creature who just wants to be left alone.
halls. This ghost is believed to be Sarah Morgan,
writer of the book “A Confederate Girl’s Diary.”
SKELEBRITY GRAVEYARD
SKELEBRITY GRAVEYARD
Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal
LSU football head coach Brian Kelly and LSU offensive player
The Chicks
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
Pop icons
Skelebrity Graveyard sits Tuesday, Oct. 21 in Baton Rouge, La.
Photos by Alexis Persicke | Spread by Emily Boudreaux
Fall in love with the LSU AgCenter’s annual Night Maze
BY LANA LAWSON Staff Writer
It may not entirely feel like autumn yet, but the LSU AgCenter Botanical Gardens is helping Baton Rouge get into the fall spirit with a night full of festivities.
The event, known as Night Maze, has taken place for 15 years and is best known for its exciting photo-ops and, of course, the signature corn maze. To conclude the final opening night, the AgCenter is hosting Night Maze on Friday, Oct. 24.
Organizers at the AgCenter are expecting a turnout of over 1,500 people in attendance. Night Maze will feature live music from local band T’Monde and concessions from local vendors. Event attendees can expect to see a petting zoo, a pumpkin patch and a campfire where you can roast marshmallows.
Malorey Uzee, communications coordinator at the AgCenter Botanical Gardens, described the corn maze as a true family-friendly event. She believes that events like these are a great time for families to enjoy time together outdoors.
“We see so many different people come out to the corn maze,” Uzee said. “And I think that providing people spaces like this to actually go outside and see nature,
be in nature, see things like an actual field of corn — it kind of helps people understand the importance of going outside.”
Over the years, the event has transformed from a simple cornfield to an expansive celebration with camp fires, food trucks and a new pumpkin house photo-op created by the staff.
“We have a lot of people actually come to the corn maze just to take pictures, especially some of that young adult and late teen crowd,” Uzee said. “We see a lot of people get dressed up just to come take photos, and a lot of times they go straight to the pumpkin patch. And so I think maybe that’s one thing that sets ours apart — it makes for such a great photo op.”
Uzee explained that the corn for the maze is planted later than usual to ensure that the corn is green and still on the stalk. This year’s maze is in the shape of a spider.
Volunteers are a crucial aspect of the corn maze. From helping out with the pumpkin patch to assisting in the petting zoo, volunteers are able to sign up and help out with tasks through the event.
“We always say that our event couldn’t really run without our volunteers, because they help us with a lot of stuff,” Uzee said. “Since we do have so many different areas,
those volunteers are really crucial.”
The Night Maze takes plenty of time and preparation to ensure that everything is up to standard. Planning for this event started back in June, and all of that hard work is done to make sure that the Night Maze is successful for the Botanical Garden.
“This event typically sells out every year. So that’s kind of how we measure it was a success: if we sell out, then we did pretty good.” Uzee said.
Whether you’re looking to snap some pictures at the pumpkin patch or see how long it takes you to escape the corn maze, Maze Night is the perfect time to enjoy the autumn season before it’s too late. This exciting event has something fun for everyone.
COURTESY OF MALOREY UZEE
A family makes their way through the Night Maze’s corn maze in 2024.
COURTESY OF MALOREY UZEE
Volunteers stand at the entrance of the AgCenter’s Night Maze event in 2024.
SPORTS SECOND CHANCES
Texas A&M ended LSU’s playoff shot a year ago. Will they do it again?
BY TRE ALLEN Staff Writer
It all started with one play.
LSU led 17-7 with 8:34 left in the third quarter when quarterback Garrett Nussmeier rolled to his left on 3rd-and-2 and flicked a pass to wide receiver Aaron Anderson.
Draped all over him was defensive back BJ Mayes, who put his arms up and snatched the football out of the air for the interception.
In the following play, A&M quarterback Marcel Reed took the read option to the outside and slipped into the end zone. That one play by LSU last year shifted the momentum between the two teams for the future, starting with that 38-23 loss.
The Tigers are back in the bayou this Saturday for a game that will decide the trajectory of their season against No. 3 Texas A&M.
On primetime, No. 20 LSU will be center stage with an opportu-
nity to redeem itself after losing to Vanderbilt 31-24.
However, as with every game, it’s not going to be easy.
Last year when the Tigers and Aggies faced off in College Station, LSU literally gave the game away.
The Tigers turned the ball over four times, including three interceptions from Nussmeier and a fumbled snap on a field goal attempt on fourth down.
