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BIRDS OF A FEATHER Local man who feeds campus ducks shares his love for wildlife on social media.
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WHAT’S QUACKING?
LSU alumnus spends retirement discovering peace, purpose and ‘duck drama’
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would see him on her way back to the dorm, one day deciding to approach him. She began to feed the ducks with him in her free time until she left campus. “He’s such an easygoing man,” Guidry said. “He’s easy to talk to.” Newman encourages students to get outside and take breaks from the stresses of college. “I know classes, exams and papers — I know the pressure there,” Newman said. “But, when you’re walking around the lake, appreciate the wildlife that’s here because it’s really amazing.” To keep up with Newman’s duck adventures, you can follow him on Instagram at duckmanbtr, where he posts content almost daily.
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Ducks and geese at LSU Campus Lake eat corn. BY PAIGE CHERAMIE Staff Writer Meet LSU alumnus John Newman, “The Duckman,” who is spending his retirement feeding the critters of Baton Rouge. Newman, 66, began visiting the ducks when his late wife was placed in hospice care in June 2022. Now, he makes a daily trip to Milford Wampold Memorial Park, Campus Lake, Stanford Avenue near University Lake Hyacinth and City Park Lake. “I just needed a mental break from things, so I started coming over here to feed the ducks,” Newman said. His love of the lake animals is not something that started with his visits in 2022, but rather began during his time as an LSU student. Newman first earned a bachelor’s degree in business before later returning to LSU for a bachelor’s degree in engineering. “When I was in school, I would
go feed the ducks over on University Lake,” Newman said. “Then I got my job, moved to Virginia and I ended up buying a house on a lake. I actually started feeding the ducks there.” Although Newman later moved again for work away from the ducks, he eventually found himself back in Baton Rouge where it all began. He has since named a handful of the Muscovy ducks at the lakes around LSU, learning their individual quirks. One duck he has kept a keen eye on is Goldie, who hatched in 2023, emerging a solid yellow color. This past laying season, Goldie laid a clutch of eggs in a tree. Newman took many steps to protect the ducklings, raking leaves around the bottom of the tree to soften any falls. When the ducklings hatched, three were stuck in the tree. “I was talking to two LSU police officers about it, and a fire truck was going by,” Newman said. “They
PAIGE CHERAMIE / The Reveille
John Newman feeds geese at LSU Campus Lake.
slowed down, and I kind of waved them down. They used a pole and knocked the three ducklings out of the tree. But unfortunately, Goldie had already swam off and left them.” Newman decided to take the three ducklings in, raising them at his own house. Just two weeks ago, he released them at City Park Lake. Other ducks Newman has named include Wobbles, a duck who was hit by a car before Newman brought to the veterinary clinic; Noodle, whose caruncle — the red piece of wart-like skin on top of their beak — is large and floppy; and Seymour, who has a broken beak. The ducks of the lake each have a unique story, Newman there to observe them all. He keeps up with which ducks are friends and which cannot stand to be near each other. “I tell people it’s duck drama and duck politics,” Newman said. Although the geese also bring Newman joy, he chooses not to name them since they migrate each year. While ducks may be Newman’s main focus, they are not the only animal he feeds. He now ensures he has enough food for the turtles in the lakes and other small animals such as nutria and even mice. “I was feeding the ducks one day, and I looked down,” Newman said. “There were four turtles at my feet, looking up at me, like ‘Where’s ours?’” Newman mainly feeds them corn. He also feeds the animals bread, but only as a treat since it is not the best food for the animals, he said. While here, Newman has made some friends along the way, including Simone Guidry, a former LSU student who now studies nursing at Baton Rouge Community College. Guidry lived in Blake Hall during her time on campus, located across the lake from Newman’s typical feeding spot. She said she
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PAIGE CHERAMIE / The Reveille
Wobbles, a Muscovy duck, walks around LSU Campus Lake.
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.
NEWS FLOCK FEARS
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Flock cameras are becoming more common around LSU. Here’s what students think
BY GABRIELLA MARIN Staff Writer Flocks of birds fly over Baton Rouge, but a different kind of Flock lies on the streets below. LSU students are beginning to question how much privacy they really have as Flock cameras become more common throughout Baton Rouge and around LSU’s campus. Flock cameras are automated license plate readers that capture vehicle information, such as time, location and vehicle characteristics. Law enforcement agencies use these cameras to aid in investigation processes. DeFlock and FlockHopper are two anti-surveillance websites that show the location of Flock cameras around the country. The locations are confirmed by volunteers. According to the DeFlock mapping platform, there are multiple Flock cameras surrounding LSU’s campus. The cameras are located at several intersections, including Highland Road and Dalrymple Drive. Others are located on Nicholson Drive and South Stadium Drive and Alaska Street and West Chimes Street surrounding campus.
