Former Jaguar Brandon Bridge Signs Free-Agent Agreement With Dallas Cowboys
Brandon Bridge was on the Dallas Cowboys’ free-agent signings list as released on Wednesday to make his signing official. He will join the team’s weekend rookie camp which is scheduled for Friday through Sunday. | Photo: Brad Puckett usajaguars.com
Former University of South Alabama quarterback Brandon Bridge – a 6’5″ 235-pound native of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada – has officially signed a free-agent deal with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. Though it was announced on difference social media accounts over the weekend and earlier this week, the Dallas Cowboys released their official free-agent signings list on Wednesday making it official.
Bridge, after going undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft last weekend, signed an agreement that will bring Bridge in for the Cowboys’ weekend rookie camp, which is slated to run Friday through Sunday.
In his lone season as a starter for USA, he completed 160-of-307 (52%) of his passing attempts for 1,927 yards while tying the single season record of 15 touchdowns. He also added 297 yards rushing and a team-high-tying four rushing touchdowns. He led the team with 2,224 yards of total offense and ranked ninth in the conference with 202.18 yards passing per game with a 115.76 pass efficiency rating.
After his performance against Georgia State where he rushed for 137 yards, a school record for a quarterback, and a touchdown on 15 attempts while also throwing for 126 yards and two touchdowns through the air, he was selected the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
Against Appalachian State, he threw for 339 yards, the second highest total in school history, with three touchdowns in the road victory. In his final appearance for the Jaguars in the schools first-ever bowl game he finished 20-of-37 for 279 yards and a touchdown while rushing for an additional 41 yards including a 15 yard touchdown in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl.
Though he was hampered by a nagging ankle injury for most of the season, he concluded his two-year career at USA among the top 10 in the school’s records in 10 statistical categories including third in total offensive yards (2,792), completions (189), yards passing (2,325), passing touchdowns (16) and pass efficiency rating (111.83).
Congratulations Brandon! Show the Cowboys what you can do!
Kelley Selected As Member Of National Football Foundation Hampshire Society
Kelley had a career best 56 tackles and five sacks in 2014 to lead the defense. Along with his 3.42 GPA entering the spring semester, Kelley was selected as a 2015 member of the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society. | Photo credit: usajaguars.com
South Alabama’s Jesse Kelley was selected as a member of the 2015 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society on Wednesday. A total of 817 student-athletes from 278 schools qualified for membership in the society in its ninth year of existence, which sets a new record for the number of schools represented in the history of the program since it began in 2007.
In order to qualify for membership, one must be a starter or significant contributor in one’s last year of eligibility (or a senior who has declared for the NFL Draft) at an NCAA FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III or NAIA college or university; achieve a 3.2 cumulative GPA throughout their entire course of undergraduate study; and meeting all NCAA/NAIA-mandated progress towards their degree requirements.
Kelley will earn his degree from USA in less than two weeks as a meteorology major with a minor in geology with a 3.42 GPA entering his final semester. Earlier this week he was presented with the “Jim Yance Heart of a Jaguar Award” at the Pete Tolbert Night of Champions. The senior was a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in the fall as a defensive lineman and has been a member of the Sun Belt Conference Commissioners List each of the last two years.
Kelley helped the Jaguars earn a berth in the program’s first-ever postseason bowl game against Bowling Green in the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl in December. He earned honorable mention All-Conference accolades in 2014 after leading the defense with a career-best 56 total stops and five sacks. He equaled his previous high with 6.5 tackles for loss and also broke up two passes. In 42 games over five seasons he earned three letters while recording 116 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.
Pete Tolbert Night of Champions Honors Jaguar Student-Athletes
Photo credit Press-Register/Victor Calhoun
South Alabama honored student-athletes Monday at the sixth annual Pete Tolbert Night of Champions at the Mitchell Center. The event recognizes the achievements, both in competition and academically, of the nearly 400 individuals who comprise the University of South Alabama athletics program.
Kaitlyn Griffith (Softball from Centre, AL) and Daniel Leitner (Men’s Tennis from Neiderfischbach, Germany) were named the Jaguar Female and Male Student-Athlete of the Year respectively, honoring the most outstanding Jaguars based on scholarship, athletic ability and citizenship.
