| Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be | | | | case. Last season, Southern Miss was 73rd in both |
| here before you know it so that means getting an | | | | total defense and rushing defense while ranking 75th in |
| early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. | | | | passing defense. Linebacker, never short of stars is |
| Knowing the teams now will save you time in August | | | | recent years, looks to be the weakness this year with |
| and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of | | | | no starters returning. The defensive line brings back |
| what to expect this upcoming year. We go from | | | | two starters and has the potential to be extremely |
| worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview. | | | | solid if USC transfer Ryan Watson can dominate at |
| #63 - Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 7-5 SU; 5-6 | | | | nose tackle. The passing defense has allowed more |
| ATS | | | | yards per game in each of the last four seasons but |
| Fargo's Take Southern Miss head coach Jeff Bower | | | | there is potential to reverse that trend despite losing its |
| is arguably one of the most underappreciated coaches | | | | top cover cornerback. The defense had 34 |
| in the country. He has led the Golden Eagles to 12 | | | | takeaways last season, the sixth most in the country |
| straight winning seasons and taken them to bowl | | | | so trying to replicate that with a very young squad will |
| games in eight of the last nine years. He has been | | | | be extremely difficult. |
| blessed with an abundance of talent throughout the | | | | Schedule The Golden Eagles always play a tough |
| years but 2006 could be one of his biggest challenges | | | | non-conference schedule and this season is no |
| ever. He is faced with inexperience at both | | | | different. The one easy contest is against SE |
| quarterback and running back while his defense no | | | | Louisiana but the other three games will be tough |
| longer is the intimidating force it once was. There is a | | | | challenges. Southern Miss starts the season at Florida |
| lot of potential talent across the field and those young | | | | and then following the game against the Lions, it hosts |
| players are going to have to play big roles for 2006 to | | | | NC State before getting C-USA action underway. |
| be successful. The good news is that the C-USA East | | | | Back-to-back road games at Central Florida and Tulsa |
| Division is the weaker of the two so Southern Miss | | | | and then a home game against Houston are the first |
| has the ability to improve upon its 5-3 conference | | | | three contests in conference play. Unfortunately, the |
| record that it has generated in each of the last two | | | | Golden Eagles don't catch a break as they must travel |
| seasons. The non-conference schedule is difficult once | | | | to Virginia Tech right after that for their final |
| again but the Golden Eagles have a shot to make it to | | | | non-conference game. The second half of the |
| a bowl game for a fifth straight season. | | | | schedule is a cakewalk compared to the first half as |
| Returning Starters on Offense - 9 Replacing | | | | the remaining games against East Carolina, Memphis, |
| three-year starting quarterback Dustin Almond is the | | | | Tulane, UAB and Marshall are all winnable and likely do |
| biggest challenge on offense and that job will be going | | | | need to be won for a chance at the postseason. |
| to junior Jeremy Young who emerged from the spring | | | | You can bet on... Southern Miss has had success in |
| as the number one guy. Stephen Reaves, a Michigan | | | | rebuilding years in the past so another successful |
| St. transfer, is waiting in the wings if Young cannot get | | | | season is not out of the question. The Golden Eagles |
| the job done. The running game slipped to 95th in the | | | | had only nine returning starters last season and were |
| country last season but that could improve in 2006 if | | | | able to put together a winning season and a trip to the |
| Cody Hull starts where he left off at the end of last | | | | New Orleans Bowl for a second straight season. |
| year. The Golden Eagles strength on offense is with | | | | Replacing the important starters from last year will be |
| the offensive line that returns four starters, including | | | | more difficult however. Southern Miss came into last |
| three seniors and one junior. Pass protection will be | | | | season with a 16-8 ATS run but finished below .500 |
| key as the top three receivers from last season are | | | | against the number for the first time since 2002. Part |
| back and getting them the ball will play a big part in the | | | | of the problem was not winning the close games as |
| success of the offense. Southern Miss has averaged | | | | four of its five losses were by single digits including |
| at least 25.8 ppg in each of the last two seasons and | | | | three defeats by four points or less. Those are the |
| that average will be tough to attain with so many | | | | games that need to be won this season and will likely |
| questions. | | | | mean a profitable season once again if it can do just |
| Returning Starters on Defense - 6 The defense used | | | | that. The Golden Eagles are 6-2 ATS as underdogs |
| to be the heart and soul of the Golden Eagles football | | | | over the last two years. |
| team but the last two years, that has not been the | | | | |