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SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927

Thursday, March 24, 2011

ON CAMPUS

Sculptures stand no more Stormy Speaks Printz Writer

Shortly before the start of spring break, five sculptures that adorned the campus of Southern Miss were removed as the centennial year came to a close. To celebrate the university’s centennial in 2010, the Southern Miss College of Arts and Letters hosted a national Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition competition, and a jury selected five winners to display their works on campus for the duration of the centennial year. Each winner was awarded a $2,100 prize, making the total cost of the venture $10,500, a very cost-effective way to participate in the centennial, according to Dean of the College of Arts and Letters Denise von Herrmann. The works were placed at various locations in order to “complement the natural beauty of the

Volume 95 Issue 46

GREEKS DANCE IN THE MOONLIGHT

campus,” according to the application released by the Department of Art and Design, who formulated the contest and assembled the jury. The five works chosen were Inside Out, a steel statue displayed outside the International Building; Midsummer, a steel and paint sculpture displayed outside the Liberal Arts Building; Death Is Unacceptable, a stone arch displayed between the Cook and McCain libraries; Recover, a steel and wood sculpture displayed near the Mannoni Performing Arts Center; and Thrive, an aluminum and steel figure displayed next to a stop sign near the Fine Arts Building. Art technician James Davis directed the installation of the sculptures and chose the locations they would call home for the next year. He picked the locations

See SCULPTURES, 3

Jordan Moore/Printz

Greek organizations Zeta Phi Beta and Phi Beta Sigma celebrate their Blue White Week. Their philanthropy event, called “Sleepout for the Homeless,” occurred Wednesday from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. on Weathersby Lawn. The evening included a moonlight stepshow.

ON CAMPUS

USM baseball to host game ‘Parrothead-style’ Jonathan Andrews Printz Writer The Golden Eagle baseball team, USM Alumni Association and athletics department are working with Jimmy Buffett to bring Margaritaville to the Pete on April 15. In addition to the team’s blue floral print jerseys adorned with stylized “Parrothead” version of Seymour, Jerry DeFatta promises much more Buffett-themed fun for what the USM Alumni Association is calling “Parrotthead Night at the Pete.”

STREET CAR

DeFatta, the executive director of the alumni association, said the first 3,000 fans to arrive at the game will receive leis and Buffett’s music will play through the stadium between innings. “If any students have ideas for things they would like to see at the game, we welcome them to send suggestions on our website,” DeFatta said. “We are working on a few other things too … but the biggest thing will be the atmosphere. Everything that goes on during the day will be a Jimmy Buffett-related event.” Head baseball coach Scott Berry said the themed game is a first for him, but he and the team’s

focus will be on the competition, not the festivities surrounding it. “When it’s all said and done, we have a game to play,” Berry said. Berry said the players on the team that know about the event and the jerseys are excited to wear them. “They’re nice-looking jerseys,” Berry said. “They are certainly something that’s different, but they fit the theme of the Jimmy Buffett, Parrothead style.” After the game, those jerseys will be distributed to players and to Jimmy Buffett himself to be signed and auctioned, said DeFatta. Richard Giannini, the Director of Athletics, said the auction

would raise proceeds not only for the baseball team, but will also bring some money to the university by way of the Mary Loraine Peets Buffett scholarship fund. The $5,000 scholarship, awarded in honor of the singer’s mother, is given to in-state students to cover some of the costs of attending the university and is renewable for four years. “It’s an opportunity to not only get a unique jersey but also to support the university and our students,” Giannini said. “We want to get, in addition to our normal baseball fans, some Jimmy Buffett fans out for the game too.”

OBAMA OPINION

BASEBALL

WEATHER Thursday

79/43 Friday

79/60 Saturday

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After the game, DeFatta said there will be a concert featuring Lloyd “Hurricane” Munn and the Forecasters, whose website touts the band’s “ability to play a ‘ton of Buffett tunes.’” Giannini said excitement for the event is growing. “We are all proud of Jimmy Buffett as an alumni of this university, and this is another way to get our name, and his, out there,” he said. Defatta said, “Anytime you can honor a successful alumni, its a great thing. It’s an opportunity for stronger connections not only between Jimmy and the university but also the community, the team and everyone else involved.”

