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Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
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BoKnows Offline
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Post: #1
Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
That is the question...
The Eagles had an incredible run in the 90s and 2000s... So, incredible they fired their winning coach for not winning enough...
What I wonder is whether Southern Miss was a victim of their own success. Bower built that program in his own image, by blending work ethic and under recruited gems. I think one year their center was a former cheerleader...
My point is, when you fire the guy who was so responsible for the culture of Southern Miss football, can you come back from that? Especially when that success was predicated on doing more with less. White collar teams can just get away with writing checks to stay relevant. Southern Miss is too blue collar to expect to go back to being our superiors.

Don't get me wrong. CUSA needs a good Southern Miss. But, I'm not sure that - now that we're in CUSA Version 3 - Southern Miss will be the same Southern Miss that they were in Version 1 & 2.

Teams like F_U, ODU, UTSA, etc, have now become their equals. The landscape has changed. Not to mention that Mississippi State and Ole Miss aren't exactly terrible anymore.

In MLB they have the curse of the Bambino. In CUSA, we have the curse of Bower (and his hot daughter) How do you come back from that?

[Image: 56474901-head-coach-jeff-bower-of-southe...R30g%3D%3D]
08-27-2015 11:38 AM
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usm99 Offline
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Post: #2
RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
Just a clarification the former cheerleader was the long snapper (which to a degree is still the center).....great memory though as I had forgotten about that
08-27-2015 11:56 AM
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T_Won1 Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
Dominant is a strong word. USM was always consistent winners, but they haven't dominated in a looong time. If they were dominating, they would not have fired Bower. I see no reason why they couldn't put together another 18 game bowl streak.
08-27-2015 12:00 PM
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Eagleholic Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
(08-27-2015 11:38 AM)BoKnows Wrote:  My point is, when you fire the guy who was so responsible for the culture of Southern Miss football, can you come back from that?

[Image: 56474901-head-coach-jeff-bower-of-southe...R30g%3D%3D]


I think very highly of Jeff Bower, but he was not responsible for that culture. He was a product of that culture. Bower learned that culture at Southern Miss from the other coaches that he played and coached under.

I don't know if this program will ever be dominant again, but I do know they will put much better teams on the field than what has been witnessed the past 3 years.
08-27-2015 12:05 PM
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It's The Talons Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
We will turn many heads this season.
08-27-2015 12:07 PM
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SVHerd Offline
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Post: #6
RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
USM can certainly be the USM of old. I think we are slowly seeing that come to fruition. This fall will be a good indicator.
08-27-2015 12:10 PM
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usmbacker Offline
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Post: #7
RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
Can they? Yes
Will they? No

Firing Jeff Bower was beyond insane. Those that celebrated that firing have gotten their just rewards these last three years.
08-27-2015 12:20 PM
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Noodles Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
You guys better stock up on Wheaties.
08-27-2015 12:25 PM
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Niner National Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
I think it is a stretch to think USM in the new CUSA could be a top 10 team, but they could certainly be a top 25 team again. I think any team in CUSA, even an undefeated one, would have difficulty getting into the top 10 these days.
08-27-2015 12:36 PM
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EagNBran Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
Yes, let's all blame firing Bower while ignoring 4 winning seasons by Fedora that followed, including a 12-2 season with a year end #19 ranking. But let's blame a terrible coaching hire AFTER Fedora on the firing of Bower. Some of you are just delusional.
08-27-2015 01:05 PM
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ESE84 Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
(08-27-2015 12:36 PM)Niner National Wrote:  I think it is a stretch to think USM in the new CUSA could be a top 10 team, but they could certainly be a top 25 team again. I think any team in CUSA, even an undefeated one, would have difficulty getting into the top 10 these days.

I hope USM does get their swagger back. If you are in the West, and playing with Louisiana Tech, Rice, the USM of a decade ago, and the improving UTEP, I think an undefeated C-USA team could conceivably be Top 10 at year end.
08-27-2015 01:15 PM
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ThreeifbyLightning Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
Good? Yes.

Dominant. I'm not sure. Perhaps.

Obviously, the dynamics that existed for Southern Miss in the 80's/90's is different. USM was the defacto go to spot for kids in the south that got looked over by the SEC schools but could still ball.

