2012_09_13

The

S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com

SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927

September 13, 2012

Volume 97 Issue 6

ON CAMPUS

Lucas headlines annual convocation Tyler Hill News Editor Interim University of Southern Mississippi President Aubrey K. Lucas delivered the State of the University in Bennett Auditorium on Wednesday afternoon. The fall convocation was open to all faculty, staff and students. As always, Lucas was clothed in a suit sported with a fancy bow tie, and he opened the convocation by embracing the crowd with energy and humor. “The first convocation was held 100 years ago,” Lucas said. “Con-

trary to what many you make think, I was not there,” he said with a laugh. As he continued, Lucas recognized former university president Martha Saunders for joining Southern Miss faculty, along with 80 new tenured-track faculty members. Every year at the convocation, a video slide-show is presented to display achievements from the year before, and this year was no exception. As the lights dimmed and the music of Coldplay sounded through the speakers, highlights from 20112012 were presented, including being named one of the nation’s

Chris Little/Printz

Dr. Aubrey Lucas addresses students and faculty at Fall Convocation held at Bennett Auditorium on Wednesday.

most popular universities, rais-

ing more than $20 million for the

USM Foundation and becoming C-USA champions. Unlike like last year’s convocation, in which only Saunders addressed the university, this year’s event allowed for many speakers. Provost Denis Wiesenberg was the first to speak after Lucas and spoke of more achievements for the university. Athletic Director Jeff Hammond also spoke at the convocation. While he spoke of upcoming events and accomplishments, much of his speech was about his time at Southern

See CONVOCATION, 3

RECRUITMENT Mary Margaret Halford Executive Editor After a six-day recruitment process, the seven College Panhellenic Council sororities at Southern Miss welcomed their new members home at a Bid Day celebration Tuesday afternoon. According to CPC President and Mobile native Eileen Dominguez, 340 women received a bid, or invitation to join a sorority, after participating in the recruitment process that began Thursday with a Meet-the-Greeks round. “We have a great group of quality girls,” Dominguez said. “I’m confident they will leave Greek Life better than they found it.” Dominguez said 412 girls registered for recruitment last week, and retention throughout the week was higher than last year. The number of bids offered was also up from last year. Dominguez said she was proud of everyone who came together make the week a success. “Everyone’s hard work paid off and it really shows,” Dominguez said. Susan Broadbridge/Printz

Freshman Sarah Thiel is welcomed to Chi Omega sorority by sophomore Madeline Varnado.

FARMER’S MARKET

FOOTBALL

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WEATHER Thursday

87/65 Friday

89/65 Saturday

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Page 5

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87/65

INDEX

Calendar ........................ 2 News .............................. 3 Football............................5 Feature ..........................17 Opinion ..........................18 Arts & Entertainment.....19 Sports............................20

Calendar

Page 2, Student Printz

The

Student Printz

Serving Southern Miss since 1927

Executive Editor Mary Margaret Halford mary.halford@eagles.usm.edu 601.266.6431

Managing Editor Hannah Jones hannah.jones@eagles.usm.edu Chief Copy Editor Stormy Speaks stormy.speaks@eagles.usm.edu Copy Editor Jeffery McClendon jeffery.mcclendon@eagles.usm.edu News Editor Tyler Hill a.t.hill@eagles.usm.edu Sports Editor Kyle Smith kyle.s.smith@eagles.usm.edu Design Editor Lisa Gurley lisa.gurley@eagles.usm.edu Art Director Mary Alice Truitt mary.truitt@eagles.usm.edu Webmaster Chris Greene chris.greene@eagles.usm.edu Designers Taylor Fesenmeier Gerri Ducksworth News Content Adviser Chuck Cook 601.266.4288 chuck.cook@usm.edu

Mark Your Planner 13 14 15 16 17 10 a.m. Rhythm Rush Valentines Fundraiser Union Lobby

10 a.m. Rhythm Rush Valentines Fundraiser Union Lobby

10:30 a.m. Voter Registration Drive TCC Lobby

10 a.m. Social Work Valentine’’s Day Fundraiser Shoemaker Square

10:30 a.m. Chocolate & Candle Light TCC Lobby 11 a.m. Give Your Change to Make a Change Union Lobby 12:30 p.m. Sports Officials Association Information Table TCC Lobby 7 p.m. Episcopal Church Fellowship Dinner SA HUB Open Space 1st Floor

11 a.m. Campus Civitan Membership Drive Union Lobby 6 p.m. Sex in the Dark R.C.’s Lounge and The Locker Room 7 p.m. Helping Young People Evolve General Meeting TCC 227 7:20 p.m. A Fab Face in Five Union Room B

8 a.m. Hershey Kiss Fundraiser Union Lobby 11 a.m. Hearts for Hospice LAB and Union Lobby 11 a.m. Photo Booth Union Lobby 11 a.m. NPHC “A Walk to Remember” TCC Lobby 11 a.m. COGIC Fellowship Bible Study Promotion Shoemaker Square/Union Lobby 11:45 a.m. Thursday Lunch at Wesley Wesley Building 7 p.m. MADE in America Union Hall of Honors

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The Student Printz is published every Tuesday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. Signature Offset of Hattiesburg provides printing services. Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publications manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

10 a.m. Rhythm Rush Valentines Fundraiser Union Lobby

8:30 a.m. All-South Honor Band TCC 227, Union Rooms A and B 7:30 p.m. Wind Ensemble Bennett Auditorium

11 a.m. Hearts for Hospice LAB and Union Lobby 11 a.m. SMAC Tabling Shoemaker Square 7 p.m. Flicks at the Fountain Centennial Lawn 7 p.m. CHAOS Chocolate & Candlelight TCC 218 and R.C’s Lounge 7:30 p.m. Symphonic Winds Bennett Auditorium

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News

Student Printz, Page 3

ON CAMPUS

Group advocates for concealed weapons Tyler Hill News Editor Students across America are beginning to partake in an organization that advocates for concealed firearms on college campuses. Students for Concealed Carry is a national college organization that persuades state legislatures and college administrations to allow faculty, staff and students to carry concealed firearms on campus. A total of 35 states currently have campus concealed-carry laws, and more states are considering revising their gun laws to allow the same procedure. The most recent college to allow concealed carry is the University of Colorado. They announced their new policy on Aug. 17, which allows students and faculty to carry weapons as long as they remain concealed.

Created in 2007, Students for Concealed Carry (SCC) emerged following the Virginia Tech shootings that led to 32 deaths, and they now have over 44,000 members across the United States. SCC says that though they agree most college campuses are safe, brutal instances still occur that lead to rape and even murder. “We believe that ‘gun free zones’ serve to disarm only those law-abiding citizens who might otherwise be able to protect themselves,” said a statement on the group’s website. SCC is a non-profit, grassroots organization that does not affiliate with any political group or the National Rifle Association (NRA). Mississippi has one branch of SCC at Mississippi State University, but no other chapter exists in the state. For years, Mississippi law prohibited people from carrying weapons, openly or con-

cealed, in places such as courthouses, churches and college and universities, but laws have since been revised. House Bills 506 and 881 went into affect in July 2011. The laws allow for an individual with a special training endorsement on their permit to carry concealed firearms in places outlawed under the former regulations. Therefore, locations like the above mentioned, “except courtrooms during judicial proceedings and any place of nuisance,” are now legal places to carry concealed weapons with the proper permit. In order to receive this special permit, a potential gun carrier must fill out paperwork, provide fingerprints, pay a background fee and other miscellaneous charges and take an eight hour course on gun safety. After everything is completed and the background search is approved, the person will be allowed to

munication studies, expressed his thoughts about Southern Miss and the convocation. “I am excited at all the new projects that are ongoing for the university,” Meyer said. “It’s going to make us more effective, and our appearance will also be super around campus.” As Lucas closed the convocation, he spoke about one of USM’s traditions that continues at this campus.

“Our primary tradition here is change,” Lucas said. “We respect and cherish our past, but we know that changed has served us well, and it will in the future.”

