The Student Printz September 7, 2022 | Volume 108 Issue 2

SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.SM2MEDIA.COM • SEPTEMBER 7, 2022 | VOLUME 108 | ISSUE 2

STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS PG 3

USM SOCCER

PG 6

1ST HOME FOOTBALL GAME PG 8

Jackson residents thirsty for answers HUEY TURLICH SM2 REPORTER

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ith a lack of access to safe drinking water, tens of thousands of Jackson citizens are experiencing one of the city’s most dire crises.

The previous weather patterns in late August caused severe flooding to the city of Jackson and surrounding areas in Mississippi, causing damage to one of the city’s treatment plants and the suspension of its operations.

The effect of the crisis has been felt by the families of some students at the University of Southern Mississippi.

“Many people I know live around the affected area, and [they are] thankful for the blessing from the organizations that have supplied dozens of cases of water,” USM student Kymbrianna Griggs said.

Local and state officials have deemed the situation an emergency and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared the crisis a state emergency himself.

“We will do everything in our power to restore water pressure and get water flowing back to the people of Jackson,” Reeves said in a press conference.

The O.B Curtis and J.H. Fewell water treatment plants have reduced water output due to issues within the plants, which caused pressure problems in the system.

Jackson residents get water from a MEMA Distrubution site.

After assessing the problem, J.H. Fewell has completed the repairs of pump five, and in doing so, has raised the amount of water it is outputting.

O.B. Curtis has also assessed the plants and set a priority list to get the water situation under control. They have installed the raw water rental intake pump in hopes to provide water to families in need. They are working to restore the water system to full operation.

The city of Jackson has several locations set up to distribute water to the locals that have been impacted by these current situations.

President Joe Biden approved the Mississippi Emergency Declaration and set in

Title V of the Stafford Act to provide aid to Jackson.

FEMA announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the state of Mississippi to supplement state response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from the water crisis.

The National Guard has also been deployed to provide assistance in distributing the supplies to the people of Jackson.

During this crisis, schools have implemented virtual learning for students until running water can be established in the schools.

“Jackson Public schools and their superintendent will be looking at the status over the weekend and continue to inform parents of future

| Photo by Sean Smith

plans, but as of right now, it is a fluid situation and [we] have to make sure adequate water pressure is available before schools can resume,” State Superintendent Kim Benton said.

Although schools are closed during these harsh times, Kim Benton has stated that nutritional meals are being provided to students while they are in the midst of the water crisis.

For the families affected by this crisis, there are organizations available to help provide clean water and other supplies in this time of need.

For more information or need of further details, FEMA can be contacted online or by phone at 1 (800) 621-3362.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022 The Student Printz is the student-produced newspaper of the Southern Miss Student Media Center (SM2) in the School of Media and Communication at The University of Southern Mississippi. It is published every Wednesday morning and updated online at www.SM2media.com. The newspaper has been printed since 1927, serving the campus and community with news and information. Today, SM2 student journalists and media producers create and share stories with multiple medias on multiple platforms using the most modern technology housed in College Hall. SM2 includes Southern Miss Radio, Southern Miss TV, Southern Miss, SM2 Creative, and SM2 Strategic Communication.

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Opinions

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

Editorial Policy

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.

THE CONTRIBUTORS

SM2 News Director

Kyra Lampley kyra.lampley@usm.edu

Printz Executive Editor Loren Jones loren.jones@usm.edu

4th Street Sports Producer

SM2 Sports Director

SMTV Executive Producer

SMTV Photographer

Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu

Garret Grove garret.grove@usm.edu

Austin Lindsey austin.lindsey@usm.edu

Montanah Middleton montanah.middleton@usm.edu

SM2 Reporter

Huey Turlich huey.turlich@usm.edu

SM2 Sports Reporter Dima Mixon joshua.mixon@usm.edu

NEWS

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

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The Biden Administration unveils new student loan forgiveness program

SIMEON GATES SM2 REPORTER

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ast week, the Biden administration announced that it will grant borrowers up to $20,000 in student loan forgiveness. The University of Southern Mississippi’s Office of Financial Aid has advice for students on what to do next.

