Monday, November 2, 2015
Volume 100 Issue 20
www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE
PAGE FOUR
NEWS SGA
Beloved local act withdraws from Eaglepalooza contest.
PAGE EIGHT
PAGE SIX
F E AT U R E
OPINION
S P O RT S
Protest, counter-protest follow Bennett’s decision.
Lesser candidates like Rand Paul waste time, money.
Recruiting key to Monken’s thirdseason success.
State flag
GOP
Football
USM bowl eligible for first time since 2011 Jacob Kemp Sports Reporter
Southern Miss (6-3, 4-1 Conference USA) is bowl eligible for the first time in three years. Southern Miss dominated the UTEP Miners 34-13 in a rainy, defensive slugfest. Even after a lengthy rain delay, there was no denying the Golden Eagles’ victory over the Miners. “I thought our team did what it needed to do to win,” said Southern Miss head coach Todd Monken. “We haven’t been perfect yet, which is a good sign. You win by three touchdowns and leave points on the board. I’m happy for our seniors to get to (win) number six and put us in a position. We don’t have anything yet, but to be able to put us in position for a bowl game, which should be the standard here, it’s why I wanted to be the head coach here.” Early on however, UTEP seemed to control most of the game through a ball control offense and fantastic defense. The game seemed to mirror the 2014 version. However, a key drive right before halftime seemed to bolster Southern Miss’ confidence and dampen that of the Miners. A 38-yard run by Jalen Richard and a 26-yard catch by Michael Thomas put USM at the UTEP 4-yard line. Two plays later, Nick Mullens completed a touchdown pass to Richard to increase the lead to two scores. After halftime, the Golden Eagles picked up where they left off and added a touchdown in the third quarter. Mullens connected with D.J. Thompson for a 27yard strike. Then, in the fourth quarter, Thompson added his second touchdown reception of the game, this one for 11 yards. “I want nine wins,” Thompson said. “Simple as that. I was telling them earlier, we set a lot of standards for ourselves: a bowl game, winning season, conference championship and things of that nature, and we (are) really just marking everything off the list.” Then the hour-and-27minute rain delay began. After the rain delay was up, UTEP took the ensuing kickoff and marched right down the field on a cold Golden Eagle
Courtland Wells/Printz Photo Editor Southern Miss wide receiver Mike Thomas looks toward a referee after being tackled and scoring the Golden Eagles’ first touchdown against The University of Texas at El Paso on Oct. 31. The Golden Eagles defeated the Miners 34-13 after a one-hour-and-27-minute weather delay at the start of the fourth quarter.
defense. LaQuintus Donald ran it in for the Miners and cut the Southern Miss lead to just two scores, 27-13. The rain delay was a huge factor in the game, as only a handful of fans remained in the stadium and the players felt it on the field. Southern Miss’ defense was slowed by the delay, according to Monken, but that did not hinder the offense. Southern Miss needed a spark after the Miners came out of the delay firing on all cylinders. USM drove to the Miner 10-yard line, but were held to a field goal attempt. But, Monken, known for his aggressive play calling, called a fake field goal and Tyler Sarrazin walked into the end zone to ice the game, 34-13.
“We had (the fake field goal) ready for last week,” Monken said. “It just never came up. We went unbalanced into the boundary and they’re a field block team, so we got more than they got if they don’t adjust to it, and that’s on coach Wozniak.” The Golden Eagles’ offense was true to form, despite starting a little slow, but still managed 34 points. Mullens tossed four touchdowns without an interception while Richard and Ito Smith both went over 100 yards on the ground. Richard had 129 yards and two touchdowns on the ground with another receiving and Smith had 104 yards on just carries, good for an 11.6 yard average. Thompson continued to prove
himself as a dynamic threat opposite of Thomas with two touchdowns and 112 yards on 10 catches while Thomas had 84 yards and a touchdown on four catches. While Southern Miss is known for their offense, it should be noted that their defense has come to the forefront in recent weeks. In the last four weeks, they have not given up wover 300 yards. The Golden Eagles have a bye week coming up before three huge games against Rice, Old Dominion and Louisiana Tech. Monken said he had only one thing to say to the fans when his team returned to play Old Dominion on Nov. 21: come to the games.