CONVOCATION, from 1 Miss and how it changed him as a person and the future of the athletic department. “My professors at this university taught me how to think... not what to think, but how to think,” Hammond said. Hammond said that with the help of faculty and staff, students will prosper in their careers and lives. “When I look out here today, I see many magnificent faculty and staff,” Hammond said. “You need to know that you do touch thousands of young people’s hearts on this campus, and you do change their lives.” Frances Lucas, vice-president of the Gulf Coast campus, was another speaker at the convocation, and just like her father, she had a sense of humor. “Something I learned from the much older Dr. Lucas is that he taught me that there is no such thing as a bad short speech,” Lucas said. The Gulf Coast campus in recent years has become a popular branch of USM, now enrolling over 3,100 students. It is also continuing renovation on buildings that were affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Other speakers at the convocation included Interim Vice-President of Finance and Administration Tom Estes, Vice-President of Student Affairs Joe Paul and Executive Director of the USM Foundation Bob Peters. John Meyer, a professor in com-

private colleges must be handled through negotiations with school administrators,” said the SCC. The SCC has drawn many opponents since it began. The Brady Campaign is a grassroots organization that advocates for more strict gun laws. It was created in 2001 to persuade state legislators to enact laws that prohibit weapons on public properties. If you want to learn more about Students for Concealed Carry or the Brady Campaign, visit concealedcarry.org or bradycampaign.org.

carry a concealed weapon, according to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. Despite the changes in state law, public universities are not required to alter their firearm policies. According to the firearm policy at the University of Southern Mississippi, students are not allowed to carry weapons on campus openly or concealed. MSU has a similar firearm policy to USM. The University of Mississippi, however, changed its policy to allow weapon owners the right to carry as long as it is concealed with a proper permit. Though the SCC advocates for all public and private universities, they do not expect all private colleges to abide by the policy. “We strongly supports the rights of private property owners; therefore, SCC believes that the issue of concealed carry at

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Thursday, September 13, 2012

Southern Miss Farmers’ Market aims to sprout new on-campus tradition April Garon Printz Writer A new tradition has sprung at the University of Southern Mississippi: the Farmers’ Market. Every Monday afternoon through October, a colorful array of vendors set up shops on campus to sell their produce and wares. Many of the vendors also take part in the Downtown Hattiesburg Farmers’ Market and wanted to expand to better serve students. The market began in May and had a successful summer season. Susan Bone, assistant director of fitness and wellness at USM, worked to get the market on campus. “We wanted to bring programming outside of the Payne Center and incorporate the community,” Bone said. The market offers a wide variety of products. Produce such as fruits, vegetables, honey, herbs and other plants are sold, as well as homemade jams and blueberry lemonade. Local artisans sell paintings, apparel, handcrafted jewelry, wood products and soaps. Vendors often trade items with one another after the market closes. “It is a wonderful representation

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of a sense of giving,” Bone said. Vendor and USM alumnus Craig Clark of Honeybloom Honey described the market as “a core of vendors that are dedicated and reliable.” He expressed a loyalty to the market that many vendors shared. “As long as I can come here, I will,” Clark said. Bone said the best thing about the market is watching vendors interact with the campus community and students. “It really gives the vendors and the Southern Miss community a chance to thrive,” said coorganizer of the market, Haley McMinn. “Our vision is that this will grow,” Bone said. “Student artists can become vendors and put their product out there and have a reaction to it. Student musicians can come and perform.” The market will be held on the Baptist Student Union lawn from 3-6 p.m. every Monday through Oct. 29. The market accepts cash only. There are plans to start the market again in the spring. There is no fee to be a vendor, and anyone can apply. General information can be found at www.usm.edu/market and on Facebook at www.facebook. com/S outhernMissFarmersMarket.

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September 13, 2012

Volume 97 Issue 6

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Page 2, Student Printz

The

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Executive Editor Mary Margaret Halford mary.halford@eagles.usm.edu 601.266.6431

Managing Editor Hannah Jones hannah.jones@eagles.usm.edu Chief Copy Editor Stormy Speaks stormy.speaks@eagles.usm.edu Copy Editor Jeffery McClendon jeffery.mcclendon@eagles.usm.edu News Editor Tyler Hill a.t.hill@eagles.usm.edu

The Student Printz

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Students show support with Student Eagle Club Ben Welch Printz Writer Remember that one time there was free food at a tailgate? Or when a cardboard Stewie Griffin’s head was at a basketball game? That was all thanks to the Student Eagle Club. The Student Eagle Club is an organization for students that promotes participation in USM athletics. For $10 per academic year, students can become members of the Student Eagle Club. Membership brings seating in the lower deck of The Rock, a free T-shirt, tailgates, prize giveaways and a discount card that is accepted at several local establishments.

Last year, more than 2,700 students were members of the Student Eagle Club, and the organization donated $7,500 back to the university through the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band and the pep band. “This year we hope to pass the 3,500 membership mark and donate even more back to the university,”said Stew Deen, the Eagle Club’s graduate assistant. “We are also trying to put together a philanthropy event that would allow students to become involved in the community.” To find out more information about the Student Eagle Club, visit www.StudentEagleClub.com. The Student Eagle Club is located at the Pat Ferlise Center and can be found on Facebook and on Twitter at @StudntEagleClub.

Sports Editor Kyle Smith kyle.s.smith@eagles.usm.edu Design Editor Lisa Gurley lisa.gurley@eagles.usm.edu Art Director Mary Alice Truitt mary.truitt@eagles.usm.edu Webmaster Chris Greene chris.greene@eagles.usm.edu Designers Taylor Fesenmeier Gerri Ducksworth News Content Adviser Chuck Cook 601.266.4288 chuck.cook@usm.edu Ad Graphic Designer Kiza Jordan jennifer.f.jordan@eagles.usm.edu

Mary Alice Truitt/Printz

Fans in the student section cheer on the Eagles at the Kansas State game in 2010.

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2012 Football Schedule

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The Student Printz is published every Tuesday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. Signature Offset of Hattiesburg provides printing services. Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publications manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

Opponent

09/01/12 at Nebraska 09/15/12 vs. East Carolina* 09/22/12 at Western Kentucky 09/29/12 vs. Louisville 10/06/12 vs. Boise State 10/13/11 at UCF* 10/20/11 vs. Marshall* (Homecoming) 10/27/11 at Rice* 11/03/11 vs. UAB* 11/10/11 at SMU* 11/17/11 vs. UTEP* 11/24/11 at Memphis* * Denotes a Conference Event

Time L, 49-20 2:30 p.m. CT 6:00 p.m. CT 7:00 p.m. CT TBA 7:00 p.m. CT 6:00 p.m. CT 12:00 p.m. CT 6:30 p.m. CT TBA 7:00 p.m. CT 3:30 p.m. CT

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Student Printz

Student Printz, Page 3

Ellis Johnson: Long road back to The Rock Ben Welch Printz Writer The 2011-2012 school year was one of transition at the University of Southern Mississippi. After a year that saw football win a conference championship and men’s basketball return to the NCAA tournament, Southern Miss was faced with the task of replacing head coaches in two sports, an athletic director and a university president. In the course of about seven months, an interim athletic director hired a new football coach and a new basketball coach, and an interim president hired a new athletic director. The first hire that attempted to smooth the turmoil and lead the school out of the transitional stage brought back a familiar face. Ellis Johnson had served as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at the University of South Carolina for four years, but a couple stops before that Johnson coached the Nasty Bunch as defensive coordinator during the 1988 and 1989 seasons. “Ellis Johnson emerged as the absolute best candidate to lead Southern Miss football at this time primarily because of his significant experience,” former USM President Martha Saunders told USA Today. Johnson, who is married and has three children, was born in Winnsboro, S.C. on Dec. 23, 1951. He attended and played defensive end at The Citadel, where he was hired for his first coaching job. Johnson coached defensive ends at The Citadel during the 1975 season and spent six seasons at two South Carolina high schools-- Gaffney and Spartanburg.

Caitlin Jackson/Printz

The Runnin’ Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb University gave Johnson his first college head coaching job in 1983. Johnson led the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a 5-6 season before departing for the defensive coordinator position at Appalachian State for a season and then onto C-USA rival East Carolina for three seasons. The 1988 season found Johnson in Hattiesburg as the defensive coordinator under Curley Hallman for two seasons. Southern Miss finished with ten wins in his first season, which was tied for the most wins in school history until last year’s 12-year campaign. After his first stint in Hattiesburg, Johnson started his first of two stints at the University of Alabama. In his first go-round, Johnson coached the outside linebackers

and was part of the 1992 national championship team under Gene Stallings, which was led by that year’s number one ranked defense. Johnson then spent three years in Clemson as their defensive coordinator before finding his way back to Tuscaloosa from 1997 to 2000 as the defensive coordinator. Johnson’s work granted him another head coaching position, this time at The Citadel. He served for three seasons as head coach and finished with a 12-22 record over those seasons. Mississippi State hired Sylvester Croom as their head coach in 2004. Croom then brought in Johnson to run the defense. In Johnson’s last game at Mississippi State, the Bulldogs defeated Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl. Most C-USA fans will

remember that season as the season when the Knight’s Kevin Smith led the nation in rushing. Smith was held 70 yards below his average by Johnson’s defense. The next season, Johnson was at South Carolina working for Steve Spurrier. “Southern Miss is special,” Johnson said at an introductory press conference in December. “From the time I worked here, it has held a special place in my heart. It’s a place where I am convinced you can always be successful.” On Monday, Johnson again shared his thoughts on coming back to Southern Miss “I’m going to be excited about it,” Johnson said. “I love this place, and I couldn’t wait to ever come back here. I think it’s got one of the greatest environments for a smaller stadium in the country. I just hope it’s a great atmosphere,. I know it will be, and we have to contribute to it when the game starts and keep it that way. I know it’s going to be a lot of excitement for our kids. It’s going to be real neat for the first time as a head coach to be out there for me.” Croom called Johnson one of the best defensive minds he has worked with. Spurrier said Johnson was one of his best recruiters and key in signing the number one recruit of 2011, Jadevon Clowney. His track record speaks for itself. Last year, South Carolina had four defensive players drafted in the NFL draft, including two in the first round. They were also consistently one of the best defenses in the SEC and the nation. Big things are expected of Johnson, and big things will be delivered. The offensive Conference USA needs to ready itself for the return of the Nasty Bunch.

