Southern Miss Set To Take On Alabama

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Alabama Notes

Southern Miss Set To Take On Alabama

? Southern Miss, coming off a dramatic 35-29 overtime win against Houston last Thursday, travels to Tuscaloosa Saturday, to take on Alabama in a 2:37 p.m. kickoff at Bryant Denny Stadium.

The Golden Eagles, under the direction of Head Football Coach Jeff Bower, now in his 14^th season, have opened their season in impressive fashion, winning all four games, to earn the school?s first ranking since 2000. The team has not been ranked since it was ranked No. 24, as it played Cincinnati on Nov. 19, 2000, but a loss 27-24 decision to Cincinnati (Nov. 19, 2000), which ended 23- straight weeks of national rankings dating back Oct. 10, 1999.

This will mark the 41^st time that Alabama and Southern Miss have met on the football field. The Crimson Tide own the series lead, 33-6-2, including a 17-2-1 mark in Tuscaloosa, the site of this season?s game.

Southern Miss has not defeated Alabama since a 21-0 shutout at Birmingham?s Legion Field, Sept. 16, 2000. Southern Miss? last win in Tuscaloosa came in 1982, under then Head Coach Jim Carmondy, as the Golden Eagles came away with a 38-29 victory.

Alabama won last season?s meeting against Southern Miss, 17-3, despite throwing for 12 passing yards, being out-gained in total offense, 261-255, first downs, 16-12, and offensive plays, 72-57.

Quarterback Dustin Almond, who will miss this year?s game after sustaining a strained hamstring on his 18-yard game-tying touchdown run against Houston last week, finished last year?s game with 196 passing yards, on 16-of-28 passing. Junior wide receiver Antwon Courington finished last year?s game with his career high in both receptions (9) and yards (98).

Southern Miss backup quarterback Damion Carter will start for the second- straight year against Alabama, finishing last year?s game, completing 5-of-8 passes for 29 yards. Carter made two starts at quarterback last season, and threw passes in five games, finishing the year with 238 yards through the air, including two touchdowns, on 26-of-41 passing.

The Golden Eagles have scored 115 points this season, for a 28.8 points per game average, while the defense limits opponents to 20 points a contest. The team has racked up 1,350 yards of total offense this year, including 679 on the ground, and 671 through the air.

Southern Miss averages 4.8 yards per play, 337.5 yards of total offense per game, 169.8 yards rushing a contest, and 167.8 yards passing a game.

Almond currently ranks seventh in Conference USA in total offense, eighth in passing yards per game, and 10^th in passing efficiency. Almond ranks 65^th nationally in passing efficiency and 71^st in total offense. Almond is 12-3 as a starter (.800), which ties him for third among Southern Miss quarterbacks with 10 or more starts.

He leads the team with 663 yards through the air, on 57-of-105 passing. He has thrown six touchdowns, against two touchdowns, and averages 165.8 yards a contest. He has a long touchdown pass of 46 yards to Marvin Young in the team?s opening win at Nebraska, also tossing a 45 yarder to Young against USF.

Carter has seen action at both wide receiver and quarterback this season, playing every game at wide receiver. Carter has two catches for 15 yards this season, including a long catch of 10 yards last week against Houston.

The sophomore saw his first action at quarterback in the team?s second game of the season at Tulane, and completed one-of-two passes for four yards. After Almond went out of the game against Houston, Carter came in and executed a two-point conversion play to tie the game at 29-29, then completing a four-yard touchdown pass to Otho Graves in overtime to give the Golden Eagles their final margin of victory. Carter has completed two-of-three passes on the year for eight yards and a touchdown.

Junior Anthony Harris continues to lead the Golden Eagles in rushing yards. Harris has a team-high 297 yards on the ground, including a long run of 25 yards, and has scored two touchdowns this season. He averages 3.9 yards a carry and 74.2 yards a contest. Harris, who scored the team?s game-tying two-point conversion attempt last week against Houston, recorded his sixth career 100-yard rushing game this season against Tulane, finishing with 21 carries for 118 yards.

Senior Sherron Moore has 208 rushing yards on 42 carries this season, including season bests of 76 and 73 yards against Tulane and Houston respectively. Moore scored his first career touchdown against the Cougars last week, on an 11-yard run. The walk-on transfer from Northwest Community College, has a long run of 14 yards on the year, and averages five yards a carry and 52 per game.

Senior Marvin Young has a team-high 209 receiving yards on 15 catches this season, averaging 13.9 yards per reception. Young has scored three touchdowns this season, including a long catch of 46 yards for a touchdown against Nebraska, and a 45-yard score against USF.

Junior Antwon Courington is second on the team in receiving yards with 184 on 13 receptions, averaging 14.2 yards per reception. Courington recorded his second touchdown of the season last week against Houston, scoring on a 26-yard pass from Almond, his season long catch. Courington enjoyed his career best day in last season?s Alabama game, recording nine catches for 98 yards.

