The star freshman running back was suspended for the first half. The star quarterback was suffering from turf toe.
Two other running backs had quit the team earlier in the season because of lack of playing time.
Conrad Chanove, a one-time walk-on who wasn't even the featured back on his high school football team, had to carry the first half load for Southern Miss here Saturday night against high-powered Houston.
Carry it, he did.
Chanove's inspired first half effort, which helped USM to a 14-7 lead, was instrumental in the Golden Eagles winning an important 31-27 homecoming victory before an announced crowd of 32,313.
Chanove stands 5 feet, 9 inches short and weighs 194 pounds. He began the season as the fourth string running back expecting to play most, if not all, of his football on special teams.
But he carried the ball 11 times for 44 hard-fought yards and caught three passes for 23 yards in the first half.
But Conrad was the hardest working player on the team then, and the hardest working player on this team now," Hurst said. "What a lot of people don't understand is how strong he is. He's a little guy but he power-cleans nearly 400 pounds, as much as anybody on the team.
"He may weigh 194 but he hits like he's 225."
Hurst signed a football scholarship at USM. Chanove came to USM on a track and field grant to throw the javelin. He is the two-time Conference USA champion in that discipline and has qualified for the NCAA Championships.
While more talented players have left the team because of a lack of playing time, Chanove is thankful for what he has gotten. "Don't ever doubt that guy," Jeff Bower said afterward. "Conrad Chanove is a winner.
"I probably should have played him some more in the second half to give Damion (Fletcher) some rest."
Fletcher, USM's talented freshman, came on to run for 80 yards on 21 carries in the second half. He took his punishment, which was for missing curfew, with appropriate contrition.