2006 Southern Miss Preview

Head Coach: Jeff Bower

2005 Record: 7-5 (5-3) - New Orleans Bowl Champions

Last season was a memorable one for Southern Miss, as it saw the Golden Eagles practive at rival Memphis's facilities just days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, play three games in the span of twelve days, and postpone two games to later dates. To most, last year's 7-5 record and New Orleans Bowl win was a dissapointment. But to the players and coaches, it was a season to remember.

2005 could also be coined as a season of near-misses and blown chances for Southern Miss, as the Golden Eagles were a mere nine points away from going 9-2. Close losses to N.C. State (21-17), Houston (27-24), and archrival Memphis (24-22) attoned for most of the feelings throughout Golden Eagle Nation; close, but no cigar. Vast improvments on the offensive side of the ball were overshadowed by the team's inability to tackle properly, and inconsistency became a regular term for the average Southern Miss fan. It was a season of up's and downs for the Golden Eagles, and with Jeff Bower entering his 14th year as head football coach of USM, I expect this year's squad to not only improve, but to win.

This season Southern Miss boasts one of the toughest schedules in C-USA, opening up on the road against Florida, with later away games against Virginia Tech, C-USA Champion Tulsa, C-USA Runner-Up UCF, and rival foes Memphis and Tulane. Conjure that up with home dates against N.C. State, Houston, East Carolina, UAB, and Marshall, and you have yourself one of the hardest schedule in the NCAA. If Southern Miss expects to succeed with this tough schedule, it's going to take a blend of smooth offensive performances and the rekindling of the old "Nasty Bunch." If the offense continues to improve, and a young defense plays physical for four quarters, I see unlimited possibilities for a very solid Southern Miss football team.

2006 Southern Miss Offense:

Jay Hopson's primary goal for the the 2005 season was simple: improvment. The Golden Eagle's first year offensive coordinator did just that, bettering USM's once struggling offense in almost every way. The Golden Eagles scored 29.58 points per game last season, over four points higher than last season's total. Southern Miss also made great strides in overall yards per game, passing efficiency, and passing yards per game. If Hopson can continue to develop USM's offense, we could see big things for the 2006 football season.

The Quarterbacks: The biggest concern for the 2006 season is the position of quarterback, as Southern Miss will be looking for someone other than Dustin Almond to man the offense for the first time since 2003. The front-runner looks to be red-shirt junior Jeremy Young, who capped a spectacular Spring Game performance with 77 yards and 6-of-10 passing. Young has little on-the-field experience, but knows the offense better than any other quarterback on the team. In Young's tenure at Southern Miss, he has accumulated 331 yards on 23-of-55 passing. Battling Young for the starting spot is junior Michigan State transfer Stephen Reaves. 2006 will mark Reaves first year of eligibility after his transfer to Hattiesburg a year ago. As a red-shirt freshman at Michigan State, Reaves went 23-of-58 passing with two touchdowns and 377 yards. Reaves underwent knee surgery after injuring himself at practice last fall, but has since healed and is playing well. Young will provide leadership to a very solid offense, and should succeed under a hearty offensive line. If he doesn't, look for Stephen Reaves to step in and take over in the middle of the year.

The Receivers: A plethora of experienced wide receivers make up most of the Golden Eagle offense and provide solid targets to quarterback Jeremy Young. The leader of this talented corp is senior Josh Barnes, who racked up 32 catches, five touchdowns, and 421 receiving yards as a junior last season. Red-shirt senior Anthony Perine also had a solid 2005, leading the team in yards (441), while also accumalating 31 catches and two touchdowns. Converted wide out Damion Carter, who served as USM's back-up quarterback for two seasons, looks to have a break-out senior season. Carter finished the season with 14 catches for 252 yards and two touchdowns last season, marking a career best for him. Carter's height and jumping ability really gives him an advantage when being covered, and defensive backs have a hard time tackling his 6'2, 193-pound frame. Joe Singleton, Southern Miss's next big star, had one of the best Spring Games a wide receiver could have. Singleton was not supposed to play last season, but due to a battered and bruised receiving corp, participated in the last seven games of the season, catching nine passing for 110 yards ane one touchdown. Look for Singleton to become the next Sherrod Gideon or Todd Pinkston of the 2000's. Rounding out the starters at wide out is red-shirt junior Chris Johnson. Johnson, who missed two games due to injury, recorded twenty catches for 303 yards and two touchdowns in 2005. Throw in Freshman All-American and New Orleans Bowl MVP Shawn Nelson, who posted 35 receptions, 540 receiving yards, and five touchdowns las season -solitifying his efforts as Southern Miss's best single-season tight end performance ever- and you have one of the best receiving units in C-USA. With everyone healthy, this should be the most talented group of wide outs at Southern Miss since the early 1990's.

