| Tuesday, October 22, 2024 |
| MSU-Meridian celebrates new Interprofessional Simulation Program | |
 | MSU-Meridian instructors and administrators were joined by elected officials, community members and healthcare leaders Monday as they unveiled the new Interprofessional Simulation Program at the college's downtown campus. David Buys, interim head of campus, said the new program will allow students in MSU-Meridian's healthcare programs an opportunity to put into practice the skills they learned in the classroom before practicing on real patients. Simulators, he said, have proven to be impactful both as learning tools and in reducing the number of medical errors in a clinical practice. "Our simulation facilities here at MSU-Meridian give students a safe place to put into practice what they may have read in their textbooks or what they may have heard from their instructors before they go into a clinical setting," he said. Monday's event, which included both a ribbon cutting and press conference, was the culmination of years of work by numerous individuals and organizations, Buys said, including a $6.1 million gift from The Riley Foundation, which helped pay for the new program to be built. MSU President Mark Keenum said Mississippi State is a relative newcomer to the healthcare field, but its programs already stand for themselves. The Interprofessional Simulation Program, he said, is the only such program at a four-year institution in the state. "So when we get into it, we get into it in a major way," he said. "We're going to be world class in anything we do, and that's a commitment to the quality of the people that we have here." |
| MSU-Meridian unveils brand new medical simulation program | |
 | The ribbon was cut for the new Interprofessional Simulation Program at MSU-Meridian. This is the first accredited medical simulation program in the state of Mississippi. It puts students in a real-world medical scenario, training them for nearly every situation. The simulator has exam rooms, virtual anatomy tables, and even life-like mannequins that are able to speak, blink, and even mimic breathing patterns. Governor Reeves believes this training ground is a part of the solution to the lack of healthcare professionals in the magnolia state. "When I think about this simulation center, I think about all the good that it can do. It can do great good in training the healthcare professionals of tomorrow, which is incredibly important obviously to Mississippi State, but it's also incredibly important to the future of Mississippi. We need more workers in the healthcare field. We've got to continue to. Work to drive down our negative outcomes in healthcare and simulation centers like this will certainly do that." Dr. Mark Keenum, President of Mississippi State, says this facility is world-class and will provide the best training for any student, but Keenum says this is only the beginning of what he wants to offer in Meridian. |
| MSU's famous Maroon Band takes on other bands in Starkville | |
 | It's football season at Mississippi State, but there is also another team taking to the field on October 26's "The Famous Maroon Band". The band's associate director took time to brief Oktibbeha County business and community leaders on what's going on with the band. Or, the *bands*. The marching band is one of several. There are 4 concert bands, a Jazz Band, the Basketball Pep Band, and the Community Band. Band members also take part in volunteer activities off the field in the community. The Famous Maroon Band is the largest university band in Mississippi and has been taking to the field for the past 122 years. And, most of its members are homegrown. "We do a lot of recruiting, both in state and regionally. Most of our students come from either Mississippi or states in the immediate region, so we focus our recruiting efforts there. But we do have students that come from all over the country", said Craig Aarhus, Associate Director of Bands at Mississippi State University. |
| Columbus man pleads guilty to murder in 2023 Starkville shooting | |
 | A 20-year-old Lowndes County man avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty to first-degree murder Thursday. Tyshawn De'vontea Marquez Henley of Columbus was initially charged with capital murder in the April 2023 shooting death of Kirby Sherman, 31, of Starkville. Authorities said he was charged with capital murder because the killing took place while a robbery was being committed. Henley entered his plea last week in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court. Following the plea, Judge Michelle Easterling sentenced Henley to life in prison, the only sentence available for first-degree murder. Starkville police officers responded to the Blake Court townhouses at 1220 Louisville Street around 7:30 p.m. April 4, 2023, after being notified that shots had been fired. Responding officers found Sherman unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Henley fled the scene but was captured in Columbus less than 24 hours later by the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force. Henley remains in the Oktibbeha County Jail waiting to be transferred to the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. |
| Q&A: The lasting impact of opening the Bonnet Carré Spillway on Coastal Mississippi's economy | |