WAFB reported in August that Jefferson Parish fired a deputy after he admitted to using the department’s Flock camera system to track his ex-fiancee’s vehicle. Over several years, ex-deputy Nathan Rome used the system to follow the vehicle’s movements more than 3,200 times. LSU students have voiced concerns about whether Flock cameras protect or violate residents’ privacy after the recent case in Jefferson Parish. Reese Wootten, a sophomore history major, said she is uncomfortable with Flock cameras being used in the Baton Rouge area after learning about the nearby misuse of the technology. “I think there’s been multiple cases of police officers who have abused their power,” Wootten said. “I think it’s just invasive and violates our Fourth Amendment.” The Baton Rouge Police Department has used the technology for the past five years, and Chief of Police TJ Morse has defended the use of Flock cameras, saying it has been helpful in past investigations, according to WAFB. “Just this year, we had the incident on Plank Road and Airline
Highway where a woman went in the store, left her child in the backseat of the car,” Morse said to WAFB. “Her car was stolen out of the parking lot with the child still in it, and we were able to look on our Flock camera systems and see that vehicle pass one of the cameras. We were able to deploy our officers into the area and recover the vehicle and the child safely.” WAFB also reported that Morse said there are safeguards in place within BRPD to prevent law enforcement from misusing the cameras. The department can review officers’ activity for discrepancies after an officer runs a license plate or uses the system. Some students can see both the positive and negative sides of using Flock cameras to track offenders. Jasmine Boyd, freshman human development and family science major, said they can be a good and bad thing at the same time. “If something happens around here and nobody sees it, you can see it and it is caught on camera,” Boyd said. “A bad thing about it is some people like their privacy and there is certain stuff that doesn’t need to be seen on cameras.”
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
A Flock camera sits Sept. 1, on Alaska Street in Baton Rouge, La. Despite BRPD’s safeguards and the department’s use of Flock cameras in investigations, some LSU students remain concerned about the technology’s effect on privacy. Junior biology student Ja’Mylah Lumpkins said she wor-
ries about how Flock cameras could affect future generations. “I believe it will cause more harm than good,” Lumpkins said. “I do feel bad for our kids because they will live in a world where they have never known privacy.”
ENVIRONMENT
SpaceX promises to grow local economy, but concerns linger BY MAIA TYLER Staff Writer As times change, so do projects as Louisiana taps into a new industry for economic growth that raises environmental concerns. Louisiana has relied heavily on certain industries, like oil, gas and agriculture, to bring in revenue while supporting jobs across the state. As the space exploration industry grows, Elon Musk’s SpaceX
plans to establish a 125,000-acre Starbase facility in Vermillion Parish by the start of 2027. The site, to be located about two and a half hours away from campus, is expected to bring major changes to the south Louisiana region, including new jobs and infrastructure. The Louisiana Economic Development agency released that the new project will bring 3,000 direct jobs and 8,100 indirect
PHOTO COURTESY OF GERALD HERBERT / AP Photo
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry speaks during an event with SpaceX announcing a deal to build a new spaceport in his state, Aug. 25 in Abbeville, La.
jobs to Louisiana over the next 10 years. These jobs will have an average annual salary of $92,600, which is $37,470 higher than the average Louisiana salary. The project is also bringing about things that people may not be prepared for, such as rocket launches, up to 30 per day according to Musk, loud enough to be heard and possibly felt beyond the region. Melissa Hargrave, a Vermillion Parish local and organizer of the Vermillion United coalition, shared her environmental concerns regarding the construction and use of the facility in her hometown. “SpaceX and the state are saying that they are committed to protecting the wildlife, which sounds great, but none of that is codified into law,” Hargrave said. “If we look at what happened in Texas [with that SpaceX project], where they had similar voluntary commitments, there were a lot of issues there where wildlife was impacted.” Back in 2024, the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality discovered that SpaceX had regularly deposited pollutants from its Boca Chica facility into nearby
bodies on water. Since April 2023, SpaceX has conducted 13 Starship test flights. The rocket exploded or disintegrated before meeting its goal altitude in around half the cases. The explosion destroyed the launch pad and sent sand, dust and concrete rubble over nearby communities for several miles. Despite this, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is not concerned about environmental issues and stated that this partnership is “the greatest marriage that Louisiana has ever had,” in an interview with CBS News. Landry also included in the interview his thoughts on how the new facility will impact the area’s economic development. “What I am concerned about is the lack of economic opportunity on the coast that continues to basically rob us of opportunities to rebuild our coast,” Landry said. Coeyn Wise, a sophomore political science major and Vermillion Parish native, agreed that the project would be beneficial to the community. He explained that the project would boost the economy and stimulate revenue that the parish has been struggling to create on its own.
However, with big corporations coming in with projects like these, he thinks that the most important thing to do is to preserve the culture. “[It’s] a bunch of cattle, rice and crawfish farmers, all living their lives the way that their fathers and grandfathers did,” Wise said. “The biggest thing that we have to do is ensure that our people and our way of life isn’t forgotten about.” What’s most important for residents of these communities is to be aware of the laws and practices coming from this project, a sentiment shared by Hargrave and Wise. Under a new law passed by the Louisiana Legislature in the 2026 legislative session, residents face strict limits on suing the aerospace company over issues surrounding launch noise pollution and other disruptions. “We need some sort of noise, vibration and environmental studies to be able to give us an idea of what to expect before they launch the first rocket,” Hargrave said. “They’ve taken away our ability to sue if our homes are damaged. I think that is what more people need to know.”
