HATTIESBURG - Southern Miss’ integration of the traditional tight end into its offense in 2015 was well publicized.
However, smooth sailing it was not.
Junior college transfer Julian Allen went down with a back injury in fall camp, necessitating Ricky Parks’ move from the defensive line back to tight end, a position he hadn’t played in more than two years.
In last year’s season opener, redshirt freshman Jay’Shawn Washington suffered a knee injury that required him to miss the rest of the year. That left junior college transfer Taylor Marini, who was banged up the majority of 2015, and Parks.