 | In 2019, the Mississippi Sound was devastated by flooding from the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway. The intentional overflow was done to relieve strain on the City of New Orleans' levee system, but new reports show the freshwater inflow permanently changed the ecosystem. As a result, Mississippi's coastal communities lost millions in wages and seafood revenue. The Gulf States Newsroom's Maya Miller sat down with Mississippi Public Broadcasting's Michael McEwen, who has been covering the aftermath since 2023, to discuss the impacts on the seafood and tourism industries that have sustained the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coast for generations. |
| Secretary of state says Mississippians can have faith in election process | |
| With just over two weeks until Election Day, Mississippians are gearing up to cast their ballots for several statewide elections and a contentious presidential election. Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson wants voters to know the election process is safe in the Magnolia State. Although government, court, and other third-party research shows that voter fraud is extremely rare, a nationwide NPR poll says 6 in 10 Americans are concerned about interference that could influence the upcoming election. Watson vouches that his office, along with the state legislature, has added every possible safeguard to protect election integrity. "I hate when people say, 'You're just trying to make it hard on people to vote.' No, we aren't," Watson said during an appearance on MidDays with Gerard Gibert. "We're trying to follow the law and make sure there's integrity in the process. That's what we're doing." Watson, who will also aid other secretaries of state on election night as the incoming president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, encouraged voters to hold their local election officials accountable. One way to do that, according to Watson, is to check voter roll numbers on the secretary of state office's website -- data which is updated monthly. "I'm really comfortable with where we are," Watson said. "I think we've done a great job and appreciate the legislature's help." |
| Central Supreme Court, Southern Court of Appeals races to watch in Mississippi Nov. 5 | |
| Two judicial races in Mississippi are pulling in big donations ahead of Election Day on November 5th. The state Supreme Court District 1, Position 3 race in Central Mississippi features five candidates, with two names bubbling to the top of the fundraising leader board down the stretch. State Senator Jenifer Branning, 45, has raised nearly $670,000 this calendar year in her bid to unseat incumbent Justice Jim Kitchens. Kitchens, 81, has served on the state Supreme Court since 2009. Kitchens' campaign reported contributions of just under $300,000 this calendar year, leaving him with roughly $99,000 cash on hand. Branning, who has represented Senate District 18 since 2016 as a Republican, reported over $350,000 cash on hand a month out from Election Day in her campaign's October filing. While judicial races are non-partisan, Branning has benefitted from her political party affiliation with legislative leaders endorsing her candidacy as well as receiving the backing of the Mississippi Republican Party. While the Mississippi Democratic Party has not endorsed any judicial candidates this cycle, Kitchens has previously received notable endorsements and financial backing in prior elections from prominent Democrats such as former Governor Ronnie Musgrove, former Attorney General Mike Moore, and former Secretary of State Dick Molpus. Presidential election turnout could factor into this race, as Kitchens will likely benefit from a heavy Democrat voter turnout in the Central Mississippi region. Democratic presidential nominees have traditionally outperformed Republicans in this area despite the Republican nominees winning the state. |
| Lumumba dodges questions days after second conspirator pleads guilty in bribery scandal | |
 | Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba dodged questions Monday surrounding the bribery scandal that has taken down two conspirators so far, one of which was Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee. "This is the only thing that I will say... I have never conspired with anyone to commit a crime," Lumumba said at his weekly Monday press conference. He repeated that answer several times to similar versions of the same question. It was the mayor's first appearance before the media since last Thursday's guilty plea detailed meetings with two elected Jackson officials. "That's the basis of it and that's all that I will share," Lumumba said. "There may come a time and place where I will expound on that at an appropriate moment, but at this point in time that's all I have to represent." Lumumba did not appear as self-assured as he normally does at the weekly press conferences. He referred to attorneys advising him as to the language he should use. Lumumba noted he himself is a former defense attorney. The mayor's comments come four days after the guilty plea of Sherik Marve' Smith, the second conspirator involved in the bribery scandal. Smith pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges last week. Asked why he thinks the FBI is interested in the City of Jackson, Lumumba again said the question should be "directed to those who are hosting the investigation." |
| Most voters think the economy is poor, but split on whether Trump or Harris can fix it: AP-NORC poll | |