“If I could pay for all the tickets and not go broke, I would pay for all the tickets,” Monken said. “To get everybody here, because our players deserve it. If you want to come and boo, come and boo. We need you here.” “(Come) for our guys, especially the guys that never redshirted,” Monken continued. “They (spent) four years of grinding it out and stayed, because there’s a lot of guys that didn’t. There’s a lot of guys that didn’t believe or do the right things, didn’t buy into me and didn’t buy into our coaches and didn’t buy into this university and they were flat out wrong. Shame on them, for not being here at this time, and they’re kicking themselves at home.”
Page 2 | Monday, November 2, 2015
INFORMATION MEET THE STAFF OF FALL 2015
Dirty Birds •
On Sunday, Oct. 25, at 11:46 p.m., simple domestic assault was reported at the parking garage. The case remains open. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 10:29 a.m., larceny petit was reported at the Payne Center. The case remains open. On Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 12:28 p.m., residential burglary was reported at Scott Hall. The case remains open. On Thursday, Oct. 29, at 9:51 p.m., larceny petit was reported at Seymour’s. The case remains open.
• • •
Police Contact Information
When reporting, the following information should be provided: • • • • •
Nature of the crime or emergency Name, address and phone number of the caller Location of incident Description of the scene and suspects Description of any vehicles involved, especially license plate numbers
University Police 911 (emergency) 601.266.4986 (non-emergency) Bond Hall, First Floor West
Contact Us The Student Printz is on social media. Keep up with the latest news on and off campus at all times!
Editorial Policy
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff, or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number, and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. Friday. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.
Opinions
Expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
@studentprintz
The Student Printz
@studentprintz
NEWS
Monday, November 2, 2015 | Page 3
LOCAL
Maine band excels despite low attendance Jesse Hammett Copy Editor
A crowd of over 60 confirmed patrons gathered at The Thirsty Hippo Friday night to support
local and out-of-state performing acts. Crunk Witch, a bass-heavy electronic band from Presque Isle, Maine, headlined the show with native Hattiesburg artists Him Horrison and Dream/Window
Crunk Witch performs at The Thirsty Hippo in Hattiesburg on Oct 30.
Cam Bonelli/Printz
delivering opening performances beginning at 10:30 p.m. Jacksonbased post-rock group The Empty Handed Painters played a final set that lasted from 12 to 1 a.m. Crunk Witch garnered a particular amount of fanfare. During their set, they performed an electronic cover of Wheezer’s “Say it Ain’t So” alongside several of their original songs. The Maine duo used a light show and a fog machine during their performance. Brandon Miles, Crunk Witch’s lead singer, shared his thoughts on touring and being in a band with his wife, Hannah Colleen, who constitutes the group’s other half. He said that the experience is an extremely positive one, and that he would rather tour with no one else. Miles also discussed his feelings about the relatively small turnout at the event. “Through years and years of touring, some areas we can go play now, six years later, and have 40 or 50 people there who just want to see us,” Miles said. “And then
areas like tonight, we’ll only have four or five people who’ve come to see us. We go into every show with the idea that if one person paid to get in, they are going to get the same show as when a hundred or a thousand people pay to get in.” Dream/Window guitarist Hal Kolodney weighed in on The Thirsty Hippo as a venue, its typical performing acts and its demographic, noting that it is accessible for any students interested in local music. “A good bit of lesser-known and alternative country acts come around,” Kolodney said. “A lot of fusion groups as well, because of the jazz studies program (at USM). Other than that, just good old indie rock bands.” Dream/Window took the stage at approximately 11 p.m. and played a set of melodic post-punk originals. The crowd reacted positively, and the band’s performance set the pace and energy for the rest of the event. Local artist and senior English
major Dylan Kern, presenting as Him Horrison, opened for Dream/ Window. His set consisted of only himself and his guitar and was reminiscent of ‘80s and ‘90s psychedelic rock and folk. He cited artists such as The Stooges, Hawkwind and The Brian Jonestown Massacre as some of his strongest influences. “To put it plainly, it’s a lot of retro stuff going on,” Kern said of his music. “But I guess the whole point is to look past that. It’s basically paying homage to past artists, but expanding on that. It’s about being genuine—not doing stuff necessarily because people want to hear it, but because it’s what you want to do. It’s what makes sense.” The Thirsty Hippo hosts local shows on a frequent basis. To find out more about upcoming events, visit the venue’s website or Facebook page. Admission usually ranges from $5 to $10, and attendees over the age of 21 may visit the bar.
