(10-31-2021 10:42 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  This is an interesting thread...

From an SBC perspective, its hard to believe we're talking about the same Southern Miss that half of the Western Division used as a model in the mid to late 2000's Some of this you guys did to yourselves, but the rest was the result of a geographic situation that left it where Memphis and Tulane never wanted anything to do with you.

If it means anything, the SBC was willing to take you guys when you are at a law point in Athletics, and you were the leagues first choice ahead of Marshall/ODU/JMU. I guess someone sees what you are capable of

We were in a good position in 2012, then we made a hire that basically stated he wanted to be there until he retired. He didn't coach our players, he brought in coaches that were out of touch with everything, and basically downed our guys. After one season we brought in Todd Monken. In his last season he took us to the CUSACG and was poised for big things the next season when his buddy got the HC job at Tampa Bay and offered him his dream job of being an Offensive Coordinator in the NFL, that's hard to turn down.

Our only option was Jay Hopson, who was coaching at I believe Alcorn State in the SWAC. He did ok, we lost games we should've won and vice versa, more of the former than the latter. Then last season after our first game he resigned.

Prior to the 2012 debacle moving forward we had good years under Bower and Fedora. Some better than others, between both coaches we competed and won 5 Conference Titles. Bower helped us win some big games. Fedora put us in a position in his last season for national recognition.

Our downfall was our previous ADs in my opinion.

Under Bower we were playing, competing, and going back in forth with Cincy, Louisville, USF, and TCU.

Cincy and Louisville went to the Big East and Louisville on to the ACC.
TCU left and went to the MWC (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and is now in the Big XII.

We have played and beat on numerous occasions Houston, UCF, SMU, and Memphis, then they left us. At that point we had 17 or 18 consecutive winning seasons and had made 11 consecutive bowl appearances I believe.

We were passed over.

To add insult to injury, our AD kept saying we were where we needed to be. For the Conference Title Game players parents didn't go to Houston for the game because they believed we would have a bowl game somewhere close they'd go for. We had a shot at being in the Heart of Dallas Bowl to play Penn State... Our AD chose the f'n Hawaii Bowl to play Nevada on Christmas Eve. Talk about a poorly attended bowl game.

The version of USM that the FAUs, WKUs, and MTUs have played isn't our best version, but hopefully we'll get back to where we used to be, we just need to stay away from old coaches who are comfortable with staying in Hattiesburg and retiring, and get young hungry coaches that want to keep growing.