| Voters remain largely divided over whether they prefer Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris to handle key economic issues, although Harris earns slightly better marks on elements such as taxes for the middle class, according to a new poll. A majority of registered voters in the survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research describe the economy as poor. About 7 in 10 say the nation is going in the wrong direction. But the findings reaffirm that Trump has lost what had been an advantage on the economy, which many voters say is the most important issue this election season above abortion, immigration, crime and foreign affairs. "Do I trust Trump on the economy? No. I trust that he'll give tax cuts to his buddies like Elon Musk," said poll respondent Janice Tosto, a 59-year-old Philadelphia woman and self-described independent. An AP-NORC poll conducted in September found neither Harris nor Trump had a clear advantage on handling "the economy and jobs." But this poll asked more specific questions about whether voters trusted Trump or Harris to do a better job handling the cost of housing, jobs and unemployment, taxes on the middle class, the cost of groceries and gas, and tariffs. The poll found that 46% of voters prefer Harris on middle-class taxes, compared to 35% for Trump. Harris also has a slight advantage on the cost of housing. Voters are about evenly divided on whether Trump or Harris is better on prices for everyday essentials like groceries and gas, and neither candidate has an edge on jobs and unemployment. |
| Trump and Harris dig in, especially in Pennsylvania | |
 | As former President Donald Trump served french fries and manned the drive-thru at a Pennsylvania McDonald's on Sunday, the close presidential race seemed to shift into a new phase as analysts predict a wild finish. Polling in the Republican nominee's general election race against Vice President Kamala Harris has been relatively stable for weeks, with some battleground state polls recently shifting slightly to Trump before a series of polls released Monday showed slight shifts to Harris. While these polls all point to a toss-up race, two forecasters -- ABC News's 538 and Nate Silver's Silver Bulletin -- upgraded Trump's chances at winning the Electoral College at 52 percent and 53 percent, respectively. At this point in the 2020 race in Pennsylvania, for instance, Joe Biden led Trump by 3.8 percentage points, according to polling calculations by RealClearPolitics, which four years before had former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading Trump in the must-win swing state by 6.2 percentage points. Trump, who out-performed his polling numbers in the commonwealth in 2016 and 2020, leads by 0.7 point, according to RealClear's metric. This is all playing out as both candidates are spending extended time in the Keystone State. Some Democrats mocked Trump's appearance at a Golden Arches franchise in Feasterville-Trevose, in sought-after Bucks County in the Philadelphia suburbs, but it was a highly choreographed retail move. |
| A frustrated Supreme Court to look at one version of judge shopping | |
 | The Supreme Court said Monday it would weigh in on at least one version of what is derisively called "judge shopping." That is the phenomenon of plaintiffs going to great lengths to file cases with judges they think are sympathetic to their views. Both liberal and conservative lawyers have "judge-shopped" to one degree or another. But in recent years, business interests, conservative groups, and some red state attorneys general have been laser focused on bringing their challenges in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. Of the 17 active judges on that appeals court, 12 are Republican appointees, half of whom are Trump appointees. In short, it is easily the most conservative federal appeals court in the country, and the preferred circuit for conservative plaintiffs. "This isn't exactly judge shopping," observes Georgetown University law professor Stephen Vladeck. "It's circuit shopping." Indeed, nearly a quarter of the cases -- 23.4% -- the Supreme Court has targeted for review this term so far come from the Fifth Circuit, according to Vladeck. And several justices have, by innuendo, expressed frustration about the circuit's aggressive behavior. |
| U.S. Senate candidate Ty Pinkins speaks to UM NAACP | |
 | Ty Pinkins, Mississippi's Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, spoke to the University of Mississippi's NAACP chapter in Barnard Observatory on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Dianne Dodson Black, the Democratic 1st Congressional District candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, also attended. Throughout the event, Pinkins talked about women's rights and racial justice. If elected senator, Pinkins said, he wants to codify Roe v. Wade. "Putting it into law so that women can feel secure that this precedent that had existed for 50 years, that they had relied on, exists again. I say equality because you can't think that you can take away a right from a specific group of people, women in this case, and assume that they aren't showing up to the polls," Pinkins said. Pinkins also emphasized the importance of young adults voting. "In about four, eight, 12 years, you're going to be starting a family somewhere in this state or in this country. Getting to the polls this year (and) making your voice heard is you playing a role in manipulating and affecting those policies that are going to affect you down the road. That's why it's so important that we not think short-term with regard to why it's important for young people to get out and vote," Pinkins said. |
| Itawamba Community College breaks ground on truck driving center | |