The defense didn’t help the cause either. Once Reed, who was the backup, entered the game, the Tigers didn’t have an answer for a running quarterback.
“I don’t know that we executed at the level that we needed to,” head coach Brian Kelly said following the loss. “Should we’ve spent more time on it? Sure looks that way, but I don’t believe that there was a sense that we weren’t capable of doing it.”
Texas A&M leaned on the run, incorporating Reed, which resulted in him carrying the ball
nine times for 60 yards and three touchdowns. Between the starter Conner Weigman and the backup Reed, they only combined for 134 passing yards.
The run game was a different story, rushing for 242 yards as a team, averaging almost five yards a carry.
Since last year, the Aggies are 9-4 while the Tigers are 8-5. Although the record may seem close, they couldn’t be more opposite.
Texas A&M hasn’t lost this season compared to LSU, which lost to Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.
This time, Kelly and the coaching staff will have time to prepare even more for Reed with the season on the line.
The Aggies have proven themselves to be one of the top teams in the country, and it’s Reed who’s leading the way.
He’s thrown for over 1,700 yards and has 15 passing touchdowns to only four interceptions, while rushing for 241 yards with
four rushing touchdowns.
The running game is still a staple under head coach Mike Elko, as his team ranks No. 5 in the SEC for rushing yards per game at an average of 196 yards.
Running backs Rueben Owens II and Le’veon Moss are both inching toward eclipsing over 400 yards on the season, creating a two-headed monster in the backfield.
However, as great as A&M’s running game is, the passing game has its own set playmakers, too. Sophomore wide receiver Mario Craver ranks No. 5 in the country in receiving yards with 674 yards on the season.
North Carolina State wide receiver transfer K.C. Concepcion has shown why he was one of the top targets in the transfer portal this past offseason, recording 500 yards for six touchdowns.
These two players have helped
see FOOTBALL, page 10
Baseball head coach Jay Johnson is using fall ball to lay championship foundation this season
BY ISABELLE CALLAHAN Staff Writer
Fall ball in Baton Rouge isn’t just about who’s hitting home runs or who’s touching 96 on the radar gun. For LSU head coach Jay Johnson, it’s about building a foundation — not just for the spring, but for the seasons that follow.
Almost two years ago, in 2024, the Tigers’ run ended just shy of Omaha, fresh off this year’s national championship, Johnson is treating fall as not only a reset button but a learning experience. With a stacked roster that blends 19 returning players and 20 newcomers, he’s piecing together what can be considered “the 2026
blueprint,” which is a vision of success that’s already under construction.
“What I like so far is how our returning players … are leading this team,” Johnson said. “We’re very intentional about what we do, how we do it and then helping players take the next step forward. They’re not allowed in the door if they don’t want to play beyond here.”
Sophomore outfielder Derek Curiel and pitcher Casan Evans are emblematic of the next-wave core that Johnson says could be the anchor for LSU for years. Curiel, shifting into a new primary role in the center field, says the fall is all about earning the position and
leading by example.
“There’s obviously a lot of talent on the field … the hitting groups, the pitching groups, it all looks elite,” Curiel said. “Getting to play outfield with Chris Stanfield … I got to learn a lot from him.”
Meanwhile Evans, who delivered a breakout freshman season for LSU, is taking on a more vocal role in the pitching room and mentoring new players.
“I want to be kind of in the same role as Kade Anderson was last year,” Evans said. “We don’t know our positions yet, and we’re still fighting for our spot, but I want to talk to the freshmen as much as I can just to give them
Soccer enters season finale
BY DELANEY POTTHAST Staff Writer
After facing late action adversity against Kentucky, LSU soccer is 4-2-3 in the SEC and looking toward its regular season finale vs. the Florida Gators.
On Sunday, it was clear that the Tigers were the better team heading into halftime; however, they couldn’t hold their lead for the next 45 minutes and ended in a draw with the Wildcats.
Still tied at 15 points for seventh in the standings, a win over the Gators this weekend could determine LSU’s first-round matchup in the SEC tournament.
One of the biggest takeaways from Sunday was needing to be more intentional in finishing the game. The Tigers failed to maintain their defense through the final minutes of the matchup, leading for less than two minutes against the Wildcats.
“We just have to be a little bit more focused and disciplined in that moment and keep the game, you know, see the game out,” head coach Sian Hudson said. “That clean sheet mentality that we had earlier in the season — got to get back to that before we go into postseason play.”