The Backs: If any part of the offense needs vast improvment, it is undoubtedly the running game. Co-starters Cody Hull and Larry Thomas are battling it out for the starting job, while Conrad Chanove and C.J. Barrows wait patiently in the wings. Thomas was the starter for the first ten games of the season, gaining 647 yards and four touchdowns on 167 carries, while Hull, who rushed for 542 and three scores in 130 carrries, took over the role in the last three matchups. Thomas is a versatile back that catches passes and breaks open runs with amazing speed, while Hull blocks well and runs between the tackles. Hull had the better spring and will most likely start, but Larry Thomas is definitely vying for playing time. The fullbacks were also a substantial part to what 'success' the running game had last year, and a key factor to that was junior Bobby Weakley. Weakley finished the season with 12 carries for 48 yards and one touchdown, while also catching four passes for 38 yards. Weakley is also a great blocker that is used to help create holes for the runningbacks. Cole Mason provided a great deal of excitment to the running game, as well. Mason had 136 yards and four touchdowns, providing depth to the fullback position.

The Offensive Line: A wealth of talent and experience makes up a solid Golden Eagle offensive line, with four returning starters and two Pre-Season All-American players. Senior right guard George Batiste and senior left guard Travis Cooley (both picked as Pre-Season All-Americans), make up one of the most impenetrable offensive lines in C-USA. Senior Robbie D'Angelo and junior Chris Clark make up the other portion of the O-line. Ryan McKee, Jonathan Landor, Wesley Housley, and Jacquine Wrice add depth to an already deep position, making this year's offensive line one of the best in the NCAA. The O-line should also provide much-needed protection to Jeremy Young, who will have plenty of time to throw the ball behind these 'Hog Mollies.'

2006 Southern Miss Defense:

Southern Miss defense has always been at the upper echelon of -not only C-USA- but the nation. The last four C-USA Defensive Players of the Year have come from USM, as well has many All-Conference USA and All-American players. Second year defensive coordinator Jay Hopson has tried to restore the "Nasty Bunch" of old, but that was marred by the defense's numbers as a whole. The 'D' played sketchy at times, and brilliant at others, so Hopson has set out to even out the scale and limit the inconsistencies the defense has shown. If the defensive line produces, and linebackers stay healthy, we could be hearing the infamous cheer ring throughout The Rock now more than ever... "Nasty Bunch, Nasty Bunch, NAAAAAASTY BUNCH!"

The Defensive Line: The area in need of most improvment on the defensive side of the ball is the defensive line. Losing All-Conference USA tackle Tom Johnson and starters Akeem Lockett and Terrance Ford hurts, but red-shirt freshman Mam Nyang, Robert Henderson, and Ken Griffith will all succeed as replacements. Senior Matthew Chatelain will return as a D-line starter for his final season, moving to bandit end to replace Lockett. Chatelain is a very physical bandit that is able to break through offensive lines to get to quarterbacks. Nyang is also poised to have a solid break-out year. Look for him to really put pressure on quarterbacks and record sacks throughout the season. The defensive line loses a couple of playmakers, but the new D-line is heralded to do great things in 2006.

The Linebackers: The linebacking position has always been a strong point for Southern Miss. As I said earlier, the past four C-USA Defensive Players of the Year were from USM, and all four were linebackers. With Kevis Coley graduated, Southern Miss will once again look for a new playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. Look for Gerald McRath, who played in the game against Alabama before breaking his leg and missing the remainder of the season, to be that new playmaker. McRath finished the game against the Crimson Tide with five tackles (four solo), a 32 yard interception return for a touchdown, and a forced fumble. Also competing for a starting slot at linebacker will be highly touted JUCO transfer Marcus Raines and red-shirt sophomore Mitch Craft, who was originally recruited as a quarterback. Raines earned all-conference honors at Pasedena Junior College in California, leading the team in sacks and hurries. He will probably take the starting role above Craft because of Craft's recent incident with law, in which he broke a car and apartment window with former Southern Miss wide receiver Antwon Courington. Tokumbo Abinikanda, who received an ample amount of playing time last season, will lead this defensive unit. Tumbo is a great player that will undoubtedly earn a starting slot out a very deep linebacking corp. James Henley and Wayne Hardy will also be battle for playing time, making the this position one of the deepest on the team.