INDEX Calendar ........................ 2 Crossword....................... 2 News .............................. 3 Arts & Entertainment .....4 Opinion............................ 6 Sports..............................7

Calendar

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The

Student Printz Serving Southern Miss since 1927 Executive Editor Samantha Schott

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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Mark Your Planner 24 25 26 27 28 All day Exhibit: Baghdad Beyond the Wire Gallery at Cook Library

All day Exhibit: Baghdad Beyond the Wire Gallery at Cook Library

Last day for refund for dropping 8W2 classes

7:30 p.m. A Streetcar Named Desire Martha R. Tatum Theatre

1 p.m. Pre-Show talk for A Streetcar Named Desire Martha R. Tatum Theatre

8 p.m. VivaHaha4 Comedy Weekend (Part II) Caliente Grille

2 p.m. A Streetcar Named Desire Martha R. Tatum Theatre

11:45 a.m. Wesley Foundation Lunch Wesley Foundation 5 p.m. IMPACT Southern Miss Forum-Economic Development Trent Lott Center

All day Society of Armed Forces Medical Laboratory Scientists Conference Hilton New Orleans, Riverside Advisement week for continuing students for summer 2011 and fall 2011 terms 6 p.m. The Stress of Sleep Owings-McQuagge Hall Rm. 200

7:30 p.m. A Streetcar Named Desire Martha R. Tatum Theatre

Webmaster Chris Greene

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News Content Adviser Chuck Cook 601.266.4288 chuck.cook@usm.edu

Writers Jonathan Andrews Tierra Clemmons Courtney Carter Deonica Davis Mary Margaret Halford Michelle Holowach Earvin Hopkins Marie John Hannah Jones Stormy Speaks Sarah Rogers Photographers Jordan Moore Jay Van Orsdol Mary Alice Truitt Designers Lisa Gurley Taylor Fesenmeier Ila Higginbotham

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FOR RELEASE APRIL 4, 2011

Dirty Birds

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Cotton swabs originally called Baby Gays 6 Actor Guinness 10 More than stumbled 14 Basic belief 15 Capital surrounding Vatican City 16 Falco of “The Sopranos” 17 Shabby 18 $3 million, 30sec. Super Bowl feature 19 Poet __ St. Vincent Millay 20 Feeling of uneasiness 23 Jungle swinger 25 Fla. hours 26 Cummerbund fold 27 Hand-held twoway communications device 32 Cheering noisily 33 Mashed luau staple 34 “M*A*S*H” staff 37 Reprimander’s “reading” 40 Leave for a bit 43 Mind reader’s skill, briefly 44 “How beautiful!” 46 Oil refinery input 47 Up-tempo jazz piano style 51 Ami’s good-bye 54 Tiny bit 55 His-and-__ towels 56 Symbolic nosegays 61 Isaac’s eldest 62 Knucklehead 63 Close, as a parka 66 Hollywood success 67 Hollywood favorite 68 College town near Bangor 69 Nanny’s charge 70 Bills with Hamilton on them 71 Rehab step DOWN 1 Super Bowl div.

By John Lampkin

2 Green or black brew 3 Fully informed 4 Sampras of tennis 5 Eyelid problem 6 Manet or Monet 7 Affectionate bop 8 Key with four sharps: Abbr. 9 Give up formally 10 Weak 11 Murphy of “48 HRS.” 12 Top of a form, perhaps 13 “It’s the __ I can do” 21 Honey maker 22 Prefix with center or cycle 23 Informed (of) 24 Capital on the Seine 28 See 31-Down 29 Lyricist Gershwin 30 __ Angeles 31 With 28-Down, layered chocolate bar 34 Glitch in need of smoothing out 35 Film with nakedness

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

36 Cattle drive critter 38 Pigeon’s sound 39 Dress (up) 41 Green prefix 42 Athlete who isn’t green? 45 Stumble across, as an idea 47 Have no doubt 48 “Yes, mon ami” 49 Props for Monet and Manet

4/4/11

50 Part of wpm: Abbr. 51 “This is only __” 52 Like the trail on a cattle drive 53 Singer Chris 57 Change text 58 Pie à la __ 59 Former Lacoste partner 60 Dublin’s isle 64 Half of dos 65 Chicken __

