Five Southern Miss football players were named to Phil Steele’s Preseason All-Conference USA Football Team on Tuesday.
Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is the nation’s well-respected preseason football magazine, listing the top players in the Preseason All-American Team as well as Preseason All-Conference Teams.
Redshirted junior linebacker Terrick Wright earned second team honors, followed by redshirt senior wide receiver Markese Triplett, redshirt senior defensive tackle Adam Williams and senior guard Fred Moore, earning third team honors.
In addition, sophomore defensive end Dylan Bradley earned fourth team honors.
Wright, finishing with the highest honor among Golden Eagles, accounted for 90 tackles with 44 unassisted, four tackles for a loss, one interception and two pass breakups.
The Gadsden, Ala., native also posted a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for the Golden Eagles last season.
Triplett finished last season with 33 receptions and a team-high 558 yards, finishing second on the team in receptions. He also averaged nearly 17 yards per reception and 51 yards per game.
Moore was a major contributor in helping Southern Miss account for over 2,900 yards passing and a combined 1,075 yards among Southern Miss running backs. He also helped running back Kendrick Hardy rush for 106 yards and Nick Mullens to throw for 370 yards and five touchdowns in the season finale win against the University of Alabama Birmingham.
Despite playing on a defensive line that struggled last year, Williams started in six games and played in all 12 for the Golden Eagles. He recorded 40 tackles with 19 of them solo, 8.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks. He also forced a fumble and accounted for a quarterback hurry.
Also on the defensive line, Bradley played in 11 games for Southern Miss, recording 52 tackles with 24 of them solo, 4.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery and two quarterback hurries.
The Steele’s Preseason All-C-USA Team will appear in the magazine, hitting newsstands Tuesday, June 24.
Southern Miss opens the 2014 season on Saturday, Aug. 30 in Starkville, Miss., taking on in-state rival Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be aired on the SEC Network.
