Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
5:29 am Monday, April 12, 2004

Starting QB job is Almond's to lose

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
April 12, 2004
HATTIESBURG University of Southern Mississippi head football coach Jeff Bower has placed the ball in the hands of Dustin Almond.
The junior quarterback, who threw for 1,877 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2003, is the undisputed No. 1 signal caller for the Golden Eagles.
Almond has backed up his coach's vote of confidence with strong numbers in USM's first two scrimmages of spring drills.
The Orange Park, Fla., native has thrown for a combined 476 yards and six touchdowns in two intersquad games at the Marshall Bell Track and Soccer Complex.
Almond hit 8-of-14 passes for 213 yards and a pair of touchdowns on Saturday, and he completed 11-of-20 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns on April 3 in the team's first scrimmage.
Sophomore quarterback Damion Carter, who played in five games in 2003 and threw for 238 yards, isn't spending all of his time during spring drills behind center. The New Orleans native is also working out as a wide receiver.
In the first two scrimmages, Carter completed 6-of-13 passes for 88 yards, and he has accumulated 50 receiving yards.
Jeremy Young, who redshirted his freshman season, has taken the most snaps after Almond during spring drills.
The sophomore quarterback completed 6-of-12 passes for 82 yards on Saturday, and he threw for 59 yards and a touchdown in the first scrimmage of the season.
While Carter and Young are more than capable backups for the Eagles, the ball is still in Almond's hands.
The 6-foot-2, 212-pounder struggled at the start of last season, completing just 39.1 percent of his passes for 490 yards as he shared quarterback duties with Micky D'Angelo and Carter.
But Almond came around in the second half of the 2003 regular season, throwing for 1,265 yards and 13 touchdowns with seven interceptions over the last six games.
He threw for over 200 yards in four straight games in the second half of the year and threw one touchdown in six straight games, passing for multiple touchdowns in five contests.
As much as the offense and Almond clicked to close out the 2003 season, the Eagles quickly regressed in the Liberty Bowl against Utah in Memphis on Dec. 31.
USM was held to 213 yards against Utah, and Almond completed just 11-of-33 passes for 122 yards. The Golden Eagles were shut out 17-0.
While the game is one Almond and the Eagles would like to forget, the junior quarterback said the Liberty Bowl does help keep the team working as it prepares to defend its unprecedented fourth Conference USA title in 2004.

Also on Franklin County Times
Thorpe to play at Blue Mountain Christian
High School Sports, News, Russellville, ...
Brannon King For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Brennon Thorpe made his plans official to attend Blue Mountain Christian University and play baseball for the Toppers during a recent s...
Russellville High Class of 1967 gathers, reminisces
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 16, 2025
You can’t really go back to the good old days of high school, but you can pay them a visit now and then. That’s exactly what the RHS Class of 1967 has...
Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
Lifestyles, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lak...
European travel builds bonds across cultures
Lifestyles, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- A group of Franklin County travelers spent nine days this summer walking through catacombs, exploring castles and standing in places w...
Little Free Library welcomes readers in East Franklin
Lifestyles, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Eleven-year-old Aiden Hall is an avid reader, but he doesn’t just want to read books. He also wants to share them, and the way he deci...
King becomes elementary curriculum director
Lifestyles, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELVILLE — Molly King says every child can learn, though not necessarily in the same way or on the same day — a belief she plans to carry into her ...
New Junior Leaders begin their training
Franklin County, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Forty-two high school students from across Franklin County are beginning 10 months of hands-on leadership training and community ser...
Fire destroys 2-story garage, guest suite
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
R U S S E L LV I L L E – Jason Gist leaned against the wall of his home with a look of disgust while dozens of firefighters worked to extinguish a fir...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Stories
July 4, 2025Augusto Simon Diaz, 42, of Russellville, passed away July 4. Visitation and funeral were held at Spry Memorial Chapel on July 12 from 2pm ...
July 16, 2025
July 8, 2025Jamie Kerby Cummings, 41, of Russellville, passed away on July 8. Visitation took place July 13, at Spry Memorial Chapel from 1 pm to 3pm....
July 16, 2025
July 11,2025Julie “JuJu” Welch Black, 63, of Russellville, passed away on July 11.Graveside service was held at 1pm on July 13, at Belgreen Cemetery w...
July 16, 2025
July 9, 2025Scott Noel Benford, age 58, of Muscle Shoals, passed away on July 9. Visitation was held at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville on July 1...
July 16, 2025