Your 2020 South Alabama Jaguar Preview
After last season, the Jags can’t get much lower can they? A 2-10 season with their only win over a FBS and conference foe coming in the season finale That one win kept the Jags from having their first winless conference record in program history.
But the final four games of the season looked different from the first eight. Was the team finally starting to click, was it Desmond Trotter leading an offensive attack that could move the ball and score a few more points? Or was it something else?
Well, the 2020 season will tell and, despite Covid, it could be a make or break season for head coach Steve Campbell and his staff.
Offensively, South Alabama returns quite a bit of talent from 2019. Seven of the top 8 receivers are back as well as an experienced offensive line with 42 combined starts. Desmond Trotter is back at quarterback, who started the final four games of the season and saw a boost in offensive production. Trotter has some competition with Chance Lovertich transferring in from the junior college ranks after a juco national championship. Running back has some big question marks as they need to fill Tre Minter’s production.
Defensively the Jags have many question marks. In 2019 the defense made some huge gains statistically, but they didn’t reflect on the win-loss record. Defensive line lost a ton of experience as well as cornerback. The linebacker corps was razor thin at times but managed to make it through the season. The talent loss on the line will put pressure on the linebacker corps to control the run until the defensive line gels and gets their feet under them.
Not much has changed in special teams. Jack Brooks, the Aussie, will handle the punting and it’ll probably be kick-by-committee for field goals unless someone steps up as consistent in short, intermediate and long range field goals. Diego Guarjardo will most likely handle kickoffs as he tends to have the stronger leg. The video of the botched PAT attempt against Memphis has been watched by millions and really was the tone for the 2019 season. After that debacle the Jags will most likely utilize a backup quarterback as holder on field goal and pat attempts, which should help avoid a repeat of the 2019 incident.
Here’s the position group breakdowns.
Offensive line
The Jags only lost three letterwinners from last year and return 10 letterwinners of which three started all 12 games. They return four either redshirts or returning student-athletes.
In the offseason, the Jags brought in nine new faces and only one of them from the junior college ranks with the rest coming in as true freshmen.
Brian Ankerson is the anchor of the unit playing at center. He has the longest active starting streak on the team with 24 consecutive games. Hadon Merchant has started 22 of this 23 appearances in the last two seasons.
These two will be looked at as leaders of the unit.
Jacob Shoemaker, who was an honorable mention to the all-Sun Belt Conference team his first season with the Jags will move from his tackle position to guard.
Last years team allowed too many sacks and had a hard time blocking for the run game. For the 2020 team to have more success, those are two areas they must improve over last year.
Quarterbacks
The Jags return Desmond Trotter, who took over the starting position mid-season and never looked back. Cephus Johnson, who started the first eight games of the season, transfered out after the season.
Tylan Morton and Tanner McGee also return from last season.
Chance Lovertich was brought in from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College as well as true freshmen Elijah Gainey and Brian Garcia.
Trotter appeared in eight games, starting the final four of the season. He led the team with eight touchdowns, tied a school record with four touchdown passes in the season-finale win over Arkansas State. He also had a career-high 337 yards of total offense in the game.
Lovertich brings some juco success to the table. He was named the second-team NJCAA All-American, first-team all-MACJC and the South Division’s Most Valuable Offensive Back after helping MGCCC to the national championship with a 12-0 record his sophomore year.
Morton played in the first four games before sitting out the rest of the season to preserve a redshirt. McGee sat out the entire season to redshirt.
Gainey is a three-star prospect per 247sports but sat our his senior season after suffering a knee injury. He started the previous two seasons.
Trotter has been challenged by Lovertich for the starting spot, but coach Campbell expects Trotter to be the starter in the season opener against Southern Miss. Expect Lovertich to get some playing time, but didn’t get any spring practice to get experience in the program.
To start, the quarterback position must protect the ball and make good decisions. Between Johnson, Trotter and Morton they threw 11 interceptions but only 14 touchdowns while completing only 52.8% of their combined passing attempts.
Running backs
USA returns four letterwinners from last season while losing two.
The biggest loss is by far Tra Minter who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season, the first in program history. Minter also became only the second All-American in program history and the only first-team all-Sun Belt Conference selection.
