2016 Southern Miss Football

Transcription

1 Game 8 Marshall (2-5, 1-2 C-USA) at Southern Miss (4-3, 2-1 C-USA) Hattiesburg, Miss. M.M. Roberts Stadium (36,000) 6 p.m. @CoachHopson The Game at a Glance Date Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016 Time 6 p.m. (CT) Location Hattiesburg, Miss. Stadium _ Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium Capacity 36,000 Surface Matrix TV American Sports Network (ASN) Play-By-Play Ron Thulin Analyst Keith Moreland Sidelines N/A Radio Southern Miss IMG Sports Network Play-By-Play John Cox (39th season) Analyst Lee Roberts (2nd season) Sidelines Dr. Bo Morgan (7th season) Stats/Spotter Joe Bryant (9th season) Gametracker Series Record Marshall leads 6-5 Streak Lost 5 Last Meeting L, 31-10, 10/9/15 at Huntington Websites SouthernMiss.com ConferenceUSA.com Herdzone.com 2016 Southern Miss Schedule Sept. 3 at Kentucky (ESPNU) W, Sept. 10 Savannah State W, 56-0 Sept. 17 Troy (bein SPORTS) L, Sept. 24 at UTEP (Campus Insiders) W, 34-7 Oct. 1 Rice W, Oct. 8 at UTSA (ASN) L, Oct. 15 at LSU (SEC) L, Oct. 29 Marshall (ASN/Homecoming) 6 pm Nov. 5 Charlotte (ASN) 2:30 pm Nov. 12 at Old Dominion (ASN) 2:30 pm Nov. 19 at North Texas (bein SPORTS) 4:30 pm Nov. 25 Louisiana Tech (ESPN Networks) TBA C-USA contest; All Times Central 2016 Marshall Schedule Sept. 10 Morgan State (bein Sports) W, 62-0 Sept. 17 Akron (CBSSN) L, Sept. 24 Louisville (CBSSN) L, Oct. 1 at Pittsburgh (Root Sports) L, Oct. 8 at North Texas (ASN) L, Oct. 15 Florida Atlantic (ASN) W, Oct. 22 Charlotte (bein Sports) L, Oct. 29 at Southern Miss (ASN) 6 pm Nov. 5 at Old Dominion (ASN) 6 pm Nov. 12 Middle Tennessee (ASN) 6 pm Nov. 19 at FIU (ASN) 6 pm Nov. 26 WKU (ESPN Networks) TBA SEC contest; All Times Central Noting the Golden Eagles Southern Miss is currently enjoying its 100th football season - having competed for the first time in The Golden Eagles have posted an all-time record of , which is the 38th best among Division I FBS teams in terms of winning percentage (.581). Jay Hopson, the 21st person to guide the program at Southern Miss as its head coach, is in his first season. Hopson coached under the legendary Jeff Bower twice at Southern Miss, working as an assistant coach from and then from Entering the LSU game at total yards a game, the Tigers limited the Golden Eagles to 242, the fewest since racking up only 263 at Alabama during the 2014 campaign. Southern Miss had a string of 14 consecutive games snapped of scoring at least 20 points when they dropped its decision at LSU. Quarterback Nick Mullens also saw a streak of 22-straight games of throwing a TD snapped at Tiger Stadium. Mullens needs 136 passing yards to surpass Austin Davis as the school s all-time leader. Davis, who played for the Golden Eagles from , tallied 10,892 passing yards. The attendance of 102,164 at Tiger Stadium was the fifth largest crowd ever for a Southern Miss football game. The three largest crowds came at Tennessee with the No. 4 slot taking place at Penn State. The Marshall Series These two teams will play for the 12th time, having played every year since the start of the series in (see page 4 of the notes for the series breakdown) The Herd lead the series 6-5, and have won the last five meetings. Southern Miss won the first three meetings in the series and five of the first six. Four of the 11 games between the two schools have been decided by seven points or less with each team winning twice in those games. The Golden Eagles lost last year s contest in Huntington, 31-10, dropping a Friday night affair at Joan C. Edwards Stadium (recap and stats on page 3) Coach Jay Hopson spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Marshall ( ), which was his longest consecutive tenure of his coaching career. Homecoming Notes The Golden Eagles are all-time in homecoming contests. Southern Miss has won 11 of its last 15 homecoming games, and snapped a three-game losing streak in these games last season with a victory over UTSA. This will be the third consecutive home tilt against Marshall that they have served as the Golden Eagles homecoming opponent. The homecoming theme this year is Forever Gold. The Voice of the Golden Eagles, John Cox, will serve as the Grand Marshal of the school s homecoming parade prior to the game that day. Versus Conference USA The Golden Eagles currently are competing in their 21st season in Conference USA. Southern Miss holds an all-time mark of in Conference USA contests, including a mark at home, while compiling a ledger on the road. The Golden Eagles enjoyed their 1st winning league mark a year ago since 2011, finishing league play at 7-1. The 2015 season marked the second time Southern Miss captured at least seven victories in league play in In 2003, the Golden Eagles finished with a perfect 8-0. In its first 20 seasons of C-USA play, Southern Miss has enjoyed 16 seasons of winning marks as well as one year of finishing at.500. Top 10 Statistically Ranking The Golden Eagles are top 10 nationally in the following categories through eight weeks of the regular season: No. 2 in 3rd defensive down conversions (.235/19-or-81), No. 10 in tackles for loss (8.1 per game) and No. 7 in net punting (42.29 ypp). Parker Shaunfield s 100 percent field goals made (11-for11) is tied for 1st in country with three other FBS kickers.

