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Southern Miss had not settled its starting quarterback entering game week because Ethan Hampton's bone bruise took longer than expected; Hampton had been trending toward the job before the injury and handled about 70 percent of the previous practice without a setback.

Southern Miss plans to use one or two tight ends without sacrificing formation flexibility, with a heavier RPO and deep-choice passing game that asks quarterbacks and receivers to make post-snap coverage decisions together.

Receiver Davis Dalton remained day to day with a hamstring injury after practicing only on a limited basis, and his ability to reach full speed for the opener was uncertain.

Jahmir Davis was the only Southern Miss offensive lineman ruled out for the season after an ACL injury; Larry Edwards' foot and Toby Mealer's bout with mononucleosis were behind them, leaving the staff to choose and rotate its best seven or eight healthy linemen.

Three Southern Miss players returning for an additional season were considered legally eligible for Week 1, had caught up sufficiently in conditioning and were expected to play significant snaps.