Hall happy with tight ends after latest USM practice

Published 6:11 pm Friday, August 13, 2021

HATTIESBURG — The Southern Miss football team used another sunny morning Friday to get in their seventh practice of training camp.

The Golden Eagles, who switched back to shoulder pads and shorts for the practice due to NCAA practice rules, went through their normal 2 hour, 30 minute workout and first-year coach Will Hall saw some more good things during the session.

“We got the last of our seven installs in and we will start revolving back through those tomorrow,” Hall said. “It will be a fun day as we will be back in full gear. We will do some tackling again tomorrow.”

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One position group that Hall praised following the day’s practice was the tight ends. That group combined to make 20 catches for 272 receiving yards and one touchdown last season.

“I am pumped about tight end, I really am,” said Hall. “It is one of my favorite groups on the team.

“Grayson Gunter is an established, really good football player, Cole Cavallo is playing lights out and he brings toughness to our program every day, Luke Baker is a young guy that is coming on and is going to be a really good player, Naricuss Driver is coming back from injury and brings a lot to the table and Ray Ladner wakes up and bathes in toughness every day. That’s five guys that have a chance of all being really good.”

Hall, who typically likes to praise players each day when meeting with media, remembered one that he had not singled out yet because of that player’s unfailing approach each and every day.

“Averie Habas is a guy that I haven’t mentioned a lot, probably because he is so consistent,” Hall said of the sophomore linebacker. “And consistency is the truest level of performance. We all want to be consistent fathers, consistent husbands and consistent friends. Averie is a consistent teammate and football player and he shows it every day.”

The Golden Eagles will open their 105th football season on Saturday, Sept. 4, at South Alabama. Game time is set for 7 p.m.