SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • AUGUST 28, 2019 | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 01
ROAD TO RECOVERY PG 4
USM GAMEDAY FASHION PG 5
MORE MISSY ELLIOTT PG 6
S S I M N R E H SOUT L L A B Y E N O M S PLAY
MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR
The Southern Miss football team seems to face a team or two on the road from a Power Five conference, usually from the vaunted Southeastern Conference. This year will be no exception as they will play at Alabama and Mississippi State. Sometimes the Eagles win, but most of the time they get demolished. What is the purpose of these matchups? The answer is simple: money. Southern Miss will receive a payday of $1.2 million for playing at Mississippi State and $1.85 million for playing Alabama. “Each year we are
going to play a guarantee game, and really the reason we do that is to balance the budget and to make our budget work and to do the things that we need to do to be competitive with the rest of our schedule and the rest of our year,” said Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain. Although the football team earns the combined $3 million, the revenue will be divided among the entirety of the athletic department. “It goes into our budget bucket. It’s hard to say this dollar goes in and it’s assigned here, but it all goes into one place,” McClain said. Power five conferences comprised of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Pacific 12, Big 12, Big 10 and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schedule teams in Group Five conferences
which includes Conference USA (C-USA), Sunbelt, Mountain West, Mid-American and American Athletic Conference (AAC) during non-conference play in hopes of adding another “W” to their record. In exchange for a tough opponent, Group Five teams receive large payouts. These types of games are known as guarantee games, which essentially means a Group Five team is guaranteed money for a guaranteed loss. However, fans of Power Five teams call them “cupcake” games because they’re expected to win. While Southern Miss is not the only C-USA team to participate in guarantee games this season, they are the only team to have two in one season. The Charlotte Observer reports that the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte will receive $1 million for a game at Clemson. The University of Alabama at Birmingham will see a $1.5 million increase in revenue for a game at Tennessee, according to Volswire. Senior finance major Josh Hodges understands the benefit of guarantee games. “I knew we received money for playing Power Five teams,” Hodges said. “I’m totally fine with it. I think it encourages us [Southern Miss] to play high-quality competition while giving us the opportunity to show how good we really are.”
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NEWS AUGUST 28, 2019 MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor
Alyssa Bass alyssa.bass@usm.edu
Managing Editor
Olivia Saldana olivia.saldana@usm.edu
News Editor
Caleb McCluskey caleb.mccluskey@usm.edu
Entertainment/Opinion Editor Jack McCallum john.mccallum@usm.edu
Feature/Lifestyle Editor Karigan Teer karigan.teer@usm.edu
Sports Editor
Makayla Puckett makayla.puckett@usm.edu
Multimedia Editor
Blair Ballou blair.ballou@usm.edu
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Printz Advisor
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The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
Athletes score new tutoring home CALEB MCCLUSKEY NEWS EDITOR The second floor of the Cook Library will be home to the Bower Academic Center for athletes by the end of the spring semester. The $1.8 million project will house a new tutoring center for student-athletes upon its completion, and, according to the director of the physical plant Chris Crenshaw, Ph.D., the center should be completed by late April to early May 2020. Southern Miss Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain said there will be about 18,000 square feet of the second floor devoted to the center which will have computer labs, classroom space, study rooms and academic counselors offices. “We got—you’re talking about— 400 to 450 students that are studentathletes, so it is a space that is much more conducive to meeting the needs [of the students] than where we are now,” McClain said. The project is currently in phase one, which Crenshaw said involves the demolition of the space on the second floor and renovation of Cook Library’s roof. Student-athletes previously studied at their old tutoring center within the west side of the M. M. Roberts Stadium, and according to McClain, it was not worth the cost to renovate. “I think the original project called to renovate the space that is currently being used,” McClain said. “Once our facility people and architects started to really dig into it, it was going to cost a lot more [than they thought] to get it up to a standard that our university wants to have.” Crenshaw said he and a committee began looking for possible locations to move the center, and the second floor seemed to be the best option for the parties involved. The library is the perfect space for student-athletes, McClain said, because it takes them away from their usual space on the west side of the football stadium. “Quite honestly, [student athletes] need to be in the library,” McClain said.
“They need to be a little bit further away from the daily interactions of athletics and be in a setting where we can make sure they are doing academically.” The second floor will not only hold the Bower Center, but will also hold a few free group study rooms. McClain said there will be space for nonathletes on the second floor as well. “That second-floor space is not all going to be academic,” McClain said. “If you walk up and you see a sign there now, half of that will be for Bower Academic Center. The other half will still be utilized on a daily basis by the library.” Along with the creation of the Bower Center, there is a myriad of renovations happening simultaneously, including new light fixtures, fire alarms, mechanical improvements and elevators. Along with these improvements, the bathrooms will also be renovated. “It’s not just about student-athletes,” Crenshaw said. “It is about all of our students and how it is going to impact them in terms of their retention in school and hopefully impact their graduation rates.” Crenshaw also said the renovation is taking longer than they hoped for because the library is operating in normal capacity while they are doing the construction. “[Students] will see zones sectioned off where the workers will work are going to work; then they will move their safety zone,” Crenshaw said. “It takes a lot longer to work like that. It is more cumbersome for the workers.” Some student-athletes are excited for the move to a larger space. Junior business major Madison Lawler, who plays volleyball, said she thinks the larger space will be more conducive to learning without being in earshot of other tutoring sessions. “I’m super excited because there will be more space to study, and [the Cook Library is] neutral to campus which will make it an easier walk between classes,” Lawler said. “I think it’s going to be beneficial for athletes from all sports.” Sports Editor Makayla Puckett contributed to this story.
