University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Eagles Have Time to Prepare For TCU
10/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Eagles Have Time to Prepare For TCU
The Southern Miss football team has a week and a half before its next game, as the Golden Eagles travel to play TCU on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m., central time. The game will be televised by ESPN2.
This is the fourth meeting between the two schools. After defeating Southern Miss, 14-12, in Hattiesburg in the last game of the 2001 season, the Horned Frogs hold a 2-1 series lead. The Golden Eagles defeated TCU, 28-21, in the 2000 GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl, prior to TCU joining Conference USA. TCU won the first meeting, 19-17, in 1989.
Both teams are coming off conference wins, last Saturday, with Southern Miss beating Cincinnati, 23-14, and TCU winning on the road over Louisville, 45-31. The winner of this matchup will become the frontrunner in the Conference USA title race.
Dustin Almond made his first start as the Southern Miss quarterback and collected a win against the Bearcats. He completed 7-of-22 passes for 92 yards and threw one touchdown. Almond also rushed nine times for 23 yards and did not throw any interceptions.
His best throwing performance came against South Florida, where he finished with 24-of-39 passes for 258 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. On the year, Almond has completed 36-of-70 passes for 420 yards and two touchdowns.
Running back Derrick Nix has 821 yards on 134 carries and nine touchdowns on the year. He ranks 18th in the country and second in Conference USA. Southern Miss is 4-0 this season in games in which Nix rushes for a score.
LeRoy Handy leads the receivers with 25 catches for 344 yards. Marvin Young and Chris Johnson follow with 19 receptions apiece. Young has 264 receiving yards, and leads the squad with four touchdown receptions, and Johnson has 179 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Rod Davis, a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and a candidate for the Nagurski and Lombardi Awards, is a proven leader on the Southern Miss defense. He leads the team in tackles with 90. The linebacker is first on the team in tackles for loss with 13.5 and in sacks with six.
Etric Pruitt recently was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Week, after an awesome performance against Cincinnati. The defensive back made the play of the game with a 44-yard interception return for the winning touchdown. On the year, he is third on the team in total tackles with 72 and has six interceptions, seven pass breakups (both team bests), two tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Michael Boley was also key in the win over the Bearcats, returning a fumble to Cincinnati?s five-yard line and setting up a third-quarter Southern Miss touchdown. He is second on the team with 75 total tackles and in tackles for loss with 7.0 and fourth on the team in sacks with 2.5.
TCU has won six straight after starting the season with a 36-29 overtime loss at Cincinnati. The Horned Frogs are first in C-USA in 10 different statistical categories, including scoring offense (33.6 points per game) and total defense (274.7 yards a game).
Sean Stilley and Tye Gunn both have taken snaps at quarterback for TCU. Stilley leads with 837 yards on 57-of-94 passing, and Gunn has 530 yards on 49-of-76 yards passing. Stilley has thrown for four touchdowns, while Gunn has six scoring passes. Gunn also claims 143 yards on 48 carries with two touchdown runs.
Ricky Madison is the Frogs leading rusher with 83 carries for 398 yards and two touchdowns. Adrian Madise is the leading receiver with 25 catches for 430 yards and two touchdowns.
LaMarcus McDonald is the top tackler for TCU with 72 total stops and 16 tackles for loss. Bo Schobel is the sack leader with five, and Jason Goss leads the squad with five interceptions and seven pass breakups.
After the TCU contest, Southern Miss remains on the road for its next game, playing at UAB on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m.
