Bill Text: MS SC585 | 2017 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Congratulate USM "Golden Eagles" Football Team for winning 2016 New Orleans Bowl.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2017-02-24 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC585 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2017-SC585-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2017 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Fillingane, Blount, Caughman, Chassaniol, Dearing, DeBar, Hill, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Kirby, Norwood, Polk, Seymour, Simmons (12th)
Senate Concurrent Resolution 585
(As Adopted by Senate and House)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI "GOLDEN EAGLES" FOOTBALL TEAM, COACH JAY HOPSON, QUARTERBACK NICK MULLEN AND RECEIVER ALLENZAE STAGGERS FOR WINNING THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS BOWL.
WHEREAS, The University of Southern Mississippi "Golden Eagles" Football Team's Quarterback Nick Mullens in his last game in a Golden Eagles' uniform led the way, throwing for 346 yards in his final game as a Golden Eagle. Junior Allenzae Staggers was on the receiving end of Mullens' handiwork. He broke New Orleans Bowl records with 11 catches for 230 yards en route to a 28-21 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 17, 2016; and
WHEREAS, the victory was Southern Miss' fourth in five trips to the New Orleans Bowl. The Golden Eagles have scored at least 28 points in all five New Orleans Bowl contests. Jay Hopson's squad finished 7-6 in his first season as Coach. The Ragin' Cajuns finished 6-7; and
WHEREAS, Receiver Allenzae Staggers set records for receptions and receiving yards. Staggers, who was named Southern Miss' Most Valuable Player, caught a career-high 11 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown before the fourth-largest crowd (35,601) in the Bowl's history. Staggers, in his first season with the program after transferring from East Mississippi Community College, became the only Golden Eagle to ever log two, 200-yard receiving games; and
WHEREAS, Nick Mullens, whose first three passes of the night went for 127 yards and two touchdowns, and the Southern Miss offense righted themselves in the second half. There was an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Mullens finding Staggers for a 5-yard touchdown and a 14-play, 83-yard drive that ended with Ito Smith's third touchdown of the night. That was not enough to get the win. A long interception return gave ULL a short field that it used to score a touchdown with 5:10 remaining, and the Cajuns stopped Southern Miss on third down at midfield moments after. You could make a strong case for the actual MVP of the game being Punter Tyler Sarrazin, who took a twirler of a punt snap and managed to grab it and kick it 36 yards to the ULL 18-yard line, or D'Nerius Antoine, who broke up the final ULL pass. Mullens was 25 of 40, 346 yards; Smith was 138 rushing yards; and Staggers was 230 receiving yards on 11 catches. In the end, the answer to who the hero was that it was all of them; and
WHEREAS, the University of Southern Mississippi "Golden Eagles Roster is: Tyre'oune Holmes, WR; Xavier Marion, DB; Trae Collins, DB; Keon Howard, QB; Parker Adamson, QB; Cornell Armstrong, DB; Walden Davis, DB; D.J. Thompson, WR; Kelsey Douglas, DB; Marquise Ricard, WR; Jomez Applewhite, DB; Kwadra Griggs, QB; Tez Parks, RB; Deshadrick Truly, DB; Nick Mullens, QB; Draper Riley, DL; Julian Allen, TE; Jarell Aaron, WR; D'Nerius Antoine, LB; Andrew LaBruna, QB; Picasso Nelson, Jr., DB; Demetrius Market, DB; Tyler Russell, QB; Devonta Foster, DB, Allenzae Staggers, WR; Quez Watkins, WR; Elijah Parker, LB; Tarvarius Moore, DB; Korey Robertson, WR, Curtis Mikell, DB; Patrick Brooks, RB; Devontre Parnell; DB; Rachuan Mitchell, DB; Parker Shaunfield, PK; Jay'Shawn Washington, TE; Darian Yancey, LB; Collin Kilcrease, RB; George Payne, RB; Justin Abston, DB; Ito Smith, RB; Jeremy Sangster, LB; Kevin Williams, Jr., DB; Stephen Brauchle, PK; Zac Everett, P; Ernest Gunn, DB; Paxton Schrimsher, LB; Raymond Smith, Jr., RB; Andre Hale II, RB; Xavier Thigpen, DL; T.J. McGinnis, WR; Evan Osborne, LB; JaCorey Morris, LB; D'Saveon Patrick, LB; Sherrod Ruff, LB; Jerry McCorvey, DL; C.J. Perry, LB; Racheem Boothe, LB; Taylor Marini, TE; LaDarius Harris, DL; Derrick Dixon, DL; Cody Block, DS; Isaiah Spencer, LB; Allen Fails, LB; Tyler Stutzman, OL; Trey Lingold, LB; Demarrio Smith, DL; Jon Michael Edwards, DE; Jauan Collins, DL; Grey Best, OL; Austin Keel, DS; Hayden McMahan, OL; Collin Mills, LS; Arvin Fletcher, OL; Simon Griffith, LS; Wyatt Richthofen, OL; Nathan Back, OL; Brandon Farmer, OL; Wil Freeman, OL, DL; Cameron Tom, OL; Jacob Johnson, OL; Cru Birdyshaw, OL; Jerry Harris, OL; Oliver Bates, OL; Ty Pollard, OL; Jacob Fleming, OL; Devin Farrior, OL; Drake Dorbeck, OL; Jordan Mitchell, WR; Reid Rials, WR; Tyler Sarrazin, P; Chase Whitehead, WR; Ben Olinger, WR; Ja'Boree Poole, DL; Shawn Brickley, WR; Isaiah Jones, WR; Ricky Parks, TE; William Potosky III, TE; Rod Crayton, DL; Gavin Greene, LB; Lorenzo Dantzler, DL; Dylan Bradley, DL; Rusty Clark, TE; Marshall Kranz, TE; and Jacques Turner, DE; Jay Hopson, Head Coach; Tim Billings, Assistant Head Coach/Outside Linebackers; Shannon Dawson, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks; Tony Pecoraro, Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers; John Wozniak, Special Teams Coordinator/Wide Receivers; Dan Disch, Secondary; Desmond Lindsey, Tight Ends; Derek Nicholson, Defensive Line; Lytrel Pollard, Running Backs; Jack Wright, Offensive Line; Wes Turner, Director of Player Personnel; John Barnett, Director of Football Operations; Chase Bitowf, Football Video Coordinator; Zac Woodfin, Strength and Conditioning Coach; SaJason Finley, Assistant Strength and Conditioning; Jack Wilson, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach; Rip Rowan, Defensive Graduate Assistant; Max Drisko, Offensive Graduate Assistant; AJ Antonescu, Offensive Graduate Assistant; Hendrick Taylor, Defensive Graduate Assistant; Jeff Crosby, Special Teams Quality Control; Seth Reedy, Director of Recruiting Communications; and Noah Joseph, Recruiting Assistant; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize a truly grand finale by this football team which has brought 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, Coach Jay Hopson, Quarterback Nick Mullen and Receiver Allenzae Staggers for winning the 2016 New Orleans Bowl, and extend to the team and its coaches our best wishes for future success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Jay Hopson for the team, forwarded to University of Southern Mississippi President Rodney D. Bennett and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