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CONTINUED FROM PG 1 Junior nursing major Blakeney O’Brien agrees that Power Five opponents benefit the university. “I think it is good for the school publicity-wise and financially. I feel like the money is being used to better our program and the campus,” O’Brien said. While guarantee games provide fast money, McClain’s philosophy moving forward is to focus on home games. “We want six home games and six road games unless we just get a really unusual situation which is kind of what happened this year,” McClain said. “You do get some money for going to play a road game, but you take a hit financially if you are not selling tickets and not selling concessions which you are selling at home games.” In addition to guarantee games, during non-conference play, Southern Miss hosts one Football Championship Subdivision team in which the university pays a significantly smaller fee. Alcorn State University will travel to Hattiesburg on Aug. 31 for the first game of the season. “We are going to try to play opponents here who our fans get excited about and then also teams that can bring fans to our stadium,” McClain said. “Alcorn is a great example. They will travel well, and they will have a good crowd, so I think that’s important to us.” Southern Miss set an attendance goal of 30,000 fans at all five home games in the 2019 season. In 2018 the highest attendance was 29,176 on Sept. 1 against Jackson State University. From there home game attendance dropped by over 9,000 fans and continued to decline for the remainder of the season. “Attendance is huge, one of our biggest revenue streams is from ticket sales, season tickets and walk-up sales,” McClain said. “You have season ticket revenue then you have people walking up to the gate and buying tickets at the game. Hopefully, they are going to the concession stand and buying hot dogs and drinks. All of those things matter, attendance is a really big driver when it comes to budget goals.” According to the 2018 athletics budget, more than $2 million of the $4.9 million in revenue came from gate receipts alone. If attendance were to increase by 10,000 each game with an average ticket price of $15, Southern Miss would see an increase of $15,000 per game or $75,000 if the goal attendance was reached all five times. “Will we draw 30,000 for every game? I hope so, that’s our goal,” McClain said. “Even if we are drawing on two or three thousand more per game than we have in the past then you can average that out to about $15 a ticket and that’s a significant bump.” Hodges sees home games as an opportunity to support not only athletics but also the university as a whole. “I go to games because I want to support my university,” Hodges said. “I’ll always be tied to Southern Miss, and one of the best and easiest ways to support is simply going to football games.” Additional revenue comes from concession sales and television contracts. With the new sale of beer and light wine at home games, the idea is to increase concession stand earnings. McClain predicts the additional annual revenue from beer and wine sales to reach six figures. Prices of other concession items have also been lowered in an attempt to increase the annual $153,000 in sales. All traditional food and drink items will be five dollars and below making game day more affordable. Each game, regardless of whether it is home or away, is necessary in order for the athletic budget to function. Money makes the world work, even at Southern Miss.
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Southern Miss becomes first state school to sell alcohol
BRIAN WINTERS PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
outhern Miss will sell alcohol during athletic events beginning September 28, according to a press release from director of communications David Cohen. Southern Miss fans ages 21 and older will be able to purchase beer and light wines from different locations within the stadium until the end of the third quarter. Alcohol sales are being delayed so that concession workers can utilize the month to ensure that proper training and infrastructure is in place to support a continued safe and enjoyable environment for fans, according to the press release. Southern Miss Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain said Southern Miss is the first school in Mississippi to sell alcohol at football games. McClain said he believes there is some value to being first. “I don’t want us to be afraid of leading the way,” McClain said. “I think it’s important we are not afraid to step out and say this is what we think is the right step for us.” McClain said Southern Miss will ease into selling alcohol. “I think long term it is an annual six figure increase for us,” McClain said. “We may not see that this year, it may be a lesser number this year.” Along with alcohol, the stadium is offering mobile ordering and reduced concession prices. “These new initiatives allow us a great opportunity to continue to
Brian Winters | Printz
Southern Miss announced light wine and beer would be sold at home games, starting Sept. 28.