Griffith, a senior shortstop for the softball team is hitting .296 with a team-high 11 home runs, with 38 RBI, 25 runs scored and helping the team to a 33-9 record thus far and a top-25 national ranking throughout the 2015 season. She is a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar Athlete and is set to receiver her degree in May in exercise science. She has a 3.82 cumulative GPA.
Leitner, a senior, is the reigning two-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in men’s tennis. He earned the award this spring after amassing a 28-5 overall record in singles play and a 22-6 record in doubles play. He was named to the first-team All-SBC in both singles and doubles, and as the highest-rated individual in the conference, will earn a berth to the NCAA Singles Championships in May. He will graduate with a 3.89 GPA in exercise science in May.
A pair of Griffith’s teammates on the Softball team also earned awards.
Farish Beard was chosen at the school’s NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee with Blair Johnson earning the Jimmy Taylor Scholarship.
Beard, who currently has a 3.39 GPA, was selected as the nominee for that goes to a varsity letterwinner completing her intercollegiate eligibility by the end of spring sports season, who has excelled in academics, athletics, service and leadership with a minimum of a cumulative 2.5 GPA. She is also a finalist for both the Senior CLASS and 2014 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year awards. This season she is 9-3 with a 2.37 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 71 innings.
Johnson earned the award going to a student-athlete who holds a minimum of a 2.5 GPA, has completed their NCAA eligibility and with the assistance of the fund will graduate from USA within two consecutive semesters. She has earned All-SBC honors twice during her career and this year she is batting .254 with 12 extra-base hits, 25 RBI, and 14 walks to only eight strikeouts.
Sophie Haywood from Hull, England, earned the Auralia Crowell Freshman Scholar Athlete Awards given to the most outstanding freshman based on excellence in academics and athletics. She was named First-Team All-Conference after posting 19 points on seven goals and five assists in helping the Jaguar soccer team tow in the conference title and advance to the NCAA Tournament. She has a 4.0 GPA as an exercise science major.
Adam Ballew of the baseball team was awarded the Denny-Gottfried Scholarship Award that is presented to the student-athlete who has exhausted their eligibilty, maintained an outstanding GPA and achieved athletic accomplishment. In his final season at USA, he has helped the Jaguar baseball team to a 29-16 record thus far while batting .275 with five extra-base hits, 26 RBI and eight stolen bases. He is an exercise science major with a 3.38 GPA.
Derek Westbrook from Diamondhead, MS, received a pair of awards. He arned the Shirley Holt Scholarship Award as well as the Male Jaguar Athletic Fund Award. The former is given to a student-athlete who exemplifies outstanding “Team Spirit” and who has shown great character and concern for his or her fellow student-athletes. The latter recognizes overall support of Jaguar Athletics. Both awards exemplifies Derek’s contributions to South Alabama Athletics and also marks the second-consecutive year that he has garnered the JAG Award honors.
Caroline Beebe earned the Female Jaguar Athletic Fund Award. Which marks the second consecutive year that both she has earned the JAF Award as well.
Hunter Colemani was awarded the Tom and Barbara Corcoran Scholar-Athlete Endowed Scholarship Award which is given to a USA Junior who most excels in sports while maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA. The right handed pitcher has a 4.0 GPA in biomedical sciences in the classroom while on the diamond he has a 1-0 record with a 0.59 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 15.1 innings of work.
Jimmie Gipson III was awarded the Wilson Durgin Memorial Scholarship Award which goes to a minority student-athlete who has excelled in both the classroom and competition. Nikki Gittens was awarded the Female Perseverance Award after she suffered a stress fracture in her tibia that forced her to redshirt in 2013, she then returned and ranked third on the volleyball team with 243 kills and led the team with a .250 attack percentage and 83 total blocks while helping the Jags qualify for the SBC tournament despite tendinitis in her knee and hitting shoulder.
Ucambre Williams earned the Male Perseverance Award after undergoing three separate surgical procedures and requiring over six months of rehabilitation. After surgery on his right knee in September he returned in just 15 days and would go on to start 11 consecutive games while posting a team-best 90 percent overall grade and being named to the second-team All-SBC and helped the Jaguars play in its first-ever postseason bowl game.