Athletic Dept. announces home game themes Tradition, Preparedness, Champions, Honor, Commencements, Character to be recognized in 100th year of Southern Miss football

Kyle Smith Sports Editor Southern Miss Athletic Director Jeff Hammond announced in August that there will be themes for each home game this season. Each theme will focus on a word that has allowed the university to prosper throughout its first 100 years of athletics. Also, each of the five colleges at the University of Southern Mississippi will be honored at the games this season. “Over the first 100 years, we found that six prevailing themes have help Southern Miss excel,” Hammond said. “We use these six prevailing themes to connect the past century to the next century. Each theme is used to identify a celebratory moment in time.” Hammond believes the themes will show students, faculty, staff and fans that the athletic department is focused on becoming a supporting part of the university. “We are shifting a little bit of focus on where we fit,” Hammond said. “We want

to be a supporting member of students, faculty, staff and the local community. We wanted to focus on the six colleges. We want to show that the athletic department belongs to the students, faculty, staff and community.” The first home game will be one of the busiest of the season. The game, which is against East Carolina on Sept. 15, will use the theme “Be Prepared”. The athletic department will honor the Boy Scouts in this game, since the first game that Southern Miss played 100 years ago was against the Boy Scouts. The College of Arts and Letters will be the first college honored, the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band will host its annual All-South Band Day and the stadium will be divided into three color schemes. Fans in the east stands will be asked to wear gold, fans in the south end zone will be asked to wear white and fans in the west stands will be asked to wear black. The second theme of the season will be “Tradition”. This will be on Sept. 29, when Louisville comes to town. This will be the

traditional Blackout game. Along with the blackout game, it will also be Junior College Day, where students, faculty and staff from all junior and community colleges can receive discounted tickets. The M-Club will also honor and recognize its newest members at this game. The second college to be honored this year will be the College of Business. On Oct. 6, Boise State will come to town for the third home game of the season. This will be the game where “Champions” will be honored, as that is the theme for the game. The five Conference USA championship teams (1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2011) will be honored, the three Gulf States championship teams (1948, 1950, 1951) and the two national championship teams (1958, 1962) will be honored as well. The College of Health and Nursing will be honored at this game, and the game will also serve as the annual Breast Cancer Awareness game. The fourth home game of the year will be against Marshall on Oct. 20. This will be Homecoming weekend, and the theme of the game will be “Honor”. The Alumni

Association will be honored, homecoming court and the king and queen will be announced, and the football team will wear throwback uniforms honoring a team from the 1970s. On Nov. 5, Southern Miss will host UAB in a game that will be focused on “Commencements.” For this game, faculty and staff will be honored with buy one, get one free tickets. This game is also “Take a Kid to the Game,” where a child’s ticket is free with the purchase of an adult ticket. The College of Education and Psychology will also be honored at this game. The final home game of the season will be against UTEP on Nov. 17, and “Character” will be the theme. This will also be senior day for the seniors on the football team and serve as the annual military appreciation game. Black and Gold Day will also be that weekend for the athletic department. The College of Science and Technology will also be honored at this game, making it the final college to be honored.

The Student Printz

Page 4, Student Printz

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Continuing a golden tradition: Kyle Smith Sports Editor The 2012 Southern Miss football season will mark 100 years of Golden Eagle football. Over the past century, Southern Miss has sprouted into one of the preeminent programs in not only the South but throughout the country. Football at Southern Miss began shortly after the school was formed. The first game was on Oct. 13, 1912 against the Boy Scouts of Hattiesburg. Over the next century, Southern Miss would accumulate 560 wins, two national championships, eight conference titles and 10 bowl wins. Numerous professional football players sprouted from the Southern Miss football program as well, including Brett Favre, Ray Guy, Reggie Collier, Adalius Thomas and recent graduate Austin Davis.

Football Begins: 1912-1931

On Oct. 13, 1912, Mississippi Normal College took the field against the Hattiesburg Boy Scouts at Kamper Park, which hosted games until the 1932 season. Southern Miss went on to beat the Boy Scouts 30-0. Normal College would play two more games that season: a 6-0 loss to Gulf Coast Military Academy and a 6-0 win over Mobile Military Academy to finish the season with a 2-1 record. Although the team had a winning record in its first season, the next twenty would prove to be challenging. The Yellowjackets - the nickname for the team in 1924 - would answer to eight different coaches and have a total record of 30-56-8. Most of these games were played against high schools and local, smaller colleges. The team would continue to play local high schools, military academies and select colleges within the state until 1931, when

“

Courtesy Photo

The senior class of the 1990 Southern Miss Golden Eagle football team included Brett Favre, who sports his iconic No. 4 jersey.

the team joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association and began playing teams throughout the southeast.

Growth and Expansion: 1932-1947

Oct. 29, 1932 marked a new era of football at Southern Miss. The team, coached by Allison T.S. Hubert, began playing at the new, on-campus football field dedicated to L.E Faulkner, who built the field at no cost to the college. The stadium at Faulkner Field, constructed in 1939, was built by the players, who were employed as construction workers to earn extra money on the side. The players gave the stadium the nickname “The Rock,” which is still in use today. With this new stadium, the team began to grow. Unlike the earlier years of the program, the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s provided some consistency among the coaching staff. Coach

We beat Georgia and Alabama. People began paying attention to us.

”

Thad “Pie“ Vann

Hubert accepted a job at Virginia Military Institute in 1936, opening the door for former Yellowjacket standout Reed Green to take over the program. Green led the program for nine seasons and accumulated a record of 59-22-4. The team made its first postseason bowl game in 1937 when it defeated the previously unbeaten Appalachian State Teachers College 7-0 in Gulfport. The team also began challenging big name programs, including SEC teams Auburn, Alabama and Ole Miss. The program also saw their first player taken in the NFL draft under Green when Joe Stringfellow went to the Detroit Lions in the 12th round. Green was also instrumental in recovering the program following WWII. The biggest accomplishment during Green’s tenure as head coach was winning the program’s first conference championship.

Golden Years: 1948-1974

Southern Miss joined a newly created conference in 1948. USM captured the inaugural Gulf States Conference championship on Nov. 14, 1948 when the program beat Southeastern Louisiana 27-0. Green’s career as a head coach ended following the 1949 season. However, he took over as athletic director for the school at that time. Green’s long-time assistant Thad “Pie” Vann was chosen to take over as head

coach, and Vann picked up right where Green left off. In Vann’s first season as head coach, the Southerners won their second Gulf States Conference championship despite a 5-5 record by defeating Louisiana Tech 41-20 on Nov. 18, 1950. Vann was also named Conference Coach of the Year. The program won its third Gulf States Conference title in 1951 by going 4-0 in conference play. This would be their last year in the conference, however. The school would continue to play as an independent school with no conference affiliation. While the next few years would not provide any championships, the team began to defeat big name opponents. In 1953 and 1954, the Southerners defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in Montgomery, Ala. In 1958, the Southerners won their first UPI College Division National Championship. The team went 9-0 under Vann’s guidance, with wins over NC State, Virginia Tech and Tennessee-Chattanooga to end the season and capture the championship. After failing to join the Southern Conference in the spring of 1962 and changing its name to the University of Southern Mississippi, the team went 9-1 and won their

