MEADVILLE — The state of Mississippi gets to keep one of its best athletes after senior Jamie Collins verbally committed to Southern Miss last month.

The Franklin County quarterback had previously committed to Auburn University but changed his mind after Tommy Tuberville resigned and former Iowa State Coach Gene Chizik was hired in his place.

Chizik, a former defensive coordinator for the Tigers, was 5-19 in two seasons with the Cyclones, including 2-10 during the 2008 season, but coached the nation’s top defense in 2004, his third season with Auburn.

“They had some little problems, like a losing season,” Collins said of his decision to rescind his commitment to Auburn. “The (new) coaches were not too good in my opinion — I just didn’t like them.”

What Collins does like is Southern Miss’ recent successes under first-year head coach Larry Fedora.

The Golden Eagles went 7-6 this season, including a five-game winning streak and 30-27 overtime win against Troy in the New Orleans Bowl. And Fedora was given a contract extension through 2012.

Franklin County coach Trent Hammond said Southern Miss was on Collins’ mind even before he de-committed from Auburn, and he does not think it took much effort for Fedora’s staff to sway Collins after Tuberville stepped down.

“I think it’s a good fit for him,” Hammond said. “He enjoys the situation over there — the coaches, the overall feel of the program. They’d been recruiting him pretty hard.”

Collins said the coaches’ personalities eventually swayed him to become a Golden Eagle.

He also liked the campus and the fact that the school is close to home.

“The coaches are cool, they understand where you’re coming from and they know how to win,” Collins said.

Collins was an essential part of a Franklin County team that made it to the fourth round of the 3A playoffs this season, and Hammond said Collins’ strength and speed will translate well to the next level.

Collins is expected to move to the defensive back position at Southern Miss.

“He’s a kid that they can do a lot of things with, and they’ll find his best home in their system,” Hammond said. “He has a lot of God-given talent. When you’ve got a good athlete in that position (at quarterback) it makes things a little tougher on defenses, especially when your guy is 6 feet, 4 (inches tall) and 220 pounds and can do the things he can do.”

Collins won’t be the only Bulldog to don a Golden Eagle uniform next year.

Defensive back Alex Smith has also committed to Southern Miss.

He said he felt he could get a lot of playing time early as a Golden Eagle.

“Basically it just felt like another home for me,” Smith said. “I liked the coaches and the coaching staff, and I like the school too. I feel like I can get a good education there.”

The 5-foot-11-inch, 175-pound senior said he and Collins are like best friends, together all the time, so it will be nice to go to the same school together.

Hammond said Southern Miss is lucky to have both players, the only two Bulldogs committed to play in college so far.

“Both guys made their decision based on their own individual ideas, and Southern gets two really good football players,” Hammond said. “They’re two guys that can go in there and fit anywhere they want them to.”