improve our game-day environment and provide a positive fan-friendly experience,” McClain said. “We are thankful for our partners across the University and in the community who helped make these amenities a reality.” The extensive training program that is required of staff members allows them to address issues relating to the sale of beer and wine such as recognizing fake IDs, preventing the sale of alcohol to minors and being aware of the signs of intoxication. The sale of beer and wine means the stadium will move to a no re-entry policy. Second-year graduate student mass communication major Shawn Bertucci said he not only believes that alcohol sales will increase game attendance, but also that the sale of
alcohol could potentially promote bad behavior. “I think it would also help minors get access to alcohol easier,” Bertucci said. “I figure upperclassmen could easily buy them alcohol.” Senior English major Nancy Claypool said the benefits of alcohol sales outweigh the negatives. “I do believe alcohol sales will encourage attendance at games,” Claypool said. “Everyone loves beer and football, it only makes sense to combine the two at Southern Miss football games.” Claypool said people have attended football games drunk for years and does not think there will be too many problems. Chief of University Police Department Rusty Keyes said Southern Miss has traditionally
offered a fan-friendly and safe environment for its home football games. Public intoxication can result in ejection, citation or arrest. “In recent years, instances of fights or disorderly conduct have been relatively low in number during football games,” Keyes said. “We expect this will continue in 2019 as Southern Miss is being proactive in its approach to ensuring safety” Brad Smith, senior associate athletic director for external affairs at Southern Miss, expects the sale of alcohol to boost game attendance. “The launching of beer and light wine sales should heavily enhance the overall fan experience,” Smith said. “I expect all five of our home games to have an increase in attendance from the community and our student body.”
Center for Military, Team John Boy partner for tailgating ALYSSA BASS EXECUTIVE EDITOR uardfather Tailgating 4 Veterans will return Aug. 31 behind Southern Hall and in the courtyard in front of Kennard-Washington Hall four hours before kickoff, according to organizer John Pace. For the second year, Pace’s unofficial group of volunteers, Team John Boy, will partner with Southern Miss’ Center for Military Veterans, Servicemembers and their Families, the Southern Miss chapter of Student Veterans of America, Hooters, Coca Cola, Keith Superstores, Supertalk Mississippi and Papa John’s, where Pace serves as Director of Marketing and Community Outreach. The tailgating event began as a support for Pace’s daughter and other members of the Southern Miss Pride of Mississippi color guard until Justin Blackburn, coowner of FastSigns, suggested they extend the invitation to veterans. The son of a World War II veteran, Pace said he enjoys seeing veterans of all ages and experience levels attend. “What’s amazing to me is seeing these young veterans that are beginning their career,” Pace said. “They’re at USM as a student now. Then you have the veterans who are just coming back from combat zones, people that are retired after 30 years that are there all the way up to Vietnam and Korea veterans.” Pace said he shares a personal connection with SVA, who he said is responsible for the set up and take down of the tents. “There’s a core of student veterans that do the hard work to make this happen,” he said. President of SVA, retired US Army Specialist and
Courtesy Photo
John Pace, Seymour and Michael McGee pose at one of last year’s tailgates.
junior social work major Kerri Parker said organizations and events centered around veterans provide “endless student veteran support.” Parker said she experienced “the ultimate experience
and camaraderie and hospitality” while attending Guardfather Tailgating 4 Veterans. “It was more than community, but a family,” Parker said. “Veterans are always inspired, but because we
are not the traditional college student, veterans have to prioritize schedules, hindering campus participation.” CMVSF assists in the effort to get nontraditional student veterans involved. Veteran Outreach Coordinator for the Center Michael McGee cited having a full staff, “militaryfriendly policies,” support programs and community engagement as the main methods. McGee described his relationship with Pace as positive. “Through some of our mutual relationships, we have established a relationship with Mr. Pace that benefit our student veteran community,” McGee said. “Additionally, through his position with Papa John’s, he has helped other university entities by sponsoring their training events.” Pace has been volunteering and organizing community service projects for 31 years and has also been rewarded for his work. The most special of the awards Pace has received are the Mississippi GIVE Award awarded by Governor Phil Bryant in 2014, President’s Call to Service Lifetime Achievement Award awarded by the Obama administration in 2016 and the President’s Call to Service Lifetime Achievement Award, Special Focus: Veterans, Military and their Families awarded by the Trump administration in 2019. Pace said he has grown to be more outwardly proud of his achievements, starting with listing his favorite awards in his email signature and acknowledging the number of sponsors he has acquired. Most recently, Pace has secured 31 sponsors for an upcoming vintage military-style variety show. “That means 31 different companies in South Mississippi say we trust you with our money to go help these veterans, and they do that because they see, ‘He’s got a history of doing good.’” For more information on Team John Boy, find them on Facebook.