03-20-11 Disturbance Freshman Quad - One verbal trespass warning was issued to a non-student. 03-20-11 Petit Larceny Bolton Hall - A resident reported the theft of a purse with contents. 03-20-11 Disturbing the Peace 37th Ave - Tyran M Williams, B/M, 24 yoa, Hattiesburg address, was arrested and charged with Public Drunk and Disturbing the Peace. 03-21-11 Petit Larceny Phi Kappa Tau - Residents reported the Greek letter T, which was mounted on the outside chimney, was stolen. 03-21-11 Vehicle Traffic Stop 4th St - Amanda Hodges, W/F, 20 yoa, Ocean Springs address, was arrested and charged with DUI, Possession Marijuana in Motor Vehicle and Improper Equipment. 03-22-11 Alcohol Roberts Hall - UPD issued two campus citations and one verbal trespass warning. 03-22-11 Grand Larceny Southern Hall - A staff member reported the theft of an Apple MacBook computer from an office. 03-22-11 Vandalism Johnson Science Tower - A faculty member reported a window pane in an office door removed. 03-22-11 Petit Larceny LAB Lot - A student reported the theft of a USM Eco-bike. 03-22-11 Petit Larceny Pinehaven Apt - A resident reported the theft of a blue and black Giant brand bicycle.

News

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Page 3

TECH

Google changes its search engine Chris Greene Printz Writer Google has been continually improving its algorithms over the years to improve search results for users. It recently changed with Google Blog’s February 24th post, stating, “We launched a pretty big algorithmic improvement to our ranking – a change that noticeably impacts 11.8 percent of our queries.” By doing so Google hopes to reduce the amount of spam and content farmers that appear on search results. For those unfamiliar with the terms, a search algorithm is the method in which a search engine

(like Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask) judges how useful a site is to the user searching. There are many methods an engine can use to search a website. One is by using ‘crawlers’ or ‘spiders’ (a great pun on the World Wide Web) to search through the web first, then show the results to the user. Another is by using a human-powered directory, in which a webmaster submits his own description of his site, and then the search engine browses the site if the user’s query matches the descriptive data. Sadly, some people take advantage of the way an engine collects data to make their sites appear higher up on search results. For example, JC Penney recently used

link farms (a form of spamming a search engine by hyperlinking a group of websites to other sites in the group) to boost their ranking. A study at Cornell University in 2006 on the distribution of clicks on a Google page showed that people picked the first search result on their page more than 56% of the time. As such, a higher ranking for your site directly affects how much traffic you get, and this can be exceptionally useful for commercial websites. Many other websites also pay writers to write articles packed full with popular keywords, so that Google deems them ‘useful’ and their site scales up even higher on the Google’s result page.

This is where Google’s improved algorithm, known as “Farmer,” comes in. The algorithm is designed to “reduce rankings for low-quality sites – sites [that] copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high-quality sites – sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis, and so on.” Unfortunately, as Google tries to weed out spam websites, it also occasionally weeds out useful ones. Google’s online forum is riddled with furious webmasters who have been negatively affected by Google’s ‘improvement.’ Dani Horowitz, the creator of the IT forum DaniWeb,

Southern Miss Trumpet Ensemble named finalist

an international audience in a live webcast, and it will be featured on the National Trumpet Competition’s YouTube Channel in the near future.

recently stated, “We lost over half our US traffic, and we’re a discussion forum with an editorial side. Our content is 100% unique.” Dani noted that the ‘farmer’ algorithm has only been released in the United States so far, so if it is implemented worldwide the website could take an even heavier blow. This is a problem that will continue to haunt Google’s results and reputation. As Google Fellow Amit Singhal states, “No algorithm is 100 percent accurate. Therefore any time a good site gets a lower ranking or falsely gets caught by our algorithm…we make note of it and go back the next day to work harder to bring it closer to 100 percent.”

News in Brief

Jordan Moore/Printz

The sculpture that recently stood in front of the LAB now sits behind the 3-D Art Studio.

