University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Three Football Players Selected for Senior Bowls
1/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Three Golden Eagles standout seniors from the 2015 football season have been chosen to play in post-season senior bowl games. Casey Martin, an All-Conference USA Honorable Mention selection, will be playing in the Inaugural Tropic Bowl, while Kalan Reed (First Team All-C-USA) and Mike Thomas (Second Team All-C-USA) will be playing in the Fifth Annual NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
The Tropic Bowl will take place at North Miami Stadium in Miami, Fla. on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 12:00 p.m. (CT). Martin will be playing on the American Team led by head coach Bill Khayat.
The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be played at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 5:00 p.m. (CT). The team's practices will be televised on ESPNU (Jan. 20-21) and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
Martin led to Golden Eagles in receptions in 2015 (80), which broke the Southern Miss single-season record for receptions in a season. The senior finished his two year career with 1,456 yards on 135 receptions and nine touchdowns.
During the 2015 season, Reed broke the Golden Eagle record for pass break ups in a single season (19) and ranked top ten in the nation in passes defended per game. A four-year letterwinner for the Black and Gold, Reed finished his career with 152 tackles, 35 pass breakups, eight interceptions, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles.
Thomas broke the Southern Miss single season records for receiving yards (1,391) in a season and also for receiving touchdowns in a season (14). Thomas finished top five in the country in touchdown receptions, top 10 in the country in yards and yards per game while top 15 in the country in yards per reception. The senior transfer concluded his tenure at Southern Miss with 1,983 yards on 112 receptions and 19 touchdowns.
The Southern Miss football team returned to the top with a tremendous 2015 season. The Golden Eagles finished the year 9-5, including a 7-1 mark in Conference USA play. Southern Miss won the C-USA West Division title and competed for the league championship. The Golden Eagles returned to a bowl for the first time in four years, playing Pac-12 opponent Washington in the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl. Throughout the season, the Southern Miss football team compiled new records and received numerous accolades.