| Itawamba Community College broke ground Monday on a new driving center set to teach students who aspire to join the commercial trucking industry. The 8,504-square-foot facility will be located across the street from the school's Tupelo campus and include multiple truck bays, a lab with a truck driving simulator, a classroom, an exterior wash bay, three offices, and a storage area. "Today, we break ground on a facility that will not only enhance our institution but will also help us to better a need in our region and beyond," Itawamba Community College President Dr. Jay Allen said. "This new Commercial Truck Driving Training Center symbolizes more than the start of another construction project but represents our continued commitment to education, workforce development, and the future of our students. "Our goal, as always, is to provide sustainable pathways to success, and this center will do just that by providing a space for our students to learn and train for a critical role in today's economy." According to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, there are currently 10,000 truck drivers in north Mississippi alone, and projections indicate there will be 1,200 openings annually. On a national scale, the trucking market is expected to grow at a 3% rate annually through 2027. |
| ICC breaks ground on Commercial Truck Driving Training Center | |
| Itawamba Community College broke ground Monday on its new Commercial Truck Driving Training Center, which will be located at the driving range across the street from the school's Tupelo Campus. While part of the property will remain a driving range, the rest will be taken up by a new 8,504-square-foot facility that includes four truck bays, a lab with a truck-driving simulator, classroom space, an exterior wash bay, three offices and storage space. The facility will be a big change for the trucking program; its indoor space currently consists of one small classroom, Barry Emison told the Daily Journal. Emison is ICC's vice president of career and workforce education. PryorMorrow designed the new facility, and Hooker Construction of Thaxton is building it. ICC hopes to see the building open and taking students in fall 2025, Emison said. Once the facility is up and running, not only will ICC be able to take on more trucking students at a time, but the college plans to begin offering semester-long, federally-accredited CTD programs, which will allow semester-students access to Pell Grants and federal student loans, Emison told the Journal. Students in the four-to-six week programs are not eligible for federal aid, though employers often sponsor employees to take the course. |
| The Cost of College Tuition Is Shrinking | |
 | The actual price of tuition at many of America's colleges continued a steady, decade-long decline as the sector enters an era of shrinking high-school enrollments and greater competition, according to analysis released Monday by the College Board. While sticker prices have continued to balloon to as large as $100,000 at some private, nonprofit universities, the average net price -- the remaining cost of tuition after institutional and grant aid is deducted -- for undergraduate students entering their freshman year at these institutions clocked in at $16,510 for the 2024-25 academic year, down from $19,330 in 2006-07 (adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars). Net prices at public institutions followed similar trend lines: $2,480 was the average amount charged in 2024-25 at in-state, four-year institutions, down from $4,340 in 2012-13 (inflation adjusted); and, according to the College Board, freshmen attending two-year colleges continue to receive on average enough grant aid to cover tuition and fees, a trend that dates back to 2009-10. Across all three types of institutions, the inflation-adjusted average of published tuition and fees peaked in 2019-20 and is anticipated to continue to decline through 2024-25, while the Consumer Price Index has increased by 23 percent during this same period. |
| State Aid Kept Public Tuition From Outpacing Inflation | |
 | Although average college tuition and fees has increased since last year, prices at public colleges and universities are rising at a slower pace than inflation. That finding -- which means the inflation-adjusted cost of college has actually decreased over time, even amid prevailing public perceptions that the cost of college has become so high that it's not worth it -- is the key takeaway of the College Board's 2024 "Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid" annual report, released Monday. "Several public college and university systems continued tuition freezes in 2024–25," Jennifer Ma, executive research scientist at College Board and coauthor of the report, said in a news release. "After adjusting for inflation, the average published tuition and fees in all three major sectors are lower in 2024–25 than in 2019–20, before the COVID-19 pandemic." General inflation for 2024 stands at 3.1 percent, but for in-district students attending public two-year colleges during the 2024–25 academic year, average published tuition and fees increased by 2.5 percent; for in-state students at public four-year institutions, it increased by 2.7 percent. And while the 3.9 percent increase in published tuition and fees at private nonprofit four-year institutions outpaced inflation this year, the average $43,350 annual cost is still lower than its inflation-adjusted peak in 2019. |
| New campus protest rules spur an outcry from college faculty | |
