Blazers focus on Davis

[IE]

The school's all-time leading rusher and the highest ranked recruit in the program's history won't be in uniform for Southern Miss tonight when the Golden Eagles visit Legion Field for a Conference USA game against UAB.

Damion Fletcher, the Golden Eagles' senior running back who has 4,658 career rushing yards, is nursing a groin injury. DeAndre Brown, the five-star receiver who was the centerpiece of the team's 2008 signing class, won't be available because of a shoulder injury.

With two of USM's most explosive offensive players out of the game, UAB head coach Neil Callaway isn't wondering what the Golden Eagles will do in tonight's game that will be telecast on CBS College Sports Network. He expects the Golden Eagles (3-1, 1-0 C-USA) to simply turn to quarterback Austin Davis.

"They have a lot of weapons offensively, but, to me, he's kind of the thing that makes them go," Callaway said.

Davis, a 6-foot-2, 208-pound sophomore, is slated to start for the 18th consecutive game. In four games this season, Davis is 84-of-124 passing for 931 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception. The lone interception, which came on his 115th pass of the season, came early in the fourth quarter of last week's 35-28 loss at 18th-ranked Kansas.

Davis has also rushed for 11 touchdowns in his career with five of those coming in last year's 70-14 win over UAB.

"He's a guy that really does a good job of managing the game for them," Callaway said.

Part of that means he gets the ball in the hands of the other Southern Miss playmakers on offense.

Tory Harrison, Fletcher's backup, missed most of last Saturday's loss to Kansas with a leg injury. He appears ready to go against the Blazers (1-3, 1-1) and is scheduled to start. Harrison had 137 yards rushing with three touchdowns in last season's win over UAB.

The Golden Eagles also has credible running back depth with junior V.J. Floyd, true freshman Tracey Lampley and redshirt freshman Desmond Johnson.

Brown is a dynamic receiver but hardly the lone option for Davis. Tight end Leroy Banks and wide receiver Freddie Parham are tied with Brown for the team lead with 13 receptions. Banks has 178 receiving yards with two touchdowns while Parham has gained 115 receiving yards. Flanker Gerald Baptiste had 11 receptions for 134 yards with two touchdowns and tight end Jonathan Massey has two touchdown catches.

"I've been very, very impressed watching them on tape with their speed, offensively and defensively," Callaway said. "The skill positions on both sides of the ball can really run."

 

[IE]

Three things to look for: 1.


1.How does UAB fare in the passing game? The Blazers offense hasn't done much through the air the past two games. The Blazers defense is giving up way too much in the passing game. Can they do better tonight?

2.Which Joe Webb will show up? He earned national attention with a marvelous season opening effort in a win over Rice. Since then he's either been inconsistent or ineffective.

3.Who catches the ball? UAB will probably be without its two top wide receivers - Frantrell Forrest and Mark Ferrell - and Southern Miss won't have top pass catcher DeAndre Brown. Other receivers have to step up for both teams.

Key matchup::

Southern Miss MLB Korey Williams vs. UAB QB Joe Webb. The speedy Williams will play a big role in trying to limit Webb's big plays with his legs. If Southern Miss can limit Webb's success then UAB's offense will continue to struggle.

 

[IE]

Eagles wary of UAB QB Webb


UAB coach Neil Callaway couldn?t hide his feelings following his team?s 70-14 defeat at Southern Miss last season.


?It was very embarrassing, obviously, in all three phases of the game,? a dejected Callaway said after the Golden Eagles produced the biggest win over the Blazers in the history of the rivalry.

Southern Miss (3-1, 1-0 in Conference USA) has won every contest in the nine-game series, but it?s doubtful that any defeat stings worse for UAB fans than the dominance it faced at the hands of the Golden Eagles last year in Hattiesburg.

?We think about it a lot and can?t get it off our minds,? UAB defensive end Bryant Turner said. ?We have to focus on ourselves now and go out and do what we need to do (today).?

