Got back in Hattiesburg a few hours ago. Couple thoughts on the game, the atmosphere, Shreveport, etc.
1) Game went about as expected. I know some of you thought we had a shot but let's be real here .... FSU has top 5 talent and they're going up against a team mostly made up of 2 stars. The only way we had a shot was if FSU came out totally flat and turned the ball over 3-4 times. Neither of these things happened. Though I will admit, there was 5% of me that thought maybe it was our day when we opened up with that TD drive to start the game. But once Shaunfield missed the PAT by a mile (even Jean van de Velde thought that shank was bad), I knew TTT was in full effect. But it would have been nice to have been competitive. FSU is still extremely talented, but getting waxed by a 6-6 team doesn't exactly look great. Already taking shit from State and FAU fans (ugh). AAC giving us some hell as well. I was hoping for a BC or UVA matchup because those teams aren't nearly as talented as the Noles are. Would have been more of a game IMO. Every CUSA team, with the possible exception of FAU, would have gotten their teeth kicked in by that FSU team.
2) Playcalling on offense was too vanilla. You aren't going to beat FSU by running it up the middle. Hopson and Dawson should have been channeling their inner Monken vs State in 2015. Flea flickers, double reverse passes, multiple onside kicks (we tried one but it was too late), using your DE as a FB, etc. We eventually started mixing in some trick plays, but like I said it was too late at the point.
3) Shreveport was interesting. It's kinda like Jackson but without the significance of being the state's economic/cultural center. Also, it doesn't appear to have the pretentious dicks that live in Jackson. I've spent a little time in North Louisiana before (Rayville, Monroe, Ruston) but had never been to the Port City. It's really nothing like the rest of the state. Almost an extension of East Texas. Lot of Arkansas, A&M, Baylor, and Cowboys gear at one of the sporting goods stores at the Bossier City outlet mall.
Stayed at the team hotel. Great USM crowd and the hotel really rolled out the red carpet for USM. They had all kinds of Southern Miss stuff in the lobby, the hotel staff was all dressed in USM apparel, etc.
I definitely wouldn't live in Shreveport, but it was fine for 24 hours. I honestly did not realize how big the casino industry was there. Yeah, I knew there was a presence, but I didn't know it was one of the top gambling destinations in 'Murica.
4) Independence Stadium was fine. It's definitely a shithole, but I say it's a step above Ladd-Peebles or Legion Field. Hell, they have some club seating. That beats anything that Legion Field, Ladd-Peebles, VMS, etc. has. It's definitely better kept up than the Fairgrounds Field baseball stadium. Drove past it when entering the stadium parking lot. Well on it's way to being abandoned.
I really digged the tailgating scene at the stadium. I like how it was kind of a fair scene with concessions outside the stadium selling corn dogs with grade D beef. Lot of people tailgating in the parking lot in frigid temperatures. That's some midwestern shit right there and I love it.
The concessions stand in the stadium was kinda weak. All they sold was nachos, hot dogs, and cokes. Didn't even see any burgers. Buddy of mine was eating something that looked like a BBQ sandwich/sloppy joe hybrid. Must be some Shreveport/NW Louisiana culinary staple. Not sure where he got that because it was not on the menu at the concession stand I stopped at.
5) We traveled very well. Looked like we had 10k fans from where I was sitting. Pretty solid. CUSA fans can bitch about how we maybe didn't deserve it based on how we played this year, but truth is no other school in the league would have brought more fans to the game to this game (with the exception of LaTech but their fans wouldn't have bought hotel room due to their close proximity to Shreveport). Strong USM presence at the parade on Tuesday night as well. I didn't go to Dallas in 2015, but it definitely looks like we brought more fans to Shreveport than we did to Dallas.