The Defensive Backs: The defensive backs will undergo changes, as John Eubanks and Trevis Coley have graduated and gone to the NFL. With the loss of that talent, some would say the defensive backs at Southern Miss have taken a hit. Not true. Caleb Hendrix is healthy and will become the unit's leader. Hendrix fought a hamstring injury all of last season, but returns this year ready to go. He finished the season with 21 tackles (15 solo), two fumble recoveries, and an interception. Also to start at cornerback is experienced senior Jasper Faulk, who finished the season with 40 tackles (27 solo), two interceptions, two sacks, a fumble recovery, and 7.5 tackles for a loss. He will also lead the team. LeVance Richmond, who is slated to start as free safety, came to USM as a highly touted JUCO transfer from Pearl River Community College. Richmond was a JUCO All-American, leading the nation with 13 interceptions. He has an exceptional ability to read quarterbacks and is going to aid in the loss of Trevis Coley. Brandon Sumrall, the team's playmaker last season, will return again to take the position of strong safety. Sumrall had 88 tackles last season, leading the team. He also recorded a sack, 1.5 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a team-high four interceptions. Add in the depth at both the free safety, strong safety, and cornerback positions, and this is a very solid unit.

2006 Southern Miss Special Teams:

All-American Darren McCaleb is back for his senior season, and is poised to do great things this year. McCaleb became Southern Miss's all-time scoring leader in the game against UAB last season, and is ready to compete as the nation's top kicker. He has been picked to the Lou Groza Award Watch List two times in a row, and is vying for a third time in 2006. Britt Barefoot will replace Luke Johnson as the team's new punter, and is definitely up to the challenge. Barefoot wasn't great at the Spring Game, but has improved and will become a solid punter. Jasper Faulk and newcomer Torris Magee will most likely return kick-offs and punts, and the two will combine for some dazzling plays in 2006. The special teams unit at Southern Miss is always good, and I expect it to be better than ever this season.

Bottom Line: With a tough schedule, Southern Miss will have to play smart and hard to win. Mental errors and stupid penalties must be eliminated, and everyone is going to have to gel if they want to succeed. Barring injury, I see this season's Southern Miss team heading for another winning season and bowl appearance. It's going to be tough, but Jeff Bower will have his team ready.

Prediction: 9-3 (7-1)

Nelson Named To Mackey Award Watch List

Freshman All-American Shawn Nelson was named to the Mackey Award Watch List

Southern Miss receives more pre-season praise as tight end Shawn Nelson was named to the 2006 Mackey Award Watch List.

Story here

Gulf Coast Beach Bash

It's almost here. Football season is fast approaching, and tomorrow, Golden Eagle fans on the Coast can get ready for the upcoming season by attending the Gulf Coast Beach Bash held at the Imperial Palace in Biloxi. Join head football coach Jeff Bower, baseball coach Corky Palmer, basketball coach Larry Eustachy, women's basketball coach Joye Lee-McNelis, Seymour, the cheerleaders, and stand-out Golden Eagle football players as Southern Miss kicks off the 2006-2007 athletic season. The social will start at 5:00 followed by a dinner at 6:00. Hope to see you there!

2006 Pre-Season C-USA Coaches Poll

Southern Miss kicker Darren McCaleb, USM's all-time points scored leader, earned the coaches' C-USA Pre-Season Special Teams Player of the Year honors

I've been on hiatus since early July. I've had a good summer, and my birthday, family, and a church mission trip have hindered me from writing on Ruffled Feathers for quite some time now. But in that span of time, almost nothing has happened! The coaches of C-USA, however, came up with their annual pre-season poll, which consists of standings, All-Conference USA predictions, and Players of the Year. Needless to say Southern Miss landed quite a few players on this list, with Darren McCaleb taking home the Special Teams Pre-Season Player of the Year honors. Football still isn't here, but predictions are aplenty, and without further adeu, here is the coaches' 2006 C-USA Pre-Season Coaches Poll:

2006 C-USA Coaches Pre-Season Poll

East:

1. UCF 65
2. Southern Miss 52
3. Memphis 43
4. Marshall 35
5. UAB 28
6. East Carolina 25

West:

1. Tulsa 61
2. UTEP 60
3. Houston 55
4. SMU 39
5. Tulane 20
6. Rice 17

Offensive Player of the Year:

