Sep 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd head coach Charles Huff during the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Ex-Marshall leader Charles Huff introduced as Southern Miss coach

Charles Huff posted 10 wins and earned a conference title this season for Marshall but will now venture into a major rebuilding project.

That’s because Huff was formally introduced as coach of Southern Miss on Thursday. The Golden Eagles went 1-11 this season and have won three or fewer games in four of the past five seasons.

“It wasn’t a, ‘OK, you’re looking at championship to worst team in the conference,’” Huff said at his unveiling in Hattiesburg, Miss. “It was, ‘Hey, you’re looking at a situation where holistically you feel you’re in a better situation, people, resources, opportunity, community buy-in, everything involved.’”

Huff, 41, went 32-20 with the Thundering Herd and won his last seven games with the school, including a 31-3 shellacking of Louisiana in the Sun Belt championship game last Saturday.

One day later, he agreed to a four-year deal worth $950,000 annually with Southern Miss. Earlier this season, Huff’s Marshall team crushed the host Golden Eagles 37-3.

Southern Miss fired Will Hall after seven games (1-6) and Reed Stringer (0-5) finished out the season on an interim basis.

Marshall will face Army in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28. Associate head coach Telly Lockette will lead the squad in the bowl game.

The Thundering Herd hired North Carolina State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson as their new head coach.

–Field Level Media

Nov 18, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Seth Davis (23) runs the ball while defended by Southern Miss Golden Eagles defensive tackle Josh Ratcliff (93) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Will Rogers propels Mississippi State past Southern Miss

Will Rogers threw for two touchdowns and Kyle Ferrie kicked four field goals to lift Mississippi State to a 41-20 win over visiting Southern Miss on Saturday with interim head coach Greg Knox at the helm.

Rogers completed 12 of 27 passes for 140 yards after returning from an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. Ferrie connected on field goal attempts of 48, 29, 41 and 30 yards.

Jeffery Pittman led the Bulldogs (5-6) with 98 yards and a score on the ground. Jo’Quavious Marks added 34 yards rushing and a receiving score.

Zavion Thomas had three receptions for 62 yards to pace the Mississippi State aerial attack. Lideatrick Griffin added four receptions for 32 yards and a score.

Golden Eagles quarterback Ethan Crawford threw a touchdown pass and finished with 52 yards. Billy Wiles, who has been Southern Miss’ primary quarterback for most of the season, passed for 89 yards and a score.

Frank Gore Jr. had 66 yards rushing and added a receiving score for the Golden Eagles (3-8). Jakarius Caston added a 44-yard touchdown reception, which cut Mississippi State’s lead to 23-13 early in the fourth quarter, and a 98-yard kick return for a score.

Southern Miss jumped out to a 7-0 lead when Crawford connected with Gore for an 8-yard touchdown pass on its opening possession.

Mississippi State trimmed the Golden Eagles lead to 7-3 when Ferrie nailed a 48-yard field goal.

The Bulldogs regained a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter when Griffin capped an eight-play, 53-yard drive with an 8-yard scoring reception.

Mississippi State entered halftime with a 16-7 lead following two field goals from Ferrie. The Bulldogs upped their lead to 23-7 early in the third quarter when Rogers hit Marks out of the backfield for a nifty 15-yard touchdown.

After a 44-yard touchdown pass from Wiles to Caston early in the fourth quarter, Ferrie hit a 30-yard field goal to push the Bulldogs’ lead to 26-13. But a 98-yard kick return for a score by Caston trimmed Mississippi State’s lead to 26-20.

A 59-yard run by Pittman and a 69-yard pick-six by linebacker Jett Johnson capped the scoring in the fourth quarter.

–Field Level Media

Oct 28, 2023; Auburn, Alabama, USA;  Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Mike Wright (14) carries against the Auburn Tigers during the third quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

After coaching change, Mississippi State faces Southern Miss

Following a 51-10 throttling at the hands of Texas A&M last weekend, the Mississippi State hierarchy decided to relieve head coach Zach Arnett prior to hosting in-state opponent Southern Miss on Saturday.

Arnett, the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator for three seasons, was promoted to interim coach and then head coach following the death of Mike Leach last December.

But after Arnett compiled a 4-6 record — which included a disappointing 1-6 mark in the Southeastern Conference — in his first season as a head coach, athletic director Zac Selmon made the change.

“I have the utmost respect for Zach Arnett and am incredibly appreciative of the effort he put forth in leading our football program,” Selmon said. “However, the progress and on-field results have not been of the standard required for Mississippi State to achieve the level of success we need and expect.”

Senior offensive analyst Greg Knox will serve as Mississippi State’s interim head coach for the rest of the season. But Knox may be without star quarterback Will Rogers (shoulder) for one more week. If that’s the case, backup Mike Wright will likely be behind center against Southern Miss.

After totaling just one win through eight games, the Golden Eagles (3-7) have beaten Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana in consecutive weeks, while improving to 2-5 in Sun Belt Conference play.

In the thrilling 34-31 overtime win over the Ragin’ Cajuns last week, Southern Miss’ Frank Gore Jr. ran for 158 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner from 3 yards out.

Gore (970 yards, nine touchdowns) is the team’s top rusher, while Jakarius Caston (30 receptions, 518 yards, five TDs) is the top wideout.

Billy Wiles (1,845 passing yards and 10 TDs) has been the Golden Eagles’ primary quarterback, but talented freshman Ethan Crawford orchestrated a 10-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game at 28-all with 1:26 left to play.

When asked about who will be under center Saturday, USM head coach Will Hall said: “You’ll have to wait and see.”