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Recovered, cleared and ‘hungry’: players prepare for season ALYSSA BASS EXECUTIVE EDITOR film enthusiast, fighter and a hype man walk off the turf with faces drenched in sweat, dripping down their faces like raindrops on a typical hot and humid Mississippi day. One by one, the three plop down onto the eagle statue with their backs turned to the practice field and eyes gazing up at the Duff Athletic Center. After another day of perfecting their juking, passing and footwork in 90-degree weather during fall camp, the three still glow with excitement when thinking about the games ahead. After experiencing injuries, Trace Clopton, Darius Maberry and Jaylond Adams are grateful to be back at the Rock. The Injuries Sophomore business major Clopton has been one to watch ever since he signed with Southern Miss. “When I got here, I was thrown into the lineup pretty quick,” he said. Graduating a semester early from Brookhaven High School, Clopton made history by being the first true freshman center head coach Jay Hopson and former offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson trusted to start. For seven out of 11 games, he kept his role as a starter. The son of a seasoned high school football coach, Clopton is one of 80 Division I centers to be placed on the Rimington Trophy preseason Watch List in July. In January, Clopton became the fifth Golden Eagle to earn a spot on the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-American team for his efforts, notably for continuing to play despite his injury. Minutes before halftime on October 13, 2018, Clopton sprained his left ankle in Denton, Texas. “I wasn’t sure how bad it was, and I was just ready to find out how bad it was, so I could get back out there with them,” Clopton said. Clopton recalls being driven off North Texas’ sideline and into an x-ray room anxious to find out if he broke his ankle. Luckily
Michael Sandoz | Printz
Center Trace Clopton returns after spraining his ankle in 2018-19 season.
for him, the first thing the doctor told him was that his ankle was not broken. “At that point, I’m pumping my fist. I’m just ready to get back on the field,” Clopton said before widening his eyes and saying, “but my ankle’s huge.” Number 57 was cleared to walk back onto the field and play for the second half, but not without a hard cast, boot and a limp. Maberry had a different start to his Southern Miss career. In 2017, the running back business major from Bolton, Miss., redshirted as a freshman and got his first serious injury. Calmly recalling the incident, Maberry said he reached for a jump ball during practice for the Independence Bowl game against Florida State and felt a buckle in his knee. Walking off the field, he said, “It didn’t feel like anything serious, but I just knew something wasn’t right.”
Once he was checked out by a trainer, Maberry was devastated to learn that he had torn his ACL. However, Maberry continued to radiate positivity, crediting his friends and family for keeping his spirits high before and after surgery. “[The injury] was kind of heartbreaking, but I just had to fight through.” Wide receiver Adams could not fight through the torn ligament in his ankle. Late into the third quarter of the fourth game of the 2018-2019 season, against Auburn, someone landed on his ankle after Adams jumped for the ball during a screenplay. The injury cost the criminal justice major the rest of the season. “I felt like I had let my team down,” Adams said. “I had no control over what happened, but it was a part of me that wanted to be on the field with my brothers.”
Recovery Once Maberry had surgery, he battled with a Cybex machine to regain strength in his thigh with the help of Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine Todd McCall. Once Clopton had surgery, his mode of transportation was a scooter. Meanwhile, Adams worked on ankle mobility exercises. Although Maberry’s injury occurred in 2017, he said he did not feel fully healthy until this summer. “People say it takes a year to come back fully healthy from it, but to get your explosiveness and all that back, I feel like it takes a little bit longer,” Maberry said. Unable to participate in spring training, Clopton said he “lived” in the film room for the entirety of the semester, feeling like it was the “longest few months” of his life. When he was finally able to put on pads during fall camp, he called his dad “hungry” to play. In his time off the field, Adams eagerly became the “energy guy on the sidelines.” Adams said he has maintained that energy during fall camp when he was finally cleared. “The injury helps me in a way because now I look at every day in a different way,” Adams said sincerely. “It’s motivation. On days where I may not feel the best, where I don’t want to go out and do this stuff, I remind myself that just last year, I wasn’t able to do it at all when I wanted to. Missing that one year basically took everything from me,” Adams said. By being more vocal at practice and cheering on his teammates, Adams hopes that his energy becomes infectious. All three players expect for 30,000 fans to attend each home game, but for various reasons. While Maberry believes the sale of beer and light wine will help, Clopton and Adams believe that the fans will appreciate the sheer talent of new and old players. As for fans infamously leaving at halftime, none of the three players are thrilled by the idea. “It’s something to think about,” Clopton admits. Clopton remains optimistic and thankful for the fans who attend the games for any period of time, but he holds a special place in his heart for the fans who stay for the game’s entirety. “Those are the people that make it easier to get up at six o’clock every morning and do what we do.”
Abraham, Whatley battle for starter position WILLIAM BURKE PRINTZ REPORTER oing into the fall season, there will be heavy competition between the two players aiming to become the starting quarterback for 2019. Redshirt junior quarterback Jack Abraham has all eyes on him for starter. Coming off a stellar performance last season, Abraham was recently nominated for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, ranked fourth in completions per game and ranked third in completions by Pro Football Focus. Last season, Abraham went 223305, with a completion rate of 73.1%. “Going into the offseason, my focus was to study film and correct any mistakes made from last season,” Abraham said. Although Abraham is entering this season under new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, he said the transition has not been as difficult as he had expected. “It’s always a challenge to have a new coach come in, but coach Faulkner has been amazing,” Abraham said. “He’s a great coach and a great football mind. I’ve learned a lot under him so far. The transition really wasn’t terrible. It’s just been a learning process trying to learn all the new playbook.” Despite Abraham’s successes, the position of starting quarterback is not set in stone. True sophomore quarterback Tate Whatley has shown that he can keep up with some of the best talent the NCAA has to offer. Whatley played six games last season, three of which he started after Abraham came down with an injury. In those six games, Whatley ran the ball 66 times, picking up 162 yards and three rushing touchdowns. He also went 42 for 75 in passing yards, picking up 451 yards and four touchdowns.
