 |
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Linebacker Michael Boley should be a cult hero in Hattiesburg this fall. Boley, who could have opted to enter the NFL Draft after a decorated junior season, decided to return and limit Southern Miss' defensive losses.
That's good news for the Golden Eagles. The defending Conference USA champions find themselves with seven new defensive starters, but Boley gives the unit an anchor.
Southern Miss hasn't faced such a major rebuilding project on defense since 2001. How well defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix can mold his new group likely will determine if the Golden Eagles can repeat.
Southern Miss won its first C-USA title since 1999 relying mostly on its defense. Offensively, the Golden Eagles struggled at times under first-year offensive coordinator Rip Scherer, but should regroup behind nine returning starters, including quarterback Dustin Almond.
But Scherer has his quarterback situation settled with junior Dustin Almond and an improving situation at running back with veteran Anthony Harris and several promising newcomers.
"We are so much farther ahead offensively than we were a year ago," Bower said. "Last year it was a new offense and a new staff. It's a night and day difference this year."
Almond took over at midseason and contributed to a second-half run that earned Southern Miss the C-USA title and a berth in the Liberty Bowl. Almond passed for 1,877 yards and 13 touchdowns, and Harris rushed for 671 yards on a 4.2-yard average.
While Bower admits the Golden Eagles are thin at wide receiver, there is experience among the starters, led by senior Marvin Young. Young uses his strength to make yards after the catch, while senior DaRon Lawrence makes the difficult catches over the middle.
In the spring, Nix had to find new starters at each position in the secondary. He added several players from the offense, worked in two mid-semester junior college transfers and welcomed a highly regarded redshirt freshman -- Robert Henderson -- to the defensive line.
Returning kickoffs will be Eubanks, who finished fourth nationally with a 29.4 average and had a 94-yard touchdown against Cincinnati. Returning punts will be Marvin Young, who ranked 10th nationally with a 13.6 average and had an 87-yard punt return against Memphis.
McCaleb was 14-of-17 on field goals, including 11-of-12 inside the 40. Punter Luke Johnson, a junior, also is back after averaging 42.1 yards on a conference-high 79 kicks.
Offensively, the Golden Eagles have a more settled situation at quarterback with Almond back and potential standouts at running back in incoming freshmen C.J. Barrows and Cole Mason.
• Click here for a complete list of 2004 Team Previews from Athlon
|
| To Purchase the 2004 College Football Preview from Athlon Sports, click here. |
