Southern Miss football program......

[OG Goat Holder]

I think we all agree that nowadays, they are just another G5 school with a budget problem, comparable to any other in the Sun Belt or wherever. They'll survive, but they no longer have an advantage over their peers, due to a number of factors. We also know how the descension from the 90s to now happened, they got lost in conference realignment when the Metro didn't happen. And since they were the 3rd school out in a poor state with 2 other SEC programs, we now are where we are.

My question is, what caused their ASCENSION back in the old days? Mississippi was a poor state back then too, Hattiesburg is OK but nothing that great, and I guess they maybe had some Coast support? Good location in other words while State and Ole Miss both stuck up north. I grew up thinking that MSU was supposed to lose to both Ole Miss AND USM, 60% of the time or so. That was the 80s. Everybody knows they they beat us in 1980 and 1981. And they were the MS school on Marcus Dupree's radar back in those days, along with OU and Texas.

Looking at their history, appears this Thad Vann guy had them good pre-integration, then not much else until Bobby Collins came along. Jim Carmody OK, then Curley Hallman had Favre and had some big wins. And of course they were beating us solidly until 89 and 90.

Just perception? How did they get the rep they had for so long? There are many, many people out there that have serious respect for that program.

 

[GloryDawg]

I don't think the 105 rosters will hurt the p4 much because there will always be 4 stars in the portal, but it is really going to hurt the G5. Between that, NIL and portal, USM may not survive as a G5.

 

[Anon1717806835]

I think we all agree that nowadays, they are just another G5 school with a budget problem, comparable to any other in the Sun Belt or wherever. They'll survive, but they no longer have an advantage over their peers, due to a number of factors. We also know how the descension from the 90s to now happened, they got lost in conference realignment when the Metro didn't happen. And since they were the 3rd school out in a poor state with 2 other SEC programs, we now are where we are.

My question is, what caused their ASCENSION back in the old days? Mississippi was a poor state back then too. I grew up thinking that MSU was supposed to lose to both Ole Miss AND USM, 60% of the time or so. That was the 80s. Everybody knows they they beat us in 1980 and 1981. And they were the MS school on Marcus Dupree's radar back in those days, along with OU and Texas.

Looking at their history, appears this Thad Vann guy had them good pre-integration, then not much else until Bobby Collins came along. Jim Carmody OK, then Curley Hallman had Favre and had some big wins. And of course they were beating us solidly until 89 and 90.

Just perception? How did they get the rep they had for so long? There are many, many people out there that have serious respect for that program.

I think it was probably a lot of things -

Aside from the SWAC schools, Mississippi has no other 1-AA / FSC schools to compete against for players who might not have the talent or grades to get into State, Ole Miss, or another SEC school. Look at states like Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana - those states have numerous 1-AA/FCS programs. I think Mississippi's JUCO system was helpful to them in this regard as well - particularly for decent players who could not make it academically other places.

I also think the rise out of 1-AA of schools in Alabama like Troy and South Alabama. Both of those schools are recent additions to FBS when compared to Southern Miss who moved up in the 70's. Southern used to get a lot of players out of Alabama under the same circumstances as above. Auburn and Bama rejects / overlooked.

 

[MStateDawg]

Recruiting has gotten much better. There are very few "hidden gem" high school players that slip thru the cracks now a days. Every decent high school player has a Hudl account to post their highlights to. They all go to camps and get seen. We're well past the days of coaches being able to hide certain recruits. If you can play, then word/video gets out and you will be seen.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I don't think the 105 rosters will hurt the p4 much because there will always be 4 stars in the portal, but it is really going to hurt the G5. Between that, NIL and portal, USM may not survive as a G5.

More than likely "G5" will just disappear. Either they'll pony up and play FBS/D1, or drop down to FCS with more amateur rules.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I think it was probably a lot of things -

Aside from the SWAC schools, Mississippi has no other 1-AA / FSC schools to compete against for players who might not have the talent or grades to get into State, Ole Miss, or another SEC school. Look at states like Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana - those states have numerous 1-AA/FCS programs. I think Mississippi's JUCO system was helpful to them in this regard as well - particularly for decent players who could not make it academically other places.

I also think the rise out of 1-AA of schools in Alabama like Troy and South Alabama. Both of those schools are recent additions to FBS when compared to Southern Miss who moved up in the 70's. Southern used to get a lot of players out of Alabama under the same circumstances as above. Auburn and Bama rejects / overlooked.

Yeah and the main question for me was, if USM did it, why couldn't MSU? I saw something on another thread about Prop 48 - that was a very big deal and I didn't know much about until recently. Nebraska, Notre Dame.....USM too I guess.

 

[Mr. Cook]

I think we all agree that nowadays, they are just another G5 school with a budget problem, comparable to any other in the Sun Belt or wherever. They'll survive, but they no longer have an advantage over their peers, due to a number of factors. We also know how the descension from the 90s to now happened, they got lost in conference realignment when the Metro didn't happen. And since they were the 3rd school out in a poor state with 2 other SEC programs, we now are where we are.

