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News Nuggets, 09.28.05
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Storm-weary USM starts tough stretch at ECU

JACKSON, MS — Southern Mississippi vows to play anyone, anywhere, anytime. Two hurricanes have put that slogan to the test.

The Golden Eagles had two games postponed by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. To squeeze in the makeup dates, the schedule was shuffled and two bye weeks were scrapped.

Now, if they reach the Conference USA title game on Dec. 3, they will play 10 games in 10 weeks.

``Like our motto says, that's how we're going to approach it,'' quarterback Dustin Almond said Tuesday night. ``As a football team, we like challenges, and it's going to be a challenge.''

The team's two-month test of endurance begins Saturday in its league opener at East Carolina.

``We're going to get into a stretch where we are going to play a lot of games without time off,'' coach Jeff Bower said. ``I think the players have handled it well. Our practices have been good. They know there's nothing anyone could've done about the games being canceled. We know we are going to play and they will be excited about playing.''

When the schedule was announced, Southern Miss had three weekends off in November. Two sandwiched a weeknight game, and the third fell between the season finale and the league title game.

The schedule was rearranged after the storms ravaged the region.

Katrina blew through Hattiesburg late last month, knocking down trees and power lines, sending the football team to a Memphis hotel for a week and forcing officials to postpone the Sept. 4 opener against Tulane.

Southern Miss played Alabama and McNeese State in consecutive weeks before Rita threatened the Texas Gulf Coast and convinced the league to push back the Sept. 24 game at Houston.

The Golden Eagles will visit the Cougars either Nov. 12 or 13 and will face Tulane on Nov. 26. The moves give Southern Miss a backloaded schedule with four straight road games and one game each week through November.

``Coach tells us once you get tired, it's all in your mind, so we'll get ready to play every week,'' cornerback John Eubanks said. ``If we have to play four on the road, that's what we're going to do.''

The Golden Eagles weren't supposed to play during the first two weekends in November because they're scheduled to visit Marshall on Tuesday, Nov. 8 — a few days before the makeup date with Houston.

Conference USA and Southern Miss officials are considering switching the game in Huntington to Nov. 5 to allow the team enough time to prepare for the Cougars.

``Our preference would be to move the Marshall game to Saturday and then play the following Saturday against Houston,'' Bower said. ``Whether or not that can be worked out, I don't know.''

ECU Letterwinners/H.O.F. Weekend schedule

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from Associated Press and other sources. Copyright 2005 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:28 PM