Aug 28, 2017
Southern Miss head coach Jay Hopson and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson discussed their QB situation ahead of the Kentucky game
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Southern Miss football coach Jay Hopson's weekly press conference has started.
UPDATE (11:46 a.m.): Hopson said he will not name a starting quarterback until later this week. He cited Kwadra Griggs missing several practices two weeks ago with a finger injury and wanting to give him as much time to compete with Keon Howard as he can.
"We're going to let them compete it out this week. I think that's only fair to Kwadra. We're going to let these guys battle it out. It'll probably be Friday or Saturday. We'll play it up to game time. I think that's the fair thing to do.
"(But) I think they're both going to play."
More: Southern Miss senior, Texas native Kelsey Douglas' family 'OK' despite Hurricane Harvey
UPDATE (11:51 a.m.): Hopson on Sherrod Ruff, who's listed as the starting middle linebacker: "He's a quick-twitch guy who can really run. I thought he was having a great year last year before he got hurt."
UPDATE (11:55 a.m.): Hopson says his cornerback group is the position that most impressed him in training camp. He also talks about the size the team has added to the defensive line and how anxious he is to see them play.
UPDATE (11:59 a.m.): Hopson on the increased team speed, especially on offense. "Just the addition of some guys like Quez (Watkins) and Jaylond (Adams) and you mix them in with guys that can really run like Allenzae (Staggers) and Korey (Robertson). That helps."
More: New C-USA chairman Rodney Bennett: 'We don’t want to lose our footing' in NCAA
UPDATE (12:01 p.m.): Hopson's time at the podium has ended. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson up next.
UPDATE (12:10 P.M.): Dawson on the QB situation and whether they plan to play more than one against Kentucky: "We’re going to see how the game goes. I’m not going to make any statements about playing two or three (quarterbacks). We’re going to do what it takes to win the game and move the football."
UPDATE (12:19 p.m.): Defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro at the podium now. "(Our defensive tackles) are a little more meatier. We lost Draper (Riley) for six games last year. He's back. Rod Crayton is down to 290 pounds and he's back. Demarrio Smith his up to 280. And we've added Delmond (Landry). So, yeah, much bigger this year."
UPDATE (12:21 p.m.): Pecoraro mentions safety Tarvarius Moore and linebacker Racheem Boothe, as well as defensive linemen Rod Crayton and Demarrio Smith, as players that have had the most impressive offseasons among defensive players.
UPDATE (12:28 p.m.): Pecoraro's done at the podium. Senior center Devin Farrior now appearing before the media.
UPDATE (12:29 p.m.): Farrior on the team's second-half performance vs. Kentucky last year: "We knew we made many mistakes in the first half. But we were a lot better conditioned than they were (in the 2nd half). We're a lot more conditioned now even from last year."
UPDATE (12:33 p.m.): Farrior's time with us has ended. Senior DB Kelsey Douglas at the podium now.
UPDATE (12:34 p.m.): Douglas, a native of Missouri City, Texas, which is a suburb of Houston, says he has spent the last few days keeping in close contact with his family. He said it's not too bad, relatively speaking, w
