USM landed another key transfer on defense. Here’s a deep dive on defense as a whole
BY PATRICK MAGEEJUNE 30, 2021 05:00 AM,
UPDATED 49 MINUTES AGO
When Southern Miss defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong discusses goals for the 2021 season, there’s no getting into the weeds on formations or talking about how difficult of a schedule the Golden Eagles face this season.
Armstrong keeps it simple and to the point.
“The main objective is if you’re going to play defense, you’re going to run to the ball,” he said. “I don’t care about scheme. We have great coaches; we’ll get that taken care of. I want to play with relentless effort.
“We don’t compromise on tackling. If we can’t tackle, it’s all irrelevant.”
USM fans still cringe when they recall South Alabama players running through the grasp of Golden Eagle defenders in last season’s 32-21 loss to the Jaguars in Hattiesburg.
As a result of performances like the South Alabama debacle, often the first question that Armstrong faces when he bumps into a fan is, “Are we going to tackle better this season?”
AUSTIN ARMSTRONG CONFIDENT ABOUT HIS USM DEFENSE
First-year USM head coach Will Hall, who may be the most optimistic college coach this side of Dabo Swinney, chose Armstrong to lead his defense partly because his former assistant at West Georgia and Louisiana shares that similar silver-lining outlook.As he breaks down each area of the USM defense, you get the idea that Armstrong isn’t all that concerned about deficiencies in different position groups.
It’s as if Armstrong can see the pieces of the puzzle coming together as he bounces from position group to position group.
One new approach by Armstrong is he’s a believer in a “rep chart” rather than the usual depth chart.
“If you play good, you get more reps,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to evaluate each skill set and what they can do, what they can’t do well. When situations arise, like if we need a pass rusher on third down, that’s who is going to play. If you can play man-to-man and that’s the situation, the man-to-man guy is going to play.
“It’s very personnel-based. If you do something really good and those situations arise, you’ll get more playing time.”
JOKER GILL A KEY ADDITION TO SOUTHERN MISS DEFENSE
USM left spring practice with several areas of concern on the defensive side of the ball — lack of depth on the defensive front, an injury to linebacker Hayes Maples and a secondary still adjusting to playing mostly man coverage.Southern Miss made two additions upfront early in the summer in former Memphis defensive end Everitt Cunningham and Virginia Tech transfer defensive tackle DaShawn Crawford.
On Monday, USM made another addition to the defensive line when Mississippi Gulf Coast defensive end Joker Gill announced his plans to transfer to Southern Miss.
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound sophomore will be immediately eligible to play for the Golden Eagles this season with three years remaining.
Gill signed with UCF in December and made it to Orlando for the spring semester, but he announced plans on May 1 to return to MGCCC.
He instead entered the transfer portal on May 4 and picked up an offer from Southern Miss that day.
Considering Gill was once committed to Tulane when Hall was on the staff there as offensive coordinator, the move makes sense for the native of Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Gill was part of a loaded 2020 defense at MGCCC, registering 11 tackles and two sacks during a five-game season.
With Crawford a potential impact player in the middle of the D-line, joined by Cunningham and Gill on the outside, Southern Miss is a significantly deeper defensive front than it was to end the spring.
Prior to Gill’s transfer, Armstrong was feeling good about the group that defensive line coach Brandon Lacy had to work with and the addition of Crawford.
“Adding Crawford is a big deal. He’s a great addition to the team, locker room. I spent time with his dad, and he’s a man’s man,” Armstrong said. “He’s mature and he understands what it takes in practice.”
Armstrong likes the versatility of senior defensive lineman Eriq Kitchen and believes freshman Kristin Booth can make an impact on the interior.
“(Booth is) coming along, and Coach Lacy has done a tremendous job with him,” Armstrong said. “His body is changing and (strength coach Lance Ancar) is doing a lot of stuff with him.”
Also in the middle, junior Tahj Sykes, junior Andrew Cole and sophomore Austin Todd will be relied on to help stuff the run.
Another freshman who saw the field last year, Michael Pleas Jr., appears on track to becoming a defensive end/linebacker hybrid.
It will be up to Dominic Quewon and Cunningham to provide some pass rush off the edge.
A LOOK AT THE SOUTHERN MISS LINEBACKERS
Armstrong is upbeat about the linebacking corps.“That group is an intense group that is at every meeting, every practice,” Armstrong said. “I’ve got to give the previous staff some credit for putting that room together. They’re a joy to be around. They ask questions. They’re interactive. They’ve done a phenomenal job.”
Armstrong described Maples’ injury at linebacker as a “lower extremity injury, but we’re looking to get him back soon.”
“Swayze Bozeman had a really good spring. Racheem Boothe, we’ll get him back soon. He’s played a bunch of football here,” Armstrong said. “Santrell Latham had as good a spring as anybody. He’s a smart football player.”
Sophomore Averie Habas, sophomore Zach Portlock, freshman T.Q. Newsome and walk-on freshman also drew praise at linebacker from Armstrong at linebacker.
The secondary may have been the most inconsistent group on a 2020 defense that gradually improved during a 3-7 season, but Armstrong left spring encouraged by that group.
It doesn’t seem like there’s much need to be concerned about a lack of depth in the secondary.
“(Junior cornerback) Eric Scott had as good a spring as anyone on the team. He’s a very good football player,” Armstrong said. “We got (senior corner) Rachuan Mitchell back toward the end of spring, and he’s full go now. He’s played a bunch of football. (Junior corner) Natrone Brooks had a good spring, and was competing every day. He projects positive energy. He embodies what we want to do.”
Providing depth should be a pair of junior corners — Tre Davis and Fred Smith.
USM SAFETIES APPEAR IN GOOD SHAPE
At the nickel, junior Tyrek Moody, junior Camron Harrell and senior Tyler Barnes all have a shot to see significant snaps.The two safety spots were a point of concern after Ky’el Hemby decided to give pro football a shot, but Armstrong has plenty of options to work with following the addition of a pair of Ole Miss transfers — freshman Jay Stanley and junior Lakevias Daniel.
“Malik Shorts is consistently getting better (at safety). He’s a high-energy guy,” Armstrong said. “He’s done a good job at the weak safety. J.D. Rutherford had a great spring, made plays all spring. He’s like a coach on the field, and a good tackler.
“At the free safety position to the field, Jay had a good spring. He’s long, can tackle and can hit. Lakevias is versatile player because he can play safety, nickel and corner.”
Memphis transfer Josh Perry, a senior, will also provide depth at safety for the Golden Eagles.
All in all, Armstrong feels like he has the depth necessary to put a good product on the field in 2021.
“We don’t have a work problem,” the 27-year-old coordinator said. “In the past, I’ve heard, ‘Hey, this kid is missing this meeting.’ We don’t have that problem.
“This is the most fun I’ve had in coaching and that’s not meaning anybody any disrespect. These guys love Southern Miss. You can understand why this place has been so successful the last half century. They work so hard, and they’re coachable.”