“My focus going into this season is to continue to be smart with the ball and learn situations. [I need to] learn when to throw it away and when to not force passes to covered receivers,” Whatley said. Faulkner and head coach Jay Hopson are on the same page when it comes to their plans for running the offense. They agreed that the team needs to have a balanced attack in both running and passing the ball. When comparing the two quarterbacks, Faulkner praised both of their leadership abilities alongside their technical skills. “They are both cerebral, smart and great leaders on the field. Jack is more of your pocket passer, and Tate is more of your playmaker, which are great options to have. Overall, their ability to play the position is very similar, which makes it easier on the rest of the offense to play around when either one is on the field,” Faulkner said. Hopson was also pleased with the amount of talent and depth at every position on the roster for his team. “There’s a lot of great talent, especially at our ones and twos in every aspect of our game,” Hopson said. “At this point of camp, there are many fighting opportunities to earn a starting role on this team. Jack has looked great all offseason, but Tate has shown that he can step up when under the bright lights.” Hopson went on to comment on the competition between Abraham and Whatley for the starting position. “I like to see a good competition. We will let this one roll out and see who will rise to the top by the time the first game of the season comes around,” Hopson said. Both quarterbacks are excited to begin playing this season, and they have similar goals when it comes to their view of how the season will turn out. “I think we are C-USA Championship material for sure, we don’t want anything less,” Abraham said.
Makayla Puckett | Printz
Sophomore quarterback Tate Whatley runs through drills at fall camp.
Abraham mentioned his anticipation for the SEC games. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. That’s something Southern Miss has always prided itself in, you know, going into Alabama or Mississippi State and beating them 20 or 30 years ago with Brett Favre and Reggie Collier. That’s something Coach Hop wants to get back to, and I would love to get that tradition going back,” Abraham said. For Whatley, getting back to the Southern Miss standard of a winning program is a must, and he believes the team has what it takes to be successful. “Just win. Do what it takes no matter what to be the better team. It’s simple,” Whatley said.
“The team has been doing great,” Whatley said. “All summer we have been studying and just working together to get our timing down, our series. O Line has been working their tail off. Coach really gave us a great system to work in so learning hasn’t been that tough. Coach really sets us up for success.” Both Abraham and Whatley have full confidence in the coaching staff to make the right decision by the first game Aug. 31 against Alcorn State. Will the starter be the pocket passer, Jack Abraham, or will it be the playmaker, Tate Whatley? Sports Editor Makayla Puckett contributed to this story.
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Tailgate trends combine comfort and style KARIGAN TEER FEATURE/LIFESTYLE EDITOR nother fall semester has begun at Southern Miss. Although the heat will likely stay until November, fall in Mississippi means one thing—football. With the first game day approaching Saturday Aug. 31, football fans will spend many Saturdays decked out in black and gold attire to cheer on the Golden Eagles. Whether you spend the entire game tailgating, or you arrive early and stay late to watch the entire game, the key to gameday fashion is to find the balance between comfort and style. For warmer games, senior finance major Zachary Lepore went with a classic pair of Adidas tennis shoes, a black polo from the campus bookstore and khaki shorts. “It’s nothing too fancy, but it’s a classic outfit because it’s durable and it can get dirty. We can get a little crazy in the District,” Lepore said. Lepore said that his favorite part of his outfit is his Southern Miss game day polo. “It’s representing my team, and it’s telling everyone that I’m a Southern Miss Golden Eagle,” Lepore said. Junior forensic science major Malorie Racy also styled an outfit for warm weather games, pairing a black tube top, black and gold striped shorts and black platform Tevas. “I always try to pick white and black jewelry when I’m going to Southern Miss games,” Racy said, pointing to her stack of glittery bracelets.
Because of the heat at the beginning of football season, Racy said her main goal when putting an outfit together is to be both cute and comfortable. “My favorite part of this outfit is definitely the shoes. They’re kind of like heels, but they’re way more comfortable, and I can walk around in them all day,” Racy said. For colder games later in the season, senior kinesiotherapy major Tyler Dubose styled a black Southern Miss polo under a grey knit sweater, khaki pants and Ralph Lauren boat shoes. He topped off the look with a watch, a bracelet representing his fraternity and a tie-dye bandanna. “It is comfortable, but at the same time, it looks good,” Dubose said. “If I’m going to go to a game and represent my school, I want to hold myself to a higher standard, look good and make a good impression.” Dubose said his tie-dye bandanna serves as both a functional accessory and a personal touch. “I just like the look. I don’t have to worry about my hair, it’s convenient and it shows a little bit of my personality,” he said. Senior kinesiotherapy major Katelyn Regan chose an outfit for colder games as well, pairing a gold knit sweater with a plaid skirt and classic Adidas shoes. To top off the outfit, Regan went with all gold accessories, from her earrings to her eyeshadow. “I always try to match my eyeshadow to whatever shirt or sweater I’m wearing,” she said. Regan said that although she wears her Adidas shoes almost daily, they are
Makayla Puckett | Printz
her favorite piece of her game-day attire. “I wear these Adidas everywhere, and I love them because they’re comfortable. I walk around a lot on game days. From tailgating to walking up the stands, it’s hard to be a girl wearing heels at football
games, so I just go with my Adidas,” Regan said. While each outfit incorporated black and gold to show support for Southern Miss, they all managed to be stylish, unique and above all, comfortable.
