University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Bower Not Pleased With Final Preseason Workout
8/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Bower Not Pleased With Final Preseason Workout
The team practiced for two and a half hours today in M.M. Roberts Stadium, also scrimmaging for the final hour of the workout.
Head Coach Jeff Bower said he was not pleased with the team?s performance.
?I was disappointed,? Bower said. ?I didn?t think we came out ready to practice. We had some guys feeling sorry for themselves. We know they are tired. Everyone in the country is. I was disappointed in our overall effort. It was a big difference offensively from the last scrimmage. We had a number of mental errors again, but that happens when you aren?t ready to play.?
Though Bower said there was a difference in the offense?s performance from last scrimmage, he said that the team improved in third down and goal line situations.
Bower did praise the efforts of several players in the scrimmage.
?Terrance Ford, Robert Henderson and Tom Johnson did a good job today,? Bower said. ?They showed up a lot today. There might be more players that did a good job, but I need to see the tape.?
With the team?s Sept. 4 game against Tulane approaching, Bower assessed the team?s progress.
?I think we?re in good shape,? Bower said. ?I?d like to feel a little better walking off the field today than I do. We?ll start working on Tulane tomorrow and we?ll get things corrected.?
Bower said senior quarterback Dustin Almond (back) did not do a lot in practice today.
?He didn?t do well today,? Bower said. ?He was hurt. He played in one series during the scrimmage and didn?t come back in. He was bothered by his back.?
In the scrimmage, Jeremy Young completed 5-10 passes for 74 yards, while Travis Clark completed 6-10 passes for 49 yards.
Tony Miner led the running backs with nine carries for 40 yards, with a long of 16 yards. Larry Thomas had five carries for 20 yards, with a long of 17.
Shawn Nelson led all receivers with a catch for 17 yards, while Pedi Causey and Joe Singleton added catches of 15 and 10 yards. Bryant Carpenter led all receivers with two catches for 13 yards, adding a long catch of eight yards.
Defensively, Mitch Craft, Jasper Faulk, Marcus Raines, Ken Griffith and Brandon Sumrall each had two and a half tackles.
Tom Johnson added three total tackles, including a five-yard tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Ladarius Webb recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.
Lance Moore and Sumrall each recorded interceptions, for nine and 42 yards respectively.
Matthew Chatelain added two sacks, for a loss of seven and 14 yards respectively, while Gerald McRath added a seven-yard sack.
Wayne Hardy, Don Loehr and Robert Henderson each added tackles for loss.
Ford and Akeem Lockett recorded safeties, while Ford also forced a fumble.
Luke Johnson had three punts of 52, 48 and 51 yards, while Britt Barefoot added a 49 and 71-yard punt.
Southern Miss opens its season Sunday, Sept. 4, in a 3 p.m., nationally televised ESPN2 contest, in the annual ?
