MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Farris, King, Hyde-Smith, Williamson, Dawkins

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI GOLDEN EAGLES FOOTBALL TEAM FOR ITS OUTSTANDING 1999 SEASON AND IMPRESSIVE VICTORY IN THE 1999 LIBERTY BOWL.

WHEREAS, defense wins championships, and the University of Southern Mississippi's 1999 Golden Eagles Football team's defense shut down Colorado State University in the 1999 Liberty Bowl resulting in a 23-17 victory which was the culmination of a season with the highest final ranking in school history;

WHEREAS, here are the achievements of the Southern Mississippi Football Team in 1999:

Coach Jeff Bower was named the Conference USA Coach

of the Year for the second time;

Adalius Thomas was named Conference USA's Defensive

Player of the Year for the second straight season and

has been named to six All-American teams in 1999;

The Golden Eagles placed five players on Conference USA's First Team (Shederick Blackmon, Cedric Scott, Adalius Thomas, T.J. Slaughter and Leo Barnes); six players on Conference USA's Second Team (Derrick Nix, Sherrod Gideon, Todd Pinkston, DeQuincy Scott, Ty Trahan, Terrance Parrish) and five players on Conference USA's All-Freshman Team (Zeb Landers, Torrin Tucker, Buck Miciotto, Joe Henley and Jeremy Bridges);

Southern Miss quarterback Jeff Kelly finished the year with 21 touchdown passes which was second behind Lee Roberts and ahead of Brett Favre on the USM single season list;

Southern Miss finished the bowl season with its highest final ranking in school history at No. 13 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll;

Southern Miss running back Derrick Nix became the first sophomore in Southern Miss history to rush for 1,000 or more yards in his first two seasons. He is only the second USM running back to record consecutive 1,000 yard seasons;

Southern Miss wide receiver Sherrod Gideon finished his Golden Eagle career as the school's leader in receptions (193), receiving yardage (3,215) and touchdown receptions (30);

Southern Miss' Adalius Thomas is the school's all-time leader in quarterback sacks with 34.5;

Southern Miss' defense held No. 2 ranked Nebraska to its lowest yardage output since the 1993 season and held the Huskers to eight first downs, their lowest total since the 1968 season;

Southern Miss was named the USA Today Team of the Week after the Golden Eagles' 39-22 victory over No. 16 East Carolina on October 9;

Southern Miss was perfect at home this season with a 5-0 record;

Southern Miss had six players named Conference USA Player of the Week during the season: Roy Magee, T.J. Slaughter, Leo Barnes, Adalius Thomas, Ty Trahan and Brant Hanna;

Southern Miss' defense finished the year ranked eighth in the nation in total defense;

Adalius Thomas was named the Liberty Bowl's Most Valuable Player and the game's Most Valuable Defensive Player, while quarterback Jeff Kelly was named the Liberty Bowl Offensive MVP;

Southern Miss is sending a school record five players to play in the Delchamp's Senior Bowl, college football's most prestigious all-star game. Those players are Adalius Thomas, Todd Pinkston, Terrance Parrish, Sherrod Gideon and T.J. Slaughter;

Adalius Thomas was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance on October 23 against Cincinnati;

Southern Miss won its third Conference USA Championship in four seasons;

Southern Miss played in its third consecutive bowl game, a school record for consecutive bowl appearances;

Southern Miss improved to a perfect 2-0 in the Liberty Bowl; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this talented group of student athletes who have brought great honor to their university, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles Football Team for its outstanding 1999 season and impressive victory in the 1999 Liberty Bowl, and wish this team and these athletes continued success in their future academic, athletic and life endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Coach Jeff Bower and the 1999 Golden Eagles Football Team, and that copies be forwarded to the President of the University of Southern Mississippi and the Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.