Spring football finally came to an end under first-year coach Southern Miss coach Charles Huff.
This year’s spring game featured four quarters of five minutes of running clock action, which totaled in the range of 40 plays run. Huff has referred to the spring as a time to evaluate the roster and develop individual players.
The first-team offense and second-team defense were paired on the White Team, while the first-team defense was paired with the second-team offense on the Black Team. Each team scored a touchdown on the day, but the day belonged to the offense.
“We’re ahead of places I’ve been because we have such a veteran presence on the offensive side,” Huff said. “There’s probably one or two pieces we need to add on the offensive side that will create some depth and some continuity with our guys to be able to move some guys around, but I feel really good about where we are.”
Bralon Brown – Wide Receiver
Arguably, the most impressive day belonged to Marshall transfer wide receiver Bralon Brown, who was productive in both quarters. Brown finished the day unofficially hauling in six catches for 59 yards and a touchdown.
“I thought we had some big plays on the perimeter today,” Huff said. “Bralon Brown did a really good job.
“I think when you look out there, our skill (guys) are pretty deep. We split them up today, but if those guys had been rolling then that skill group is pretty deep.”
Brown, who started his career at Ole Miss, shows he’ll likely be a key piece in the passing game, with starting quarterback Braylon Braxton and backup QB John White both favoring him.
Brown hauled in three straight catches from Braxton before the half. Then, in the fourth quarter, Brown hauled in two catches that helped set up a 7-yard touchdown reception in the back of the end zone that he came down with over a defender.
“I’m excited about our whole offense,” Brown said. “The pieces that I would say excite me are probably our playmakers on the outside. We got a glimpse of Bralon Brown today to see what he can do. He is a big-time playmaker for us. We have a lot of other guys who can make plays outside. I feel like we are going to be a tough team to gameplan for when you take into account how many weapons we have and how we can hurt you in so many different ways.”
Moses Gray – Running Back
The running back room seemed to be thin with Ole Miss transfer Matt Jones, Utah State transfer Robert Briggs have dealt with injuries, while Mississippi State transfer Jeffery Pittman was held out.
Gray filled in as one of the primary running backs and delivered some strong runs with him, totaling eight touches for 55 yards. Gray’s highlight runs included two 11-yard runs, a 9-yard run and an 8-yard run.
Huff did add that certain players were purposely limited and as many as 10 players that did not play. Notable players who did not participate in the spring game also included Brendan Toles, Armondous Cooley, Eric Thomas Jr., Cameron Knox, Ishmael Ibraheem, Jabari Shmael, and Brodarius Lewis.
Davis Dalton – Wide Receiver
Dalton saw snaps with the second-team offense but made use of his time as he came down with two catches for 10 yards and a touchdown.
“I feel like all of the receivers we have have significant value,” Dalton said. “Anybody we can put out there at receiver would be able to on any given Saturday from top to bottom.”
The Madison-Ridgeland Academy product got open in the back of the end zone from backup quarterback Landry Lyddy, a UAB transfer. Dalton compared the newly implemented offense by offensive coordinator Blake Anderson to his high school.
“I kind of like this offense because it’s similar to what I ran in high school,” Dalton said. “My high school coach got a lot of what he is running at MRA, which is what we are running here. He is friends with Coach Anderson and has a lot of the same stuff, and some of the same play calls and signals are even the same. I ran a lot of the same base offense. Obviously, it’s a little harder now in college and more detailed. I’m a lot more comfortable with it.”
John White – Quarterback
Like Davis, White also played at MRA and looked comfortable in the offense. White took snaps in the second half of the spring game but put together a strong performance as he went 7-for-7 with 76 yards and a touchdown pass that went to Brown.
However, all of the quarterbacks were limited in how much they could run, which made a difference for Braylon Braxton, who was 5-for-6 with 47 yards but was sacked twice. Lyddy also concluded the day 7-for-9 with 47 yards.
“Our quarterbacks were limited in what they could do," Huff said. "Braylon is going to be a guy that, when his legs activate, he’ll be a lot more effective and a lot more dangerous. That’s going to force the defense to play differently as well.”
Defensive Highlights
No turnovers were forced, and only three sacks were recorded by Southern Miss’ defense. Despite the lack of production, the returning sophomore linebacker was adamant about the talent on the team’s defense.
“This is probably the best defense I have been a part of as far as knowing what’s going on,” said Jones, who made two tackles. “I’ve learned a lot of football throughout my lifetime, this is the most I’ve learned football. Actual football. How to predict plays, how to know what’s going to go on before the play and things of that nature. I have learned so much out of this defense.”
Arizona State J’Mond Tapp sacked Braxton on third and long, while MaLik Caswell sacked Braxton by blitzing from the defensive backfield. The final sack of the day came in the final play, which featured Jameer Lewis bringing down Kyle McCormick.
The lone potential turnover came on White’s touchdown drive. Tight end Kyrin Heath came down with an 18-yard pass but fumbled the ball that was recovered by the offense.
“Offensive line-wise, we couldn’t get a full one group or two group, so we had to break some guys apart,” said Huff on the performance of the offensive line. “Every guy wasn’t playing next to the guy they would normally play to. I thought, for the most part, we protected well.
“I thought we protected well and gave ourselves a chance.”
What's Next?
Southern Miss will now shift its attention to the transfer portal and will focus on the defensive line.
“I don’t know how many of those guys may walk in and say, ‘Hey, coach, I think there’s a better opportunity for me somewhere else,’” Huff said. “I want volunteers, not prisoners. We’re probably going to attack the defensive line and the defensive side of the ball really, really hard because we attacked the offensive side of the ball really hard in December. It will balance up.”
As for the players that will be staying and be added through the portal, Braxton says it will be the point of emphasis to bring the team together.
“We came over here as Marshall, Utah State and Southern Miss,” Braxton said. “In this summertime process, we’re all going to become Southern Miss. One football team.
“Everybody is going to have to become comfortable with everybody.”
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