Limited information has been released, but there are some steps students can take.

Alanna McDonald, Assistant Director of Financial Aid Processing at USM’s Office of Financial Aid, has some advice.

“Students must monitor their email and mail, depending on correspondence preferences with their lenders, for updates on requirements for loan forgiveness.”

Students should direct further questions to their federal student loan servicer, which can be found on the Federal Student Aid website.

The Department of Education is releasing an application to receive borrower’s income data in early October.

They already have that data for 8 million borrowers, who will receive relief automatically. Borrowers can sign up at their subscription page to be notified when the application is released.

According to the FAFSA website, the administration’s plan is threefold. First, the pause on student loan repayments that began in 2020 will be extended for a final time. The pause was initiated by the Trump administration to handle the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and has been extended since. The extension will end January 2023.

Second is the biggest change. The U.S. Department

President Joe Biden speaks to the media on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Aug. 26, 2022.

of Education will forgive student loans depending on income and Pell Grant status.

For current borrowers, their federal student loans will be forgiven up to $20,000 for borrowers with Pell Grants and up to $10,000 for those without. This only applies to people whose individual income is less than $125,000, or whose household income is less than $250,000.

This applies to anyone who took out federal loans to pay for school. This means both current and former undergraduates and graduate students. Those who dropped out, went to community college, trade school, or have an alternative certification are also eligible, as long as their loans were disbursed before June 30, 2022. However, private loans are not eligible for forgiveness.

People who work at non-profits, in the military, or in federal, state, Tribal, or local government are eligible for complete forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Plan. This forgiveness is only available

until October 31, 2022.

Lastly, there are changes to the income-based repayment plan to make repayment easier. Borrowers are only required to pay 5% of their monthly discretionary income. Those earning less than 225% of the federal poverty level do not have to make payments. The government will also cover unpaid monthly interest.

Finally, those with balances of $12,000 or less will be automatically forgiven after 10 years.

Biden’s new plan delivers on his campaign promise to tackle the student debt crisis.

Student loan debt has risen to $1.7 trillion and become a hot button political issue.

Reception to the plan has been mixed. While the measures will provide relief to millions, others are concerned about its fairness and cost for taxpayers.

Class of 2021 graduate Joy Leise is, for one, happy about the changes. “Well, my husband and I are still in entry level jobs, we have an infant, and the payments are a huge

Tribune News Service

burden on our budget,” she said. “This could really open up some opportunities for us to get completely out of debt.”

Leise also hopes that this is just the beginning. “I would hope to see more in the future, but I appreciate we are starting somewhere and it’s a decent chunk of money.

I think once this settles, we should look at the impact and decide next steps.”

ACS Chemistry major and Class of 2024 student Jaden Sierra echoed this sentiment.

Sierra expressed her gratitude for the new plan.

“My mom is helping me get through college by herself, so anything that helps take the weight off of her shoulders is helpful,” she said.

“I think this is a great step towards fixing the issue of student debt.”

While this might not be as adequate for students who attend colleges with much higher tuition, this forgiveness will benefit many current and previous students who come from a lower income household.

ENTERTAINMENT

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

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Robot’s best friend: ‘Stray’

CHARLIE LUTTRELL 4TH STREET SPORTS DIRECTOR

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tray’ faced a test of overcoming hype after its reveal in 2020 got the gaming community talking, but BlueTwelve Studio delivered one of the most compelling games to play with its unique combination of story-telling elements and environment.

Sure, it may be known as “the game you can play as a cat,” which is the game’s main attraction and reason for the hype, but it is no gimmick.

‘Stray’’s unique feline protagonist puts the player on four paws in a cyberpunk dystopia run by artificial intelligence and void of humanity.

That is quite a combination, and it makes for a compelling story with plenty to unravel in its short but rich playthrough.

‘Stray’ obviously would not be any good if the player did not feel like they were truly playing as a cat, and the game went above and beyond on that aspect.

This unique perspective allows the game to make the most of its intricately designed environment.

