University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Practice Report: April 2
4/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Venue: Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium
Format: Full Pads
Upcoming: Practice (3 p.m., Tuesday, April 5)
Report: The Southern Miss football team finished its second week of spring football drills by holding its first controlled scrimmage of the spring, at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Roberts Stadium.
Senior quarterback Nick Mullins threw for a pair of touchdowns that included an 18-yard strike to redshirt senior wide receiver DJ Thompson and a 12-yard pass to redshirt junior Marquise Ricard. Redshirt freshman runningback Patrick Brooks ran for two touchdowns while Ito Smith crossed the goal line at least once from 25-yards. Redshirt junior George Payne accounted for an 11-yard touchdown run.
Parker Shaunfield and Stephen Brauchle hit field goals from 32 and 36 yards, respectively.
The defense produced several big plays that included six sacks, an interception and three pass breakups.
Head Coach Jay Hopson Quotes
On the offense...
"I thought they did good. I thought the offense had the upper hand. I thought Nick (Mullins) made some nice throws. DJ (Thompson) was off to a good day. Ito (Smith) made a few good runs too so that's always good to see."
"There was some give a take in the two-minute area. I thought the defense did well in that area. Pretty normal scrimmage."
After first scrimmage of the spring...
"That's always a tough question because you always want more. It's pretty normal where we are right now. I think going to watch the scrimmage lineman assignment wise. In spring, there is always room for improvement and correction and that something we have to continue to stress on each day. I thought we were pretty physical and that's always a good start."
"Ito (Smith) and (Patrick) Brooks had some nice runs. There were some plays made, which is good to see. You have to go back and turn the film on the get the truth."
Surprises...
"No real surprises. I just wanted a clean, physical scrimmage and I thought for the most part we had. Defensively, we gave up a couple of big plays. Offensively, we made a couple of big plays. That's the give and take of football."
On the Offensive Line...
"There is some age and some youth mixed in there. The more reps the more you practice, the more those things come together. I think they've done a pretty good job so far. We just have to continue to work."
Guys working to back...
"These guys are working to get back progressively. That's part of it. We have five or six guys out this spring, but we are ready to get those guys healthy and at full strength. That's a big plus. The guys are working hard and competing hard. It's been a good spring. We just have to continue to get better. That's the journey. Every year that's going to be the journey."
On Tight End group...
"There is a lot of bodies there and all a really good football players. We certainly have that ability to go into multiple tight end sets because we have that type of talent there."
Shannon Dawson
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Initial impression of your offense...
"After the first series I thought the first group settled in pretty good and made some plays. We have to get a little more consistent in our second group."
"Obviously we have to do better in two-minute situations. We have to do a better job of coaching and keeping it simple and we have to rep it enough to where it becomes instinctive. We have to do a better job of when there is a little bit of chaos, clock is running and we have to go fast, we have to get much better."