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ENTERTAINMENT Tasty Grill is a smash hit with juicy burgers and a side of student deals PUZZLES
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’S PLA L U A
TE
Tasty Grill is here to offer inexpensive meals and considerate deals, all with a smile at 990 W. Lee Drive, Suite D. This location was the former host of Wings & More, but it became home to new restaurant Tasty Grill this past August. It is a casual spot that serves up many kinds of food such as burgers, Nashville hot chicken, cheesesteaks and buffalo wings. For the first 10 days after being open, every customer who came in could get a combo upgrade with free fries and a drink. Naturally, that is not a feasible business model to keep up longer than that, but owner Sam Masalma still wanted to give back to the Baton Rouge community. The deal now exists in a different form, offering any LSU student the same combo deal. This is a promotion that helps students living around here, as money can sometimes be tight for young adults. As for the food itself, I am of the mind that you can never go wrong with a classic burger. For my order, I paired my free combo upgrade with the Fat Smash Burger, which is your standard smash burger stacked high with three patties, cheese, grilled onions and pickles. My theory about not going wrong with a burger was once again proven true. All the food was incredibly fresh right out of the kitchen without being too hot to make it difficult to eat. The smash burger patties were pleasantly juicy, packed full of flavor and not even the slightest bit dry. One thing I love about a smash burger is the slight crispy char to the edge of the patty that adds a little extra crunch to the experience. Speaking of a little extra crunch, the number of onions and pickles was ideal. I am personally a big fan of lots of both on my burger, and Tasty Grill does not skimp. The cheese is well-melted, bringing each aspect of the burger together in one web of savory goodness. I have but one minor issue with the burger, and it is that I would have enjoyed one or two more vegetables on it. A standard burger will usually come with lettuce and/or tomatoes on top of everything else, and it felt like this one was slightly missing that fresh contrast of an additional vegetable. There was already a lot of food on there though, so I understand wanting to scale back. It is hard to complain about free fries added onto your burger, and it is hard to go wrong
P
BY PAUL TIBBETS Staff Writer
PAUL TIBBETS / The Reveille
The exterior of Tasty Grill.
FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 10, 2026
THE Daily Commuter Puzzle by Stella Zawistowski ACROSS 1 Football throw 5 Minor mistake 9 Formally give up 13 Wrinkly citrus fruit 14 Scientist Marie 16 “Call Her Daddy” host Cooper 17 Pinto __ (legume) 18 Sharp and intense 19 Grain storage spot 20 Former “Top Chef” host: 2 wds. 23 Memory failures 24 The Third 25 Gangster Al 28 Squeeze tightly 31 Taj Mahal city 32 Allude (to) 36 Opposite of common 37 Sign for a soldout show: Abbr. 38 Home made of snow 39 Brewed beverage 40 Exam 42 “Proper” words 43 Breakfast, for example 44 Looking at 46 Involuntary contractions 48 Tax pro: Abbr. 49 Small crowns 52 Sundae topping 55 __ the Elder (Roman statesman) 56 Bohemian dance 57 Car or truck 60 Double-reed instrument 61 Move quickly 62 Take a breather 63 Geek 64 Looks over 65 Inquires DOWN 1 Watering hole 2 “The __ of Innocence” 3 Open-handed hit
PAUL TIBBETS / The Reveille
Tasty Grill’s Fat Smash Burger combo. with fries in general. Tasty Grill’s fries are your standard sized and shaped restaurant fries, with a fine coating of cajun spices. The seasoning on top adds a much appreciated flavor boost. I only wish the fries were the slightest bit crispier. This may be another personal preference, but I do not always enjoy fries that are soft all the way through. Even then, these are still good fries. Overall, Tasty Grill is a
worthwhile time, and I admire Masalma’s care for LSU students. While I ate a lot of food, I never felt overly stuffed as I was leaving. I left feeling satisfied with no huge pain in my wallet. The menu has a wide variety of items to try, so one burger is not enough to encapsulate everything. However, the quality of food and the kindness of the owner is enough to recommend this place. Rating 7.5/10
9/10/26
Created by Stella Zawistowski
4 Western Mexican state 5 Running playfully 6 Filmmaker George 7 “Yay me!”: 2 wds. 8 Breads with pockets 9 Store clerk 10 Completely removes 11 Sandwich shop 12 Prefix with “skeleton” 15 “A mouse!” 21 Actor Levy 22 The “S” in RSVP 25 Groups of actors 26 Give consent 27 Government lawyer 28 Intersection 29 __ of the crop 30 Gets better 33 Sense of self 34 Winter ailment 35 Very long time 41 Walked very quietly
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
©2026 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.