The player gets to feel the depth of this bizarre world as they navigate through the visually gripping environment accented by neon visuals.

It’s a unique display of a robot-run society and the overrun remnants of human civilization that contrast with the typical sci-fi portrayal.

The game’s mechanics are immersive and play to the imagination of cats, whether it is leaping from one place to another, finding a place to sleep, knocking items onto the ground, or scratching furniture.

And while some puzzle scenarios in the game are standard and sometimes tedious, the game always finds a way

Screenshot of ‘Stray.”

to inject suspense and bursts of exciting moments.

But the most vital aspect of ‘Stray’ is the immense detail the BlueTwelve Studio team poured into the world’s design.

I played the last-gen version on PS4, and I can only imagine how smooth the game runs on an optimized PC or current-gen consoles.

The soft lighting and vibrant colors create a stark contrast in the dilapidated environment. Even though the setting is a post-apocalyptic society, something is comforting about strolling

Screenshot of ‘Stray.”

through the cities instead of games that usually portray such environments in horror settings.

Combined with the detail in the dialogue of the game’s non-playable characters, the player can spend hours just exploring and learning more about the fictitious world.

This distinct style and design make ‘Stray’ such a successful title. The game’s elements were ambitious and the developers delivered on creativity and artistry.

‘Stray’ evokes the feeling that you are playing a project that the creators enjoyed

making and assured that their vision was complete. That may sound simple, but it’s a feeling that I rarely get playing video games anymore.

‘Stray’ may not be a game-changing title, but it’s a light-hearted and well-executed creative vision that is enjoyable to play and explore.

For what that’s worth, this game is a must-play if you want a unique experience The game’s length is disappointing, but given how much the game fits in a nearly five to six-hour story, it is satisfying and worth your time.

Rating: 9/10

NEWS

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

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Faculty senate discuss volleyball gymnasium scandal JATERRICA WILSON PRINTZ REPORTER

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he volleyball scandal that appeared in Mississippi Today was addressed during The University of Southern Mississippi’s Faculty Senate meeting on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022.

Dr. Denis Wiesenberg, professor of marine science and president of the Faculty Senate, brought up the volleyball issue during the announcements of the president’s reports in the meeting.

“How our volleyball arena was funded has really tarnished the reputation of the University,” Wiesenberg said. “And it’s not just a local story. There was a major story on this in The Guardian newspaper in London.”

The idea of USM using welfare money to purchase a volleyball stadium has not only impacted the Hattiesburg community, but the entire nation has had an effect from it.

the problem of restoring our reputation pretty much every day,” Wisenberg said.

Wiesenberg relayed a message of President Joe Paul to the faculty senate.

“He noted that we can’t solve this by ourselves,” Wiesenberg said. “There are federal and state agencies that have to be engaged in what we’re going to do.”

Dr. Robert Press, a member of the Faculty Senate Welfare and Environment Committee and former journalist, told reporter Ja’Terrica Wilson that he is the person who has been looking at this issue.

“Dr. Max Grivno is the Chair of the Committee and has made the topic one of the committee’s priorities,” said Press.

During the faculty senate meeting, the welfare and environment committee was asked by Dr. Wiesenberg to help in the process of creating a possible solution and implement a plan of action.

“We asked that when they craft the solution, if the faculty

senate through our welfare and environment committee could participate in the implementation and maybe even in the crafting of the solution. He agreed to that request.”

The faculty senate was eager to have learned that their help to construct a plan and a possible solution was asked by the president himself.

President Joe Paul’s hard work and determination to fix the reputation of the University has not gone unnoticed nor unappreciated by any of the faculty members.

Wiesenberg tells the faculty senate, “President Joe Paul is working with the legal system and the state agencies to try to do this because we cannot do this autonomously.”

Throughout the faculty senate meeting, each committee was given the opportunity to provide updated reports since the last time they met. These committees included academics, faculty handbook advisory, finance and several more.

Cats run rampant on campus

BROOKE PARKER PRINTZ REPORTER arah Butt, a psychology doctorate student at USM, had become quite fond of a cat on campus she named “Pip” before she noticed that Pip seemed different.