2 Record Breakdown Under Hopson 2016 Overall Record C-USA Non-Conference MEAC Southeastern Sun Belt Home Away Neutral Day Games Night Games TV Games Fox Sports ASN bein SPORTS Campus Insiders CBS SN ESPN ESPN ESPN U ESPN News SEC When Scoring First When Foe Scores First When Leading at Half When Trailing at Half When Tied at Half In Overtime Games Scoring Less than 20 points Scoring 20+ points Scoring 30+ points Foe Scoring Less than 20 points Foe Scoring 20+ points Foe Scoring 30+ points Rushing for less than 100 yards Rushing for more than 100 yards Rushing for more than 200 yards Rushing for more than 300 yards Passing for less than 100 yards Passing for more than 100 yards Passing for more than 200 yards Passing for more than 300 yards Less than 300 Yards Total off More than 300 Yards Total off Allowing -100 yards rush Allowing 100+ yards rush Allowing 200+ yards passing Allowing 300+ yards passing Allowing -300 yards total off Allowing 300+ yards total off Having a 100-yard rusher Foe Has a 100-yard rusher Having no turnovers Having 3 or more turnovers Forcing no turnovers Forcing 3 or more turnovers Jay Hopson s Career Head Coaching Record Year School Record 2012 Alcorn State Alcorn State Alcorn State Alcorn State Southern Miss 4-3 Overall Record (.643) Southern Miss C-USA Coaches of the Year Todd Monken Jeff Bower Jeff Bower Jeff Bower Jay Hopson Head Football Coach First Season (.571) Jay Hopson, a 24-year coaching veteran on the collegiate level and twice previously a member of the Golden Eagle coaching staff, became the school s 21st head football coach this spring as the program embarks on its 100th playing season this fall. A native of Vicksburg, Miss., Hopson returns to Southern Miss after a successful four-year stint as the head coach at Alcorn State. During his tenure there, Hopson led the Braves to a record and consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference championships the last two seasons. Alcorn State also recorded at least nine victories in each of the last three seasons, including a 10-3 mark in 2014 and following this season, Hopson led the Braves to the inaugural Celebration Bowl, a postseason football bowl featuring two standout programs from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). His team also captured the SBN Black College Championship in Prior to his arrival at Lorman, Hopson worked as linebackers coach for two seasons at Michigan ( ) and worked as defensive coordinator at Memphis during the 2010 and 2011 campaigns. Hopson returns to Southern Miss after working as an assistant coach for the Golden Eagles from (defensive backs) and then again from (linebackers, defensive coordinator). Hopson s defensive units led Conference USA in scoring defense each of his three seasons as defensive coordinator. In 2006, the Golden Eagles led C-USA in third down defense and red zone defense while his 2005 unit led the league in turnovers forced per game as well as led the nation in fumbles gained. During his first stint with the Golden Eagles, the defensive unit led the nation in fewest passing touchdowns allowed and finished fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense in Southern Miss led C-USA and finished fifth nationally in pass defense during the 2003 season and each year during that stretch, Southern Miss ranked in the Top 15 nationally in scoring defense. Hopson spent 2004 at his alma mater, the University of Mississippi, as defensive backs coach and was the program s recruiting coordinator. The Rebels pass defense improved from 109th nationally in 2003 to 49th during the 2004 campaign. Hopson s coaching experience also includes positions at Marshall ( ) and Delta State (1993) as defensive backs coach. He was a member of the Herds 1996 NCAA I-AA National Championship staff and coached the team to four straight Mid-American Conference championships. Hopson also held defensive graduate assistant positions at the Florida (1995), LSU (1994) and Tulane (1992). He helped the Gators to the Southeastern Conference championship and played for the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl. He earned four-year letters and received the 1991 John Howard Vaught Award as a player at Ole Miss. A CoSIDA Academic All-American, Hopson graduated from Ole Miss with a bachelor s degree in business administration (1992) and received a master s of health in physical education and recreation from Delta State (1994). Hopson and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Virginia and Hannah. - Page 2 - Jay Hopson File Date of Birth: Oct. 13, 1968 Hometown: Vicksburg, Miss. Education: Ole Miss, 92 (BS), Delta State, 94 (MS) Yrs. at Southern Miss: Six seasons as an assistant Years in Coaching: 24 Coaching Career 2016 Southern Miss Head Coach Alcorn State Head Coach Memphis Defensive Coordinator Michigan Linebackers Coach Southern Miss Def. Coor./ MLBs 2005 Southern Miss Def. Coor./ DBs 2004 Ole Miss Defensive Backs Southern Miss Defensive Backs Marshall Defensive Backs 1995 Florida Graduate Assistant 1994 LSU Graduate Assistant 1993 Delta State Defensive Backs 1992 Tulane Graduate Assistant Bowl/Playoff Experience 2015: Celebration Bowl 2015: SWAC Championship Game 2014: SWAC Championship Game 2007: PapaJohns.com Bowl 2007: GMAC Bowl 2005: New Orleans Bowl 2004: New Orleans Bowl 2003: Liberty Bowl 2002: Houston Bowl 2000: Motor City Bowl 1999: Motor City Bowl 1998: Motor City Bowl 1997: Motor City Bowl 1996: NCAA I-AA National Champions 1995: Fiesta Bowl Hopson Versus All Opponents as Head Coach Alabama A&M 3-1 (.750) Alabama State 2-2 (.500) Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3-1 (.750) Arkansas State 0-1 (.000) Concordia College 1-0 (1.000) Edmund Waters 1-0 (1.000) Georgia Tech 0-1 (.000) Grambling State 3-2 (.600) Jackson State 2-2 (.500) James Madison 0-1 (.000) Kentucky 1-0 (1.000) Louisiana College 1-0 (1.000) LSU 0-1 (.000) Mississippi State 0-1 (.000) Mississippi Valley State 3-1 (.750) North Carolina A&T 0-1(.000) Prairie View A&M 2-2 (.500) Rice 1-0 (1.000) Savannah State 1-0 (1.000) Southern 5-0 (1.000) Southern Miss 0-1 (.000) Texas Southern 4-0 (1.000) Troy 0-1 (.000) UTEP 1-0 (1.000 UTSA 0-1 (.000) Virginia-Lynchburg 1-0 (1.000) Warner 1-0 (1.000)