| Dissent is thriving this fall at American colleges, and not just among student activists. With student protests limited by new restrictions, faculty have taken up the cause. To faculty, new protest rules threaten freedom of speech -- and the freedom to think, both central to university life. This semester, some of the most visible demonstrations have involved professors speaking up for the right to protest itself. Last spring, pro-Palestinian tent encampments crowded schools and disrupted commencement plans, drawing accusations of antisemitism and prompting new limits. At Indiana University, an "expressive activity policy" rolled out in August prohibits protests after 11 p.m., bans camping on campus, and requires pre-approval for signs. In defiance, each Sunday a group of faculty members, students and community members gather on campus for candlelight vigils that extend past the 11 p.m. deadline. Russ Skiba, a professor emeritus who has attended the vigils, said the new restrictions are part of a larger movement to limit academic freedom on campuses. "Universities are bastions of free speech, but when you have a movement that is anti-democratic, one of the places that is most attacked is freedom of speech," Skiba said. Faculty members at colleges elsewhere around the country have pushed back on the new rules with protests, vigils and demands for explanation. |
| Conservatives seek to build on recent court wins on education | |
 | Conservatives have had an aggressive and largely successful campaign in recent years taking education issues to the court system, a combination of decades of ground work, a better political climate and a friendlier Supreme Court. In the past few years, Republicans have snatched high-profile wins at the high court, including blocking student debt relief and getting rid of affirmative action in college applications, as well as making significant strides in school choice policies. Those on the right are trying to capitalize on that momentum, but experts emphasize that the issues haven't changed just because former President Trump was able to appoint three Supreme Court justices. "I can't conceive of anybody who would launch an effort saying, 'Let's try to get this school approved now because there's a 6-3 conservative majority.' I don't think it works that way," said Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. "I mean, clearly it seems like the legal environment is obviously more congenial to things that conservatives have always wanted, but it's not like they want those things because there's a conservative majority," Pondiscio added. "You might be more likely to pursue legal remedies, you know, to get things done, but it's a question of carts and horses, you know, like the education cart is not pulling the legal horse, so to speak -- it's the other way around." |
| Kamala Harris Is Winning Over College Students in Michigan. The Uncommitted Movement Could Still Cost Her the Election. | |
 | Jesse Estrada White is torn about what to do in the voting booth, in part because he knows the stakes. The 21-year-old Michigan State University senior was a leading activist in the pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. Heading into the primary in February, many such activists withheld their votes from President Joe Biden in protest of his support for Israel, hoping to pressure him into a policy change. But now that the general election looms and there's still no concrete policy shift in sight, Estrada White faces a dilemma that many college-age voters in the state are wrestling with: He is reluctant to support Kamala Harris, whom he sees as supportive of Israel's actions in Gaza, but he really doesn't want to see Trump win. He dreads a Trump return to power. Yet he is unsure whether he can bring himself to vote for Harris. "I'll never not vote," the 21-year-old senior vows. "I'll always vote down-ticket. And I don't believe voting third party is an effective strategy here in this state. It's a swing state; we have a lot to win and lose. ... For me, my vote is -- like, Harris has to do something to win it. I need to see [a] policy that says something in Israel is going to change." Behold, the predicament of one "uncommitted" college-age voter in Michigan. In this, Estrada White has company on campus. The question of just how much, and what they ultimately decide to do, may determine the presidency. |
| College Divide Erodes Democrats' Support From Black and Hispanic Voters | |
 | For Democrats seeking to win key swing states next month, a troubling pattern is emerging within Black and Hispanic communities: the college diploma divide. Support for the Democratic Party rose in highly educated Black and Hispanic neighborhoods between 2016 and 2020, but it stagnated or even declined in similar less-educated areas, a Wall Street Journal analysis of granular voting and demographic data found. In 2020, key swing states shifted toward Joe Biden from 2016 by 3.1 percentage points, and his support in highly educated Black and Hispanic communities increased an additional 1.3 percentage points. His performance lagged behind by 3.6 points in similar neighborhoods with low college graduation rates. "College education is becoming a bigger factor than race and ethnicity," said Mike Madrid, a GOP strategist and senior fellow at the University of California, Irvine's, School of Social Ecology, who reviewed the Journal's findings. This divergence around education in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods persisted during the 2022 midterm elections, the Journal found, and mirrors a familiar pattern among white voters, where educational attainment has become a political fault line. The findings help explain polling trends that have shown support slipping for Democrats among Latino and Black voters. |
SPORTS
| Lebby feels MSU on verge of turning the corner against visiting Arkansas | |
