2014 FOOTBALL EDITION Defying the odds Thursday, September 4, 2014 / Volume 99 Issue 4 / studentprintz.com
“GOD GAVE YOU ONE LIFE TO LIVE AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE IT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY.” -rod crayton Photo by Kate Dearman
OFFENSE pages 3-5,11
DEFENSE
pages 6,7,9
Page 2 | Roster
Editorial SOUTHERN MISS FOOTBALL ROSTER NAME, POSITION, YEAR, HEIGHT/WEIGHT Staff Executive Editor Kathryn Miller kathryn.miller@eagles.usm.edu 850.565.0812 Sports Editor Joshua Campbell joshua.m.campbell@eagles.usm.edu Managing Editor Alan Rawls gregory.rawls@eagles.usm.edu Multimedia/Web Editor Crystal Garner crystal.garner@eagles.usm.edu News Editor Nikki Smith ashly.smith@eagles.usm.edu
12 Jarell Aaron WR RS SO 6-5/203
48 Darrion Goudy LB RS SR 5-10/241
40 C.J. Perry LB SO 6-0/233
19 Justin Abston DB SO 5-11/182
21 Johntre Goudy FB RS SO 5-9/247
85 Ja-Boree Poole DL SO 6-2/241
25 Corey Acosta K RS SR 5-10/190
69 Wesley Haas OL JR 6-4/277
72 Norman Price OL JR 6-4/321
2 Parker Adamson QB RS FR 6-4/214
83 Cooper Harrington WR RS JR 6-0/191
11 Kalan Reed DB JR 6-0/191
71 Randall Agee OL RS JR 6-0/292
74 Jerry Harris OL RS FR 6-3/302
6 Marquise Ricard WR SO 6-2/192
18 Keelan Anderson DB RS SR 5-9/191
29 Aaron Harris LB FR 6-0/232
30 Jalen Richard RB JR 5-8/207
39 Brian Anderson LB JR 5-10/248
73 Rashod Hill OL RS JR 6-6/302
9 Draper Riley DL RS FR 6-4/289
7 Jomez Applewhite DB RS FR 6-1/177
1 Tyre-oune Holmes WR SO 5-11/170
17 Gunner Roach QB FR 6-1/187
3 Cornell Armstron DB FR 5-11/175
37 Alan Howze LB SR 6-3/230
18 Korey Robertson WR FR 6-1/200
75 Oliver Bates OL RS SO 6-2/282
21 Troy Jeter DB JR 5-11/180
67 Christopher Robinson DL RS FR 6-2/291
47 Nic Bekkers DL RS SR 6-5/245
12 Emmanuel Johnson DB SR 5-11/178
26 Jeremy Sangster LB FR 6-0/233
14 Matthew Bergeron QB RS SO 5-10/192
8 Urell Johnson DB RS SR 5-10/180
82 Tyler Sarrazin K SO 6-3/190
17 David Bertucci DB RS JR 6-0/200
52 Austin Keel LS FR 5-9/195
50 Lance Schuffert LS RS JR 6-1/230
66 Chris Boss OL FR 6-4/250
51 Von Keith DL RS FR 6-1/216
20 Ryan Seaburg TE JR 6-1/254
94 Dylan Bradley DL SO 6-1/265
57 Illiad Kelly DL JR 6-2/275
93 Parker Shuanfield K FR 6-0/162
87 Shawn Brickley WR FR 5-9/162
42 Ta’Dren Kennedy LB RS SR 5-7/221
7 Kyle Sloter TE RS SO 6-4/218
76 Michael Brinson OL RS JR 6-3/301
65 Brian Long OL FR 6-4/327
91 Michael Smith DL RS JR 6-4/277
Design Editor Parker Brewer parker.brewer@eagles.usm.edu
31 Carlos Burse WR RS FR 6-2/194
1 Xavier Marion DB FR 6-0/185
25 Ito Smith RB FR 5-9/182
92 Nick Carlis DL RS FR 6-0/290
13 Casey Martin WR SR 5-10/175
95 Quentin Smith DL RS FR 6-2/222
64 Chaz Cavignac OL RS JR 6-1/275
16 Tyler Matthews QB RS SO 6-4/215
30 Devon Steptoe DB 6-2/190
Photo Editor Susan Broadbridge susan.broadbridge@eagles.usm.edu
2 Trae Collins DB RS FR 5-11/183
38 Jerry McCorvey DL RS SO 6-3/250
32 Xavier Thigpen DL RS FR 6-5/224
55 Thomas Collins OL RS JR 6-3/318
45 Dasman McCullum DL RS SR 6-4/242
88 Mike Thomas WR JR 6-1/186
81 Chad Cook WR SO 5-9/147
60 Hayden McMahan OL FR 6-4/257
5 D.J. Thompson WR RS SO 6-3/198
Assistant Photo Editor Kara Davidson kara.davidson@eagles.usm.edu
28 Jacorius Cotton DB RS SR 5-11/197
19 Curtis Mikell WR FR 5-8/168
70 Cameron Tom OL SO 6-4/287
15 James Cox WR SO 6-1/190
63 Fredrick Moore OL SR 6-5/310
23 Markese Triplett WR RS SR 6-4/229
90 Rod Crayton DL RS FR 6-1/287
33 Matthew Moseley P RS JR 5-11/165
43 Marcus Turner DB RS SO 5-11/210
3 Daythan Davis FB FR 6-1/228
9 Nick Mullens QB SO 6-1/196
41 Antrion Walker LB SR 5-10/224
5 Walden Davis, III DB FR 5-10/182
28 Kewin Neilson K RS JR 5-10/183
36 Jayshawn Washington FB FR 6-1/226
6 Kelsey Douglas DB SO 5-11/192
13 Picasso Nelson, Jr. DB FR 5-10/188
11 Cole Weeks QB RS SR 6-0/200
54 Lelland Ducksworth LB RS SO 6-1/212
61 Bradley Nugent OL RS JR 5-11/270
27 Delvin Welsh RB RS JR 5-11/239
68 Brandon Farmer OL RS SO 6-2/308
97 Rakeem Nunez-Roches DL RS JR 6-3/305
49 Adam Williams DL RS SR 6-2/296
78 Devin Farrior OL RS FR 6-4/304
34 Evan Osborne DB SO 6-3/200
27 Kevin Williams DB RS FR 5-11/190
86 Dillon Fedora WR RS JR 5-8/161
16 Elijah Parker LB SO 6-2/208
99 J.T. Williams DL FR 6-2/295
80 Kyle Foster WR JR 6-3/218
8 Tez Parks RB FR 6-1/185
89 JaMichael Willis WR JR 5-11/200
46 Wil Freeman DL JR 6-6/261
24 George Payne RB SO 6-0/207
14 Terrick Wright LB RS JR 6-2/228
98 Cody Gottberg FR 6-1/210
35 Justin Penn LB RS SR 6-1/215
22 Darian Yancey LB FR 6-2/225
Graphic Designers Cody Bass cody.bass@eagles.usm.edu Julie Gore julia.gore@eagles.usm.edu Social Media Editor Yolanda Cruz yolanda.cruz@eagles.usm.edu News Content Adviser Chuck Cook 601.266.4288 chuck.cook@usm.edu Ad Graphic Designer Katherine Frye katherine.frye@eagles.usm.edu Advertising Manager Lesley Sanders-Wood 601.266.5188 lesley.sanders@usm.edu Advertising e-mail printzad@usm.edu
