The Southern Miss University football team will begin preseason practice this week with several positions solidified.
Edge rusher Jahlil Clemons is a done deal, and other position groups will wait and see who comes out on top. After all, no Southern Miss player was selected to either of the two preseason All-Sun Belt Conference teams.
Quarterback is once again the centerpiece for the Golden Eagles, a position that fourth-year coach Will Hall, a former Division II star quarterback, has yet to resolve during his tenure. The Golden Eagles signed the Sun Belt's top freshman class with immediate freshman playing time and also added a strong group of transfer students.
With the season opener at Kentucky on Aug. 31, here are three position battles to watch heading into Week 1.
Quarterback
The starting quarterback position has been narrowed down to three candidates after last season's starter, Billy Wiles, transferred to Appalachian State University.
Ethan Crawford returns after a dynamic freshman season and ultimately replaced Wills as the starter. Tate Roadmaker transferred from Florida State, where he was a reserve for the Seminoles. Southern Miss also signed three-star quarterback John White from Madison Ridgeland Academy.
“John had a great spring, and he's super talented,” Hall said. “He picked up on things faster than any freshman I've ever coached, so we've got a lot of talented guys on the team. Tate and Ethan have a little bit more experience than John, but I think whoever they start at quarterback is going to be a really good football player with a lot of experience. I think the players believe in them.”
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Wide Receiver
Southern Miss has Ty Mims and Chandler Pittman at slot receiver, and boundary receiver is still a position that needs sorting after the departures of Latoriar Jones, Jakarius Caston and Tyquan Henderson.
The school has acquired transfers Larry Simmons from Ole Miss and Danis Jackson from Missouri, with Simmons on the team this spring and Jackson transferring after the spring.
“They really bring a lot to the table from a speed standpoint,” Hall said.
Southern Miss also adds junior college players Dakota Thomas and Keyshawn Buckley, as well as local players Davis Dalton and JJ Butler, and freshman TK Keys.
They'll all be mixed into an uncertain group until the season begins, but one area that should help the receivers is added depth at tight end after a disappointing performance last season.
Kicker/Punter
Hall said at Sun Belt Media Days last week that both the kicker and punter positions are open.
Andrew Stein will be in his sixth season as kicker. He started the 2023 season well as a starter, but his form dwindled along the way, making only two of six field goals in three games. However, he only missed one extra point all season. Stein's biggest rival for kickoff duties is sophomore Connor Gibbs.
Bryce Lofton is also in his sixth season as punter and was the starter last season, while Bert Edmiston Jr. was acquired as the top junior college punter and is a strong contender to replace Lofton for the starting spot.
Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at ssklar@hattiesb.gannett.com and follow him on X at @sklarsam_.
