www.thepacer.net September 18, 2026
Volume 99, Issue 1
The Independent Voice of the University of Tennessee at Martin
Grassroots Soybean Festival makes debut Ella Hasty | Pacer Staff
“Stone Soup” is a folk tale that teaches about when people in a community contribute a little, together it can go a long way. Martin’s Grassroots Soybean Festival is Martin, Tennessee’s version of that story, continuing an important community tradition by having each person chip in a little to make it possible On May 21, the Tennessee Soybean Festival Committee announced that the Tennessee Soybean Festival was canceled due to financial challenges, time constraints and the amount of manpower required to plan the event. For over 30 years, historic downtown Martin has been filled with food and street fair vendors, rides, live music and more, all in celebration of the soybean, Tennessee’s top agricultural commodity. After the cancellation was announced, John Sellers, the owner of Martin’s Coffee and Bakery, wasted no time bringing the event back to life. “We immediately started calling people that were like-minded, which is being community-minded,” said Sellers. “We quickly put a team together that wanted to preserve the tradition of us gath-
Tylan Johnson, a sophomore health and human performance major from Huntingdon, preforms during the Faith and Family Night at the Grassroots Soybean Festival in Martin, Tennessee on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self)
ering together and celebrating what makes Martin so special.”
See SOYBEAN on page 5 for continued story
Miracle Brown | Pacer Staff
New security cameras installed on campus Ryleigh Ulen | Pacer Staff
The University of Tennessee at Martin installed 284 new security cameras in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year, part of a larger effort to update campus security measures. The new cameras are part of a state-funded security grant totaling $938,000 dedicated to funding campus security upgrades, including updating security cameras, new electronic access control hardware, replacing physical hardware such as door locks and improving lighting across campus. Approximately $100,000 of the grant was set aside for improving security cameras. One of the biggest features of the new security cameras is their ability to record in multiple directions at once, allowing public safety officials the ability to record in multiple directions at the same time. This “fish-
Construction projects continue at UT Martin
eye” perspective provides broader coverage of an area with fewer blind spots. The new cameras also have a much higher resolution, allowing for a clearer picture compared to older cameras used prior to the update. According to Michael O’Neill, director for the Department of Public Safety at UT Martin, the installation process is a combination of adding cameras to areas that were previously without coverage and updating older cameras in existing locations. In some cases, one new camera was able to take the place of multiple older cameras due to its advanced technology. When the current installation is complete, UT Martin will have approximately 850 security cameras across campus.
See CAMERAS on page 5 for continued story
Students have hit the ground running to start off the semester, and so has construction around campus. The University of Tennessee at Martin has over five different construction projects currently in progress, with two of the biggest being the demolition of Browning Hall and the building of the new TEST Hub. The housing transition has been a pressing issue among students since the announcement of the demolition of Browning Hall. Ryan Martin, director of housing at UT Martin, and Gina McClure, assistant vice chancellor of Student and Residential Life, have an inside scoop on the updates and plans for the area. “We are on track to get new demolition within Browning [Hall] finished and new housing put up in place in fall of 2028,” Martin said.
The new housing construction will prioritize first-year students, while Conner Community and Arnold Pryor Place will remain priorities for returning students. The difference between the new building’s layout and the layout of Browning and Ellington Halls, however, lies in the pod system that will allow students to experience a brand-new style of housing that has never been seen at UT Martin. The space will provide various openings of one, two or three bedroom units with standard utilities, including amenities such as a kitchen, living area and a bathroom. With the construction has come varying opinions from students regarding the housing adjustments. See CONSTRUCTION on page 5 for continued story
Inside Odyssey Page 3
Scooters Page 4
Vantage Page 8
Horses Page 11
September 18, 2026
HAWK SPOT
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Editorial Staff Fall 2026 Editor-in-Chief Ryleigh Ulen Managing Editor Darby Self News Editor Ella Hasty Arts & Entertainment Editor Bryant Steele Media Editor Sophia Phillips Sports Editor William Stevens Opinion Editor Ja’Tyria Greer Faculty Advisor Dr. Kayli Plotner Opinions expressed in personal columns are those of the writers and may not reflect the opinions of the staff as a whole. Editorials are written by members of the Editorial Board, with contributions from other sources on an as-needed basis. The Pacer is free in single copy and is printed two to three times per semester with a press run of 1,000 copies. Extra copies may be obtained from the Office of Student Publications, 313 Gooch Hall.
September 18, 2026
A&E
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Arts & Entertainment
How ‘The Odyssey’ changed filmmaking forever only 35mm and had issues with size of the grains because they When speaking about the most the always remained the same size important directors in Hollywood This changed when IMAX today, it would be remiss to not doubled the of the film to 70mm. include Christopher Nolan in the Now that itsize is on larger scale, the conversation. From the out-of-this- quality of films ahave improved. world phenomenon ‘Interstellar’ to the explosive drama ‘Oppenheimer’, Nolan has carved a name for himself on the walls of film history. His most recent project, however, may just be the greatest of them all. ‘The Odyssey’ is a 2026 actionfantasy film based on ancient Greek poet Homer’s classic epic poem. ‘The Odyssey’ follows the story of Odysseus (Matt Damon), hero of the Trojan War and king of Ithaca, as he attempts to make his way back home after getting lost at sea following the end of the war. Odysseus must survive gods, monsters and everything in between during his long 10-year journey back home. There are many aspects (Pacer Photo / Sophia Phillips) of ‘The Odyssey’ that make it a film After another one of Nolan’s worthy of constant praise, but one films, ‘The Dark Knight’ in 2008, of the main talking points about Hollywood movies began using it is Nolan’s use of IMAX 15-perf IMAX cameras full sequences. 70mm film cameras for the entirety Now, Nolan has for used these IMAX of the film’s production. It is the cameras to their full first feature film to do so, marking a and created a film usingcapacity them large moment in cinematic history. entirely. This type of advancement There are plenty of benefits to filmmaking raises the bar using the IMAX film cameras. in for huge blockbusters will While average digital cameras use look what like going forward. ‘The resolution pixels, IMAX cameras Odyssey’ showcases the sharpness, utilize film. Film uses light- detail and incredibly rich and sensitive silver halide crystals beautiful colors of the IMAX film and dye couplers in a chemical cameras. It lays the foundation structure. This chemical would take for future filmmakers that will the information from the camera come after Nolan and continue and turn it into grains on the film to upgrade the quality of movies. roll, with the size of the grain “I think we’re starting to see, affecting how it collects the light. you know, more of a resurgence However, before IMAX, film was in directors, producers, shooting
