[ad_1]
Jim Carmody, a famend defensive soccer mastermind and a outstanding determine within the soccer histories of Southern Miss, Ole Miss and Mississippi State, died Thursday after a short sickness. Carmody, a Madison resident, was 89.
“Massive Nasty” was Carmody’s nickname given to him by his defensive gamers at Southern Miss, however the moniker had extra to do with the best way his defenses performed. They swarmed to the soccer and hit onerous, whether or not he was teaching at State, Ole Miss or Southern Miss — or within the NFL. At Southern Miss, the place he was first the defensive coordinator (1978-1980) after which the pinnacle coach (1982-87), his defenses have been referred to as “The Nasty Bunch” — a nickname that endures to at the present time.
Carmody served two completely different stints in any respect three of the state’s largest universities — and he was a part of monumental victories at every. Maybe probably the most memorable of all was in October of 1982 when he was the pinnacle coach of a Southern Miss group that defeated Alabama and the legendary Bear Bryant 38-29 at Tuscaloosa, thus ending Bryant’s 59-game dwelling profitable streak. It was the primary time a visiting group had gained at Alabama in 19 seasons.
Reggie Collier was the star quarterback of that USM group. “Coach Carmody demanded lots of you, anticipated rather a lot out of you,” Collier mentioned Thursday afternoon, shortly after studying of Carmody’s dying. “He was very up entrance along with his gamers. You knew the place you stood. You wished to do something you would to please him. I cherished the person. I cherished taking part in for him.”
Southern Miss had profitable seasons in 5 of Carmody’s six years as head coach, taking part in a lot of the harder video games on the street. He was additionally a part of program-defining victories at Ole Miss and State. A sampling follows:
- In 1977, when he was the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss, the Rebels knocked off eventual nationwide champion Notre Dame 20-13 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. Carmody was the architect of a defensive sport plan that stymied the closely favored Preventing Irish in one of many signature soccer victories in Ole Miss historical past.
- In 1989, two years after leaving Southern Miss, Carmody was the coordinator of a Mississippi State group that knocked off nationally ranked Southern Miss and Brett Favre 26-23 earlier than a standing room solely crowd at Hattiesburg. Southern Miss had defeated Florida State the week earlier than and had defeated Mississippi State eight consecutive instances. Stated Rockey Felker, the pinnacle coach of that State group, “We have been the harder group that evening in Hattiesburg and it was due to Jim Carmody. He taught toughness. He instilled toughness.” Whereas Carmody was at Southern Miss, the Golden Eagles gained eight of 10 video games towards State. When Carmody moved to State, the Bulldogs have been 2-0 towards USM.
- In 1992, nonetheless later in his profession, Carmody got here again to hang-out State, this time at Ole Miss. The Rebels gained that Egg Bowl 17-10 when Carmody’s defensive entrance held State out of the tip zone on three consecutive objective line stands, 11 performs, all from contained in the 10-yard-line. “That was unbelievable, actually,” Carmody as soon as advised me. “I’ve by no means seen something fairly like that sequence earlier than then or since.”
Carmody was a part of Mississippi sports activities historical past in different methods. In 1987, Carmody’s USM group was the primary traditionally white college to play towards one among state’s traditionally black universities. Southern Miss defeated W.C. Gorden-coached Jackson State 17-7 earlier than an overflow crowd in Hattiesburg. Carmody had pushed for the sport to be performed and afterward had nothing however reward for the JSU Tigers, whom he mentioned, “have been well-coached and gifted and will beat lots of the higher groups on our schedule.”
Early in his profession, Carmody coached on Paul Davis’s workers at Mississippi State (1964-66) and helped the Bulldogs to their first victory over a John Vaught-coached Ole Miss group 20-17 at Oxford in 1964, “Man, that was a giant deal again then,” Carmody as soon as advised me. “It was on nationwide TV and Coach Vaught had simply dominated State for years and years. I keep in mind they let lessons out at State the next Monday.”
