University of Southern Mississippi 2013 Football Preview

University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

 

Southern Mississippi is starting over for the second time in 2 seasons.  It is extremely rare that a coach only makes it one season at a school before being fired.  Ellis Johnson was fired after one year because his team did something extremely rare.  They did not win a single football game.  I did not think the hiring of Ellis Johnson was a good fit for USM, but I never imagined they would not win a single game under him.  USM needs an energetic coach with an offensive background.  Johnson and his staff were anything but that.

All that being said, this is a new year.  2012 is gone and USM has a new coach heading into the 2013 season.  Fedora came from Oklahoma State.  He was successful at USM.  If the formula worked once why not try it again.  USM has once again hired away the OSU offensive coordinator.  This time around it is Todd Monken.   Funny story is that Monken was passed up before the 2012 season in favor of Ellis Johnson.  Monken overhauled the entire coaching staff.  He only retained one coach from Johnson’s staff.

 

OFFENSE



Monken is one of the new age offensive minds that believes in playing fast, both during plays and between plays.  If his offense gets a first down they are going to step on the gas.  It is hard to play fast on the first few plays of a drive because if you go 3 and out your defense could be back on the field in only a few minutes setting them up for a bad situation.  Earning just one first down allows an offense to move quicker.  It is really a snowball effect because if they get 2 or 3 first downs they are taking very little time off the clock.  If you have watched Oregon in recent years or even OSU this is exactly what they do.  Monken is trying to bring that to USM. 

I believe Monken’s formula for success will work in Conference USA.   The problem with Monken’s offense this year is that he doesn’t have a quarterback to operate it.  The quarterback position could be a carousel.  The system Monken runs does most of the work for the QB.  Monken just needs someone who can manage the offense and make routine throws.    

One of the best things to help a young, undeveloped quarterback is a good running game.  USM has a pretty decent group of running backs, but a running game depends on the offensive line.  The offense line is a major question mark.  There are a couple of returning players, but as a whole the offensive line is a weakness.  The offensive line is probably the biggest concern for USM heading into the season.

If you didn’t understand anything from what I said you understood that the offense for USM has issues up and down the depth chart heading into the 2013 season.  Issues on offense are something I believe Monken can handle.  His offensive game plan will hide some holes in the offense.  Even during an obvious offensive rebuilding year I think Monken will get some production out of this unit.

 

DEFENSE

This seems pretty obvious because USM did not win a game last year, but like all other units their defense was terrible in 2012.  When I think of USM in my lifetime I always just assume they are going to have a good defense.  Monken’s best decision during the offseason may have been to get Dave Duggan to come back to Hattiesburg as the defensive coordinator.  Duggan was at USM under Fedora.  When Fedora went to North Carolina Duggan went with him.  Duggan is back and is very familiar with many of the defensive players returning in 2013.

First thing I have to mention about this unit is that they will never be able to replace Jamie Collins.  That dude was a beast.  Collins will become a household name playing for the Patriots.  Jamie Collins did everything for the defensive unit in 2012.  Collins drew a big star from every team USM played.  Two guys were allocated to him on almost every play.  I can’t imagine how bad the defensive unit would have been in 2012 without Collins.

This unit returns some experienced players at every level.  Even with the loss of Collins, this unit has the chance to be significantly improved under Duggan.  5 of the 7 defenders at linebacker and defensive back are seniors, including linebackers Alan Howze and Dylan Reda.   Question mark for this team is the defensive line and the lack of quality depth.  This unit has the potential to be very good if some young guys can emerge as contributors. 

This sounds so obvious, but the key to this defense is getting turnovers.  In 2011 the Golden Eagles produced 28 turnovers.  In 2012 they only produced 12 turnovers.  With the number of quality athletes on this unit I see no reason why they don’t regain some confidence and be dominating in the C-USA.  

SEASON PREDICTION

Who created this brutal schedule for USM?  Their schedule is without question the toughest in the C-USA and maybe the toughest of all non BCS schools in the country.  USM goes on the road to Nebraska, Arkansas, Boise State, ECU, Marshall, and La Tech.  If Monken gets some consistent quarterback play and gets the offense going this team will go bowling.  If the quarterback and offensive line struggle this is going be another forgettable year in Hattiesburg.  I think Monken will get some steady play out of the offense, but USM is notorious for losing to a team they should beat.  I think that one let down game will cause them to miss post season play.       

Best Case Scenario: 7 and 5

Worst Case Scenario: 2 and 10

My Prediction: 5 and 7  

INTERESTING FACTS

As stated above it is rare for a coach to only get one year in before being fired.  Joe Lee Dunn was fired at Ole Miss after just one year in 1994. 

USM had compiled 18 winning seasons in a row heading into 2012.  Heading into the 2012 season that streak was the 4^th longest in FBS behind Florida State (37), Florida (26), and Virginia Tech (21).

Stadium Capacity is 36,000.  Stadium was originally constructed in 1932.  Name was changed to Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M Roberts Stadium in 2004.  Major renovation took place in 2008 with the addition of 4,000 seats and 33 suites.  Attendance record was set on September 5, 2009 against Alcorn State.  Attendance for that game was 36,232.

Noteworthy football alumnist - Brett Favre, Derrick Nix, Sammy Winder, Tyrone Nix, Reggie Collier, and Hall of Famer Ray Guy.

Southern Mississippi has never had a consensus All-American

8 Conference Championships - Most recent was in 2011 under Larry Fedora

USM is considered to have three major rivals.  They have a winning record against all three.  Those teams are La Tech(Rivalry in Dixie), Memphis(Black and Blue Bowl), and Tulane(Battle for the Bell). 

 

As always I am enjoy comments, feedbacks, suggestions, criticism, and especially compliments.  If you have an opinion on something I would like to hear it.  Thanks for reading.