Lots of questions surrounding the Southern Miss football program prompted coaches from around the Sun Belt to lowball expectations for the Golden Eagles this coming season.
As we approach year four of the Will Hall era in Hattiesburg, Southern Miss will look to rebound from a 3-9 campaign in which the team only won two games against Sun Belt opponents, placing the Golden Eagles near the cellar of the conference at the end of the season.
To address some of the concerns regarding in-game management, roster deficiencies, and the loss of standout ball carrier Frank Gore, Jr., this year’s Southern Miss team will feature a brand new offensive coordinator in Chip Long, defensive coordinator in Clay Bignell, a quarterback in Florida State transfer Tate Rodemaker, and a stable of running backs including Rodrigues “Dreke” Clark, Kenyon Clay, JQ Gray, and Jalen Washington.
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Coaching and roster shakeups aside, the Golden Eagles were projected to finish No. 6 in the west division of the Sun Belt — one spot away from dead last. Additionally, no Southern Miss players cracked a first-team or second-team spot on the preseason All-Sun Belt list.
Hall will have the chance to prove his colleagues wrong beginning Saturday, Aug. 31 when his team travels to Lexington to take on a familiar SEC foe in Kentucky. The last time the two programs squared off in Commonwealth Stadium was in 2016 with the Golden Eagles winning the contest 44-35.