| It's been a tough first season at Mississippi State University for head coach Jeff Lebby, but the former Oklahoma offensive coordinator can see success just around the corner for the Bulldogs. Lebby is hoping that comes this Saturday when Mississippi State (1-6, 0-4) hosts Arkansas (4-3, 2-2) in an 11:45 a.m. clash at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. This match up comes after the Bulldogs pushed SEC co-leader Texas A&M before the Aggies took a 34-24 decision. "I feel it," Lebby said Monday during his weekly press conference. "Our guys inside the building feel it every single day. It is an incredibly fine line where we have a chance to have a happy locker room if two things are different inside the game. It's that close. "Us understanding that with our preparation, dialing in to that piece of that and out-preparing our opponent starting today and finding a way to make that jump. There has been great improvement. We've gotten better but we need to get better and need to win. That's what we're striving to go do." Lebby is impressed with what he has seen on video from the Razorbacks. "You see a physical football team that plays with a ton of effort," Lebby said. "It's all over the tape and it's in all three phases. Another really good SEC opponent that has won two SEC games. They'll be coming in here Saturday morning and we'll have to go play for victory." |
| Why Jeff Lebby isn't concerned over Mississippi State football QB Blake Shapen foot injury | |
| Blake Shapen was on the Mississippi State football sideline Saturday and appeared to be in good spirits. The starting quarterback observed warmups and went through an elaborate pregame handshake with top wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. It was Shapen's first appearance since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury on Sept. 28 against Florida. However, Shapen was wearing a boot on his left foot -- his shoulder was not in a sling -- while he watched MSU (1-6, 0-4 SEC) fall 34-24 to Texas A&M (6-1, 4-0). Coach Jeff Lebby didn't seem concerned on Monday about Shapen's foot injury. "I thought that might come up," Lebby said. "His foot is fine. He's out of the boot today." The Bulldogs said they will try to get a medical redshirt for Shapen, who played four games this season but already utilized a redshirt year while at Baylor. True freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. has started the past three games in Shapen's place. |
| 'Let the horse eat': Pittman plans to feed Arkansas freshman RB Russell the ball | |
| University of Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman called running back Braylen Russell into his office on Monday morning. The move wasn't to discuss any discipline or off-the-field matters. It was to inject some juice into the freshman from Benton. With starting tailback Ja'Quinden Jackson's availability in question for Saturday's game at Mississippi State due to an ankle injury, Russell's role is likely to expand along with that of Rashod Dubinion and potentially Rodney Hill. Arkansas (4-3, 2-2 SEC) will be trying to break a two-game losing streak to Mississippi State (1-6, 0-4 SEC) when the long-time SEC West rivals kick it off at 11:45 a.m. Central from Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss. "Well, I trust all of them," Pittman said of the running back crew, "but I think let's saddle up Braylen Russell and let's go." Pittman said his advice to Russell was, "Hey man, you want it, go take it." Jackson came off the field twice during last Saturday's 34-10 loss to No. 8 LSU with aggravations to the ankle injury that has slowed him for parts of the season since training camp. The 6-2, 233-pound transfer from Utah did not return after going down early in the fourth quarter and eventually being taken to the locker room for further testing. Mississippi State has been susceptible to the ground game, ranking last in the 16-team SEC by allowing 192.4 rushing yards per game, which is 28 yards more per game than Florida in 15th place. |
| Weed Ties NCAA Lowest Par Record in Opening Day of The Ally | |
| After the opening round of The Ally, the Mississippi State Bulldogs sit in second place at 9-under par. Leading the Dawgs in the first round was Avery Weed, who tied an NCAA Record and set a new career and program-best. Weed finished the opening round at 11-under par, which tied the NCAA record versus par. She became the fifth player in history of collegiate women's golf to shoot 11-under in a single round. Lauren Olivares from NC State was the last golfer to do such when she shot a 60, the lowest round in NCAA history, on a par 71 course. Weed's score of 61 set a program-record for best round of any Mississippi State Bulldog, as she broke Julia Lopez Ramirez's record by two strokes, which was set at the Sam Golden Invitational in the 2021-22 season. Weed played bogey-free golf throughout the entirety of her round, as she picked up five birdies and three eagles on her opening day. She became the first Bulldog to tally three eagles in a single round of golf this year. The Ally will continue Tuesday as State will begin teeing off at 10 a.m. |
| Southern Miss AD promises wide scope in coaching search, attempt to reignite football success | |