My question is, what caused their ASCENSION back in the old days? Mississippi was a poor state back then too, Hattiesburg is OK but nothing that great, and I guess they maybe had some Coast support? Good location in other words while State and Ole Miss both stuck up north. I grew up thinking that MSU was supposed to lose to both Ole Miss AND USM, 60% of the time or so. That was the 80s. Everybody knows they they beat us in 1980 and 1981. And they were the MS school on Marcus Dupree's radar back in those days, along with OU and Texas.

Looking at their history, appears this Thad Vann guy had them good pre-integration, then not much else until Bobby Collins came along. Jim Carmody OK, then Curley Hallman had Favre and had some big wins. And of course they were beating us solidly until 89 and 90.

Just perception? How did they get the rep they had for so long? There are many, many people out there that have serious respect for that program.

I think you just summed up the culture. The “champions” who drove that culture went on to greener pastures.

My sense also is that when when you have success, it’s easy to assume it’ll stick around forever. (Think MSU baseball)

USM had foundational cracks and the implosion was imminent

 

[L4Dawg]

They used to get most of the SEC rejects in Southern Alabama, Southern Mississippi, and the Florida Panhandle. The rise of South Alabama and Troy has cut back on that pipeline in a big way.

 

[leeinator]

We don't need to return to the days when USM beat us 7 times in a row. Keep our foot on their throat.

 

[The Cooterpoot]

USM is a tick turd in the college football world. Their NIL is a gift certificate to the Gold Post. HS jobs in Texas pay more. They should go D2.

 

[Mr. Cook]

USM is a tick turd in the college football world. Their NIL is a gift certificate to the Gold Post. HS jobs in Texas pay more. They should go D2.

Careful. Gold Post has a great BLT.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Careful. Gold Post has a great BLT.

Southern Miss’s NIL being able to afford bacon means it’s nothing to sneeze at…

 

[MSUDC11-2.0]

Think on who many of their competitors are nowadays…. 20-25 years ago those programs were in FCS or in the case of South Alabama didn’t even have a football program.

Their neighborhood got a lot more crowded than it used to be.

 

[Duke Humphrey]

Think on who many of their competitors are nowadays…. 20-25 years ago those programs were in FCS or in the case of South Alabama didn’t even have a football program.

Their neighborhood got a lot more crowded than it used to be.

Its not just Alabama schools, USF didnt have a football team until 1997, and UCF wasnt D1 until 1996 (first team was 1979).

 

[tired]

USM has a giving problem. If the Duffs ever decided to use their billions for NIL...

 

[was21]

USM has a giving problem. If the Duffs ever decided to use their billions for NIL...

Probably why they're billionaires....they don't give to initiatives with no accountability.

 

[patdog]

Think on who many of their competitors are nowadays…. 20-25 years ago those programs were in FCS or in the case of South Alabama didn’t even have a football program.

Their neighborhood got a lot more crowded than it used to be.

Back in their heyday, Florida St was an equal. SW Louisiana & Central Florida we’re I-AA. South Alabama didn’t even have a team. Tulane was a non-factor. They made a lot of hay in south LA, south AL & NW FL. Those recruiting grounds are a lot more difficult for them now. And financially they’re a wreck. Even In Sunbelt, they have one of the lowest budgets. It’s a tough situation for them.

 

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

Probably why they're billionaires....they don't give to initiatives with no accountability.

I can’t think of any quicker way to become a millionaire than to start off as a billionaire and try to make Mississippi Normal relevant.

 

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Their ten fans have been tapped out for a while now....

 

[bulldoghair]

Their leadership over the program, presidents and AD’s, have been and are worse than ours. Dumb.

 

[Wesson Bulldog]

I think we all agree that nowadays, they are just another G5 school with a budget problem, comparable to any other in the Sun Belt or wherever. They'll survive, but they no longer have an advantage over their peers, due to a number of factors. We also know how the descension from the 90s to now happened, they got lost in conference realignment when the Metro didn't happen. And since they were the 3rd school out in a poor state with 2 other SEC programs, we now are where we are.

My question is, what caused their ASCENSION back in the old days? Mississippi was a poor state back then too, Hattiesburg is OK but nothing that great, and I guess they maybe had some Coast support? Good location in other words while State and Ole Miss both stuck up north. I grew up thinking that MSU was supposed to lose to both Ole Miss AND USM, 60% of the time or so. That was the 80s. Everybody knows they they beat us in 1980 and 1981. And they were the MS school on Marcus Dupree's radar back in those days, along with OU and Texas.

Looking at their history, appears this Thad Vann guy had them good pre-integration, then not much else until Bobby Collins came along. Jim Carmody OK, then Curley Hallman had Favre and had some big wins. And of course they were beating us solidly until 89 and 90.

Just perception? How did they get the rep they had for so long? There are many, many people out there that have serious respect for that program.

Prop 48