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| | Monday, September 6 | |||||
| 1998 Record: 7-5 (5-1) | 1998 statistics | 1999 schedule Head coach: Jeff Bower Returning starters: 13 (offense 4, defense 8) Outlook Southern Miss opened last season with plenty of excitement, only to see its thunder stolen by a stumble out of the gate (back-to-back losses to high-profile Penn State and Texas A&M) and the undefeated season put together by Conference USA foe Tulane. Still, the Golden Eagles earned a bowl berth and that extra month of practice helped develop depth and give the younger players more repetitions. With the best offensive skill positions in the conference and the bulk of last year's defense coming back, the Eagles should't be ambushed by another up-and-comer in the conference like, say, Louisville. The Eagles and Cardinals square off in the season-ender Nov. 20 with a spot in the Liberty Bowl likely in the balance. OffenseSouthern Miss answered its most pressing need in the spring by deciding on Cable Davis at quarterback. Davis, who replaces two-year starter Lee Roberts, redshirted last season and hasn't taken a snap since his junior college days. Davis is big (6-3, 225) and strong-armed but continues to be a work in progress. But helping Davis get a handle on the offense will be returning starters Derrick Nix at running back and wide receivers Sherrod Gideon and Todd Pinkston. Nix led the conference in rushing with 1,399 yards as a freshman despite not starting until the fourth game. Gideon (1,283 receiving yards) and Pinkston (1,051) combined for 137 receptions. However, what might make life difficult for the new quarterback will be a revamped offensive line. Guard Shederick Blackmon is the only returning starter, and although he's one of the top linemen in the league, he can't do it all. Highly touted redshirt freshmen Jeremy Bridges and Zeb Landers earned starting slots in the spring, making up for the loss of Antonio Franklin (grades) and Ernie Moore (personal reasons). Junior college transfers Stacy Ford (6-6, 285) and 6-5, 265-pound Kendrick Key (who used to play tight end) could also figure in the mix early. It's a good sign if: The experienced receiving corps makes it easy for Davis to take over.It's a bad sign if: The patchwork offensive line falters, leaving no foundation for the rest of the offense. Defense Making up for any misgivings the Eagles might have about the offense is a defense with eight starters returning. Leading the pack is end Adalius Thomas, a two-time all-conference pick. Thomas (6-4, 252) is known for his pass-rushing ability (25½ career sacks), but he also is strong enough to be a force against the run. Teams can't overload one side to shut down Thomas because Cedric Scott, also an all-conference pick last season, is on the opposite side. The middle of the line also returns both starters (John Nix and DeQuincy Scott). Both returning linebackers were also all-CUSA picks. Ty Trahan (outside) and T.J. Slaughter are poised for big senior seasons. Slaughter led the conference with 147 tackles last season. Spring practice didn't answer the questions the Eagles had in the secondary. Leo Barnes, a likely starter, missed his second consecutive spring because of a shoulder injury. Terrance Parrish also has had trouble staying healthy. Raymond Wells has been moved from receiver to corner and didn't disappoint in spring drills. It's a good sign if: Defenses try to key on Thomas too much, opening up attacking lanes for other players.It's a bad sign if: Games against Nebraska and Texas A&M wear down the front seven, diminishing that group's ability to dominate CUSA foes. Special Teams Southern Miss must break in a new kicker in Brant Hanna, who needs to be more consistent but proved he has a strong leg by handling kickoff duties last season. Jamie Purser returns to handle the punting chores. Backup running back Brandon Francis averaged 23.6 yards per kickoff return before suffering a knee injury last season. There is no clear-cut choice to return punts yet. -- Greg Collins |
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