Southern Miss is 3-0 against the spread vs FBS opponents this season.

The fact that he has signed to the Patriots for the 4th time is not really a surprise. Signing to the practice squad is.

On this week's episode of To The Top Talk: our guest is Scott Watkins, Southern Miss beat writer for the Sun Herald. #SMTTT

Links to iTunes, Spotify & more: tothetoptalk.com

When the KY QB was hit by a target and fumbled, why didn't their coach ask the ref to review the targeting? What is the rule? Is it too late to call a penalty if the review is viewed for a fumble and the ref sees there was targeting? Is he obliged only to review the fumble?

Wife and I spending two weeks in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Went into a gift shop this afternoon in Bennington, VT, wearing my USM attire of course, and man running it said another USM couple had come in earlier today. I questioned him if he was sure and he said yes, that he talked to them and he knew we had beaten Tulane last week. I was blown away with the odds of this happening. Don’t agree with their political views up here but it is beautiful country.

• Aug 10, 2022

I look for victories over the following:

Liberty, in an upset. Our defense will rattle their QB early and often.
South Alabama and Troy. We owe them big time.
Georgia State.
Texas State
Arkansas State
ULM
Northwestern

Lose to:

Miami
Coastal Carolina
Louisianna
Tulane

I have swapped one loss and one victory in predictions. We all know we should have won the Liberty game but didn't. I still feel good about the rest of the year. SMTTT

If they would have beaten USM.

Wallner with Minnesota, Robinson with Cincinnati, McCarthy and Sandlin with Cleveland. Am I leaving anyone out?

I very much disliked the CUSA website. It was not user friendly and didn't give me the information I needed. The SBC website has been great to use. I like looking at the football stats for the teams and individuals. By the way, we lead SBC in defensive sacks. Gore is number 5 in rushing.....

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On the people who want Ladner replaced:

"They're going to have to wait because they're going to have to see him win the league, get an extension and be for a long time down here at Southern Miss."

Your thoughts?

There will be a lot going on in the pre-season this year as there are a bunch of new players all at the same time who have never played together before.

Middle Tennessee beat Miami at Miami. Not a good look for the Eagles.

USM vs. Nebraska (2004)

Noticed this gem was posted to YouTube recently! I wanted to share this full game video with my fellow Golden Eagle fans. I hope that one day we can return back to playing and upsetting those Power 5 teams that we used to play. It is about time that USM restarts the philosophy of playing "Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime". #SMTTT

They can be wrong, even if they've been right many times before. JP is saying it's not Hank Bounds...the search continues. Don't know any more than that.. So good news for those that didn't see any benefits with HB. I just hope we get someone that can change the perception of our school with high school kids so that we can grow our student body.

Had a chance today to ask Zach a few questions after practice today. Here is the transcript of that.

1. What was difference in you from week one where you saw no action to week two starting at Miami.

"I don't think anything changed. Ty (Keyes) got an injury. I prepare the same way if I don't play or if I do."

2. At what point when you arrived on campus did you say, "I can play at this level." When did things start to "click" for you.

"I believed I could play at this level as soon as I arrived on campus (Spring 2022). It was about four or five practices in that things started to click for me."

3. Coach Hall said yesterday that you solidified yourself as starter because of your performance at Tulane. Does that give you confidence?

"Yes, it gives me confidence that I don't have to look over my shoulder anymore. I am never going to relax, I am still going to compete no matter if it is Ty or someone else."

4. What was the biggest difference for you in the Tulane win from the start of the game till about eight minutes to go in the second quarter when the offense starting moving the football? What worked for you and the offense?

"The offensive line started to give us more time. I slowed down and my nerves came down. I just calmed down and went through my reads."

5. You talked about calming down and the game slowing down. How much has the game slowed down for you since the trip to Miami?

"It (the game) has gotten a lot slower since the Spring even before the Miami game. Miami has a really good defense. Tulane has a really good defense as well. I believe (before this past Saturday) that Tulane had not given up a play of more than 30 yards in their previous three games. The game really slowed down for me in the second half at Tulane.

6. You seem to have got some chemistry with Brownlee and Caston at wide receiver. Who are some other guys you want to build that chemistry/connection with going forward.

" I like Demarcus Jones and Frog (Latreal) Jones too. These are two really good guys who can make the play every time."

7. It seemed as though at the end of the Tulane game you and the Tulane defense were exchanging "pleasantries" as the clock was winding down. For members of BGN to understand, is that the type of guy you are? Someone who doesn't back down from a challenge.

"(Laughing) I was just wishing them best for the rest of this season and on their future endeavors. I will never back down to anyone. After the game I went and told them it was all love and just part of the game."

8. What are you going to do during this week off to get better?

"Coach Hall told the whole team to get with their position coaches this week and work on things each player felt they needed to do better. For me, it is not making a decision on certain plays before the snap and leadership. My role has changed and I have to be a leader now. I can be a little silly at times and I need to work on being more serious at times too."

9. How much does having a head coach who was a former quarterback/someone who has been in the trenches before help you?

"He (Coach Hall) invest in me every day. He is the best role model anyone could ask for. He exspects something out of me, I always feel that. It is not a bad pressure, but a good pressure. I know he loves me and I could tell that from when he recruited me. He wants things done a certain way and I will do my best to do it that way."

Hope you all enjoyed this chat with Golden Eagles QB Zach Wilcke. It was a fun interview and the young man has plenty of charisma. Please post your thoughts below.

Not to complain about a great play but I wanted to confirm that a blocked field goal could have been forwarded by the Southern Miss players. There were no Tulane players nearby when the Southern Miss players fell on the ball. As I understand it even if a Tulane player fell on the ball it would have been turned over on downs, right?

On this week's episode of To The Top Talk:
We recap the Golden Eagles' 27-24 victory over the Tulane Green Wave. #SMTTT
Links to iTunes, Spotify & more: tothetoptalk.com