SCULPTURES, from 1 based on visibility and daily foot traffic, as well as the buildings. For example, Inside Out, or “the Gandhi statue,” was placed outside the International Building because of the quote emblazoned on its facade: “Above all nations is humanity.” “Art is very much an important and cultural thing,” said Davis when discussing the importance of the sculpture placement. “It enriches the culture, having pieces of art around you, whether you know it or not.” Installing and assembling the sculptures took about a week to complete, as did the un-installing and disassembling. Initial planning took approximately 15 months, and although the process was laborious, the sculptures became icons as well as topics of conversation all year. “We knew there would be more visitors to the campus throughout

the year, so it was the perfect time to do it,” said von Herrmann. “We got people thinking about public art in a way that just talking about it before hadn’t quite done. If art is literally in your path, you have no choice [but to confront it]. You have to decide whether or not you want to acknowledge it, whether you want to feel anything from it, whether you love it, whether you hate it. You have to confront it.” Von Herrmann said plans for instituting a continual rotation of public art as a facet of the arts at Southern Miss are in the works, but nothing is definite. “I love that our university is trying to bring art into other aspects of education,” said sophomore biochemistry major and Hattiesburg native Emily Bustin. “I would like to see a new sculpture to give students the opportunity to see art and experience it in their day-to-day travels.”

The Southern Miss Trumpet Ensemble was selected as a national finalist in the National Trumpet Competition, which was held March 17-20 at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The five members of the ensemble are Ismael Brandão, Anderson Romero, Timothy McMillen, Barrett Gray and Jonathon Walker. The group, named TRUMPET5, is one of seven finalists chosen from a group of 31 semi-finalist ensembles. This was USM’s first appearance in the national competition. Their final performance was broadcast to

Arts and Letters call for papers The College of Arts and Letters Undergraduate Conference is now accepting paper proposals for the judging, which will take place Saturday, April 16. The criteria for the proposal is an original research paper that can be read aloud at the conference in 15-20 minutes. There will be eight $500 prizes in the following categories: best paper using statistical methods; best

paper using interviewing techniques as a primary source; best paper dealing with a gender issue; best paper dealing with an issue of race and ethnicity; best paper dealing with a transnational or international issue; best paper dealing with some aspect of religion or ideology; best paper dealing with a political, government, or military topic; and best oral delivery of a paper at the conference. The deadline for submitting proposals is March 28, and the deadline for submitting papers is April 7. For more information or to submit a proposal, contact phyllis.jestice@usm.edu.

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Page 4

ON CAMPUS Michelle Holowach Printz Writer “Stellaaaaaaaaa!” When most people think of the play A Streetcar Named Desire they picture Marlon Brando in a tight Tshirt or a blonde Vivien Leigh rattling on in a thick Southern accent. Starting Thursday, March 24, the Southern Miss Department of Theatre and Dance will present its own interpretation of Tennessee Williams’ famous play and is opening the doors in invitation to all USM students to view A Streetcar Named Desire the way Williams would have wanted it to be. “I’m excited to introduce this play to new audiences who might not be familiar with it,” said Twoey Truong, a third year graduate who will be portraying the character of Blanche DuBois. “But I’m also excited to present this play to someone who is more familiar with it ... because I do think we are doing the very same play that Tennessee Williams wrote ... but it’s very much a fresh take on these characters.” Rebecca Yeager, a first year graduate student, is filling the shoes of strong-willed Stella Kowalski from A Streetcar Named Desire. “I think our main goal with this show was not to do the Streetcar that everyone has seen, because it’s such a well known movie,” Yeager said. “Our goal is really to do the show that Tennessee Williams intended, and not the

Arts & Entertainment

Thursday, March 24, 2011

‘Desire’ debuts

Submitted by Erin Wojtala

Actors rehearse for the upcoming theatre department’s production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

show that’s always been done. So I think the director’s goal is just to be honest to the script and honest to the characters and the words.” Under the direction of T.J. Kent, the Department of Theatre and Dance is performing this classic play in honor of the 100th anniversary of

Tennessee Williams’ birth. The play tells the story of a Southern woman, Blanche DuBois, going to visit her sister Stella and her husband Stanley in New Orleans, and it shows what happens when the old world and the new world – the Old South and the new American Dream – clash. “This play speaks to the human condition, and so it’s timeless in that respect,” Truong said. “Tennessee Williams writes not only Southern plays but American plays, and there’s a rich tapestry of his language that is distinctly American, so there’s so much that we can share with audiences with this piece.”