3 Coaching Matchup Marshall Coach Doc Holliday Record at Marshall (7th) Overall Record Same Holliday vs. Southern Miss 5-1 Holliday vs. Hopson 0-0 Southern Miss Coach Jay Hopson Record at Southern Miss 4-3 (1st) Overall Record (5th) Hopson vs. Marshall 0-0 Hopson vs. Holliday 0-0 Comparing the Two 2016 Offense (National Ranking in Parentheses) Southern Miss Marshall (7 games) (7 games) First Downs Net Rushing Average (46) (118) Net Passing Average (24) (33) Pass Attempts Complete Interceptions 8 8 Total Offense Average (19) (88) Fumbles/Lost 16/8 5/4 3rd Down 52/114 (29) 35/103 (109) FG/Att. 11/11 4/8 Points Average 35.9 (29) 32.4 (49) Avg. TOP 33:19 (20) 29:34 (68) Penalties 50/406 61/637 Average 58.0 (74) 91.0 (128) 2016 Defense (National Ranking in Parentheses) Southern Miss Marshall (7 games) (7 games) First Downs Net Rushing Average (67) (99) Net Passing Average (12) (100) Pass Attempts Complete Interceptions 5 4 Avg. per return Total Defense Average (19) (113) Fumble/Rec. 8/3 10/9 3rd Down 19/81 (3) 42/100 (88) Sacks/Yds. 20/146 18/100 Points Average 29.6 (79) 36.1 (113) 2016 Opponents Records (Last Week) Kentucky 4-3 (W, vs. Mississippi State) Savannah State 1-4 (Idle) Troy 6-1 (W, 28-21, at South Alabama) UTEP 2-5 (W, at UTSA in 5 OT) Rice 1-6 (W, vs. Prairie View A&M) UTSA 3-4 (L, vs. UTEP in 5 OT) LSU 5-2 (W, vs. Ole Miss) Marshall 2-5 (L, vs. Charlotte) Charlotte 3-5 (W, at Marshall) Old Dominion 4-3 (L, at WKU) North Texas 4-3 (W, at Army-West Point) Louisiana Tech 5-3 (W, at FIU) Opponent s Overall Record (.476) Marshall 31, Southern Miss 10 Nov. 12, 1994 HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Chase Litton threw for two touchdowns, including a 61-yard scoring toss midway through the third quarter, to propel Marshall to a Conference USA football victory over Southern Miss on a Friday night at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. The 61-yard touchdown pass from Litton came at the 7:58 mark of the third quarter, hitting a wide open Deandre Reeves who streaked down the middle of the field to break open a seven-point contest at the half. The Herd then extended the lead in the final two minutes of the period sacking Nick Mullens, forcing a fumble deep inside the Southern Miss 5, in which Jarquez Samuel caught out of mid-air and dove three yards to complete the game s scoring. Still, Mullens threw for 314 yards on 29-of-58 passing, marking the fourth-straight game he has thrown for over 300 yards and ninth time in his career. Despite giving up 31 points, the Golden Eagle defense limited the Herd to 277 total yards as Southern Miss registered 439 total yards. After alternating possessions to open the game, Southern Miss got on the board first on a six-yard pass from Mullens to Mike Thomas to cap a nine-play, 89-yard drive with 6:08 left in the opening quarter. Thomas registered seven catches for 109 and his third consecutive 100-yard game and Mullens threw a TD pass for the eighth-straight game. The Golden Eagles were penalized on an unsportsmanlike conduct following the touchdown forcing them to kick off from their own 20. After a short ensuing kick, the Herd returned to the Southern Miss 37 to start what proved to be their first scoring drive. Devon Johnson tied the game with a one-yard run, ending a seven-play drive to tie the game at 7-7. The two teams then traded field goals in the second quarter - a career-long 33-yard make from Southern Miss Parker Shaunfield, before Nick Smith added a 34-yard attempt for Marshall - to tie the score at 10-apiece with 8:36 left in the period. Southern Miss then had a chance to take the lead late in the second quarter, but Shaunfield s 33-yard try was blocked by Marshall and they responded with a touchdown in the final minute of the half on a three-yard pass from Litton to Ryan Yurachek. The Golden Eagles had initially stopped the Herd and forced them to try a field goal, but jumped offsides to help extend the drive. Marshall scored three plays later to take a lead at intermission. Last Time Out Versus Marshall Scoring Summary F Southern Miss Marshall st USM - Thomas 6 pass from Mullens (Shaunfield kick), 6:08 MU - D. Johnson 1 run (N. Smith kick), 3:05 2nd USM - Shaunfield 33 field goal, 11:55 MU - N. Smith 34 field goal, 8:36 MU - Yurachek 3 pass from Litton (N. Smith kick), 0:25 3rd MU - Reaves 61 pass from Litton (N. Smith kick), 7:58 MU - Samuel 3 fumble recovery (N. Smith kick), 1:49 USM MU First Downs Rushes-Yards Passing Yards Passes Att-Comp-Int Offensive Yards Fumble Returns-Yards Punt Returns-Yards Kickoff Returns-Yards Interception Returns-Yards Punts (Number-Avg) Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Possession Time 32:22 27:38 3rd-Down Conversions 7 of 19 1 of 11 4th-Down Conversions 1 of 6 0 of 0 Red-Zone Scores-Chances Sacks By: Number-Yards Individual Statistics RUSHING: USM - Richard 16-87; I. Smith 9-46; Hayes 3-14; Team 1-(-1); Mullens 6-(-21). MU - D. Johnson 22-82, TD; Litton 3-19; Watson 8-18; Team 2-(-5). PASSING: USM - Mullens yards, TD. MU - Litton yards, 2 TDs. RECEIVING: USM - Martin 9-85; Thomas 7-109, TD; Thompson 4-40; I. Smith 4-32; Marini 2-30; Parks 1-14; Richard 1-3; Hayes 1-1. MU - Allen 5-57; Yurachek 3-18, TD; Reaves 2-76, TD; McManus TACKLES: USM - Anderson ; Antoine 5-4-9; Bolton MU - McKelvey ; Lang ; Tindal Page 3 -

4 2016 Conference USA Standings East Division Team C-USA Pct. All Pct. WKU FIU Middle Tennessee Old Dominion Charlotte Marshall Florida Atlantic West Division Team C-USA Pct. All Pct. Louisiana Tech Southern Miss North Texas UTSA UTEP Rice Upcoming Schedule Saturday, Oct. 29 WKU at Florida Atlantic* (ASN) 1:30 pm Middle Tennessee at FIU* (ESPN3) 6 pm Rice at Louisiana Tech* (Campus Insiders) 6 pm Marshall at Southern Miss* (ASN) 6 pm North Texas at UTSA* 6 pm Old Dominion at UTEP* 7 pm Saturday, Nov. 5 UTSA at Middle Tennessee* (ESPN3) 1:30 pm Charlote at Southern Miss* (ASN) 2:30 pm Florida Atlantic at Rice* (ESPN3) 2:30 pm FIU at WKU* (bein Sports) 4:30 pm Louisiana Tech at North Texas* (ESPN3) 4:30 pm Marshall at Old Dominion* (ASN) 6 pm Houston Baptist at UTEP* 7 pm * C-USA game; All Times Central Marshall Series (5-6, ) W (OT) Huntington, W.Va W Hattiesburg, Miss W Huntington, W.Va L Hattiesburg, Miss W Huntington, W.Va W Hattiesburg, Miss L Huntington, W.Va L Hattiesburg, Miss