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The Student Printz

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Student Printz, Page 5

100 years of Southern Miss football Tradition, from 4

second UPI National Championship after defeating Louisiana Tech on Nov. 17, 1962. Vann believed the two national title seasons, as well as the games they won against major programs, contributed to the growth of the Southern Miss football. “We decided to branch out, and finally we began to pick up a schedule that would qualify for a NCAA major (program),” Vann said in an interview before his death in 1982. “In the meantime, we had won two national championships, and one of them was an undefeated and untied season. The other (season) was 9-1, and we beat Georgia and Alabama. Peo- Ray Guy ple began to pay more attention to us.” Vann coached the team through the 1968 season. He ended his career at Southern Miss with a record of 139-59-2, with two conference titles and two national titles under his belt. His successor was named in January 1969 when P.W. “Bear” Underwood, a former Southerner standout, took over. Underwood’s recruiting immediately made headlines, as he recruited the first two African-American players to play for Southern Miss. The biggest win of Underwood’s career came in his second season at Southern Miss. On Oct. 17, 1970, The Southerners traveled north to take on No. 4 Ole Miss and Heisman Trophy candidate Archie Manning. In one of the biggest upsets of the season, the Eagles took down the Rebels 30-14. Ray Guy remembers the game against Ole Miss very well and said that the Rebels did not give the Southerners much thought that day. “It was a tremendous feeling to go into Oxford, with Archie Manning, the top quarterback in the country, and having Ole Miss ranked No. 4 in the country, and knocking them out of contention for national consideration,” Guy said. “The Rebels did not think little Southern Miss had any chance at all, but we knew we could win any game we played.” Guy, known as one of the best kickers to ever play collegiate football, recorded multiple records throughout his career at USM. Among these records include a 93-yard school record punt at Ole Miss in 1972, as well as a then NCAA record 61-yard field goal against Utah State in the same season. “The field goal was achieved in a snowstorm right before halftime,” Guy said. “What was amazing about the field goal was that when the

“

ball left my foot you really could not see the ball at a distance to tell whether it went through or had missed until the referee gave his signal that it was good. The punt came in 1972 against Ole Miss in Oxford. It was fourth down, and the ball was on our seven yard. I had to stand five yards back in our end zones. My only objective at that time was to make sure I made the catch from center, make good contact with the ball and to make sure it got to at least the 50 yard line with no return. When it left my foot I knew I had made good contact with the ball and that the return was going to have to Courtesy of USM Athletics back up to catch it, but not that far. The ball actually traveled 80 yards in the air, hit on the other 20 and rolled through the end zones and out the other end.” Guy was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders in April 1973. He went on to play 14 years with the Raiders, winning three Super Bowl rings during his pro career. Underwood resigned at the end of the 1974 season, coaching six seasons for the Golden Eagles, which was adopted as the new mascot in 1972.

Growth and Expansion, Part II: 1974-1990

Bobby Collins was selected to replace Underwood as the new head coach, and Collins continued to develop the program into a top tier program. The Golden Eagles opened the newly renovated M.M. Roberts Stadium in the fall of 1976, allowing for 33,000 fans to watch Southern Miss football at home. Collins also led the Eagles into the AP and UPI polls for the first time, reaching No. 20 after the Oct. 18, 1980 game against Arkansas State. The Eagles would reach their highest ranking ever in 1981 after a month long stretch that included a tie against Alabama and wins against Mississippi State and Florida State. Collins left Southern Miss to take the head coaching position at SMU, allowing Jim “Big Nasty” Carmody to take the helm. Carmody is the creator of the defense that earned the nickname “Nasty Bunch.” Carmody got off to a hot start in 1982 when his team defeated Bear Bryant’s Alabama team in what would become Bryant’s final home game.

The Rebels did not think little Southern Miss had any chance at all, but we knew we could win any game we played.

”

Ray Guy

Southern Miss also saw Brett Favre’s first game during this era. The 17-year-old came off the bench against Tulane in the third quarter, leading the Eagles to a 31-24 win. Favre would go on to become one of the greatest players to ever play at Southern Miss, holding passing records in nearly every category until Austin Davis came along. He was also part of many famous games throughout his four years at the school, including the “Miracle at Louisville,” a last second win at ECU set up by a 40-yard line drive thrown by Favre and a win over Gene Stallings and the No. 13 Crimson Tide in Birmingham. The 1990 season was a successful campaign, as the Eagles knocked off both Alabama and Auburn. “It was such a great feeling because many of our players were from Alabama and not recruited by either school,” a former Southern Miss player said. The year would mark the end of Favre’s career as well, but it marked the creation of a new era when Jeff Bower was hired as the new head coach.

Jeff Bower: 1991- 2007

Bower, who served as the quarterback coach and offensive coordinator for the 1988 and 1989 seasons, got off to a rocky start as head coach, going just 26-28-1 in his first five seasons. In Bower’s sixth season, USM began playing Conference USA opponents in the league’s inaugural year. Going 8-3 that season, the Golden Eagles were co-conference champions with Houston after falling to Houston late in the season. The Eagles would, however, return the favor the next season. The 1997 team, led by sophomore defensive standout Adalius Thomas, dominated Houston 33-0 in Hatties- Jeff Bower burg to win the outright Conference USA title. The team finished 9-3, one win better than the 8-3 record posted a year earlier. The year 1999 brought the third conference championship in four years back to Southern Miss with a 30-27 win over Louisville. The game is noted for the special team trick-play — a 26-yard fake punt — that set up the game winning field goal in the fourth quarter. The next three seasons were rather mediocre with the recent success the program had seen, but in 2003 the Eagles once again claimed the Conference USA title with a 31-

28 victory over ECU. The win came just nine days after the Eagles knocked off No. 9 TCU at home to spoil the Horned Frogs’ BCS hopes. Bower led the Eagles for the next four years, including three bowl wins and another appearance in the Conference USA title game: a loss to Houston in 2006. Bower could not escape the pressure from boosters, and late in the 2007 season Bower resigned as head coach effective at season’s end. Bower left the program as the second winningest coach in team history with a record of 119-83-1 and a streak of 14 winning seasons.

Fedora’s four years: 2008-2011

Larry Fedora, who was the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State the previous three years, was hired in December 2007 to take over as head coach in 2008. Fedora would also experience mediocrity at first. After going 6-6 in the regular season, the Golden Eagles needed a come from behind overtime win at the New Orleans Bowl to have a winning record. The Eagles finished 7-6 again in 2009, although the team lost starting quarterback Austin Davis to a broken foot just five games into the season. The Eagles showed significant improvement in the 2010 campaign, despite only winning one more game. The team showed drastic improvement in 2011, however. The 2011 season was the best season of football the school had ever witnessed. After losing their second game of the season to Marshall, the Eagles would go on an eight game winning streak before losing to UAB in mid-November. The team would recover, though. Just two weeks later, the team traveled to Houston, Tex. to take on the No. 6 ranked Houston Cougars in the Conference USA Championship. Despite being a 15 point underdog going into the Courtesy of USM Athletics game, the Eagles dominated the game in the second half to defeat the Cougars 49-28, ruining Houston’s undefeated season as well as their BCS hopes. One week later, Fedora was announced as the new head coach at North Carolina, ending his four year campaign as the head coach as Southern Miss after the Eagles won the Hawai’i Bowl on December 24, 2011. On December 20, Ellis Johnson was announced as the next head coach for the team, leading the team into the program’s second century of football.

Page 6, Student Printz

The Student Printz

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Battle for QB to determine offense Barrett Negus Printz Writer Southern Miss football is coming off arguably the best season in the history of the program. Since the bowl win in Hawai’i against Nevada that wrapped up last season, a few things have changed. The Golden Eagles have a new head coach, Ellis Johnson, and lost Austin Davis, a fouryear starter at quarterback. Many questions surround the program coming into the 2012 football campaign, the most glaring of which is, “Who is going to going to fill the shoes of Austin Davis?” Davis broke records for passing yards (10,722), touchdown passes (81), completion percentage (61.6 percent) and total offense (12,082) in his four-year tenure. The man who held these records before Davis went by the name of Brett Favre.

The “Battle”

Gold game in the spring went to Chris Campbell. Campbell has the most experience, and it has been transparent thus far. He had a solid spring game performance, completing 12 of 18 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, managing to avoid any major mistakes. Lloyd looks mediocre, completing 12 of 24 for 199 yards with no touchdowns in the spring game, while taking only a few snaps against Nebraska without completing any of his three pass attempts. Incoming true freshman quarterback, Anthony Alford, throws a wrinkle in the quarterback battle simply on his ability to run the football. Most people thought Alford might be taking snaps as a running threat, similar to Tim Tebow his freshman year at Florida behind Chris Leak. After Alford’s impressive performance in his first collegiate game in Lincoln, head football coach Ellis Johnson has since named him

The Golden Eagles have a number of different quarterback options heading into the home opener. The three-man battle to replace Davis includes red-shirt junior Chris Campbell, redshirt freshman Ricky Lloyd and freshman Anthony Alford. Mary Alice Truitt/Printz The early nod after Anthony Alford makes his college football debut on September the annual Black and 1 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

the starting quarterback for the home opener against East Carolina. Alford ran the ball 15 times for 84 yards, moving the offensive up and down the field effectively. Campbell threw the ball more effectively, but Alford’s impact with his legs are unmatched, and he looks to be the main man under center for the time being. Lloyd seemingly has dropped out of the race for the most part, while Campbell expects to see his share of snaps moving forward. Only time will tell how the battle for the signal-calling job in Hattiesburg might play out.

