We Have Been Here Before…

With each passing week of this season, I am reminded of a season gone by that may help those fans struggling with our current record and play on the field. I would like to take everyone back to September 4, 1993. Some of you may be too young to remember this game, but it was the first time a Southern Miss home game was aired on ESPN.

The crowd was electric that night as we welcomed Johnny Majors and his Pitt Panthers to M.M. Roberts Stadium. It was a night game and extra lights were brought in for the game as we did not have enough for adequate television lighting.

I remember this game for three reasons: 1) the anticipation of a stellar season as we returned a ton of players on both offense and defense from a 7-4 team the year before; 2) it was my first game to dress and play as a redshirt freshman center; and 3) it was the start of an abysmal season that was the most frustrating and painful of my career but it was also the most important and learned season of my career.

With narrow losses to National Champion Alabama (17-10) and SEC powers Auburn (16-8) and Florida (24-20), the 7-4 squad was one of the most underrated in the country in 1992. A stifling defense and electric special teams matched with a grind it out offense had been passed over by the Independence Bowl in 1992 for the 6-5 Oregon Ducks and 6-5 Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Everyone had drawn up the 1993 season as our coming out party to the nation and the Pitt game was the opening shot to a national audience. With defenders Bobby Hamilton (DE), James Robinson (DE), Michael Tobias (DT), Tyrone Nix (MLB), Eugene Harmon (OLB), Perry Carter (S) and company, the defense was stacked and looking to become the best the school had seen in quite some time. The special teams was equally impressive with senior punter Eric Estes, strong legged kicker Johnny Lomoro, punt returner L.T. Gulley and kick returners Barry Boyd and Fred Brock.

The offense had returning starting QB Tommy Waters, RBs Howard McGee, Chris Buckhalter and Barry Boyd. The receiving corps had TE Anthony Owens, Mark Montgomery and Fred Brock. The line had veteran linemen Todd Beeching, Carey Moorer, Kenny Ray, Darian Smith, Coty Jones and Kenny Ray returning. Back then, we were very deep at OL and ran two lines with a very solid Brent Duggins, Rod Ollison, Jeff Novak, Willie McDay and myself as the number two line. Everyone expected big things, and rightfully so.

I was excited because this would be my first collegiate action. I had dressed out for two games in 1992 for depth purposes before being redshirted, but this would be the first time I ran onto the field and played in almost two years. Then throw into the mix that some pre-season publications had us ranked in the top 25 with our opening game aired to the nation against the Pitt Panthers and I was one pumped up 19 year old.

I remember the pre-game warm up and entrance to the field like it was yesterday. The two offensive series to open the game seemed like an eternity, but the third series eventually came. Back then, the second line played every third series. My first offensive series would open on our one yard line. I can't remember if our defense got a fumble on the one or a well placed Pitt punt put us there, but nonetheless, this is where my first play would take place. As we huddled up in our end zone, I could barely contain the energy I felt as I would finally get to unload on someone other than a teammate. Then, like a cruel joke, a timeout was called…the always dreaded t.v. timeout.

When play resumed, we surged out of our end zone for a couple of first downs. Things were moving along, then, a pick was thrown. Little did I know it, but it was the beginning of the end. Several more turnovers would plague our team and an eventual late game kickoff return by Pitt RB Curtis Martin would seal our fate as we fell 14-10. We clearly had a more talented team, but we lost anyway. No one quit and everyone continued to believe we would pull it out. But it was not meant to be.

After barely eclipsing Northeast Louisiana at home 44-37, we prepared for the Auburn game. I have discussed this game before in previous articles. It was one we had in the bag, and then let slip away. Little did we know that it was the beginning of a four game losing streak as we lost heart-breakers to Southwest Louisiana (13-7) and Louisville (35-27) and would go on to be blown out by Georgia 54-24. We rebounded to beat ECU at home (24-16) but then lost the next three and finished with a dreadful tie at Tulsa.

Of course, the Alabama game (40-0 loss) is shown as a win due to their forfeit of the game, but I can assure you that it was the most dreary game I have ever been a part of in my career. I take that back, the next week's loss to Tulane in Hattiesburg 17-12 was the worst. It was so embarrassing that Fred Brock made two tackles on turnovers by our offense. Nothing out of the ordinary you say...well, would it change your opinion to know that Fred was not on the field when either of the turnovers happened. That's right. Twice he ran onto the field to tackle the Tulane defender advancing the ball after the turnover. The first was an interception return where Fred was on the sideline talking to me and getting water. The next thing I know he throws on his helmet and runs onto the field and makes the tackle. He then ran back off with no penalty. That was before replay, but the officials still stunk. Tulane ended up kicking a field goal. The second time, later in the game, Tommy Waters fumbled the ball and Fred ran onto the field and tackled the defender again. However, the player scored on the play and Fred was caught and flagged. He was also tossed out of the game. Probably to his delight. After losing the next week to Isaac Bruce's Memphis team, we traveled to Tulsa.

Back then, they had oil derricks on campus...no joke (and gas was $.95/gal). The travel over contained an ominous sign as we lost our punter Eric Estes when his eardrum burst due to a head cold. Our kicker, Johnny Lomoro, had to assume both duties. Eric was greatly missed when a fake punt was called on a fourth and 4 from around midfield. Eric was a former quarterback and great athlete. Nevertheless, Johnny took the snap and was supposed to throw it to one of the up-backs. However, in line with how most of the season had gone, Johnny did not see the up-back as open and decided to run with it. As he raced for the first down marker, the defenders closed in. Johnny, all 5'5" 145 pounds of him, dove for the marker. As three defenders hit Johnny along our sideline, Johnny's helmet exploded with earpads and chinstrap shrapnel flying everywhere. As Johnny crawled to his knees and peered through the earhole of his helmet, he asked "Did I get it….did I get it?" I did not have the heart to tell him that the marker he dove for was the first marker. He had lost six yards, but hey, the effort was there. Nothing better represented the dreadful 1993 season than that run.

Having been a member of the team that posted the last losing season this program had, I clearly remember the apathy from fans, the stinging articles from the media that judged us as embarrassments, the student body that booed us and decided the home games later in the year where a distant second to laying on the couch and watching another team play on Saturday, the alumni that second guessed everything Bower did and called for Bower's head and the general feeling of disappointment of our team and our community. So much was expected from us and we did not deliver. However, looking back, it wasn't for lack of drive or effort.

Penalties and turnovers plagued that 1993 team…sound familiar. As bad as it felt then, the losses endured by the juniors, sophomores and freshman on that team stayed with us and enabled us to pull together and eventually start our current win streak beginning in 1994. The difference between this year's team and 1993 is that the current team still has a chance to right the ship and have a winning season and go to a bowl game. Their story hasn't been written yet into history. They have plenty of talent and ability. All I ask as a fan is that they play with heart and give it all they have on every play. I tell these stories so those younger fans will realize where we have come from and to remind the older fans what they already know…We Have Been Here Before…Just Stay the Course!

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