1978’s self-proclaimed “Nasty Bunch” defense, named after new defensive coordinator Jim “Big Nasty” Carmody, had few weak points and eight starters returning from the ’77 squad. They often pulled the inconsistent offense out of the fire to the tune of an improved 7-4 record. Linebacker Clump Taylor led with 148 tackles, Parker contributed eighty-four before playing for Saskatchewan for a season, and tackle J.J. Stewart added another 120. DB’s Hanford Dixon, a 179 pound ball of fury, had four interceptions with great support from “Crazy” Crenshaw. Dane McDaniel replaced Jeff Hammond at quarterback by the season’s third game, and while Raymond “Tiko” Beal and newcomer Sammy Winder could not match the departed Ben Garry’s impact at running back, they were adequate. Hammond returned to Southern Miss as a retired Major General to man the Athletic Director’s position for 2012 and ‘13. A last second field goal by Ole Miss cost the Eagles that game but they defeated Mississippi State 21-17 and three other close wins at 10-7, 17-16, and 13-10 indicated that they had the toughness to play with anyone. Southern Miss proved to be “State Champions” in 1979, defeating Ole Miss 38-8 while rushing for 256 yards, and Mississippi State 21-7. Running from the I-Formation, backs Sammy Winder gained 749 yards and Ricky “Sweet Pea” Floyd had a new school record, rushing for twelve touchdowns. Dane McDaniel held on to the starting quarterback spot until the mid-point of the finale against Arkansas State when he was spelled by frosh Reggie Collier who would become one of USM’s all time greats. Tight end Marvin Harvey was the primary target with eighteen receptions but once again, it was defense and The Nasty Bunch rather than the offense that got the headlines. Clump Taylor completed his career at linebacker with Honorable Mention All American status and 510 career tackles. Tackles Gary Ivy and J.J. Stewart, who played in the Senior Bowl, were outstanding, while once again, Hanford Dixon led the secondary. The 6-4-1 record was very close to being much better with the 20-19 controversial defeat by Tulane, as was reported, ending as “the officials sprinted for their cars.”

In 1980 Coach Collins brought it all together in a rousing 8-3 year that was completed with a 16-14 Independence Bowl victory over McNeese State. The 6-0 start earned the Golden Eagles their first Top Twenty national ranking since entering the Division 1 classification and included victories over both Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Southeastern Conference best Alabama provided the 42-7 fall to earth and two weeks later Auburn did the same 31-0. However, the team held up and the Nasty Bunch Defense again stood out, finishing third in the nation in pass defense behind the leadership of DB Dixon, and tenth in overall defense. The stars were many with Dixon, a First Team All American and Browns first round draft choice the leader. Linebackers Rom Brown and Cliff Lewis stood out, with Brown’s 125 tackles leading the team and Lewis had three years with the Packers. Defensive end George “Too Tall” Tillman was an Honorable Mention All American. With fifty-five sophomores on the squad it was no surprise that the team leader and quarterback was one of them and Reggie Collier passed for 1268 yards and ran for another 464. The big gun was junior rusher Sammy Winder who led the nation in scoring with his 120 points and twenty touchdowns. His 998 ground game yards clearly outpaced Sweet Pea Floyd but the latter’s 382 was a key contribution, with both running frequently behind center Jamey Watson. Winder’s athletic eleven yard run and high jump over an Ole Miss defender, a hurdler’s maneuver that brought his body into the end zone, gave the Golden Eagles the leading and eventual winning score over their rivals and became known as “The Dive.”  Tight end Marvin Harvey gained some All American notice and spent 1981 with the Chiefs, while wide receiver Mike Livingston caught twenty-three passes.

As a three sport star at Theodore High School in the Mobile, Alabama area, Hanford Dixon stood out. As a former track, basketball, and football star entering the University Of Southern Mississippi, it wasn’t certain he would stand out due to his 6’, 170 pound stature. However the highly confident Dixon took it upon himself to let people know he was preparing to be a starter and he lived up to the self-promotion, starting as a freshman and intercepting a pass in his first college game. He built upon that, finishing the 1977 season with forty-four tackles and two interceptions. By the time his career at USM ended, he had made 188 tackles and earned a reputation as a buzz-saw that would take on anyone. He had nine interceptions, a relative limitation brought on by the reluctance of opposing teams to throw towards his side of the field. A Sporting News First Team All American as a senior, Dixon became the Cleveland Browns first round draft choice in 1981 and had a terrific professional career, earning All Pro status three times and being named to three Pro Bowls. Many experts believe he should have received the same recognition earlier in his career but was hampered by the Browns’ underachievement. Paired at cornerback with Frank Minnifield, Dixon entered the 1984 training camp with the pronouncement that the team’s defensive linemen would chase opponents as “dogs chase cats” and encouraged them by barking at his teammates. Minnifield joined him and thus was born the Dawg Pound, the area of the Cleveland stadium that housed the dog-mask wearing crowd that barked their heroes to greater performance. Minnifield and Dixon have been recognized as one of the NFL’s best ever pair of cornerbacks and Dixon remains the best seen at Southern Miss.

If the Golden Eagles had coalesced into a nationally recognized squad in 1980, ’81 was another step up the ladder of success with a regular season record of 9-1-1. The Nasty Bunch continued its great work, achieving national rankings of seventh against the pass, first against scoring having given up but eighty-nine points, and number five in total defense, even though former defensive coordinator Jim “Big Nasty” Carmody left to coach the Buffalo Bills defensive line. Defensive linemen Rhett Whitley and “Too Tall” Tillman and backs Bud Brown and Bruce “Juice” Miller led the charge allowing the squad to crack the top twenty-five in the nation’s final overall rankings and it was linebacker Greg Kelly that led the unit with 131 tackles. Quarterback Reggie Collier finished ninth in the Heisman voting based on his status as the first collegiate quarterback to both rush and pass for more than 1000 yards in each category and a 58.3 completion percentage.  Against Texas Arlington the offense rolled up 630 yards with Collier responsible for 298 on his own. Running back Sammy Winder finished a storied career with 1029 rushing yards before having a solid career with the Denver Broncos, with back-up assistance from Ricky “Sweet Pea” Floyd who went to the Browns camp. Louis Lipps stepped into the bright lights although wide out Don Horn who averaged 15.8 yards per reception, Mike Livings, and tight end Raymond Powell, were favorite targets. A 19-17 Tangerine Bowl loss to Missouri did little to hurt the Golden Eagles growing reputation as a national power but losing Bobby Collins in early January to Southern Methodist was unexpected. Collins 48-30-2 record at USM was built upon solid defense and tough play against big time opponents and he would do a great job at Southern Methodist University until deciding to retire from coaching once caught up in the major NCAA scandal at SMU after the 1986 season.