This season

There will be no improving on what the Golden Eagles achieved last year as Conference-USA champions, but a bowl game and a winning season should be in the future for the 2012 squad. The Golden Eagles have had 18 straight winning seasons and made 10 consecutive bowl games. Southern Miss opened the season in Lincoln, with Big Ten foe Nebraska, possibly the toughest game on the 2012 schedule. On top of that, the Golden Eagles will host Louisville and Boise State in back-toback weeks in the fourth and fifth games on their schedule. This is easily the hardest non-conference schedule the Golden Eagles have faced in recent years. The 2011 Southern Miss team would have had their hands full with a schedule this tough and that is with an experienced quarterback. If Southern Miss does not figure out the quarterback dilemma in a hurry, it might be a long season for the Golden Eagles.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Student Printz

Student Printz, Page 7

Page 8, Student Printz

The Student Printz

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Golden Eagle guide to tailgating Hannah Jones Managing Editor

With fall quickly approaching, the upcoming cooler weather marks the beginning of a favorite Saturday pastime in the South—tailgating. The art of tailgating is a necessary ritual in the fine art of college football game days.

Tailgating Tips: Pre-pack

Pre-pack food before game day, preferably the night before, to save time for afternoon games.

Double Up

Pack two coolers—one for drinks and another for food. Bring black and gold table accessories such as plates, napkins, plastic utensils, tablecloths and festive Southern Miss serving platters and other table decor.

Prepare

Prepare for changes in weather—As Eagle fans found out last year, rain on game days is often unpredictable. Because umbrellas are not allowed in the Rock, pack rain jackets and ponchos alongside other tailgating gear.

Plan

Show up early—in order to get the full tailgating experience, show up at least three to four hours prior to the game in order to have plenty of time to cook, play games and enjoy the company of fellow tailgaters.

Tailgating is defined as a pre-gaming event held on or around the tailgate of a vehicle for a particular sporting event in order to establish a strong core of support year after year, but in reality, it is so much more than that. Tailgating is merely one, although a crucial, part in the ceremonial NCAA Saturday celebration that is college football. Tables are decorated, food is pre-

Game day fun: Cornhole:

Cornhole is a staple game day activity at any proper tailgating tent. Players toss cornhole bags at a raised platform with a hole cut out at the top of the board. Corn bags thrown into the hole equals three points. Bags that land on the platform equal one point. Players continue tossing the cornhole bags until a player reaches 21 points.

Frisbee:

Southern Miss is fortunate to have multiple green spaces for kids and adults to toss Frisbees on Saturdays. A classic game of keep-away is sure to guarantee a good time, while ultimate Frisbee remains a favorite pastime among USM students.

Football:

Another tailgating classic is, of course, a football. Tossing the old pigskin is one of the best ways to prepare for a Southern Miss game.

pared, beer is on ice and everyone is ready for a good time. At Southern Miss, the District is jammed packed with Golden Eagle fans each Saturday getting a head start celebrating Southern Miss football and cheering on the Eagles certainly works up an appetite. Kick off the 2012 Golden Eagle football season with this DIY tailgating guide.

Tailgating by the numbers: 1869: Tailgating dates back to the

first college football game ever played between Rutgers and Princeton. Fans traveled via horse-drawn carriage and grilled sausages at the “tail-end” of the horse, and thus, tailgating was born.

79% of tailgaters are men. 23.1:

The average American roughly consumes 23.1 gallons of beer per year.

30%

of tailgaters never see the inside of the stadium.

1940:

The first six-pack was produced by Pabst Brewery in the 1940s.

49%

of tailgaters travel less than an hour to their favorite team’s stadium.

2012 tailgating play-list: What’s a proper tailgate without music? Some songs will be forever synonymous with college game days, and to make any tailgate the talk of the District, a party play-list is the key to keeping tailgaters coming back for more. Internet streaming program Spotify has released a 10-hour play-list, “Official Tailgate Mix 2012,” which is free and features a grab-bag of music sure to keep everyone entertained. Some Southern Miss favorites played each year in the Rock are featured on Spotify’s “Official Tailgate Mix 2012”:

1. “We Will Rock You,” Queen 2. “ All I Do is Win,” DJ Khaled 3. “Welcome to the Jungle,” Guns N’ Roses 4. “Back in Black,” ACDC 5. “Black and Yellow,” Wiz Khalifa Mary Alice Truitt/Printz

Dixie Darlings march in the first Eagle Walk parade of the season on September 17th, 2011.

The Student Printz

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Student Printz, Page 9

Past to present: Where are they now? future in football, now finds himself preparing to play if the injury prone Bradford goes down. This is a big step up from the practice squad and his goal of making the team.

Barrett Negus Printz Writer

Where are they now?

Five Golden Eagles from last season’s record-setting team found themselves battling for jobs in the National Football League entering preseason camp earlier this year. Former players Austin Davis, Cordarro Law, Marquese Wheaton, Danny Hrapmann and Ronnie Thornton have all seen playing time in the preseason for their respective NFL teams.

Davis wins backup role

Austin Davis, a four-year starter for the Golden Eagles, has highlighted this group of former Golden Eagles in the NFL. Davis went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft after setting every single season and career record as the signal caller at Southern Miss before signing a free agent deal with the St. Louis Rams. “I was obviously hoping to be drafted in the later rounds of the draft,” Davis said. “Once I got here to camp I was just excited to have a chance to play at this level, but undrafted or drafted, everybody was fighting for a spot on the roster. We were all on the same playing field.” Davis went into camp battling for the No. 3 job in the Rams’ preseason camp. “My goal coming into camp was just to

Justin Sellers/Printz

Austin Davis

make the roster, the chance to stay around, even if it meant being on the practice squad,” Davis said. The practice squad is a distant thought for Davis now. He not only gained the No. 3 quarterback spot, but won the No. 2 quarterback job against the Detroit Lions going into the second week. Davis, recently undrafted and unsure of his

Offensive lineman Lamar Holmes, drafted in the third round by the Atlanta Falcons, is listed as the No. 2 at left tackle on the Falcons depth chart coming into the regular season. Holmes has been battling injuries throughout training and the preseason to earn the backup job for the Falcons. Danny Hrapmann, the Golden Eagles former All-American kicker and Lou Groza finalist, made all of his field goals in the preseason while battling for the kicking job in Pittsburgh, including a 43-yard game winner in his first game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite his success, the Steelers released Hrapmann at the end of the preseason, but his performance gives him a high chance of being picked up by another team in coming weeks. Cordarro Law, last season’s Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl MVP, made the Seattle Seahawks team as an undrafted defensive end. Law now finds himself on the 53-man roster for the Seahawks. Marquese Wheaton, a cornerback who scored three non-offensive touchdowns last season, played two weeks for the Tampa Buccaneers in the preseason. The Buccaneers

Printz sports writers predict 2012 season Kyle Smith

Sports Editor Prediction: 7-5 (6-2 C-USA), 1st in CUSA East Offensive MVP: WR Tracey Lampley, Sr. Defensive MVP: BAN Jamie Collins, Sr.

Jeff Haeger

Printz Writer Overall Record: 8-4 Conference USA Record: 6-2 Offensive MVP: Desmond Johnson, RB Defensive MVP: Jamie Collins, Ban. While last year’s squad set a new school record in wins with an overall mark of 12-2, this year’s team will struggle early in the sea-

Barrett Negus

Printz Writer Overall Record: 8-4 Conference USA record: 6-2 Offensive MVP: Anthony Alford, QB Defensive MVP: Dylan Reda, LB The Golden Eagles did not waste any time with patsies early on, opening the season against Nebraska at Lincoln. The result was not favorable for the Eagles; the Cornhuskers

Ben Welch

Printz Writer Overall Record: 9-3 C-USA Record: 7-1 Offensive MVP: Austin Quattrochi, OL Defensive MVP: Rackeem NunezRoches, DL

Justin Sellers/Printz

Lamar Holmes

waived Wheaton before the third preseason game. Ronnie Thornton, a linebacker during the Golden Eagles C-USA championship run last season, spent the preseason with the Chicago Bears after being undrafted. Thornton racked up a handful of tackles before being released by the Bears.

Jill Johnson/Printz

L-R: Jeff Haeger, Barrett Negus, Kyle Smith and Ben Welch.

Although the Golden Eagles got out of the gate with a rough loss to Nebraska, they have had an off-week to regroup. On Sept. 15, Southern Miss will play the East Carolina Pirates for the first home game. Although ECU will have their sights set on revenge after last year’s blowout, Southern Miss should not lose their first game at home. After winning at

Western Kentucky, Southern Miss will likely lose three consecutive games: Louisville, Boise State and Central Florida. Southern Miss will then go on to win against Marshall, Rice and UAB before losing on the road at SMU. The Eagles will wrap up their regular season with two wins over UTEP and Memphis. The Eagles should qualify for the Confer-

ence USA championship game since UCF is banned from postseason play this season. Look for the Eagles to play Houston or Tulsa. Although there are hurdles to overcome - a new starting quarterback, a young defense, an unproven head coach - there is still plenty of leadership on the team to keep the winning season streak alive.

son to fill the vacancies left by the departures of quarterback Austin Davis to the NFL and head coach Larry Fedora to North Carolina. The Golden Eagles will rebound from the loss to Nebraska in their home and conference opener with a win over East Carolina before earning their first road victory of the season against Western Kentucky. Southern Miss will fall in a close game to No. 25 Louisville the following week, but look for the Eagles to pull a signature upset over No. 24 Boise State.

