Southern Miss’ defense knows it needs to slow down UTSA quarterback Cordale Grundy at Saturday’s homecoming football game at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
Southern Miss’ offense knows it needs to quit making mistakes when it gets close to the goal line.
“When we have the opportunity to make plays, we’ve got to put that dagger in,” Golden Eagle head coach Jay Hopson said.
Game time Saturday is 6 p.m. ESPN+ will televise the contest.
Southern Miss is 2-3 overall, 1-1 in Conference USA. UTSA is 3-4 and 2-1.
Southern Miss has lost three of its last four games, including a 30-7 decision to North Texas last week in a game that was 10-7, North Texas, at halftime. Six times, the Eagles got into North Texas territory only to fizzle out and not score.
“We’ve got to quit shooting ourselves in the foot,” USM offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. “We’d drive down into the red area and every single time we did something stupid and you can’t do that against a good football team.
“Between the 20s we played pretty well. When we got down there, we played horrendous.”
Southern Miss is averaging less than 100 yards rushing per game (98.4) and has run for less than that in its past two games combined (95). Average yards per carry this season is 3.1. Hopson said he considers both Tez Parks and Trivenskey Mosley as starters.
The trouble lies with the entire offense, Hopson said.
“It’s offensively, not just the offensive line or the running backs,” he said. “We have the people to do it, we’ve just got to do it. From the 35 on in, we’ve got to score.”
“We’ve got to execute and make sure we’re on the same page,” Southern Miss right guard Ty Pollard said.
Jack Abraham, who has completed 70.5 percent of his passes for an average of 316.2 yards per game, remains the No. 1 quarterback for USM. He has thrown 12 touchdown passes and has had six passes intercepted.
Kwadra Griggs, who was the No. 1 quarterback most of last season but was suspended and missed several games this year, played a bit Saturday although his mother died earlier that morning.
“I wanted to give the young man an opportunity to get in and play,” Hopson said.
Wide receiver Jaylond Adams missed the North Texas game with an ankle injury but Hopson hopes he will be ready for UTSA. Jordan Mitchell replayed Adams against North Texas and caught 12 passes for 135 yards.
UTSA is led by quarterback Grundy, who is connecting on 51.2 percent of his passes this year and is averaging 141.4 yards per game in the passing department.
“They have a very athletic quarterback,” Southern Miss defensive coordinator Tim Billings said. “The quarterback can really run the football.”
Grundy is averaging 23.0 yards per game rushing, while B.J. Daniels leads the team at 41.0 yards per game.
“They have our utmost respect and we know it’s always a battle,” Hopson said. “When you play Conference USA football, every weekend's a war. That's just the way it is. They're a talented football team and they're a well-coached football team.
“They have a lot of personnel groupings offensively, a lot of different formations defensively and they're very aggressive. It's a football team that makes you work.”
Work is in the plan.
“We’ve got to roll up our sleeves and go to work.” Hopson said.
The homecoming parade will be at 11 a.m. Saturday and the Eagle Walk will be at 4 p.m.
