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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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| NBA | |
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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Outside The Spotlight: Southern Miss By Ron Jumper Everyone seems to write about USC, Texas, or some other powerhouse school this time of year. As for me, I just don’t see the fun in that. Haven’t we had our head banged against the wall enough by ESPN? Could Sports Illustrated be any more mainstream? Its like they don’t even try to hide they just want to put the big market teams on the cover. Is there no love for true sportswriting anymore? Has it all gone down the drain so we can make an extra buck? Well this writer still cares… The Southern Miss Golden Eagles get no real love as a football program but this a school that plays great football. Jeff Bower has done a wonderful job despite playing the third wheel to Ole Miss and Mississippi State. There are no blue-chip recruits, no ESPN cameras hiding in the bushes, and no real respect given by even its own state but that hasn’t stopped the Golden Eagles from doing what they do best which is winning football games. Despite the fact they have had nearly twice the wins as either Ole Miss or Mississippi State in recent seasons, no one seems to recognize the wonderful program developing in Hattiesburg. With plenty of bowl games and impressive wins on the resume, Jeff Bower has built his program by playing great defense and forcing turnovers. This a team that had a +14 turnover margin last season, good enough for 7th in the nation. With 15 starters back on a team that won 7 games, this team should be ready to make some noise in Conference USA this season. The conference has no clear favorite and should be available for the taking by a number of teams. The key is how quarterback Jeremy Young develops since he has only thrown 55 passes in his career. The good news is he has a great line and a great target to throw to. Returning four starters, including All-America candidate George Batiste at right guard, should make things easier for an inexperienced quarterback. His main target will be Shawn Nelson at tight end who, despite not being heavily recruited out of high school, earned freshman All-American honors. Not bad for a guy who, other than Southern Miss, only had offers from Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Monroe, and Mississippi State. The interesting thing this year is that the formula for success might change a little bit. It is unusual for a Southern Miss defense to have this many new starters and question marks. The defense has no returning starters at linebacker, an area that has been a staple for this program. The offense might end up carrying the load early on in the season, which some fans never thought was possible. However, with a trip to Florida coming first on the schedule there isn’t any time to waste. The defense had better be ready for Florida, who I feel are the favorites to win the SEC this season, because a bad loss on national television will set them back even further in their quest for respect. Overall, this team has more than enough talent to make this season the ninth time in ten years they will have gone on to post season play. If you have ever wanted consistency, look no further because Jeff Bower has got just that at Southern Miss. They have some question marks and an unfavorable schedule but don’t count them out just yet. July 16, 2006 |
| NCAA Football | |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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