Less than a month after firing a handgun outside a Hattiesburg apartment, Southern Miss tailback Damion Fletcher has plead guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge. He faces six months probation plus community service but no jail time.It is unclear what his status with the team will be after the conviction. Fletcher starred as a freshman in 2006 rushing for 1,388 yards and 11 touchdowns and hasn't let up since. If permitted to play, he'll enter his senior season with 4,287 yards and 36 career touchdowns. We last saw him rushing for 78 yards and a touchdown in a 30-27 victory over Troy in the New Orleans Bowl.
Fletcher posted a pair of 200-plus rushing yard games last year for new coach Larry Fedora. Fedora came over from Oklahoma State where he was an innovative offensive coordinator not bashful about making extensive use of his tailbacks.
They'll find someone who can play if he's out, but Fletcher is ideal with his combination of experience and skill having never rushed for fewer than 1,313 yards in his three seasons.