43 Cosmetic for lashes 45 DC ballplayer 47 Former coach Riley 49 Literary cliche 50 The __ Brothers (soul group) 51 Jamaican fruit
9/10/26
52 __ in the woods 53 Short albums: Abbr. 54 Shades of color 55 Pro’s opposite 58 “Shame on you!” 59 Tie-resolution periods: Abbr.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
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Thursday, September 10, 2026
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TIGER TAKEDOWN Photos by John Hefti and Evan Touchet Design Alexandra Gerstner
Running back Dilin Jones (13)
Placekicker Scott Starzyk (80) Wide receiver Phillip Wright III (15)
Wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. (6) Linebacker TJ Dottery (6) and linebacker Whit Weeks (7) Wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. (6)
Quarterback Sam Leavitt (10)
Mike the Tiger
Players and coaches leave it all on the field Sept. 5 during LSU’s 51-10 win against Clemson in their home opener at Tiger Stadium.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
page 8 STUDENT LIFE
LSU student develops website to help peers find lost items BY KADENCE HALL Staff Writer Every summer, students work to further their experience in their fields of choice through jobs or internships. LSU sophomore Mary Macie Ezell, a mass communication student, decided to use her internship for impact, turning a public relations resume builder into an app to help students find lost items around campus. When Ezell, 19, was looking for an internship for the summer, she stumbled upon Base44, an artificial intelligence powered webstie. Focused on educating students on building helpful platforms through plain language, Base44 gave Ezell a chance to build a community-powered lost and found platform for LSU students, now called TigerFind. Ezell launched the platform on Aug. 24. TigerFind lets students upload their lost items, report found items and securely organize the return and pick-up be-
tween owner and finder. Currently, TigerFind exists as a website that can be added to a mobile phone homescreen to recreate the appearance of an app. Ezell plans to reimagine the platform into an app at a later date. The assignment from Base44 was to create an app, post about it and spread the word about the company. Though Ezell had several ideas of apps she could develop, creating an LSU lost and found hub seemed like the best way to support her community. Some of TigerFind’s features include a campus map that allows students to see what’s been reported in specific areas and a total of what’s been lost, found and returned. To accomplish this, she made sure to include popular places for lost items such as Sorority Row, Fraternity Rowe and Tigerland. When starting her internship at Base44, Ezell was nervous about taking on such an ambitious project. “At first, I was very intimi-
dated and worried I’d have to learn how to code, but it ended up being really simple,” Ezell said. “Once I got into it, I was like ‘Wait and I can add this and include this,’ and the ideas were flowing.” She was determined to make the platform readily available for students and staff. “It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it’d be because I grew very passionate about it, and I grew to love Base44,” Ezell said. “The guy in charge of me, Jordan, was so awesome and he was always just like, ‘Yeah let’s do it’ to all of my crazy ideas.” Jordan Teel, 39, has spent three years at Base 44 and was grateful for Ezell’s ambition and plan for TigerFind. Teel made the decision to extend Ezell’s internship to a campus ambassador program with Base44 through their Campus Impact Leaders program. Teel leads the program, which has students at different universities teach their peers about how Base44 can serve
them by making platforms to aid in everyday student life. Ezell is working this semester as the only ambassador at LSU for Base44. “Mary Macie [Ezell] is very vibrant and alive,” Teel said. “She makes you excited to do things with her. She was very passionate about all the things that she’s involved in and passionate about LSU.” Teel spoke highly of Ezell’s work with TigerFind and her foresight of what the platform can be in the future, saying that her work with Base44 is a testament to her work ethic and commitment to her community. Alongside her work on TigerFind, Ezell manages a student worker position in Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office where she creates training materials for police officers and handles outreach for domestic violence awareness programs. Working with Base44 was an expansive opportunity for Ezell that has shifted her path to a new direction. Though she is majoring in
public relations and is getting experience via the promotion of TigerFind, she has opened herself up to work experiences in entrepreneurship because of how successful her time with Base44 continues to be.
COURTESY OF NORA FETTIG
Mary Macie Ezell stands in front of the LSU Student Union.
LOCAL BUSINESS
Alumnus-owned Bengals & Bandits offers unique LSU apparel BY PAUL TIBBETS Staff Writer In need of stylish and unique Tiger merch? The Bengals & Bandits family is stocked for a new, busy football season. At the top of the hill where Highland Road meets the gates of LSU sits the one-stop shop for LSU merch that, while not official, is high-quality and unique. Bengals & Bandits opened in 2010 to fill in what co-founder and owner Patrick Wilkerson saw as a much needed niche. “It was a weird time in the early to mid-2000s. Basically, the apparel that was out there was just generic,” said Wilkerson, an LSU marketing alumnus. “It was standard logos. You had a lot of stuff with primary LSU logos, and there just wasn’t a lot of diversity. More importantly, there wasn’t a higherend apparel.” While LSU has its own logos and merch, such as the items you would see at the Barnes & Noble on campus, Bengals & Bandits pride itself on diversifying products that can be bought from the university. Wilkerson and the brand’s team gather design inspiration from anything, including past Gumbo yearbooks to estate sales selling vintage merchandise to Depop. The company’s own name and logo comes from steeping itself in LSU’s rich history: Bengals comes from the Bayou Bengals, a nickname for the LSU Tigers, while Bandits comes from the Chinese Bandits, a legendary second-string defensive football unit from 1958. “Our goal had always been
to offer a space for products that you could not find everywhere else. And we’ve always considered ourselves in between a fan shop and a boutique-style store, a little bit elevated,” said Wilkerson. Due to this high demand for intentionally designed apparel, the store is a popular spot. However, at no other point is this more apparent than during football season. Game days are an essential aspect to the Bengals & Bandits business. Wilkerson said that all sales from online to in person are heightened during the fall. He likens it to being a bar on the parade route during Mardi Gras. “We have extra staff for this season. It is a crucial part of our business, is what football brings to us. When you put 150,000 people on campus, those weekends, of course, are going to have a ton of people come through the stores,” said Wilkerson. “Game day weekends for us are absolutely critical.” Even though this all may sound hectic and overwhelming, the team at the store does not always see it as such. One of the most senior of the store employees, LSU MBA student Laney Gleason, said that the hustle and bustle of game weekends is all worth it because the whole crew is like family. “Friday nights, we’re here late — later than usual — but it’s not awful. Patrick will buy us coffee from Highland Coffees. We’ll just blare music and restock the store. And it’s actually fun,” said Gleason. Gleason has been working
at Bengals & Bandits for a little over three years now. She came into it with experience working at a similar boutique near the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She describes Bengals & Bandits as being a bit of a far cry from that one, not only for its comparative location but also for the amount of people who come in and out on days when there is a game. “People were going out of their way if they came to our store in Lafayette. So being here on a home game day and having all kinds of traffic from people and just being go, go, go the whole day — that’s a huge difference,” said Gleason. The tight-knit community of employees at the store keeps her around, but on top of that she loves to work for Wilker-
son. Through her time at the store, he has recognized where Gleason’s career interests and strengths lay and has given her opportunities to show off these skills. Gleason has worked her way up to be the floor manager and social media manager for the location on Highland Road. Past this, she has even tried her hand at helping to design some of the products. “Patrick is one of the best reasons to stay here. He’s a really good boss,” said Gleason. Wilkerson’s dedication to his store, employees and merchandise stock is evident. He has watched other stores like his come and go over the 16 years his business has been here. That kind of dedication does not come without sacrifice, whether it be his free-time or
having to miss out on the very game days that make the store so profitable. “I often get asked, ‘Oh, you must go to all the games.’ I don’t go to the games because I am here 35 hours Friday, Saturday, Sunday of a home game,” explained Wilkerson. “I personally wish I could enjoy more of the season. But our focus is making sure that our store runs properly during that time. So we can get back to our customer base and to our shoppers.” If you ever find yourself low on stylish Tiger merch — and happen to need a break from tailgating — consider Wilkerson and the Bandits at the edge of campus. For more information on hours and what is in stock, check out the Bengals & Bandits website.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Bengals & Bandits sits Sept. 3, on Highland Road in Baton Rouge, La.
