University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Weather Again a Golden Eagle Practice Factor
10/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Weather Again a Golden Eagle Practice Factor
Hattiesburg, Miss. -- As has been the case more often this season than Head Coach Jeff Bower would prefer, weather was very much a factor in Saturday's practice as the Golden Eagles continue to prepare for an unusual Wednesday night game, at TCU. Overnight rain and rain throughout much of the morning practice left the practice fields wet and muddy, but did not diminish the quality of the workout.
"We had a good workout today," Bower said. "Sloppy, but good. The fields weren't in the best of shape, but the players did a good job, under the conditions. We had to go outside, because it's the only place we can get in the kind of practice we need. We just have to make the best of it. We don't worry about the things we can't control."
The Eagles also got a prepractice boost today, when former Southern Miss, and current Green Bay, quarterback Brett Favre addressed the team. "He talked about preparations and competing, and how important those are to success, at any level," Bower said. "He did a really good job, and I think the players enjoyed hearing him."
Bower also says TCU will be tough. "They're hot, they're a good football team and they're really solid on defense," he said. "They're just not giving up much at all against the run, they're creating a lot of turnovers; and offensively, they've scored a lot of points in the last couple of weeks. They're getting a lot of people involved, and their redshirt freshman quarterback has done a good job for them. They run a lot of play action offense, similar to Alabama."
Bower also says stopping the run is a major concern for his Eagles, who have given up some large numbers against the run in some recent games. "I'm sure that everyone will come in wanting to run the ball," he said. "We've seen that in the last couple of games. People have been successful doing it, and we've got to get it stopped. It's been different for us, because over the years we've been pretty successful in stopping the run. We have been banged up some, playing three down linemen much of the time, and moving people in and out to cover. We'll get there. We just have to work harder at it."
The Eagles are scheduled to work Sunday afternoon, again Monday, which will be on a regular Thursday schedule, and then travel Tuesday for the 6:30 Wednesday night 6:30 game that will be televised by ESPN2. Southern Miss then will take the following weekend (Nov. 2-3) off, play at UAB, Nov. 9, host Louisville in a Thursday night ESPN game, Nov. 14, and then end the season with a Nov. 23 game at Tulane and a Nov. 30 home game against East Carolina.