L Huntington, W.Va L Hattiesburg, Miss L Huntington, W.Va. Record in Hattiesburg: 2-3 Record in Huntington: 3-3 Neutral Site Games: Never Met Most Points Scored: 42 ( ) Fewest Points Scored: 10 ( ) Largest Margin of Victory: 35 ( ) Largest Loss Margin: 48 ( ) Longest Winning Streak: 3 ( ) Longest Losing Streak: 5 ( ) Current Streak: Lost 5 Shutouts: 0 Games Decided By 7 or fewer points: 2-2 In C-USA Games: 5-6 A Proud Bowl History The Southern Miss football program captured its 68th winning campaign in 2015, snapping a threeseason losing streak. When the most recent winning streak was broken in 2012, the Golden Eagles had the fourth-longest season winning streak at 18, behind only Florida State, Florida and Virginia Tech. Since 1935, the Golden Eagles have finished below.500 only 11 times. Here is a breakdown of the bowl games for Southern Miss over its history: Year Bowl (City) Opponent Score 1953 Sun (El Paso) Pacific L, Sun (El Paso) UTEP L, Tangerine (Orlando) West Texas A&M L, Tangerine (Orlando) Texas A&M Commerce L, Independence (Shreveport) McNeese State W, Tangerine (Orlando) Missouri L, Independence (Shreveport) UTEP W, All American (Birmingham) NC State L, Liberty (Memphis) Pittsburgh W, Humanitarian (Boise) Idaho L, Liberty (Memphis) Colorado State W, GMAC (Mobile) TCU W, Houston (Houston) Oklahoma St. L, Liberty (Memphis) Utah L, New Orleans North Texas W, New Orleans (Lafayette) Arkansas State W, GMAC (Mobile) Ohio W, Papajohns.com (Birmingham) Cincinnati L, New Orleans Troy W, (ot) 2009 New Orleans Middle Tennessee L, Beef O Brady s (St. Petersburg) Louisville L, Hawai i (Honolulu) Nevada W, Zaxby s Heart of Dallas Washington L, Five Time C-USA Champions Southern Miss, which won its third division title last season, lost in the C-USA championship game at WKU, The Golden Eagles are 1-2 in C-USA championship games. They captured their first league title contest and the school s fifth overall league crown - more than any other school in the conference - when they beat Houston, 49-28, in The school s other C-USA titles have come in the inaugural season of 1996 as well as the 1997, 1999 and 2003 campaigns. The league divisional setup began during 2005 and also marked the first year for a league championship game. The Golden Eagles have won two East Division crowns in C-USA (2006, 2011), and captured their first West title last season after moving to that division during the 2014 campaign. Overtime Anyone? Southern Miss has been involved in 10 overtime games since the rule went into effect prior to the 1996 season and the Golden Eagles are 4-6 overall, after losing a double OT game at UCF in Nine of the 10 games that have taken OT to complete have been in C-USA contests. Here is a look of all the overtime games Southern Miss has played in since the 1996 season: Date Opponent Score 11/09/96 at Houston L, /11/00 at UAB W, (2 OT) 11/15/02 Louisville L, (2 OT) 10/07/04 Houston W, /13/05 at Marshall W, /28/06 East Carolina L, /04/08 UTEP L, (2 OT) 12/21/08 Troy (New Orleans Bowl) W, /30/10 UAB L, (2 OT) 10/13/12 at UCF L, (2 OT) Conference USA game A Golden Eagles Win versus Marshall would... snap a current two-game losing streak. end a five-game losing streak to Marshall. tie Jay Hopson for the seventh most victories (five) for a first-year Golden Eagle coach along with B.B. O Mara (1920) and P.W. Underwood (1969). give the Golden Eagles their third C-USA victory of the campaign. allow them to win their 2nd-straight homecoming as well as their 12th over the last 16 seasons. put them one win away from being bowl eligible. - Page 4 - Overall: By Bowl - Sun Bowl: 0-2 New Orleans: 3-1 Papajohns.com: 0-1 All American: 0-1 GMAC: 2-0 Liberty: 2-1 Tangerine: 0-3 Heart of Dallas: 0-1 Humanitarian: 0-1 Houston: 0-1 Independence: 2-0 Beef O Brady s St. Pete: 0-1 Hawai i: 1-0 By Decade s: s: s: s: s: 1-2 By State Site - Alabama: 2-2 Florida: 0-4 Hawai i: 1-0 Idaho: 0-1 Louisiana: 5-1 Tennessee: 2-1 Texas: 0-4

5 2016 Scoring Drives Game Plays Yds TOP Scoring Play UK :36 I. Smith 8 run UK :02 Shaunfield 31 field goal UK :22 Jones 71 pass from Mullens UK :20 Mullens 1 run UK :39 Allen 18 pass from Mullens UK :32 Mullens 1 run UK :54 Shaunfield 49 field goal UK :56 Shaunfield 25 field goal SSU :48 Mullens 1 run SSU :44 Robertson 18 pass from Mullens SSU :00 I. Smith 86 run SSU :58 Jones 65 pass from Mullens SSU :46 Thompson 16 pass from Mullens SSU :52 Payne 11 run SSU :04 Ricard 12 pass from Adamson TROY :57 Shaunfield 41 field goal TROY :04 I. Smith 2 run TROY :22 I. Smith 70 run TROY :23 Staggers 16 pass from Mullens UTEP :40 Shaunfield 34 field goal UTEP :05 Thompson 6 pass from Mullens UTEP :09 I. Smith 28 pass from Mullens UTEP :44 Staggers 3 pass from Mullens UTEP 4 4 0:56 Shaunfield 46 field goal RICE :54 Shaunfield 22 field goal RICE :11 Staggers 75 pass from Mullens RICE :55 Shaunfield 42 field goal RICE :51 Staggers 81 pass from Mullens RICE :55 Staggers 93 pass from Mullens RICE :43 I. Smith 2 run RICE :15 Thompson 9 pass from Mullens RICE :48 Shaunfield 43 field goal UTSA :07` Washington 17 pass from Mullens UTSA :47 I. Smith 1 run UTSA :02 Thompson 35 pass from Mullens UTSA :50 Shaunfield 28 field goal UTSA :03 Whitehead 33 pass from Mullens LSU :02 I. Smith 1 run LSU :29 Shaunfield 38 field goal Longest Drive 92 yards vs. Rice Most Plays 15 vs. LSU Fewest Plays on TD Drive 1, 4x (last vs. Rice) Most Time Used on Scoring Drive 8:02 at LSU Shortest Time Used on TD Drive 0:00 vs. Savannah State No. of TD Drives Less than 2:00 13 Eagles in the Pros Eight former Golden Eagles currently have active roster spots on National Football League teams while four others hold practice squad spots. A pair of players from last season, Mike Thomas, a sixth-round pick for the Los Angeles Rams, earned a spot, while undrafted free agent Jalen Richard will be with the Oakland Raiders when they open the season this weekend. Kalan Reed, the last player selected in the draft this past April, made the practice squad for the Tennessee Titans. Here is a look at the former Golden Eagles in the NFL: Golden Eagles Currently on NFL Rosters Chris Clark, Houston Texans Jamie Collins, New England Patriots Austin Davis, Denver Broncos Demar Dotson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rashod