In addition to the four letterwinners, they also return two redshirt freshmen and a juco.
Carlos Davis led the four sophomores on the team wiht a career best 122 yards on 10 carries against SBC West Division winner Louisiana-Lafayette.
The coaching staff will look to fill Minter’s role with a running back by committee until they have someone step up as ‘the guy.’ The coaches also look at the sophomores to have three years of experience in the offensive scheme and make contributions.
The coaching staff think they have a good mix in the backfield with power, speed, and pass catchers.
The Jags not only need to find their bonafied starter, but they also need backs that can come in, produce, and keep the defense respecting the position.
Wide receivers
The Jags return the two top receivers from the 2019 season. Kawaan Baker led the team with 35 catches, 574 yards, and yards per game (47.8) while Jalen Tolbert led the team with 6 touchdown catches, four of them in the season finale win over Arkansas State.
Davyn Flenord is changing positions this season, last year he caught 14 passes for 127 yards. Tre’Veon Hamilton caught 3 passes for 43 yards also left the program.
Two freshmen redshirted last season and two juniors return from last years squad. The coaching staff also brought in seven true freshmen.
Baker, who is on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Top 250 list, is the leader of the receiver corps but was also used in the running game with jet sweeps and special teams situations. He logged 82 yards rushing and 35 yards in kick returns for 692 all-purpose yards, finishing second on the team in that category.
Tolbert established himself as a receiver to watch against Arkansas State when he caught 5 passes for 144 yards and four touchdowns. His effort was rewarded with an honorable mention National Performer-of-the-Week accolade from the College Football Performance Awards and was College Sports Madness’ Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week against the Redwolves.
The coaching staff feels that they have good depth and with Baker, Tolbert and Jalen Wayne they have a trio of veterans with three years of experience in the program.
Tight ends
Only one letterwinner returns for the 2020 season. Brandon Crum played in all 12 games with six receptions for 65 yards. One reshirted freshmen and two sophomores return this season and the coaching staff brought in a juco and three freshmen. Only two returning players were active last season.
Leaving the program were Zac Crosby, Khameron Taylor and Nick Thompson. They combined for five receptions, 61 yards and the only touchdown from the tight end position (Taylor).
The tight end position is utilized much differently under coach Campbell and it couldn’t have been more obviously last season with only 11 receptions and one touchdown from the group. If the Jags throw to a tight end, it’s more to catch the defense off-guard rather than as a regular threat.
Crum is the de-facto veteran of the group as a sophomore. Meyers, the only other player of the group that was active last year was put on scholarship during fall camp this year.
Trent Tyre brings some much needed experience from the juco ranks.
Cameron Hatcher-Owens is moving from the defensive line to offense this season.
Defensive line
The defensive line lost a lot from last season. Only four letterwinners return from the 2019 squad in Gi’Narious Johnson, Jeremiah Littles, Maurice Strong and Charles Coleman III. Strong had the most tackles among the returning players with 15.
Gone are Jordon Beaton, Sean Brown, Rocel McWilliams, Tyree Turner, and Jeffery Whatley. Four of the five were all-Sun Belt Conference performers during their careers.
Of the additional returning players, two of them are redshirt freshmen. The coaching staff added three juco players and two true freshmen.
The defensive line has a core trio of Johnson (jr), Littles (Sr) and Strong (So) to build around with Jamie Sheriff and Markes Johnson to add some more experience from the Juco level. THen add in a pair of all-state and all-region prep stars and the coaches have something to work with.
Inside Linebackers
Defensive coordinator Greg Stewart returns four letterwinners from last year and only lost one Kade Koler.
Only two other players return at the position, a sophomore and a freshman.
The staff brought in a juco and two true freshmen.
Cole is receiving all the pre-season hype with a second-team all-Sun Belt Conference selection by Phil Steele, a third-team all-League by Athlon over the summer, and the other Jaguar in the Reese’s Senior Bowl Top 250.
Cole has played outside linebacker the last two seasons, but will be moving back to inside for the fall.
Nick Mobley led the team in total tackles with 91, which ranked him in the top 10 for the conference and top 90 in the nation per game.
