‘The standard is not to go 7-5.’ Will Hall upbeat at USM, but he’s asking for more.
With a smattering of fans in attendance to watch the Southern Miss football team run through the sixth session of spring practice Saturday, new coach Will Hall gave the USM faithful on hand a glimpse of the passion and energy that he wants to bring to the program.
Never one to sit back and relax during practice, Hall bounced around the field and raced up to players to offer encouragement, or a quick critique.
At one point, Hall sprinted toward junior receiver Da’Quan Bailey-Brown, who had just watched a short pass hit a few yards in front him. Hall yelled, “You have to catch that,” before diving into the turf to show him what should have been done in that situation.
One of the defensive players hurdled the coach to avoid putting an imprint of his cleats on Hall’s back.
“A picture is worth a thousand words,’ Hall said. “I just want to make sure everybody understood it’s the effort we’re looking for. I love that kid. He has great faith, great energy. He’s going to be a great player. I was telling him right there, to be known as a great player you have to make the great play. You don’t get known as a great player by catching that ball that hits you right there 6 inches in front of the numbers. You become a great player by making the first guy miss every time and making a great catch that an average player can’t make.
“I was saying, ‘Hey man, that’s not the standard anymore.’ The standard is not to go 7-5. That’s not what Southern Miss does. It’s not what we’ve ever been about. It’s not what we’re about and it’s not accepted here. We’ve got to make that great play or at least do everything in our power to try. I know he will. (Bailey-Brown) responded phenomenally after that. He’s a heck of a young man.”
There was also one moment when Hall ran up to redshirt junior cornerback Eric Scott, Jr., who had just pulled in an interception while covering junior receiver Jason Brownlee.
“That was just an unbelievable play versus a good player,” Hall said. “That’s one I thing I want these kids to understand. That’s a really great football play he made, but he also did it against a great football player that’s proven.
“That’s one thing I was talking to Da’Quan Bailey-Brown about today. He’s got a chance to be a great player, but players are known as great players because they made great plays. LeBron James is a great player. Why? LeBron James made a lot of great plays.”
The players have responded well to Hall’s energetic style during practice.
“He’s animated, now,” redshirt sophomore quarterback Trey Lowe III said. “He brings a lot of juice, a lot of energy. He coaches hard and everybody knows he means well. It’s just a different type of love. He’s high-fiving you right back when you do something well. Everybody has reacted well to the coaches and him. I think we all love the staff, to be honest.”
USM make changes on offensive line
Hall and offensive line coach Jeremy Darveau have made a significant position change this week with junior Tykeem Doss switching from guard to left tackle. Senior Khalique Washington worked on the opposite side at right tackle on Saturday.
Doss, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 379 pounds, will bring some added size to the left tackle spot.
“I can’t say enough about Khalique through three practices. He looks like an all-conference performer, him and (senior center Arvin Fletcher),” Hall said. “Our starting five has been playing really well. We’ve just got to continue to add depth. (Redshirt freshman) Matt Ryals has really come on. He’s been a surprise.”
Hall also singled out redshirt senior offensive tackle Tanner Hawthorne and redshirt sophomore center/guard Kameron King for their play this spring.
Southern Miss receivers, corners do battle
The receivers and cornerbacks have had some nice competition this spring with defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong and cornerbacks coach Chad Williams asking the corners to run more man-to-man coverage.
Early on during Saturday’s practice, the receivers got the better of the battle.
“They got behind them for some huge, explosive plays. There might have been some busts,” Hall said. “We shored it up later and made some good plays. We got beat some and that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
“I think Coach Armstrong made some changes defensively and it settled down later on. It’s good to see that the defense did a good job of correcting that.”
USM’s spring game is set for 9:30 a.m. March 27.
This story was originally published March 6, 2021 at 1:38 PM.