Brandon Bridge was awarded the Mayer Mitchell Quarterback Endowment Fund Award as the Jaguars starter last fall. Matt Bolger earned the Clifton Inge Endowed Baseball Award. David Knapp earned the Forrest W. and Beverly B. Crowder Endwoed Scholarship for baseball. Mark Watts earned the McKinney Family Endowed Scholarship Fund for Track and Field. Emily Newton earned the George Smith Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund for Track and Field as well.
Assistant Athletic Director for Ticket Operations Greg Keel was selected for the Matt Smith Award which goes to a member of the athletics staff who consistenly goes the extra mile, has the spirit of commitment, a strong work ethic, and a deep sense of pride in their job. The award is named in memory of former USA Sports Information Director Matt Smith who passed away in December of 2004.
Each sport program also presented awards at the event. The winners of those honors were:
- Eddie Stanky Award (baseball), Bolger
- Goldie Ungar Heart of Gold Award (men’s basketball), Dionte Ferguson
- Jaguar Women’s Basketball NCAA Award (women’s basketball), Breanna Hall
- Female Distance Award (women’s cross country), Nicole Durham
- Male Distance Award (men’s cross country), Christoph Graf
- Jim Yance Heart of a Jaguar Award (football), Jesse Kelley
- Heath Slocum Award (men’s golf), Tyler Klava
- Beth Barry Award (women’s golf), Ingrid Hagen
- Lindsay Rogers Award (soccer), Alyssa Mayer
- Extra Mile Award (softball), Stephanie Pilkington
- Lubel Family Award (men’s tennis), Leitner
- Marilyn Lubel Award (women’s tennis), Laura Matuskova
- Most Outstanding Women’s Track & Field Student-Athlete Award (women’s track and field), Kaitlyn Beans
- Most Outstanding Men’s Track & Field Student-Athlete Award (men’s track and field), Jan-Louw Kotze
- Jaguar Volleyball Award (volleyball), Gittens
Prior to the naming of the Jaguar Student-Athletes of the Year, 46 current and former student-athletes who will graduate at the conclusion of the semester received gifts from the department.
Congratulations to all the award winners as well as all of the student-athletes who will earn their degrees. Thank you for representing the University in each of your respective sports with honor and character. Once a Jaguar, always a Jaguar.
Jags Football Game Versus Nebraksa Set For Evening Prime Time National Broadcast
It was announced on Monday that the Jaguars road game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday, September 12 in Lincoln, Nebraska will be aired in prime time nationally on the Big Ten Network. This goes along with the two previously announced national broadcast games to give the Jaguars three nationally broadcast games for the 2015 season.
The exact time for kickoff will be announced later, but the match-up between the Jags and the Huskers was one of ten selected by the network for an evening broadcast.
This will be the first of two games scheduled between the two schools with the second date set for August 31, 2019. It will be the first time the Jaguars have faced a Big Ten Conference opponent.
South Alabama finished the 2014 season with their first-ever appearance in a bowl game, becoming the fastest program to go from starting a program to an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision bowl game, though they lost a heart breaker to Bowling Green in the first annual Raycom Media Camellia Bowl.
Nebraska finished 9-4 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten Conference and earned an invitation to the Holiday Bowl. Nebraska dismissed their coach after the season and hired Mike Riley to fill the position. Riley spent 14 seasons as the head coach at Oregon State over two different stints (1997-1998 and 2003-2014). Prior to Oregon State he was the head coach of the San Diego Chargers (1999-2001), the Winnepeg Blue Bombers (Canadian Football League 1987-1990) where he won two Grey Cup Championships, and the San Antonio Riders (World League of American Football 1991-1992).
Red Team Wins Red-Blue Spring Football Game 24-21 on Game Ending Kick
The annual Red-Blue Spring Football Game came down to the final snap on Saturday with Aleem Sunanon’s 42-yard field goal being the winning advantage for the Red team’s 24-21 victory. It wasn’t without an effort by the Blue team as their entire sideline was out near the numbers yelling and trying to distract Sunanon’s attempt, but Sunanon was not deterred.
The game winning drive was lead by Dallas Davis and moved the Jags 47 yards in six plays after taking over on the Red 28 yard line with 1:35 left. Consecutive passes to D.J. Vinson and Daylan Abrams of 17 and 19 yards to start the drive and was followed by Kenterrius Gray who carried the ball twice for 11 more yards.
