Mississippi News
Southern Miss: Thursday, we saw the Joe Paul and Will Hall Show
Thursday at Southern Miss, we saw the Joe Paul and Will Hall Show
HATTIESBURG — The sport wasn’t baseball, but Southern Miss swept a doubleheader Thursday.
At 3 p.m., an overflow crowd gathered in USM’s Thad Cochran Center and cheered as if attending a football pep rally, as Joe Paul was introduced as the 11th president in history of the 112-year-old university. It was an almost surreal atmosphere. I mean, I’ve often heard similar cheering when a football coach or basketball coach was introduced, but never for a university president. As Thomas Duff, who led the Institutions of Higher Learning search, commented, “These kinds of announcements are usually jeered, not cheered.” This one was cheered thunderously.
Then, three or so hours later, Will Hall’s surprisingly proficient football team jumped out to a 20-2 first quarter lead and then held on for a 39-22 victory over the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, a team that has won 41 games and four Sun Belt West Division championships over the past four seasons. Don’t look now but the Golden Eagles are 3-1 and a half game behind Troy in the Sun Belt West standings. Hall’s Golden Eagles have now won five of their last six games and seven of 10 over the past two seasons.
As Hall put it afterward, “We’re not a finished product. We’re really young. We’ve got 71 players who are freshmen and sophomores. We gotta go to work again tomorrow. We got to pick up the shovel and dig some more. We’re not there yet, but, man, are we coming and doing it the right way.”
Hard to say which cheers were louder: Was it when wide receiver deluxe Jason Brownlee scored on a 76-yard pass from true freshman Zach Wilcke to give Southern Miss a 20-2 lead? Or was it a few moments later, during a TV timeout, when Paul was introduced to the football crowd as the university’s new president? Paul received a standing ovation – and the loudest cheers were from the student section. You just don’t see and hear that every day on a college campus.
Those students apparently have been paying attention. The plan for hiring a new president had called for a nationwide search that probably would last into next year. Dr. Paul, who will turn 69 on Halloween, changed that plan. During his three months as interim president, Paul worked with such energy and accomplished so much in terms of fund-raising, recruitment and campus-wide goodwill, it became clear to all that the right person already was in place. Paul, of course, has a much, much longer history at the school, having graduated from USM in 1975 and having served the school in varying capacities for nearly all his adult life. As Will Hall put it later Thursday night, “Joe Paul bleeds black and gold. He knows everybody, everybody knows him.”
Hall is right. Indeed, this column should come with a disclaimer. I’ve known Paul for 50-plus years. We graduated in the same class. His motto is “leave it better than you found it,” and he always does. My opinion: Southern Miss hit a home run with this hire.
And it is becoming increasingly apparent that athletic director Jeremy McClain knocked the ball out of the park on Dec. 2, 2020, when he hired Hall as football coach. Despite a remarkable string of injuries – particularly at the all-important position of quarterback – Hall’s team has made steady progress in not quite two years time. You could see it coming last November when Hall installed a “super back” offense with running backs playing quarterback and won the last two games in decisive fashion.
This season, despite losing their starting quarterback, two starting inside linebackers and several others to injuries, the Eagles clearly improve with each and every outing, Defensively, the Nasty Bunch has become nasty again. They swarm to the football. They hit. Hard. The special teams are excellent. Punter Mason Hunt isn’t Ray Guy, but some of his kicks will remind you of the greatest punter in the history of the sport. Offensively, the Eagles piece it together, depending mostly on Brownlee and running back Frank Gore Jr., who puts every ounce of his 5 feet, 8 inches and 195 pounds into every play. Thursday night, Gore ran for 87 yards and threw a beauty of a 52-yard touchdown pass to talented and speedy freshman Tiaquelin Mims, another mite-sized dynamo.
Late Thursday night, someone asked Hall if was time to start dreaming of a conference championship.
“Dude, man, I’m the biggest dreamer in America,” Hall said. “I’m a 5-foot-7 dude who played quarterback. I dream all day long. But right now we have to figure out a way to win each week. We’re growing and we’re getting better and I hope everybody sees it.”
Southern Miss students appear to see it – and more. In the student section Thursday night, some students held up big posters with photos of both Hall and Paul.
Said Hall, “I’m a big Joe Paul fan and I was before this president thing ever came about. Me and Joe are alike in a lot of ways. We’re not afraid to dream. We’re not afraid to create a big vision and then be the first to jump out in front of everybody and start digging.”
At Southern Miss, there was a lot of digging going on Thursday. The future appears bright.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: July 11-13
SUMMARY: From July 11-13, Mississippi offers a variety of events for all ages. In Jackson, enjoy the season finale of “Late Night with Rita Brent,” Disney’s The Lion King, Jr., and exhibitions at the Mississippi Children’s Museum. Pearl hosts the Mississippi Mud Monsters with fireworks and a Back 2 School Bash. Ridgeland features the Wildflower Field, Art Park, Renaissance Christmas in July sales, and a Fairy Garden Workshop. Natchez and Vicksburg offer farmers markets and local entertainment. Hattiesburg presents Po Boy Fest, Clue: The Musical, and outdoor movies. Activities include rodeos, ice cream tastings, run clubs, and community tennis events across the state.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: July 11-13 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Death toll from catastrophic Texas flooding passes 100
SUMMARY: Catastrophic flooding in Texas over the July Fourth weekend killed at least 104 people, including 28 children, mostly near Camp Mystic, a century-old girls’ summer camp in Kerr County. Search-and-rescue teams continue to search swollen rivers for dozens still missing; officials expect the death toll to rise as more rain threatens the saturated area. Many victims were swept from cabins by flash floods early Friday, some clinging to trees. Authorities will investigate warnings and evacuation delays, noting poor cellphone service hindered alerts. Despite warnings issued before the flood, some residents didn’t receive them. President Trump plans to visit the state.
The post Death toll from catastrophic Texas flooding passes 100 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
LIVE: Officials give updates on Texas floods
SUMMARY: Crews in central Texas continue searching for victims after catastrophic July Fourth weekend flooding killed over 80 people, including 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River. The floods, some of the worst in decades, struck overnight, sweeping away tents and cabins. With more rain forecast, authorities warn the death toll may rise as many remain missing. Survivors described clinging to trees or fleeing to attics. Officials face scrutiny over flood warnings and emergency response. President Trump declared Kerr County a disaster area, pledging support while criticizing FEMA’s performance.
The post LIVE: Officials give updates on Texas floods appeared first on www.wjtv.com
-
News from the South - North Carolina News Feed6 days ago
Learning loss after Helene in Western NC school districts
-
News from the South - Tennessee News Feed1 day ago
Bread sold at Walmart, Kroger stores in TN, KY recalled over undeclared tree nut
-
News from the South - Missouri News Feed6 days ago
Turns out, Medicaid was for us
-
Local News7 days ago
“Gulfport Rising” vision introduced to Gulfport School District which includes plan for on-site Football Field!
-
News from the South - Florida News Feed6 days ago
The Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed in the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years
-
News from the South - Missouri News Feed6 days ago
Leawood changes street tree ordinance, launches sidewalk repair program
-
News from the South - Arkansas News Feed6 days ago
Arkansas Department of Education creates searchable child care provider database
-
News from the South - Louisiana News Feed7 days ago
With brand new members, Louisiana board votes to oust local lead public defenders