University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football To Host East Carolina On Homecoming
10/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
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East Carolina Notes
Football To Host East Carolina On Homecoming
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? Southern Miss, coming off a disappointing 27-3 loss at
Despite the loss, Southern Miss has opened its season in impressive fashion under Head Football Coach Jeff Bower, in his 14th season as Golden Eagle Head Coach.
The team is currently 4-1 overall and 3-0 in Conference USA, matching the team?s best start since opening the 2002 season with a 4-1 mark in the team?s first five games. The Golden Eagles have won 12-consecutive Conference
Southern Miss and
Before the game, the renaming of M.M. Roberts Stadium?s field to Faulker-Carlisle Field will take place, to honor long-time Southern Miss supporters, Gene and Karen Carlisle, for their generous donation to the University.
Southern Miss has scored 118 points this year, averaging 23.6 points a contest. The team has accumulated 1,521 yards of total offense this season, 827 on the ground and 694 through the air. The Golden Eagles average 304.2 yards of total offense a game (165.4 yards on the ground, 138.8 through the air), and average 4.5 yards per play.
The team has converted on 31-of-76 (41 percent) third-down conversions. The team converted on its first fourth-down conversion of the season last week against Alabama, and is now 1-of-5 (20 percent) on the season.
The Golden Eagles will be without the services of starting quarterback Dustin Almond for the second game on Saturday. Almond, who had made 11-straight starts at the quarterback position before the
Almond leads the team with 663 passing yards and has completed 57-of-105 passes this season. He has thrown six touchdowns, including 46 and 45 yarders to Marvin Young, against only two interceptions.
Sophomore Damion Carter made his third career start against
After Almond injured his hamstring against
Carter has completed 7-of-23 passes for 24 yards this season, including a touchdown and interception. He has played in every game this season, including the first four at wide receiver. Carter has caught two passes for 15 yards on the season, including a five-yard reception in the team?s season-opening win at
Freshman quarterback Jeremy Young saw his first career action at quarterback against
Junior running back Anthony Harris continues to lead the team in rushing yards, with 347 on 88 carries, including a long run of 25 yards. Harris has two touchdowns on the season, and averages 3.9 yards a carry and 69.4 rushing yards a game.
Senior Sherron Moore ranks second on the team with 247 rushing yards on 53 carries. Moore, who scored his first career touchdown of the season against
Freshman Larry Thomas recorded carries at the running back position for the second time this season at
Senior Marvin Young leads all wide receivers with 15 catches for 209 yards, and averages 13.9 yards a catch. Young has three touchdown receptions on the year, including long scoring catches of 46 and 45 yards. Young caught solo touchdowns in the team?s first three games, and averages 41.8 receiving yards a contest. He saw his consecutive games with a catch streak snapped at 13 games last week against
Junior Antwon Courington and senior DaRon Lawrence each have 14 receptions on the season and 192 and 147 receiving yards, respectively. Courington, who extended his games with a catch streak to 15 games with an eight-yard reception against
Senior tight end Otho Graves has two receptions on the season, both for touchdowns.
Junior punter Luke Johnson has punted 28 times for 1,161 yards this season, for a 41.5 per punt average. He has a long punt of 56 yards on the season. Sophomore kicker Darren McCaleb has connected all eight field goals he has attempted this year, including a long of 41 two times, against
Junior John Eubanks has 11 kickoff returns for 329 yards on the season, including an M.M. Roberts Stadium record return of 97 yards, Oct. 7 against
Defensively, the Golden Eagles have 10 interceptions, 22 pass breakups, eight forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 40 tackles for a loss, and 12 sacks.
The unit allows 21.4 points a contest and 360.8 yards of total offense (88.4 rushing, 172.4 passing) a contest. The defense has stopped at least one fourth down conversion in the past six games.
Senior linebacker Michael Boley leads the defense with 63 total tackles (36 solos and 27 assists). The semifinalist for the Butkus Award has five tackles for a loss, two sacks, one interception, and three forced fumbles on the season.
Senior linebacker Antoine Cash is second on the team with 50 total tackles (25 solos and 25 assists). He has a team-high 10 tackles for a loss, two sacks, two pas breakups, and one forced fumble.
Eubanks and junior Trevis Coley are tied for the team lead in interceptions with two. In addition, Boley, Caleb Hendrix, Martavius Prince, Darrell Bennett, and Naton Stewart have all recorded interceptions on the year. Stewart returned his for a 49-yard touchdown in the team?s season-opening 21-17 victory at
The Pirates have scored 93 points this season, averaging 18.6 points a contest. The team has amassed 1533 yards of total offense this season (517 on the ground and 1,036 through the air).
Sophomore quarterback James Pinkney leads the team with 980 passing yards on 82-of-159 yards passing, including a long pass of 75 yards. He has thrown eight touchdowns this season, against six interceptions. He averages 196 passing yards a contest.
Freshman Chris Johnson leads the team with 355 rushing yards on 64 carries, with a long run of 86 yards. He averages 5.5 yards a carry, has scored three touchdowns, and averages 71 rushing yards per game.
Senior Damarcus Fox leads the team with 267 receiving yards on 13 catches, including one touchdown. Fox averages 89 receiving yards a contest, 20.5 yards per reception and has a long catch of 75 yards on the season. Sophomore Bobby Good has a team-high 19 receptions on the year, while senior Edwin Rios has a team high two receiving touchdowns.
Senior kicker Cameron Broadwell has connected on six-of-seven field goals this season, including a long of 44 yards against Tulane. He has converted on 9-of-10 extra point attempts. Freshman punter Ryan Dougherty has 33 punts for 1,310 yards on the season, averaging 39.7 yards per contest. He has a long punt of 63 yards on the season.
Defensively, the Pirates allow 39 points a contest, including 478.4 yards of total offense (238.6 yards rushing, 239.8 yards passing) a contest.
Sophomore Kyle Chase has a team-high 43 tackles (20 solos and 23 assists) this season. Junior Richard Koonce leads the team with 6.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks. Junior Zac Baker leads the team with two interceptions on the season.
Following the