“So, I found mom a couple months ago before she was pregnant,” Butt said. “And she was friendly, so I stopped by to visit her.

And then one visit, I was like, ‘Girl, are you getting fat or pregnant?’

And over the next couple weeks, it became apparent that she was pregnant.”

When Butt realized Pip was expecting kittens, she scoured the internet for someone who could help. She eventually came across Jennifer Lewis, Associate Director of Compliance and Ethics, who also volunteers with the University of Southern Mississippi’s Feral Cat Society.

The Feral Cat Society comprises faculty and volunteers who

s

Additionally, the story on Governor Tate Reeves omitting the volleyball stadium from the welfare lawsuit was written and reported by Anna Wolfe, whose name was also mentioned in the faculty senate meeting for doing so.

It was reported by Wolfe on Mississippi Today that $5 million in welfare money was used to build the volleyball stadium on USM’s Hattiesburg campus.

This scandal has attracted the attention of our students, community, faculty, staff and readers of the national and international newspapers from across the globe.

Former U.S. Attorney Brad Pigott, who was in charge and constructed this case, was removed from his position by the welfare department that Governor Tate Reeves oversees.

Dr. Wiesenberg reassured the faculty senate of President Joe Paul’s determination to repair the reputation of USM. “President Paul is working on

tend to the campus cats. The Society provides food, water and vet care when necessary. This vet care includes spaying and neutering to prevent more kittens on campus and control the cat population.

“Our goal is to get everyone fixed because they can coexist here fine. We just need to make sure we don’t have additional populations of kittens because we are close to several major thoroughfares. We don’t want the kittens to get out in those and get hurt,” Lewis said.

Lewis fosters over 10 cats in her home, including feral cats. She focuses primarily on cats that need to be trapped, neutered and released, also known as TNR. TNR keeps the campus population controlled and the campus community of cats safe.

Lewis, Butt and the Feral Cat Society spent weeks searching for Pip after a failed trap attempt while she was still pregnant. Pip had managed to wiggle her way into a hole in the wall of the Math Zone

Three kittens born under the Math Center in August 2022.

and have four kittens.

“Pip is super friendly,” Lewis said. “So, Sarah was able to get her trust earned and, basically, she walked into the trap she had been eating in for days and let Sarah close it.”

After many hours spent gaining Pip’s trust, Butt and the Feral Cat Society were eventually able to trap

Photo Courtesy of Sarah Butt

the four kittens with their mom.

They are now being fostered by Butt until they ultimately find their forever homes.

The Feral Cat Society is looking for volunteers and has many cats for adoption. Students can email the Feral Cat Society at feralcat@ usm.edu for more information.

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 7,2022 WWW.SM2MEDIA.COM Southern Miss Soccer drops home opener against LSU CHARLIE LUTTRELL 4TH STREET SPORTS DIRECTOR

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Southern Miss fought evenly with LSU throughout the first 45 minutes of Saturday’s match, but the Tigers’ second-half burst of three goals resulted in a 3-1 deficit that the Golden Eagles could not overcome.

Southern Miss dropped to 0-3 in its non-conference slate to begin the season, but Head Coach Mohammed El-Zare praised the effort and energy the Golden Eagles put into the match.

“I am very pleased with the team’s performance and with how we executed our game plan,” El-Zare said. “As you saw in the first half, we caused a lot of problems and had opportunities to score.

We could have scored on those opportunities in the first half, but I’m pleased with the organization in the attacking and the defensive phase of the game. We frustrated them and put them in a situation where they were uncomfortable.”

LSU outshot Southern Miss 17-5, bringing Southern Miss’ shot differential to 7714 in the first three games.

However, El-Zare said that this statistic does not represent the truth about how the Golden Eagles have been playing.

“If you look at the previous games, they outshot us, but 40 or 50% of the shots were off target, so if they want to shoot from 35 or 40 yards out, knock yourself out. I’m ok with that,” El-Zare said.

“It’s about efficiency in the way you play. I felt that we forced them to shoot from a certain distance that they’re not comfortable [with], we had possession, and then we played our brand of soccer going forward.”

