USM Assistant Coach Gives Insight on Message to Players Amid Midseason Adversity

Southern Miss assistant coach Travis Creel and the rest of the coaching staff are doing all they can to try to get the baseball program back on track after falling into a midseason lull. However, it has come time for the players to "take the reins."

Southern Miss players meet on the mound after Southern Miss pitcher Bruce Littleton (43) is substituted out during a college baseball game between Ole Miss and Southern Miss at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Ole Miss defeated Southern Miss 10-3. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Following a blowout loss to No. 25 Ole Miss on Tuesday night in Pearl, No. 22 Southern Miss is still trying to figure out how to get back to being the team that started the season 15-2 against the No. 1 strength of schedule in the country. The Golden Eagles have now lost three of their last four games and are just 7-7 over their last 14.

During his weekly appearance on the SuperTalk Eagle Hour, Southern Miss assistant coach Travis Creel gave some insight into how he and head coach Christian Ostrander are challenging the players, leaning on past experiences for optimism and more. You can listen to the entire segment here and read our biggest takeaways from the segment, as well as watch our Southern Texas State preview below.

Eags Still Looking for That 'First 20' Mojo

Southern Miss Golden Eagles catcher Tucker Stockman (36) reacts after batting in the game-winning run against the Ole Miss Rebels at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Mar. 10, 2026. | Matt Bush/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I think all teams go through it," Creel said of the Golden Eagles' midseason slump. "I think we're going through it a little longer than we'd like to. But at the end of the day, everything we want to accomplish is still in front of us.

"We're one of the very few teams in the country with 25 wins. It's this unique situation where the first 20 games of the year were so good, and the last 17 or 18, whatever it is, haven't been good. Again, we gotta find a way to get that spark, get that mojo back that we had those first 20."

In fact, as we mentioned in the recap of the Golden Eagles' loss to the Rebels, Southern Miss is just one of six teams to meet the four main criteria of a national champion over the past decade: a top-20 pitching staff, an above-average offense (by the advanced stats), a top-25 strength of schedule, and an above-.500 road record.

"I think the players definitely have to take the bull by the horns ... but again, you've just gotta stay positive, you've gotta have energy, you've gotta have enthusiasm, because nothing is accomplished without energy and enthusiasm," Creel said. "I have no doubt that they'll keep working and competing. I have no doubt that the talent is in this locker room as well. This game will humble you. It'll punch you in the face. It's all about how you respond."

Coach Oz Challenging His Players to Step Up

Southern Miss head coach Christian Ostrander talks with Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco and umpires before a college baseball game between Ole Miss and Southern Miss at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Ole Miss defeated Southern Miss 10-3. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Just to keep playing hard, keep playing with energy, and keep working," Creel said when asked what the message from the coaches to the players was after Tueday's loss to Ole Miss. "Because, again, we think the talent's here. And believe me, Oz has gone every direction with the team, and I've obviously gone every direction with the hitters–chewing their tails or lifting them up.

"But at some point, I think Oz's big message is they've gotta take the reins of this thing. ... Every year, Oz is big on words, he's big on talking to the team. We talk to them every day, trying to inspire, trying to motivate. And every year, at some point, he just kinda steps away and just lets them have it, and it needed to be now. It needed to be time for them to take the reins and play the way they know they can play."

Leaning on Past Experiences

Southern Miss pitcher Thomas Crabtree (18) high-fives teammates during a college baseball game between Ole Miss and Southern Miss at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Ole Miss defeated Southern Miss 10-3. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although it's a different roster with new faces this season, Southern Miss typically goes through these midseason lulls before finding its rhythm. There's no guarantee it will happen again this year, but Creel looks at those past experiences as reasons for optimism while facing adversity.

"You just gotta find a way to get the mojo back," Creel said. "This has happened to us before. We go through storms every year. You've just gotta find a way to get out of it, and I think that starts with in-house leadership. Which I think we have plenty of good leaders on this team.

"It's all about getting hot at the right time. You know, last year, around this time, is when we really got on a heater, and hopefully that trend continues."

Creel is right when he says that everything his team wants to accomplish is still in front of them, but the clock is officially ticking for these Golden Eagles. We'll see if Southern Miss can take advantage of Texas State's lack of pitching depth this weekend to reignite its offense and start one of those patented late-season heaters.

Southern Miss vs. Texas State Series Preview Podcast

On Wednesday, we caught up with Texas State beat reporter Caleb Yum to talk about what Southern Miss fans can expect to see from the Bobcats at Pete Taylor Park this weekend.

You can watch the entire episode below, and be sure to stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI and the Nasty Bunch & Beyond podcast for more baseball coverage as we head into a big weekend of Sun Belt baseball.