College Football: A Survival Guide LILLIE BUSCH PRINTZ REPORTER ou can hear it in the distance: thudding footfalls, energetic chants and popping beer cans. You smell the unavoidable combined stench of body sweat and greasy concession food. It must be something electric in the air, and your stomach drops like a weight. Ready or not, it’s football season. If you are not athletic or do not care about football, the fall season tends to be a tremendous chore. There is nothing on television besides sports coverage, and the city is flooded with avid sports fans on Saturdays. Worst of all, if you live on campus you must move your vehicle to accommodate for game attendees. But do not fear; the survival guide for college football is here. First, begin to utilize Saturdays. After a certain point in the afternoon, everyone will either be at the game, or at home and watching the game. This creates a variety of possibilities: grab the best seat in an empty movie theater or shop hassle-free at the mall. If there is an out-of-town game, then the world is your oyster for less road traffic and fewer crowds. Perhaps you still want to be social but not enter the stadium. If this sounds like you, then take advantage of the tailgating scene. Mill around, socialize and feast on the free food supplied by generous individuals. And no, contrary to popular belief, it is not a requirement to dress cute. It is much more important
to be comfortable than cute while out in the Southern heat. A third tip is to always be your own ride. Sometimes fans and other individuals find football events to be overwhelming with the noise, crowd and smell. It is not embarrassing to bring
Illustration by Lillie Busch | Printz
Great . . . it’s football season . . .
earplugs or leave early. Instead of carpooling, ride in your own vehicle so you are free to leave whenever ready. Another way to survive the football season is by simply watching the game on television. This method removes many toxic elements, such as rude fans or sensory overload, but still allows you to focus on the game. Hosting a house party allows you to enjoy the socialization of tailgating without the ants and hot, sticky weather. Of course, there are
also more extreme options for surviving (and enjoying) college football. Prime examples include cheering for the wrong team, becoming a concession stand connoisseur or fleeing North for the season. However, those methods have proven to be significantly unsuccessful. The best advice for enjoying college football is to spend it with friends and family. At the end of the day, football is simply another way to create fun memories, whether that means judging concession corndogs or playing cornhole while tailgating. Ultimately, it is up to you to make the most of football season. You can sit at home and complain about the increased traffic, or you can view the season in a kinder light by realizing it as a time for a local community to come together. Do what you will with this survival guide, because football is not disappearing any time soon.
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Football films break barriers between all Americans CONRAD ACOSTA PRINTZ REPORTER oncussion,” the 2015 Will Smith film, showed a vulnerable reality about a sport that is often glorified to the point where its athletes seemingly have few vulnerabilities. Football movies all do this in one capacity or another. They show a human side of football and allow their audiences to connect with the sport in ways that they might not have before. “Concussion” follows the real-life story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, a NigerianAmerican neuropathologist whose research on the effects of repeated blows to the head puts him at the center of a national controversy. Omalu’s research inspired both a medical and ethical debate about the physical toll that professional athletes endured for the general public’s entertainment, and “Concussion” brought this debate into the mainstream. It allowed people to have critical conversations about a sport that is so universally enjoyed in America by showing them a side of the human toll of American football that had been previously largely unknown. Take “Rudy” for example. As the story follows Rudy’s journey to play football at the University of Notre Dame, the audience is also shown a story about wanting to chase after an ambition despite knowing that the obstacles are stacked against you. Rudy knows that he doesn’t have the kind of prowess that most of the people who go to Notre Dame have, but his desire to play on the university’s football team pushes him to try anyway.
