Another factor in this week's game.

[abezontar]

USM’s defensive coordinator fighting return of cancer

By Tim Doherty
[email protected]


Southern Miss defensive coordinator Jay Hopson will miss this week’s game with SMU after a reoccurence of testicular cancer.

USM coach Jeff Bower said this morning that Hopson had been expected to have surgery today, but that he was seeking a second opinion in Vicksburg.

Hopson, who had a testicle removed in 1995 after initially being diagnosed, has been defensive coordinator the past three years after a previous stint at USM from 2001-03.

Bower said outside linebackers coach Dave Wommack and defensive line coach Bill Wilt would serve as co-defensive coordinators for the Mustangs’ game. Wommack will take over coaching all linebackers.

Wommack, who had been returned to USM just weeks before the season began, was the Golden Eagles’ defensive coordinator from 1998-2000.

[PonyTales]

Best wishes to Coach Hopson and his family.

Before anyone gets ahead of themselves, punchlines here are grossly inappropriate here. Anyone who has known someone who has dealt with this knows that it is very dangerous and sometimes fatal. It's a very scary deal for victims and their families.