–Field Level Media

Florida State Seminoles tight end Jaheim Bell (6) and Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis (13) celebrate a touchdown during a game against the LSU Tigers on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023.

No. 4 Florida State looks to continue dominance, welcomes Southern Miss

At various times since Florida State’s last national championship 10 years ago, rumors of the Seminoles’ return to relevance were always that. FSU seemingly battled with Miami to see who could stay most irrelevant and who could disappoint their fan base more.

If the second half of Sunday night’s 45-24 rout of then-No. 5 LSU is any indication, those days are over. Florida State looked the part of a potential national champion, ripping off 31 consecutive points to turn a close game into a blowout that had Tigers coach Brian Kelly questioning everything about his program.

Now the task for the fourth-ranked Seminoles, beginning with Saturday night’s home opener against Southern Miss in Tallahassee, Fla., is to maintain that form consistently.

“I told them before (Sunday) that they are built for a time like this,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “This stage, two top 10 teams in the country.”

The Seminoles (1-0) scored on six straight possessions after a slow start, getting 342 yards and a career-high four touchdowns in the air from quarterback Jordan Travis. That noise one might have heard throughout the second half, other than the school’s war chant, was the hype machine cranking up Travis’ Heisman Trophy campaign.

Throwing to receivers like Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson will do nothing but help Travis’ chances of hoisting some hardware in December. Coleman caught nine passes for 122 yards and three scores, while Wilson chipped in seven catches and 104 yards.

It was the first time two Florida State receivers went over 100 yards in the same game in five years. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they did it again.

“Just knew it was a matter of time,” Travis said. “Just had to get locked in and stay focused and keep the main thing the main thing. … It’s fun out there and it’s fun winning football games.”

While the Seminoles allowed 460 total yards, they also sacked Jayden Daniels four times and forced a pair of turnovers. The defense didn’t permit any second-half points until a 75-yard touchdown pass in the final two minutes.

Meanwhile, Southern Miss also opened the season 1-0, cruising to a 40-14 win last weekend against FCS foe Alcorn State in Hattiesburg, Miss. New starting quarterback Billy Wiles, a Clemson transfer, completed 21 of 28 passes for 267 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

The third starting quarterback in as many years for the Golden Eagles, Wiles has certainly impressed third-year coach Will Hall.

“I thought Billy came out sharp. I thought he played really, really well,” Hall said. “We’re just way better at quarterback than we used to be. He’s a good player that pours everything he has into it.”

Wiles’ emergence should only aid the offense’s centerpiece, running back Frank Gore Jr., who rushed for 1,382 yards last year. Gore scored a touchdown last week on just six carries.

Florida State leads the all-time series between the teams 14-8 and took a 42-13 win on Dec. 27, 2017, in the teams’ last meeting at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.

–Field Level Media

Hall of fame punter Ray Guy talks about the good old days with Niqui Hayden, Executive Director of the DC Metro Raiders during the 54th Annual York Area Sports Night, April 4, 2019 at the Heritage Hills Golf and Conference Center.

Ydr Cc 4 4 19 Sports Night

Ray Guy, only NFL punter in Hall of Fame, dies after long illness

Ray Guy, considered by many to be the greatest punter in NFL history, died Thursday following a lengthy illness.

His alma mater, Southern Mississippi, announced his passing. The university said he was 73, though several other sources list him as 72.

At Southern Miss (1970-72), Guy also played defensive back. He has the longest punting average in the history of the Golden Eagles at 44.7 yards, and he still ranks among a trio of players to hold the school record for interceptions in a season with eight, achieved in 1972. He is second in career interceptions (18) and was named an All-American in his final college season.

He remains at legend at Southern Miss, where he also kicked field goals, including a 61-yark kick against Utah State that set an NCAA record at the time. A pitcher on the Golden Eagles baseball team, he threw one of six no-hitters in program history.

The Oakland Raiders selected him with the No. 23 overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft — making him the first and still only punter ever taken in the first round. He also became the only punter enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when elected in 2014.

“When we first drafted him, it was a heck of a choice,” John Madden, the late Raiders coach, once said of Guy. “I thought then he could be the greatest in the league, but I changed my mind. I think Ray proved he’s the best of all time.”

Guy, a Georgia native, spent 14 seasons in the NFL, all with the Raiders franchise. He was selected as an All-Pro six times and won three Super Bowls with the Raiders, the most title ever for an NFL punter. He also was named to the 75th and 100th anniversary NFL all-time teams at punter and the 1970s All-Decade Team.

His selection to the Hall of Fame was long overdue when he finally was voted in.

“I hope I inspire young punters to achieve their dreams to one day play in the NFL and maybe even be elected into the Hall of Fame,” Guy said in his induction speech. “It’s been a long, long overdue, but now the Hall of Fame has a complete team. Punters are a very important part of the team, regardless how many times they step on to the field. t only takes one play to change the outcome of a game. So punters, keep the faith. You are an important part of every game.”

He continued: “It’s awesome to be considered one of the game’s best and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. To know my legacy will forever be a part of pro football history and that my bust will be alongside the greatest athletes of all times. It leaves this old punter speechless.”

Guy holds the Raiders record for most career punts (1,049) and led the NFL three times (1974-75, 1977) in gross punt average. He also kicked his career-longest punt of 77 yards in 1980.

When he retired, he did so with a streak of 619 straight punts without a block and only three blocked in his career. After retirement, he went on to work for Southern Miss.

The annual award for college football’s top punter, the Ray Guy Award, is named in his honor.

— Field Level Media