Bryant Steele | Pacer Staff
in actual film stock,” said Rodney Freed, a professor in the mass media and strategic communication department at the University of Tennessee at Martin. “For a while there, everybody went to digital because it was much cheaper. It
was easier to do. You didn’t have to worry about developing. You’d have immediate access to dailies. But I think there is going to be kind of a niche for this type.” However, filming on IMAX does come with its set of challenges. Average IMAX cameras use about 1,000 feet of film in the magazine, and since it uses 334 feet per minute, that only allows for three minutes of shooting. Not only that, but the cameras are incredibly noisy due to the movement of the film, the motors and the shutter. For a long time, this made it impossible to shoot dialogue scenes with the cameras. That was before the IMAX company, alongside Nolan himself and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, engineered
a camera enclosure known as the “blimp” to reduce the noise of the camera, allowing for it to shoot scenes with dialogue in them. This was invented specifically for the cameras on the set of ‘The Odyssey’, and now the blimp will help film dialogue scenes in future movies. “I’m sure it was a lot of work trying to keep up with that and trying to keep everything loaded, and then the cost of it…I think one number I saw was about $3,000,000 for just film stock alone. So, that’s incredible. That means you’ve got to make a lot of money on that film to get part of that back,” said Freed when talking about the difficulties of shooting with the IMAX camera. Ever since he was 16 years old, Nolan dreamed of shooting a film entirely on IMAX cameras, and he didn’t disappoint. ‘The Odyssey’ is best experienced in an IMAX theater, but only 25 of them in America are fully equipped to project 70mm film. “Obviously, you’ll be able to stream it, and if you have a TV that’s big enough, you’re going to be able to see some of that quality show through,” said Freed. “But to really, truly get this, you have to go to an IMAX theater to be able to do that.” ‘The Odyssey’ still looks phenomenal in the average theater, though. It’ll no doubt have a place during the next Academy Awards ceremony. Even though it’s begun moving out of theaters, ‘The Odyssey’ will likely be streaming on Peacock, Universal Studios’ streaming service, within the next few months. ‘The Odyssey’ is a film that’ll be studied by future directors for years to come, inspiring them to strive to push the art of filmmaking even further.
Grand Theft Auto VI: A timeline to release Bryant Steele | Pacer Staff
It’s no secret that ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ (GTA:VI) has made huge waves in the gaming world. It’s one of the most anticipated games of the last decade, so it’s good to have an understanding of everything that’s happened to the game up to the time of writing. Feb. 4, 2022 – Rockstar games officially announces the making of a new ‘Grand Theft Auto’ game. Sept. 18, 2022 – A user on GTAForums. com posted download links to roughly 90 files claiming to have a build of GTA:VI. These leaks spread rapidly and included development footage of some of the game’s content including characters, locations and vehicles, but were taken down a day later. Dec. 4, 2023 – The first trailer for the game was leaked 16 hours ahead of its intended release. Rockstar ultimately released the trailer ahead of schedule as a result. The trailer set the original release date as 2025 with no specific date. Jan. 1, 2025 – A photo and two videos of an early development build were leaked on Reddit by a user named “JustLovett0”. The metadata on the photo reveals that it was taken on June 21, 2022 at Rockstar Games San Diego. The photo shows one of the protagonists, Lucia, in a construction site at one of the game’s locations. On the right side of the photo was a clearly visible PlayStation 5 development kit. The content was
deleted shortly after being posted, and neither Rockstar games nor Take Two Interactive confirmed its authenticity. May 6, 2025 – The second trailer is released, announcing a release date slated for May 26, 2026. Sept. 8, 2025 – Community data miner Tex2 found a set of domains registered to Take Two Interactive. This user found that the domains were registered by Take Two Interactive on May 27, 2025. Nov. 6 , 2025 – Rockstar games announced a new release date of Nov. 19, 2026 for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. As of writing, no official release date for PC has been given. Nov. 30, 2025 – A demo reel originally posted on Sept. 3, 2025 by a former Rockstar Games animator featured three test clips from GTA:VI. Two of them involved the player character interacting with a city bike. The third clip showed a female character in a test environment. After gaining traction, the demo reel was removed. Aug. 27, 2026 – Rockstar released a 26-minute extended gameplay trailer on YouTube and Netflix. The trailer was captured ingame on a PlayStation 5 and showcased driving mechanics, shooting and aspects of the game’s story and open world. Despite a tumultuous development, GTA:VI is projected to generate between 3.2 to 5.2 billion dollars in sales globally. The game is projected to have such a big impact that, according to analytics groups like Sensor Tower,
(Pacer Graphic / Darby Self) it will singlehandedly keep the global console market growing for 2026. Even though the game isn’t released yet, it’s already generated an estimated 440 million dollars in preorders alone. Adding to this is the fact that 90% of preorders are of the game’s ultimate edition, which is priced at $100. Dylan Daniels, a senior attending the University of Tennessee at Martin, is one such buyer. “Yeah, I’m preordering,” says Daniels. “I’m most excited because it’s the next installment
of the GTA series, and I loved GTA and Red Dead [Redemption].The ultimate edition includes the base game as well as exclusive vehicles, weapons, clothing and locations. These perks are what Daniels cited as his reason for preordering that version of the game despite the increased cost. Judging by the preorder sales, it’s clear that Daniels is far from the only player who feels that way.
September 18, 2026
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Campus Safety takes precautions with e-scooters Ethan Tanner | Pacer Staff E-scooters are not only a growing trend for on-campus transportation, but also tools that have the potential to cause dangerous accidents. UT Martin witnessed an accident of its very own when senior football player and interdisciplinary studies major Chris Franklin of Little Rock, Arkansas, was hit by a vehicle when riding his scooter across a sidewalk Wednesday, Aug. 26, near the Hardy Graham Football Stadium in Martin, Tennessee. “The lights were flashing. The left side of traffic stopped…I was almost across the street. My front tire was on the sidewalk. My back tire was still in the street. It was out of my peripheral vision…She hit my back tire,” Franklin said. Franklin had been driving his e-scooter since he first received it from his family in June. He looked forward to riding it on-campus during the new school year, only to witness its destruction upon impact with a moving vehicle. “My leg got scraped up real bad. I had to go see the trainer in Elam to clean my leg up and my elbow. I more so got my injuries from when I flew off of the scooter and hit the ground,” Franklin said.
