University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football To Open Conference USA Play At Houston
9/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Football To Open Conference USA Play At Houston
Senior Antwon Courington caught two touchdowns against McNeese State and has at least one catch in 24 consecutive games. |
Kevis Coley leads the Golden Eagle defense with 17 total tackles. |
Quarterback Dustin Almond has four touchdown passes on the season. |
HATTIESBURG,
This will be Southern Miss? first Conference
The two schools will meet for the ninth time in 2005, with Southern Miss holding a 6-2 series advantage. Southern Miss has won the past six meetings, including the last three meetings in
Southern Miss (1-1) enters the game averaging 327.5 yards of total offense per contest, including 224.5 through the air and 103.0 on the ground. The Golden Eagles have the No. 2 scoring offense in Conference
Senior quarterback Dustin Almond leads the team in passing, completing 29-of-53 passes for 372 yards and four touchdowns, against three interceptions. Almond threw two touchdowns to Anthony Perine in the team?s season-opening game, before tossing two to Antwon Courington against
Redshirt sophomore Larry Thomas leads the running backs with 157 rushing yards. Against
Courington leads the receivers with 13 catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns on the season, averaging 10.1 yards per catch. Thomas has four catches for 70 yards, while Perine has three catches for 63 yards, including two touchdowns.
Darren McCaleb is 2-of-3 in field goals, making two against
Defensively, Southern Miss limits opponents to 363 yards of total offense per game, including 107 yards on the ground and 256 through the air. On the season, the defense has 120 tackles (80 solos, 40 assists), 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, six pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. The defense has recorded three interceptions, one each by Gerald McRath, John Eubanks and Trevis Coley. McRath returned his interception 32 yards for a touchdown against
Senior Kevis Coley leads the defense with 17 tackles on the season, including 10 solos and seven assists. Coley also has 2.5 tackles for loss on the season. His twin brother, senior Trevis Coley, ranks second on the team with 11 total tackles, seven solos and four assists. Redshirt sophomore Robert Henderson leads the squad with three tackles for loss and two sacks.
The Cougars average 475 yards of total offense a game, including 192 on the ground and 283 through the air. The team has converted on 22-of-52 third downs and has made 74 first downs on the season.
Quarterback Kevin Kolb has completed 75-of-124 passes for 849 yards and nine touchdowns this season, against eight interceptions. He has a long touchdown pass of 70 yards to Donnie Avery.
Ryan Gilbert leads the running backs with 227 rushing yards, including two touchdowns. He averages 8.4 yards a carry and 56.8 yards per game.
Avery leads the receivers with 234 receiving yards on 12 receptions, including three touchdowns. He averages 19.5 yards per catch and 78 yards per game. Anthony Alridge has two touchdown receptions, and ranks second on the team with 180 receiving yards. Vincent Marshall has a team-high 19 receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown.
T.J. Lawrence and Ben Bell each have two field goals on the season.
Defensively,
Rocky Schwartz leads the team with 24 total tackles (18 solos, six assists). Brendan Pahulu has a team-high three tackles for loss, while Willie Gaston has eight pass breakups. Schwartz, Ricky Wilson, Kenneth Fontenette and Trent Allen each has single interceptions on the season.
Following the