Playing the infamous role of Stanley Kowalski is Joseph Lopez, also a third year grad student. “The director’s really trying to tell the story of a group of people who are fighting for their lives and they will do anything to get it,” he said. “I mean the thing is called Streetcar Named Desire, and there are so many needs we have and we can’t control it. We can put on this sort of prim and proper whatnot to us, but at the end of the day there’s just this kind of driving force that we can’t ever deny ourselves.” “It’s about a fight for each character for their personal ways to survive in terms of sanity and love and

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hope,” added Leslie Datsis, stage manager of the show. Not only is Datsis managing all of the cues for the show, but she has also organized a way for the audience to get involved and participate in the fun of the iconic play as well. There is a video contest for any USM student who wants to try their hand at yelling “Stellaaaaa!” in the most creative way they can. A YouTube video was published by Datsis to announce the contest, and there are three different ways to respond. One can write on the Department of Theatre and Dance’s Facebook wall, send a video response on their YouTube page at youtube.com/USMTheatreDance, or email them at tadpublicity@usm. edu. The deadline to enter is March 29, and the winner gets two tickets to attend the second weekend of Streetcar performances as well as free entree gift certificates to Caliente Grill – dinner and a show! “I think it’s a way to let people know that we’re listening to them,” Datsis said about the contest. “And we’re trying to find ways to reach our audience. And I think this is a step towards the right direction and we hope that people engage us as well, that kind of thing.” Yeager points out that it is important for USM students to attend A Streetcar Named Desire because it is a part of their history. “It’s just great to broaden your horizons in such an iconic piece of literature and theater, and it’s just good to see lots of stuff.” “The arts are so important but without the support of the public and the student body they just fall to the wayside,” Yeager said. “But they’re so important to who we are as a society and who we are as a school that I think it’s important that we get support.” The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, and will run until April 3. Tickets are $6 for students, $10 for faculty, and $12 for the public. It is being performed in the Martha Tatum Theatre.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Arts & Entertainment

Page 5

local

Hubfest calls crowd downtown Mary Margaret Halford Printz Writer

This Saturday, downtown Hattiesburg will be filled with art, music and food for the 27th Annual Hubfest, a free festival with something for people of all ages. Different locations throughout the downtown area will play host to local and well-known musical entertainment over the course of the day. Ingram Hill, The Glitter Boys and Matthew Funches are only a few of the acts that will per-

form at Hubfest 2011. The music is aimed to reach all types of people, no matter their tastes or preferences. College students, adults and children all are welcome and encouraged to attend. In addition to music, Hubfest will feature many different vendors set up downtown. Over 250 vendors will be present at the event, selling goods and promoting their businesses. Groups like Pottery Farm, Covered with Paint and Windham’s

Woodworks, will represent the arts. Businesses and craft vendors will also be present, selling everything from luggage to sports

“

Weaver pointed out that no matter what a person’s age or interests are, there will be something for them at Hubfest.

It’s just a great way to get exposed to one of the coolest and most eclectic areas of Hattiesburg.

”

Caitlin Seale, sophomore memorabilia, as well as information booths for some businesses. Leanna Weaver, a junior public relations major, is serving as the events and communications intern for the event. “It’s just a great way to spend a beautiful weekend because of all the different types of entertainment, food and vendors,” Weaver said. “There is something for everyone and it is affordable.”

“The music is directed towards different interests, and the booths will sell things that interest different people,” said Alden Bennett. The sophomore business management major, a native of Hattiesburg, has attended Hubfest about five times, spanning from his childhood until now. “I always enjoyed it very much,” Bennett said. “My favor-

ite part was going to check out all of the vendors and getting to see local bands.” Bennett also noted that the event offers a great perspective on its location. “Hubfest shows off the great downtown area of Hattiesburg that most people never even see.” Encouraging people who complain about a lack of things to do in Hattiesburg, Bennett urges everyone to “take a few hours out of the day and go check out Hubfest; it’s a great Hattiesburg tradition with food, fun and a friendly atmosphere.” Caitlin Seale, another native to Hattiesburg and sophomore at Southern Miss, agrees with Bennett that Hubfest is a great way to spend a Saturday and plans to attend the event this year. “It’s a good way for students to explore the downtown area,” Seale said. “It’s just a great way to get exposed to one of the coolest and most eclectic areas of Hattiesburg. You also go for free which is always a good thing for students on a budget.”

