University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Postgame Notes From Southern Miss - Cincinnati Game
10/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Postgame Notes From Southern Miss - Cincinnati Game
Cincinnati Notes
DeMarco McCleskey moved into 5th-place on UC career rushing list with 135 yards for 2,772 yards. He needs only 15 yards to surpass Robert Cooper, who has 2,786 for 4th-place.
Jonathan Ruffin broke UC career scoring record with a 1st quarter field goal. Ruffin was tied with Jim O?Brien (1967-69) coming into today?s game. Ruffin now has 253 points.
A 19-yard first quarter reception allowed LaDaris Vann to break the UC career receiving yards record. With his 63-yards today, he now has 2,335 yards. He broke Jim O?Brien?s (1967-69) record at 2,285.
DeMarco McCleskey recorded his 11th career 100-yard game, fifth best in school history.
McCleskey?s third quarter TD was the 32nd career TD (30th rushing). It broke the U C-USA record of 29 for career rushing TD held by Leonard Henry of ECU, who has 29. It moved him it within one of UC records for TD?s and rush TD?s.
Following today?s game, Gino Guidugli moved up in several season and career categories ? In season categories, he moved into 10th in passing completions (147), 9th in passing yards (1,939), and tied for 9th in total yards with Lance Harp with 1,818 yards ? In the career charts, he moved into 5th in passing attempts (584), tied for 5th in passing completions (332), 5th in passing yards (4,511), and 5th in total offense (4,398).
Southern Miss Postgame Notes
Senior running back Derrick Nix rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries and had one touchdown in the game. Nix?s touchdown run was his ninth of the season and 28th of his career. His rushing yardage gives him 3,211 yards for his career, leaving him 384 yards behind all-time leading rusher Ben Garry (3,595). The Golden Eagles are 4-0 this season in games in which Nix rushes for a touchdown.
Redshirt-freshman quarterback Dustin Almond made his first career start for Southern Miss, finishing with 92 yards on 7-of-22 passing. He connected with Marvin Young on a 6-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, marking the second consecutive game in which he has thrown a touchdown pass.
Junior safety Etric Pruitt returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give Southern Miss the 21-14 lead. The interception is Pruitt?s sixth of the season, leaving him one interception away from breaking into the top six of interceptions in a season.
Southern Miss had four players with double-digit tackles in the game, led by Michael Boley, Rod Davis and Etric Pruitt with 12 tackles each. Joe Henley finished with 10 tackles in the game.
The defense came up with three sacks in the game, ending a two-game drought in which the defense did not register a sack. The team now has 21 sacks on the season.
Joe Henley?s tackle of Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli in the fourth quarter for a safety marked the third game this season in which the defense registered a safety. The defense also had a safety in wins over Illinois and Memphis.
Sophomore receiver Marvin Young finished the game with five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown. Young?s touchdown grab was his fourth of the season ? all of which have come in home games.
Senior punter Mark Haulman finished with nine punts for 390 yards, an average of 43.3 and placed four inside Cincinnati?s 20-yard line. The four inside the 20-yard line marked the most for Haulman this season.
