Three unanswered questions for Southern Miss football as Week 1 arrives
It’s officially a Southern Miss football game week again.
The Golden Eagles begin their 2022 season at home against Liberty on Saturday in an intriguing game between two programs that have witnessed plenty of turnover this offseason.
That makes Southern Miss a difficult team to predict heading into 2022, with numerous variables at play that will decide whether this season is a success or failure for the Golden Eagles.
Here are the three biggest unanswered questions as Southern Miss prepares to start its campaign.
What does Southern Miss have in quarterback Ty Keyes?
No question is more important than the one under center as the Golden Eagles roll into 2022.
Ty Keyes has the pedigree to be an outstanding quarterback at the Sun Belt level, but hasn’t proven much with only four collegiate games under his belt. Head coach Will Hall has cautioned that, while there is reason to be excited about Keyes’ ability, there will be a learning curve for the second-year quarterback.
Keyes is getting the nod over veteran signal-caller Trey Lowe, and posted up-and-down results during the preseason from a passing perspective.
His ability to make plays with his feet is key, and he hasn’t been able to showcase that athleticism much during fall practice with quarterbacks under a strict no-contact policy.
If Keyes can get it going, the Golden Eagles’ rebuild under Hall could accelerate more quickly than some expect. Likewise, if Keyes stumbles, it’s difficult to see anything but another challenging year in Hattiesburg.
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Can Sam Gregg turn around the USM offensive line?
To call the Southern Miss offensive line “bad” in 2021 wouldn’t really be doing the suffering justice. The Golden Eagles were bottom 10 in the nation in both pass and run blocking a season ago, according to Pro Football Focus. “Abominable” might be a more fitting descriptor.
But there’s renewed optimism in 2022 with the arrival of Sam Gregg from Liberty. Gregg will serve as the offensive coordinator — though Hall will retain his play-calling duties — and coach the offensive line.
The Golden Eagles made a few additions on the offensive front this offseason, but Southern Miss’ first unit throughout the preseason has consistently been comprised of linemen who played a lot last season.
The unit has looked capable enough in fall practice, especially in the run game. Will that translate in Week One against Liberty?
Can the Southern Miss defense turn effectiveness into dominance?
The silver lining in 2021’s 3-9 season was the Southern Miss defense, which managed to keep the Golden Eagles around in a few games despite frequently being placed in bad positions by the offense.
While it’s not clear exactly how much the Southern Miss offense will improve in 2021, it’s probably safe to assume that USM won’t suffer injuries to its entire quarterback depth chart and turn the ball over 2.6 times per game.
With that improved platform and most of his key contributors back in the fold, defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong has a chance to transform his defense from one that was decent despite adverse circumstances into one that is suffocating.
Making such a jump would ease the pressure on Keyes and an offense that was under fire for most of last season.
Reach Southern Miss writer David Eckert at deckert@gannett.com or on Twitter @davideckert98.
This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Three unanswered questions for Southern Miss football as season arrives