The Blue team had a chance to take a 24-21 lead with under two minutes to go but Corliss Waitman’s field goal attempt missed wide right from 45 yards.
The game started with three touchdowns in the first 15 minutes before only three more touchdowns the rest of the game.
The first score came on Blue team’s Hunter Vaughn’s 33 yard touchdown run on the opening possession. Dallas Davis and the Red team would respond with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Sassaman after a 30-yard gain by Claude Garrett started the drive and tied the game 7-7. On the next possession by the Blue team, Vaughn connected with Ronnie Reed for a 16 yard touchdown to answer the Red teams score to take a 14-7 lead.
Davis tied the game with less than 11 minutes before halftime for the Red team with a 48 yard touchdown to Tyrone Williams.
Kelan James recovered a fumble and Roman Buchanan made a diving interception for two takeaways for Red team.
Margo Reed had a pick at the one yard line for the Blue team.
“I thought it was a real good day, although I’m excited about how the whole spring went,” Jaguar head coach Joey Jones commented. “[Offensive coordinator] Bryant [Vincent] has done a good job coming in with his tempo, that really has helped us offensively, and then we have playmakers who can make people miss which makes it even better. There were some good hits out there today, you kind of like seeing that, but we got through the game and nobody was hurt.”
With the conclusion of the spring practice, the program handed out awards this week. Those included Daniel Aust (offensive line), Caleb Butler (defensive line), James Bynes (tight end), Antonio Carter (safety), Davis (quarterback), Demarius Rancifer (linebacker), Reed (cornerback), Tyreis Thomas (running back), Corliss Waitman (special teams) and Williams (wide receiver) as the most improved individuals at their positions. Nigel Green was selected the most improved academically, while the trio honored for the most improvement in the strength and conditioning program were Cameron Blankenship, Cameron Broadnax and E.J. May. The “I Like To Practice” awards were presented to Tre Alford (defense), Malcolm Buggs and Grant Powell (special teams), and Joseph Scelfo (offense), with Brad Murry (defense) and Christian Pearsall (offense) earning the program’s High Academic Awards.
South Alabama’s football schedule will begin on Saturday, September 5 against Gardner-Webb at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
South Alabama Spring Practices Wind Down; Annual Spring Game on Saturday
The South Alabama Football team is winding down their spring practice schedule. They have one final practice this afternoon at 3pm before their annual Red-Blue Spring Game on Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
On Wednesday, the football team held a practice in shells on campus. Instead of conducting a team period, the Jags used 7-on-7 skeleton passing drills on two separate occasions, they were nearly 30 minutes long combined, and ran around 75 plays.
Both special teams periods focused on punt formations and punt coverage.
Offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent chose Claude Garrett as the offensive player of the day. Vincent praised Garrett for his work ethic and his great speed. He also was part of the play of the day. On the final snap of practice, Garrett beat his defender with a spin move and broke free to grab a 50-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Vaughn.
Defensive coordinator Travis Pearson chose Nigel Green as the defensive player of the day. Pearson praised Green for being more aggressive and confident which impressed Pearson. Pearson also said that Green showed him that he can contribute to more depth at the cornerback position.
Head coach Joey Jones talked after practice about what he’s learned about the team this spring. “I’ve seen the most improvement on defense. We weren’t very good defensively early in the spring, but I think we’ve gotten better. We’ve started to shore up some holes on the front, some guys have stepped up over there, Demarius Rancifer is one example, and we knew Jimmie Gipson III was going to be a good player but he brought his game to another level this spring.”
Jones spoke about the main goal for the offense during spring practices. “Offensively we wanted to improve our tempo, and I think we’re much better there. There’s no doubt we can get even better in that area, but I thought our improvement from day one to now has started to become second nature to them. The more we do that, the better off we’re going to be.”
In the special teams area, Jones said that it was the biggest improvement from last year. “We probably haven’t worked our game as much this spring, but our kickers have been performing very, very well.”
The captains announced for the spring game were: Braedon Bowman and Terrance Timmons for the offense and Blade Dees and Jimmie Gipson III for the defense. On Thursday afternoon the captains picked the teams.