Today, with all the schools operating in a similar footprint there is a lot more competition for those players. I think it's going to be difficult for USM to do what they did in the decades past. Good leadership and outstanding decision-making is now the most important factor in becoming relevant again.

Another change is society is much more transient today. Teams from the north and west come into the south and get players now. Players are more willing to step outside their geographic comfort zone than kids of the past. Different times. USM has to figure out how to adapt to a new world.
(This post was last modified: 08-27-2015 01:50 PM by ThreeifbyLightning.)
08-27-2015 01:47 PM
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Afflicted Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
USM just needs to focus on winning six games for now. I'd be impressed if they can just do that.
08-27-2015 02:03 PM
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Surbadger Online
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
If Marshall could turn the corner, so can Southern Miss. I see both MU and USM as very similar. Both were smaller schools that defied the odds in the 90s' and early 2000s. The harsh reality is that one bad decision or coaching hire can bring many years of obscurity. The bright side is one good decision or coaching hire, though not as quickly, can help turn that corner into being competitive or ever dominating again.
08-27-2015 02:14 PM
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nastybunch Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
I think this year will see a marked improvement. Next year we will contend for the title....
(This post was last modified: 08-27-2015 02:33 PM by nastybunch.)
08-27-2015 02:33 PM
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SouthernMissSNu Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
Those of you saying that it was karma for getting rid of Bower are quick to forget the unraveling and sheer lack of effort that Elossss brought to Hattiesburg. He didn't just not fit in with the team, he didn't fit in with the culture of the school or the city. If you've never been to Hattiesburg, there's an intense yet subtle feeling of a chip on your shoulder- that we must do better than other people's expectations of us with less. Johnson didn't get that. He acted stubborn in his own defensive old school ball ways and did not want to consider the environment or his players. He wasn't considerate of the fans. He didn't respect the players and vice versa and he couldn't relate to the recruits or his coaching staff. That's what brought Southern down. Not firing Bower.

Bower was forced to resign during a frustrating period in our university's history. The administration was on the rocks. The Athletic department was going through changes. It was just an attempt to make a jump to something that we hadn't done yet especially with the changing field of the NCAA. And we had to settle with a bad coaching hire in Elosss after Fedora jumped for the green and a power 5 conference.
08-27-2015 03:12 PM
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Thegoldstandard Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
(08-27-2015 11:56 AM)usm99 Wrote:  Just a clarification the former cheerleader was the long snapper (which to a degree is still the center).....great memory though as I had forgotten about that

That cheerleader had also played juco football.
08-27-2015 03:15 PM
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Old Blue Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
(08-27-2015 01:05 PM)EagNBran Wrote:  Yes, let's all blame firing Bower while ignoring 4 winning seasons by Fedora that followed, including a 12-2 season with a year end #19 ranking. But let's blame a terrible coaching hire AFTER Fedora on the firing of Bower. Some of you are just delusional.

No doubt Fedora is a great coach. I believe Southern Miss would have been a hell of a team if they could have kept him. Why did he leave? I guess for the money. How can teams at our level keep these outstanding coaches?
(This post was last modified: 08-27-2015 03:28 PM by Old Blue.)
08-27-2015 03:27 PM
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Thegoldstandard Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
(08-27-2015 01:05 PM)EagNBran Wrote:  Yes, let's all blame firing Bower while ignoring 4 winning seasons by Fedora that followed, including a 12-2 season with a year end #19 ranking. But let's blame a terrible coaching hire AFTER Fedora on the firing of Bower. Some of you are just delusional.
While i have the utmost respect for JB. many fail to admit his final team was about 20 scholarship players short and the defense was in shambles.
08-27-2015 03:37 PM
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SethManKA1 Offline
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RE: Can Southern Miss be dominant again?
I am at the point where I say I will believe it when I see it. I love USM and have already bought season tickets and have purchased the new gear of the logo. I just have to see improvement that is consistent and strong. There are good things happening as far as attaining scholarship athletes and surprisingly we are winning I think in the state to some degree on key recruits. But the product on the field is the most telling.

SMTTT[/u]
08-27-2015 04:05 PM
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