LOCAL
Controversy surrounds SGA’s Battle of the Bands Hiba Tahir
Printz Reporter On Oct. 27, The Devil Music Co. formally announced their withdrawal from the final round of the Student Government Association’s Battle of the Bands contest, citing unfair treatment as one of the reasons for their dissatisfaction. The Battle of the Bands contest was the first of its kind. It was SGA’s attempt to incorporate a local opening act into Eaglepalooza, an annual SGA-sponsored free concert that started in 2004 and continues to draw increasingly larger crowds to its Historic Downtown Hattiesburg setting. On their website, SGA explained that it attempts to use Eaglepalooza’s large vendor area to “provide local businesses and organizations plenty of opportunities to come together and invest in their community and local university, leaving Hattiesburg a richer and more pleasant place to call home.” This dedication to collaboration and betterment was what drew The Devil Music Co. to submit an application. “We thought (Battle of the Bands) was a wonderful thing, especially considering the myriad of established, talented musicians in our community,” said The Devil Music Co. singer Marshall David McKellar. “We’ve always believed Eaglepalooza could be an excellent platform for Hattiesburg’s vibrant music community.” The Hattiesburg-based grassroots art project is a
collection of musicians, designers, videographers, photographers, sound engineers and producers assembled by McKellar. Like many other bands, they were excited by the possibility of opening for Echosmith, this year’s Eaglepalooza headliner. They quickly submitted the song application form, which indicated that the supporting act would be chosen based on the song, video and information provided as soon as it became available. “At (that) point, absolutely no information was supplied concerning any second or third rounds,” McKellar said. “We expected SGA to outsource the supporting act via an email (or) performance offer, follow by a contractual agreement. However, from the very beginning, we realized things were not as we had hoped.” McKellar went on to describe the “insufficient and inefficient” application format, which he says made it difficult for the band to ascertain what information the SGA specifically desired and how to submit it. “The form was littered with typos and misspelled words, suggesting poor attention to detail and a general sketchiness that shouted, “We don’t really know what we’re looking for or what we’re doing,’” McKellar said. “We decided to submit as much information as we could and hope for the best.” However, it was not soon before other problems arose. The application submission form had just closed when the band received an email informing them that there would be another
round in the form of a live voting poll featuring the artists who had submitted an application. “We were all very disappointed that the selection process had devolved into a voting competition,” McKellar said. “We typically find vote-based competitions to be demeaning and degrading to artists of any kind. Nonetheless, we had already begun the process, so we decided to continue with the poll, hoping it would be conducted in a professional and respectful manner.” The email they had received informed them that the poll would open on Sept. 28 and close on Oct. 2. However, the poll did not open until Sept. 30. McKellar and his bandmates took the delayed opening in stride and focused on launching social media advertising campaigns under the assumption that they had only two days to acquire votes. But Oct. 2 passed with no incident. “For two days we, along with other artists, remained in a state of limbo, trying to figure out how to professionally approach the situation,” McKellar said. “Everyone had questions, and no one had received answers via email or social media.” On Oct. 4, SGA announced that the poll would remain open for a week beyond the original Oct. 2 deadline. “We found this to be very sketchy and unprofessional. In fact, we almost removed ourselves from the competition at (that) point,” McKellar said. “However, we like playing shows, and we wanted to give SGA another chance.”
Courtland Wells/Printz Photo Editor The Devil Music Co. performs at the Tavern in Hattiesburg on Oct. 25.
