HATTIESBURG — Senior quarterback at Southern Miss Nick Mullens can now smile about it. He showed a guest the thumb of his right hand that was attached to his throwing arm, which was still swelling. Five tiny stitches were visible on the skin that had been used to fix the dislocated bone. Mullens stated, “It was gross. I’m not going to lie.” It occurred in the third quarter against UTSA San Antonio on Oct. 8. Mullens was in severe pain after he threw a pass and was knocked to the ground. He saw his thumb bone protruding through the skin as he looked down. Mullens stated, “Disgusting really.” “The most disgusting thing ever that happened to me.” Mullens said. McCall applied pressure to the bone and it popped back into its place. The gash was there, but Mullens still wanted to play. McCall covered the wound with tape, and Mullens continued to play. He was able to complete his final game with 370 yards of passing and three touchdowns. McCall then cleaned and stitched his wound. Mullens continued to practice the following Monday, and he played against LSU the next day with a glove in his throwing hand. Yes, he did complete 25 of 37 throws against Tigers. Mullens stated, “You do what ya gotta do,” on a wet Tuesday afternoon in Hattiesburg. “I wanted to play. This was my senior year. I didn’t have many chances. “I didn’t want the sit.” Now Mullens will have one more chance to play in the New Orleans Bowl at Louisiana Superdome on Saturday against the UL Ragin’ Cajuns. He will enter that game having overtaken Austin Davis and Brett Favre as USM’s all time leader in passing yards (1,648) and touchdowns (85) respectively. These records would have been much higher if Mullens hadn’t missed two games due to a concussion he suffered from his head hitting the turf during a Charlotte home game. He wanted to play, despite the headaches and other symptoms that followed his concussion. It’s a sign of his strength. It was not allowed by the concussion protocol. McCall stated that McCall could play with the thumb if he was able to bear the pain. A concussion is a different story. A concussion is not something to be taken lightly. Nick is tough, no matter how hard you try. “You don’t have to play if you still have symptoms.” This Birmingham native has left a lasting impression beyond his USM passing records. While there have been many Golden Eagle quarterbacks that have won more games than others, few have had a greater impact on the program. Mullens, who was one of the first to sign with USM in February 2013, was now with the Tampa Bay Bucs. The Eagles were 0-12 last year. According to them, the cupboard was empty. Mullens, who is not the strongest or the largest of men, would have been wearing a red shirt. He spent a year learning and working in the weight room, and he played his first game in 2014. He still had a year to play. This was not the case. He gave Monken, USM the best chance of winning in 2013, and so he played. In the final game of the season, the Eagles won their first game in Mullens’ hometown of Birmingham. It’s amazing that Mullens didn’t sustain multiple concussions and have his arm amputated during the season. He was constantly under pressure and took more punishment than anyone should. He persevered. USM was 3-9 in 2014 and would have finished better if Mullens had not been injured. He completed 60 percent of his passes, which resulted in 12 touchdowns. Monken and his team had already recruited linemen to protect him, receivers capable of catching, and runners who could carry some of the offensive burden. Mullens responded by having one of the best seasons of any quarterback anywhere. He threw for 4,476 yard and 38 touchdowns. He only threw 12 interceptions. USM won nine games, and was in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Mullens threw 331 yards and two touchdowns against Washington. It was a mixed season for Mullens’ senior season, as he played under a new coach and with a new group of receivers. Mullens was able to return from his concussions in time to take part in the season finale against Louisiana Tech, which is nine-win. USM, then 5-6, needed to win in order to be bowl eligible. Mullens played the best game of his life. He completed 29 of 33 passes for 342 yard and three touchdowns. Mullens is hopeful that the bowl game will be his last. The Eagles won the game 39-24. Mullens stated, “It’s one last chance to play alongside these guys who have become my brothers.” “Those are the things I will cherish most about my four years here. The relationships I have made. Mullens is like a 100-brother.” The leadership qualities of Pro Scouts are a favorite quality. They also like his accuracy in passing and his toughness. They wish he were taller than he is at 6-feet-1 inches, and more mobile. They all believe he will get the chance to play at the next level. Mullins will be completing his marketing degree at USM. However, any other career than football is off the table for now. Mullens, who had felt the bone sticking out his thumb, said, “I love football, everything about it.” Rick Cleveland, Mississippi Today’s sports columnist, agreed. Check out his columns as well as his Sports Daily blog. Reach Rick at rcleveland@mississippitoday.org.