This Sunday’s matchup will test the Tigers’ stamina as the Gators will be on the hunt for a meaningful win. Currently holding the 11th seed, Florida will want the three points of insurance to stay out of a tie with Auburn in the standings.
However, LSU’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Kentucky hasn’t seemed to crack the team’s confidence as it prepares to host the regular season finale.
information.”
This step up in leadership matters because the Tigers are in a transformational offseason. With so many new faces in the lineup, having someone with experience.
The culture of competition is also something Johnson is very adamant about this fall. This fall is about not settling for anything less than hard work.
“You have to have that burning desire to become the best that you can become to thrive in this dynamic of a program that we have going,” Johnson said.
Johnson also heavily emphasized that roles are not prewritten;
“These past six games, we haven’t lost a single one, and I don’t think that a loss is in our heads right now — just to go to the beach,” freshman forward Sariyah Bailey said.
When comparing the two teams statistically, each side balances out. The Tigers have more shots and goals on the season, but the Gators have more accuracy on goal.
Defensively, Florida stacks up relatively even with the strong Tiger backline we’ve seen all season.
Sunday will be both a physical and mental battle. Consistency and composure will be the key ingredients to a home team win as long as LSU continues to play in the flow state it has found over the past four weeks.
“We’ve secured our spot in the
FOOTBALL
, from page 9
transform the Aggies’ passing game. This year, they rank No. 5 in the SEC in passing yards compared to last year, when they ranked No. 13.
The Tigers didn’t have to worry much about the passing game last season, but with players such as Concepcion and Craver, they’ll have their hands full on the ground and through the air.
“Offensively, Marcel Reed is doing an incredible job at the quarterback position, taking that over,” Kelly said during Monday’s press conference. “They’ve got outstanding backs in Owens and Moss, and very deep and talented
, from page 9
they’ll be earned through fall development, intrasquad scrimmage and attitude every day.
The roster of 20 newcomers consists of transfer, JUCO and high school signees. Depth across positions, especially pitching and defense, is a key focus after losing a large number of pitchers to the 2025 MLB Draft this past July.
As the Tigers begin intrasquad scrimmages and fall exhibitions, the work being done over the next six weeks will set the tone for spring and beyond.
For Curiel, this means mastering a new defensive assignment, getting stronger and stepping into
with Craver and Concepcion. Outstanding receivers that can do a lot of things with the ball as well.”
Texas A&M’s defense is also a talented group of notable playmakers at every level. On the defensive line, it’s Cashius Howell who ranks as the No. 6 player in the country with eight sacks on the season.
Linebacker Taurean York has been deemed one of the best linebackers in the country. He picked off Nussmeier last year.
Defensive back Will Lee II has also established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the country. He’s even been given the nickname “The Blanket” for his excellent coverage on wide receivers.
a bigger leadership role. For Evans, it means embracing his voice in the clubhouse, helping firstyear players adjust and refining his own craft.
For Johnson, it’s about showing the world that Louisiana is the state of baseball and where champions are made. The blueprint of 2026 is simple: strong recruiting, daily development, self-sustaining culture and plenty of depth that can handle the daunting seasons ahead.
As Johnson sees it, you don’t win in June if you don’t build the foundation in October. In Baton Rouge this fall, the bricks for another strong season are being cemented.
Despite having numerous playmakers and an undefeated record, the Aggies have shown a slight weakness in their defense. Against Arkansas last week, Texas A&M gave up 42 points and 527 total yards.
Notre Dame also scored 40 on the Aggies, totaling up 429 yards along the way. Both teams had a balanced offensive game plan and were just a few plays away from giving Texas A&M a loss.
The offense for LSU has been a headache due to the injuries, playcalling and an unbalanced game plan. If LSU wants to pull off the upset, it’ll need to find a way to have success on the ground and through the air.
, from page 9
previous game, but still have to win out our last games,” senior forward Ida Hermannsdottir said.
LSU is also entering its final conference game in good form with a healthy lineup and no injuries reported. Having a complete roster at this stage of the season will be advantageous for the Tigers, especially as they continue to build upon momentum, chemistry and mentality.
“I think the confidence is at an all-time high,” Hudson said. “The mindset right now is disappointment, but maybe this is a little reminder of closing out games. Florida is going to be a battle for
In 2024, the Tigers’ offense was one-dimensional against Texas A&M. Nussmeier threw the ball 50 times for 405 yards, while the run game could only muster 24 yards on 23 carries.
