University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Football Players Receive Preseason Recognition
7/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Southern Miss Football Players Receive Preseason Recognition
Hattiesburg, Miss. - The Football News, one of the nation's premier football newspapers, has selected linebacker Rod Davis as a third-team preseason All-American and Torrin Tucker, Terrell Paul, Davis, Greg Brooks and Mark Haulman to its preseason All-Conference USA team.
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 in 2001, 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.
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. Paul, a two-year starter at the bandit end position, led the team in quarterback sacks with six, second in tackles for loss with 11 and finished eighth on the team in tackles with 52. He also registered six pass breakups, fourth on the team, forced a fumble and recovered two fumbles.
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. Haulman, a two-year starter as the team's punter, averaged 42.3 yards a punt last season, placing 13 inside the opponents 20-yard line and finished with a season-long of 63 yards.
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.