Even though Franklin sustained no major injuries from the collision, UT Martin quickly took action to spread safety precautions that would remedy the growing number of e-scooters on campus during the fall 2026 semester. Franklin reflected on how this event will shape his attitude when using crosswalks in the future. “It was shocking for me. It made me way more cautious going across the street. I just wait until people actually stop. I don’t care if I see them slowing down. I wait till they come to the complete stop,” Franklin said. In the aftermath of the incident, Public Safety Director and Chief Michael O’Neill sent out an email that informed the student body of the risks that may result from recklessly driving the e-scooters. “What we’ve seen this year is a pretty large increase in the number of scooters on campus,” O’Neill said. “We’re not discouraging their use as a transportation option at all. The email we put out is about safe operation of the scooters.” One of the most important guidelines prohibited students from riding e-scooters across the crosswalks. “People need to understand that on a bicycle or e-scooter, you’re not
a pedestrian; you are a vehicle, so you do not have the right of way in a crosswalk. If you get off of that and you walk across the street, now you’re a pedestrian,” Environmental Health Safety Coordinator Charlie Jahr said. “When a scooter comes 1520 miles an hour through the crosswalk, they don’t have enough time to react, and that’s where an accident can happen,” O’Neill said. Even though campus safety still allows e-scooters as transportation on campus, they discourage reckless driving when pedestrians are nearby, advising students to drive said scooters at reasonable speeds and stay off of their cell phones and other distractions. “We want to reduce those interactions between cars and people, because we do not want anybody getting hurt, but we also don’t want people getting hurt trying to get across campus walking,” Jahr said. O’Neill and Jahr also assured that students will be prohibited from using any of their e-scooters in university buildings, including oncampus housing and dormitories. Ryan Martin, the director of UTM Housing, provided some of his own opinions on the use of
e-scooters in on-campus housing. “They do not need to be used inside the building. People need to walk them,” he said. Martin also believes that the sheer amount of e-scooters used by students on campus may lead to additional bike racks outside each dormitory. “I don’t know what happened, but it seems like everybody came back with a scooter. We might have to order some more bike racks and get them installed out there,” he said. O’Neill reassured that his top priority regarding the e-scooters was safety. “There could be repercussions for unsafe use, but really what we want to put out is we want people to be operating these things safely. You know, they’re sharing the walkways with pedestrians, they’re sharing the roadways with larger motorized vehicles, so we don’t want people getting hurt,” he said. Franklin, the victim of the first known e-scooter-related traffic accident at UT Martin, advised students to take extra precautions when riding scooters as well. “Don’t always assume that people are paying attention. Even though you don’t see any traffic…still take your time and just look both ways. Triple-check,” Franklin said.
CAMERAS from page 1 Chad Brewer, system administrator at UT Martin, is one of the people responsible for the installation of the new cameras. Brewer said that through rounds of installations over the past few years, almost all cameras across campus have been updated. “As we get grants, we look at our system as a whole and say, ‘hey, what needs to be upgraded?’” said Brewer. “So last year we had a lot of old analog cameras that were 10, 12 years old, and we got them out and replaced them with newer cameras. So this year, with the grant that we got, we looked at what are, again, the oldest cameras, and these that we’re replacing were the oldest of what we had in our system.” Buildings and areas with updated cameras include the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex, the Animal Diagnostics Laboratory, Brehm Hall, Clement Hall, the Kathleen & Tom Elam Center, the Johnson EPS Building, Skyhawk Fieldhouse, the Fine Arts Building, Gooch Hall, the Plant Science Research Center, the Heating Plant, the Student Recreation Center, the Boling University Center, the Holland McCombs Center, the Power Generation Facility, the Physical Plant Warehouse, Hardy M. Graham Stadium, the Paul Meek Library, Crisp Hall, University Village, Cooper Hall, multiple parking lots and others. O’Neill also noted that the Paul Meek Library and the Office of Residence Life and Housing upgraded cameras out of their own budgets along with the grant funding. Public Safety uses security cameras to review reports of theft, property damage and suspicious activity. Cameras are a critical tool for conducting investigations, helping to identify things such as timelines and directions of travel. Some of the newest cameras are also equipped with an AI
Chad Brewer installs new security cameras in The University of Tennessee at Martin Fine Arts Building on Aug. 21, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Ryleigh Ulen) chip that officers can use to identify vehicles, license plates and more. With the addition of updated cameras on campus, O’Neill emphasized that the cameras are only used based on the Office of Public Safety’s need. “I don’t want people to have a impression that cameras are used to watch students or people all the time,” said O’Neill. “In fact, we have some very strict requirements on who has access to the camera systems. We audit twice a year the people that have access, and if they don’t continue to have a legitimate need, we remove it. Mostly it’s public safety. Intentionally, it’s very
highly regulated and limited so that people can’t just pull up the cameras… it’s limited to public safety need.” O’Neill also noted that having reliable security cameras is only one part of a larger security system in place to protect the campus. “The cameras are just one tool in an overall larger safety system,” said O’Neill. “We have to have visible police officers. We have to have good lighting on campus. We have to have secure buildings, which is why money went towards the door locks and the electronic access.” On a connected campus like UT
Martin, people reaching out and reporting concerns is one of the biggest assets for O’Neill and his crew. “You have to have a campus that cares and reports concerns because if we don’t know about it, we can’t do anything about it; we can’t investigate crimes that happened or prevent crimes in the future,” said O’Neill. “This campus is great as far as that goes. And people do care around here, and that’s what brought me here and what’s kept me here. But we have to have that. We have to have people that report concerns to us so that we can do something about it.”
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September 18, 2026
UTM Campus affected by power outages Ryleigh Ulen | Pacer Staff
ages reported – both located on the The University of Tennessee at UTM campus. Standard procedure Martin campus was without pow- would typically result in the camer the morning of Monday Sept. pus-wide generator kicking on after 14. All campus buildings including approximately 10 minutes, which residences were without power as of did not immediately occur. Pow8:40 a.m., with the Weakley County er was restored just before 10 a.m. According to WCMES, a poll Municipal Electric System (WCtop pin broke on UT Farm Road MES) Outage Map showing 2 out-
early Monday morning, causing the outage. WCMES currently has no planned outages. A statement from the UTM Physical Plant issued around 10:30 a.m. said that Weakley County Electric lost a substation that serves the campus, causing faults in the generator plant. Areas of
campus experienced inconsistencies in Wi-Fi and air conditioning while still under a heat advisory. The campus and surrounding areas also lost power Sunday, Sept. 13 for roughly 2 and 1/2 hours. At 7:30 p.m., the Outage Map showed just over 2,000 outages across Weakley County.