LSU got on the attack first

Southern Miss midfielder Adaira Nakano (11) controls the ball in front of LSU defender Moyo Gordon during their game Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022.

and nearly scored on a shot from Mollie Baker that sailed just wide of the goal and then another missed opportunity from Alesia Garcia.

Southern Miss gained momentum towards the latter half of the first period and strung a succession of drives into the Tigers’ territory.

Adaira Nakano placed a shot towards the upper corner of the goal, but LSU goalkeeper Mollee Swift made a diving save.

Garcia nearly scored at the end of the half for the Tigers, but the referees called time before she could convert the play. However, she got her goal at the beginning of the second half to put LSU up 1-0.

The goal started a flurry of scoring as Southern Miss responded minutes later. Bernadett Stefan threaded the needle on a pass to Ilana Izquierdo to equalize the game and earn the Golden Eagles their first goal of the season.

Izquierdo, the C-USA Freshman of the Year and the team’s leading scorer last season, recently returned from representing Colombia at the FIFA 2022 U-20 World Cup. She remains an integral piece of the team’s attack and a leader by example.

“What Ilana brings in has nothing to do with technique, tactics, and all of that. She brings in a mindset and a way of training, living, and a way of just being an exemplary student-athlete,” El-Zare said.

“She brings in a mentality and professionalism… it’s top-notch. That is what she brings to us…she brings that mentality that makes us better, confident and creative.”

Southern Miss could not find the advantage though, as LSU pushed ahead with a goal from Brenna McPartlan and then the deciding score in the 75th minute from Olivia Wilkes.

“We started well…we just need to play for 90 min-

| Photo by Montanah Middleton

utes. I feel that we’re making progress every game and how we’re playing, solving problems, improving our fitness, and getting players back from injuries. I am pleased where we are at this point of the season, and the results are coming for sure.”

The LSU game continued Southern Miss’ stretch against Southeastern Conference competition. The Golden Eagles opened the season with losses to Auburn and Alabama and have Mississippi State and Ole Miss on its schedule this week.

“You want to identify your strengths and weaknesses [and] you’ve got to compete against more competitive teams, but also it gives us purpose to work for it, gives us some objectives to challenge ourselves to continue to get better,” El-Zare said.

Southern Miss will face another SEC test at home Thursday against the Bulldogs.

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

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Superback Star: Frank Gore Jr. rises to the challenge at Southern Miss

CHARLIE LUTTRELL 4TH STREET SPORTS DIRECTOR

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he spotlight is expected for the son of one of the NFL’s greatest running backs of all time, but any talk with Southern Miss’ Frank Gore Jr. shows that he respects that limelight but is strictly about football.

Nothing could be more representative of that than Southern Miss’ first game against Liberty.

With starting quarterback Ty Keyes out, Head Coach Will Hall turned to Gore Jr. to lead the offense as a “Superback”.

If superback has to be defined to any unfamiliar football fan, the definition would be Gore Jr. He finished the game with a career-high of 178 rushing yards, 48 passing yards, and a near victory against one of the premiere Group of Five programs in the nation. His heroics fell just short after Liberty stuffed him a yard short of the goal line on his 32nd carry in the fourth overtime of the game.

The superback had just turned in the heaviest workload of his career and arguably on any back in the country, but spent his time during the postgame interviews brushing off any concerns and focusing on the next game ahead.

“I’m a ball player. I’ve got to be prepared,” Gore Jr. said. “I feel great. I can’t feel any better.”

The sophomore running back begins his third season with the Golden Eagles, all of which have been everything but ordinary.

Southern Miss underwent two head coaching changes during his first season, and in Hall’s first year, the offense ranked third to last in the nation after having more than 10 players attempt a pass at the quarterback position.

Frank Jr. follows the legacy of his father Frank Gore Sr., who retired as the NFL’s thirdall time leading rusher with 16,000 yards and 81 touchdowns. While Sr. did not face the same exact struggles, he

Frank Gore Jr. strolls into the endzone after scoring a late go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

knows something about challenges after tearing both of his ACLs in college, and has helped guide his son through his college journey both on the field and off of it.

