HATTIESBURG, MS—Southern Miss coach Todd Monken knew he could not be conventional and beat Marshall. So, he decided to throw caution to the wind and pull out all the stops.
Southern Miss scored opening drive, then recovered a surprise onside kick and scored again. Suddenly, the Golden Eagles had a two-touchdown lead and Monken went back to the onside kick for a second time.
“We had a plan that if we scored early we were going to onside kick until they recovered it,” said Monken. “If we would have gotten that other one, we would have kicked another one after we scored.”
“I was surprised by the on-side kick because you don’t normally do that. Bottom line we should have made the play,” said Marshall coach Doc Holliday. “They did a tremendous job of executing that..giving them credit. But you have got to make that play.”
Fortunately for Marshall, on the second onside kick, the Golden Eagles were called offsides and did not get the opportunity to score again. Marshall made up the deficit and then some, rolling to a 63-17 win.
“We are not good enough in one given area to compete against a team like that,” felt Monken. “Coaching, playing. Not good enough. We don’t capitalize on anything yet as a team. Momentum is a powerful thing.”
Southern Miss had chances throughout the game, but Marshall’s defense came up with big plays when it needed them. Golden Eagles’ quarterback Cole Weeks was sacked six times and Marshall’s defense forced three turnovers, likely preventing Southern Miss from scoring.
“It is crazy how the score ended up when you think about all the different opportunities. You are up 14-0 and you get another onside kick and a player that is on our side who has no opportunity of recovering it is offsides. That is coaching. That is poor.”
“Then to constantly give them the ball at midfield or closer to an offense like that from kickoff cover to not getting a first down to a bad point. And not being able to score, whether it is right at the end of the half or to start the second half.”
Even after Marshall outscored Southern Miss 63-3 after the Golden Eagles jumped out to the early lead, Monken feels the program is headed in the right direction.
“As I told the team, I am not discouraged. I am actually encouraged. I really am. We have the right guys. We just have to do it better. We are capable of so much more.”