HATTIESBURG — Brandon Hayes' offseason internship didn't involve making coffee or organizing files. It more closely resembled trial by fire.
The third-year Southern Miss football wideout spent the spring as a coaching intern with the Oak Grove football program, at times handling the wide receivers by himself with position coach Sam Thomas otherwise occupied coaching the school's golf team .
"Every kid is different," Hayes said. "Everybody's not gonna listen to you the first time you say something. You gotta talk to everybody differently."
The experience proved beneficial for Hayes' career goals — he loves kids and hopes one day to become a teacher and football coach.