Hill, Jacksonville Jaguars* Tom Johnson, Minnesota Vikings Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Kansas City Chiefs* Norman Price, San Francisco 49ers* Kalan Reed, Tennessee Titans* Jalen Richard, Oakland Raiders Mike Thomas, Los Angeles Rams Khyri Thornton, Detroit Lions Pro Traditions Southern Miss, which has a reputation in training and producing professional talent over the years, has a long list of former players that have reached the National Football League including the likes of Ray Guy, Brett Favre, Sammy Winder, Michael Boley and Jamie Collins. Southern Miss has had at least one player drafted in 12 of the last 16 NFL drafts, including wide receiver Mike Thomas, who was taken in the sixth round last April by the Los Angeles Rams and defensive back Kalan Reed, who was the last player chosen in the NFL Draft s seventh round by the Tennessee Titans. Since 1942, 120 players have been drafted by the NFL, AFL or AAFC, which including a school-best four on nine different occasions. Another Player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Southern Miss is one of only four schools to have multiple former players elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame from 2014 through Ray Guy ( ) earned selection in 2014 as the first ever punter to get elected. Former Golden Eagle quarterback Brett Favre ( ) was inducted in early August. Here is a look at the schools who have had multiple Pro Football Hall of Fame selections over the last three classes: Pro Football Hall of Fame Classes (By School) Notre Dame 3 (Jerome Bettis-15, Tim Brown-15, Eddie DeBartolo, Jr.-16) Florida State 2 (Derrick Brooks -14, Walter Jones-14) Nebraska 2 (Will Shields-15, Mick Tinelhoff-15) Southern Miss 2 (Ray Guy-14, Brett Favre-16) Another Pro Football Hall of Fame Note Inducted this summer along with Brett Favre was former defensive standout Kevin Greene, who played in the NFL for four teams over 15 seasons ( ). His son, Gavin, is a freshman walk-on defensive lineman for the Golden Eagles this fall. Largest Comeback in School History Southern Miss opened its 100th season by scoring 34 unanswered points to win at Kentucky The team trailed with 56 seconds remaining in the first half. The comeback was the largest in school history. Here is a look at the six biggest comebacks 25 points at Kentucky (9/3/16), trailed by 25 with 56 seconds left in the first half 21 points Louisville (11/25/50), trailed 21-0 with 14:50 to play in 2nd quarter 21 points at ECU (11/10/84), trailed 24-3 with 11:36 to play in 2nd quarter 19 points at Ole Miss (9/24/77), trailed 19-0 with 12:21 to play in 2nd quarter 17 points Miss. State (10/7/78), trailed 17-0 with 12:21 to play in 2nd quarter 17 points Virginia (9/19/09), trailed with 0:19 to play in 2nd quarter Southern Miss held a yardage advantage in the second half. The Golden Eagles held the football for 40:32 in the contest, marking the most time of possession in a game since holding it 41:56 in a 17-6 victory over UCF on Nov. 8, Southern Miss scoring 34 unanswered points to win at Kentucky It trailed with 56 seconds remaining in the first half. It was the first win over an SEC opponent in 13 tries, with the last successful attempt being a 21-0 shutout against Alabama on Sept. 16, Bower Academic Excellence Center Announced In the summer of the 2015, the Department of Athletics, in conjunction with the Southern Miss Athletic Foundation, announced the launch of the Bower Academic Excellence Center Campaign. The $2 million capital campaign will fund a new student-athlete academic center named in honor of longtime Golden Eagle football coach Jeff Bower. As the second-winningest coach in the program s history with 119 victories over 17 seasons and Conference USA s first Coach of the Decade, Bower established a very strong record of success on the field while placing an even greater emphasis on his student-athletes success in the classroom. In addition to the program s graduation rate, numerous former Golden Eagles earned Academic All-Conference and Academic All-American honors. Also, the Bower family s emphasis on academics has been demonstrated by their scholarship endowment, which currently ranks as the Southern Miss Athletic Foundation s largest endowment. The project is expected to break ground during the football season. Here Comes The Judge Junior running back Ito Smith returned this season to the Golden Eagles as their featured player in the backfield after rushing for a team-best 1,128 yards in It was * Practice Squad the first time a Golden Eagle running back ran for over 1,000 yards Top 5 USM Career 100-Yard Games 1. Damion Fletcher ( ) 25 since Damion Fletcher tallied 1,015 yards his senior campaign in 2. Ben Garry ( ) In fact, Smith and Jalen Richard (1,098) each rushed for over 3. Derrick Nix ( , 02) 14 1,000 yards, marking the first time a pair of Golden Eagles achieved that feat since Smith went over the career 1,000-yard mark against UTSA last 4. Ito Smith ( ) 5. Sam DeJarnette ( ) season and now has over 2,000 career rushing yards with 2,439 in 33 games for a 73.9 per game average. He had six 100-yard rushing games in 2015, and now has 12 for his career which places him in fourth- - Page 5 -

6 Top 10 Rushing Games by Class Freshman Derrick Nix vs. Nevada (11/21/98) Kendrick Hardy vs. Houston (11/20/10) Derrick Nix vs. Memphis (11/14/98) Damion Fletcher vs. NC State (9/16/06) Derrick Nix vs. Louisville (10/10/98) Derrick Nix vs. Army (10/17/98) Damion Fletcher vs. UAB (11/18/06) Vincent Alexander vs. UL-Laf.