Kevin Kolb, QB, Houston (254-420, 3,258 yards, 19 TDs)

Defensive Player of the Year:

Larry McSwain, DE, UAB (53 tackles, 5 TFLs, 4 sacks)

Special Teams Player of the Year:

Darren McCaleb, K, Southern Miss (23-28 FGs, 107 points)

First Team Offense:

QB Kevin Kolb, Sr., Houston
RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Jr., Marshall
RB Kevin Smith, So., UCF
OL George Batiste, Sr., Southern Miss
OL Travis Cooley, Sr., Southern Miss
OL Cedric Gagne-Marcoux, Sr., UCF
OL Eric Graham, Sr., East Carolina
OL Jeff Perrett, Sr., Tulsa
OL Julius Wilson, Sr., UAB
WR Aundrae Allison, Sr., East Carolina
WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Sr., UTEP
WR Vincent Marshall, Sr., Houston
TE Shawn Nelson, So., Southern Miss

First Team Defense:

DL Antonio Harris, Jr., Tulane
DL Larry McSwain, Sr., UAB
DL Alex Obomese, Sr., UTEP
DL Zach West, Sr., UTEP
LB Nick Bunting, Sr., Tulsa
LB Nelson Coleman, Sr., Tulsa
LB Orlandus King, Sr., UAB
DB Bobby Blackshire, Sr., Tulsa
DB Joe Burnett, So., UCF
DB Caleb Hendrix, Sr., Southern Miss
DB Wesley Smith, Sr., Memphis

First Team Special Teams:

K Darren McCaleb, Sr., Southern Miss
P Michael Gibson, Sr., Memphis
KR Jessie Henderson, So., SMU
PR Joe Burnett, So., UCF

Pre-Season Analysis

I'm getting anxious. College football is getting closer, but it's still too far away for my liking. I'm biting my nails and pulling out my hair waiting for the coveted day when Southern Miss travels to The Swamp to take on the Gators of Florida, but until then, I have written a complete pre-season analysis, including my Pre-Season Top 25, C-USA predictions, conference bowl layout, and 2006 All-American team. I am definitely ready for some football!

My Top 25 Pre-Season Poll:

1. Ohio State
2. Oklahoma
3. Notre Dame
4. Texas
5. USC
6. Auburn
7. Florida State
8. West Virginia
9. Miami
10. Michigan
11. Florida
12. LSU
13. Georgia
14. Louisville
15. Clemson
16. Iowa
17. Tennessee
18. Virginia Tech
19. Oregon
20. Clemson
21. Nebraska
22. Arizona State
23. UTEP
24. TCU
25. Boise State

My BCS Predictions:

National Championship: Oklahoma vs. Ohio State

Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. USC

Sugar Bowl: Miami vs. Auburn

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Texas

Rose Bowl: West Virginia vs. Michigan

My Conference USA Predictions:

C-USA East:

1. Southern Miss
2. Central Florida
3. Memphis
4. East Carolina
5. Marshall
6. UAB

C-USA West:

1. UTEP
2. Tulsa
3. Houston
4. SMU
5. Tulane
6. Rice

My Conference USA Bowl Predictions:

C-USA:

Liberty: UTEP
Birmingham Bowl: Southern Miss
GMAC Bowl: Central Florida
Houston Bowl: Tulsa
Ft. Worth Bowl: UTEP
Hawai'i Bowl: Houston
New Orleans Bowl: Memphis

My All-American Team:

Offense:

QB Brady Quinn (Notre Dame)
RB Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma)
RB Micahel Bush (Louisville)
WR Ted Ginn Jr. (Ohio State)
WR Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech)
TE Greg Olsen (Miami)
C Kyle Young (Fresno State)
G Will Arnold (LSU)
G Mike Jones (Iowa)
T Justin Blalock (Texas)
T Levi Brown (Penn State)
K Mason Crosby (Colorado)
KR Darrell Blackman (N.C. State)

Defense:

DE Lawrence Jackson (USC)
DT Frank Okam (Texas)
DT Quinn Pitcock (Ohio State)
DE Lawrence Jackson (USC)
OLB Paul Posluszny (Penn State)
OLB Rufus Alexander (Oklahoma)
ILB Anthony Waters (Clemson)
ILB Patrick Willis (Ole Miss)
CB Antoine Cason (Arizona)
CB Leon Hall (Michigan)
SS Brandon Meriweather (Miami)
FS Michael Griffin (Texas)
P Mike Hughes (San Diego State)
PR Ted Ginn Jr. (Ohio State)

