With a new coaching staff in place, could Southern Miss be heading towards a base 4-2-5 Nickel defense? It would make a lot of sense.
One of the most controversial moves made early in the tenure of Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach Jay Hopson was the decision to not retain defensive coordinator David Duggan.
Duggan was a longtime defensive mastermind that spent the 2008-2011 and 2013-2015 seasons with Southern Miss. He was a well liked coach by both players and the fan base. While it is a disappointment to see someone of his caliber leave the program, he landed on his feet in accepting a coaching job on the Western Michigan staff.