(10/29/83) Damion Fletcher vs. Marshall (11/25/06) Kendrick Hardy vs. UAB (10/30/10) Sophomore Sam DeJarnette vs. Florida St. (9/25/82) Damion Fletcher vs. UTEP (11/17/07) Bucky McElroy vs. Alabama (11/10/51) Sam DeJarnette vs. UL-Laf. (10/30/82) Sam DeJarnette vs. Tulane (10/16/82) Kendrick Hardy vs. Rice (10/1/11) Derrick Nix vs. East Carolina (10/9/99) Sam DeJarnette vs. UL-Monroe (9/4/82) Ito Smith vs. Louisiana Tech (11/28/15) Derrick Nix vs. Tulane (9/6/99) Junior Damion Fletcher vs. UTEP (10/4/08) Damion Fletcher vs. UL Lafayette (8/30/08) Ben Garry vs. La. Tech (11/13/76) Chris Buckhalter vs. Tulane (9/3/94) Reggie Collier vs. UT-Arlington 10/3/81) Reggie Collier vs. Lamar (11/28/91) Shelton Gandy vs. Memphis (10/24/87) Ben Garry vs. Memphis (11/20/76) Ito Smith at Kentucky (9/3/16) Shelton Gandy vs. Louisville (10/3/87) Senior Vic Purvis vs. Memphis (9/25/65) Jalen Richard at Texas State (9/19/15) Vic Purvis vs. Richmond (10/2/65) Derrick Nix vs. Illinois (9/7/02) Derrick Nix vs. Memphis (9/14/02) Tony Smith vs. Tulane (9/19/91) Sammy Winder vs. Memphis (10/17/81) Michael Welch vs. East Carolina (10/29/92) Jalen Richard vs. Old Dominion (11/21/15) Vincent Alexander vs. UL-Monroe (9/6/86) Southern Miss 1,000-Yard Rushers Name Year Class Yards Damion Fletcher 2007 So. 1,586 Sam Dejarnette 1982 So. 1,545 Damion Fletcher 2006 Fr. 1,388 Damion Fletcher 2008 Jr. 1,313 Ben Garry 1976 Jr. 1,236 Derrick Nix 2002 Sr. 1,194 Hugh L. Pepper 1952 So. 1,191 Derrick Nix 1998 Fr. 1,180 Ben Garry 1977 Sr. 1,134 Ito Smith 2015 So. 1,128 Jalen Richard 2015 Sr. 1,098 Bucky McElroy 1952 Jr. 1,069 Derrick Nix 1999 So. 1,054 Harold Shaw 1996 Sr. 1,045 Sammy Winder 1981 Sr. 1,029 Shelton Gandy 1987 Jr. 1,025 Damion Fletcher 2009 Sr. 1,015 Reggie Collier 1981 Jr. 1,005 Southern Miss Top 10 Career Rushers No. Name Years Yards 1. Damion Fletcher , Ben Garry , Derrick Nix , 02 3, Sammy Winder , Sam Dejarnette , Vincent Alexander , Bucky McElroy , Bubba Phillips , Shelton Gandy , Ito Smith ,439 place, ahead of Sam Dejarnette ( ) on the school career list. He opened the season by tallying a career-high 173 yards on a career-best 36 carries at Kentucky. He added 128 yards on eight carries and notched the longest Southern Miss run in this 41-year history of M.M. Roberts Stadium with an 86-yard touchdown run against Savannah State, before collecting 131 yards and a pair of rushing scores against Troy to start the campaign. Smith rushed for over 100 yards in the first four games this season and currently ranks No. 19 in the nation in with 775 rushing yards. He has now scored at least one TD in some fashion in each of his last 12 games after garnering a 1-yard scoring run at LSU. Ito Moving Up in All-Purpose Yards as well Ito Smith also registered the second-best season in terms of all-purpose yards in 2015, tallying 1,876 (1,128 rush, 515 receiving, 233 kickoff returns). He has now tallied 3,708 all-purpose yards overall and has a chance to break into the top five at the school for a career this season as former running back Derrick Nix ( , 02) ranks fifth in that category with 4,005 yards. In two-plus seasons, Smith is averaging all-purpose yards per game for Southern Miss. He registered a game-high 213 all-purpose yards in the opener at Kentucky. He added 148 all-purpose yards against Troy and 141 versus UTEP. George Payne Returns to the Field Junior George Payne also returns at running back for the Golden Eagles after missing last season with an injury. Payne has notched 806 career rushing yards over two seasons and has eight rushing scores to his credit. Payne recorded his first 100-yard rushing game against Kentucky with 16 carries for 100 yards for the Golden Eagles and followed that with 116 yards against Savannah State. The Watch List Kid Senior quarterback Nick Mullens has reaped the rewards of a stellar junior season. In a year in which he threw for single-season school records for passing yards (4,476) and touchdowns passes (38) as the school went over the 7,000-total offensive yard mark last season for the first time with 7,133. Mullens is the defending C-USA Offensive Player of the Year and earned the same honor in this preseason, becoming the first Golden Eagle to win that award. Mullens Preseason Watch Lists Maxwell Award (college player of the year) Allstate AFCA Good Works Team ( good works extending beyond the football field) Davey O Brien Award (best quarterback) Walter Camp Player of the Year Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Manning Award Mullens on the Verge of Breaking Career School Records After starting the final six games of the 2013 season, Nick Mullens returned as the team s signal caller in 2014 by starting in 10 of 12 games, missing only two contests with a foot injury. He started in every game a season ago and has now started in 23-straight games. Mullens has 32, 200-plus throwing contests in 37 career starts (17-20). Against Rice, Mullens shattered the school record for passing yards Top 5 USM Career Passing Yards 1. Austin Davis ( ) 10, Nick Mullens ( ) 10, Brett Favre ( ) 7, Dustin Almond ( ) 7, Jeff Kelly ( ) 7,095 Top 5 USM Career Passing Atts. 1. Austin Davis ( ) 1, Nick Mullens ( ) 1, Brett Favre ( ) 1, Dustin Almond ( ) 1, Jeff Kelly ( ) 975 Top 5 USM Career Completions 1. Austin Davis ( ) Nick Mullens ( ) Brett Favre ( ) Jeff Kelly ( ) Dustin Almond ( ) Page 6 - with 591 yards on 25-of-36 attempts (with four touchdown passes), breezing past Austin Davis previous school record of 461 yards set also versus Rice in He now has three of the top four passing games in Golden Eagle history. Mullens also went over the 10,000-yard passing mark in the contest after hitting after hitting Allenzae Staggers with his 81-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter. He was the fifth true freshman at the school to ever get a start at quarterback in 2013, and now has thrown 79 career touchdown passes, ranking in second Top 200-Yard Passing Games 1. Austin Davis 32 Nick Mullens Jeff Kelly Dustin Almond Lee Roberts 16 place on the school charts behind Austin Davis 83. His career yards per game passing currently ranks as the best for that category by any Golden Eagle QB, ahead of Davis who tallied per game. Mullens Throws for 300 Yards More than any other Golden Eagle With his 591 yards thrown against Rice, Mullens threw for over the 300-yard plateau for the 15th time in his career. Against Rice in 2015, Mullens tied a school record with five touchdown passes, of which he had already accomplished once in his career (UAB, 2013), all coming in the first half. He now has thrown at least three TD passes in 14 games in his career, including at least four TD passes in seven different games during his career and five TD contests twice. He broke then Davis single-season record for both passing yards and touchdown passes during the ODU contest (11/21/15) last season. Mullens also needs 101 completions and 120 attempts to become the school s all-time leader in those categories as well.