“My dad’s like my brother, he’s always there for me,” Gore Jr said. “He’s there for anything, like if I am having problems off the field, he’ll tell me what he thinks because he’s been through everything that I’m going through right now. He just tries to keep me level-headed and give me the right steps.”

Gore has been through it all and all while receiving national attention, especially during his highlights at the Superback position, a silver lining in last year’s 3-9 finish.

“The Superback was made on the fly. We were struggling and we needed something. I always told him [Hall] I was there for him no matter what- I was there for the team,” Gore said.

“One Monday, he called me up like, we know you played quarterback before, so we’re going to need you to do it, and I was all for it because I know we’d have a great chance of winning with the ball in my hands every play.”

He respects the attention he’s gotten throughout his collegiate career, but says he is focused on his overall goal at

| Photo by Charlie Luttrell

Southern Miss.

“It’s not pressure or anything really to it because coming here, I knew what my goal was.

My goal was to win a Conference USA championship, but now it’s a Sun Belt championship,” Gore said. “We haven’t been successful yet but I know we’re taking the steps to it. I’m blessed to have everything going around me, but my main goal is to have my team win every game.”

It’s this determination that has set Gore as a leader on the offense and also a reflection of what Hall and his staff name as the team’s “core values” in their team motto “Attitude is everything”.

“I think he has a tremendous smile, kind of like Magic Johnson did…it’s just infectious.

He understands that he’s Frank Gore, and he takes that responsibility very seriously,” Hall said.

It will all come full circle for Gore Jr., who will travel with Southern Miss back to his hometown Miami, Florida to face the Miami Hurricanes in week two.

When asked about the matchup, Gore Jr. gave a smile but kept it strictly about football and his team.

“It’s a blessing to always play but I feel like for not only me, but also my teammates, we’ve

got a chance. They’re ranked this year and they’ve got a lot of buzz going to their name- but we fear no one, so we’re ready to go down there and give them our best shot,” Gore Jr. said Gore Sr. ascended to the NFL ranks from Miami and Gore Jr. is a Florida boy through it all, repping “CoCo Grove” in his social media bio and returning to the Miami neighborhood during the past offseasons to host a youth football camp with Hurricanes defensive back Gilbert Frierson.

Gore Jr. originally planned to stay near his hometown with a commitment to Florida Atlantic University before decommitting and switching to Southern Miss. The move from Miami to Hattiesburg was a transition, but something that Gore Jr. said was alleviated by the relationships with his teammates and especially through Hall’s mentorship.

“That’s my guy. He’s with me through the ups and downs.

He tells me when I’m wrong, he tells me when I’m right and he just talks me through everything,” Gore Jr said. “ I’m all the way in Mississippi with my family in Miami, so he’s someone I can really trust now that I’m down here and I can call him for whatever. I feel like our bond grew throughout the first spring until now,” Gore Jr. said.

Gore Jr. switched numbers just like his father did in college and to the No. 3 that Gore Sr. wore in his last season for the Hurricanes. While there’s many parallels and a pride Gore Jr. carries for his name, he has set a distinction in his game.

“I wouldn’t say I play like my dad but I understand the target on my back and I understand that everyone wants a little shine off me, so I’m ready for it and they better bring their best shot coming at me,” Gore Jr. said.

Gore’s got more goals and objectives to accomplish during his collegiate career, but if his first two seasons and the first game of this season are any indicator, he’s up for the task.

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 7,2022

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Southern Miss falls to Liberty after 4 overtimes DIMA MIXON SM2 SPORTS REPORTER

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f you had told Head Coach Will Hall earlier this week that his team would be driving to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, with five turnovers and his starting quarterback injured and on the bench, he probably would have said, ‘ok, let’s do it.’

Well, that’s exactly how the first week went for Hall and Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles took the lead late in the fourth quarter against what has recently been one of the best Group of Five teams in the country.

Southern Miss battled tonight, and regardless of the outcome, they looked better than last year in all game phases.

