2005 Opponent Preview: Southern Miss

Countdown To Kickoff: A preview of Alabama's 2005 opponents

Game Two: Southern Miss

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

When: September 10, 2005

Time/TV: TBA/ESPN2

About Southern Miss

2004 Record: 7-5 (5-3 in Conference USA)

Head Coach: Jeff Bower (USM --'75): Entering his 15th season as head coach, Bower has compiled an overall record of 96-67-1 at USM. Bower has led the Golden Eagles to 11 straight winning seasons and bowl appearances in seven of the last eight years. Bower's teams have a 1-12 record in games against Alabama, with the lone victory coming in 2000. How highly is Bower regarded in Hattiesburg? Check out this excerpt from his official bio: One can correlate Bower's meaning to the Golden Eagles as that of Bear Bryant and Alabama, Joe Paterno and Penn State and Bobby Bowden and Florida State.

Returning Letterman: 43 (Offense- 20, Defense- 19, Specialists- 4)

Returning Starters: 17 (Offense- 6, Defense- 7, Specialists- 4)

When USM has the ball: Bower dismissed Rip Scherer as offensive coordinator following the 2004 season, which means USM will be breaking in its second offensive coordinator in three years. Bower didn't leave Hattiesburg in finding Scherer's replacement as former running backs coach Jay Johnson was promoted to coordinator.

Quarterback Dustin Almond returns after a solid junior campaign. Almond, who is entering his third season as the starter, threw for 1,848 yards and 12 touchdowns a season ago. A hamstring injury kept Almond on the bench for last year's game at Alabama, a 27-3 Tide win. Damion Carter, who started in each of the Golden Eagles' last two appearances in Tuscaloosa, moved to wide receiver in the offseason.

Anthony Harris led the team in rushing a year ago (715 yards), but he's expected to spend much of his time this fall at fullback. Sophomore Larry Thomas provides the explosiveness the thicker Harris can't. Thomas was third on the team in rushing in 2004 and will likely get the starting nod at tailback. Redshirt freshman C.J. Barrows, a familiar name to Tide fans who follow recruiting, will also factor heavily at tailback. Former USM great Derrick Nix was promoted to the running backs job after Bower bumped Johnson up to offensive coordinator.

At wide receiver, USM must replace a pair of starters in Marvin Young and DaRon Lawrence, but it does return its top two receivers from a statistical standpoint in Antwon Courington and Anthony Perine. Courington led the team a year ago with 47 catches for 659 yards and five touchdowns.

USM has holes to fill at both tackle spots and at center. On a positive note, a pair of two-year starters return at the guard positions in juniors George Batiste and Travis Cooley. Chris Clark, a 2004 Conference USA all-freshman team selection, is a promising young player at tackle. At tight end, USM lost its top two players to graduation, leaving Jonathan Palmer, Pedi Causey and Shawn Nelson to battle for playing time.

What will USM do?: With Scherer out, expect to see fewer formations from USM and more of an emphasis on running the ball between the tackles. Almond and Courington will enjoy big seasons if the replacements at tackle and center pan out.

Match-up to watch: Alabama's front seven vs. USM's renewed commitment to a physical running game.

The big question: Can Alabama's defensive ends and tackles take advantage of USM's new starters at tackle and center?

When USM is on defense: Like its offensive counterpart, the USM defense will feature a new coordinator. After Tyrone Nix left to take a co-coordinator spot on Steve Spurrier's new staff at South Carolina, Bower hired Jay Hopson, a former USM assistant who spent the 2004 season coaching defensive backs at Ole Miss. Hopson plans to stick with the multiple 4-3 scheme Nix left behind.

Led by the return of two All-Conference USA performers, cornerback John Eubanks and safety Trevis Coley, the secondary is expected to be the strength of the defense. Eubanks, who doubles as a kick returner, recorded three interceptions and nine pass breakups a season ago. Coley, whose style of play resembles that of former UA linebacker Brooks Daniels, led the Golden Eagles in tackles a season ago with 104. If adequate replacements at linebacker cannot be found, Coley may be asked to move from free safety to weakside linebacker.

With the departure of all three starters, including three-time All-American Michael Boley, linebacker is a major area of concern. Hopson feels good about Naton Stewart at the strongside spot, but he's still waiting to see who will emerge at the other two positions. Wayne Hardy, Kenneth Boley (brother of Michael Boley), Gerald McGrath, James Denley and Kevis Coley (brother of Trevis Coley) will all see time at the weakside and in the middle.

Up front, starting defensive ends Akeem Lockett and Matthew Chatelain return. Lockett posted four sacks in making 12 starts a season ago. Chatelin's best performance of the 2004 season came against Alabama when he made a season-high five tackles. Shadler Manning's stock is on the upswing after a productive sophomore season that saw him rack up 44 tackles, two sacks, and four tackles for loss. On the inside, Terrance Ford and Tom Phillips will start at the three-technique and shade (or nose) positions, respectively. While both are steady, neither makes an abundance of big plays.

What will USM do?: Hopson, who worked in Ole Miss' 4-2-5 attack a year ago, claims there will be few changes schematically. Still, its likely the Alabama offensive staff will take a look at tapes of last year's games with Southern Miss and Ole Miss when getting ready for the Golden Eagles this time around. The obvious concern for Hopson rests in his front seven, which is home to precious few playmakers. As a result, look for teams to be able to take advantage of USM's talented secondary --which will be forced to assist against the run-- off of play-action.

Match-up to watch: Alabama's running game vs. USM's front seven.

The big question: Can Alabama's revamped offensive line open holes against an inferior USM front seven?

USM Special Teams: Eubanks is a two-time All-America selection as a return man. He ranked fifth in the nation in kickoff returns in 2004, averaging 29.4 yards per return. Eubanks, tabbed as the Conference USA special teams player of the

year a season ago, had season-long return of 97 yards for a touchdown against Houston. Placekicker Darren McCaleb is showing up on preseason All-America lists after making 16-of-19 field goal attempts last season. The Golden Eagles also return a two-year starter at punter in Luke Johnson, who averaged 41.8 yards per punt and placed 16 kicks inside opponents' 20-yard line in 2004.

2005 Southern Miss Football Schedule

Sept. 4 Tulane (3 p.m./ESPN2)

Sept. 10 at Alabama (ESPN2)

Sept. 17 McNeese State (6 p.m.)

Sept. 24 at Houston (6 p.m.)

Oct. 1 at East Carolina (5 p.m.)

Oct. 8 Tulsa (7 p.m./CSTV)

Oct. 15 UCF (6 p.m.)

Oct. 21 at UAB (7 p.m./ESPN)

Oct. 29 at N.C. State (TBA)

Nov. 8 at Marshall (6:30 p.m./ESPN2)

Nov. 19 Memphis (6 p.m.)

Also see: 2005 Opponent Preview: Middle Tennessee