“Embodying a healthy lifestyle is important to our University community and to our own individual success. I encourage all Golden Eagles to find ways to incorporate healthy habits into their lifestyles to create greater opportunity for future success.” RODNEY D. BENNETT
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Starters | Page 3
NEW FACES IN THE STARTING LINEUP
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very year in college football, teams are faced with breaking in new starters across the board, usually due to players graduating or moving on to different ventures in their lives. Southern Miss is no different this season and will field 10 new starters from a year ago. One of the most important position groups on the football field is the offensive line. This year, Southern Miss has two new faces responsible for protecting quarterback Nick Mullens. Redshirt sophomore Brandon Farmer started the first game of his career, after sitting out his freshman year, when the Golden Eagles opened up the season against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The only experience Farmer, who is 6-feet, 2-inches, has is when he subbed into the Nebraska game last season. He is expected to be a key player in keeping Mullens upright and providing him with time in the pocket. Farmer has moved around on the offensive line before solidifying himself at left guard in training camp. The other new starter on the offensive line is Jerry Harris, who was recruited as a defensive lineman but converted to the offensive line, and he is now the starting right tackle. Head coach Todd Monken is depending on Harris to fill the void left by last year’s starter, Cameron Tom, who moved to center. He is a 6-feet, 3-inch, 302-pound redshirt freshman who has improved drastically since the position switch. “The hardest thing about the switch to offense is the mentality,” Harris said. “On defense, you pin your ears back and attack, but on offense you have to be more patient.”
In the backfield, true freshman Ito Smith will get plenty of looks this season. Smith was a three-star prospect and received Coastal Alabama Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2013. As a senior at McGillToolen Catholic High School, Smith tallied 255 carries for 1,803 yards and found the end zone 24 times. He was also used in the passing game, snagging 27 catches for 383 yards and five receiving touchdowns. As far as Mullens’ targets go, he has three new ones in Kyle Foster, Michael Thomas and Casey Martin. Foster originally committed and played at Syracuse, but did not get any playing time at receiver his freshman year, only seeing special teams action in seven games. He was redshirted his second year on campus before transferring to Dodge City Community College the following year, playing in five games and making 12 catches for 75 yards. Thomas is also a transfer from Dodge City Community College. Thomas started his career at College of Dupage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and transferred to DCCC. In 2013, his only year
there, Thomas was their leading receiver with 42 catches for 709 yards and three touchdowns. This was all accomplished in a short, 10-game season. Thomas was honored by his peers by being deemed an Honorable Mention All-American. Martin has had a much different path than Foster and Thomas. Martin spent three years at Houston before transferring this summer. He was redshirted his first year on campus, played sparingly in 2012, and he did not receive any playing time last season. However, his collegiate track record should not fool anyone from thinking he does not have talent. “He’s a smart guy,” Mullens said. “He reads routes right, finds the open holes. He’s just a real disciplined football player, real tough. That’s how you’ve got to be as a wide receiver. He’s our Wes Welker. He’s really done a good job of stepping up.” Big things are expected from the trio this season as they came into camp with a lot of buzz surrounding them and have responded by becoming starters in a short period of time. Martin tied for the team-lead in both
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catches and receiving yards against Mississippi State with four catches for 38 yards. On the defensive side, Dasman McCullum, a redshirt senior, is locked in as the starter for the bandit position on defense. The 6-foot-4, 242-pound McCullum has played in 27 games since 2011, but has started just one of those games. In training camp, he has rapidly risen up the depth chart and took over the starting spot. McCullum’s experience is his greatest value, but McCullum also brings a quiet intensity head coach Monken is excited about. Brian Anderson is another junior college transfer who is expected to come in and help the Golden Eagles right away. Anderson is a junior middle linebacker who transferred from Butte Community College in California. Since arriving to USM in the summer, every coach has taken notice of the linebacker who helped lead his team to a national championship.