Five essential songs for game day WILLIAM LOWERY PRINTZ REPORTER “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones Pregame songs are key to building up anticipation throughout the stadium, and this classic song by The Rolling S tones does the trick. When the guitar riff kicks in, that is the cue to get people started up for the eventual kick-off. It is simple, rhythmic and easy to follow. “Start Me Up” might be the band’s most wellknown song, much of which has to do with its usage at sports events. “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones This is one of the most quintessential punk anthems, one that has been used in countless films, video games and football stadiums around the country. It is fast and energetic, and when the opening chorus goes “Aye, oh, let’s go” that is the cue for the games to truly begin. “We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions” by Queen The arena songs to end all arena songs, this pairing is guaranteed to ensure those in the stands will go into maximum overdrive when these tunes start playing. It has all the required ingredients of a perfect arena song. From the “stomp, stomp, clap” to the gridiron lyrics in “We Will Rock You,” this song has an empowering effect on any audience. What is even better is when the home team wins, which is the perfect time to bust out the second song in this pairing, “We Are the Champions.” It is the ultimate song of victory, one which says this team played tooth and nail to beat their opponents. “Power” by Kanye West This is a pumping and powerful song that encourages fans and members of all teams. “Power” encourages teammates to persist and never give up, even when the odds seem stacked. “Song 2” by Blur Some music inspires, and some music is about having fun. Blur’s “Song 2” is the latter. It gets crowds in the stands jumping and shouting along “Woohoo!”
Courtesy Photo from IMDB
The beauty of “Rudy” and similar movies is that you do not have to be a die-hard football fan in order to relate to Rudy’s story. People of nearly all paths can sympathize with the struggle to work against all odds. In this way, “Rudy” creates not only insight into the struggle that some athletes go through, but also a cultural connection between
those who are not fans of football and those who are. It is through this kind of connection that people who are forced to passively nod their way through conversations about the playoffs because they know nothing about the sport are allowed to be a part of this American tradition. By using football as a setting for stories
of universal struggles, football movies help to enrich the appreciation for the sport among those who do not entirely understand it. Football movies have also served the purpose of cementing football’s cultural significance. Both “The Blind Side” and “Remember the Titans” are movies that use stories of football players to make commentary on race and social growth. By having an audience connect to characters through the structure of a story about football, these movies show that football players do not exist in a vacuum completely separate from social issues and are equally impacted by them as anyone else. Football appears to be a cultural outlet for social progress as these movies show football players enjoying and excelling in the sport despite the social strife they may face off the field. When considering football movies both as a way to deepen cultural appreciation of football and as a way to cement the cultural importance of football, 2015’s “Concussion” fills both of these purposes. By showing the negative effects that repeated head trauma has on both the memory and mental health of football players, the movie gets its audience to appreciate the strain that athletes put themselves through. With the film showing how the NFL responded to the controversy surrounding the health of its athletes, the movie shows football to be relevant in a discussion about employers’ obligation to look out for their employees’ safety. “Concussion” reflects the cultural role of the football movie sub-genre, which is to show us a deeper perspective of a sport that we appreciate and enjoy so deeply as a society, and to allow us to connect on a more human level with those that continue on its tradition.
More Missy means more enjoyable football JACK MCCALLUM ENTERTAINMENT/OPINION EDITOR his year has been incredibly kind to Missy Elliott, and it is abundantly clear that celebrating her legacy at every football game is the only way to encourage attendance. Instead of the boring old hits of today and 80s dad rock typically played at sporting events, why not just play the entirety of Missy Elliott’s 2002 album “Under Construction”? Recipient of the MTV Video Vanguard Award and inductee in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Missy Elliott is a visionary whose legacy deserves to live on in sports arenas. Bands like Queen are still being played in sports settings purely to please the old men who crave the taste of an era before the internet. The lack of Missy Elliott in 2019 is appalling, and it is likely the main source for why there are not too many attendees at Southern Miss games. Having just released a new collection of songs with “Iconology,” Missy Elliott is more relevant than ever. Bops like “Throw it Back” bring the classic Missy sound to 2019 and are bound to get the crowd hyped. There is absolutely not a single person in the entire universe that would leave a football game where “Throw it Back” was played. Furthermore, older songs like “Lose Control” and “Work It” were meant to be transferred to the football field via the marching band. There is no reason why boring old dudes like Queen regularly receive a marching band treatment while funky, fresh, dressed-to-impress Missy Elliott is left to exclusively be played in 2000’s movie montages. The standard instrumentation of Missy’s hits with record scratches, bombastic bass and vibrant
Illustration by Darius Harris | Printz
horns make it hard not to blast her songs on full volume. Instead of explicit top 40 songs that leave the non-millennials nervous, why not play hits everyone loves like the clever and quirky classic “Work It”? It is disrespectful toward both Missy Elliott and Timbaland not to play “Work It” at least once per sports scenario. Besides constantly delivering with the earworms, Missy deserves attention from sports fans because these past few years have been all praise and celebration for the hip hop legend. After entering the Songwriters Hall of Fame and receiving the MTV Video Vanguard, the universe is telling us that this is Missy’s time. Her legacy is on the rise and she should be lifted to the highest of
recognition, which is by playing her music for the Hattiesburgers and all those who attend Southern Miss football games. So, football fans and gatekeepers of stadium tunes, the universe has already started paying Missy her dues, and it is time for you to hop on the train. Football and sporting events as a whole are boring, and the hot dogs are currently the only thing to keep one’s interest. It might be hard for some to admit, but Missy Elliott might be the saving grace of not just Southern Miss football, but all football everywhere. With all that Missy Elliott has given to society, we as a people deserve to give back and celebrate her greatness in all areas of life, including sporting events.
