Smith Is The Lone Golden Eagle On The CUSA All-Conference Team

Looking to make some noise off of a 3-9 season in 2014, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles earned a single spot on the first team Conference USA preseason All-Conference team in senior defensive lineman Michael Smith. This first team only preseason team is voted on by the coaches from the

Smith, a 6-4, 277 pound force on the defensive line, is coming off of a 31 tackle, 0.5 tackles for loss, 6 quarterback hit season for the Golden Eagles. The rising senior has made 30 starts on the defensive line for Southern Miss during his career with a total of 91 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 8 quarterback hits, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 blocked kick.

The Golden Eagles need Smith at his best in 2015 after losing  first team All-CUSA Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Conference USA honorable mention Dasman McCullum from the 2014 defensive line.

Southern Miss has been very good on the defensive line in recent years despite the poor record and has actually put a defensive lineman on the first team All-CUSA squad in each of the last four seasons. Cordarro Law started the streak in making the 2011 All-CUSA first team followed by Jamie Collins making the 2012 team, Khyri Thornton making the 2013 team, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches making the 2014 team.

Can Smith back his selection up on the field and make five straight seasons with Southern Miss putting a defensive line on the first team All-CUSA list.