Ex-UI Assistant Warns Vandals About Golden Eagles’ Speed

Nick Holt has some advice for the Idaho football team: Run. Fast.

Because that’s what Southern Mississippi will do.

The Golden Eagles, Idaho’s opponents in Wednesday’s Humanitarian Bowl, can fly, but they’re also big and physical, said Holt, the former Vandals assistant now on staff at Louisville, a 56-21 loser to Southern Miss.

“Their talent is very similar to the Alabamas, Auburns of the SEC,” Holt said. “Speed is the main thing, but they’re physical and tough. They are not a finesse team - they will get after you. They are fun to watch, quite honestly.”

Coach Jeff Tisdel, who saw his Nevada Wolf Pack get crushed 55-28 by Southern Miss, gave the Golden Eagles rave reviews.

“We’ve played Oregon, Oregon State, Colorado State and some others the last two years, but we felt Southern Miss has the best athletes of any team we’ve seen,” Tisdel said. “I look at us or Idaho - and Idaho will do some things that can cause them problems - but Southern Miss’ skill level is so much better than we see in our conference. And I don’t mean that as a negative to our conference.”

Tisdel was brutally honest discussing the Southern Miss personnel. “As much as I love our receivers (Geoff Noisy and Trevor Insley), Southern Miss’ (Sherrod Gideon and Todd Pinkston) are better. They are phenomenal,” he said.

Defensive end Adalius Thomas? “A phenomenal player,” Tisdel said. The offensive line? “I’d take them overnight.”

Holt acknowledged it’s probably a mismatch on paper. “But that’s the great thing about Idaho kids,” he said. “They don’t think that and they’ll come to play.”

Idaho’s defense is better than Louisville’s, Holt said. The key will be keeping the Golden Eagles in check early. “You have to make them go down the field methodically,” he said. “Idaho cannot give up the big play.”

Idaho’s offense must be productive on first down, Holt warned. “If they get you in second- and third-and-long, it’s over.”

Destination, Boise

The Boise airport had a nice sign welcoming Idaho and Southern Miss - not that the Vandals would have noticed. They bused to Boise on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles’ left Hattiesburg, Miss., aboard two charter planes, one departing at 6 a.m. and the other at 7:45. The reason for the separate times: Southern Miss wanted to avoid renting eight Boise-based buses, which would have been necessary if both planes arrived at the same time.

USM is renting four buses at $2,000 each per day, according to a Mississippi newspaper.

Idaho arrived about 20 minutes late for an evening welcoming reception.

Notes

Idaho running back Joel Thomas and Southern Miss quarterback Lee Roberts have been chosen Idaho Sports Medicine Institute Humanitarian Award winners. The awards reflect their contributions in football and in their communities. The two will be honored during the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame induction ceremonies Tuesday night. … USM has raised nearly $200,000 the last two years thanks to former Golden Eagle Brett Favre. The Green Bay Packer contributes $250 for every touchdown pass he throws and USM lined up similar donations from boosters and businesses. Favre’s off-season home is in Hattiesburg.