HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) – Less than a day after its 2023 football season came to a close, the University of Southern Mississippi began the shakeup of its football program.
ESPN reported Sunday that three USM assistants had been let go, less than 24 hours after the Golden Eagles saw a 3-9 season come to an end in a 35-17 loss to Troy University Saturday at M.M. Roberts Stadium.
A hour after that game, USM athletic director Jeremy McClain said that USM football coach Will Hall would return for another season, with the expectation that changes would be made.
According to ESPN, that began Sunday morning with the dismissals of defensive coordinator Dan O’Brien, defensive line coach Brandon Lacy and tight ends coach Cayden Cochran.
O’Brien, who had been on staff since 2021, took over as defensive coordinator this season after former USM DC Austin Armstrong departed, first for the University of Alabama and then the University of Florida.
This fall, USM allowed 35.8 points per game. The Golden Eagles ranked 109th in the country among Football Bowl Subdivision schools in total defense.
The Golden Eagles ranked 58th nationally in total defense in 2022.
Like O’Brien, both Lacy and Cochran arrived in 2021 with Hall.
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2023-11-27 06:05:00
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