With star offensive players DeAndre Brown and Damion Fletcher unavailable in today?s 7 p.m. game, USM coach Larry Fedora isn?t buying any suggestion that the Golden Eagles will have another easy time of it against the Blazers (1-3, 1-1) in Birmingham.

?I don?t anticipate anything like last year,? Fedora said. ?We have to go up there and be prepared and motivated.?

The main reason for the Southern Miss coaching staff?s concern revolves around UAB quarterback Joe Webb. He is 13th in the nation with 108.0 yards rushing per game while passing for 621 yards and five touchdowns with five interceptions.

?We were very concerned about him last year going into the game,? USM defensive coordinator Todd Bradford said. ?He?s a very, very good player. He?s obviously running the ball very well. He?s had a couple of games where he?s just been unbelievable. We?re obviously concerned about his skills. He?s a good player and it will take multiple looks and a lot of different things to keep him in (the pocket) again.?

The Golden Eagles held Webb to just 140 total yards last season with 13 of those on the ground, but Webb was one of only two quarterbacks last season to throw for over 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards. Nevada?s Colin Kaepernick was the other.

?He can run it and throw it,? Fedora said. ?He can do it all. He?s right on track to (run to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards) again this year.?


But Webb has fallen off in the passing game recently, completing just 22 of his last 45 passes for a total of 174 yards.

?Joe has struggled throwing the ball, but we?ve had some guys struggle catching it, and we?ve had some guys struggle protecting,? Callaway said. ?I go back and look at our struggles in the passing game, and you can?t pinpoint just one thing. I think it?s all-inclusive. I?ve always felt like in throwing the football, everybody has to be on the same page. I just think we?re doing a poor job executing our passing game right now in all phases.?

If Webb can get the time to locate his receivers in tonight?s game, he has talented option in tight end Jeffery Anderson.

?They have skill guys that are good players,? Bradford said. ?You look at them, they?re leading our conference in rushing and are ninth in the nation. In total offense, they?re way up there in this league because they can move the ball and score points. We?re going into the game expecting them to be very good on offense and it?s going to take a great effort on our guys? part to play well.?

 

[ageecee]

Three things to look for: 1.


1.How does UAB fare in the passing game? The Blazers offense hasn't done much through the air the past two games. The Blazers defense is giving up way too much in the passing game. Can they do better tonight?

2.Which Joe Webb will show up? He earned national attention with a marvelous season opening effort in a win over Rice. Since then he's either been inconsistent or ineffective.

3.Who catches the ball? UAB will probably be without its two top wide receivers - Frantrell Forrest and Mark Ferrell - and Southern Miss won't have top pass catcher DeAndre Brown. Other receivers have to step up for both teams.

Key matchup::

Southern Miss MLB Korey Williams vs. UAB QB Joe Webb. The speedy Williams will play a big role in trying to limit Webb's big plays with his legs. If Southern Miss can limit Webb's success then UAB's offense will continue to struggle.

Does S. Miss try and ball controol with there top RB and WR out? plus keeping the ball away from Davis hands?

Under maybe?

 

[IE]

not sure they will hit 35 pts...you could be correct.

 

[ageecee]

Under down from 59 to 58.5

 

[IX_Bender]

Does S. Miss try and ball controol with there top RB and WR out? plus keeping the ball away from Davis hands?

Under maybe?

S.Miss tries ball control by keeping the ball away from Davis hands? He is the starting QB for them. This just doenst make sense.

Unless you are talking about the starting DT for UAB, Tim Davis Jr. Yeah, you wanna keep the ball away from him.

But yeah, there is that half point line movement.

 

[ageecee]

S.Miss tries ball control by keeping the ball away from Davis hands? He is the starting QB for them. This just doenst make sense.

Unless you are talking about the starting DT for UAB, Tim Davis Jr. Yeah, you wanna keep the ball away from him.

But yeah, there is that half point line movement.

My bad i meant to say keep the ball out of Webb's hands-UAB QB.