Jason Munz/Hattiesburg American
It was December 17, 2016, and Southern Miss had just won the New Orleans Bowl.
Nick Mullens, the face of the Golden Eagles since 2013, polished off his decorated career in the Black and Gold in vintage fashion. The quarterback threw for 346 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.
Mullens’ Southern Miss career was over. Former stars and longtime leaders Cameron Tom and Dylan Bradley’s were too.
As Mullens and the rest of the Golden Eagles celebrated on the playing surface inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome — posing for photos, hugging teammates and hoisting trophies — the changing of the guard was palpable.