7 Career Starts Games Games Current Played Starts Streak Defensive Backs Antoine Applewhite Armstrong Collins Douglas Foster Nelson, Jr Truly Linebackers Parker Perry Ruff Defensive Line Bradley Harris McCorvey Poole Riley Thigpen Yancey Quarterbacks Mullens Running Back T. Parks Payne I. Smith Tight End Allen Marini Parks Washington Wide Receivers Holmes Jones Ricard Robertson Staggers Thompson Whitehead Offensive Line Bates Farmer Farrior Fleming Freeman 43 9* (3) 2 Harris Pollard Tom * Six starts were made on the defensive side of the football 2016 Award Winners CoachingSearch Assistant Coach of the Week - Shannon Dawson, Co-Offensive Coordinator (9/4) C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week - Parker Shaunfield (9/5) C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week - Allenzae Staggers (9/12) College Sports Madness C-USA Offensive Player of the Week - Nick Mullens (10/2) CFPA National Performer of the Week Honarable Mention - Allenzae Staggers (10/3) C-USA Offensive Player of the Week - Allenzae Staggers (10/3) Spreading the Love Again There were 16 players that have caught at least one pass last season. Five different receivers caught at least 30 passes a year ago including a school-record best 80 by then senior Casey Martin, followed by 71 from current Los Angeles Ram Mike Thomas, along with 55 from D.J. Thompson, 49 from Ito Smith and 30 from Jalen Richard. In the first seven games of this season, 14 different players have caught passes for the Golden Eagles. Allenzae Staggers leads the way with 30 catches, while Thompson is second with 27. Part of the New Receiving Crew Junior transfers Isaiah Jones (Milton, Fla.) and Allenzae Staggers (Woodville, Miss.) have been looked to step into the receivers position for the Golden Eagles this fall. Both attended East Mississippi Community College are were part of the Netflix original series Last Chance U a season ago. Jones grabbed 19 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns, while Staggers tallied 37 receptions for 477 yards and five scores. Both have enjoyed solid starts to their Golden Eagle careers. Jones caught a 71-yard touchdown pass against Kentucky and then added a 65-yard scoring grab against Savannah State. Staggers registered the first punt return for a touchdown since 2011 for Southern Miss when he returned one for 75 yards for a score against Savannah State and last week added a 16-yard touchdown pass versus Troy. The duo are among the team leaders in receiving this season. Staggers has 30 catches for 597 yards and five scores, while Jones has 13 catches for 242 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Staggers Breaks Southern Miss Single Game Receiving Record Against Rice, Allenzae Staggers caught six passes for a school-record 292 receiving yards (surpassing Kendrick Lee s 260 against Houston on Nov. 9, 1996). His catches included touchdown receptions of 75, 81 and 93 yards. It was the first three TD receiving game for the program since Mike Thomas had that number against North Texas in Those scoring catches were the first three he made in the contest. According to ESPN Stats and Info, he is the first college player in 10 years to catch three 75-plus yard touchdowns in the same game. He also garnered an ESPN helmet sticker for his performance against the Owls, marking the first time that has happened for a Golden Eagle since His other catches included grabs of 19, 16 and eight yards for a 48.7 reception average. His receiving total for the game also ranks second all-time in Conference USA. The 93-yard reception marked the third longest pass play in Southern Miss history. Explosive Plays Southern Miss registered plays of at least 20 yards for a total of 109 offensive explosive plays last season. The Golden Eagles had 30 rushing plays of 20 or more yards and 79 passing plays. If you add in kick returns (23), punt returns (two) and interception returns (seven), the number jumped to 142 for the year. Fifteen of the top 19 offensive plays, of which all were at least 47 yards, were touchdowns. The Golden Eagles have 30 offensive plays of 20-plus yards in 2016, including eight of 65 yards or more of which seven have been for touchdowns. The overall number is 46 with 14 touchdowns (which includes a pair of picks and a punt return). Working Up Front Through the first seven games of the 2016 season, Southern Miss has been stable on the offensive line as seven different players have gotten the call up front on offense. Seniors Cameron Tom (C), along with and freshman Ty Pollard (RT) have each started every game this season, while seniors Brandon Farmer (LG) and Devin Farrior (RG) has started six times and senior Jacob Fleming (LT) has started in four games with Wil Freeman getting three start there. Oliver Bates owns two starts, one at left guard and one at right guard. That group totals 122 starts combined. Tom leads the offensive line with 42 consecutive starts. Redshirt freshmen Ty Pollard, the son of assistant coach and former Golden Eagle Lytrel Pollard, has started at right tackle in all seven games. Making the Transition When Wil Freeman came in to play on the offensive line at Kentucky in the season opener, it represented a change for him. The fifth-year player made the official transition from defensive to offensive line. Early in his career, he was temporarily switched to the offense, but the experiment to switch sides did not pan out then. He started the transition again last spring and made his collegiate debut on the offensive line at UK. Freeman would have graduated following last season, but an injury in the opening game against Mississippi State gave him an extra season via a medical redshirt. Freeman garnered his first career start on the offensive line at UTEP and now has nine overall starts in his Golden Eagle career after getting the nod at UTSA and at LSU. Limiting the Opposition s Yards The Golden Eagles have outgained their foes in six of seven games this season. They recorded this feat in its first six games, before LSU held them to its fewest total yards since the Alabama game in 2014 with 242 yards. The previous week, despite losing at UTSA, the Golden Eagles outgained the home squad, The Golden Eagles also tallied a school-record 702 yards against Rice earlier this month. Southern Miss defense is limiting the opposition to yards per game which ranks No. 19 in the FBS in total defense and first in Conference USA. - Page 7 -