Because it occurs, Paul Davis was on Bear Bryant’s final workers at Alabama. Within the photograph that accompanies this column, you’ll be able to see Steve Carmody shaking palms with Davis within the background, whereas Jim Carmody and Bear Bryant shake palms within the foreground.
Jim Carmody coached the late, nice Ben Williams each at Ole Miss after which with the Buffalo Payments of the NFL. “Jim got here to Ole Miss in my junior yr (1974) and we bought higher actual quick,” Williams as soon as advised me. “He knew methods to inspire and he knew a lot about method. He made me a greater participant.”
Years later, when Williams was taking part in for the Payments, the group had a gap for a defensive coach. Williams mentioned he advised Buffalo head coach Chuck Knox, “You rent Jim Carmody and we are going to win our division subsequent season.”
Knox employed Carmody away from Southern Miss. And the Payments led the league in protection and sacks and gained their division. Ben Williams made All-Professional.
Jackson lawyer Steve Carmody (the oldest of Jim and Noonie Carmody’s 4 sons) was a tremendous heart on the Southern Miss group that knocked off Bear Bryant and Alabama.
“He was powerful, however honest. He handled me the best way he handled all his gamers,” Steve Carmody as soon as mentioned of his father. “It was actually neat to see your dad at work daily. Not everyone will get an opportunity to try this. I believed he was so profitable for 2 causes. One, he was so sensible. And, two, he at all times was so completely ready. No one was going to out-work my dad.”
Jim Carmody was as soon as requested about his working two completely different instances on the three Mississippi universities, absolutely one thing no person else has ever accomplished. Carmody laughed earlier than answering, “I suppose that claims that I didn’t burn any bridges.”
•••
A memorial service for Jim Carmody shall be held Jan. 12 at 3 p.m. on the Mississippi Sports activities Corridor of Fame and Museum in Jackson. In lieu of flowers, the household requests donations be made to the Mississippi Sports activities Corridor of Fame or the Jim Carmody Scholarship Fund at Southern Miss.
Shut window
Republish this text
For digital publications:
- Search for the “Republish This Story” button beneath every story. To republish on-line, merely click on the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content material Administration System (CMS).
- Editorial cartoons and photograph essays aren’t included beneath the Artistic Commons license and due to this fact wouldn’t have the “Republish This Story” button possibility. To be taught extra about our cartoon syndication companies, click on right here.
- You possibly can’t edit our tales, besides to replicate relative modifications in time, location and editorial fashion.
- You possibly can’t promote or syndicate our tales.
- Any site our tales seem on should embrace a contact on your group.
- For those who share our tales on social media, please tag us in your posts utilizing @MSTODAYnews on Fb and @MSTODAYnews on Twitter.
For print publications:
- It’s a must to credit score Mississippi At the moment. We desire “Creator Title, Mississippi At the moment” within the byline. For those who’re not ready so as to add the byline, please embrace a line on the high of the story that reads: “This story was initially revealed by Mississippi At the moment” and embrace our web site, mississippitoday.org.
- You possibly can’t edit our tales, besides to replicate relative modifications in time, location and editorial fashion.
- You can not republish our editorial cartoons, images, illustrations or graphics with out particular permission (contact our managing editor Kayleigh Skinner for extra info). To be taught extra about our cartoon syndication companies, click on right here.
- Our tales might seem on pages with advertisements, however not advertisements particularly bought towards our tales.
- You possibly can’t promote or syndicate our tales.
- You possibly can solely publish choose tales individually — not as a group.
- Any site our tales seem on should embrace a contact on your group.
- For those who share our tales on social media, please tag us in your posts utilizing @MSTODAYnews on Fb and @MSTODAYnews on Twitter.
When you have some other questions, contact Viewers Improvement Director Lauchlin Fields.
1
[ad_2]
Source link