Consequently, The Devil Music Co. continued their advertising campaign, spending money from their band budget to make the rest of the week as successful as possible. They did not hear from the SGA until Oct. 12, when they received an email informing them that there would be another round in the selection process and that it would require them to perform in front of a panel of judges. In an Oct. 14 email, SGA further explained that the final round would consist of a “live performance sample” used to ascertain how each group would sound. SGA required a representative from each band to meet with them, aided only by an acoustic guitar or keyboard. They also asked contestants to bring show footage and video or photos of their group performing live. “We were aggravated and confused,” McKellar said. “All the other artists we could contact were confused as well. We had
already sent in a song sample, photos, videos and all relevant band information. Yet, here they were asking for the exact same information in person. Also, how did they expect to see an accurate representation of a band’s live set based on nothing more than a single member and an acoustic guitar? “We realized that the people in charge of this competition (most) likely meant well but simply didn’t know what they were doing. Also, the email only supplied three possible dates for this ‘live sample,’ all of which were weeknights. The guys in my band are husbands, fathers and members of the workforce. I live in Oxford. We were all pretty disappointed that SGA would consider inconveniencing a whole slew of people for information they already possessed; however, we were determined to stick it out.” For full story, visit Student Printz online.
FEATURE
Page 4 | Monday, November 2, 2015
ON CAMPUS
Students voice opinions for, against state flag Alexis Ware Printz Reporter
Students at The University of Southern Mississippi gathered at the entrance of the university campus in response to the officials taking down the Mississippi state flag. President Rodney Bennett decided to replace the Mississsippi and university flags with American flags. “I have chosen to raise American flags on all University of Southern Mississippi flagpoles to remind the university community of what unites us,” Bennett said. Students who agree with the removal of the flag protested for the university to make its decision to remove the flag permanent. Yelling, “Southern Miss, keep it down,” students from a social work class, among other Hattiesburg residents, stood for the university’s removal of the flag. Molly Fedele, a social work graduate student, stood with her classmates in protest. “I disapprove with the flag as it is,” Fedele said. “I feel like it represents what AfricanAmericans went through back in the Civil War and during integration. So, I believe we should change it to show that Mississippi has more unity.” Southern Miss is known for being the most diverse university in the state. Many of the university’s students do not agree with the current state flag. Senior music education major Jeremy Moore said he respects that people voice their opinions and things they care about. “As a symbol for the state of Mississippi, I don’t believe
Courtland Wells/Printz Photo Editor Officers removed the Mississippi state flag along with the university flag on Oct. 28, replacing them with American flags. The University of Southern Mississippi becomes the second university in Mississippi to remove the flag.
this should represent our state, because the Bible says, ‘If you’re doing something that offends your brother, don’t do it in his presence,’” Moore said. “So as a lot of people are offended by the flag in Mississippi, so then per the Bible, if you are a religious person, as Mississippi is, then you should respect their beliefs and take it down.” These beliefs did not come without opposition. Two students stood holding the Confederate flag in support of the Mississippi flag. Protesters against the university’s decision to remove
the flag believed that in doing so the university played a part in removing the heritage of the state. One of those students was junior psychology major Christine Miller. “When I look at this flag, I see the history of it,” Miller said. “I don’t think we should ever take down the flag of the state of Mississippi at The University of Southern Mississippi.” Miller said the flag represents how far the state has moved beyond past times of hate and oppression.
Junior entertainment industry production major Kris Kolakowski said that the current flag still represents both of those issues. He believes the university taking down the state flag was a move in the right direction for the state. “It’s moving away from not just an economic system but a system of institutionalized racism that still exists today,” Kolakowski said. “That’s why the prison system is so messed up. That’s why the policing systems are so messed up. That’s why we have movements like Black Lives Matter, because it’s still a
big issue.” For him, removing the state flag acknowledges that deeper issues are at play and should be handled with consideration to all Mississippi citizens. Despite the argument that removing the flag allowed Mississippi to be more progressive, for some, that comes at the cost of the state’s history. Isaac Hitt, a senior computer science major, decided to counter-protest after hearing news that people planned to protest against the flag. He said the flag should not have been removed since it has not been court mandated or gone through a vote. “I don’t believe we should cherry pick the good and the bad,” Hitt said. “We should know that we had bad times in our history as well as the good and learn from the mistakes. By removing the Confederate flag from the state flag, we’re taking the first steps (in) removing it from our history.” The decision to remove the state flag from university grounds followed the flag’s removal from other public institutions. Officials have not determined whether this is a permanent change for the university or not. A new state flag would likely prompt the university to raise a flag in representation of Mississippi. For Miller, a state university should support its state. Changing the flag could be a way to compromise for all of the people of the state. “If they change the flag of the state of Mississippi, then that’s just something we’ll have to deal with, and I’ll stand behind that,” Miller said.
