University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Finishes Fall Camp Saturday with Second Scrimmage
8/19/2023 11:25:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Southern Miss football team ended its fall camp here Saturday morning following the team's second full scrimmage, culminating the Golden Eagles' first 14 practices.
Due to the expected extreme heat and combined with the University's Fanfest event, the morning session was moved up an hour. The Golden Eagles, though, gave their fans an opportunity to see the team go through different game-type situations, as well as utilizing special teams work.
"It was great to get the fans out here (for Fanfest) and we started an hour early just because of the health perspective," said third-year coach Will Hall.
Both sides of the ball for the Golden Eagles each showed some good things over the final scrimmage with the defensive side coming up with three turnovers. Hall also liked the offense as they got things accomplished as well. As a head coach, Hall ideally wants to see good ebb and flow from both sides during a scrimmage like this.
Hall especially like the improvement of the defense from the first to second scrimmage, especially in the squad's tackling efforts.
"Our defense tackled so much better than scrimmage No. 1 and you saw that too," said Hall. "So much came into the balance in the approach to tackling and doing the techniques we teach."
The offense started the day with two potentially explosive plays, but nicely thrown passes were not caught by the receivers, who normally make those catches.
That allowed the defense to swing the momentum of the scrimmage and the unit were able to secure turnovers from Elijah Sabbatini, Jay Stanley and Ques McNeal.
It was two specific plays during the practice that Hall explained were a microcosm of how far this team had grown.
The first happened when transfer newcomer Eric Thomas registered a sack on a play but was negated when he grabbed the quarterback's facemask. While that play can be devastating for a younger player, Thomas rebounded two plays later and recorded a forced fumble.
On Hall's second play, which happened late in the scrimmage and with 29 seconds left in a two-minute drill outside the score zone, Jalil Clemons came around the corner and got close enough to get a sack. With the quarterback not being considered live and the defensive player not allowed to hit the signal caller, a throw was still able to be made to Cole Cavallo who caught the ball inside the five-yard line. Even though the play was not called dead, the opportunity for two different players to make an outstanding play happened on each side of the ball.
"That is what it is going to take this year," said Hall of those two plays he highlighted from the scrimmage. "When the moment gets big, we must rise to the moment. We have so many kids now that understand that and know how to do that."
The season opens at home Saturday, Sept. 2, against Alcorn State and tickets are still available for that game as well as the final five home games this fall. Fans can contact purchase home season or single game tickets at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or visit the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office on campus weekdays during normal business hours.
Due to the expected extreme heat and combined with the University's Fanfest event, the morning session was moved up an hour. The Golden Eagles, though, gave their fans an opportunity to see the team go through different game-type situations, as well as utilizing special teams work.
"It was great to get the fans out here (for Fanfest) and we started an hour early just because of the health perspective," said third-year coach Will Hall.
Both sides of the ball for the Golden Eagles each showed some good things over the final scrimmage with the defensive side coming up with three turnovers. Hall also liked the offense as they got things accomplished as well. As a head coach, Hall ideally wants to see good ebb and flow from both sides during a scrimmage like this.
Hall especially like the improvement of the defense from the first to second scrimmage, especially in the squad's tackling efforts.
"Our defense tackled so much better than scrimmage No. 1 and you saw that too," said Hall. "So much came into the balance in the approach to tackling and doing the techniques we teach."
The offense started the day with two potentially explosive plays, but nicely thrown passes were not caught by the receivers, who normally make those catches.
That allowed the defense to swing the momentum of the scrimmage and the unit were able to secure turnovers from Elijah Sabbatini, Jay Stanley and Ques McNeal.
It was two specific plays during the practice that Hall explained were a microcosm of how far this team had grown.
The first happened when transfer newcomer Eric Thomas registered a sack on a play but was negated when he grabbed the quarterback's facemask. While that play can be devastating for a younger player, Thomas rebounded two plays later and recorded a forced fumble.
On Hall's second play, which happened late in the scrimmage and with 29 seconds left in a two-minute drill outside the score zone, Jalil Clemons came around the corner and got close enough to get a sack. With the quarterback not being considered live and the defensive player not allowed to hit the signal caller, a throw was still able to be made to Cole Cavallo who caught the ball inside the five-yard line. Even though the play was not called dead, the opportunity for two different players to make an outstanding play happened on each side of the ball.
"That is what it is going to take this year," said Hall of those two plays he highlighted from the scrimmage. "When the moment gets big, we must rise to the moment. We have so many kids now that understand that and know how to do that."
The season opens at home Saturday, Sept. 2, against Alcorn State and tickets are still available for that game as well as the final five home games this fall. Fans can contact purchase home season or single game tickets at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or visit the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office on campus weekdays during normal business hours.
Players Mentioned
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