According to Jones, “We’re going to limit what we do, basically we’re going to run one defense with one coverage and about seven offensive plays. We’re not going to show a lot, but we are going to let them get out there, compete and have fun.”
The annual Red-Blue Spring Game will get started at noon on Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Gates open at 8am for tailgating and the gates to the stadium open around 11am.
Jones Pleased With Team Intensity in Monday’s Practice
The South Alabama football team held their fifth practice of the spring on Monday at the Jaguar Practice Facility in full pads.
The first team period, which lasted just under 10 minutes, covered almost 30 plays and saw the offense working against blitzes at its own 40 yard line. The second team period lasted about 20 minutes and had all three offensive units starting from the same yard marker and moving the ball while running almost 50 more plays.
Offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent selected wide receiver D.J. Vinson Jr as the offensive player of the day. Vincent mentioned that Vinson did well at the ‘A’ receiver position and that he is settling in at his new position. Last season he played running back for the Blazers.
Defensive coordinator Travis Pearson selected cornerback Antonio Carter Jr. as the defensive player of the day. Pearson was very pleased with his play on Monday. He said that Carter is playing very fast and is having a very good spring so far.
Play of the day went to Hunter Vaughn and Vinson. Vaughn found Vinson in stride for a gain of over 20 yards.
Head coach Joey Jones was pleased with the intensity in the first practice of the week on Monday. He said, “I was proud of their attitude. We’re starting to get a little sharper out there on both sides of the ball, especially with the defense starting to come together. We just have to keep working with that mentality.”
He also talked about the goals for the second week of spring practice. “We discussed our full personnel for the first time, looking at guys from top to bottom,” Jones said. “We’re still going to give everyone chances, but we have to start formulating a depth chart. We have to find the guys who are going to be playing and start working them to make sure they get reps in practice to get ready for next season. Every rep is valuable.”
Jones also mentioned that the teams conditioning has them in pretty good shape this spring. “I think they are in pretty good shape. We’re rotating guys in a lot, they’re not staying in a ton, but I haven’t noticed any guys not in shape. Usually at this time of year they’re not in as good cardiovascular shape because they’ve been lifting weights, it normally takes the summer to get ready, but as long as we continue with this pace we will practice ourselves into shape.”
The Jags will return to the practice fields on Wednesday afternoon from 3-5pm.
Jaguar Football Completes Second Practice of Spring
Head coach Joey Jones speaks to his team after their first scrimmage of preseason camp at St. Paul’s Episcopal School on Saturday, August 15, 2014.
The Jaguar football team held their second practice of spring drills on Wednesday in helmets and shorts at the Jaguar Practice Facility on campus.
The defense worked on takeaways and reviewed blitz packages. Special teams worked on punt coverage. A 20-minute stretch of team workouts had the offense running plays to move the ball against the defense facing normal down and distances. The first-team had three 5-play possessions while the second and third teams has two drives each.
Offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent singled out running back Xavier Johnson at the player of the day. Vincent thought that Johnson caught the ball well out of the backfield and showed great effort. He mentioned his reads and vision were both very good.
Defensive coordinator Travis Pearson singled out safety Roman Buchanan as the player of the day. Pearson mentioned that Buchanan makes good decisions quickly against the Jaguar offense, who moves very fast. Pearson also mentioned that Buchanan does a great job helping the players around him acting as an on-field coach.
Play of the day went to Hunter Vaughn connecting with Danny Woodson down the sideline with Woodson breaking free from his defender to go untouched after turning the corner.
Terrance Slaughter recorded the only takeaway for the defense with an interception on a deep pass during the second-teams first possession. Christian Persall had four catches with the third-team unit.
The football team will being donning shells on Friday and will continue to wear pads until Wednesday, April 8 when they are scheduled to be in helmets and shorts again in their final workout prior to the annual Red-Blue spring game.
Head coach Joey Jones was pleased again with the team’s second practice, “There was great tempo, the guys on both sides of the ball are getting lined up and paying attention to detail. We’re rotating a lot of guys in, we’re going three deep, and getting to look at everybody on film. I’m pleased overall. Obviously we’re not ready for a ball game yet, but I don’t expect us to be.”