CONSTRUCTION from page 1 However, years of planning have gone into the project, and it acknowledges the concerns of students. “We have looked at enrollment numbers and trends to make sure we have enough bed spaces for everyone,” said Martin. “In October specifically of last year, we were able to get a good look at this when housing applications went out. We actually gathered 6 months’ worth of returning applications in 4 hours, so over 1,000 applications. From here, only about 47% of those applicants actually ended up wanting to stick with their housing assignment.” McClure chimed in on the topic of misconceptions with a perspective of her own, specifically regarding the amount of space available on campus to house students. “We had a waiting list of about 450 students, and we melted through all of that. It just takes time because a lot of factors come in whether decisions are made to move housing assignments on campus, live off campus, and so forth. There is ul-
SOYBEAN from page 1 Sellers met with the original Tennessee Soybean Festival committee to see if they could adapt the existing festival structure to be smaller and grassroots-focused. Without the 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation, Sellers and his team started from scratch with a new structure. Sellers made a post on the Martin’s Coffee and Bakery social media pages and proposed a plan to still hold a festival of some sort. A board of directors was formed, consisting of seven members: Shelby Hatchel, Tamara Kelso, Keithon Currie, Alex Gallien, Matt Lampley, Chad Brewer and Sellers. The group began to fundraise and created a plan to make the vision a reality. Going into festival week, over $100,000 had been raised for the new Martin’s Grassroots Soybean Festival. “The reason why we were able
Construction at UT Martin’s Browning Hall on Sep. 3, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Evangeline Wilson)
timately a process,” McClure said. TEST Hub expands engineering opportunities Located directly behind the Student Recreation Center, construction has begun on the newest addition to the engineering department, the Tennessee Entrepreneurial Science and Technology Hub, or TEST Hub. Funded by the Tennessee General Assembly for construction back in 2022, this building is coming to life and making
to fundraise so much is because people love this festival and see value in this festival, and we want to honor that,” Sellers said. “The way that we can honor that is by being collaborative and being diplomatic and letting ego go.” The team secured multiple large sponsorships, including $30,000 from the City of Martin and $25,000 from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Tosh Farms and Martin Stockyards provided over 1,000 meals for the Community Cookout during the Faith and Family Night on Thursday, Sept. 10. In addition, 15 free bounce houses were open Thursday, Sept. 10 through Saturday, Sept. 12. After all expenses are paid, remaining funds will be donated to the city fire department through the Friend of a Firefighter campaign, which supports the goal of purchasing 24 self-contained breathing apparatuses. The festival has taken many hours of work to become a re-
significant progress in its construction stage almost four years later. Benita Evans is the administrative assistant within the department of engineering. She has been at UT Martin for 10 years and has seen the project come from conception to reality. “We are very excited because it gives more opportunities to our students, and it opens the entire campus up to not only those who are at UTM, but also at Dyersburg, McK-
ality. Sellers said he worked 10 hours a day for the past 60 days. “I put everything else on pause,” Sellers said. “It’s just so worth it.” The hard work proved worth it for many community members, including Martin resident Sherry Miller. Miller, originally from Ohio, moved to Martin seven years ago. During her time in Martin, Miller and her family have enjoyed attending the Soybean Festival. Miller was disturbed when she heard the news that the festival was canceled in May. Miller had her booth, Fabulous Finds, set up on Wednesday, Sept. 16 for Martin Market Day. This was Miller’s first year selling her handmade beaded jewelry and other gifts at the festival. “I’m glad it’s back. I’m glad they’re doing something,” said Miller. “I know it’s not as big and bad as it was years previously, but I see the heart and the heart of the people, and that touched my heart.” Students are also relieved to know the tradition is continuing. Madilyn
enzie, and places like that who are taking TCAT classes,” said Evans With the new facility expected to open in early 2027, the building will serve both students of UT Martin and those beyond the Martin community, providing a space for experiential learning for students interested in engineering and related science and technology pathways.
Rigsby, a sophomore majoring in elementary education and dance education at the University of Tennessee at Martin, worked the Baptist Collegiate Ministry booth at the Faith and Family Night. Rigsby enjoyed the festival last year and was glad to hear the community was still gathering to have a celebration. “I was really excited because I feel like that was the one exciting thing that we as Martin have that’s unique to us,” Rigsby said. “So I was really excited to hear that it was back and that we are still honoring the tradition.” As community members walked through the festival, it is evident that it has required effort from many to make the event possible. All of the community members’ contributions added up to make a great “soup.” Sellers plans to remain transparent about how the festival was planned and funded in hopes that the Tennessee Soybean Festival will grow back to its original structure next year.