SPORTS NO NFL PROS
page 9
LSU football concedes under threat of expulsion from SEC, fills roster without former pros
BY SARAH BLANCHARD Staff Writer Hours after an amendment to an SEC lawsuit that threatened to remove LSU from the conference, LSU football added two non-former professional players to its roster on Tuesday night. The additions mean LSU’s roster is at the 105-player limit and locks out two players who signed NFL contracts over the summer and were hoping to join the team. LSU has been called “just different” in many contexts, but on Tuesday the SEC made it clear that being different has its limits, even for the Tigers. In another dramatic turn of events, the Tigers have added edge rusher Gabriel Reliford and cornerback Aidan Anding
to its roster, effectively preventing disputed players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris from joining the team. The main argument that surrounded Wright and Harris’ spot on LSU’s roster rested on if athletes who signed professional contracts should be allowed to return to collegiate athletics. The SEC argues against the use of professional athletes to maintain the boundary between college and professional sports. In contrast, LSU disputes the SEC’s interpretation of the rule. The two athletes previously included on the roster signed NFL contracts as undrafted free agents, but never played a snap in the league before being waived. The two former Ole Miss players planned to play for LSU head coach Lane Kiffin and
the Tigers after clearing waivers. LSU’s decision to pursue the athletes was unprecedented and opened the door for other SEC teams to consider former professional athletes on their own rosters. On Tuesday morning, the SEC made a drastic decision by putting the idea of removing LSU from the conference altogether on the table. LSU has been a member of the SEC since its founding in 1932. The SEC’s consideration of expelling LSU made a team leaving the conference a possibility for the first time in decades, turning its decision into one that was transformative for the conference as a whole. The move drew national attention as the dispute quickly
extended beyond figures in college athletics, even prompting responses from political figures. “I’ve got rocks in my driveway that are smarter than that. They’re not going to throw LSU out of the SEC,” Sen. John Kennedy said. Kennedy represents Louisiana in the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, the SEC claimed in a legal document that LSU’s actions as a member of the conference are “inconsistent with the publicly stated values and principles of the conference.” The SEC has made its stance on professional athletes returning to college athletics very clear and has fought LSU every step of the way. Kiffin seemed to compromise on the issue by not including the players on the roster for last Saturday’s game against
Clemson, even after Wright and Harris were among over 40 athletes to receive an injunction in a Louisiana class-action lawsuit that granted them eligibility to play. However, Kiffin later made light of the ongoing roster controversy on Saturday during a halftime interview while holding a commanding 31-3 lead over Clemson. “Imagine if we had pro players,” Kiffin said. With the threat of expulsion, Kiffin finally gave into the SEC on Tuesday night, filling his roster’s two open slots with the two LSU sophomores instead of Wright and Harris. Reports on Wednesday indicated that the SEC is no longer expected to consider expelling LSU in Thursday’s meeting.
