Coach:
Jeff Bower
59-43-1, 9 years |
1999 Record: 9-3
Sep 06 |
Tulane |
Won 48-14 |
Sep 11 |
Northwestern State |
Won 40-6 |
Sep 18 |
@Nebraska |
Lost 13-20 |
Sep 25 |
@Texas A&M |
Lost 6-23 |
Oct 09 |
@East Carolina |
Won 39-22 |
Oct 16 |
Army |
Won 24-0 |
Oct 23 |
Cincinnati |
Won 28-20 |
Oct 30 |
@Alabama |
Lost 14-35 |
Nov 06 |
@Memphis |
Won 20-5 |
Nov 13 |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
Won 48-0 |
Nov 20 |
@Louisville |
Won 30-27 |
LIBERTY BOWL
|
Dec 31 |
Colorado State |
Won 23-17 |
|
|
1999
Final Rankings
|
AP-14, BCS-NR,
Coaches-13
|
2000 Outlook
|
The 1999 season found Coach Bower and
his Golden Eagle troops ranked 13th in the country when
all was said and done. The highest ranking ever. Southern
Miss went 6-0 in Conference USA winning the league crown
for a third time in four seasons and has won 21 or their
last 23 conference games. There is a touch of Top 10
fever in every Golden Eagle coach and fan, but to reach
that plateau the team will have to step up and knock
off one of the non-conference big boys USM continues
to schedule every season. 2000 will be no different
as three road games in a row are on the menu to start
the season. Games at Tennessee, Alabama, and Oklahoma
State will be tough going. The Alumni will be treated
to a great November closing on senior day as the Pirates
of ECU come to Hattiesburg to play in what will be for
the conference title. Assuming the Eagles find a playmaker
on both sides to replace Slaughter, Thomas, Gideon,
and Pinkston, USM will be very good again. Too many
people take this team for granted. When the smoke clears
after the fall, Southern Miss will be making its fourth
consecutive bowl appearance.
Projected record: 9-3
Southern
Miss 2000 Schedule
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SOUTHERN
MISS
*POWER RATINGS
|
Offense
|
Defense
|
QB - 4 |
DL - 3 |
RB - 4 |
LB - 2 |
WR - 2.5 |
DB - 4 |
OL - 2 |
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SOUTHERN MISS
GOLDEN EAGLES
2000 PRESEASON PREVIEW
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2000
OFFENSE
|
Strengths: The Golden
Eagles retain an offense that features a quarterback that threw
for over 2000 yards and a running back that ran for over 1000
last season. Junior Jeff Kelly became only the third QB in school
history to pass for that many and junior Derrick Nix completed
his second straight year rushing for over a grande. The young
offensive line that mostly played as freshman in 1999 return
some athleticism up front and should be improved with one year
under their belt. At wide out, senior Shawn Mills returns for
his senior year after finishing as the teams third leading receiver
in 1999 with 23 catches for a 10.8 yard average. |
Weaknesses: The hardest
part will be replacing the best two receiver combo in Conference
USA in Sherrod Gideon and Todd Pinkston, both of whom tallied
88 catches for nearly 1500 yards last year. The offensive line
is still young and had a terrible time coming together last
season as USM finished ranked 82nd overall in total offense
amoungst division I-A teams as Kelly threw 11 int's. Overall,
the Eagles will need to build chemistry and keep making progress
on the OL, develop depth at wide receiver and get better play
out of the tight end position. Adding some kinks to that mix
is the fact that Coach Bower has fired all three of last seasons
offensive coaches including the coordinator. So look for a new
offense to be installed. Also, lineman Tre' Chambers has left