September 18, 2026
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PHOTO GALLERY: GRASSROOTS SOYBEAN FESTIVAL
Tylan Johnson, a sophomore health and human performance major from Huntingdon, preforms during the Faith and Family Night at the Grassroots Soybean Festival in Martin, Tennessee on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self)
Participants in the eating competition at the Grassroots Soybean Festival in Martin, Tennessee on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self)
Volunteers from Martin First Baptist Church give out ice cream during the Faith and Family Night at the Grassroots Soybean Festival in Martin, Tennessee on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self)
Ducks at the petting zoo at the Grassroots Soybean Festival in Martin, Tennessee on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self)
Volunteers hand out food during the Faith and Family Night at the Grassroots Soybean Festival in Martin, Tennessee on Sept. 10, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self)
September 18, 2026
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PHOTO GALLERY: BACK TO CAMPUS
Students cheer at the first annual Flight Frenzy in the Elam Center on Aug. 21, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self)
Students walk through the band tunnel at the first annual Flight Frenzy outside the Elam Center on Aug. 21, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self) UT Martin students playing cornhole at the Welcome Weekend Block Party in the Quad on Aug. 21, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Sophia Phillips)
UT Martin Cross Country and Track and Field at the Skyhawk Palooza on Aug. 27, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Sophia Phillips)
UT Martin equestrian team helps move in students during Move In Mania on Aug. 23, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self)
September 18, 2026
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Vantage Coffee Roasters in Martin renamed Green Briar Coffee Co. under new ownership Ariel Leon | Pacer Staff
On July 20, 2026, Vantage Coffee Roasters, a locally owned coffee shop in Martin, Tennessee, became Green Briar Coffee Co. under its new owner, local businessman Nassar Nassar, with plans to keep the same coffee with minimal changes to the business. Kevin and Stacie Herrell, the previous owners, opened Vantage Coffee Roasters in Martin, Tennessee, in 2021. Alongside this café, the
couple also opened shops in other locations, including Higher Ground Coffee in Union City and Martin and another Vantage Coffee Roasters location in Union City. After only a few years in business, Nassar Nassar, wanting to start his first coffee business, bought the Vantage Coffee Roasters shop in Martin, while the Herrells retained their other locations. Local businesses are essential to the framework of any community. Changes
Green Briar Coffee Company logo gets painted by Dylan Moran in Martin, Tennessee, on Aug. 29, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Miranda Conrad)
to familiar businesses can bring about uncertainty for customers and instill doubt in the new business’s quality and commitment. However, employees of the new Green Briar Coffee Co. in Martin assure customers of their continual commitment to quality and tradition, following in the footsteps of the previous Vantage Coffee Roasters. Jeremiah Whiteman, a Martin local and the General Manager of Green Briar Coffee Co. with five years of experience in the coffee business, explains that the coffee, menu and prices will mostly remain the same with only a few new food additions. “In general, everything has stayed the same. There hasn’t been any kind of price increase or anything like that,” Whiteman said. Kevin and Stacie Herrell are still actively involved with the new café and help Green Briar Coffee Co. by supplying their coffee from their roasteries and warehouses in Union City. “We are actually still in good standing, thankfully, with Kevin and Stacie, who are the owners of Higher Ground and Vantage,” Whiteman said. In addition to the same drink and food options, all employees have also been retained, with only
a few moving to other locations. “The employees that we weren’t able to retain for this shop were still retained through Vantage and Higher Ground. So, nobody was, thankfully, without a job,” Whiteman said. Assistant Manager Kamyrn Kirk, a Union City local who has been working at the coffee shop for almost a year explained that the working environment and equipment have all remained the same, which has allowed for a smoother transition. Kirk emphasized the local attitude that Green Briar is striving to maintain. “We’re trying to be more local and involved, so I think that will be really good for business because we weren’t really before the change,” Kirk said. Green Briar Coffee Co. desires to continue serving the community of Martin, hence the choice of their name. In the 1800s, the city of Martin was first named Greenbriar Glade. Although Vantage in Martin is no longer, frequent customers of the café and people in the community can expect the same high-quality coffee, food options and local atmosphere. “We’re a local people that is still a local shop, and we’re here to serve the community,” said Whiteman.
UTM welcomes the class of 2030 to campus Ethan Tanner | Pacer Staff
The class of 2030 flooded the University of Tennessee at Martin campus for Move-In Mania on Thursday, Aug. 20, for its Welcome Weekend of events. “I know we’re behind just a bit on enrollment from where we were last year, but the good news about this group is they’re very engaged. They’ve been super engaged throughout Welcome Weekend, and we’re excited to have them,” said Benjamin Ort, a UT Martin alumnus who serves as the assistant director of the First-Year Experience (FYE). One of the most noteworthy events was the Welcome Home Picnic that kicked off at 5 p.m. in the University Center cafeteria. Hundreds of students filed into the cafeteria with their families to enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs, as well as a variety of spin-the-wheel prizes, as they settled in for dinner. Junior veterinary technology major Madi Carter of Atoka, Tennessee, serves as a PEP leader for incoming freshmen. She found the welcome picnic to be a very fun but also vital event for the arriving freshmen. “I think the importance of it would be for students to feel more at home. I know it can be scary moving away from home. I think it welcomes them and makes them feel more comfortable and involved,” said Carter. Many incoming freshmen shared their first thoughts regarding UT Martin and what they planned to accomplish before graduating. Stephanie Castillo Torres, an animal studies major from Memphis,Tennessee, had a pleasant move-in experience. “I like the community around here. They’re very open to helping each other out, and the student weekend here is also great as well,” said Torres.
Students walk through the band tunnel at the first annual Flight Frenzy outside the Elam Center on Aug. 21, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Darby Self) Aleigha Jobe, a veterinary science student from Clarksville, Tennessee, is excited to see how college will shape her both academically and spiritually. “I’m looking forward to making new friends and just having the college experience and being able to get out of my comfort zone and telling people about Jesus,” said Jobe. The next morning, PEP leaders guided freshmen to the Elam Center for Flight Frenzy at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 21. Ort wanted Flight Frenzy to be more fun and engaging than the typical convocation the school hosted for freshmen years prior. “The thought behind it was just trying to get those students engaged and active with our administrators,
our faculty and staff to help them realize once again we’re here to help their educational journey too,” he said. Davis Gregory, UT Martin’s playby-play broadcaster, interviewed various faculty members about the freshman experience, including Chancellor Yancy Freeman. “What makes UTM a home is because people here care about you and care about your success,” said Freeman. “The UTM promise for us is that we will put you first in every decision that you make. We put students first. You will find faculty and staff on this campus that care about you and want to see you succeed.” After a day of preparation for the school year, students headed to UTM
Housing and Residence Life’s MoveIn Block Party at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21 in the Arnold Pryor Place lawn for dinner, corn hole, Jenga and a variety of other activities. Students gathered to dance, enjoy a water slide, play games of volleyball and hang out. Hailey Green, a veterinary science major from Whitwell, Tennessee, found the Housing Block Party to be the most fun activity during Welcome Weekend. “I love it. I love getting to come out here and dance with everybody and have fun,” said Green. The fall semester will continue to engage freshmen, beginning with the City and Campus Involvement Fair that will take place at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24 at the Elam Center.