Toughest C-USA Stadiums: Part One

What's better than sitting inside your favorite college football stadium on a crisp, autumn afteroon; balancing a hot dog, a Coke, the official team program, and an authentic stuffed animal mascot in your hands while finding the perfect seat. It doesn't get better than college football cathedrals, and it is time to rank all twelve C-USA college football stadiums, from rauciously rowdy to dissapointingly dull. Here it is folks, my Top Six Toughest C-USA Football Stadiums:


1. Sun Bowl (50,200) Lying deep in the mountains of El Paso, Texas, the Sun Bowl provides a very beautiful scene from the outside, but a loud and tough atmosphere to play in on the inside. Over 50,000 Miner fans pack into the Sun Bowl each season to watch UTEP play. And if the raucious Miner fans or Texas heat does not get you, the student section will.

2. Liberty Bowl (62,380) The Liberty Bowl, which is played in more times in December by Southern Miss than Memphis, is home to one of the loudest stadiums in C-USA. If the Tigers are winning, the fans are screaming. The Golden Eagles have not won a game in the Liberty Bowl in this Century (dating back to 2000), as Tiger fans make it one of the toughest venues to play at in the conference.

3. M.M. Roberts Stadium (33,000) Don't let the size of this stadium fool you. 'The Rock', as it is more formally known by Golden Eagle faithful, is built at a slant, making it VERY loud. Ask Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who lost his voice after a game against USM in 2004. "It was so loud in there I couldn't even call the audibles. Only 27,000 people but it sounded like 80,000." How's that for tough?

4. Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,019) Marshall boasts a VERY impressive 105-10 record at home since 1991, and playing at 'The Joan' is something teams do not look forward to. A sea of green covers Joan C. Edwards stadium as the chant of "We Are... MARSHALL" echoes throughout Huntington. A very intimidating place to play, if you aren't careful.

5. Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (48,000) Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was a much more intimidating place when East Carolina was winning back in the late 1990's, but it has now somewhat fallen from it's once dominant atmoshpere. Sure, the loyal Pirate fans show up in droves, and they are loud at times, but it seems Dowdy-Ficklen has lost some of its splendor due to some very bad East Carolina teams. Maybe James Pinkney and a mature ECU team can change that.

6. Legion Field (71,954) Don't let the size of this stadium fool you. The Blazers do not come close to filling up Legion Field, but it can still be a very loud place when even half-way full. UAB is doing a good job in supporting a football team that just started up in the 2000's, and Legion Field can be intimidating when packed with green and gold. Southern Miss usually draws a crowd in the 40K range when visiting Birmingham, but other games may be sparsley attended.

Toughest C-USA Stadiums: Part Two

You've seen the six toughest stadiums in C-USA, from UTEP to UAB, and now it's time to round out the other half of the conference. Here is the Bottom Six Toughest Stadiums In C-USA:

7. Citrus Bowl (65,438) A record crowd of over 50,000 fans packed into the Citrus Bowl to watch UCF play Tulsa in the inaugural C-USA Championship Game (above), and if the Knights continue to win, fans will continue to come. The Citrus Bowl can be a very tough venue to play at, but Central Florida must continue to win to keep up the intimidation factor in the stadium. When UCF was losing, the fans were sparse and low-key. Last season, when the Golden Knights put up W's on the board, people came out to support Central Florida.

8. Skelly Stadium (40,385) Nothing really intimidating about this stadium except for the fact that it can be loud when full. Luckily for opposing fans, that isn't always the case, but expect for that to happen very soon because of Tulsa's recent success in C-USA. If Golden Hurricane fans can fill up Skelly Stadium, it could be intimidating, but for now, it is #8.

9. Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000) See Skelly Stadium except for the whole 'conference success' thing.

10. Louisiana Superdome (76, 791) The Superdome is more famous for hosting the infamous New Orleans Saints than Tulane's football team, and is way more intimidating Sunday afternoon than Saturday night. Tulane fans used make the Superdome very intimidating in the late 1990's, but have since failed like TU's latest football seasons.

11. Robertson Stadium (33,000) Robertson Stadium is very unintimidating, as the Cougars of Houston only average about 16,000 fans per game. A Texas high school game probablly has more in attendance, but Robertson Stadium does look like a Texas-sized high school facility. No bash on Houston, just not a very tough stadium to play in.

