Former West Jones standout honored at Liberty

By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
January 1, 2004
MEMPHIS, Tenn. University of Southern Mississippi punter Luke Johnson picked up the outstanding offensive player of the game honor for his team in Utah's 17-0 win at the Liberty Bowl.
The former West Jones standout punted eight times in the Golden Eagles loss for an average of 45.8 yards, including punting three times inside the Utes' 20-yard line.
Utah running back Brandon Warfield earned his team's outstanding offensive player award, and he was named the game's most valuable player. Warfield rushed for 91 yards on 27 carries with one touchdown.
Eagles linebacker Rod Davis was named USM's defensive player of the game. The senior recorded 15 tackles and one sack.
Utah's Lewis Powell earned the Utes defensive player of the game honor, with one tackle and two fumble recoveries.
Flags fly
USM and Utah combined to set a new Liberty Bowl record for total penalties with 24. Each school committed 12 penalties in the contest.
The old record was 21, which was set by Illinois, with 15, and East Carolina, with six, in 1994.
Pushed back
Utah had a pair of scoring chances thwarted at the start of the second half.
The Utes got in their own way to start the second, as Utah picked up 20 penalty yards after moving the ball to USM's 20-yard line.
The penalties, combined with a tackle for a six-yard loss by Eagles linebacker Rod Davis, moved the Utes back to their 46-yard line.
USM's defense did the work themselves on Utah's second offensive series of the second half.
The Eagles recorded tackles for five and six-yard losses, after the Utes recovered a fumble by USM quarterback Dustin Almond on the Eagles' 18-yard line.
USM linebacker Michael Boley capped the defensive stand following the fumble with a six-yard sack of Utah quarterback Alex Smith. The Utes were forced to punt from the Eagles' 34.
Sack masters
On back-to-back Utah offensive series in the opening quarter, the USM defense found away to get to quarterback Alex Smith.
Eagles linebacker Rod Davis broke through the Utes offensive line on a third-and-seven play, with the ball on Utah's 33-yard line, to sack Smith, with just under eight minutes left in the first quarter.
Davis' hit put Utah back on its 28 forcing the Utes to punt on their second position of the game.
USM repeated its sack feat on Utah's third possession of the game.
The Utes gained one first down during the possession, but after holding penalty, the offense stalled with Utah on its 45 yard facing a third-and-14.
USM defensive end Ronald Jones peeled off the line to sack Smith for a six-yard loss to force another punt.
No second chance
USM kicker Darren McCaleb came up short on his chance to put the first points on the board in the Liberty Bowl.
The Eagles' freshman kicker lined up for a 47-yard field goal attempt with 9:40 left in the first quarter.
McCaleb, whose longest field goal for the season was a 47-yarder against Tulane, missed the long attempt into the wind ending the Eagles' second drive of the game.
USM pushed its way back down to Utah's 30-yard line on its third drive of the game, but the Eagles stalled and faced fourth and four.
Instead of attempting another field goal into the wind coming into the stadium from the Southwest, the Eagles attempted to convert on fourth down but quarterback Dustin Almond's pass fell incomplete forcing USM to turn the ball over for the second time on Utah's 30.
Golden sun
USM's gold-clad fans have rarely looked brighter than during the Liberty Bowl.
The Eagles faithful were seated on the East side of Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium during the afternoon game against Utah.
With the sun setting throughout most of the game, the gold shirts of the Eagles fans gleamed in the natural light for the opening half of USM's first loss in the Liberty Bowl in the program's third trip to the game.