Page 6

NATIONAL

Opinion

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Obama: ‘Dubya’ the second?

Student Shout-outs

To see your anonymous comment in The Student Printz, submit it under the ‘Contact’ tab on studentprintz.com.

“

Don’t forget that TOMS Club is having a shoe drive next week. And Day Without Shoes is April 8th! It is so nice to see that beautiful parking garage out in front of my residence hall, Century Park, that I can park in now... Oh wait, I can’t park in it still... Hello Hillcrest gravel lot! What a short walk... NOT! I’m so tired of getting less from the servers in the fresh just because I am white! Somebody has to do something about this blatant discrimination!

They are ‘magic crosswalks.’ If I’m in those lines and you hit me, my family can sue you for all you’re worth.

”

Ashton Pittman Web Editor “The reason we are in Iraq is to plant the seeds of democracy so they flourish there and spread to the entire region of authoritarianism.” - George W. Bush Nearly a decade has passed since the United States, at the helm of President Bush, began to, in his words, “plant the seeds of democracy” in the Middle East. Over the years, it became common wisdom for many that Bush’s mission in the Middle East was a colossal mistake. But today, emerging democratic revolutions are spreading across Middle East and North African nations. Those events are leading some, like The Economist magazine, to ask, “Was Bush right?” “I think that Bush’s invasion in Iraq could be perceived by

some as one of many catalysts that have lead to the various demonstrations in the Middle East,” said Marija Bekafigo, an assistant professor of political science. It’s possible that views of Bush will have changed in 20 years, said Robert J. Pauly, Jr., director of the International Policy and Development P.h.D. Program. “The Bush administration’s intent was to create an atmosphere that was conducive to reform throughout the Middle East,” Pauly said. “I think he was correct in saying that there’s a desire for political reform across the population.” Bekafigo agreed. “There is no telling whether democracy will spread throughout the region, but one thing we all have in common is our desire to be free.” That desire may be more apparent than ever, with democratic revolutions already bringing about reform in nations like Tunisia and Egypt. If anything, Bush’s actions in the Middle East may have accelerated such changes, Pauly said.

He said that the Bush administration’s rhetoric represented a change in U.S. policy from time between World War II and 9/11. “The break was that, ‘we’re going to encourage polite reform across the region,’” Paul said. “You have to include places aligned with the U.S. along with its adversaries.” That’s a strategy, he said, that the Obama administration has continued. In fact, Obama has continued much of Bush’s foreign policy, Pauly said. The only difference, Pauly said, was that Bush had already begun the process, and Obama “simply took a bunch of forces in Iraq and put them in Afghanistan.” Saturday, exactly eight years to the day President Bush announced the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, President Obama announced air strikes on Libya. He articulated a similar purpose to the one President Bush stated years before – to defend an oppressed people against a brutal regime and encourage democratic reform. According to Pauly, that

could lead to a prolonged engagement. “If you’re going to get rid of Gadhafi for good, it’s going to cost somebody a lot of money and a lot of lives,” he said. “There’s not many options out there.” Many believe such a decision runs counter to the kind of foreign policy Obama promised when he first ran for president. So, has Obama changed? “I think his viewpoint has definitely changed,” Pauly said. “I don’t think he had a clue what he was getting into when he was campaigning for president. But then again, I would say that’s true about a lot of presidents. “We don’t have a lot of presidents who have much foreign policy experience going in – Obama certainly didn’t. George W. Bush didn’t have a lot of experience, either.”

This was an article of opinion by Ashton Pittman, a writer for The Student Printz. Email questions or comments to ashton.pittman@ eagles.usm.edu.

