Jones To Begin Search For New WR Coach Friday
South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones told AL.com that he will formally begin the search for a new wide receivers coach on Friday. Jones is replacing Jerry Mack who accepted the head coaching position at North Carolina Central University after coaching the wide receivers at USA for the last two seasons.
“Really I haven’t talked to anybody, although I’ve had several inquiries,” Jones was quoted by AL.com. “I’m going to deal with it starting Friday. I’m starting to set up some interviews and I’m making a few calls. … I’ve got about four of five names, guys that I like, that I’m going to pursue.”
Currently he does not anticipate any other changes to the coaching staff before next season, though he cautioned that that could always change quickly.
Jones also announced that spring practice will begin on March 10 and will go for four week and end on April 5. In prior seasons the team would begin in mid-to-late February and would take time off in the middle of drills for spring break. This season they decided to wait until after spring break to being practice.
The four Junior College signees are expected to enroll prior to the beginning of the semester and would be eligible to participate in spring practice.
Two of the signees were All-America selections: Jimmie Gipson III (DE/OLB) from East Mississippi CC and Braedon Bowman (TE) from Scottsdale AZ CC. They also signed Nigel Green (S) from Mississippi Gulf Coast CC and Demaris Rancifer (LB) from Pearl River CC.
Louisiana-Lafayette and Tulane, both teams the Jaguars faced this past season, played in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl where the Ragin’ Cajun’s defeated the Green Wave 24-21 in what Jaguar fans referred to as the “Lost to South Alabama Bowl”.
The only other team to receive a bowl invite from the Sun Belt, Arkansas State, will play on Sunday at Ladd-Peebles stadium in the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Ball State.
The Jags, though they were bowl eligible in their first season of eligibilty, were not extended a bowl invite. The Jags lost to the Red Wolves 17-16 in Mobile but defeated Louiana-Lafayette in the regular season finale to allow Arkansas State claim a share of the Conference championship.
Two Arkansas State players said they were very impressed at how the Jags played this season. Also ASU fans also reached out Jaguar fans to come to the bowl game and join them in their tailgating festivities on Sunday, January 5.