James Johnson Printz Reporter
He provides that solid runstopping force every defense needs in order to succeed. With Anderson’s solid play in the middle, it has allowed the coaching staff to play the incumbent starter, Alan Howze, at the weak side linebacker spot instead. The biggest question coming into the season was: who is going to fill the spur position for USM? The spur position requires the player to have both excellent pass rushing skills and coverage skills. Redshirt junior David Bertucci has stepped up in camp as the right person for the position. Bertucci was originally a safety, playing mostly special teams thus far in his career. The coaching staff fell in love with Bertucci at the spur position because of how high his football IQ is and his extraordinary instincts. Very rarely do freshmen come in and start right off the bat, but in the case of freshman cornerback Picasso Nelson Jr., the coaching staff knew he belonged on the field from day one. He possesses the prototypical size and speed needed to succeed at cornerback and has a knack for making game-changing plays. He definitely is not scared to stick his nose in the running game, which is uncommon for a young cornerback. USM is going to need these players to step up into their roles as key contributors in order to continue to show improvement in the rebuilding process.
Page 4 | Wide Receivers
WIDE RECEIVERS WILL BE KEY TO OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
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ehind the offensive line and quarterback positions in football, the wide receiver position plays a pivotal role in offensive production on the field. It is wellknown the Golden Eagles are 1-24 in the last 2 years with last weeks’ 49-0 loss to Mississippi State. However, one reason why the team faces difficulty in winning games is its inability to move the ball down the field, starting with the wide receivers. Last year, Southern Miss head coach Todd Monken was serving his first year at the helm of the program and he faced difficulties finding the best players to run the offense efficiently. “Talent won’t be an issue. I believe this. I really feel like we have enough guys that can run, run all day and can catch. They can process,” Monken said about the wide receivers group at the 2014 Golden Eagle Media Day. “I think the toughest thing in throwing the ball is the ability to process and catch. Spacing, spatial awareness. I think we have to continue to build guys who understand that. Our guys played hard last year but we didn’t catch the ball.” There were a lot of missed
opportunities to score and convert on critical plays during a game, which keeps the defense on the field much longer. Then, in return, opposing teams would score easily against the Golden Eagle defense due to tiredness on. Now, a year later, the Golden Eagles have a good signal caller at quarterback in sophomore Nick Mullens and a plethora of weapons at wideout for Mullens to deliver the ball to. On the roster, there are 18 different options at the wide receiver position this year. Granted, all of them are not playing on the field from gameto-game but they are all talented. Not to mention, some wide receivers are coming back from nagging injuries that kept them away from the field like talented wide receiver D.J. Thompson. For the Golden Eagles, the starting wide receivers include Mike Thomas, D.J. Thompson, Markese Triplett and James Cox. Thomas, a junior transfer from Dodge City Community College in Chicago, Illinois, is new to the team this year but has found his way in the starting lineup. Although coming to campus two weeks before fall camp, Thomas has caught on quickly to the offensive scheme and plans to get better as the season moves along.
“Mike’s a really talented guy,” Monken told reporter Jason Munz of the Hattiesburg American Aug. 28 before the game against Mississippi State. “The problem is, we just didn’t get him here until late in the summer. But he’s everything we thought he would be. Now, it’s just how does he keep catching on and keep getting up to speed. He’s going to be a really good player here. It’s just keep focusing.”
Look for Thomas to become a consistent target for Mullens as the season goes along.
Thompson, as mentioned earlier, missed the 2013 season due to injuries and was redshirted. Now, he is back, healthier and more mature. Thompson has tremendous athletic ability to add with his other attributes, which will make him a prime target throughout the season. As for Markese Triplett, a redshirted senior from Louisville, Mississippi, has played the last three seasons as a Golden Eagle and has a lot of experience at the position. This year, he will be looked to step up and make plays throughout the season. Last season, he hauled in 33 receptions for 558 yards and 10 touchdowns. James Cox played in 10 games and started three as a true freshman last year. Cox emerged as a starter through training camp and will be expected to improve and make plays for the Golden Eagles’ offense. The second set of receivers that will see playing time for Southern Miss this year are Jarell Aaron, Marquise Ricard, Kyle Foster and Casey Martin. Of the four of them, Martin has created the biggest impression on the team. Martin, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound redshirted junior transfer from the University of Houston, learned the offense quickly, coming
Wilton Jackson Printz Reporter
from a Houston team that ran a similar style of offense. According to Mullens, Martin has become the go-to guy for Southern Miss, although not listed as a starter. “He’s a smart guy,” Mullens said to reporter Jason Munz. “He reads routes right, finds the open holes. He’s just a real disciplined football player. Real tough. That’s how you’ve got to be as a wide receiver. He’s our Wes Welker. He’s really done a good job of stepping up.” Despite losing to Mississippi State, Martin showed glimpses of his play-making ability in the game, snagging four receptions for 39 yards and tying for first in receptions among the team. As Southern Miss goes into Saturday’s game against Alcorn State and throughout the season, the level of consistency and production from the wide receivers will determine how well the team performs on offense and its ability to keep the defense on the sideline to get adequate rest before the next series of plays. It will be critical for them to make plays and convert on crucial situations to be successful. If they can move the ball efficiently down the field, it opens the door for the team to become more balanced as the season progresses.
