http://www.yardbarker.com/colleges/southern_mississippi_golden_eagles/119 Recent articles about Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles en-us The Patriots have announced that second-round pick Jamie Collins, who was the first player the team drafted this year after trading out of the first round, has signed his contract. Under the rookie salary slotting system, as the 52nd overall pick Collins' deal has a total value of around $3.76 million, with a signing bonus of $1.1 million. The 23-year old Collins, listed at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, moved from safety to linebacker to 4-3 defensive end during his time at Southern Mississippi, and his play caught teams' eyes even as the Golden Eagles plodded through a winless season last fall. Collins is the fourth of New England's seven draft picks to sign. Source: Boston Globe Fri, 17 May 2013 20:44:30 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/patriots_sign_2nd_rd_pick_lb_jamie_collins/13642399 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/patriots_sign_2nd_rd_pick_lb_jamie_collins/13642399 Patriots Sign 2nd-Rd Pick LB Jamie Collins http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/patriots_sign_2nd_rd_pick_lb_jamie_collins/13642399 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png 2012 Record: 0-12 (0-8 in C-USA) Head Coach: Todd Monken (First Year Head Coach) Last Bowl Game: 2011 Sheraton Bowl: beat Nevada 24-17 Stadium: M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, MS (capacity = 36,000) Home Field Advantage: ranked 45th out of 55 mid-major teams Schedule Glimpse: 2013 Schedule Link Conference Home Games: 10/5 vs FIU, 10/26 vs North Texas, 11/16 vs FAU, 11/23 vs Middle Tennessee Conference Road Games: 10/19 at ECU, 11/2 at Marshall, 11/9 at Louisiana Tech, 11/30 at UAB Out of Conference Foes: 8/31 vs Texas State, 9/7 at Nebraska, 9/14 at Arkansas, 9/28 at Boise State   Statistical Snapshot: 2012 Statistics Link Stats to Fear: Lost turnover margin by 1.33 turnovers per game (119th in Nation), allowed opponents to convert 49.69% of third downs (last in C-USA Stat to Cheer: they have already won as many games in 2013 as they did in 2012 and the season hasn't started yet Advanced Stats (Football Outs... Wed, 08 May 2013 01:28:19 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/2013_pre_season_preview_southern_miss_golden_eagles/13573082 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/2013_pre_season_preview_southern_miss_golden_eagles/13573082 2013 Pre-Season Preview: Southern Miss Golden Eagles http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/2013_pre_season_preview_southern_miss_golden_eagles/13573082 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png FOXBORO, Mass. — Jamie Collins is an avid fisherman in his free time, but on Friday night he was the Patriots’ prized catch. After passing on their first-round pick on Thursday in favor of better value later on Days 2 and 3, the Patriots made a splash with their first pick of this year’s draft. Collins was a productive and versatile player in his career at Southern Mississippi, playing a primary role at all three defensive levels. He started his career at safety as a freshman but quickly moved to linebacker during his sophomore season. Then, after two productive seasons up on his feet, including 174 tackles and nine sacks, Collins moved down yet again. This time to defensive end. Bill Belichick saw that versatility and was immediately intrigued, even comparing Collins to Patriots starting linebacker and 2012 first-round pick Dont’a Hightower. “Sure, if players can do that, great.,” Belichick noted. “It’s similar but I would say different than Hightower but there’s some similarities.... Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:47:32 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jamie_collins_ability_to_rush_passer_cover_gives_patriots_much_needed_versatility_at_linebacker/13495891 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/jamie_collins_ability_to_rush_passer_cover_gives_patriots_much_needed_versatility_at_linebacker/13495891 Jamie Collins’ Ability to Rush Passer, Cover Gives Patriots Much-Needed Versatility at Linebacker http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/jamie_collins_ability_to_rush_passer_cover_gives_patriots_much_needed_versatility_at_linebacker/13495891 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The New England Patriots have chosen outside linebacker Jamie Collins of Southern Mississippi in the second round of the NFL draft. The Patriots took Collins with their first pick and the 52nd overall choice in the draft. They obtained the pick from the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, trading down and out of the first round. The Patriots also had the 59th pick later in the second round Friday and two choices in the third round. The 6-foot-3 1-2-inch, 250-pound Collins began his college career at defensive back and moved to linebacker in 2010. He had 21 sacks in his career at Southern Mississippi and led the team with 92 tackles last season. On Saturday, the Patriots have one pick in the fourth round and three in the seventh. Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:43:36 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/patriots_pick_lb_jamie_collins_in_second_round/13494340 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/patriots_pick_lb_jamie_collins_in_second_round/13494340 Patriots pick LB Jamie Collins in second round http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/patriots_pick_lb_jamie_collins_in_second_round/13494340 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png It took almost a full 24 hours, but the Patriots have finally made their first pick. After trading out of the first round on Thursday night, the Patriots used their first of two picks in the second round to select Southern Mississippi linebacker Jamie Collins. Collins, 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, was productive during his four-year career with the Golden Eagles, and he capped it off with a terrific senior season. He posted 92 tackles, 10 sacks and  – here’s the key — five pass break ups in 2012. His production was impressive, but Collins really enticed teams with a stellar workout at the NFL combine. He is something of a workout freak, running a 4.64 40-yard dash, jumping 41.5 inches in the vertical and 139 inches in the broad jumps. The Patriots’ linebacker struggled in coverage last season, and that is an area where Collins clearly excels. His speed, athleticism and pure instincts make him a terrific addition and a more than capable of blanketing tight ends and slot receivers out in ... Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:06:53 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/patriots_draft_linebacker_jamie_collins_in_second_round_of_nfl_draft/13494091 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/patriots_draft_linebacker_jamie_collins_in_second_round_of_nfl_draft/13494091 Patriots Draft Linebacker Jamie Collins in Second Round of NFL Draft http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/patriots_draft_linebacker_jamie_collins_in_second_round_of_nfl_draft/13494091 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png With the 52nd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Patriots select Southern Miss LB Jamie Collins. A tall lean end/linebacker hybrid for Southern Miss, Collins racked up 20 tackles for loss (and 10 sacks) for the Golden Eagles during his first-team All-Conference USA senior season. Though he’s not an elite pass rush talent and is still growing into his frame, he presents scouts with surprising agility for his size and the length to be an effective 3-4 ‘backer capable of doing a bit of everything, with untapped potential as a mid-round pick. Source: NFL.com Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:57:11 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/patriots_select_southern_miss_lb_jamie_collins_rd2_no52/13494022 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/patriots_select_southern_miss_lb_jamie_collins_rd2_no52/13494022 Patriots Select Southern Miss LB Jamie Collins (Rd.2, No.52) http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/patriots_select_southern_miss_lb_jamie_collins_rd2_no52/13494022 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Golden Eagles wrapped up a fun spring game in front of a good crowd Saturday afternoon at Petal High School. The defense had a great showing and the defensive line was a big reason. We caught up with Octavius Thomas after the game to hear about his spring and what it means to him to be back on the field. Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:25:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/thomas_enjoys_spring_game_experience/13445386 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/thomas_enjoys_spring_game_experience/13445386 Thomas Enjoys Spring Game Experience http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/thomas_enjoys_spring_game_experience/13445386 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Pittsburgh Steelers had Southern Mississippi outside linebacker Jamie Collins in for a pre draft visit on Tuesday and our scouting buddy Dave-Te' Thomas was nice enough once again to pass along his scouting report profile on him, which you can read below. JAMIE COLLINS Outside Linebacker/Rush Defensive End #8 University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 6:03.3-245 McCall Creek, Mississippi Franklin County High School OVERVIEW For any team utilizing the “Bandit” position, in order to be successful, the staff must place complete trust in their best athlete. Read more [...] Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:53:14 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/steelers_2013_draft_southern_mississippi_olb_jamie_collins_scouting_report_profile/13307056 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/steelers_2013_draft_southern_mississippi_olb_jamie_collins_scouting_report_profile/13307056 Steelers 2013 Draft – Southern Mississippi OLB Jamie Collins Scouting Report Profile http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/steelers_2013_draft_southern_mississippi_olb_jamie_collins_scouting_report_profile/13307056 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Former Golden Eagle stars Jason Weaver and Tracey Lampley took to Petal High School's field for Southern Miss pro-day last week. GoldenEaglePride.com caught up with both players and talked to them about the day and their expectations at the next level. Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:24:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/lampley_weaver_ready_for_opportunity/13150792 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/lampley_weaver_ready_for_opportunity/13150792 Lampley, Weaver Ready For Opportunity http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/lampley_weaver_ready_for_opportunity/13150792 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Draft Zone Spotlight: Jason Weaver – OG – University of Southern Mississippi Jason Weaver has had a very wild path to the draft, but this massive Offensive Lineman understands that all his hard work is about to pay off.  Jason was granted an extra year due to medical issues by the NCAA and boy did he make his competitors pay. The 6’5, 305 pound offensive lineman paved the way for his team this year in a fashion that earned him an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.  At the Combine both Weaver and his teammate Jamie Collins impressed NFL scouts, and could have boosted their stock even higher than it was at the end of the season. I expect Weaver to be on a 53 man roster at the end of they year, so remember the big man’s name. How many teams were recruiting you coming out of high school and how did you make your decision? I didn’t have any offers out of high school so I went the JuCo route I went to Arizona Western Community College Who was your favorite NFL team gr... Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:52:37 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/draft_zone_spotlight_jason_weaver_ol_university_of_southern_mississippi/13108333 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/draft_zone_spotlight_jason_weaver_ol_university_of_southern_mississippi/13108333 Draft Zone Spotlight: Jason Weaver, OL, University of Southern Mississippi http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/draft_zone_spotlight_jason_weaver_ol_university_of_southern_mississippi/13108333 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Dwayne Davis scored 34 points, Rashard McGill added 10 and Southern Mississippi beat Central Florida 70-62 on Saturday night. Davis was coming off a career-high 35 points against Marshall earlier in the week, and had another spectacular performance on Saturday, shooting 9 of 15 from the field and 12 of 12 on free throws. His 3-pointer with 2:11 remaining stopped a final Central Florida rally. Davis is averaging 28 points over his past four games. Southern Miss (23-8, 12-4 Conference USA) has secured the second seed in next week's league tournament. The Golden Eagles have won five of their past seven games. Central Florida (20-11, 9-7) ends its season with the loss. The Knights are ineligible for the postseason because of NCAA sanctions. Isaiah Sykes led UCF with 22 points. Sat, 09 Mar 2013 23:04:10 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_miss_70_ucf_62/13099402 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_miss_70_ucf_62/13099402 Southern Miss. 70, UCF 62 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/southern_miss_70_ucf_62/13099402 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Daveon Boardingham and Cedric Jenkins scored 22 points each and Southern Mississippi scored the first 12 points of the game and cruised to a 135-41 victory over Dillard on Thursday night. The 135 points were the most ever for the Golden Eagles (11-4), surpassing the 133 they scored against Virginia Tech in 1988. The Golden Eagles have won five of their past six games. Also in double figures were Dwayne Davis with 17 points, Norville Carey with 14 points and 12 rebounds, Michael Craig with 14 points and Jonathan Mills 13. Southern Miss' home winning streak reached 20 games. Jaquan Green led Dillard (1-8) with 15 points. The Blue Devils, an NAIA team, have lost six straight. Southern Miss shot 56.7 percent from the field (51 of 90), including 50 percent on 3-pointers (18 of 36). The Golden Eagles also made 15 of 16 from the foul line. Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:35:58 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_miss_135_dillard_41/12573196 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_miss_135_dillard_41/12573196 Southern Miss. 135, Dillard 41 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/southern_miss_135_dillard_41/12573196 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Dwayne Davis led Southern Mississippi with 22 points as the Golden Eagles picked up a 61-50 victory over Denver Tuesday night in a nonconference matchup. Davis was backed by Jerrold Brooks, who had 12 points, and Michael Craig, who chipped in seven points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals for Southern Mississippi (6-0). The win was the Golden Eagles' 17th consecutive at home - the sixth longest streak in the country - including 24 straight nonconference home games. Denver (1-4) was paced by Royce O'Neale, who had a career-high in 22 points and five 3-pointers on 11 attempts. Southern Mississippi led 23-15 at halftime and used a 14-5 run early in the second half to take a 41-24 advantage. The Golden Eagles shot 50 percent (19 of 38) from the field to Denver's 33.3 percent (18 of 54), and made 19 free throws against the Pioneers' five. Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:19:44 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_miss_61_denver_50/12309994 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/southern_miss_61_denver_50/12309994 Southern Miss. 61, Denver 50 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/southern_miss_61_denver_50/12309994 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Southern Miss redshirt freshman quarterback Ricky Lloyd could get his first career start on Saturday against Louisville. The injuries among all three of the Golden Eagles quarterbacks was a big topic at Southern Miss head coach Ellis Johnson’s press conference yesterday. Ellis, who is in his first year as the head coach in Hattiesburg entered the season with a three-man quarterback battle. None of the three quarterbacks had ever taken a snap in a college game prior to the season. Junior Chris Campbell was named the starter in week one, but hasn’t played very well and is dealing with a minor injury. True freshman Anthony Alford filled in for Campbell in week two, but didn’t produce the results that Coach Johnson expected. Lloyd saw his first action on Saturday against Western Kentucky completed 4-of-5 passes for 72 yards and one touchdown. His performance seems to have given him the edge heading into week five. Coach Johnson’s Comments On His Southern Miss Situation: “(Anthony Alford... Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:33:06 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/redshirt_freshman_quarterback_ricky_lloyd_could_get_his_first_start_this_weekend/11804248 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/redshirt_freshman_quarterback_ricky_lloyd_could_get_his_first_start_this_weekend/11804248 Redshirt Freshman Quarterback Ricky Lloyd Could Get His First Start This Weekend http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/redshirt_freshman_quarterback_ricky_lloyd_could_get_his_first_start_this_weekend/11804248 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png 2011 Record: (12-2, 6-2 in C-USA) Head Coach: Ellis Johnson (first year head coach, former South Carolina DC) Last Bowl Game: 2011 Sheraton Bowl: beat Nevada 24-17 2011 Preview   Schedule Glimpse: 2012 Schedule Link Big Name Opponents: 9/1 at Nebraska, 9/29 vs Louisville, 10/6 vs Boise State Must Win: 9/22 at WKU, 10/27 at Rice, 11/24 at Memphis Revenge: 10/20 vs Marshall, 11/3 vs UAB Statistical Snapshot: 2011 Statistics Link Stat to Cheer: 8th in the Nation in Red Zone scoring % as opponents scored on 72% of possessions in the red zone Stat to Fear: turned the ball over 30 times in 2011 (13 more than in 2010) Personnel: Phil Steele's Returning Starters (Offense: 6; Defense: 5; Specialists: 1) Key Defensive Returnees: LB/DL Jamie Collins (98 tackles, 19.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 1 TD), DB Jacorius Cotton (98 tackles, 2 INT), DB Deron Wilson (75 tackles, 4 INT, 2 TD) Key Offensive Returnees: WR Tracy Lampley (47 rec, 463 yds rushing) Top Recruits: QB Anthony A... Wed, 23 May 2012 16:30:01 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/2012_pre_season_preview_southern_mississippi_golden_eagles/10858970 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/2012_pre_season_preview_southern_mississippi_golden_eagles/10858970 2012 Pre-Season Preview: Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/2012_pre_season_preview_southern_mississippi_golden_eagles/10858970 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Jamal Woodyard, who was Southern Mississippi's leading rusher last season as a redshirt freshman, was one of three men arrested over the weekend and charged with felony second-degree robbery, according to the Mobile Press Register. He was released from jail after posting a 15,000 bond. According to the report, Woodyard and two others robbed an 18-year-old man on Friday night, taking cash and his cell phone. The school has not addressed the issue publicly, but Woodyard is expected to miss the entire 2012 season after injuring his knee in the Hawaii Bowl. He rushed for 732 yards in 2011. Tue, 08 May 2012 11:29:31 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/southern_miss_leading_rusher_arrested_for_robbery/10745030 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/southern_miss_leading_rusher_arrested_for_robbery/10745030 Southern Miss' leading rusher arrested for robbery http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/southern_miss_leading_rusher_arrested_for_robbery/10745030 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Southern Mississippi running back Jamal Woodyard has been arrested and charged with felony second-degree robbery. The Baldwin Country Corrections Center website says Woodyard entered the jail on Saturday and has been released on $15,000 bail. The 21-year-old from Fairhope, Ala., led the Golden Eagles with 732 rushing yards last season while averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He scored three touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 202-pound Woodyard suffered a knee injury during the team's season-ending victory over Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl, and was expected to redshirt during the coming season. Southern Miss coach Ellis Johnson said in a statement from the university on Monday that he's ''been made aware of the situation regarding Jamal and will continue to gather the facts of this case.'' Mon, 07 May 2012 21:30:11 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/southern_miss_woodyard_arrested/10741151 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/southern_miss_woodyard_arrested/10741151 Southern Miss' Woodyard arrested http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/southern_miss_woodyard_arrested/10741151 