HATTIESBURG — After a season marred by tragedy, Southern Miss is feeling confident as a new culture is taking hold in the locker room.

Head coach Larry Fedora noticed it during the spring, summer conditioning and in the start of fall camp.

“The excitement for me with this team is that they’re excited about themselves,” USM coach Larry Fedora said. “The chemistry they developed over the summer is pretty amazing. There is just a unique chemistry about this team. There’s a bond — a closeness. There is something special about this group, so I’m excited about that.”

Quarterback Austin Davis, who is just 300 yards away from taking the Southern Miss passing yards record, echoed the sentiment.

“I’ve had as good a feeling going into this season as I’ve ever had,” Davis said. “We have a lot of experience. During our first days of practice, we’ve been able to run more, I guess you’d say, more advanced plays, into the offense earlier because we’ve got so many guys who have experience in this system. It’s a huge benefit.”

There are other reasons why the Golden Eagles are quietly confident. New defensive coordinator Dan Disch and strength and conditioning coach Paul Jackson have added their vocal leadership to the mix.

Jackson’s work in the weight room has drawn raves from the Southern Miss players and the results were apparent at the team’s media day on Saturday. The physical changes, especially in the chiseled physiques of Davis, who gained 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason, and former linebacker Jamie Collins, who bulked up in order to play the hybrid bandit position in the new defense, were stunning.

“I think there has been a big culture change with Coach Paul Jackson, our strength and conditioning coach, because that’s where it all starts, in the weight room,” cornerback Deron Wilson said. “We spend more time with our strength and conditioning coach than anyone else. He’s really changed the culture and attitude towards everything. When it’s time to work, he’s all about work. It’s all about business.”

The new 4-2-5 defense installed by Disch over the spring has drawn raves from the opposite end of the field. Fedora described Davis as being a constant presence in the film room, but the senior quarterback was thrown for a loop on some new wrinkles that the defense showed him in spring and the early part of fall camp.

“I know for me, it’s been a little tougher,” Davis said. “They’ve thrown me some different looks and I don’t want to give away any company secrets, but I think they’re going to do a good job. The talent is there. They’ve worked extremely hard and I’m looking forward to it.”