From a War Eagle to a Golden Eagle, Southern Miss special teams return man Tracey “Pound” Lampley has been making strides into becoming the next big thing in Hattiesburg.
Last week Lampley, the former Wayne County standout, returned a kick-off for a score in a 27-20 win over Marshall and broke a Southern Miss record for total kickoff return yardage in a game with 211 yards on five attempts. The effort earned the freshman Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
The victory also gave Southern Miss (6-4. 4-2), who hosts Tulsa (4-6, 2-4) Saturday in a key Conference USA matchup, its first road win of the season.
“When I played football at Wayne County, we were the team everyone wanted to beat,” said Lampley. “I believe playing at Wayne County has helped me prepare for the big games in Conference USA.”
War Eagle head coach Marcus Boyles remembers Lampley as being a special player. “He was a great competitor,” Boyles said. “His competitive drive helps him compete at a high level.”
Lampley, the only Golden Eagle to score a TD on both a kickoff and punt return in the same season, likes to emulate New Orleans Saints halfback Reggie Bush. “I like to electrify the crowd,” he said. “I like to pattern my game after Reggie Bush.”
Boyles believes when “Pound” is in the open field, he will be a threat to score. “He’s picking up where he left off here at Wayne County,” Boyles said. “Lampley is going to bring hardships for anyone trying to drag him down out in the open space.”
Lampley is enjoying being a key factor on the Golden Eagles return team. “Special teams is a big deal here at Southern Miss,” he said. “As a unit, we like to make the big play all the time.”
While some Mississippi senior colleges overlooked Lampley due to his size, Southern Miss head coach Larry Fedora jumped at the chance at bringing “Pound” to the Golden Eagles. “Coach Fedora is looking for playmakers,” said Boyles. “His staff are looking for guys who are capable of making the big play at any given moment.”
As far as the nickname “Pound” is concerned, it will be with Lampley wherever he may go in this world. “Its been with me since I was baby,” he said. “It came with me down here to Southern Miss, so the name isn’t going anywhere.”
Kickoff Saturday at The Rock is set for 6:30 p.m.
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Pounding it out
Lampley a threat for USM special teams
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