FOOTBALL
LSU football looks to move to 2-0 against Louisiana Tech BY ADAM KIRSCHMAN Staff Writer No. 8 LSU football will host its in-state rival, Louisiana Tech, Saturday night, where the Tigers hope to secure their 18th straight win against the Bulldogs after both teams had explosive opening weeks. LSU and LA Tech dominated their opponents on both sides of the ball in week one, with the Tigers securing a 51-10 win over Clemson. The Bulldogs set a program scoring record against Northwestern State in an 80-6 win. Although both teams are in great form, this contest is still a David versus Goliath showdown between one roster estimated at $40 million, the most in NCAA history, and the other listed around $1 million. LSU is a 32.5-point favorite, but LSU head coach Lane Kiffin does not seem to be putting his guard down at all. “Anytime you score 80 points, even over 50 … that’s doing a lot of things right on offense, and they’re really well coached,” Kiffin said in Monday’s press conference. “They are very different on defense … It just presents a lot of challenges, and they played great, obviously, in all phases last week.” Both these offenses will likely look similar to last week, given how well they both clicked. After LSU’s 644-yard domination of Clemson, Tech will definitely have its hands full on defense all game. The Bulldogs will need to recreate what they did in week one to have any chance to keep up with the Tiger offense, or
this contest could get ugly quickly. LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt could tear this defense apart with his arms and legs after last week’s 343-yard performance. Last season, LA Tech was on par with Clemson in terms of overall defense but played objectively weaker opponents. This makes Saturday’s game script look like another high-scoring day for LSU, where it could reach 40 or 50 points again. Leavitt will now be more comfortable in the offense, which should help minimize turnovers, something Kiffin was not happy about after his interception on the first drive against Clemson. With Leavitt more comfortable, he should have a big opportunity to gain better chemistry with his receivers this contest, as Kiffin will likely call more daring chunk plays against this weaker defense. “Anything I can do to help my team get into the end zone, I will do,” Leavitt said. “I’m going to take the plays when they come to me.” Along with Leavitt, it would not be a surprise if Landen Clark or Husan Longstreet get a second chance to see the field this week. Both Clark and Longstreet took over for Leavitt in the second half against Clemson after LSU took a 44-3 lead. This could likely happen again if LSU blows out the Bulldogs. Although LA Tech might not be able to contain the LSU offense, there’s no doubt the Bulldogs know how to score. LA Tech currently is the highest-scoring Football Bowl Subdivision team through the first
COLE TAMPLET / The Reveille
LSU football junior linebacker Whit Weeks (40) hypes up the crowd Sept. 6, 2025, during the play against LA Tech at Tiger Stadium. week of college football, and a big reason for this is its experienced roster. Many of Tech’s players returned to play in it’s first season in the Sun Belt Conference. The Bulldogs are led by senior quarterback Blake Baker, who threw for 232 yards and three touchdowns through one half against Northwestern State. Baker is backed by Trey Kukuk, a scrambling quarterback who ran for 609 yards through five starts last year. Kukuk is a valuable gadget for LA Tech against top programs because of his ability to run the triple option. LA Tech also has a plethora of young running backs who all get carries in this option system. Against Northwestern State, five running backs had multiple carries along with Kukuk.
“We got to get ready to play the triple option,” Kiffin said. “For defense, that’s a disaster to play. The defense they play is really unusual, and so you got to change a lot of rules and do a lot of different things.” Last year when these two teams faced off, LA Tech tried to work this ground-and-pound system with Kukuk, but it did not result in much. The Bulldogs only managed 12 first downs while losing the time of possession battle by nearly 14 minutes. LA Tech would defend really well in the contest, though. It held LSU to only 23 points while coming down with the only interception of the contest. Although the tight result was unexpected at the time, 2025’s LSU team under Brian
Kelly proved to be a total flop, so it’s difficult to project last year’s output to the current team. LSU will need to go into this contest with the same no-nonsense attitude it had for the Clemson matchup, despite playing a much lower-ranked opponent. LSU can’t let poor decisions lower it to the quality of LA Tech, in the way it almost did last year. Kiffin will need to make sure his whole squad is on the same page, as this contest could also be a big test for new depth pieces who came in through the haul of LSU transfers this summer. With Ole Miss looming, this contest could be a huge morale booster and an opportunity to see who LSU’s true starters should be for that collision.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
page 10 VOLLEYBALL
LSU volleyball drops third consecutive contest in a five-set defeat BY MARISSA REISS Staff Writer An immense block-touch call in the third set of LSU volleyball’s matchup became the unexpected turning point as it dropped its third consecutive match to NC State in five sets, including 25-23, 21-25, 24-26, 25-19 and 12-15. An LSU rally until the very end came up short in the fiveset loss to the Wolfpack. The contest began with a LSU firstset victory, setting the expectations for the rest of the match behind a strong defensive showing. Despite a fourth-set win, the next few sets, especially the third, put the nail in the Tigers coffin. In every set except the fourth, the Wolfpack held the lead heading into each media timeout. NC State went into the matchup with the momentum of a three-match win streak, the two games prior to LSU being five-set victories. The Wolfpack held an offensive advantage, possessing a .272 hitting percentage to the Tigers’ .217. The Wolfpack previously held their opponents to only a .145 hitting percentage. This was something that could — and ultimately did — pose trouble for LSU with its recent offensive stall. This marked only the sec-
ond time that the two programs have faced each other in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The first time around, LSU claimed a victory in the 1995 challenge in a clean sweep. The Tigers and Wolfpack found themselves executing the same offensive strategy when it came to getting the ball over the net into the opponent’s side of the court: Lightly tip the ball over for a kill. However, it didn’t exactly work, as both teams easily understood what the other was trying to do. LSU gained an early 10-7 lead off of long Wolfpack serves that went out of bounds. As the Wolfpack slowly inched closer to a tie, LSU’s defense continued to limit NC State’s offense. The match was a one-point contest that LSU held onto before NC State eventually tied it up. Then, the Tigers found their way to a two-point lead at 21-19 to force NC State to use its first timeout of the set. The LSU pressure was on. NC State burned its second timeout of the set, now trailing 23-21. LSU took the first set 25-23 on an outstanding block by senior middle blocker Angelina Lee. After the rally from the first set, the expectations were high heading into the second. It began with a back-andforth rally that the Wolfpack
used to their advantage, gaining a rather quick lead over the home team. Still, LSU put up a fight to come within one point, tie the set and take the lead on a Jurnee Robinson kill. Nonetheless, NC State seemed to hold on behind its best offensive player, freshman outside hitter Britni Silver. Heading into LSU’s last timeout of the second set, Silver had nine kills on the night and scored two back-to-back, allowing the Wolfpack to retain a 2219 lead. NC State won the set 25-21. LSU had seemingly found its spark again late in the third set. A four-point run behind a service ace, a kill and a block by Robinson and a kill from Jessica Jones forced the Wolfpack to burn a timeout. With an NC State attack error immediately following the timeout, LSU inched to set point with a 20-16 lead. Unfortunately for Tiger fans, it was too good to be true. With a confirmed blocktouch call on LSU that reversed its point to NC State, the Tigers were forced to burn a timeout after defensive specialist Aly Kirkhoff misread a serve that became a Wolfpack ace, giving the opposing program a 23-22 lead. NC State took the set 2624.