Following the home stand, Southern Miss will drop a conference match up at UCF, bringing its record to 3-3 at the midway point of the season. In the second half of its 2012 campaign, Southern Miss will face a manageable conference slate, starting with its Homecoming game against Marshall. The Eagles will revenge their disappointing loss to the Thundering Herd from last season before going on to defeat Rice on the road. Southern Miss will

win a third straight game when it breaks its three-game losing streak to UAB but will fall on the road to a team going through a quarterback transition of its own in SMU. Following the tough conference loss, Southern Miss will win its final two games against UTEP and Memphis, finishing with a mark of 8-4 (6-2 C-USA). The Eagles will finish with a chance at returning to the C-USA championship game, assuming conference foe UCF sputters down the stretch.

backfield tandem of Heisman hopefuls Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead cut through the Eagles’ defense to open the season. Southern Miss follows Nebraska with what is expected to be a much needed bye week. The Eagles will take advantage of this by outscoring the Pirates of East Carolina, following with a win against Western Kentucky on the road. Week five will bring another tough task when Louisville visits the Rock to try their luck. The home crowd will propel the Ea-

gles past the Cardinals. The next two weeks spell trouble, though, when Boise State comes to town and edges the Eagles, who will then travel to UCF and drop a game on the road in Conference USA play. Needing a win, the Eagles will answer the call. In mid-season form with retribution on their minds, Southern Miss will revenge last season’s losses to Marshall and UAB, sandwiching a key conference win on the road at Rice.

Unfortunately, the three-game winning streak will end at the hands of SMU in Dallas. Pass-happy UTEP will roll into Hattiesburg in week 12, and the Eagles will give the Minors a beating before finishing the season with a big win on the road at Memphis. The Eagles could easily find themselves in the C-USA championship game at the end of the season with an 8-4 record -- a huge success on the heels of a season in which they lost one of the most storied offensive players in the history of the school, Austin Davis.

Nebraska was just too good to expect an upset by a team breaking in a new quarterback. The game against East Carolina will be a meeting of teams trying to break in a new quarterback. Being at home gives the Golden Eagles the edge, and they will take the conference and home opener. When old C-USA

foe Louisville visits, the fans will be surprised at how good this team is. Charlie Strong is building a good program with a strong defense and has a young quarterback from Miami who will turn heads his sophomore year. Boise State will make or break the season. Watch for the upset here in a magical game.

The Eagles will leave Orlando with a 3-3 record after the Knights get revenge for their loss last season. If Southern Miss can avoid a downfall at SMU, they can easily finish on a six-game winning streak. Give UCF two upset losses in the conference and the Eagles will be back in the championship game.

Page 10, Student Printz

The Student Printz

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Five keys to success for 2012 season Jeff Haeger Printz Writer 1. Adapting to new head coach Ellis Johnson: Larry Fedora left the Southern Miss football program at an all-time high when he departed for North Carolina in the off-season, as the Golden Eagles posted a new school record in wins with an overall mark of 12-2 in 2011 and concluded the season with a 2420 victory over the Nevada Wolfpack in the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl. Ellis Johnson steps in as head coach for the Golden Eagles in 2012 but at a very fleeting time for the program. He is surrounded by an entirely new coaching staff, as assistant coach Steve Buckely, offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle and defensive coordinator Tommy West are also first-year coaches at Southern Miss. West is keeping the same 4-2-5 defensive scheme implemented by last year’s defensive coordinator Dan Disch, but that can only provide so much stability for an inexperienced defense. Southern Miss is a very young team, so players buying into Johnson and his staff early on is crucial for the Golden Eagles in 2012. 2. Solidifying a starting quarterback early in the season: With the large vacancy left at quarterback following the departure of all-time leading passer Austin Davis to the NFL, junior Chris Campbell, true freshman Anthony Alford and red-shirt freshman Ricky Lloyd are all

battling for first-team reps to start the season. Campbell looks to have the upper-hand on the job, but Alford’s ability to open up the run game with his athleticism could earn him plenty of snaps under center. Regardless of who wins, naming a starting quarterback early in the season will yield more offensive consistency for the Golden Eagles in 2012. 3. Staying healthy: Aside from Davis, the Golden Eagles return much of their offensive firepower from last season, but with a new quarterback under center, it is more important than ever that the surrounding offensive play-makers stay healthy all season. On the defensive side of the ball, the Golden Eagles return only four starters, so it is equally vital that injuries do not deplete an already unproven defensive unit. 4. Running the ball effectively by committee: A season-ending knee injury to Desmond Johnson in 2011 could ultimately be a blessing in disguise for the Golden Eagles, as they return three proven running backs for their 2012 campaign. With Kendrick Hardy’s nagging hamstring injury, Johnson is likely to see a majority of the touches early in the season. However, both Johnson and Hardy have rushed for over 1,000 yards in their careers, and Jeremy Hester gives the Golden Eagles an added dimension to their prolific rushing attack. Last season, Southern Miss rushed for an average of 205.1 yards per game, good for 20th in the nation. Producing similar numbers in 2012 will be a difficult feat without

Davis and his ability to stretch the defense with the vertical passing game, but running the ball efficiently could buy the Golden Eagles several victories in 2012. 5. Utilizing the versatility of Tracy Lampley and Jamie Collins: The all-purpose Tracy Lampley has already exceeded 1,000 career yards for kickoff return and is only 31, 95 and 184 yards away from topping 1,000 career yards in rushing, receiving and punt return, respectively. He is the spark-plug for the Golden Eagles on offense and special teams, so his explosive play-making ability needs to a major component of the

Golden Eagles’ scoring attack, especially early in the season while Southern Miss identifies its starting quarterback. On the opposite side of the ball, Jamie Collins has the ability to play as a down lineman or linebacker in West’s 4-2-5 defensive scheme. His athleticism allows him to disrupt the passing game when he drops into coverage, but he is also a threat when he rushes the quarterback, recording 6.5 sacks in 2011. His 98 total tackles were good for second best on the team last season, but an even stronger 2012 campaign is key for the overall success of the defense this season.

Eagle football by the numbers Kyle Smith Sports Editor

4

Punt returns for a touchdown in 2011. This was tied for first in the NCAA.

8 8

19

Interceptions returned for a touchdown - the most in the NCAA. It also set a Football Bowl Subdivision record.

21

The number of years it has been since USM visited Lincoln, Neb., to take on the Cornhuskers. USM won the game 21-17.

10 12

Consecutive bowl trips for USM. They are 5-5 in that 10-game stretch.

13 18

Starters returning from the 2011 squad. Six on offense, four on defense, and two on special teams.

Defensive touchdowns during the 2011 season.

Consecutive winning seasons by the Golden Eagles.

The number of wins combined by the football and men’s basketball teams at home. Going a perfect 210, USM was the only school to go undefeated at home in both sports in 2011-2012. The final BCS Ranking 1 for Southern Miss, which 2 was also the highest ranking for a Mississippi university in 2011.

28

Wins in the 2011 season the most by any team in school history.

12

Interceptions by the “Nasty Bunch” last season. This was tied for sixth in the NCAA with South Carolina, whose defense was coached by new Southern Miss head coach Ellis Johnson.

Number of points given up to Houston in the Conference USA Championship game. Houston was the nation’s No. 1 ranked offense and averaged 49 points per game. Southern Miss won the game 49-28.

8.4

5

The win percentage by the Golden Eagle football program in its 95-year history. The program’s all-time record is 560-372-27.

The number of points 391 gained in the Associated

Press Football Poll from its preseason poll to its final poll in the postseason. Southern Miss finished as the No. 20 team.

