University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Goes Through First Practice in New Orleans
12/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 17, 2009
NEW ORLEANS - The Southern Miss football team practiced for the first time here Thursday morning in preparation for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl and worked through a cold, drizzly session on the practice fields of Tulane.
Still, Southern Miss second-year coach Larry Fedora liked the team's continued preparation for the school's eighth straight bowl game and 12th in the last 13 years when they take on Middle Tennessee in the Louisiana Superdome Sunday night.
"It was a good work day and tomorrow we will polish up (the schemes) and then go through our walk-throughs on Saturday," Fedora said.
The Golden Eagles utilized a 1-hour, 45-minute practice in shoulder pads and encompassed both special teams, as well as team and individual drills.
While the Golden Eagles have been a fixture in bowl games in recent seasons, the Blue Raiders (9-3, 7-1 Sun Belt) are making just their second appearance in the postseason in the last four seasons.
Fedora said following practice that his team's experience in the postseason as well as the second trip in a row in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl should be an advantage in preparing for Sunday's game but that they needed to keep their focus against a very talented opponent.
"You have to feel like it is an advantage but at the same time you have to worry about complacency," Fedora said. "You also have a group (in Middle Tennessee) that is very hungry and wanting to prove that they deserve to be in a bowl. We prepared the same way we did last year and we expect to go out there and compete and play hard."
Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425), or going online at SouthernMiss.com as well as visiting the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office, Monday-through-Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Cost for the tickets are $40.