offensive breakdown | Page 5
OFFENSE SEARCHING FOR BALANCE
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o say that the Southern Miss offense was stagnant last year would be a gross understatement. In 2013, the injury plagued Golden Eagles ranked 118th in total yards and averaged only 17 points per game. The Golden Eagles ranked dead last in total rushing yards, only scored five rushing touchdowns all year and averaged a grand total of 73 yards per game on the ground. The passing game did little to make up for the tough sledding in the ground game. As a whole, the offense completed only 51 percent of its passes and tossed 26 interceptions to only 19 touchdowns. Nick Mullens, who played in nine games last year at quarterback, is returning to lead the Golden Eagle offense this season. As a freshman, Mullens passed for 1,776 yards and 13 touchdowns, but he threw 14 interceptions. If the Golden Eagles are going to find any sort of offensive success in 2014, they must establish an efficient way to move the ball without many giveaways. Everything will start with Mullens under center. USM will be going up-tempo with their offense again this season, but that could either be feast or fire for Mullens. It seemed that last year Mullens began to catch a rhythm in this fast-paced offense, so if he can eliminate the turnovers, Southern Miss’ offensive production could sky rocket compared to 2013. Markese Triplett returns as the leading receiver on the team with 724 yards and five touchdowns in 2013. Sophomore receiver Tyre’oune Holmes returns after recording 43 receptions and 410 yards in 2013. Houston transfer Casey Martin looks to factor into the offense as well, coming out of the slot on most occasions. The situation with the running game last year was nothing short of a mess. Mullens proved that he could be productive at the quarterback position, but the running game has to help take
some of the pressure off of the young quarterback’s shoulders. Jalen Richard, Ito Smith and George Payne will headline the rushing attack this year. In 2013, the duo of Richard and Payne combined for 489 rushing yards, but will have to up their production this year in order to have a more balanced offense. Smith is a true freshman that will be asked to contribute in the running game as well. He actually led USM in both attempts and yards in the season opener against Mississippi State. The keys to success for the 2014 offense will boil down to being able to take care of the football, and being able to run the ball enough to keep opposing defenses honest. The worst-case scenario for the offense this year is the running game never gets going, and the running backs catch the fumble bug. Mullens could take a step back in his development and throw too many passes right into the arms of the opposing secondary. The best-case scenario is that the fast-paced offense plays out well. Payne, Richard and Smith create a dynamic backfield and combine for 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns. Ideally, Mullens commands the offense like a seasoned veteran and develops great chemistry with his receivers. If Triplett can reach his personal goal of having 1,000 receiving yards, it will give Mullens that go-to guy he needs. Realistically, the Golden Eagles will likely improve from a historically bad offensive season in 2013. A big difference should be the comfort in which the players operate in this offensive system, since it is the second year in Monken’s system. There will more than likely be some bumps and bruises early in the season, but by the time the bulk of Conference USA play gets here, this year’s offense could begin to resemble what USM fans were accustomed to when Austin Davis was running the show at quarterback.
IMPORTANT NOTICE The Southern Miss vs. Alcorn State Football game will be Saturday, Sept. 6. All vehicles parked in the Century Park and Payne Center parking lots must be moved no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5. Students who park their vehicles at Century Park will not be allowed back into the lot until 10 a.m. Sunday morning. All other vehicles must be moved by 8 a.m. on game day (Saturday). Any vehicle not moved will be towed at the owner’s expense. Parking is available at the following locations: Parking Garage Arthell Kelley Hall Elam Arms Gravel Lot CICE
Fraternity Row Performing Arts Center Ross Boulevard
If a vehicle is towed for a football game, a towing fee must be paid to the Department of Parking Management before the vehicle is released. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Southern Miss Parking Management 601.266.5447 or 601.266.4943
Josh Beasley Printz Reporter
Page 6 | CRAYTON
CRAYTON MAKES HISTORY WITH HIS COURAGE
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outhern Miss defensive lineman Rod Crayton is a special football player for a myriad of reasons. The former 3-time Alabama 4-A defensive lineman of the year and fourstar recruit notched back-toback 150-plus tackle seasons at Dadeville High School. He was named one of Alabama’s top 12 high school football players, among others in the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 12. Furthermore, he had three tackles against Mississippi State in the Aug. 30 season-opener. But what truly sets Crayton apart from other players is his ability to excel despite one problem: Crayton has a prosthetic foot. Well, partially. When he was in the third grade, Crayton suffered an accident that resulted in part of his right foot being amputated. The day of the accident, Crayton and two of his cousins were in the yard while his grandmother cut the grass. She told them to pick up rocks so she would not run over them with the lawnmower and bust the glass windows. When Crayton’s cousins finished, they sat on the porch while loud car speakers distracted both Crayton and his grandmother. With both of them distracted, she unknowingly ran over Crayton. She leapt off the lawnmower, raised it and noticed his foot was inside the lawnmower blade. His grandmother took him to a hospital in Birmingham where he stayed for nearly three weeks. “The lawnmower really didn’t do that much damage. The doctors were the ones that said they couldn’t do much because of the grass,” Crayton said. Crayton’s grandfather had to work back home, which was three hours away, but each day he would make the drive to see Crayton in the hospital. Ever since that incident, he has had to walk with help from a prosthetic brace, but he really does not like to bring attention to himself. He just wants to be treated the same as anyone else. “It’s become normal for me. It happened to me at such a young age. I’m used to it,” Crayton said. “How it feels to walk on your two feet is exactly how it feels for me.” Crayton is not the only FCS football player to play with a prosthetic. Neil Parry played football for San Jose State from 2000-2003. In a game against Texas El-Paso on October 14,