What are you studying at Southern Miss? A: I am a sophomore performance and choreography major. What are your plans after graduating?
A: I want to pursue a performing career in Los Angeles after college. What do you love most about dancing? A: Dance gives me life because I can put my whole mind and body into it and express everything through movement, space and time. What are some interesting facts about yourself? A: I began dancing at the age of two years old. Also, I am a member of the Phi Mu Sorority. Fadi Shahin/Printz
FEATURE
Monday, November 2, 2015 | Page 5
HALLOWEEN AT THE ROCK
Courtland Wells/Printz Photo Editor Students cheer in the rain after the weather delay in M.M. Roberts Stadium during the game against The University of Texas at El Paso in Hattiesburg on Oct. 31.
Southern Miss running back Ito Smith (25) runs past a defender during the game against UTEP.
Courtland Wells/Printz Photo Editor
Courtland Wells/Printz Photo Editor Southern Miss running back Jalen Richard (30) spots a defender downfield during the UTEP game.
Cam Bonelli/Printz Southern Miss’ defensive line attempts to push through the UTEP offensive line.
Running back Ito Smith (25) evades a tackle during the game against UTEP.
Courtland Wells/Printz Photo Editor
OPINION
Page 6 | Monday, November 2, 2015
NATIONAL
Social media fail to tell whole story Lora Lavigne Printz Reporter
Social movements can be and have been implemented in various forms and on different levels in order to transform societies. Today, however, social movements occur in an age in which digital communication technologies have created new possibilities for the world to bear witness to said movements and for activists to connect and organize themselves. Just as television turned a nation of people who listened to media content into viewers of media content, the emergence of social media has created a nation of media content creators. According to CNN, in 2010, 75 percent of people got their news forwarded through email or social media posts, whereas 37 percent of people shared a news item via Facebook or Twitter. The year of 2015 is a time known for revolutionizing society through the media and has given people the opportunity to take their own initiative in relaying current events and information. Social media, which have grown in relevance and worldwide popularity over the past few years, have arguably helped people without a voice to get one. The question is, is this voice too loud?
Just recently, a video of what is perceived to be police brutality has been plastered on every social media outlet known to man. Within seconds, fingers from all over the states responded freely through comments, blogs and posts about the viral video. The event occurred at Spring Valley High School in South Carolina where Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Fields was ironically the villain of the clip. In today’s media, police brutality is the new normal topic of discussion, but it is not new. The fact is that there isn’t more police brutality that we are seeing, but more convergence of the affair. The headlines make it feel as if the country is experiencing an unprecedented wave of police violence, but that isn’t the case. We’re just seeing more mainstream media coverage, and for a variety of reasons. Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, want us to believe that their platforms are a form of disruption, liberation and even revolution. They want us to believe that technology is the key to social change This is the extremity in time when social media go wrong. The moment a video such as the one at Spring Valley High School goes viral, viewers respond instantly and without
even a second glance. Before responding to a controversial post, has it ever occurred to anyone what actually happened before the event took place? What provoked the situation to escalate the way it did? As Edgar Allan Poe said once before, “Believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear.” Ultimately, social media are failing to tell the honest truth of these stories. Instead, society is falling into the cliché media storm outrage of their ideology of social movements rather than attempting to get to the bottom of the story. In regard to the South Carolina incident, a new video was posted that revealed the truth behind what happened just before the controversial occasion. I’m not justifying officer Fields’ actions, but only expounding that people must take the time to consider every angle of a situation before reacting in such a manner. At this rate, there will be no righteousness in social media activism if each social movement developed is based purely on pre-biased judgment or a first perspective. The power of social media is tremendous, but the power that we have as a community to control how media affect our lifestyles is of an even greater significance.