the team to spend time with his family. |
OFFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
|
QB |
Jeff
Kelly |
6-1 |
185 |
Jr. |
|
Bobby
Garner |
6-3 |
205 |
So. |
RB |
Derrick
Nix |
6-2 |
228 |
Jr. |
|
Dawayne
Woods |
5-9 |
188 |
Jr. |
WR |
Dannye
Fowler |
5-10 |
188 |
Jr. |
|
John
Floyd |
6-5 |
215 |
So. |
WR |
Shawn
Mills |
6-0 |
185 |
Sr. |
|
Corey
Hosey |
6-2 |
190 |
Fr. |
WR |
LeRoy
Handy |
6-2 |
185 |
So. |
|
Ali
Aliherimi |
5-11 |
180 |
Jr. |
T |
Jeremy
Bridges |
6-4 |
305 |
So. |
|
Jason
Jimenez |
6-7 |
290 |
So. |
G |
Billy
Clay |
6-4 |
270 |
Sr. |
|
Jim
Hicks |
6-5 |
270 |
Fr. |
C |
Zeb
Landers |
6-3 |
275 |
So. |
|
Jim
Hicks |
6-5 |
270 |
Fr. |
G |
Dan
Reber |
6-7 |
290 |
So. |
|
Dennis
Evans |
6-4 |
280 |
Sr. |
T |
Torrin
Tucker |
6-6 |
315 |
So. |
|
Adam
Gardner |
6-7 |
295 |
Fr. |
TE |
Buck
Miciotto |
6-3 |
255 |
So. |
|
Orlando
Dantzler |
6-4 |
265 |
So. |
K |
Brant
Hanna |
6-2 |
202 |
Jr. |
|
|
|
|
|
Returning
starters in bold. |
Key
Losses: Sherrod Gideon-WR, Todd Pinkston-WR, Shederick
Blackmon-OL, Brian Bell-OL, Brian Balazik-QB, Cable
Davis-QB, Josh Gulley-WR, Tre' Chambers-OL
|
|
2000
DEFENSE
|
Strengths: Opponents found
that gaining ground up front against the Eagles running with
the football was quite difficult in 1999 as Southern Miss finished
ranked 8th nationally in rush defense and total defense giving
up a stingy 91.5 yards per game. All-American Candidate Cedric
Scott will try and lead the way for another talented defensive
front four. The defensive backs could possibly be the strength
of the defensive unit as huge expectations are in order with
safety Leo Barnes blazing the way. Three out of four starters
are back as Chad Williams and Ray Walls return to the lineup
assisting Barnes. |
Weaknesses: There are holes that need
plugged on defense. Departing seniors Thomas, Slaughter, and
Trahan are huge losses. A replacement
will need to be found to put some heat on the QB as all time
sack master Adalius Thomas leaves Hattiesburg finishing with
9 sacks in '99. Dedric Scott, another of the Scott tandem,
will lace up for his senior year at defensive end. Beyond
that there is not much experience or depth. The 2000 linebacking
crew needs some newcomers to step up as team leading tackler
T.J. Slaughter is gone as well as another great LB Ty Trahan.
|
DEFENSIVE DEPTH CHART
|
DE |
Cedric
Scott |
6-6 |
275 |
Sr. |
|
Marchene
Hatchett |
6-3 |
270 |
Sr. |
DT |
DeQuincy
Scott |
6-2 |
278 |
Sr. |
|
Gerald
Mumford |
6-4 |
255 |
Sr. |
DT |
John
Nix |
6-3 |
290 |
Sr. |
|
Daleroy
Stewart |
6-4 |
307 |
Sr. |
DE |
Dedric
Scott |
6-3 |
265 |
Sr. |
|
Doug
Waller |
6-5 |
276 |
So. |
OLB |
Roy
Magee |
6-2 |
223 |
Jr. |
|
Zaid
Houston |
6-2 |
219 |
Sr. |
MLB |
Rod
Davis |
6-3 |
235 |
Fr. |
|
Darris
McKenzie |
6-3 |
235 |
Fr. |
OLB |
Anthony
Chapman |
5-11 |
209 |
Sr. |
|
Chris
Langston |
6-2 |
230 |
So. |
CB |
Raymond
Walls |
5-10 |
190 |
Sr. |
|
Corey
Yates |
5-9 |
188 |
So. |
CB |
Keon
Moore |
5-11 |
183 |
Sr. |
|
Daryon
Brutley |
6-2 |
182 |
Fr. |
SS |
Leo
Barnes |
6-2 |
185 |
Sr. |
|
Etric
Pruitt |
6-2 |
188 |
Fr. |
FS |
Chad
Williams |
5-10 |
195 |
Jr. |
|
Joey
Pinkston |
6-0 |
177 |
Sr. |
P |
Mark
Haulman |
6-0 |
175 |
So. |
|
|
|
|
|
Returning
starters in bold. |
Key
Losses: Adalius Thomas-DE, T.J. Slaughter-LB, Ty Trahan-LB,
Terrance Parrish-DB, Marvin Brown-DL, Royal Bell-LB,
Jamie Purser-P
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FOR THE MOST COVERAGE ON SOUTHERN
MISS SPORTS
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