Southern Miss coach Blake Anderson seeks response after loss to James Madison
Southern Miss coach Blake Anderson said the Golden Eagles need to respond to their loss to James Madison by correcting mistakes and handling adversity better as they prepare to face Louisiana Tech.
Anderson said Southern Miss played well in the first half against James Madison but lost momentum late in the half and early in the third quarter. He said mistakes and frustration contributed to the team’s struggles down the stretch.
“We’ve got to learn from that and grow up,” Anderson said Monday. He said the team would review the performance and try to play a better game against Louisiana Tech, which he described as a strong opponent.
Anderson said James Madison’s defense disrupted the Golden Eagles’ running game with physical play and depth. Southern Miss had success during an early stretch, he said, but struggled to consistently win one-on-one matchups. Falling behind also led the team to pass more often than it wanted.
Quarterback John White earned Anderson’s praise after his performance against James Madison. Anderson said White ran effectively, made sound decisions and protected the ball, though he and the receivers were not always on the same page. Anderson said additional experience should help White improve.
Anderson said White had continued working and developing after losing the team’s quarterback competition. He said White was ready for his first start and that the upcoming game reps would help him. Anderson also said Southern Miss plans to bring in a quarterback to compete with White, who will need to earn the job.
The coach said the team was focused on its next game rather than dwelling on bowl eligibility. Southern Miss would need to win out to reach a bowl, Anderson said, but he cautioned against defining the season only by that outcome. He said the team had improved and that its broader progress mattered.
Anderson also pointed to White as an example of the value of staying with a program and working through a difficult stretch. He said retaining players and developing them would be important to Southern Miss’ future, noting that Louisiana Tech had benefited from keeping players and developing them.
At the time of Anderson’s news conference, the schedule listed Southern Miss, which was 3-6 overall and 2-3 in Sun Belt play, to visit Louisiana Tech, then 7-2 overall and 5-0 in conference play, Saturday at Joe Aillet Stadium. The calendar listed kickoff for 4 p.m. The game was scheduled to air on ESPN+, with the Southern Miss Sports Network pregame show listed for 2:30 p.m.
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