University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Starting to Set Sights to Season Opener at Kentucky
8/22/2024 11:40:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss fourth-year football coach Will Hall met with the media following Thursday's practice as the Golden Eagles turn their sites to the Saturday, Aug. 31, season opener at Kentucky.
Game time is set for 6:45 p.m. CT from Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. The game can be seen on the SEC Network as well as heard on an affiliate of the Southern Miss Sports Network.
Here is some of the things said by Hall following practice:
Opening Statement…
"Beautiful day today, we thank the Good Lord for that. A lot of good work on just a normal Wednesday for us where we focus on red zone and third down. Saw a lot of good work on both sides, getting some good on good in the red zone and third down. We also scouted up and do the scouts with that. We'll do our mock game tomorrow and give them the week off and come back next week and continue preparations. It's been a great, great camp. We've stayed really healthy for a fall camp – probably the healthiest that we have, knock on wood. I like this bunch and like how we're progressing. Long season, but we've got to take one game at a time. I feel good about it, I feel good about where we're at. I like the way we work and I'm excited to get back out with them tomorrow."
On junior tight end Kyirin Heath's (Mansfield, Texas / Ole Miss) growth at his position…
"Unbelievable maturity and growth out of him. He has become us over the last two-to-three weeks. His transformation from his attitude in the last two-to-three weeks have been unbelievable. I think his mom has been a part of that. I think his girlfriend's mom and dad have been a part of that. I think his high school coach has been a part of that. I think [offensive coordinator/tight ends coach] Chip [Long] and [team chaplain] Brother Mitch [Williams] and [head strength & conditioning] Coach [Lance] Ancar have been a part of that. But I think ultimately the young man deserves credit for choosing to make a change. He has decided to change the way he attacks each day, the way he wants to impact others in a positive way. He has finally become us and I told him about five days ago that I'm as proud of him over the last two-to-three weeks as I've probably ever been of any kid I've ever coached in the transformation that he's made. Really talented kid that has everything that you need to be a good player. He just had to get over a mental hurdle of how to work and how to be accountable to himself and realize that the Good Lord has given him the power to choose what type of attitude he's going to have every day and man, he's choosing great, and I'm just proud of him."
On the growth of redshirt junior wide receiver Zavian Hales (Brandon, Miss. / Brandon HS)…
"Man, you know Hales came to us as a walk on that couldn't catch at all – he was like the kid off "Little Giants" with the toilet paper – and he couldn't catch anything. And that kid worked so hard, he's probably on the jugs right now. He stays late and works so hard and him and [wide receiver's coach] Desmond Lindsey have transformed him so much. He's factoring in our kicking game; he's worked his way up on the depth chart as a backup as a receiver. I'm just proud of how hard he works and how he's made himself a lot better. Phenomenal teammate too."
On redshirt junior quarterback Tate Rodemaker's (Valdosta, Ga. / Florida State) veteran presence…
"It's been huge to have. Him and [sophomore quarterback] Ethan [Crawford] (Tuscaloosa, Ala. / Hillcrest HS) have both played. We've not had a quarterback that's garnered a lot of playing time in the past. There's a lot of comfort level with him and Ethan in the fact that you know what you're going to get come game time. And then the fact that we went live all spring with them. You know, we went live all spring with those two and [freshman quarterback] John [White] (West, Miss. / Madison-Ridgeland Academy), so you were able to see them play live and our kids were. So, that was an advantage in the fact that they've played. It allows you to know a lot more and how they're going to handle being live and play live more so than when a quarterback is just in a red jersey all the time, so it's been good."
Season tickets for the six Southern Miss home games can be purchased by going online at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or by visiting the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office at the corner of 4th Street and Golden Eagle Way weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Game time is set for 6:45 p.m. CT from Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky. The game can be seen on the SEC Network as well as heard on an affiliate of the Southern Miss Sports Network.
Here is some of the things said by Hall following practice:
Opening Statement…
"Beautiful day today, we thank the Good Lord for that. A lot of good work on just a normal Wednesday for us where we focus on red zone and third down. Saw a lot of good work on both sides, getting some good on good in the red zone and third down. We also scouted up and do the scouts with that. We'll do our mock game tomorrow and give them the week off and come back next week and continue preparations. It's been a great, great camp. We've stayed really healthy for a fall camp – probably the healthiest that we have, knock on wood. I like this bunch and like how we're progressing. Long season, but we've got to take one game at a time. I feel good about it, I feel good about where we're at. I like the way we work and I'm excited to get back out with them tomorrow."
On junior tight end Kyirin Heath's (Mansfield, Texas / Ole Miss) growth at his position…
"Unbelievable maturity and growth out of him. He has become us over the last two-to-three weeks. His transformation from his attitude in the last two-to-three weeks have been unbelievable. I think his mom has been a part of that. I think his girlfriend's mom and dad have been a part of that. I think his high school coach has been a part of that. I think [offensive coordinator/tight ends coach] Chip [Long] and [team chaplain] Brother Mitch [Williams] and [head strength & conditioning] Coach [Lance] Ancar have been a part of that. But I think ultimately the young man deserves credit for choosing to make a change. He has decided to change the way he attacks each day, the way he wants to impact others in a positive way. He has finally become us and I told him about five days ago that I'm as proud of him over the last two-to-three weeks as I've probably ever been of any kid I've ever coached in the transformation that he's made. Really talented kid that has everything that you need to be a good player. He just had to get over a mental hurdle of how to work and how to be accountable to himself and realize that the Good Lord has given him the power to choose what type of attitude he's going to have every day and man, he's choosing great, and I'm just proud of him."
On the growth of redshirt junior wide receiver Zavian Hales (Brandon, Miss. / Brandon HS)…
"Man, you know Hales came to us as a walk on that couldn't catch at all – he was like the kid off "Little Giants" with the toilet paper – and he couldn't catch anything. And that kid worked so hard, he's probably on the jugs right now. He stays late and works so hard and him and [wide receiver's coach] Desmond Lindsey have transformed him so much. He's factoring in our kicking game; he's worked his way up on the depth chart as a backup as a receiver. I'm just proud of how hard he works and how he's made himself a lot better. Phenomenal teammate too."
On redshirt junior quarterback Tate Rodemaker's (Valdosta, Ga. / Florida State) veteran presence…
"It's been huge to have. Him and [sophomore quarterback] Ethan [Crawford] (Tuscaloosa, Ala. / Hillcrest HS) have both played. We've not had a quarterback that's garnered a lot of playing time in the past. There's a lot of comfort level with him and Ethan in the fact that you know what you're going to get come game time. And then the fact that we went live all spring with them. You know, we went live all spring with those two and [freshman quarterback] John [White] (West, Miss. / Madison-Ridgeland Academy), so you were able to see them play live and our kids were. So, that was an advantage in the fact that they've played. It allows you to know a lot more and how they're going to handle being live and play live more so than when a quarterback is just in a red jersey all the time, so it's been good."
Season tickets for the six Southern Miss home games can be purchased by going online at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or by visiting the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office at the corner of 4th Street and Golden Eagle Way weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Players Mentioned
2026 National Signing Day Press Conference with Blake Anderson
Wednesday, February 04
Southern Miss 2026 National Signing Day
Wednesday, February 04
Christian Ostrander Preseason Press Conference
Monday, January 19
Blake Anderson Introductory Press Conference
Monday, December 15