REPORTS: Questions Surrounding The Southern Miss Football program, Roster Deficiencies, Loss of Standout “KEY” Star
Question marks surrounding Southern Miss football leads to low Sun Belt preseason ranking
Numerous questions surrounding the Southern Miss football program have led Sun Belt coaches to set low expectations for the Golden Eagles this upcoming season.
Entering year four of the Will Hall era in Hattiesburg, Southern Miss aims to recover from a 3-9 season where they won only two games against Sun Belt opponents, finishing near the bottom of the conference.
To address issues with in-game management, roster weaknesses, and the loss of standout running back Frank Gore, Jr., this year’s Southern Miss team will feature a new offensive coordinator, Chip Long, a new defensive coordinator, Clay Bignell, and a new quarterback, Florida State transfer Tate Rodemaker. The running back corps will include Rodrigues “Dreke” Clark, Kenyon Clay, JQ Gray, and Jalen Washington.
Despite coaching and roster changes, the Golden Eagles are projected to finish sixth in the west division of the Sun Belt, just one spot above last place. Moreover, no Southern Miss players were named to the first or second team on the preseason All-Sun Belt list.
Head coach Will Hall will have the opportunity to prove his colleagues wrong starting Saturday, Aug. 31, when his team travels to Lexington to face a familiar SEC opponent, Kentucky. The last time these teams met at Commonwealth Stadium was in 2016, with the Golden Eagles securing a 44-35 victory.
