Southern Miss football earns its ‘good first impression’ for Will Hall vs. FAU
For a Southern Miss football team left with little to play for other than to impress the incoming coach, the 2020 regular season ended on a bright note Thursday night at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
The Southern Miss offense pieced together its most complete performance of the season behind a rejuvenated third-string quarterback, Trey Lowe III, as USM thumped FAU 45-31.
Entering the contest, the FAU defense hadn’t allowed more than 20 points in a game and ranked third in the nation in scoring defense at 12.43.
On Thursday, USM piled up 514 yards — the biggest output of the season.
“I’m so proud of these men, this coaching staff. It’s a great way to leave this place,” interim coach Tim Billings said. “I have a soft spot for Southern Miss and I always will. Hopefully, this will offer a good start for next year and the new coaching staff. I expect to see them win a championship, unless I’m coaching against them.”
Southern Miss rushed 48 times for 305 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s first 300-yard rushing performance since 2016.
It was a surprising victory for a USM team that battled numerous obstacles all season against an FAU squad that finishes the regular season with a 5-3 mark.
USM went through three head coaches and three quarterback on its way to a three-win season.
The Golden Eagles (3-7) won a pair of games under Billings and one with man he replaced, Scotty Walden.
“We took a team picture the other day in all of our rag-tag practice jerseys,” Billings said. “We had black, and red and white, that’s how I wanted it. We looked like the ‘Bad News Bears’ and that’s kind of how this year has been. I’ve been doing this for 42 years. I don’t have any of those team pictures anywhere, this one I promise you will be up in my office wherever I’m at. This is a group I will always remember and a year I’ll always remember.”
Following Thursday night’s win, the Will Hall era officially begins at Southern Miss. The former Tulane offensive coordinator was on hand at “The Rock,” and he had to leave the game encouraged by what he saw out of a group of players that endured one of the toughest 2020 seasons in all of college football.
Players acknowledged after the game that they were motivated to make a good showing for Hall.
“I think it made a difference,” Lowe said. “You want to have a good first impression and I think that matters. At the end of of the day, you wanted to do it for the staff and Coach Billings.”
Trey Lowe III has strong outing vs. FAU
Making his third start of the season, Lowe had by far his best performance of the season.
The West Virginia transfer entered the game with 224 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions on 23-of-24 passing.
He finished Thursday night’s game completing 13 of 19 passes for 209 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
He was also effective on the ground, running 15 times for 73 yards and one touchdown.
“He’s been getting a lot of reps,” Billings said. “Tim Jones, he took (Lowe) and the other receivers and made them stay after practice. You could see the difference tonight. They had a connection. I thought Trey did a great job of handling everything, but I have to give Tim kudos for making them stay out there and work together.”
Jones led USM with six receptions for 65 yards and one touchdown.
Frank Gore Jr. breaks free for USM
Freshman running back Frank Gore hit the 100-yard mark for the third time this season, running nine times for 111 yards and one touchdown.
Gore’s 73-yard touchdown in the first quarter was his longest run of the season, quickly hitting the gap and weaving through the FAU secondary into the end zone.
He left the game in the third and did not return with an unspecified injury, putting it on Perkins and Lowe to carry the load in the ground.
Gore battled turf toe for much of the season.
Perkins finished with 15 carries for 71 and a touchdown.
Tim Jones likes what he’s heard from Will Hall
Each USM senior has the option of returning for the 2021 season under an NCAA ruling from earlier this year, but it remains to be seen who decides to take the field under Hall.
Jones, who should get a look as an NFL prospect, said Thursday night he was undecided on his future, but he was impressed by what he’s heard from Hall so far.
“I can tell he’s a winner with his attitude and how he carries himself,” the Biloxi native said. He’s said a lot of positive things, and I like that.”
Junior defensive back Camron Harrell, who had a 100-yard kickoff return Thursday night, believes Hall’s presence helped provide some extra motivation.
“It puts a good type of pressure on you,” he said. “I believe you have to make a good first impression and it helped that a lot of people stepped up.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2020 at 10:48 PM.