| On Sunday, Southern Miss announced the termination of head coach Will Hall with five games remaining in his fourth year as the boss in Hattiesburg. Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain spoke to the media on Monday to unravel the next steps to fill the now-vacant position. Many felt that a change was coming at Southern Miss after the Golden Eagles finished the nonconference portion of the schedule 1-3 -- punctuated by a 44-7 whipping at the hands of second-year FBS program Jacksonville State on September 21. But there continued to be no movement at the top, even after two straight double-digit losses to open the Sun Belt schedule. McClain said on Monday that, though the results didn't reflect it on the field, good things happening in the program informed a more patient approach. "Up unto this point, I think the best thing for our players was Will Hall. I think that was 100% accurate," McClain said. "They love him. They've played hard for him. We just got to the point in the season where it was time to do something different." Southern Miss will partner with a national search firm to assist in the process and induce efficiency, which is of particular importance with the looming early signing date coming the first week of December and the transfer portal reopening on December 9th. With those approaches dates ahead, McClain says he wants to have the new hire named by the end of November. |
| Texas fans must use better discretion after SEC fine for debris thrown on field, Sarkisian says | |
| Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday the No. 5 Longhorns have a "passionate fanbase" that needs to use "better discretion" after the school was fined and threatened with further sanctions by the Southeastern Conference over fans throwing water bottles and trash on the field during the loss to No. 1 Georgia. Texas fans pelted the field in the third quarter Saturday night after an apparent pass interference penalty against the Longhorns, prompting the game to be briefly delayed for cleanup before the penalty was ultimately reversed. Sarkisian during the game went on the field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to implore fans to stop throwing things. "I know that we've got a passionate fanbase and I think that showed Saturday night. I think we all were a little upset in that moment. I just think that we've all got to use a little better discretion in moments like that," Sarkisian said. "We don't want that to be the narrative that that's what DKR is all about," Sarkisian said. "It was too good of a football game for that to be the focal point of it all. I think in the end they got it (the penalty reversal) right." School administrators and SEC officials condemned the acts on Sunday. After finding the officials made the correct call, the SEC fined Texas $250,000 and said the school must meet requirements assigned by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. |
| Mario Chalmers NIL Lawsuit Should be Dismissed, NCAA Argues to Court | |
| The NCAA, conferences and Turner Sports contend an antitrust lawsuit brought by Mario Chalmers and 15 other former college basketball players over the use of their NIL in broadcasts is barred by the passage of time and the limitations of law. The defendants' arguments are detailed in a motion to dismiss filed last Friday in the Southern District of New York and authored by Rakesh N. Kilaru and more than two dozen other attorneys. Chalmers, who starred for the Kansas Jayhawks before playing nine years in the NBA, is leading a group of athletes who played for the 1997, 2008, 2011 and 2014 NCAA championship teams. They sued in July, a month after former Utah Jazz forward Thurl Bailey and nine teammates from North Carolina State's 1983 championship team started a similar lawsuit in North Carolina. The plaintiffs' basic legal theory is that the NCAA, six conferences (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC) and broadcast partner Turner Sports Interactive have illegally conspired in violation of antitrust law to use their NIL without paying royalties. The players' complaint details videos "prominently placed on NCAA.com" and on multiple YouTube channels. These videos, which feature memorable moments from the past, generate advertising revenue, publicity and other value to the defendants. The Chalmers and Bailey cases are occurring while the NCAA is being sued by Terrelle Pryor, Reggie Bush and former Michigan football stars in separate cases over unpaid NIL. |
| Tired of NIL and transfer portal? Consider pulling for Army or Navy | |
| Mississippi sports columnist Rick Cleveland writes: Are you, as many, disillusioned with the current state of college football? Join the club. You don't like the transfer portal because your favorite player this season might score his touchdowns for your arch-rival next year? I feel you. You say you don't care for the NIL because you don't think 20-year-old quarterbacks should make twice as much money as college presidents and heart surgeons? You are not alone. You liked it far better when college players mostly played for the love of the game and not for the almighty dollar? Boy oh boy, do I have two teams for you: Army and Navy. Take your pick. Both are undefeated. Both are nationally ranked. Neither pays its players. Neither recruits players from the transfer portal. The Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen are true student-athletes. They go to class and make their grades or they don't play. Many were honor students, if not valedictorians, at their high schools. They don't leave school after three years to go to the NFL. No, they become military officers and serve their country after four years of a rigorous, world-class education. ... Mississippi is represented on both the Army and Navy teams. Chance Keith, a former Biloxi High player, is a senior defensive back at Army. Sophomore tight end Jake Norris of Madison Central and freshman cornerback Noah Short of Madison-Ridgeland Academy both play for Navy. |
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