'Learning Curve Taking Way Too Long': Southern Miss Defense Seeks Redemption vs. Arkansas State

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss head coach Blake Anderson opened up his press conference on Monday by addressing everything Southern Miss football, from top to bottom, and said his staff counted 41 missed tackles in last week's Tuesday night loss at Troy, a drastic jump from just eight at Tulane the week prior.

For Coach A, that difference solidified why the Golden Eagles followed a competitive performance in New Orleans with a 55-34 defeat in their Sun Belt opener. After having nearly a full week off from speaking with the media, here are the highlights of what Anderson said to reporters on Monday morning.

Breaking Down the Defensive Struggles at Troy

Southern Miss vs. Troy from Troy, Alabama on October 6, 2026. | Russell C Cloy

Troy rushed for 437 yards on 59 attempts, averaging 7.4 yards per carry and scoring five rushing touchdowns. The Trojans’ quarterback Goose Crowder ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Jordan Lovett added 142 yards and another score.

Coach Anderson said Troy gained 286 rushing yards after contact, highlighting how often Southern Miss had opportunities to end plays but failed to make tackles. “We just got to get guys on the ground,” Anderson said.

The Golden Eagles' problems went far beyond tackling. Coach A said defenders too often abandoned their assigned gaps or approached blockers with the wrong leverage, creating running lanes the defense was meant to close. He described situations in which a linebacker attacked a blocker head-on rather than maintaining the inside shoulder. That mistake could expose two gaps instead of allowing the linebacker and a supporting safety to handle their respective responsibilities.

Watching the Tape: Fixing Mistakes Instead of the Playbook

Southern Miss Football — Southern Miss vs. Troy from Troy, Alabama on October 6, 2026. | Russell C Cloy

It’s safe to say that, with the much-needed distancing from a disheartening Tuesday-night football game and not playing this past Saturday, Southern Miss’ coaching staff has had enough time to review the game film from the loss to Troy and address key things from each game.

Coach A said the staff’s review did not reveal a game plan that needed to be discarded. He spoke highly of his first-year defensive coordinator Joe Bolden, saying, “There's always a couple you want back, but Joe didn’t make bad calls.” Instead, he said the defense must execute the calls with better alignment, communication and technique. The Golden Eagles’ staff will simplify where it can, but players still must handle their assignments and tackle consistently.

"If we run the defense scheme as called and play with good technique and get guys on the ground, a completely different game, but that's the challenge, man," Anderson said. "Everybody in this building is learning from the ground up, day one, and that learning curve is taking way too long. We’ve got to speed it up, so we'll simplify where we can."

When asked about possible personnel deficiencies, Anderson acknowledged that the roster needs continued development and future upgrades. He also said the current players are capable of performing better than they have. “We’ve got good enough players to play better than we’re playing,” Anderson said. Effort has not been the issue, he said. The challenge is combining that effort with the fundamentals needed to stop drives. “We’re playing with great effort. We’re working hard, but that’s not enough,” Anderson said. “That just gets you to the ballpark. Like we’ve got to play better. ”

The Test Ahead: Stopping The Run vs. Arkansas State

Arkansas State Red Wolves — South Alabama vs. Arkansas State (#22 - Ezell Jolly) at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro, Arkansas on October 8, 2026. | Photo by Carla Wehmeyer - Arkansas State

The Southern Miss defense needs to perform in Saturday’s game against Arkansas State to show fans and the rest of the Sun Belt Conference that it has addressed key mistakes from previous outings, with the game kicking off at 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at The Rock (Renesas Stadium) in Hattiesburg on ESPN+.

Anderson expects the Red Wolves to test Southern Miss’ run defense until the Golden Eagles demonstrate they can stop it. “If I’m somebody coming in, I’m going to run until I figure out you can stop it,” Anderson said. For Southern Miss, improvement starts with defenders lining up correctly, running the same call, and maintaining their responsibilities through contact. “We got to show people we can stop the run,” Anderson said.

Arkansas State Red Wolves Football — South Alabama vs. Arkansas State (#22 - Ezell Jolly) at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro, Arkansas on October 8, 2026. | Photo by Carla Wehmeyer - Arkansas State

The Red Wolves enter the contest 2-4 overall and 0-2 in Sun Belt play after scoring 49 points in a seven-point loss to South Alabama this past Thursday night. The Golden Eagles have the next few days to execute the defensive scheme and have everyone on the same page for Saturday night’s game.

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