The fourth was under NC State’s control until LSU found its first media timeout lead at 15-13. NC State took its first timeout down 22-17. LSU won the set 25-19, leading to an anticipated fifth set. LSU began the set with an early lead, but eventually NC State found its way to a fivepoint gap at 11-6, even with an LSU rally. LSU couldn’t find an answer and had to yet again
take a timeout trailing 13-9. The Wolfpack only needed two more points to take the win home in Baton Rouge. The visiting team achieved that with a final kill from sophomore opposite hitter Jordan Smith, handing LSU an unfortunate 3-2 match loss. The Tigers will look to snap their three-match losing streak on Friday against the Charlotte 49ers at 11 a.m.
CHANDLER TROTTER / The Reveille
LSU volleyball senior middle blocker Angelina Lee (4) blocks the ball during LSU’s 2-3 loss against NC State on Sept. 8 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
COMMENTARY
Column: The Baton Rouge blueprint makes LSU ‘just different’ BY BROOKE BENEDICT Sports Columnist Louisiana is one of the most culturally rich states in the country, with its food, traditions, music and passion. That passion is for the state and everything it stands for. At the heart of the state — literally, being in the capital of Louisiana — lies LSU, a blend of all the factors that make Louisiana different from the rest. LSU has always stood out across the country for its unique cultural blend, located in the famous Deep South, with a strong Southern presence, but in recent years, LSU, especially its athletics, has more reasons to stand out than just Louisiana heritage. College athletics is famous for its well-known sayings, with the SEC adapting the “It Just Means More” slogan and the Big 10 using “One True Champion.” There is also a well-known saying in the Bayou State. It all started with the hiring of football head coach Lane Kiffin, who brought the “just different” mantra to Baton Rouge as his go-to slogan when talking to some of the nation’s most talented recruits. When people think of LSU and this “just different” slogan, there aren’t many questions asked. There’s nowhere across the country that has the same
JOHN HEFTI / The Reveille
The exterior of Tiger Stadium sits Sept. 1, on Tiger Drive in Baton Rouge. tailgating scene, iconic chants and school spirit, and that’s a big part of what makes LSU athletics just different. But beyond the crowd, there are changes within the athletic program that make LSU stand out. As Kiffin got to work in Baton Rouge, he went on an impressive recruiting run, signing over 50 new recruits from high schools, junior colleges and the transfer portal. This has given him the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation, as well as the
most expensive one. His multi-million dollar roster has transformed the recruiting world at LSU, and added a major influence on the rest of the country. Schools have taken a few seasons to adjust to the price tag that comes with recruiting now. LSU didn’t need a warmup period. LSU is becoming the blueprint amongst many recruiting tactics and athletic compensation, including being the first school to join Nike’s Blue Rib-
bon Elite program, changing the ways of NIL. Having those opportunities at LSU is the ultimate influencer for a recruit’s highly anticipated decision in modern-day college athletics. It makes it as simple as an LSU coach telling an athlete, “It’s just different.” Even on their own, the coaches at LSU can be what a recruit is most looking forward to in their recruiting cycle, with what fans have deemed the fabulous five coaching group, consisting of Kiffin, men’s basketball
coach Will Wade, baseball head coach Jay Johnson, women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey and gymnastics head coach Jay Clark. These are some of the most well-respected names in college athletics and their specific sports. They’re all known for producing elite, professionalgrade talent and bringing home championship titles. With this power group of coaches transforming their programs into enterprises that are changing college athletics, LSU is not just different, but once in a lifetime. The Tigers have written the playbook for how to win in this new era of the NCAA, becoming the blueprint of success and change, not taking time to adapt or waiting for others to do it first. It might lead to a controversy, but it has also left a mark on the rest of the nation, saying LSU does things differently. Which is bringing different results to Baton Rouge For the future of recruiting, these talented athletes won’t be thinking about the iconic purple and gold jerseys or the size and sounds of the stadiums; they will be thinking that LSU is the master class in the evolution of college athletics, acting like miniprofessional enterprises. That’s why LSU is and always will be, just different.