Courtesy Photo
NATIONAL
Republicans should shed minor candidates J.D. Rimann Printz Reporter
In sports, the UTEP Miners were dispatched by Southern Miss with ease even in the midst of a tornado this past weekend. In the Bible, the Minor Prophets are lumped together and not given as much reverence as the major ones. In the United States of America, minors are arrested or fined if they try to drink, and everyone understands their lack of rights. In the modern-day Republican Party, however, minor candidates for the presidential nomination somehow continue to exert a stranglehold over the policies instituted by Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus. The poor chairman has had his plans for an orderly primary season dashed not only by outsiders Ben Carson and Donald Trump, but also by the doomed campaign bids of Chris Christie, Rand Paul, John Kasich, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum, Lindsey Graham and Carly Fiorina.
Some of these individuals are quite powerful—sitting senators and current governors. Some of them are quite popular, as television talk show hosts or pro-life champions. None of them, however, are going to win the nomination. All of them will complain about every step of the process that leads to their inevitable loss. Before the train wreck of a debate hosted by CNBC (whose claims that this was going to be a serious debate were trashed by the opening question involving the phrase “comic book campaign”), it was reported that the representatives of some of these campaigns were complaining that their candidates were not getting enough screen time or that the Republican Party was embarrassing them by making the second tier candidates’ debate an undercard before the main primary debate rather than allowing them to debate with the true contenders like Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. What these would-be candidates apparently fail to grasp is that if they cannot crack just 1 percent in the national polls
among Republican voters, they probably are not going to win over 50 percent against Hillary Clinton in a general election. Meanwhile, also ahead of the CNBC debate, Chris LaCivita, one of Rand Paul’s advisers, posted pictures of Paul’s prep room on Twitter, comparing it unfavorably to the green rooms given to Trump and Rubio. Attaching the hashtag “#thanksRNC” to his tweets, LaCivita appeared to feel that Rand Paul had been slighted by this tiny area to prep. Again, what Paul appears to have missed is that they have done nothing to deserve a giant prep room. Paul barely cracks 2 percent in the latest polls released and does not appear to even have a chance of winning the nomination for president (and if he keeps up his quest for it, he may lose his Senate seat as well). In the near future, don’t be surprised if the Republican Party starts acting—either overtly or covertly—to start pulling the plugs on these minor campaigns. These candidates need to realize that
they have better uses for their time and for the time of the American people than to continue these would-be presidential campaigns. As Southern Miss demonstrated on
Saturday when the Golden Eagles became bowl eligible for the first time since 2011, minors do not tend to do very well, either at The Rock or on the campaign trail.
Courtesy Photo
SPORTS
Monday, November 2, 2015 | Page 7
SOCCER
Golden Eagles end season with win over UAB Deantae Smith Printz Reporter
The Golden Eagles closed their season on a high note with a 3-2 victory over UAB. The squad ends the season 5-11-3, while going 3-7-0 in Conference USA. Juniors Breann Hedin and Somer Jones led the way. The duo accounted for all of the Golden Eagles’ goals. Jones scored off an assist from freshman Mary Kate Smith at the 2:44 mark for her third goal of the season. The assist was Smith’s third of
the season as well. The goal gave USM an early lead over the Blazers. UAB quickly looked to even the score following the Southern Miss goal. Senior midfielder Paige Hanks capitalized on a scoring opportunity to even the score at 1-1. Nearing the end of the first half, the Golden Eagles got on the scoreboard again in the 40th minute. Hedin scored once again, this time unassisted, for her first goal of the season. Southern Miss led the first
half in shots with seven, four shots on goal and two scores. While UAB attempted four shots on goal, which led to their only score of the half. In the second half, the Golden Eagles struck again in the 53rd minute. Hedin scored her second goal of the game as Smith was credited with another assist bringing her season total to four. The Blazers did not go away quietly, answering in the 65th minute, with a Hanks score. At the 80-minute mark, Hedin nearly had a hat trick, when another one of her shots
hit the post. In the second half, Southern Miss defended six corners from the Blazers, with the help of junior Brittany Taylor’s five saves, held UAB scoreless on ten shots. Taylor ended the season with 98 total saves. Freshman Kiersten Bradley led the Golden Eagles with five goals. Behind her was Jones with three goals. Smith led the team in assists with four on the season. Hedin only trailed by one for the team lead. It was a season to forget for the Golden Eagles as they were shut out in 10 of their 19
games, including a six-game stretch without scoring a goal. They were outscored 28-18 on the season. Head coach Mohammed El-Zare praised his team, though. “The young group has grown tremenously over this short time,” he said. “I’ve had a blast coaching these girls and watching them improve. Finishing the season with a win against UAB confirms a lot of the work that we’ve done, and finishing as a high up in the standings is important for building the confidence of the team.”