2000, Parry came streaking down the field to cover a kick off for the Spartans. A teammate was blocked into him and sent Parry to the hospital with a compound fracture in his leg that required 25 surgeries to repair. Crayton and Parry remain the only known recorded FCS football players to have played with a prosthetic. Parry is now a graduate assistant for the football program at San Jose State. However, there is one man
who made it to the big leagues, despite an abnormality. Jim Abbott, who was born without his right hand, played 10 seasons in the major leagues. During his career, he had stints with four different organizations: California Angels, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers. He even reached the pinnacle of pitching in the big leagues, tossing a nohitter for the Yankees in 1993. There have been others
that have played sports with a prosthetic, but Crayton and Parry are the only two to continue their football careers. Crayton is accustomed to people wanting to know about the accident more than his football career, but he would rather be interviewed for his onfield accomplishments than for his handicap. However, Crayton said it would never keep him down nor will he ever wish that the accident did
Jacob Kemp Printz Reporter
not occur. “Never take anything back, everything happens for a reason. God gave you one life to live and you have to live it to the best of your ability.” His career, which started at Dadeville High School in Alabama, is nothing to scoff at. In addition to his notable accomplishments as a high school football player, he also had four sacks and six fumble recoveries in his senior year. He is also in the Alabama High School record books, finishing his career with 523 tackles, good for sixth most all-time. When it came down to choosing between schools, Crayton knew where he wanted to go but decided to wait until National Signing Day. Crayton held offers from several SEC schools including LSU, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Tennessee as a four-star prospect. His cousin, Rodney Crayton, chose to play in the SEC at Auburn from 1998-2001. However, due to family reasons and proximity to his hometown, Dadeville, Alabama., Crayton decided to play at USM. The four-hour commute was a selling
PASS RUSh | Page 7 point as the majority of offers he received were from schools much farther than that. After redshirting his freshman year at Southern Miss, Crayton hopes to contribute and to join the likes of Williams, Nunez-Roches, Smith and McCullum. According to Crayton, his main influence is NunezRoches. “(Nunez-Roches) and Adam Williams are some guys I really look up to,” he
said. “Those two and Dasman, they’re good leaders. They always tell everyone what they need to do and work on.” At 6-feet, 1-inch and 290 pounds, Crayton will be one of the bigger interior defensive linemen for the Golden Eagles. Only Nunez-Roches and Williams possess more size on the front. Crayton’s presence should help resurrect what was an anemic defensive line a season ago.
“Never take anything back, everything happens for a reason. God gave you one life to live and you have to live it to the best of your ability.” -crayton
GENERATING PASS RUSH KEY TO DEFENSEʼS SUCCESS
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he Southern Miss defensive line was supposed to be a strong point on last year’s ball club, but it struggled tremendously. However, with returning starter Michael Smith leading the way, the Golden Eagles hope to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season. Dasman McCullum, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Dylan Bradley, and Adam Williams all return as experienced contributors, but only Williams and McCullum recorded sacks for USM a season ago. Getting pressure has been a point of emphasis for the defensive line in the off-season and for good reason. Southern Miss ranked 120th in college football in quarterback sacks last season. In several close games last year, when they needed a sack or needed to put the offense under duress on
third downs, they simply could not get it done. Thankfully, there has been serious improvement along the front and it is something senior linebacker Alan Howze sees every day. “I can honestly say they have worked hard this offseason,” he said. “They came to all their work outs and even in camp, they are fighting every day and they are getting a lot more pressure on the quarterback.” Improving the sack totals will be crucial to the defense’s success and the pass rushers feel like they are certainly capable of doing so. “This year’s D-line has the qualities to be one of the best units in Conference USA,” Bradley said. “We have the ability to average four sacks a game.” For Bradley and his unit, a pass rush is not always about sacks though. “We need to get a pass rush, block balls and hurry
the quarterback into bad throws which could lead to interceptions.” Creating turnovers could be key for the Golden Eagles this season as they ranked 95th in total turnovers last year. With more turnovers, the added possessions for the offense will increase and possibly points could increase as well. One thing the defensive line has made a focal point of is getting to know each other better, not only on the field, but off of it as well. Knowing each other better is something many of the D-lineman did not do last year and ended up hurting them early on in the season. “As a unit we have gotten closer. We know that in order for us to be successful we have to know each other better,” Bradley said. “We all know each other better this year. We ask each other about our families and if anything is wrong we talk about
it. That has brought us so much closer because we didn’t do that last year.” The group feels that becoming a tight knit group will help their performance on the field by giving them more confidence in one another and trusting them in their abilities. This approach allows them to focus solely on their own roles. Depth was an issue for the front last year, but right now they have a solid eight-man roation. Nic Bekkers, Draper Riley, Rod Crayton and Will Freeman will all play roles in the rotation this season for the Golden Eagles. Having a deep rotation is the key to truly having along the defensive front. Depth is something that will be essential this year for Southern Miss as they play many up-tempo, fast -paced offensive teams this year. Defensive line coach Derrick
Jacob Kemp Printz Reporter
LeBlanc has been expressing to his guys the importance of pass rush all summer and by the looks of the Mississippi State game, his message sunk in according to head coach Todd Monken. “I thought across the board one of our bright spots (against MSU) was our defensive line,” Monken said. “I felt like they held their own. I felt like when they (MSU) had to throw, I thought we got pressure. I thought our guys played with energy. I know they are capable of that. I don’t think it was a surprise, I just think that it was fun to watch them play and have fun because it starts there.” Monken and Leblanc both hope they can continue the success they had against MSU, which included sacking quarterback Dak Prescott three times.