LSU got out to a 10-point lead because the defense played great in the first half, and the offense capitalized on big plays such as the 76-yard pass to Aaron Anderson.
But once the Aggies realized LSU couldn’t run the ball, they had answers and forced turnovers.
Last week, LSU played one of its better games on offense, with 24 points scored, but couldn’t make the most of its opportunities, and left points on the board
us next Sunday, just like Kentucky was today, but there are no easy games in the SEC.”
The team’s depth and overall fitness could prove crucial in
for multiple drives.
It’s not just the offense; the defense showed signs of inconsistency against the Commodores after giving up the most points all season.
Kelly knows it’s going to take a full team effort, but he’s confident in his team to keep trending in the right direction.
“We want positive outcomes just like our fan base wants, but our last nine quarters of offense have been trending to where we need to be,” Kelly said. “Defensively, we need to continue to play like we had played in the first half, and if we do that, we get both sides of the ball playing complementary football.”
BASEBALL
the coming weeks, providing LSU with the flexibility needed to compete at a high level both on Sunday afternoon and in postseason play.
SOCCER
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
The ball gets kicked Sunday, Oct. 19, during the 1-1 tie against Kentucky at the LSU Soccer Stadium.
•
OPINION
HEAD HEAD
TO
College was lovely, but I’m ready for what’s comes next
AVA’S POV
AVA FRANCIS Columnist
Some think the best years of their lives are in college. While that can be true, the same people act like nothing exciting exists beyond the LSU bubble.
Don’t fear, Tigers — so much awaits you long after your school days. After all, remember how some people were dreading college because they said “the best four years were behind them”?
While high school and college are monumental times filled with highs and lows, they don’t have to be the only fun periods of life.
I’ve truly enjoyed my time at LSU; however, I’m thrilled for what’s next. When I see my friends and alumni living their best post-grad lives, it excites me for my own. And sure, I’m seeing the highlight reel through Instagram, getting glimpses of their traveling escapades, life in new cities and so on and so forth.
I’m aware that the not-so-glamorous elements of this infamous “real world” I hear endless stories about might never make it as a post on their Instagram stories, but that doesn’t deter my excitement for post-grad.
My thoughts on life continuing positively after undergrad are based on my personal experience. I’m grateful that if I don’t have my next steps planned after graduation, I can gladly venture back home and figure out the next steps from there.
We all know it can be difficult at times to secure a job post-grad, so if you have the option to return to something familiar before starting something new, it’s a good option to consider. There’s absolutely no shame in living with your parents or starting from point A. I always joke that I want to take another gap year after I graduate. Personally, I love the role of a stay-at-home daughter. Am I even joking at this point? We shall see come May.
There’s plenty of time for me to be on my own in this life. After four years of living hours away from home, I want to hold on to being in close proximity to my family for as long as I can. A remote writing position is ideal. Pilates with my mom, coffee dates with my dad and dinners with both parentals, meeting friends for lunch with my new flexible schedule sounds like a dream to me.
If our generation has done anything I find admirable, it’s making our own rules, unbothered about what society has to say about any of it.
I have put in the time, sleepless nights,
EDITORIAL BOARD
Jason Willis Editor in Chief
Olivia Tomlinson
Managing Editor
Courtney Bell News Editor
Chloe Richmond
Sports Editor
Garrett McEntee Opinion Editor
stressful days, crash outs and an immense amount of energy to school from kindergarten to senior year of college. I could use a little break. I deserve one.
I think as a society, we worry too much about what our counterparts or some influencer is doing with their lives when we should be worried about our own. Comparison is the thief of joy.
Everyone is on their own timeline. Of course, the path each one of us takes is going to be different from the person to our left and right. We all have different options laid out in front of us. So I understand why most juniors and seniors freak out about our next steps. We either don’t have the option to return home, or we’re embarrassed because it’s the only option. Whatever your situation may be, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. What’s important is that we count it all as joy.
College has been one big warm-up to real life.
Ask yourself, what have you been warming up for? If you’re riddled with anxiety about “adulting,” haven’t you been preparing for just that? Whether you live solo or with roommates, you know what it’s like to live alone to some degree, so I know you can do it again.
It’s the little things we experience during undergrad that prepare us to tackle the world off campus.
I will take everything I have learned from freshman year to now with me into the future. I’ve never felt more relaxed or prepared for what lies ahead.
