University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Returns to Practice Saturday Morning
8/5/2023 12:17:00 PM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss football moved its Saturday morning practice, the fourth of summer camp, to the new game field surface at Roberts Stadium.
The Saturday 2-hour, 20-minute session was the first time the Golden Eagles got on the new game field during summer camp and third-year coach Will Hall talked to the media after the workout and praised his team's progress through the first week.
"It was a good fourth day," said Hall. "It was good to be in pads again today and we got some great punt work in. We started to introduce some punt return competition drills and it will be great to watch that. I saw some good back-and-forth today -- that's what we talked about with the players after practice. The team run-action period started really well for the offense with a touchdown pass and then the defense bounced back later on in our third-and-long pass rush stuff. Day four, baby, we're full fledge into camp now."
Hall also remains upbeat with the team's health during the first few days of practice.
"We're good," Hall said. "I didn't see anybody or can think of anything off the top of my head. Four days in, we're good, and hopefully, remain good."
One player Hall focused on after practice was senior safety Jay Stanley, from Greenwood, Miss., who returns for his third season this fall.
Stanley, who returns as the team's top tackler from a season ago with 60, also led the squad in interceptions with five and pass break ups with seven. He has started in all 25 games that he has played in for the Golden Eagles.
His presence will be looked upon this fall as one of the team's defensive leaders.
"I'm proud of him and how he's grown," said Hall. "He's on schedule to graduate in December. He's become more vocal and has learned communication. Communication that is not understood is not communication, that's just sounds. He's taken that approach and has become very much a communicator on the backend. He organizes structure and makes calls.
"That's going to aid him better in life. When football ends for him he's going to be successful at whatever comes next with the way he's grown as a human being."
The Golden Eagles will now take Sunday off, before returning to camp activities Monday morning.
"We get an off day tomorrow to relax and hopefully go to church service," said Hall. "It will be a good day to rehydrate and get our legs back underneath us before we go three more days in a row."
The Saturday 2-hour, 20-minute session was the first time the Golden Eagles got on the new game field during summer camp and third-year coach Will Hall talked to the media after the workout and praised his team's progress through the first week.
"It was a good fourth day," said Hall. "It was good to be in pads again today and we got some great punt work in. We started to introduce some punt return competition drills and it will be great to watch that. I saw some good back-and-forth today -- that's what we talked about with the players after practice. The team run-action period started really well for the offense with a touchdown pass and then the defense bounced back later on in our third-and-long pass rush stuff. Day four, baby, we're full fledge into camp now."
Hall also remains upbeat with the team's health during the first few days of practice.
"We're good," Hall said. "I didn't see anybody or can think of anything off the top of my head. Four days in, we're good, and hopefully, remain good."
One player Hall focused on after practice was senior safety Jay Stanley, from Greenwood, Miss., who returns for his third season this fall.
Stanley, who returns as the team's top tackler from a season ago with 60, also led the squad in interceptions with five and pass break ups with seven. He has started in all 25 games that he has played in for the Golden Eagles.
His presence will be looked upon this fall as one of the team's defensive leaders.
"I'm proud of him and how he's grown," said Hall. "He's on schedule to graduate in December. He's become more vocal and has learned communication. Communication that is not understood is not communication, that's just sounds. He's taken that approach and has become very much a communicator on the backend. He organizes structure and makes calls.
"That's going to aid him better in life. When football ends for him he's going to be successful at whatever comes next with the way he's grown as a human being."
The Golden Eagles will now take Sunday off, before returning to camp activities Monday morning.
"We get an off day tomorrow to relax and hopefully go to church service," said Hall. "It will be a good day to rehydrate and get our legs back underneath us before we go three more days in a row."
Players Mentioned
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