University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Fall Camp Feature: Video Staff
8/24/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Down on the field, up in the scissor lifts, inside the Duff Athletic Center. It's a labor of love for the Southern Miss football video department.
Chase Bitowf, who last spring was named the C-USA Video Coordinator of the Year by the CSVA, joined the Southern Miss staff in 2015 following a one-year stint at Mississippi State. The former West Alabama linebacker has also worked as a graduate assistant for his undergrad alma mater, West Alabama, and two years as an intern for the Cincinnati Bengals. As he proudly states, he chose the profession to "be a part of something bigger than myself."
The same could be said for his student staff, which consists of nine assistants with all kinds of backgrounds. His graduate assistant, former Southern Miss offensive lineman Randal Agee, is earning his doctorate in human capital development.
"One of my students is getting her degree in physical therapy," Bitowf said. "There are a few in sports management and other kinds of marketing. They're all over the board. One of my students wants to be a teacher, one a coach, and another doesn't know what he wants to do. Some are recruited by each other. I've had four Pi Beta Phi sorority girls in my department the last two years. I've had Hattiesburg High School students and transfers."
Eat, sleep, video is the way of the world. So what are some of the day in, day out tasks of the staff?
"We trade film with all of these opposing schools," Bitowf said. "Sunday mornings are full of getting future opponent games and film that Coach Dawson and Pecoraro might want to study. We start making the motivational clips [for the team in the pregame locker room]. We spend 20-40 hours of working time on a motivation that will be watched one time and forgotten. Our job is to be that guy in the background that makes things run smoothly."
The greatest dichotomy of them all lies within the mantra of the Southern Miss football video department, which lives by the philosophy of "tBViCUSA": The best video in Conference USA.
"Most of what we do is internal, and most of people knowing who we are is when things go wrong," Bitowf said. "If nobody knows who I am or what I'm doing for a living, that's when I'm doing my job right."
Nine days till the season opener, but for this devoted staff, it always feels like nine seconds. And they embrace the challenge.
Season tickets, flex plans, and group tickets for the 2017 Golden Eagle home season are still available and can be purchased by going online at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or by visiting the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office, weekdays, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Discounts are available for Southern Miss faculty and staff, senior citizens, military personnel, and recent Southern Miss graduates.
