Here’s what we learned from Southern Miss football’s win over UTEP
If the Southern Miss football team has a shot at making a run at a Conference USA title, a great deal relies on the right arm of redshirt junior quarterback Jack Abraham.
If the C-USA opener vs. UTEP is an indication of what’s to come, the Golden Eagles should have no problem putting up big numbers in the passing game during conference play.
Abraham completed 19 of 28 passes for 351 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in a 31-13 victory over the Miners
Abraham set his season high for touchdowns and averaged 18.5 yards per completion with his longest pass coming on the first score of the game — a 74-yard completion to senior running back De’Michael Harris on a screen play.
It was a double-screen call that also gave Abraham the option of throwing to redshirt junior receiver Quez Watkins, and there was nothing but green turf in front of Harris.
“We brought Quez in motion. I was reading that screen and they guarded that,” Abraham said. “De’Mike, it was wide open. They really respected Quez a little more on that play and that opened up (Harris).
“We had worked on it a little bit throughout the week and kind of had an expectation on it to open up. I was kind of leaning to throw to (Harris) on that one just considering the looks they were showing us.”
Harris, who played receiver a year ago, showed off his versatility Saturday night with 11 rushes for 66 yards and a touchdown to go with two catches for 80 yards and a score.
“He’s made the offense that much more dynamic, having that speed back back there,” Abraham said. “He’s a dynamic playmaker that can go out there and make plays at any given time. That kind of gives us more options out of the backfield. He can run routes and he can also get in there and run up the middle.”
Abraham did a nice job of spreading the ball around, hitting eight different receivers. Four receivers had 47 yards or more with Jaylond Adams leading the way in receptions with five for 58 yards and a TD.
Through five games, Abraham has completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 1,515 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions.
Harris and redshirt junior Kevin Perkins put in sold games running the ball. Perkins had 11 rushes for 65 yards as USM ran 37 times for 168 yards as a team.
USM improves to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in C-USA while UTEP dropped to 1-3 and 0-1. The Golden Eagles are one of three teams who are undefeated early in C-USA play, joining Louisiana Tech (4-1, 2-0) and North Texas (2-3, 1-0). La. Tech beat Rice 23-17 in overtime on Saturday and North Texas lost a non-conference contest, 46-25, to Houston at home.
Beer sales
A crowd of 23,337 was on hand for Saturday’s game as USM offered beer sales for the first time at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
The most noticeable difference in the crowd was that the student section appeared to be more packed than usual. Also, most of the students stayed in their seats after halftime.
USM offered 10 different beer selections at 10 stands within the stadium.
Defensive showing
The Southern Miss defense had a hard time slowing down UTEP quarterback Kai Locksley when he decided to take off with the ball.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior consistently found space in the middle of the field, running 12 times for 114 yards and a touchdown.
Locksley, son of Maryland head coach Mike Locksley, took the Miners’ first snap of the second half and ran 63 yards untouched up the middle for a touchdowns.
After having a hard time getting to the quarterback early in the season, USM came up with four sacks Saturday with former Resurrection Catholic standout Darius Kennedy earning 1 ½ sacks.
Junior defensive end Eriq Kitchen, who also had a sack, is confident he and his teammates will get to the QB more often going forward.
“We got (UTEP QB Brandon Jones) on the ground a couple of times,” Kitchen said. “It could have been a couple more times. It’s going to come.”
UTEP was held to 294 total yards — 168 in the air on 14-of-28 passing.
Heads up moment
Redshirt freshman defensive back Malik Shorts had a nice play on special teams to set up Southern Miss for a field goal on the final play of the first half.
UTEP attempted a failed squib kick that bounced off of Shorts, a Jefferson Davis County product, and he quickly recovered at the UTEP 49 with 16 seconds remaining before the half.
On the next play, Abraham hit Biloxi product Tim Jones for a 29-yard pass play to the UTEP 20.
With 3 seconds remaining, freshman Andrew Stein converted on a 38-yard field goal to give the Golden Eagles a 24-6 lead at the half.
“That was big, what a swing,” USM head coach Jay Hopson said. “They get the answer (a field goal) right before half and we counter back. That was a heady play. It wound up being a good thing for us.”
Injury report
USM redshirt sophomore running back Steven Anderson was injured in the second quarter and did not return to the game.
He was injured on a short run up the middle and was helped off the field by trainers. He was putting very little pressure on his left foot as he walked back to the sideline.
Redshirt senior receiver Jordan Mitchell, who had a blocked punt and a touchdown reception, and junior guard Bryce Foxworth also left the game in the second half and did not return. Mitchell and Foxworth both walked off the field under their own power.
Three other USM players who missed the 49-7 loss to Alabama last week did not play: sophomore running back Trivenskey Mosley, freshman guard Coker Wright and redshirt junior linebacker Racheem Boothe.
All four players will have extra time to get ready for the Oct. 12 homecoming game against North Texas as USM enters a bye week. Kickoff for the UNT game is set for 6 p.m.
“Racheem, we held him again this week,” Hopson said. “I think that’s going to be a big help for us, getting the bye week right now.”
This story was originally published September 28, 2019 at 10:58 PM.
