University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Ranked Preseason No. 26 By The Sporting News
6/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Football Ranked Preseason No. 26 By The Sporting News
Hattiesburg, Miss. - The Southern Miss football program has been ranked No. 26 nationally by The Sporting News in its preseason football annual, which will be released later this month. The Golden Eagles return 45 letterwinners for the 2002 season, including 18 starters, nine on offense, eight on defense and one specialist.
The magazine also selected senior offensive lineman Torrin Tucker as the No. 8 offensive guard in the nation, junior middle linebacker Rod Davis was tabbed as the No. 9 middle linebacker and junior defensive back Greg Brooks was named the No. 16 cornerback. Senior offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges, Tucker, senior running back Derrick Nix, Davis and Brooks were also named to The Sporting News' preseason All-Conference USA team. Ronald Jones, a junior college transfer from Gulf Coast Community College, was named the conference newcomer of the year. The Mississippi Junior College all-star enrolled at Southern Miss in Jan. 2002, and went through spring practice.
Tucker, a three-year starter at the strong-side guard position, has 27 starts in his career and led the team in pin blocks last season. Bridges, a three-year starter at the weak-side tackle position, has 32 career starts and was a second-team All-Conference USA selection in 2001. Nix returns after being sidelined with a kidney ailment after reacting to medication during the 2000 season. He redshirted during the 2001 fall season and returned for 2002 spring practice. He is healthy and back after producing back to back 1,000-yard plus seasons as a freshman and sophomore, being named to the Conference USA freshman team in 1998 and to the second team in 1999.
Brooks, a first-team All-Conference USA selection in 2001, set a school record with 18 pass breakups. He was tied for sixth in the nation in pass breakups and was second in the conference. He finished with 32 tackles, 25 unassisted, a quarterback sack and three interceptions. Last year's defense ranked No. 12 in pass efficiency defense, No. 8 in scoring defense and No. 11 in total defense.
Davis, already named to the Butkus, Lombardi and Nagurski watch lists, led the Golden Eagles defense in tackles last season with 100, including 68 unassisted tackles. A fourth-team Sporting News All-American, he finished with 10 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. He also finished with double-figure tackles five times.
Southern Miss opens its season on Aug. 31 against Jackson State at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss., at 6 p.m., ct. The freshman report on Aug. 3 and the upperclassmen report on Aug. 6, with two-a-day practices beginning on Aug. 8.