8 Top 25 Polls USA Today Coaches Poll (Oct. 23) 2016 Points PVS. 1 Alabama (63) 8-0 1, Michigan 7-0 1, Clemson (1) 7-0 1, Washington 7-0 1, Louisville 6-1 1, Baylor 6-0 1,194 8 Nebraska 7-0 1, Ohio State 6-1 1, West Virginia 6-0 1, Texas A&M Wisconsin Florida Boise State Florida State Oklahoma Utah Auburn Tennessee LSU North Carolina Western Michigan Navy Colorado NR 24. Houston Virginia Tech NR ARV: Washington State 93, Penn State 80, Oklahoma State 64, San Diego State 15, Arkansas 11, USC 7, Troy 6, Miami 5, Middle Tennessee 3, South Florida 3, Ole Miss 3, Tulsa 2, Pittsburgh 2, Appalachian State 2, Wyoming 1. Associated Press Poll (Oct. 23) 2016 Points PVS. 1 Alabama (60) 8-0 1, Michigan (1) 7-0 1, Clemson 7-0 1, Washington 7-0 1, Louisville 6-1 1, Ohio State 6-1 1, Nebraska 7-0 1, Baylor 6-0 1, Texas A&M 6-1 1, West Virginia Wisconsin Florida State Boise State Florida Auburn Oklahoma Utah Tennessee LSU Western Michigan North Carolina Navy Colorado NR 24. Penn State NR 25. Virginia Tech NR Bradley Anchors Defensive Line Dylan Bradley leads the team in tackles through seven games this season with 42. He registered 3.5 sacks against Rice, which ranks as the second most in a game by a Golden Eagle and the most since Jamie Collins tallied three against UAB in Bradley holds team bests of 10 TFLs and 5.0 sacks for 36 yards this season. He opened the year with a game-high seven tackles of which one was a sack, to go along with two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery at Kentucky. Bradley registered 45 tackles a year ago, of which 12.5 were for loss, which was second on the team, to go along with a team-best 6.5 sacks. Bradley played in all 14 games, including 12 starts for the program in Parker Headlining Linebackers Senior Elijah Parker returns for his final season with the program after tallying 47 stops (30 solos) in He notched 7.5 tackles for loss for 35 yards while registering a sack to go along with three forced fumbles and a blocked field goal attempt late in the Nebraska game. He ranked second on the team in forced fumbles. He has opened 2016 with 25 tackles, including 5.5 for loss and a pair of sacks. Parker tallied a career-best seven tackles at LSU. Leading Tackler Back Senior D Nerius Antoine led the squad in tackles in his first season with the program a year ago. Antoine had 103 stops, which included 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, five pass breakups, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Against Nebraska, Antoine tallied his first interception of the year, while adding a force and recovery of a fumble on his way to a team-high eight tackles against the Huskers. Antoine posted his season-high tackle totals at Texas State, Marshall and Charlotte with nine. At Louisiana Tech, Antoine notched seven tackles, while adding his second pick of the campaign. This season, Antoine is second on the roster in tackles with 40, to go along with 2.0 tackles for loss and three pass breakups. He notched a career-high 11 tackles against Rice. Thigpen Holds Solid First Year as Starter Junior defensive lineman Xavier Thigpen enjoyed a stellar first start at UK by blocking a punt on the game s first possession, while also registering a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the contest. In seven games now as a starter, he has 16 tackles, including 7.5 for loss. Four of those TFLs came against Troy for a total of 23 yards lost. He notched the most TFLs in a game since Jamie Collins had that many against UAB on Nov. 3, Mikell Snags Two Picks; Breaks School Record in Process Junior back Curtis Mikell tallied his first two career interceptions at UTEP. His first came with 3:14 to play in the second quarter and he then became the first Golden Eagle to pickoff two passes in the same contest since Marquese Wheaton collected a pair of interceptions against SMU on Oct. 22, 2011, when his second pick was returned for 100 yards and a touchdown. That tied the school record for longest interception return (Kendrick Presley vs. Memphis, 11/26/11). His pick for a touchdown was the second for the Golden Eagles this season. Mikell added three solo tackles in the contest. He followed that outing with a career-high tying eight solo tackles against Rice. Shaunfield Kicking Them Straight for Field Goals Redshirt sophomore Parker Shaunfield has been perfect through the first seven games of the 2016 season. He has hit all 11 attempts this season to go along with a streak of 30-straight extra point makes to start the year. Five of his field goals have been from 40 yards and beyond this season. His 11 field goal made streak is the longest since Danny Hrapmann had 17 consecutive makes from the final two attempts in 2009 through his first 15 tries in In addition, he has converted all 52 point after tries in his two seasons with the Golden Eagles. Sarrazin Leading the Golden Eagle Punting Game Senior Tyler Sarrazin holds down the punting chores for the fourth consecutive campaign in He has posted a career average of 40.4 yards per boot for 183 punts during his career. He also has accomplished himself as a passer as well, hitting 2-of-4 career passing on special teams with one touchdown throw to Xavier Thigpen last fall at Rice. He has also rushed for a touchdown during his career. Sarrazin made the preseason Ray Guy Award Watch List. The Golden Eagles are No. 7 in net punting in the latest FBS statistics at ARV: Washington State 84, Houston 67, Oklahoma State 62, Arkansas 14, Troy 6, USC 5, San Diego State 2, Pittsburgh 2, SMU 1. - Page 8 -