OPINION
page 11
LSU should extend Paw Points use to local resturants BULLION’S BRIEF AVA BULLION Columnist College life can be intimidating: Having to worry about whether your next meal will be funded by money already paid to the university or if it is an out-of-pocket expense is something no one wants to think about. The idea of getting to swipe a card at your favorite restaurant around campus at any time of the day sounds like the ideal lifestyle as a college student. Whether you’re walking to Highland Coffees for an iced latte and blueberry muffin or looking up “restaurants still open near me” at midnight, imagine getting to fulfill any craving with the swipe of your Tiger Card. LSU requires on-campus freshmen to buy a meal plan and load up to $600 in Paw Points on their Tiger Cards. There is an issue with this plan, however; you can only use Paw Points at select locations, particularly those within the Student Union. Restaurants in the Union such as Panda Express, Sonic, Smoothie King and Chick-fil-A are national favorites, but the few options, long
lines and overflow of students quickly become miserable. Popular locations near, campus that do not accept Paw Points include Raising Cane’s, Chipotle, Highland Coffees, Subway, and more. TigerCASH also is only allowed at on campus locations. While campus does not allow for TigerCASH to be used almost everywhere, the system is used by adding extra credit onto Tiger Cards, which defeats the conservational monetary purpose Paw Points offer. What happens after a night class when you’re ready to go to sleep, don’t have time to wait in long lines, and you’re too far from the Union for food? The Union closes at 10:00 p.m. every weekday, and the operating hours are even shorter. Many students also do not have the extra money to buy food that is not a part of their pre-existing meal plan, which means they heavily rely on Paw Points. It’s also worth noting that around 66.3% of public university undergraduate college students nationwide have reported having food insecurity, according to The Hope Center. Colleges like The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., allow for students to use their meal points at locations on and off campus. The
university pairs with nearly 50 local restaurants, cafes and grocery stores, etc, which offers more opportunities to suit student needs during and after campus working hours. Not only would expanding Paw Points to new places be a helpful resource, but it could also drive student incentive to save and budget their personal money outside of the Tiger Card. Many college students outside of school have car notes, rent, insurance and
more that their money needs to be dedicated toward; being able to use the money that was converted to Paw Points at their leisure is the least LSU could do. LSU could simultaneously extend Paw Points beyond campus and offer a profit to the university. Corporate dining agreements are common at universities offering the use of meal swipes at restaurants. Tulane, for example, receives a percentage of the commission on all transactions.
LSU could make good use of this extra revenue by putting it toward the many renovations and construction projects around campus. Expanding the Paw Point horizon to other restaurants and cafes would not only be helpful for students; it would go toward the future of LSU. Ava Bullion is a 19-year-old political science and criminology double major from Baton Rouge.
GRAPHIC BY CAROLINE SIMONEAUX / The Reveille
New Orleans builds local students up only to reject them WAINER’S WORLD JACK WAINER Columnist Tulane is one of the most prestigious and recognizable private universities in New Orleans, but its diverse national student population and detachment from the city’s culture raise the question of whether it’s truly a bigcity school for the kids who grow up in the area. At LSU, it’s typical to hear students from New Orleans, Metairie and Kenner explain why they left home for college: “I couldn’t get into Tulane.” For students who grew up near Tulane, the university can seem like an unexpected point of disconnect from New Orleans. It’s the most recognizable university in their hometown, though it
seemingly feels more accessible to students coming from across the U.S. than to those who spent their whole lives in the city. Tulane’s enrollment data reveals how diverse its student body truly is. In the fall of 2022, students from New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana only made up a mere 10% of the Tulane students who provided their geographic information; meanwhile, nearly a third of these students came from the Northeast. Now, this is not to say that Tulane should diminish its national identity or appeal. A geographically and culturally diverse student body can provide countless unique perspectives and experiences to campus, but it does highlight a major question about Tulane’s relationship with New Orleans. This observation isn’t only made by people who were de-
nied; Tulane students have acknowledged it themselves. Arriving students may have chosen Tulane because of New Orleans, only to be surrounded by a culture that feels separate from the city itself. That bubble can prevent students from being fully immersed in New Orleans’ culture. The nickname “Tulane Bubble” has stuck for years. Tulane can feel socially and culturally divided from New Orleans due to its large out-of-state population. The Tulane Hullabaloo, Tulane’s student newspaper, reported a similar concern, saying, “There is an obvious disconnect between the influx of out-of-state students and the locals.” This disconnect makes Tulane feel like a separate community, playing a significant role in gentrification of the city. That distinction matters because a big-city university that
sits in New Orleans should have a meaningful relationship with the people and culture that the city provides. Tulane’s detachment from New Orleans is not a new issue. A 2021 article from the Hullabaloo reported that “New Orleans natives are highly conscious of how unincorporated Tulane is with the city,” highlighting the university’s large out-of-state population. Tulane’s selectivity and reputation can deter students who grew up in New Orleans, Metairie or elsewhere in Southeast Louisiana from even applying. It should feel like a realistic possibility for those who grew up in the very city Tulane calls home and claims its identity from. This doesn’t mean that Tulane is failing in any sense of academia or prestige. It’s an incredibly distinguished university and there is nothing wrong with
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recruiting students from Illinois, New York, New Jersey or elsewhere. This is all to say, however, that New Orleans’ culture is the heart of Tulane’s identity, though the university continuously shies away from partnering with the city that gave it life. Tulane is becoming an increasingly more difficult university for local students to even consider entertaining. The city of New Orleans produced and shaped the student, but the renowned university of their dreams is no longer an option afforded them. There’s something quite emotionally humbling about growing up around a team or university you’ve always dreamed of attending, only to realize your future may end up elsewhere. Jack Wainer is a 20-year-old mass communication major from Dallas.
Quote of the Week “America is a tune. It must be sung together.” Gerald Stanley Lee American writer and minister 1862 — 1944