Jones continued by talking about what the coaches are looking for with players only wearing helmets and shorts. “You can evaluate the skills players better when you’re not in pads. You can’t evaluate a lineman, and it’s hard to judge linebackers unless you’re looking at pass coverage. But with receivers and defensive backs, you can evaluate them because that’s what they do. There’s not a whole lot of collisions going on. But we can look at the skill guys and see what they can do outside.”
Jones talked about how practice changes when the players are in shells and pads. “It makes all the difference in the world because you find out who the real football players are. They can come out here in shorts and look real pretty, but until you hit somebody or take a hit you can’t play the game of football.”
The team will return to practice on Friday afternoon from 3-5pm on campus at the Jaguar Practice Facility. All spring practices are open to the public per USA’s release prior to spring practice began.
Jaguar Football Returns to Practice Fields This Afternoon
Head Coach Joey Jones observes the Jags first scrimmage of preseason camp on Saturday, August 10, 2013.
The South Alabama football team is scheduled to hold their second of 15 spring practices this afternoon from 3-5pm on campus at the Jaguar practice facility. It’s the second of four practices scheduled this week without a scrimmage.
In the first practice on Monday, the team worked out in helmets and shorts. The team period consisted of six offensive possessions at their own 30 yard line. The first and second teams had two drives each consisting of five snaps and the third team had two possessions of four snaps, all over a 15 minute window.
Offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent singled out running back Dami Ayoola as the player of the day on offense. Vincent praised Ayoola for his footwork and vision as well as his ability to catch the ball.
Defensive coordinator Travis Pearson singled out Tre Alford for his efforts on defense. Pearson said that Alford is playing with lots of energy and enthusiasm. He understands what he is doing on the football field.
The play of the day went to Jeremy Reaves who made diving pass break-up that was intended for receiver Tyrone Williams that would have resulted in a first down during the team period.
Between the three offensive units during a pair of 12-minute 7-on-7 skeleton passing drills, they threw more than 60 passes. The two drills were split between the start and end of the workouts.
Coach Jones was pleased with the first day of practice. “I thought there was great effort and a real good tempo today, I was real proud of that,” he said afterwards. “But we can get better; we have a bunch of guys who understand it, a bunch who are close to understanding it and a bunch who don’t understand it. We have to get more guys to that top level, that’s what the spring is all about.”
Jones continued, “Spring is about positions. I know the coordinators want to get them together and have cohesiveness, but in my opinion the spring is more about trying to get the individual better because if they get better our team is going to be better. We have to concentrate on them fundamentally, we can’t lose sight of that. Sometimes you get caught up too much in scheme, but we’re not playing a game in the spring.”
Jones also mentioned that he is excited to have new additions to the coaching staff. “I’m real excited about them, there’s a chemistry. With each time we lose a coach, we have an opportunity for someone to come in here and show themselves. We’ve done a good job of bringing guys in who understand the game, and they’re good people as well.”
South Alabama Opens Spring Practice Today
Head coach Joey Jones speaks to his team after their first scrimmage of preseason camp at St. Paul’s Episcopal School on Saturday, August 15, 2014.
The South Alabama Jaguar football team opens spring practice on Monday. It was their first time back on the field after their first-ever postseason bowl appearance.
The Jags will work our in helmets and shorts at the Jaguar Practice Facility on campus from 3-5pm. They will also have a session on Wednesday without pads.
Each Friday during spring practices (March 20, 27 and April 3) as well as Monday April 6 to start the final week of drills. The Jags first workout in full pads is scheduled for Saturday, March 21 at 9am. Other full pads workouts are scheduled for March 23, 25, 30 and April 1.
Two scrimmages are set for the two Saturdays (3pm March 28, 9am April 4 at Murphy HS) prior to the annual Red-Blue spring game.
Each weekday practice will begin at 3pm with all 15 dates open to the general public.
The Red-Blue game is scheduled for noon on Saturday, April 11 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and is the first of several sporting events that day. The nationally ranked Jaguar softball team will play a double-header against Georgia Southern then at 6:30pm the Jaguar baseball team will host Appalachian State.
During the spring, the Jaguars will look to identify student-athletes to begin filling the spots left by 17 senior starters who graduated after last season. An influx of several players from UAB will help bolster the roster with experienced student-athletes including the starting quarterback from the Blazers.
USA lost 32 seniors from last fall’s team that faced Bowling Green in the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. Just seven starters return from that team.