Sports

Thursday, March 24, 2011

FOOTBALL

Page 7

Golden Eagles begin spring practice Coach Fedora seeks to identify 22 best Tyler Cleveland Printz Writer

Seven days into the spring pratice schedule, Southern Miss football coach Larry Fedora likes what he sees from his team headed into the 2011 season. The Golden Eagles return nine starters on offense, and are trying to install new co-defensive coodinator Dan Disch’s 4-2-5 defensive scheme. “There’s a lot of energy and a lot of excitement,” Fedora said. “Guys are excited to be back out there and it’s been fun the first couple of days.” The Golden Eagles must prepare for a schedule that includes home dates against Louisiana Tech, Southeastern Louisiana, Rice, SMU, Central Florida and Memphis and road games against

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Mashall, Virginia, Navy, UTEP, East Carolina and UAB. Fedora said the spring practice should give he and his staff a good idea of who will be running with the first string and who they’ll use in a backup role next season. “The first thing we want to do is figure out who our best 22 players are,” Fedora said. “Then we have to work on getting those 22 players in the right spot at the right time.” On defense, that starts with Disch, who along with former linebackers coach Dave Duggan, will take over a defense that struggled through the 2010 season under former defensive coordinator Todd Bradford. Bradford left after the season to take a position-coaching job at Maryland and has since been promoted to defensive coordinator.

Disch came to Southern Miss after serving eight seasons as inside-linebackers coach at Illinois. “I watched film of Illinois right away,” senior linebacker Williams said. “I met with coach Disch a few times and we’ve gone over the defense even though I am not able to participate right now. I wanted to get a good grasp of it so I can help the younger guys.” Williams, the team’s leading tackler from a year ago, is sitting out the spring with a sports hernia. His position may be solidified, but there are several position battles coaches are hoping will be settled by the annual black-

and-gold spring game on April 9. On defense, new positions like the “spur” defensive back and the bandit position have been created to fit the new scheme. On offense, the season may rest on the arm and legs of quarterback Austin Davis, who returns needing just one touchdown pass to tie Brett Favre and Lee Roberts’ 52 for the most in school history, and 231 yards to surpass Reggie Collier’s school-record mark for total offense. “I’ve been focusing on my body and getting it in the best shape possible,” Davis said. “I’ve been swimming, trying to eat better…

just taking care of my body all the time, not just when I’m in here working out. The biggest difference this spring for me is knowing this is my last year. I want to be a part of everything we’re doing so when I look back on this last year I can say I gave it everything I had.” The Golden Eagles will hold their first scrimmage of the spring at 4 p.m. Friday at Biloxi High School, and fans are being encouraged to attend. They’ll practice three times next week before Saturday’s spring game at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Admittance to the spring game is free for students.

Sports

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Thursday, March 24, 2011

BASEBALL

Eagles dominate Jaguars 15-3 Tyler Cleveland Printz Writer Southern Miss hitters pounded out a season-high 18 hits to defeatSouth Alabama 15-3 Wednesday night at Pete Taylor Park. The 25th-ranked Golden Eagles (16-4) rebounded from a disappointing7-2 loss to LouisianaMonroe Tuesday night with one of its most complete games of the season. “I challenged the guys to bounce back tonight,” Southern Miss coach Scott Berry said. “It’s like this - either losing bothers you or it doesn’t – and I think last night’s game bothered our guys and I like the way we responded.” A solo home run off the bat of B.A. Vollmuth broke the 0-0 tie in the fourth inning, and a pair of two-RBI doubles from Adam Doleac and Travis Creel gave the Eagles a 5-0 lead they never lost. Golden Eagle freshman Boomer Scarborough started on the mound and picked up his first collegiate win, allowing three runs (all unearned) on six hits

in 6.2 innings of work. The Bay St. Louis, Miss. native retired 21 of the 29 batters he faced on 96 pitches before the announced crowd of 3,152. “It felt good to get out there in front of a home crowd and give them something to cheer about,” Scarborough said. “I want to be able to give (the team) at least six good innings, because we have a great bullpen that will take care of a lead.” Josh Thomason and Josh Rogers did just that, combining to allow just two base runners in the last 2.1 innings. Adam Doleac drove in a season-high five runs on a pair of doubles and a single, and Kameron Brunty, Isaac Rodriguez, Travis Creel and Mark Ellis all drove in a pair of runs. They ran the lead to 8-0 with three runs in the fifth inning, and with the game already well inhand, added seven more in the eighth. It was a season-high for hits, runs and base runners for USM. “Our pitching staff has been great this year,” Doleac said. “We’ve got to be there for them