Courtesy Photo
VOLLEYBALL
Golden Eagles drop pair in Texas Julius Kizzee News Editor
A two-game Texas road trip to play Rice and North Texas left Southern Miss reeling after getting swept in both matches
Thursday and Friday. Southern Miss started its contest against Rice behind in the early going, 15-11, before coach Amanda Berkely took a timeout to get her troops on the same page. Unfortunately, the break did not help the Golden
Courtesy Photo
Eagles as they fell 25-22. A Rachel Johnson kill gave Southern Miss an early 1310 lead in the second set, but Southern Miss was not able to capitalize on the early momentum. An 11-8 run by the Owls gave them a 25-21 set win. Down 2-0, Southern Miss needed to win the final three sets to come away with the win, but failed to even win the first one. The third set was the most competitive as there were 14 ties and three lead changes. Unfortunately, the Golden Eagles fell 25-22 in a close one. The match was never out of reach for the Golden Eagles, but they were never able to finish in any of the three sets. Unable to salvage the
competition against Rice, the Golden Eagles took the 279mile trek up to Denton, Texas, to take on North Texas. Coming off of the loss, Southern Miss got out to a 12-8 advantage against the Mean Green. The tide looked like it was turning for the Golden Eagles, until they let the opposition jump out to a 21-19 advantage. North Texas took a timeout and then came out to beat the Golden Eagles 25-22. The second set was the closest set in the match as both teams stayed neck-and-neck until North Texas took a 22-20 lead. Following a timeout, the Mean Green took control to win 25-21. Southern Miss fell behind early in the third set 4-1, but fought back to tie the set at six.
North Texas then used a 10-4 run to take a 16-10 advantage. With their backs against the wall, Southern Miss had to at least stay competitive in the final moments to extend the match, but the Mean Green refused to let up, taking the match 25-23. Three players for North Texas finished with double-doubles, and the Mean Green out-killed the Golden Eagles by a wide margin of 46-31. The Golden Eagles have lost their last four away games, putting in doubt if they can capitalize on their opponents when they are away from Reed Green Coliseum. Southern Miss will travel to Huntington, West Virginia, to take on Marshall, hoping to turn the tide against their recent away game woes on Nov. 9.