Page 8 | nfl
SOUTHERN MISS WELL-REPRESENTED ON NFL ROSTERS
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tudies show that less than 2 percent of college football players make it to the NFL. If that is the case, Southern Miss fans must feel pretty good considering there are eight former Golden Eagles currently playing in the NFL. Four offensive linemen from Southern Miss battle in the trenches as professionals. Denver Broncos’ Chris Clark played at Southern Miss from 2004-2007. Clark has been a top performer for the Broncos, playing in every game for the club the past three years at offensive tackle. Clark played in Super Bowl XLVIII with Denver, making him the 12th Golden Eagle to play in the big one. Demar Dotson is another offensive lineman who has made it to the NFL ranks. Dotson, a converted
basketball player, only played one year of football at Southern Miss. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. Dotson has started 33 games in his NFL career. One of the best Golden Eagle lineman in recent years, Lamar Holmes, was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. A starter
on the 2011 Conference USA championship team, Holmes has started the past 15 games for the Falcons. Ryan McKee is the final offensive lineman from Southern Miss in the NFL. A journeyman for most of his career, McKee was most recently with the Kansas City Chiefs before being cut in the preseason. McKee was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2009 by the
New York Jets. Tom Johnson was a defensive end at Southern Miss who made the move to defensive tackle once he reached the NFL. Johnson currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings, and has recorded three sacks with the team. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts in 2006, and has played for the Colts, Saints and Vikings in his professional career. Khyri Thornton is the latest Golden Eagle to make it to the NFL. Thornton was taken in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Even though he has not played a regular season game yet, Thornton made it to the Packers’ 53man roster recently and is expected to do great things for Green Bay. Austin Davis is entering his third year as a professional quarterback. Davis, a
Josh Beasley Printz Reporter
backup for the Saint Louis Rams, is known for holding almost every pass record at Southern Miss. Davis led the Golden Eagles to a conference championship in 2011, and he could see playing time this year thanks to the ACL injury to starter Sam Bradford. Perhaps the most prolific Golden Eagle in the NFL, Jamie Collins, is a starting linebacker for the New England Patriots. Collins, a second round draft pick in 2013, made himself known as a rookie last year. He recorded 43 tackles for the Patriots, and was a staple for their defense. Collins is expected to have an extensive role for the Patriots. He will be asked to not only rush the passer, but cover receivers on the outside as well, which is uncommon for 3-4 outside linebackers.
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DEFENSE | page 9
TURNOVERS AND DEPTH KEY TO DEFENSEʼS SUCCESS
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or the Golden Eagles to get back to their winning ways, they will need their defense to lead them. The defense will be led by their deep, talented defensive line group. The front is returning lettermen Adam Williams, Dasman McCullum, Michael Smith and Rakeem Nunez-Roches. According to head coach Todd Monken, Nunez-Roches is a budding leader for the defensive linemen. “Rakeem is a developing leader,” Monken said. “The thing we harp on with Rakeem is that he is a fun, charismatic, energetic guy and that (the players) are going to follow him no matter what.” Nunez-Roches started for the Golden Eagles in 2013 but was injured and missed the rest of the season and spring training. Before his injury, Rakeem had eight tackles on the year, including five against Texas State, and he is expected to be the anchor of the defensive line. However, he is just one of the many talented defensive linemen for the Golden Eagles. Williams, a redshirt senior, will play sideby-side with Nunez-Roches and is the returning sack leader for USM. Williams played in all 12 games for Southern Miss last season, and he started the last six and forced a key fumble in the 62-27 win over UAB. “I don’t know if I have called his name (Williams) this camp and that’s a good thing,” Monken said. “I see a smile on his face every day. I see an excitement from him and that allows him to maximize his skill set.” Possibly the most important
factor for the defensive line this season is the depth they have accumulated. Depth will be the key for the Golden Eagles this season as they play several teams with up-tempo offenses and will try to wear them down during the game. Rod Crayton, Dylan Bradley, Will Freeman, Nic Bekkers, Draper Riley and Ja’Boree Poole will all get playing time up front this season for the Golden Eagles. After playing a lot as a freshman, sophomore defensive end Dylan Bradley expects a lot of himself this year. “I expect myself to get smarter,” he said. “I had a lot of mental mistakes last year and it hurt my team.” While most players strive toward earning individual awards, Bradley is more teamoriented and wants all players on the team to embrace their individual roles. “First of all I want to help my team to get back to the top. I expect us on the D-line to embrace our role and make sure we are in order to help our team win.” Bradley, Bekkers and Freeman all return with much needed experience as all three played in at least 11 games last season; Bradley making one start and Freeman starting four games. Freeman, a junior, made the transition from tight end to defensive end his freshman year and played in 11 games that year as well. For the linebackers, they may not have the depth of the defensive line, but they have a fearsome duo inside that will make opponents account for them every game. The first of the duo is fifthyear senior linebacker Alan Howze. Howze is in a similar
