USM keeps short term memory approach to losing streak

Five straight losses and five quarterbacks that have seen the field for Southern Miss this season and yet the Golden Eagles continue to keep their heads held high.

It’s been a while since the Golden Eagles felt quite like this, dropping a home game to UAB 34-0, the first shutout defeat in more than seven years since a rough night up in Starkville.

When you’re on QB5, it kind of is what it is, but at the time same, the Golden Eagles finding silver linings in the fact that they gave up just three points to the Blazers in that second half thanks in large part to former Gulfport quarterback, now converted linebacker, TQ Newsome, who had a big hand in a goal line fumble recovery for Southern Miss. “We talked about it on the sideline, the plays that we gave up, and it’s been like this all season, the plays that we give up defense, it’s not necessarily that they’re out-doing us, it’s that we’re shooting ourselves in the foot. We’re making mistakes, so when we go back and watch the film, we’ll see plays that we left on the field.”

Wide Receiver/quarterback Chandler Pittman said, “I mean it’s a process we’re going through. Unfortunately, we’re battling through injuries at the quarterback position, but like I told Coach Hall, I’m ready to step up if I needed to. You go through bumps and bruises, but I feel like as an offense, we’re still on the same page together. I mean there’s some things that we definitely need to clean up, but the injury situation kind of has the quarterbacks bouncing around.”

Head Coach Will Hall said, “Our culture is great. The way we are doing things is right, and these kids didn’t quit when it was very obvious the trajectory of how that game was going. Our kids kept playing. They kept fighting. We tell our kids all the time, my two kids don’t judge me as a father on good days. They judge me on how I parent on bad days, and we’ve got a bunch of old guys that are trying to leave a legacy right now, and a bunch of young guys that are trying to build for the future, and how they handle this hard situation matters. I think it matters a lot.”

Now after five straight losses, a much-needed break for USM who gets a bye week prior to playing three out of its next four games on the road starting with Middle Tennessee the day before Halloween.