SPORTS
Page 8 | Monday, November 2, 2015
FOOTBALL
How USM constructed its roster Joshua Campbell Sports Editor
In 2011, Southern Miss was one of the best teams in the entire country, going 12-2 as Conference USA champions and finishing as the No. 20 team in the BCS rankings and 19th in the Coaches’ Poll. In the C-USA Championship game, the Golden Eagles beat the then-No. 6 team in the country 49-28, Houston, who was 12-0 and destined for a BCS Bowl game. Then the sky fell as head coach Larry Fedora jumped ship to North Carolina and the most decorated quarterback in school history, Austin Davis, graduated and went onto the NFL. USM hired Ellis Johnson as Fedora’s replacement, subsequently driving the program into the ground with a winless 0-12 campaign. Then Todd Monken was brought in from Oklahoma State to turn the program around. Early success eluded Monken with the Golden Eagles going a mere 4-20 in his first two seasons. But now with three games remaining in Monken’s third season, the Golden Eagles are 6-3 and bowl eligible. So how did Monken turn the program around to not only being relevant, but being a major contender for the conference championship? While it would be easy to point out changing the culture and having a better scheme, it is really all about the talent Monken has been able to accrue and develop. Monken’s ability to bring in difference makers like Nick Mullens, Michael Thomas, Jalen Richard, Ito Smith and Casey Martin on offense and D’Nerius Antoine, Brian Anderson, Dylan Bradley and Kalan Reed on defense has been the biggest reason for USM’s success. Mullens was the 2012 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year and was committed to play UAB before Monken was able to pluck the signal caller out of the Blazers’ backyard. Just a little over a week before signing day, Monken flipped Mullens from his commitment—a decision that has paid huge dividends as Mullens is now one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the entire country. In December 2013, Monken secured Thomas’ signature—a commitment that at the time seemed insignificant. A lowly two-star recruit from Dodge City Community College, Thomas has developed into a bonafide playmaker as Mullens’ No. 1 target. With 727 yards and seven touchdowns on 40 catches, he is easily
one of the best players in the entire conference and was recently added to Biletnikoff Award Watch List—given to the nation’s top receiver. Richard was a three-star recruit that Johnson was able to flip from his commitment to UL-Monroe. He had just two starts coming into the season, but has become the Golden Eagles’ lead back this season, racing to 808 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games this season. Smith was a highly-regarded three-star back from Mobile, Alabama, who went into his senior season with Duke as his first choice school. But Monken was able to pry the allpurpose back away from one of the premier teams in the ACC, a Power 5 conference, and secured his commitment a week before signing day. Smith leads the team with 1,202 all-purpose yards in just his second season on campus. Martin has proved to be one of the biggest steals thus far in the Monken era. Martin had spent three seasons with Houston, redshirting and catching just three passes as a member of the Cougars. After receiving his undergraduate degree, Martin was able to transfer to USM and play immediately. Since his arrival, Martin has been a chain-moving slot receiver who leads the team with 54 catches and has been a dependable third down target for Mullens. Antoine has been the biggest difference maker for a Southern Miss defense that has improved in every statistical category this season. Antoine originally attended Oklahoma State before choosing to go the junior college route. Following a standout season at Trinity Valley Community College, he signed on with USM and has shined in his first year. After briefly spending time at linebacker, Antoine leads the team in tackles by a wide margin from his safety position while forcing three fumbles and came up with a big interception against Nebraska. On nearly every snap, one will see No. 12 around the football as he flies to the ball with reckless abandon. Anderson was not even rated by Rivals when he came from Butte Community College in 2014, but he has become the anchor of the USM defense as the middle linebacker and is second on the team with 54 tackles. Bradley was a part of Monken’s first recruiting class along with Mullens and has developed into a dynamic pass rusher, leading the team with 5.5 sacks. As a three-star recruit,
Courtland Wells/Printz Photo Editor Southern Miss linebacker D’Nerius Antoine celebrates during the game against The University of Texas at El Paso Oct. 31.
he had six scholarship offers, including offers from Memphis, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. But the USM coaching staff was able to sell him on early playing time—a move that has certainly paid off. Reed actually committed to the Golden Eagles in 2011 when Fedora was still the head coach. He stuck to his pledge even after Fedora left and Johnson took over. He could
have easily packed it up and transferred after his freshman season concluded without a win, but he stuck with USM. Monken and company are likely very glad Reed stayed as he has become a shutdown cornerback, leading the team with three interceptions and sealed the Texas State win with a textbook tackle right outside the end zone. Not to mention his insane one-handed pick
against Charlotte. While the USM coaching staff has taken a bit of an unconventional route in building the roster with a ton of FBS and JUCO transfers mixed in with high school recruits, it has done a great job of stockpiling talent. The Golden Eagles’ talent level is finally on par with the rest of the conference and a bowl eligible team with three games left is the result.