“I told our kids, man, don’t be ashamed of your effort. We spilled our guts tonight. We just didn’t play good enough to win, and we didn’t coach good enough to win. We are going to coach better, and we are going to play better- that’s a learned trait and it’s going to happen,” Hall said.

With one minute left in the second quarter, it seemed like doom for the Golden Eagles when starting quarterback Ty Keyes went down with an injury on a hit to his head from a targeting call, and the Golden Eagles reverted to the super back offense. Keyes’ injury status is not known at this point.

Southern Miss started with the ball and gained a few first downs, before stalling around midfield, but the defense played lights out pretty much the whole night and gave Southern Miss the ball back.

Southern Miss threatened to score on the goal line but got stuffed four times for a momentum-killing stop by Liberty.

Southern Miss was on point in the running game with the super back offense, earning 252 yards on the ground. Frank Gore Jr. had a career night with 32 carries, 178 yards and two touchdowns.

“I’m a ball player. I’ve got to be prepared. Just hike the ball, and run the ball, it’s not that hard…I feel great, and I couldn’t feel better.”

Gore Jr. said.

Southern Miss scored on its third possession to take a 3-0 lead after a 38-yard field goal from Briggs Bourgeois.

Frank Gore Jr. walks off the field after posting a career-high in the crushing four overtime loss against Liberty University Sept. 3, 2022.

Keyes threw his first pick of the game on the next possession to senior defensive end Durrell Johnson.

The defense stopped Liberty’s red zone field advantage and limited the Flames to a game-tying field goal.

All in all, the most promising part of the team was the defense.

Every time that Liberty looked to take control of the game, the defense made a big play.

Defensive back Malik Shorts led the Golden Eagles with 12 total tackles and added an interception to the tally.

“I thought they [the defense] played great all the way up until late. We gave up two drives in the end there that we would have like to have back,” Hall said.

Southern Miss gave up a touchdown late in the second half after a second Ty Keyes interception. Liberty’s Johnathan Bennett scrambled for 18 yards, and the score went up 10-3 at the half.

“We had some turnovers in the red zone, Ty had two foolish interceptions, he’ll tell you that. We had two turnovers inside the red zone.

Like I said, [it’s] just not good football. [I] feel like we gave one away and [I] don’t want to take anything

away from Liberty, but I really do feel like we gave one away,” Hall said.

Last season, it seemed like the team would lose its edge in the third quarter and start falling apart but Southern Miss came out of halftime and dominated the third quarter. Gore Jr. got it going with a 46-yard touchdown run to tie the game ten apiece.

Southern Miss coughed up its fifth turnover in a critical spot at the end of the third quarter. Dajon Richard fumbled the ball at the Liberty two-yard line to give the Flames the ball at their two-yard line.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Golden Eagles’ defense responded again. Eric Scott Jr. jumped the route on Bennett’s pass and intercepted the ball for a pick-si that put Southern Miss in the driver’s seat at 17-10.

“We had been practicing that.

We knew on certain situations on third and long, that they like to run a stick out to the sticks, and Coach [Armstrong] made a great call, and I was able to make a great play,” Scott Jr. said.

Southern Miss’s lead did not stand for long, however. Liberty’s third quarterback Kaidon Salter

| Photo by Charlie Luttrell

came into the game and led his team down the field on a game-tying touchdown drive to score 17-17.

Perhaps the play of the game for USM was with six minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Cameron Harrell came up with a pick in the endzone to keep the game tied, and Southern Miss scored on the following drive to take the lead on a Gore Jr. five-yard rushing touchdown.

Salter led Liberty down the field on the ensuing drive to tie the game with less than a minute left to push the game into overtime.

In overtime, Liberty triumphed in the battle of two-point conversions to win and break the hearts of the fans in attendance.

Nevertheless, the team looked exceptionally improved. Even though the team came up just short, it did seem like things will be different this season.

“The good is that we did go toeto-toe with them. The bad news is that we blew it. The good is that we can fix every mistake [we made] tonight,” Hall said.

Southern Miss prepares next week to travel to ranked opponent Miami next weekend.