These last four years, I have watched God lay his hand on every part of my journey from the acceptance letter, to financial aid and various opportunities that have come my way since setting foot on campus. I know he will do it again.
That’s another reason why I’m not scared to graduate. I put all my faith in God, not my LinkedIn.
After getting a taste of what it looks like to work a remote job as a writer this past summer, I realize how gratifying life postgrad will be.
That’s why I decided, after my midterms were complete, I would take the younger version of myself out for a night of singing the lyrics to the greatest hits by the Jonas Brothers. These are the things I will most definitely continue post-grad.
Alright, I’m off to the concert. Remember, life doesn’t end after undergrad. It’s just the beginning, friends.
Ava Francis is a 22-year-old journalism major from New Orleans.
College taught me plenty, but not how to live post-grad
TANTAWI’S
TALKS
MOHAMMAD TANTAWI Columnist
Can we rewind to a time when I used to count the days until summer break? When spring break felt like a real break. When fall break didn’t remind me that graduation is right around the corner.
When I think about graduation, it’s a trip to the toilet for me. How terrifying reality must be without the generous, merciful “student” label on my forehead. The label that allows me to work part-time without angering my manager. The label that gives me an excuse for why I’m not financially stable. The label that makes me feel driven and forever young.
After adding up the dropout and military time, this degree will have taken me six and a half years to complete.
This whole last chapter has lasted about 26% of my life, and now I’m sitting here wondering how I’m going to fill the next chapter.
I have friends who’ve already earned their master’s degrees, had kids, settled down and so on. Where has the time gone, and how do I get it back? Am I behind? Eh, who knows?
Without being labeled a student, given all the sympathies a student gets, I have to pretend college was a strategic move to benefit my future. Now, I must look like I have it all figured out and pretend I didn’t go to college as a formality.
I have to sit here and lie to you about my college courses preparing me to be a meaningful contributor to society. Now I’m supposed to pretend college was this necessary launchpad into adulthood, instead of an extended exercise in survival and self-doubt.
In reality, I feel unequipped for the workforce. I’m at a stage where I’m assessing the supposed skills a communications degree has given me and measuring that against what I think the workforce is looking for.
But college wasn’t about harnessing skills. It was an educationally structured routine that pushed you to your mental and creative limits. But it doesn’t explicitly direct you to an industry, skill set or specific avenues.
That leaves students hoping to find a company where their unique set of skills meshes well with its operations.
Editorial Policies and Procedures
The problem is, getting into one of these companies requires you to play Russian roulette with your ego, trying to prove “you are a worthy candidate,” being judged against abstract criteria by people who carry their own sets of biases.
The roulette has already begun to turn, and I admit, the monstrosity of an interview I gave last week helps little when trying to find an optimistic way to say this.
The game is rigged. Nepotism, soft skills and connections. There you have it, folks: the ultimate factoid of the job market. That’s all you need to succeed and all you need to pass on.
Regardless, fast forward to the part where you get the interview, and, of course, it’s a pre-recorded interview.
So I take the logical approach and plant myself in my underwear with a blazer and tie on, ready to tackle the interview.
The charade required by interviews nowadays demands a sort of corporate lingo and small-talk skill set. The interview isn’t about what you did in your time at school. The skills people are hiring for aren’t taught in the classroom. It’s exhausting. As it turns out, small talk is incredibly valuable when introducing yourself and maintaining professional relationships.
Pro-tip from a struggling soon-to-be graduate: The key aspect of entry-level job hunting when making up random answers to questions like “tell me about a time you faced conflict” or “tell me about a time where you completed a project” is to explain it in chronological ascending order that makes your efforts of teamwork, pragmatism and timeliness shine.
Anyway, I’m in the process of giving that chronological, ascending answer I flaunted, and I stutter, forget my words or speak twice as fast as I should. Unbeknownst to the interviewer, I’m just trying to beautify that procrastinated, caffeine-fueled Hail Mary I pulled trying to pass my class.
Two months later, you receive a denial email from a job you forgot you interviewed for.
That’s entry-level job hunting from the point of view of a soon-to-be post-graduate in a nutshell.
It’s a charade, and playing it sucks the energy right out of you. In the end, here I am, playing along, because what else can I do? I’m tired and I’m scared, and I think most students are too. I honestly can’t say that I feel like college prepared me at all.
Mohammad Tantawi is a 24-year-old mass communication senior from Smyrna, Tenn.
Quote of the Week
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 editor@lsu.edu 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.
“Who so loves believes the impossible.”
Elizabeth