University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagles Host Media Day on Sunday
8/12/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Golden Eagles Host Media Day on Sunday
The Southern Miss football program conducted its annual media day at M.M. Roberts Stadium on Sunday, August 12, 2001. The squad will go through the last week of two-a-day practices this week as they begin full contact work. Following are Head Coach Jeff Bower?s comments to the media today.
Southern Miss Head Coach Jeff Bower?s Comments:
Weakest unit on the team right now?
From a depth standpoint, I would say wide receiver. We?ve got to get some more depth there. I feel confident in the players we have starting because they?ve played for us. But after that, nobody has played.
It?s kind of like the defensive line position. Although we have talent, the layers there just haven?t played.
Strength?
We?ve got a lot of experience at linebacker. We have two of the three starters back from last year.
I expect our offensive line to be a strength. As long as we can have some continuity, which we didn?t have last year because of injuries, I think we can be pretty good there, if these guys will play up to their potential.
What kind of a kid is Jeff Kelly to coach?
Fun. You never worry about him not doing what he?s supposed to do. He?s self-motivated. He has a tremendous amount of pride in everything he does, which he has shown academically, in addition to what he?s achieved athletically. He is what you want there. He provides great leadership. Winning is very important to him. Playing well is very important to him. He?s an outstanding leader, a tough kid with a big heart. Obviously, when you?re smart in the classroom it doesn?t mean you?re going to be smart on the football field, but he is. He?s an intelligent football player. He studies the game. It?s good to have someone like him with his experience, but also the kind of person he is, leading the football team.
It would be nice to have Kelly, as smart as he is (as a finance major), as a broker?
Yes, I would give him my money. He hasn?t messed up in doing anything yet. A lot of brokers haven?t done well lately. They are not planting good rumors up there on Wall Street. That?s what it?s all about.
How important are early commitments?
It?s very important. You?ve got to hold on to them. Obviously, when you?ve done your homework, evaluated players and offered scholarships, it?s important to get those commitments. We?ve got some real critical areas. We are going to recruit some defensive linemen, some offensive linemen, and we need some speed. But I always feel good about getting some early commitments, because it?s a compliment to your program, in what we?ve accomplished, and the kids know they?re going to be a part of successful program. It?s also a compliment to the coaching staff, and I wish we could get a lot of those kids early. Right now, we?re on track to having a pretty good year.
Comments on Chad Williams
He?s a heck of a football player. We?ve had so many guys, the last couple of years, who have been good on defense and who have gotten more publicity than he did. He was overshadowed because of the A.D.s, the T.J.s, the John Nix?s, Ced Scotts and Leo Barneses, but he has been a really good, consistent, physical football player for us, and he is going to get his pub this year. He has worked hard. He understands what we?re trying to do, and he is our quarterback in the secondary. I think if you ask any coach in this league, they all know a lot about him.
Thoughts on Media Day
It was good. The turnout was good. You have to adjust (regarding the weather). We?ve been adjusting for three days, with the weather and everything. I thought it was good, and the players enjoy it. They enjoy visiting with the fans and the kids, and it helps to get you more excited, too. It helps set the stage at the beginning of the season. I think it was a great day.
Is it time to put pads on?
I think they are ready if we can find some good fields. It has rained so much. We had to practice indoors yesterday afternoon. The fields have been so bad. We need some heat and some dry weather. I don?t know if we?re going to do any scrimmaging tomorrow because of the fields. I don?t want to risk injuries with the fields as slick as they are. We have to adjust and do what?s best. Obviously, you want to get ready and do what you have to do, but a healthy football team is also important, and putting those kids at risk on really bad fields, we can?t do that.
Has the weather put you behind?
I don?t think we?re behind. If this continues it?ll hurt. I sent John Miller (director of football operations) out to look for other fields we could use. I?m trying to figure out who around here has artificial turf fields because it has just rained so much, and you?re limited to what you can do indoors. But we?ll be okay. We?re on schedule, and we?ll take it day-to-day, and if we have to make adjustments, we?ll do it. I know we still have a lot of time to get ready, and I know the heat will set in at some point in time.
Prediction on being picked third in the conference, does it bother you?
No, it doesn?t bother me. We stubbed our toe late last season, and didn?t finish up like we should have. Then, when you look at our starters and returning experience, it?s not like it?s been in the last two or three years. I?ve heard some of the coaches say that nobody knew about Adalius Thomas, T.J. Slaughter and Ced Scott at one time. I?m hopeful that we?ve got some guys like that now. This is going to be, no doubt, a younger football team, but our attitude has really been good. I have been really impressed with our seniors. We look to our seniors and some underclassmen on the team to be good leaders, and I think that?s a big key this year, the type of leadership we?ve got on this team. Another big key is we have got to be better on the kicking game. If we can do all that, play together, play unselfish, play hard and prepare, I think this can be a real good season, and I think we can win a championship.