September 18, 2026
Opinion
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AI should assist learning, not replace it Ja’Tyria Greer | Pacer Staff
Artificial intelligence has created an uncomfortable question for college students and professors. If a machine can do the work, what exactly are students supposed to learn? The easy answer is to ban AI; the harder answer is to teach students how to use it. After speaking with students and faculty at the University of Tennessee at Martin, I think the harder answer is the correct one. Tania Parson, a sophomore studying family and consumer sciences with a concentration in fashion merchandising, said AI has become overused to the point that students struggle to know what information is trustworthy. “I feel like AI is overused to the point where we don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong,” Parson said. She is not against AI entirely; she said she would use it for things such as generating event ideas or getting a clearer explanation of something she does not understand. That distinction matters. AI can be a tool for learning. It becomes a problem when the tool replaces learning altogether. “People don’t use AI as a helping hand,” Parson added. “They just use AI to do the work for them.” That is where the responsibility falls on both students and universities. Dr. Adnan Rasool, a political science professor at UT
Martin, takes a broader view. He argues that AI is becoming a job skill and that universities have a responsibility to teach students how to use it effectively. “Students need to be trained,” Rasool said. “How do we train them? This is a job skill.” I agree. College should not become a place where students are guided away from technology they will meet after graduation. If employers expect graduates to understand AI, then universities should help students develop that skill. Although learning how to use AI is not the same as letting AI do the learning for you. Rasool described an AI-powered syllabus tool developed for the university that saves faculty time creating syllabi. He also said that UT Martin computer science students will work on expanding the tool as part of a class project. In that situation, AI is not replacing education, It is becoming part of it. That is the model universities should take into consideration. Instead of asking whether AI should be allowed, we should be asking how it should be used. Students should learn how to prompt AI, question its answers and verify its information. They should understand that an AIgenerated response can sound confident while still being wrong.
(Pacer Graphic / Rasheika Toledo)
Most importantly, they should be able to demonstrate their own understanding without handing the thinking over to a machine. Professors have a role in this, too. Assignments may need to change. If an essay can be generated with a few prompts, the most valuable part of the assignment is no longer the finished essay. It may be the research, reasoning and ability to defend the argument behind it.
There will always be students who misuse AI. That does not mean the technology itself should be treated as the enemy. The goal of education is not to prepare students for the world that existed before AI. It is to prepare them for the world that exists now. AI should be a helping hand, it just should never become the hand doing all the work.
their phones, which can make it harder to control the scooter. Campbell believes designated bike or scooter lanes could make students feel more comfortable and safer while traveling around campus. She also said scooters and bicycles are legitimate forms of transportation for students who do not have cars. However, not every student believes current measures are enough. Hannah Newman, a UT Martin senior majoring in dance education, said she frequently feels unsafe when walking around campus because of scooters. “Every single time I walk somewhere on campus, I feel a ‘whoosh’ inches from me, and it’s a scooter about to take me out,” said Newman. Newman said she has had friends pull her out of the way of scooters and has done the same for others. She said students frequently discuss close calls in group chats. Newman said the university should consider designated scooter and bike lanes, although she questioned whether campus has enough space for additional lanes. She also suggested requiring scooters to be registered and for riders to complete a safety test or agreement. Newman said she has not experienced the same problems with bicycles and specifically identified scooters as the main issue she has encountered. Aniya Stokes, a Martin resident who drives through campus four to five times a week, said she has
also witnessed dangerous situations involving students on scooters and bicycles. Stokes said nighttime can make it harder for drivers to see students when crosswalk lights do not begin flashing soon enough. She believes drivers should pay closer attention, while students should also look both ways before crossing. Stokes also mentioned that the recent collision is a sign that current roads, crosswalks and signage do not do enough to protect students and drivers. As scooters become a regular form of transportation on campus, is telling students and drivers to be more careful enough? In my opinion, it is not. UT Martin should look at adding safer pathways for scooters and bicycles and creating driving routes that reduce conflicts with students. Adding designated pathways and traffic lights would not only benefit students riding scooters and bicycles, but it could also give drivers and pedestrians clearer spaces to travel, reducing the amount of interaction between vehicles, riders and people walking. Instead of expecting everyone to navigate the same limited spaces, the university should design campus routes with each form of transportation in mind. Students should not have to choose between convenient transportation and feeling safe on their way to class.
A safer campus means scooter infrastructure Ja’Tyria Greer | Pacer Staff
A recent collision involving a student riding a scooter and a vehicle on the University of Tennessee at Martin campus has raised questions about whether current safety measures are enough to protect students who use scooters and bicycles as transportation. The university needs to go beyond telling students and drivers to be more careful. UT Martin should consider adding dedicated pathways for scooters and bicycles. If scooters and bikes are going to remain a common way for students to get around campus, the infrastructure should reflect that reality. For some students, scooters and bicycles are a convenient way to
(Pacer Graphic / Sophia Phillips)
get around campus. For others, they have become a source of concern, particularly when riders and pedestrians share crowded sidewalks and crossings. Kori Campbell, a UT Martin junior majoring in health and human performance, believes the university has made improvements to protect students who use scooters and bicycles. “I do believe they have upgraded their measurements by adding the additional attention to the crosswalks with the flashing lights as a signal,” Campbell said. Campbell said students also have a responsibility to pay attention. She said she has seen students wearing headphones while walking and others riding scooters while using
September 18, 2026
Sports
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Student-Athlete Spotlight: Allie Carroll
Zach Childers | Pacer Staff
The UT Martin Skyhawks women’s soccer team has a defensive threat that could be a key piece of the Skyhawks’ success heading into conference play. The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) named Allie Carroll defensive player of the week on Aug. 25, 2026. The junior defender gave recognition to her teammates after hearing she won the award. “It feels good,” said Carroll. “I’m very thankful for the people in my backline…I couldn’t do it without them.” Sports run through Carroll’s veins. She is preceded in collegiate soccer by her mother, Mary Carroll, who played at Mississippi State University, where she was also a backline player. Her father, Brad Carroll, played collegiate football at Delta State University in Mississippi. Carroll began her collegiate soccer career at Middle Tennessee State University during her freshman year and transferred to Northwest Mississippi Community College for her sophomore season before ultimately transferring to UT Martin this season. Carroll has made herself indispensable for UT Martin’s backline. In the six games leading up to the award, she played 90 minutes per match for a combined total of 540 minutes. Now in the season, Carroll has played in 10 matches totaling 900 minutes. “Here at UT Martin, I feel like we all support each other daily” Carroll said. “Working hard for
Junior defender Allie Carroll (24) positions herself to defend a Saluki forward at Skyhawk Soccer Field in Martin, Tennessee on Sunday, Sept.13, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Cody Hamilton) the people around me and my teammates, that keeps me going.” Carroll’s talents do not stop at the defensive side of the ball. In the season opener on the road against UT Chattanooga, Carroll was fouled following a free kick, resulting in her getting a chance at a penalty kick. Carroll seized the opportunity and
tied the match with just 56 seconds to spare, leading to a tie to start the season. Carroll also earned an impressive stat sheet during the six games leading to the award, including one goal as well as one assist. She had five attempted shots with an average conversion rate of .200, as well as three shots on goal with an impressive average of .600.