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What to expect at your first home game LANIE LEACH PRINTZ REPORTER hether you are a freshman, a transfer student or you have simply never been to a Southern Miss football game, lean back, put on your favorite pair of readers and absorb every word. Southern Miss football holds a special place in my heart. My dad went to Southern Miss and was determined to make me a Golden Eagle as well. He definitely succeeded, because until the age of 12, I had never been to another stadium, let alone even considered going to another team’s
games. In my mind, Southern Miss was the only way. Before the first home game, signing up for the Student Eagle Club is a must. For $20 a year, Student Eagle Club members receive premier seating at football games, a t-shirt, tailgates with free food, along with a handful of other benefits. If you do not sign up before the first home game on Aug. 31, you’ll have to hike up the ramp of death to get to your seat in the nosebleed section. One of my favorite spots in the Rock to watch the game is on top of the end zone. To get there, you have to be at the top of the ramp and walk over to the upper patio of the end zone. It is such an interesting view and isn’t as crowded as the student
section, even though the student section isn’t normally that crowded. Another one of my favorite spots is at the top of the Rock. This spot will always hold a special place in my heart because my family cheered on the Eagles from there for so many years—it always made me feel like I was getting an eagle’s eye view of the games, pun intended. The biggest downside to the Rock is the way the stadium is shaped. The stadium is so incredibly steep that every time I walk up to the top, I feel like I’m going to fall off, land in someone’s lap in the lower half and die. Although it’s exciting that alcohol will now be served at the games, I highly suggest staying at the lower level for safety precautions if
you can’t hold your alcohol. Something else to keep in mind is that Southern Miss is not a SEC school. Although we don’t have the same amount of support as SEC schools, our football games can still be just as much fun. If you’re trying to figure out how to dress, just know anything from super casual to super cute is totally acceptable. Southern Miss football is an experience in itself. Tailgating in the District, the Eagle Walk, pregame and halftime are some of my favorite memories as a child. I loved getting to see Seymour, yell out the Nasty Bunch cheer and watch the Dixie Darlings strut across the field. No matter if the Eagles win or lose, the games are always a great experience.
Student focus incentivizes game attendance WILLIAM LOWERY PRINTZ REPORTER rom reaching out to local businesses to expanding on pre-game student activities, there are a few ways in which Southern Miss football could raise their game attendance. Southern Miss football resumes Aug. 31 as the Golden Eagles go up against Alcorn State. As the team wages competition against their opponents, the university must figure out how to convince people to come and watch the Golden Eagles play. Attendance during home games has consistently been weak. During the 2018 season, the average number of people in the stands was 22,744. This sounds like a lot, but when the M.M. Roberts Stadium is capable of holding 36,000 individuals, that number becomes quite small. Southern Miss has been trying new ideas to get people in, like recently announcing they will be selling alcoholic beverages during home games starting Sept. 28. With a new semester of classes starting soon, now is the chance for the administration to persuade returning and new students into supporting the Golden Eagles. One of the ways they can do this is by hosting better pre-game events. Tailgating is the most popular pre-
game pastime, and while these do get people into the football spirit, it is not enough. Other universities dabble in different areas to bring in crowds. For example, Louisiana State University holds concerts featuring performances from local artists. Southern Miss could reach out to local businesses in Hattiesburg with the intent of holding sponsored concerts or other events out on Eagle Walk. Another way to convince students to come out is by hosting tailgating events exclusive to a particular student body, such as freshmen and sophomores, as a sign of gratitude for being a Southern Miss student. In general, there should be more focus and recognition for the students who put in their hard-earned time and money to study at this university. As much as football games celebrate the spirit of the university, it is the students who are the ones making it possible. In a yearly report published by C-USA, Southern Miss ranked the lowest in terms of financial performance against the other C-USA schools, earning under $24 million dollars. A large part of the reason why is because of low attendance at the home football games. The ideas mentioned above could help out the university in the long run. A lot of students are not even interested in sports, but hosting a special event before the game could possibly convince them to come and support the Golden Eagles.
Game Attendance Numbers for 2018 Season
Graphic by Kathleen Hetherington | Printz
SPORTS
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2019 DEPTH
16 Quez Watkins
79 Drake Dorbeck 76 Ty Pollard 57 Trace Clopton
68 Bryce Foxworth 63 Arvin Fletcher 38 Naricuss Driver 15 Jack Abraham
22 Trivensky Mosley
99 Jacques Turner
DEFENSE
OFFENSE
80 Jordan Mitchell
55 Demarrio Smith 51 Von’Darius Freeman 16 Torrence Brown 6 Santrell Latham 41 Racheem Boothe 21 Rachuan Mitchell 15 Shannon Showers 19 Ky’el Hemby 7 Ty Williams 12 D.Q Thomas
SPECIALIST
CHART 93 Zac Everett
40 Briggs Bourgeois 61 T.J. Harvey 2 Jaylond Adams
18 De’Michael Harris
98 Andrew Stein