Western Kentucky, Southern Miss feel stable, but with QB questions

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers's quarterback situation is unclear. Southern Miss Golden Eagles is going through a head coaching transition.

But all in all, both teams have more stability than a lot of programs this time of year as they prepare to meet in the New Orleans Bowl on Tuesday.

"Everybody is with us -- players and coaches," Western Kentucky head coach Tyson Helton said. "We want to finish this thing out together."

The Hilltoppers (8-4) expect to have both of their quarterbacks available. Graduate Maverick McIvor was the starter before suffering an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in October. Redshirt freshman Western Kentucky's quarterback situation is unclear.

"Both quarterbacks are going to prepare like they're going to start this game," Helton said.

Tisdale won his first three starts before losing his last two, which were road games against LSU (13-10) and Jacksonville State (37-34).

"Rodney has grown a lot," Helton said. "He was thrown into the fire in some very challenging games and I like where he currently is. He's still developing. He's still growing, but he's done very well and I love the fact that there are two quality quarterbacks in that room."

Helton said he feels Western Kentucky is battle tested after going 3-3 on the road, and the two nonconference losses came against bowl teams Toledo and LSU.

"We like to compete on the road," Helton said. "This game will be no different."

The Hilltoppers are making their seventh consecutive bowl appearance and 12th overall at the FBS level.

The Golden Eagles (7-5) had a big turnaround from a 1-11 record last season under first-year head coach Charles Huff, who left to become head coach at Memphis.

They promoted offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Blake Anderson to interim head coach before naming him Huff's full-time successor. Anderson was in the first season of his second stint as a Southern Miss assistant.

Despite the departure of Huff, the Golden Eagles have been virtually untouched by opt-outs, NFL declarations or the transfer portal.

"I would say 99% of our guys have made it very clear that they not only want to play, but they want to win the game and finish the right way," Anderson said. "I know, with people opting out all over the country and guys choosing not to play, that means a lot."

The Golden Eagles have also been dealing with an injury at quarterback. Braylon Braxton sustained a knee injury last month, missed one game and was limited when he returned. But he has had time to heal since the regular-season finale Nov. 29.

"He looks better now than he has looked in a very long time," Anderson said of Braxton. "I'm very encouraged that we can open things back up. What makes Braylon so hard to defend is his ability to create. We had to be very, very vanilla with what we were doing. We weren't as effective as we needed to be. I expect him to be much more like himself (against the Hilltoppers)."

The Golden Eagles' 24th bowl appearance is ending a two-year bowl absence.

--Field Level Media