To keep herself playing at her best, Carroll said staying dialed in with hydration and treatment is important. She also said her faith is an extremely important part of her identity both on and off the field. “Before every game and big moment, I make sure that I am in the word and reading,” she said.
Pro returner Chimere Dike lost a fumble on a kickoff return after being cleared of a concussion with a blocker pushed into him on a punt return. Saleh took accountability for his own mistakes. With the Jets running the ball on 10 consecutive plays to start a 19-play drive that used up nearly 12 minutes off the clock in the first half, the head coach tried to be more aggressive calling the defense in the second half looking to create more big plays. “It is truly collective; coaches, players, and trying to find a way to get this thing a little bit better,” Saleh said. What’s working The Titans were flagged four times for 25 yards in the rare category they did better than the Jets. One flag for too many men on the field erased a Jets’ rushing touchdown, though they scored on the next play. Saleh used a timeout to avoid another penalty for 12 men on the field with the defense at its goal line. What needs help Everything across the board.
Stock up Rookie LB Anthony Hill Jr. The 60th pick overall started and led the Titans with 16 total tackles and two passes defended making him the NFL’s first rookie to post those stats in a game since at least 2000. He also was the first NFL player with those stats in a game since Chicago safety Jaquan Brisker had 17 tackles and two passes defensed Dec. 10, 2023. Stock down Cam Ward did not turn the ball over to start his second NFL season. He also threw for only 140 yards — the fewest for any starting quarterback going into Monday night’s games. Saleh noted that Ward has had seven different coordinators in seven different seasons and his coaches are trying to give him stability. His latest NFL coach said Ward just needs time and will be growing this season and next. “This young man is at the floor, again, of what it takes to be an
NFL quarterback, but he has all the tools, the mental makeup to get to where he needs to go,” Saleh said. Injuries LB Cedric Gray missed the opener in the concussion protocol after a UTV accident. Saleh said Gray should be available against Philadelphia. Gray led the Titans with 160 tackles last season, which ranked fifth in the NFL. All-Pro returner Chimere Dike was evaluated for a concussion and cleared to return during the game. Key number 31 — The number of NFL teams who have won at least one season opener since the start of the 2021 season with the Titans the only team in the league shut out in that span. Next steps The Titans host Philadelphia on Sunday to wrap up two games to open a season at home for the first time since 2010. Then they face a twogame road swing at the New York Giants, then the Baltimore Ravens.
A new coach, a changed roster, the same result: Titans stumble in season opener Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — New Tennessee coach Robert Saleh watched the tape of the Titans in their first game with a new coaching staff and had a sharp critique. Saleh’s takes Monday: “It was not good in any facet and in any phase of the football game.” “It has to be better.” That was obvious to anyone watching the Titans lose a sixth straight season opener since 2020 with Saleh the third different coach in that span. They never led and wound up dominated by the New York Jets in a 23-10 loss to a team that also went 3-14 last season. “We also have to acknowledge we have a long way to go,” Saleh said of a franchise that flipped more than half of the roster this offseason along with the new coaching staff. Yet none of the areas that were changed showed signs of improvement with even special teams having issues. Joey Slye’s opening kickoff went out of bounds for a bad omen. All-
September 18, 2026
Sports
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Meet the horses of the UT Martin Equestrian team Rylee Wells | Guest Writer The University of Tennessee at Martin equestrian team has been a part of athletics for more than a decade. Over the years, the team has earned dozens of awards, championship titles and honors, with many members receiving national recognition. The team will be in action for the first time this season during the Blue and Orange Scrimmage on Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026 at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex. Unlike rodeo, where athletes bring their own horses to campus, the horses of the equestrian team belong to the university — and while the riders often take the spotlight, the backbone of the team, its horses, deserve their own introduction. First, meet Winnie, a bay gelding used for Western discipline events. Every team needs a sweetheart or two, and Winnie fits the role. He lives his days carefree and easygoing, willing to do whatever task is asked of him. But, you can’t have sweethearts without having some spice. Dreamy, a feisty bay mare, brings that character to the team. Olivia Wynn, a senior cell and molecular biology major and team captain, says that Dreamy is the most dramatic mare on the team, often speed walking around to show off for the other horses. Dreamy even has her own pasture, limiting her time to mingle with or bully other geldings. Wynn also notes her favorite horse on the team is Jim, a black gelding. “He’s not everybody’s cup of tea…he’s definitely a challenge, but when you have a good ride, it’s really gratifying,” said Wynn. And what’s a team without some quirks? Cobra, a sorrel gelding, has a unique solution to his own. Cobra loves being around his horse friends, and when kept in the stall barn, he experiences separation anxiety. The solution: a stuffed animal to keep him company, a small comfort to help him stay calm.
people; she really just liked me,” said Malone. “Most of the time she won’t let people catch her, but she always let me catch her.” Shiner is also picky about her treats. Malone says sour rainbow strips are her favorite, with sour watermelon gummies as a close second. Special connections like this are common among the team. Frappe, a bay gelding, spent his life with the UT Martin equestrian team. He passed away December 2025, leaving behind a lifelong legacy. Mills described him as “iconic” to the team, noting his multiple Most Outstanding Performance titles and his presence in the Martin community. He appeared at Quad City events, meeting community members and accepting treats. He even once walked across the street to attend a UTM football game. In March, the team honors Frappe with a memorial 5K run, serving as both a tribute and a philanthropic fundraiser to give back to the community. All the horses of the equestrian team play a large part in the sport, each bringing a different personality to shape the team’s identity.
