University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Saturday Scrimmage Set For 11 a.m.
8/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Saturday Scrimmage Set For 11 a.m.
Hattiesburg, Miss. - Southern Miss ended two-a-day football workouts today and will scrimmage at 11 a.m., Saturday in Roberts Stadium, just two weeks away from the season opener Aug. 31, against Jackson State.
Head Coach Jeff Bower says the scrimmage is an important one for his team. "There's going to be good and bad when you go against each other, but we want them to compete," he said. "We need to practice with great effort, and be real physical. The scrimmage will give us a good indication of where we are, just two weeks away from our first game."
Friday's final two workouts were used to polish up both offense and defense in preparation for the scrimmage.
Bower also said the injury suffered by wide receiver Rocky Harrison (6-1, 195, Tampa, Fla.), in the Wednesday scrimmage was more extensive than doctors first thought. "In addition to the lacerated kidney, Rocky has a bruised pancreas and bruised intestines," Bower said. "They're now going to keep him in the hospital for at least a week, and we all have our fingers crossed for him, hoping his recovery is a speedy one."
Senior linebacker Rod Davis (6-3, 246, Gulfport, Miss.) had a tooth pulled during the day Friday and did not participate in the afternoon workout. Bower says he will be ready to go full speed in the Saturday scrimmage. Senior running back Derrick Nix (6-2, 225, Attalla, Ala.) was at near full speed for the Friday workouts and is expected to go full speed Saturday.
Wide receiver Chris Johnson (5-10, 175, Gramercy, La.) continues to see limited practice time, and still has a cast on his hand. Bower says he could be ready for the Jackson State game. "If they take the cast off when we expect them too, he can play," Bower said.
Golden Eagle players and coaches will attend a prescrimmage rules clinic conducted by C-USA game officials.
Classes start Monday, and the Golden Eagles open the 2002 season Aug. 31, at home, against Jackson State. Southern Miss follows that with two more home games, against Illinois, Sept. 7, and Memphis, Sept. 14, before hitting the road for the first time, Sept. 21 at Alabama.