6 1 5

Points scored by USM in the 2011 season.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Student Printz

Student Printz, Page 11

Former Southern Miss star returns as AD Mary Margaret Halford Executive Editor In 1976, Jeff Hammond was a leader on the field for the Golden Eagle football team as quarterback. Today, Hammond serves as a leader for Southern Miss as athletic director. “I got a pair of degrees from this incredible school, and I was fortunate enough to play football and be the quarterback and team captain,” Hammond said. “But the people here — the coaches, staff and faculty — shaped me and shaped who I am. The opportunity to come back like that is once in a millenium so I seized it.” When Hammond left Southern Miss in 1978, he began his military career, rising through the ranks and eventually seizing the title of a major general. With 28,000 soldiers to command, Hammond and his wife dedicated their lives to caring for soldiers and their families, but his passion always remained at Southern Miss. “We put our heart into loving soldiers and families, but after 32 years, we thought that was the time that if we were going to do something new and different then that was the time to do it while we were still young and energized,” Hammond said. Hammond said he and Diane, his wife and fellow Southern Miss graduate, were standing on their front porch in Fort Hood, Texas one day when they noticed moving vans moving soldiers’ widows away. “It was just so sad, and we just wanted to be happy again. We knew there was a shining light here — a black and gold light that brings people home,” Hammond said. “We wanted to come back to seek happiness make a difference

in this program. We wanted to come home to Southern Mississippi, where the best times of my life happened.” In 2010, Hammond got a job with the athletic department and packed his bags for the move back to Hattiesburg, never imagining that he would soon hold the top position in Southern Miss athletics. “I never planned to be the athletic director,” Hammond said. “Circumstances developed, and I was, as a leader, asked to step forward, so I stepped forward because I like a challenge, because I love the university, and I love the people.” For Hammond, the focus of this centennial season will be creating a culture and overseeing a growth in revenue in the athletic department. “I want the athletics department to be part of the university experience for faculty, staff and students, I want this to be a part of their lives,” Hammond said. “I want to create a sustainable business model within the department more in lines with the business — revenue, expenses, profit, loss — that allows us to eventually not be a drain on the university but to be selfsustaining in our own right.” For David Hosemann, a Vicksburg, Miss., native who played fullback at USM with Hammond, having someone in the AD position

who cares about the university is vital to the growth of the program. “He was the guy who put in extra workouts at night in the weightroom, as an 18-year-old he had the qualities of a leader and encouraged everyone to pull their weight,” Hosemann said. “At Southern Miss you’re expected to work hard and prosper, and he understands that. He’s in touch with the university, not just what we represented in the past, but where we want to go in the future.” To Hammond, the fan base and sincere atmosphere sets Southern Miss apart from other schools. “Most fan bases are loyal, but ours is loyalty-plus. These people aren’t afraid to step forward and voice their opinion or express their thoughts. I may not Hammond always like what I hear, but their willingness to do that gives them the title of loyalty-plus,” Hammond said. “You can come here and imagine. You have small classes, professors will know you by name, staff members will take the time to help you, and you can dually pursue your dreams and your goals here.” In 10 years, Hammond said he envisions Southern Miss athletics being a self-sustainable program that supports the whole student, not just the sports side. “It’s our job over the next ten years, in regards to becoming self-sustaining, to lift up our sea-

son ticket sales in all sports. We have to continue to expand our business base,” Hammond said. “We love our athletes to do all these extra things, but at the end of the day, they came here to get a degree. They came here to learn about themselves socially. They came here to be a leader. That is what we are going to do.” To Hosemann, Hammond’s work ethic and love for Southern Miss has shone through since he first stepped onto the football field more than 35 years ago. “He’s concerned with the Southern Miss family, he wants us to be proud of Southern Miss,” Hosemann said. “He’ll carry the same momentum to this job that he did on the football field, and he’s always been about setting goals and achieving them.” According to Hammond, the university’s main priority is the students, and he fully intends to focus on that. “The biggest goals are to graduate our student athletes, teach them leadership and to teach them social responsibility so they will be men and women of character and they will always have the moral courage to do the right thing,” Hammond said. He also plans to continue the streak of success that Southern Miss has seen in years past in his athletic department. “We have a history of winning here, we succeed, and we have done a lot of neat things here,” Hammond said. “We don’t have a separate mission from the university. Our mission is the mission of this university.” “The biggest goals are to graduate our student athletes, teach them leadership and to teach them social responsibility so they will be men and women of character, and they will always have the moral courage to do the right thing,” Hammond said.

Page 12, Student Printz

The Student Printz

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Feature

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Student Printz, Page 5

NATIONAL

Suicide Prevention Week observed Health Services partners with Student Counseling Services and will provide information about stress, transition and suicide prevention,” Crawford said. “Anxiety and Depression Awareness Day will occur in the spring semester prior to final exams.” Students should also be aware that help is needed to start an organization called Active Minds on campus, which will push for support and advocacy for those with mental health issues, and those interested should contact Deena Crawford regarding this organization. Student Counseling Services is located in Kennard-Washington Hall room 200 and is open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 pm. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. To schedule an assessment or speak with a counselor, email SCS at counseling@usm.edu or call 601.266.4829.

Carly Tynes Printz Writer This year, National Suicide Prevention Week will be recognized Sept. 9-15. National Suicide Prevention Week raises awareness about this very real issue. Students are encouraged to play an active role when it comes to their own mental health, as well as encouraging others to seek help. Deena Crawford, director of Student Counseling Services at the University of Southern Mississippi, said students who feel as if they themselves or a friend may be struggling should seek help immediately and for students to not wait until the talks of suicide or disturbing behaviors become “serious enough.” Although suicide and addressing personal issues that may be pushing one to consider, plan, attempt and sometimes complete a suicidal act are kept under wraps, this is the one week that people are encouraged to step forward about their issues and seek help. Experts from the American College Health Association have estimated that about 10,088 suicide completions have occurred at colleges every year. Furthermore,

Courtesy Photo

one in 12 college students are said to have planned their suicide, while about one and a half out of every 100 students have attempted it. Student Counseling Services highly encourages students to listen to their friends. Students are more likely to listen to and talk to other students and will prob-

ably confide in another student of their current or future plans to harm themselves or others. SCS has many services available to students who may be struggling, such as group counseling, individual counseling, consultation and emergency response. SCS also offers referral assistance for students

concerned about others. Crawford said that although there are not any scheduled events on campus for National Suicide Prevention Week this week, there are many events planned for the future semesters on campus. “In October, we have Dorm Storm October, where Student

ON CAMPUS

Campbell has high hopes for MCJ Arielle Edwards Printz Writer Christopher Campbell has been the director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern Mississippi for seven years. While he earned his doctorate at USM, Campbell said he could not believe the director position opened up in 2005. Leading and inspiring students ever since, Campbell expressed his excitement for the relocation of the MCJ department to College Hall beginning in the fall of 2013. Additionally, six new faculty members were hired at the beginning of this fall semester: Cindy Blackwell, Maya Champion, Teddy Champion, Gina Chen, Peter Chen and Vanessa Murphree. Campbell said a faculty search committee was used and that numerous applicants were considered. “We got some really impressive people,” Campbell said. “I think that’s partly because they saw

the excitement of the school going into College Hall and the support from the university.” Campbell believes these new

Chris Campbell

professors will have a big impact on students by helping them figure out how they can be marketable. Campbell also believes the move to College Hall will boost the reputation of the department. “This is an impressive group, and they bring a lot of positive energy to the school,” Camp-

bell said. “They also bring great media experience as well as very impressive academic backgrounds. We’re thrilled, and our students are already singing their praises.” Campbell believes practice is the number one thing that helps students be successful in their chosen career. “Internship opportunities, the radio station and The Student Printz are great opportunities to practice your craft, and that is what helps make you marketable,” Campbell said. For additional information, contact Campbell at christopher.campbell@usm.edu or 601.266.4258. For more information about the School

of Mass Communication and Journalism, visit www.usm.

edu/mcj.

Page 6, Student Printz

REVIEW

Student Shout-outs

Opinion

Thursday, September 13, 2012

‘D4’ is free, as it should be

“

No leader that I know of was “Continually bad mouthing” USM. Just had 1 different opinion. Let’s just put this to the side and get ready to destroy the Pirates at the Rock on Saturday, Cool? Cool. #SMTTT I like how the football team acts like they didn’t get embarrassed by Nebraska two weeks ago... I found a leather journal in LAB 105 and it seems pretty important. Only looked at the first page, and you have a beautiful soul. Find me and I’ll return it. Make sure you register to VOTE! No vote, no say.. just sayin. With so many faculty parking spaces, it’s impossible NOT to get a ticket. So ready to cheer on my Golden Eagles this Saturday!!! SMTTT!!!!!! September 22 marks the beginning of autumn. So long sweaty campus walks! So excited for the first home game!!! SMTT!!! Go Eagles! Is it fall break yet? I’m already burnt out on school. #seniorwoes

Rachel Beech Printz Writer As soon as my ears stopped bleeding from hearing Lil’ Wayne’s “Tha Carter IV” only a year ago, the bitesized reincarnate of Polly Pocket has returned with another poorlywritten, terribly thought out album: “D4,” or “Dedication 4.” Lyrically, the album is almost as lame as its rip-off name, “D4.” Anyone remember the song “Laffy Taffy?” by D4L? Exactly. Has anyone shot a D4 Canon camera before? “D4” is almost as original as Nike shorts, TOMS and playing the guitar. I’m sure well-known names such as Canon D4 and D4L didn’t factor into his decision to name the album “D4,” but that’s no surprise. When was the last time Lil’ Wayne put an iota of thought into his albums, anyway? According to LilTunechi’s Twitter, Lil’ Wayne said, “D4 is stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupid.” That’s right, Weezy. It is stupid. It is very stupid, but not in a dope way. It’s “stuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupid” be-

Courtesy Photo

cause hardly any of the lyrics make sense. Although “D4” features the likes of Lil’ Mouse, Nicki Minaj, Birdman and more, those who gave Lil Wayne a second chance after his last album flop are not exactly gushing over “D4” yet. The Twitter world has flooded with disappointed Lil’ Wayne fans, calling “Dedication 4” “mediocre.” Other disappointed listeners wrote, “Idk what to think of Lil’ Wayne anymore.”