Kat Degenova (left) and Emmy Reed ride Finn and Pickles at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex in Martin, Tennessee. (Provided photo) Horses play a special role in the UT Martin equestrian team and in the lives of riders everywhere. Finding a “heart horse” is even more meaningful. Alumna Aubrey Malone experienced this during her time on the team. Malone graduated in May 2025 with a degree in mass media and strategic communication. She served as a team captain and consistent starter. Her heart horse, Shiner, a sorrel mare used for reining, stood out for Abigail Tibbots rides Shiner at the Ned McWherter Agricultural her personality. Complex in Martin, Tennessee. (Provided photo) “She’s picky about her
Stevie Brown rides Cobra at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex in Martin, Tennessee. (Provided photo) Of course, there is always drama with any team, and for this team, it comes in the form of a broken friendship. Pickles, a bay gelding, and Finn, a chestnut gelding, were the best of friends and lived together in the same pasture. But when a new mare was introduced to the pasture, their friendship was never the same. Iris, a chestnut reining mare, quickly became the focus of Pickles’ attention. As their relationship grew, Pickles and Iris began bullying Finn. Even after Iris left the team, the friendship between Pickles and Finn never fully recovered. Finn is also the favorite horse of Kate Mills, a senior mass media and strategic communication major and team captain. Finn competes in both flat and jumping events in the English discipline. “He’s a good boy; he’s very fun,” said Mills. “I love him.”
Members of the UTM Equestrian team celebrate the retirement of horse Frappe at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex in Martin, Tennessee. (Provided photo)
September 18, 2026
Sports
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UTM Soccer lose three non-OVC matches William Stevens | Pacer Staff
The UT Martin Skyhawks women’s soccer team has lost three straight following a two-game road trip, along with a home loss delayed by a local power outage. To start the road trip, the Skyhawks travelled to Central Arkansas for their eighth game of the season on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. The Central Arkansas Bears scored early in the 31 . Graduate goalkeeper Mac Titus saved a shot from Bears senior forward Caroline Billings that was then rebounded and fired by Bears senior midfielder Sakiko Manabe for the only goal of the match. The Skyhawks had attacking and defensive issues in the matchup, as they got off seven shots with only one on goal while allowing the Bears to have 10 shots with seven on goal. Fortunately for the Skyhawks, Titus was able to corral six of the seven goals on target. Following the Central Arkansas matchup, UT Martin travelled to Clarksville, Tennessee, to take on the Austin Peay State Governors on Thursday, Sept. 10. The Skyhawks conceded the first goal of the match in the 20 minute after Austin Peay junior midfielder Allie Williams dribbled and fired for the solo goal. After having given up the goal, the Skyhawks fought to come back by firing 11 shots with seven on goal and taking 10 corners. It was not enough as time expired. After the loss, the Skyhawks returned home to take on the Southern Illinois Salukis on Sunday, Sept. 13. The only score came from Saluki freshman forward Victoria Hassan in the fourth minute of the match. After a full first half, the game
Junior forward Kylee Thompson (22) drives down the sideline at the Skyhawk Soccer Field in Martin, Tennessee on Sept. 13, 2026. (Pacer Photo / Cody Hamilton)
was delayed due to a power outage across Martin. Referees decided on a three-hour window from 7:00 p.m. to delay the match. This delay lasted almost the full window with play resuming at 9:30 p.m. “When you have a weather delay, you can look at the radar and you sort of have an idea of when it might pass,” said Head Coach Mike Varga. “We had no clue if the lights were coming back on… I thought we played pretty well. We were on the front foot.” Despite the delay, the Skyhawks
still managed to stay hot on the attack, finishing with 11 shots and having five on goal. With under three minutes remaining in the second half, the best scoring opportunity for the Skyhawks came from a foul that most fans thought should have been a penalty kick. The foul was called for a tackle outside the box, and the Skyhawks were granted a free kick that turned into nothing. The final score was 1-0 and ended with the Salukis escaping with a win. There were four yellow cards assessed in the second half, three for
the Skyhawks and one for the Salukis. Next up for the Skyhawks is former Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and now Conference USA (CUSA) opponent Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Sunday, Sept. 2o in Martin, Tennessee. The last matchup between the two finished in a 1-1 tie on March 23, 2021, in Martin. After taking on the Gamecocks, the Skyhawks will travel for their first OVC matchup of the year to take on the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 27 in Evansville, Indiana.
UT Martin Football shows promise in FBS matchup Isaiah Murphy | Pacer Staff
The UT Martin Skyhawks paid a visit to the West Virginia Mountaineers and were handed their second loss on the year on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. The Skyhawks only managed to score one touchdown in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter, with a six-yard fumble recovery by sophomore outside linebacker John Betts III. The Mountaineers got started early in the first and never looked back with a 53-yard pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. to redshirt senior wide receiver DJ Epps. Senior running back Cam Cook scored the second touchdown for the Mountaineers with a two-yard run. On the next Skyhawk possession, the Skyhawks managed a first-and-goal but choked away a critical opportunity to slow down the Mountaineer momentum with a fumble. With five minutes left in the first, Hawkins made a 71 yard dash for a touchdown, making it 21-0 after the kick by redshirt senior kicker Jack Cassidy. Entering the second, Hawkins Jr. scored his second touchdown of the afternoon with a five-yard run. After the first half, the Mountaineers proceeded to score three more touchdowns and a field goal, totaling a whopping 52 points. The Skyhawks managed to put up
Junior running back Chris Franklin (2) breaks through the West Virginia Mountaineers defense at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia, on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026. (Photo Credit / UTM Athletics) 148 rushing yards compared to the Mountaineers’ 316. The Skyhawks produced 170 passing yards compared to the Mountaineers’ 209 passing yards.
Junior running back Chris Franklin led the Skyhawks in rushing yards with 93 total. The Skyhawks threeman quarterback rotation was led
by freshman Tate Surber with 137 yds. Sophomore wide receiver Deuce Oliver caught a game-high six catches from Surber, proving some excellent chemistry despite the tough loss. UT Martin sophomore safety Trey Cotton had the most tackles on the field with 10. This game was the Skyhawks’ first road game of the year, as well as their first matchup against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) school. Coach Jason Simpson was asked about this experience post-game. “This was a learning experience for our players in a good environment,” said Simpson. “When you play a FBS opponent, if you handle it the right way, your team will get better with that experience.” The Skyhawks will play their second road game of their four-game trip on Saturday, Sept. 19 against another FBS school, the Memphis Tigers. Perhaps due to Memphis’ proximity to Martin, this will be more of a comfortable matchup. The Skyhawks have a 4-9-1 record all time against the Tigers with the last matchup going in favor of Memphis 21-6. Conference play is approaching with the Skyhawks’ first OVC matchup of the year against the Tennessee State Tigers on Oct. 10.