situation with Nunez-Roches as he also suffered a season-ending injury last season. Before his injury last season, Howze lead the team in tackles and also forced a fumble in the game against Arkansas. Returning from the injury will be a little more complex as he is undergoing a position change. Howze has received playing time since he was a sophomore and will be making the transition from middle linebacker to the weak-side backer. Howze will still make all the calls on the field despite the position change. “I like the change and at the end of the day it’s what is best for the team,” Howze said. “You want the three best linebackers on the field, no matter who it is.” Howze will have some help this season at the linebacker position in junior college transfer Brian Anderson who has been the talk of camp and will start at middle linebacker. Anderson transferred from Butte Community College in California where he helped them win a national championship. While there he was also awarded First Team All-America, AllRegion and All-District honors. Anderson, standing at only 5-feet, 10-inches, will be one of the shortest among those in the linebacker corps. However, he is 250 pounds, making him one of the thickest backers and a major cog in the middle of the defense. “Defensive coordinator Dave Duggan has been really impressed by his ability to process information and just have a natural feel for the position,” Monken said. “That allows us to move Alan over to the Will linebacker (and) get them both on the field.” Monken loves Anderson’s
leadership qualities and the tenacity which he possesses. “He’s a great kid and he finally graduated from junior college and came here and we did 110’s. He wasn’t in shape and began to cramp up with about 20 yards left. He could have fallen down and quit, but he fought for 20 more yards just because he didn’t want to quit.” David Bertucci will play alongside Howze and Anderson and will solidify the linebacker corps. Bertucci also saw time last year, but has been upgraded to a starter for the first time in his career. Bertucci is only 5-feet, 11-inches and 200 pounds, but has excellent speed and quickness out on the perimeter. Bertucci finished last year with 14 total tackles, seven of them solo stops. If there is a weak spot on the Southern Miss defense, it would be the secondary. However, being the weak spot of this defense doesn’t constitute them being a weak group. The defensive backfield will return two important senior leaders: safeties Emmanuel Johnson and Jacorius Cotton, who will lead the group. The secondary was expecting to return another starter in Ed Wilkins. However, Wilkins was suspended for off-field issues, stemming from his role in an armed robbery. Because of this, Cotton and Johnson will have more responsibility than usual. Cotton, especially, will hope to bring intensity. “He plays with unbelievable passion and he brings people with him,” Monken said. Cotton will have to learn quickly and on the fly as
Jacob Kemp Printz Reporter
he took a redshirt last year due to injury and does not have game experience under Duggan. Johnson will return after starting in ten games last season, finishing with Honorable Mention All-Conference USA honors, despite playing through injuries. “Emmanuel was hurt most of last year and continued to play through it. He then missed most of the offseason with surgery,” Monken said. “Cotton and Johnson both vocal guys and seniors, so I expect both to play their best football.” The safety position is all but set, but the loss of Wilkins will open up opportunity for some young corners to see action. One side of the field is already locked up as returning starter Kalan Reed will provide leadership. He will be needed more than ever as guys like Picasso Nelson, Jomez Applewhite, Troy Jeter and Trae Collins will all see time at the other corner position. So far, Nelson has been the guy who has stepped up the most and started against Mississippi State. Johnson has been especially impressed with Nelson since the day that he arrived on campus as an early-enrollee. “It’s like he was here last year,” Johnson said. “I don’t see a step that we’ve missed because of Picasso. He seems like a starter already.” USM will hope to create more turnovers this year as they ranked in the bottom half of the nation last year in turnover differential. Creating pressure and getting off the field on third downs will be crucial as well. The Golden Eagles have the potential to have one of the best defenses in C-USA and will need to accomplish that in order to have a chance at a bowl game.
page 10 | HOME GAME
USM PREPARES FOR HOME OPENER AGAINST ALCORN STATE
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espite losing 49-0 to in-state rival Mississippi State, the Southern Miss football team looks to get its first win of the season at home against Alcorn State University. The Golden Eagles, who entered the season with high hopes and expectations, struggled offensively last week against the Bulldogs, recording only 283 yards of total offense in comparison to Mississippi State’s 550. The defense kept the Bulldogs scoreless for a majority of the first quarter, but by the end of the second quarter, it was 28-0. Southern Miss takes on an Alcorn State team who will look to continue its winning ways, defeating Virginia Union of Lynchburg 55-7 last week. Though a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), a conference composed of historically black universities within the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), the Braves have had much success under third year head coach Jay Hopson. The Braves (1-0) last played the Golden Eagles in 2009 at The Rock where they lost 52-0. At the time, Austin Davis was the starting quarterback for Southern Miss. Five years later, the two teams meet again, but this time, the Golden Eagles do not have record-setting quarterback Austin Davis and neither is Alcorn State the same team it once was. Last season, the Braves finished 9-3 overall and second in the SWAC East Division behind Jackson State after going 4-7 in
Hopson’s first year as head coach. The Braves also led the SWAC last year in scoring and pass defense, were second in scoring offense, total offense, total defense and third in rush defense. “I really feel confident about Alcorn’s chances against Southern Miss because the team did such a great job last season,” said Shelby Walker, a junior animal science major at Alcorn State University. “I think by the team
winning our season opener 55-7 motivated the team to feel they can win any game if they continue to work hard.” The Braves feature an explosive running attack behind running backs Darrayan Ragsdale, Josh Ivery and John Gibbs, Jr. at the quarterback position, who threw for over 2,600 yards last season and 21 touchdowns. The Braves will look to establish the running game against the Golden Eagles,