Instead of ripping apart Lil’ Wayne’s latest atrocity/jumbled up garbage, I am going to simply list a few of his most laughable lyrics in his latest album. She’s so sophisticated / She’ll catch a n---a nut and then refrigerate it. My, my, Weezy. Bet you wouldn’t put those lyrics in your mother’s refrigerator. Trukfit money Mountain Dew money, tell em / I get better like fine wine I’m fire like cayenne. Interesting observation, Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. If anyone knew what a Trukfit was, maybe fans wouldn’t be so upset about how terrible your songs have become over the years. My advice? Cut down on all that “Blunt Blowin’.” Lastly, I’m a Republican voting for Mitt Romney / You lazy bitches is f--king up the economy (Nicki Minaj) After raking through my news feed, my favorite Facebook posts

this week were those of conservative Republicans stating how awesome Nicki Minaj is voting for endorsing Mitt Romney. First of all, let’s get the facts straight. Minaj might have spit lyrics on “D4” about Romney, but everybody knows she lives for the shock factor. Who remembers back in February when she introduced her male alter-ego “Roman” during her Grammy performance, The Exorcism of Roman? The Exorcism of Roman equaled a lot of pissed off fans. And, according to VLADtv.com, even though Minaj has lived all over the United States, she hasn’t taken the time to exercise her right as an American citizen by registering to vote. All in favor of implementing a rule that bans people who aren’t politically educated or registered to vote from rapping or singing about their political beliefs or affiliations, say “I.” So, there you have it - a collaboration of Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, a mixture of two mindless human beings who, for some reason, have largely contributed to today’s society. Many would agree that Lil Wayne is a practical hero among today’s younger generations, so why has he continued producing music that lacks substance or feeling? He proudly calls New Orleans home, but what is a true New Orleanian without soulful lyrics and meaningful verses? In last year’s scathing article about “Tha Carter IV,” I was certain there was no way Lil Wayne would produce more rubbish. In fact, the final sentence was, “Better luck next time, Weezy,” and, boy, did he need it. Who knew he’d make a comeback twice as bad as the first? Time to retire, Weezy. Seems like you’ve forgotten where you came from. This was an article of opinion by Rachel Beech, a writer for The Student Printz. Email questions or comments to rachel.beech@eagles. usm.edu.

NAACP Voter’s Registration Drive & NPHC Hop Contest Thursday (9/13) from 4-6 p.m. Bennett Auditorium! Who’s ready to tailgate?! I know I am!! SMTTT!!!

”

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News

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Local

Student Printz, Page 7

Snarky Puppy returns to ‘Burg Paul White Printz Writer Texas musical group Snarky Puppy functions well as the prodigal son of the perfect marriage between raw, infectious funk music and New Orleans jazz. The band has been playing in Hattiesburg for roughly six years now. Over this time, they have accrued a local, cult-like fan base that would be damned if they missed a show when the band rolls through town. “We started playing around here in ’06 or ’07,” founder and bassist Michael Leagues said. “We booked two gigs at the BoCo that didn’t work very well. Then we got a pick-up show at the Hippo, and it worked out; people came out, and it was a good time. Hattiesburg felt like home.” Therefore, it is not surprising that they drew a capacity calling, fire hazard sized crowd to the downtown area on Tuesday night. “It is so exciting to see a turnout like this, especially tonight, but I am in no way surprised,” longtime fan Shanning Newell said. Besmirched with anticipation as the congregation grew, fans displayed toothy smiles and Mona Lisa grins as they waited for the band to start its funky, life-giving sermon.

Caitlin Jackson/Printz

Snarky Puppy perform at The Thirsty Hippo on Tuesday night.

As Leagues slapped and plucked, when the eight-member group led into chorus, the venue was a roar. There are no mixed feelings about the magic Snarky Puppy creates with their instruments. It is either a

Caitlin Jackson/Printz

Snarky Puppy perform at the Thirsty Hippo on Tuesday night.

love or a hate situation. The band came together in its adolescence at the University of North Texas and has grown into a musical beast that is unique to the industry. The core of the group remains consistent, but Snarky Puppy is a collective, with over 25 members in regular rotation with musicians from all walks of life and from all parts of the world who bring their own flare to this everevolving entity. This melting pot of musical minds has naturally “established a series of combinations and a system of balance that instantly draws listeners to the music - raw funk and sensitive dynamics, relentless pocket and lyrical melodicism, lush harmony and soulful simplic-

ity and, most importantly, a delicate mixture of composition and improvisation,” said bandframe. com in the band’s bio. “It’s lucky we have such a wealth of talented musicians,” Leagues said. “It works out well on tour.” This is good because the act is in the middle of an extensive tour for their newest album, “groundUP.” The tour lasts until Dec. 4 and has them traversing the globe all the way from Hattiesburg to Paris and everywhere in between. Over the last four years of touring, Snarky Puppy has become an internationally respected name in the instrumental music scene. Brandished the “Best Jazz Act,” the band won the Dallas Observer Music Award for three consecutive

years in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The band has worked with numerous Grammy award-winning artists such as Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, P Diddy, The Polyphonic Spree, Yo-Yo Ma and Morcheeba. “The fact that a few of us have won Grammys makes no difference; individual resumes and accolades are not significant,” Leagues said. “We are all equal, pull weight, love and respect each other regardless. We are here because of the music.” Although Snarky Puppy may be on the verge of international stardom, their career is still young. They have the musicianship, resolve and tenacity to not only become a household name one day but also shake up the music world.

Sports

Page 8, Student Printz

football

Thursday, September 13, 2012

East Carolina to provide early conference test for Southern Miss Ben Welch Printz Writer

The season did not get off to a great start for the Golden Eagles when they visited the Cornhuskers of Nebraska, especially on the defensive end. Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez threw for a career-high 354 yards as well as matching a career-high of five touchdown passes. The Cornhuskers also tallied a total of 278 yards on the ground. They totaled 632 yards and scored 49 points. After the game, the Eagles returned home and hit the drawing board to correct mistakes and make improvements. “What happened [in Nebraska] was exactly what my worst fear was,” defensive coordinator Tommy Weist said in a press conference on Monday. “We had seven new starters defensively go play like we had seven new starters out there. I thought we had three really good practices last week. We got better at doing what we do and that’s the key for us defensively. We have to do our stuff well.” Offensively, the Eagles never seemed to flow as they rotated in three different quarterbacks: red-shirt junior Chris Campbell, freshman Anthony Alford and red-shirt freshman Ricky Lloyd. Campbell started and looked in control of the offense as he threw for 69 yards and a touchdown. The decision was made last week to start Alford against ECU. Against Nebraska, the freshman went 1-5 for six yards but amassed 84 yards on 15 rushes. “We feel like Anthony gives us the best chance to move the football,” head coach Ellis Johnson said. “I was pleased with a lot of things about our offense in the first game, but I do think we have to be more productive.” Last time the East Carolina Pirates visited The Rock, quarterback Dominique Davis led them to a 44-43 victory over the Eagles. Davis threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns. Like Southern Miss, ECU must replace a veteran starting quarterback who set school records before leaving for the NFL. Replacing Davis led to a quarterback controversy that saw junior Rio Johnson emerge as the starter. Johnson threw for 242 yards and accounted for three touchdowns in the season opener against Appalachian State but struggled last weekend against

South Carolina, where he threw three interceptions. Sophomore Shane Carden started the second half against South Carolina. Carden went 12 of 18 for 140 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Pirates have

named Carden as the starter against the Eagles this weekend. The keys to the game will be how well Alford handles East Carolina’s zone blitz scheme and how much the secondary improved as they try to slow explo-

sive Pirate wide receivers Justin Hardy and Reese Wiggins. Cornerback Deron Wilson called Hardy and Wiggins “two of the better receivers in Conference USA.” The Rock will be a charged

with Golden Eagle pride due to high ticket sales from the “Fill it To The Top” campaign. Southern Miss will look to avoid a 0-2 hole to start the season and get a leg up on conference play against a division rival.