GAME STATS

USM Batting AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB --------------------------------------------------------Kameron Brunty lf..... 5 1 1 2 1 2 1 0 5 Tyler Koelling rf........ 5 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 Joe Martin rf........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B.A. Vollmuth ss........ 3 3 1 1 2 1 2 3 0 Marc Bourgeois dh.... 4 3 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 Isaac Rodriguez 2b.... 5 3 3 2 0 0 0 3 0 Adam Doleac 1b....... 5 1 3 5 0 1 8 1 1 Jared Bales c............ 4 2 2 0 0 1 8 0 0 Justin Diliberto cf...... 4 1 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 Travis Creel 3b......... 2 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 0 Mark Ellis ph/3b....... 2 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 USM Pitching

IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP

-----------------------------------------------------------------

6.2 6 3 0 2 6 26 29 96 Josh Thomason............. 1.1 1 0 0 1 2 5 6 27 Josh Rogers.................. 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 7 Boomer Scarborough..

Baseball vs. Tulane Day: Friday Location: Pete Taylor Park Time: 6:00 p.m. Overall record: 17-4

Tulane’s Last Five Games: USA’s Last Five Games: 3/16 vs. Alcorn State 3/18 vs. New Orleans 3/19 vs. New Orleans 3/20 vs. New Orleans 3/22 vs. Nicholls State

W, 12-0 W, 9-2 W, 7-4 W, 7-6 W, 5-1

Christopher Bostick/Printz

Boomer Scarborough pitches against South Alabama at Pete Taylor Park Wednesday.

when they are throwing well like they were today. We finally did tonight, and hopefully the momentum will carry over to this weekend.” South Alabama starter Jeff Miller suffered the loss after giving up

five runs on four hits in his 3.1 innings. The Jaguars fell to 11-9 headed into Sun Belt Conference play this weekend. The Golden Eagles host the rival Tulane Green Wave for a three-game series, which begins

Friday at 6 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park. Fans are encouraged to wear all black as part of the “black out” promotion, and Southern Miss ace Todd McInnis is expected to get the start.

USM student athlete of year Shirley Hill Guest Contributor After becoming the school’s first national champion in any sport, Southern Miss junior Tori Bowie was named the Conference USA Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. Earning the same award on the men’s side was Houston senior Chris Carter. For the third consecutive year, a Tulsa runner has been named C-USA Male Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in sophomore Chris O’Hare. UCF junior Jackie Coward earns the school’s first

Southern Miss Box Score

Baseball: 3/22 @ ULM 3/23 vs. South Ala.

Female Track Athlete of the Year accolade, after the team captured its first C-USA Indoor title last month. All four awards were announced by the league office Tuesday and voted upon by the head track and field coaches. Bowie became the third CUSA female athlete, and Southern Miss’ first, to win a national indoor title at the 2011 NCAA Track and Field Championships. The USTFCCCA AllAmerican cleared a long jump leap of 21-4.75 on the opening day to capture the national crown. The 10 points scored at the national meet helped the

Golden Eagle team finish in a tie for 13th overall and earn a No. 13 national ranking in the season ending USTFCCCA Top 25 Poll. Bowie also claimed the long jump title at the C-USA Championships, besting the field by nine inches with a jump of 2010.75, and finished second in the triple jump (41-10). The Sand Hill, Miss., native recorded a school-record performance and an automatic qualifying mark in her first meet this season at the LSU Purple Tiger with a leap of 21-1.25 (6.43m).

Southern Miss Sports: Upcoming Games

L, 7-2 W, 15-3

M. Tennis: 3/20 vs. FAMU

L, 4-3

Softball: 3/23 vs. Jackson State 3/23 vs. Jackson State

L, 4-2 W, 2-0

Friday, March 25 at 2:00 Women’s Tennis @ Southeastern Louisiana Covington, L.A.

Saturday, March 26 at 2:00 P.M. Baseball vs. Tulane Hattiesburg, Miss.

Friday, March 25 at 6:00 Baseball vs. Tulane Hattiesburg, Miss.

Saturday, March 26 at 3:00 Softball vs. Houston Hattiesburg, Miss.

Saturday, March 26 at 1:00 Softball vs. Houston Hattiesburg, Miss.

Sunday, March 27 at 1:00 Baseball vs. Tulane Hattiesburg, Miss.