Senior DaRon Lawrence, who has a completely torn ACL in his right leg, continues to be a productive receiver for the Golden Eagles. He enjoyed his season-best game against Houston last week, recording a team-high five catches for 57 yards. For the year, he has 135 receiving yards on 13 catches, including a long catch of 28 yards, while averaging 10.4 yards a reception.

Senior tight end Otho Graves has caught touchdowns in the team?s last two games, a four-yard reception in overtime against Houston last week, and a one-yard score against USF.

Sophomore kicker Darren McCaleb has converted on all seven field goals he has attempted this season, including a season long of 41 yards twice, against Nebraska and USF. McCaleb has also connected on six-of-nine extra point attempts.

Junior punter Luke Johnson has punted 20 times for 810 yards this season, including a long punt of 56 yards against Tulane. Johnson averages 40.5 yards a punt.

Junior John Eubanks has nine kickoff returns for 299 yards this season, including a M.M. Roberts Stadium record return of 97 yards last week for a score against Houston. He averages 33.2 yards per return, to rank fifth nationally.

Defensively, the Golden Eagles have held opponents to 20.0 points per game, and have give up 80 points this season. The unit allows 367.5 yards of total offense per game, including 170 rushing yards a contest, and 197.5 passing yards a game.

On the season, the defense has recorded 34 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, nine interceptions, 20 passes broken up, eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Senior Michael Boley leads the defense with 52 total tackles, including 30 solos and 22 assists. He has five tackles for a loss, two sacks, one interception, and three forced fumbles on the season, earning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week honors twice this season, and Walter Camp Football Foundation and FWAA-Bronco Nagurski National Player of the Week honors.

Senior Antoine Cash has 39 total tackles (19 solos, 20 assists), and has a team high eight tackles for a loss. Cash has one sack, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble on the campaign.

Senior Dillion Cleckler and junior Akeem Lockett are tied with Boley for the team lead with two sacks, and each has four tackles for a loss, along with sophomore Matthew Chatelain.

Junior John Eubanks leads the team with two interceptions. Junior Naton Stewart returned his lone interception for a 49-yard touchdown in the team?s season-opening win at Nebraska. In addition, Boley, Trevis Coley, Caleb Hendrix, Darrell Bennett, Terrance Ford and Martavious Prince have each recorded interceptions on the season.

Alabama, under the direction of second year Head Coach Mike Shula, are 4-2 this season.

The Crimson Tide have scored 186 points this season and averaging 31.0 points a game, while their opponents have scored 88 points, for an average of 14.7 a game.

Alabama has 2,253 yards of total offense this season, 1,441 on the ground and 812 through the air. Per game, the team averages 240.2 yards on the ground, 135.3 through the air, and 375.5 yards of total offense, while averaging 5.7 yards a play. The Crimson Tide have converted on 31-of-79 third down conversions (39 percent), and have averaged 33:55 in time of possession, while opponents have held the ball for 26:05 a game.

Junior Brodie Croyle is the Tide?s leading passer with 534 passing yards on 44-of-66 passing, including six touchdowns, but is out for the season with a torn ACL in his knee. Sophomore Marc Gullion or junior Spencer Pennington will start against the Golden Eagles. Gullion has completed 20-of-43 passes for 191 yards, including one touchdown against three interceptions. Pennington has 87 passing yards on the season, on 9-of-19 passing, including two interceptions.

Senior Ray Hudson leads the running backs with 638 rushing yards on 92 carries, including four touchdowns, but he will miss the game with a knee injury. Sophomore Kenneth Darby has 437 rushing yards on 79 attempts, has scored five touchdowns, and averages 5.5 yards per carry. Sophomore Tim Castille has 192 yards on 43 carries, and has four touchdowns on the season.

Freshman Matt Caddell has seven catches for 142 yards, including a touchdown, averaging 20.3 yards a catch. Freshman Keith Brown has eight catches for 138 yards, including one touchdown reception, while averaging 17.2 yards per reception. Freshman DJ Hall has eight catches for 101 yards, and averages 12.6 yards a catch. Junior Clint Johnston has a team-high two touchdown receptions, on five catches for 70 yards.

Freshman Marcel Stamps and Sophomore Tyrone Prothro each have a punt return and a kickoff return for a touchdown return, respectively.

Brian Bostick has converted on six-of-eight field goals, including a long of 37 yards. Bostick has also converted on 24-of-24 extra point attempts.

Bo Freeland has 30 punts for 1234 yards this season, for a 41.1 yard per punt average, including a long punt of 53 yards.

Defensively, the Crimson Tide have made 41 tackles for a loss and recorded 13 sacks this season.

Senior Cornelius Wortham and junior Roman Harper are tied for the team lead with 40 tackles. Wortham has 17 solos and 23 assists, while Harper has 25 solos and 15 assists. Harper, Demarcus Waldrop, Mark Anderson, and Wallace Gilberry are tied for the team lead with four tackles for a loss. Gilberry has a team-high three sacks on the year.

Harper, Anthony Madison, and Simeon Castille each are tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

Following the Alabama game, Southern Miss will return home for homecoming, on Saturday, Oct. 23, against East Carolina. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

University of Southern Mississippi Athletics

Southern Miss Set To Take On Alabama

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