Southern Miss didn’t get much love in C-USA honors, but here are Eagles who will thrive in ’18
Conference USA unveiled its preseason honors for the 2018 and the Southern Miss football team landed only one Golden Eagle in the lineup — redshirt senior kicker Parker Shaunfield.
The native of Aledo, Texas, was also named the Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year by the conference after converting 17 of 20 field goals and leading the team in scoring with 93 points during an 8-5 campaign in 2017.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the Golden Eagles were nearly shut out of this year’s preseason honors. Receiver Korey Robertson decided to forego his final year of eligibility and sign a free agent deal with the Minnesota Vikings, leaving USM without a marquee name for the 2018 season. Three other Golden Eagles wrapped up their eligibility and earned selections in the NFL Draft — safety Tarvarius Moore (49ers), running back Ito Smith (Falcons) and cornerback Cornell Armstrong (Dolphins).
The fact that Moore didn’t receive a first- or second-team all-conference selection after the 2017 campaign is still baffling. He proved his doubters wrong by becoming a third-round pick in the NFL Draft.
The preseason and postseason honors are decided by the Conference USA’s 14 coaches and sometimes they just get it wrong.
There are plenty of Golden Eagles who have a shot to emerge as all-conference performers this season in Jay Hopson’s third year as head coach.
Here’s a look at players who have the best chance to make a splash this year and receive C-USA postseason honors:
▪ Redshirt junior right tackle Drake Dorbeck — The Vicksburg native overcame a broken arm in the season opener against Kentucky to make a difference for the Golden Eagles in the final nine games of the season. He’s 6-foot-6, 320 pounds and has a chance to emerge as one of the best offensive linemen to ever play at USM. As long as he’s healthy, it’s hard not to see him as first- or second-team all-conference.
▪ Redshirt sophomore defensive end Jacques Turner — After receiving a redshirt in 2016, Turner was one of the best freshmen on the team last year. The 6-foot-1, 270-pound D’Iberville native came up with big plays in clutch moments, including plays to help cap off big road wins at Louisiana Tech and Marshall last season. He’s not the tallest defensive end, but has every other attribute that you’d want at the position — good strength, long arms and a motor that doesn’t quit. He should improve on the 21 tackles and four sacks from a year ago.
▪ Redshirt senior tight end Jay’Shawn Washington — He’s listed as a tight end, but USM offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson views him more as an over-sized slot receiver. He’ll line up in the slot and backfield this season. As long as he stays healthy, there’s a good chance that he will be USM’s leading receiver this year. After catching six passes for 72 yards last year, no offensive player may make a bigger leap forward than Washington.
▪ Redshirt sophomore linebacker Racheem Boothe — A C-USA All-Freshman selection in 2017, Boothe made an immediate impact in 2017. He had 79 tackles in 13 games last year and is the team’s top returning tackler. Along with Paxton Schrimsher and Jeremy Sangster, USM may have the best linebacking corps in the conference. Two seniors, Darian Yancey and Sherrod Ruff, will provide good depth.
▪ Redshirt sophomore receiver Quez Watkins — For the USM offense to succeed this year, it will be up to young receivers like Watkins to show significant progress this year. He has the speed. He just needs to catch the ball more consistently.
▪ Junior cornerback Ty Williams — The Golden Eagles got just what they needed at cornerback in Williams — a proven player out of East Mississippi Community College. If he can be a shutdown corner, the USM defense has a chance to again be one of the best in the conference.
Southern Miss will open the 2018 season at 6 p.m. on Sept. 1 against Jackson State in Hattiesburg.
This story was originally published July 16, 2018 at 2:18 PM.