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Southern Mississippi running back Jamal Woodyard has been arrested and charged with felony second-degree robbery. The Baldwin Country Corrections Center website says Woodyard entered the jail on Saturday and has been released on $15,000 bail. The 21-year-old from Fairhope, Ala., led the Golden Eagles with 732 rushing yards last season while averaging 6.7 yards per carry. He scored three touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 202-pound Woodyard suffered a knee injury during the team's season-ending victory over Nevada in the Hawaii Bowl, and was expected to redshirt during the coming season. Southern Miss coach Ellis Johnson said in a statement from the university on Monday that he's ''been made aware of the situation regarding Jamal and will continue to gather the facts of this case.'' Mon, 07 May 2012 20:44:57 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/southern_miss_rb_woodyard_arrested_for_robbery/10740932 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/southern_miss_rb_woodyard_arrested_for_robbery/10740932 Southern Miss RB Woodyard arrested for robbery http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/southern_miss_rb_woodyard_arrested_for_robbery/10740932 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Austin Davis has seen dozens of talented players come and go at Southern Miss. Some of them achieve their potential. Many don't. The fifth-year senior quarterback has little doubt receiver Chris Briggs will succeed. ''I knew the first time I saw him he had a chance to be a really good player,'' Davis said. ''But like all freshmen, he had a lot to learn. What I didn't know was how badly he wants to be a good player. He wants to be really good. He asks me all the time to stay late and work with him.'' That persistence has paid off. The 6-foot-4, 202-pounder has forced his way into a prominent role and made a key touchdown catch during Saturday's 30-29 victory over UCF. It gives Davis yet another offensive weapon as the 22nd-ranked Golden Eagles try for their 10th victory on Thursday when they visit Alabama-Birmingham. It would be just the third 10-win season in Southern Miss history and first since 1988. Briggs caught four passes for 67 yards against UCF, none bigger than a 4-yard reception with 5:52 remaining in the fourth quarter that gave the Golden Eagles a 30-23 lead. UCF drove down the field and scored a touchdown as time expired, but a 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete. To an outsider, Briggs might seem an unlikely candidate to get the ball in such an important situation. Coach Larry Fedora wasn't surprised at all. ''He's had that potential since he got here, and he gets better and better with every game,'' Fedora said. ''He gains more confidence and is starting to understand what Division I football is. His best football is still ahead of him, but he's really growing in the position. We don't think of him as a freshman. Heck, with a fall camp and 10 games under our belts, we don't have any freshman.'' Briggs, who is from Franklinton, La., is the latest in a line of emerging young stars on the offense. After injuries decimated the Golden Eagles' running game, freshman Jamal Woodyard took over the starting role midseason and now leads the team with 545 rushing yards, averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Sophomore Jeremy Hester has also had a big role. Now it's Briggs' turn, though his opportunities haven't come because of injuries. He's simply been too good to keep off the field. Players and coaches say Briggs has some similarities to former Southern Miss receiver DeAndre Brown, a powerfully built 6-foot-6, 228-pounder who was a freshman All-American in 2008. But Brown's career was derailed after clashes with the coaching staff and a spotty work ethic. Briggs has had no such trouble, combining great physical ability with an insatiable desire to improve. He's stayed humble despite the recent success and his role is expected to grow. He's made nine catches for 132 yards this season. ''Coach tells us that at any given time everyone has to be ready to step in and play their role,'' Briggs said. ''So when the time and opportunity comes you have to make the most of it and do what you can to help the team.'' He's one of many big-play options for the Golden Eagles, who average nearly 37 points per game. Eight different players have at least 130 yards receiving. The veteran receivers aren't jealous of his increased role. They're more than happy to share the field as Southern Miss closes on an Eastern Division title and a chance to play in the Conference USA title game for the first time since 2006. ''It's no secret that hard work pays off, and nobody has put in as much as he has,'' junior receiver Quentin Pierce said. ''He's a guy that works really hard and he's earned every bit of the time he's gotten.'' --- Follow David Brandt on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:39:59 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/talented_wr_briggs_gives_southern_miss_new_threat/8126350 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/talented_wr_briggs_gives_southern_miss_new_threat/8126350 Talented WR Briggs gives Southern Miss new threat http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/talented_wr_briggs_gives_southern_miss_new_threat/8126350 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png