Roy Yancey returned last year after redshirting in the 2018 season due to an injury. Yancey started six games and appeared in all 12 games.
Stewart feels he has the depth he needs for the first time in his time at USA.
Outside Linebackers
Four letterwinners return in AJ DeShazor, Chris Henderson, Shawn Jennings, and Kelvin Johnson. The two letterwinners lost from last season: Khalil McDonald and Taji Stewart.
Two freshmen reshirted last season also returns for the fall. The coaching staff added Zach Jones as a freshman, Zivaiishe Smith a sopohomore from Juco, and Christian Bell a senior transfer from Wisconsin.
DeShazor had his named called often last season, he was third on the team in total tackles while starting all 12 games.
Johnson finished in the top five it total tackles last season, but he primarily played inside he is making the move to outside for 2020.
Bell appeared in 24 games over three years for Wisconsin, he was a four-star recruit by ESPN coming out of Hoover.
Chris Henderson and Christian Bell are expected to be two of the main leaders of the outside linebacker corps. DeShazor and Doug Sullivan are expected to make some big contributions as well though.
Cornerbacks
The cornerback position had some big losses from last year too. Gone are Travis Reed, Jalen Thompson, and Gus Nave, some names you heard quite a lot last season. Also gone are Jay Woods and Tyrone Leggette.
Returning letterwinners are Devin Rockette, Ryan Melton, Jaden Voisin and Davyn Flenord (moving over from receiver). Also returning is Dallas Gamble who redshirted.
The coaching staff brought in two juco transfers and one true freshman.
Thompson graduated with the career leader in interceptions (9) and INT’s return for touchdowns (2). Reed’s 41 total stops and three tackles for loss led the cornerback group last season as he earned second-team all-Sun Belt honors.
Rockette returns with the second-most pass break ups last season, including a pair of fumble recoveries and an interception.
Darrell Luter Jr was a three-star juco recruit and rated among the top 40 cornerbacks in the nation, selected to the second-team all-Mississippi ACJC.
The coaching staff is hoping that youth, eagerness and willingness to learn will be enough to replace the experience lost from last season. Rockette returns the most reps and will be one to help set an example to the new faces.
Safeties
Gone are DJ Daniels and Sterrling Fisher but returning are Keith Gallmon, Tre Young and Keon Voisin. Also returning are Kwameh Lewis (sr) and Nic Brunkosky (r-fr).
The coaching staff brought in three players, two juco and one senior transfer.
Gallmon earned preseason third-team all-Sun Belt Conference from Athlon and a fourth-team preseason all-league by Phil Steele. He started all 12 games with 59 total tackles, 43 of them solo and two tackles for loss.
DJ Exilhomme was a second-team all-Northeast Conference selection after recording 72 total tackles, three tackles for loss, five passes broken up, three fumble recoveries, an interception and a blocked kick.
CJ Thompson was the top juco recruit in Oklahoma and the 15th rated safety in the country by 247 sports. He was named second-team NJCAA All-American and second-team all-Southwest Junior College Football Conference.
Gallmon returns the most starting experience on the team at the position and has emerged as a leader among the safeties. Add in the other safeties who have played snaps for the Jags and some juco experience and the staff feel pretty good about this squad.
Special teams
All the letterwinners and the lone redshirt return to the team with the addition of Cooper Charlton as an incoming freshman.
Brooks is a fourth-team all-Sun Belt Conference selection by Athlon sports. As a freshmen his punting average was sixth in the conference and in the top 60 in the country.
Frankie Onate led the team in scoring and Guajardo was the first kicker to record double-digit touchbacks in a season since 2014 and Aleem Sunanon.
Kawaan Baker will be continue to be on kickoff return coverage and Jalen Tolbert will replace Tre Minter as the other kickoff returner. Tolbert and Jalen Wayne will be the competing for the primary punt return position this fall.
Coaches have had the student-athletes kicking more balls than previously. Guajardo has working on his kickoffs for consistency and Brooks has been working on more consistent punting. Both were freshmen last season and Brooks was only on campus a few weeks before the season started, so with a season under their belts they should be ready come game time.