who produced a total of 331 yards on the ground. Not to mention, Southern Miss gave up 201 yards on the ground to Mississippi State. Despite this, fans and students are excited and they believe the the Golden Eagles will bounce back against the Braves this week. “I feel like the team will do fairly well this weekend against Alcorn,” said Michael Hogsett, a senior business administration major. “Mississippi State is a
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Wilton Jackson Printz Reporter
big SEC school and we were outmatched. However, we have enough talent to take Alcorn out with no problem.” “It will be a very entertaining game as both sides have something to prove,” stated Antoine Armstrong, senior health administration and policy major. “It is our season opener and the team will try to bounce back from their loss at Mississippi State.” Head coach Todd Monken and the Golden Eagles plan to come out victorious against Alcorn State on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
opinion | page 11
UP-TEMPO OFFENSE WILL HINDER USMʼS REBUILDING
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hen Southern Miss head football coach Todd Monken came to USM from Oklahoma State, he had a plan in place for his offensive system: to run an uptempo, air-raid offense similar to what he ran with the Cowboys. The issue with that plan was that the Golden Eagles did not have the same depth as the former Big XII champion. While Southern Miss has the starters to compete with anyone, the plan of attack Monken wants to employ simply will not work because of that lack of depth, at least for now. Monken’s current plan should be to get wins any way he can and wait until he gets the necessary depth to run his favored offense. He needs to follow a very simple plan: run the ball, play good defense and control the clock. I know what everyone is thinking: Southern Miss does run the ball, but that is not the case. During the 2013 season, the Golden Eagles were 121st in the nation in rushing, but 54th in passing. Having a run-first offense is a better idea for the Golden Eagles than their current air-raid offense. Running teams have the ability to play keep away.
With Monken’s current offense, there are way too many three-andouts because Nick Mullens completion percentage consistently hovers around a severely below-average 50 percent. Look what happened to Oregon the last two years against Stanford, a team that ran the ball and kept it from the Ducks’ high-powered offense. They ended up beating the superiorly talented Ducks, winning 17-14 in 2012 and 26-20 in 2013. The 2014 BCS National Championship game between Florida State and Auburn in January was very similar. Auburn was ranked No. 1 in rushing last year thanks to running back Tre Mason and dual-threat quarterback Nick Marshall. Conversely, Florida State was known for quarterback Jameis Winston’s arm last year, not for their run game. But they still quietly broke through with having the 28th ranked rushing offense, averaging a little over 200 yards per game.
Of the teams ranked in the top 15 in rushing last season, those teams averaged 7.6 wins, while those who finished in the bottom 15 in rushing only mustered 3.4 wins. Of the teams who were in the top 15 in rushing last year, seven had defenses that ranked in the top 15. This shows that teams still need a competent running game to compete and USM should take advantage of the stable of running backs that they have. Ito Smith, Jalen Richard, George Payne and Delvin Welch will all see time in the backfield this year and together, they are capable of forming a formidable rushing
attack. Employing this plan will equate to a better defense and ultimately more wins. For Southern Miss to have success and put themselves back on the map in Conference USA and elsewhere, the Golden Eagles cannot continue to end up in shootouts with other teams. The whole concept of an up-tempo offense is to make the game longer and wear down the other team’s defense by the fourth quarter. But without great depth, that plan is impossible to execute. Grinding out first downs and chewing up the clock will help keep the ball away from highpowered offenses like Marshall, Western Kentucky and Rice. It will also allow the USM defense to be well rested in the fourth quarter, the most pivotal point in the game. By employing a run-first offense, USM will win most time of possession battles. Time of possession is one of the most underrated statistics, other than turnovers, in football analysis. It is often overlooked because
Jacob Kemp Printz Reporter
of the recent successes of up-tempo offenses. But outside of the mainstream teams like Oregon, Oklahoma State, Clemson and Texas A&M, the up-tempo offense is not as successful as it seems. On average, teams that lead in time of possession had 7.9 wins compared to the teams that did not, winning only 6.1 wins, which is a huge difference in college football. Two extra wins every season will change the entire landscape of a football program, including more success in recruiting, allowing a team to acquire more depth. Of the past seven national champions, there is only one that did not lead in time of possession: Florida State. If it were not for a timely kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, they would have lost. Alabama in 2009, 2011 and 2012, Auburn in 2010, Florida in 2008 and LSU in 2007 all led in time of possession and all six teams won the national championship. For Southern Miss to get back to its winning ways, it needs to stick with the running game. In doing so, it will allow USM to rebuild its program from the ground up.
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SPORTS
Page 8 | Thursday, August 21, 2014
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WUSM s Tailgate
Concert Series Date: September 6, 2014 Game: USM vs. Alcorn State Game Time: 6 PM Concert starts at 4:15 PM
Date: September 20, 2014 Game: USM vs. Appalachian State Game Time: 6 PM Concert starts at 4:15 PM
VooDuo Date: September 27, 2014 Game: USM vs. Rice Game Time: 6 PM Concert starts at 4:15 PM
Jarekus Singleton Date: November 8, 2014 Game: USM vs. Marshall Game Time: 6 PM Concert starts at 4:15 PM
Date: October 25, 2014 Game: USM vs. LA Tech Game Time: 2:30 PM Concert starts at 12:45 PM
Ralph Nix & Catfish Gospel Date: November 29, 2014 Game: USM vs. UAB Game Time: 2:30 PM Concert starts at 12:45 PM