12. Rice Stadium (72,000) And finally (drum roll please), your least intimidating stadium in C-USA is....... Rice Stadium. One of the biggest in the conference, Rice Stadium is more known for holding President Kennedy's famous 'Moon Speech' than any Rice football game. Only about 10,000 geeky Dean's List fans and alumni show up to cheer on the Owls, but not before Jeapordy and a pre-game spelling bee, err, tailgate.

The Death Of A Champion

Ben 'Go Go' Garry is still the all-time career rushing leader at Southern Miss

I still remember hearing stories my dad told me about Ben Garry. The way he ran into linebackers, tempting them to hit him and knock the ball out of his hands. In a game in 1976, Garry ran around the right side of the field, only to be nailed so hard his helmet flew off of his head. The player that hit Garry lay motionless on the field, while #29 ran into the endzone for the score. And who could forget the five yard knee he took against Ole Miss - showing a touch of class to UM the Rebels could never quite achieve.

Ben 'Go Go' Garry, touted as "the most prolific runningback in Southern Miss history" by southernmiss.com, was killed in an automobile accident today at the age of 50. A native of Hazlehurst, Garry played high school football at Pascagoula High before arriving at Southern Miss in 1975, where he would go on to rush for 3, 595 yards between '75-1977, holding the all-time record for career rushing yards at Southern Miss. In his last season with the Golden Eagles, Garry was named Honorable Mention All-American and was selected as a First Team All-South Independent. He also led USM to upsets over Auburn and Ole Miss, capping a season in which he rushed for over 1,000 yards for a third consecutive year. Garry was inducted into the M-Club Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

"He was one of my all-time favorites", said Bobby Collins, Garry's coach for all three seasons at USM. "You could always depend on him - he worked really hard and was a real team player."

Ben 'Go Go' Garry was relentless in running right through tacklers, bouncing and knocking his way into the endzone at all costs. Garry sacrificed himself for his team, which is why he was a favorite among teammates. Jeff Bower, Garry's quarterback for the 1975 season, said he was "a heck of a player." "He was very talented - no ego", Bower said. "I don't think he realized how good he was." Indeed, Garry was not only a heck of a player, but a heck of a person. My thoughts and prayers are with the man that was so instrumental in the rise of Southern Miss. Mr. Garry will be truly missed.

R.I.P. Ben Garry

McCaleb, Nelson Tabbed Pre-Season All-Americans

Shawn Nelson, the 2005 New Orleans Bowl MVP, had arguablly the best season as a tight end in Southern Miss school history.

In the long summer days before we are able to enjoy crisp, autumn afternoons in college football stadiums around the nation, Southern Miss place kicker Darren McCaleb and tight end Shawn Nelson were tabbed Pre-Season All-Americans by Street's and Smith's, today. This marks the first time this season either was selected as a Pre-Season All-American, although both were picked as All-Conference USA players twice.

Despite many's unknowing, domestic assailant Darren McCaleb is not just good at kicking around his girlfriend. The most prolific place kicker in Southern Miss history set USM's all-time record for points scored (255), field goals kicked (23), most extra points in a season (38), and most kicking points acquired in a season (107). He also holds the school's record of field goals (53) and extra points (96). Maybe the most notable player on Jeff Bower's squad, McCaleb was arrested last season after a game against McNeese State for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend at a party inside a frat house. If McCaleb lives up to his billing as an All-American in 2006, he may get invited to even more 'tubular' parties this fall. (In all honesty, I like Darren. I just couldn't resist the inconsequential cheap shot).

2005 New Orleans Bowl MVP Shawn Nelson had arguablly one of the best seasons as a tight end in Southern Miss Golden Eagle history. Nelson was named a Freshman All-American and was selected as a third team All-Conference USA member last season. He was also a Freshman All-Conference USA player. Nelson attoned for much of Southern Miss's offense in 2005, leading the team in catches at 35 for 540 yards, averaging 15.4 yards a catch. After scoring two touchdowns for 121 in the New Orleans Bowl, Nelson was named MVP.

Both McCaleb and Nelson were named to C-USA's Pre-Season list, along with teammates George Batiste and Travis Cooley. The Golden Eagles will start the season in 67 days, 2 hours, and 20 minutes (but who's counting?) in The Swamp against Florida.

OSU Wins Two In A Row, Takes Title

Oregon State celebrates after winning its first ever NCAA Baseball Championship

My initial prediction was wrong, as Oregon State took two from North Carolina to win its first ever NCAA Baseball National Championship. Congratulations to the Beavers!