Media Day
Head Coach Joey Jones oversees the Jaguars pre-game warm-ups at N.C. State.
The South Alabama Jaguar football team held their annual preseason media day at the Jaguar Football Fieldhouse on Tuesday. Along with Head coach Joey Jones, offensive coordinator Robert Matthews and defensive coordinator they also had defensive back Terrell Brigham, defensive lineman Jesse Kelley, wide receiver Jake Howton and offensive lineman Ucambre Williams.
Below are some excerps from the press conference.
Head Coach Joey Jones:
Talking about expectations for the 2014 season and recapping the opening week of preseason camp. “We’re very excited about this season, our guys are ready to get after it. We’ve been practice six or seven days, they are bringing a lot of energy to practice and to the season, so we are excited about where we are at this point and looking forward to the schedule we have. It’s obviously a tough schedule, we know about all the teams in the Sun Belt and we’re playing Mississippi State, South Carolina, Navy and Kent State. The kids know what is ahead of them and are excited about the opportunity.”
The Jaguars have played some tough teams closer than expected through their first few seasons against FBS competition. Jones talked about how that previous experience helped prepare the program for the upcoming 2014 season.
“First of all, our guys want to play the best. They want to play SEC schools, they want to play ACC schools, they enjoy playing in those venues. The teams we’ve played in the past, we’ve played N.C. State a couple of times, Mississippi State on the road, we’ve been working our way up as the years have gone by. Right now I believe our schedule is probably the toughest in the Sun Belt, that’s what some publications are saying, but we don’t care about that.”
“We’re just worried about becoming a great football team, and doing what we have to do to have a chance to win fundamentally,” Jones continued. “When Saturdays come we hope to perform well, that’s what it’s all about. We raise our expectations every year. Two years ago we played a Division I [Football Bowl Subdivision] schedule even though we weren’t a Division I team yet, but we wanted to play teams like that. Last year was our first year in Division I and we faired fairly well, but we want to do better so our guy’s expectations are higher just like any teams are. Our goal is to go out and do the very best we can.”
Coach Jones then talked about who he considers to be standout players for the upcoming season. “I will mention a few names. I believe that any football team is built on the line of scrimmage, it all starts there, I’ve told my guys that every year. On the defensive line we have Jesse Kelley and Jerome McClain who will anchor the inside of our defensive line. They’re very good football players that we are counting on to play extremely well. Theo Rich is another who I think is going to be an NFL player, he’s really come on at defensive end. On the offensive side of the ball, Chris May and Ucambre Williams are our tackles and both are preseason all-conference, that doesn’t mean anything, but I know they are good football players. Melvin Meggs is back and having a great summer picking up where he left off two years ago.
“At the skill positions, you have to start at quarterback. Brandon Bridge is going to need to play well for us, any quarterback needs to play well for their team to have a chance to do well. He’s had a great summer, I’m looking for great things out of him. I think our receiving corps is real deep with Marvin Shinn, Danny Woodson II, Shavarez Smith, Wes Saxton, Jeremé Jones and on down the line. We have more depth on offense at wide receiver and on the line.”
He also talked about the progression of the defense. “I thought today on goal line was one of the best defensive goal-line practices we’ve had since I’ve been here. The offense ran close to 20 plays and didn’t score on any of them. Our defense is really flying to the football, Coach Pearson has done a great job of coaching effort, defense is a lot about effort, and simplifying some things, which is really paying off. We’ve got to get some more depth at certain positions. We have depth in the secondary, but we need to find more up front to have a chance because you’re going to have injuries during the season. We’ve progressed, but my biggest question mark is finding depth on the defensive front.”
Jones also talked about the quarterback situation. Ross Metheny graduated after last season and they have some new faces fighting for playing time along with Brandon Bridge. “Right now Brandon is the starting quarterback, that’s pretty much a slam dunk. Our question mark is who is our No. 2, and I don’t know the answer to that right now. We have to give that some more time. We have some ideas with the three guys who are fighting for the job, and after the scrimmage on Saturday we’re going to have to start cutting reps for one of them and after another week or so we’ll have the guy elevate to No. 2.
“I’ve been somewhat happy [with the guys behind Brandon], some of the problem is we’re giving all three of the back-up guys reps so you don’t have time to evaluate them. It’s not our fault, we just need more time. I feel like all three guys have the ability, but who that No. 2 guy is I don’t know yet.”
Jones talked about what kept the team from winning a couple more games last season and what they have done to correct that.
“It’s coming through in the fourth quarter. There were three games last year where we were ahead with about a minute left in the game and lost the ballgame. You look at Louisiana-Lafayette last year, they had two or three games that they won very late in the game, and that’s the difference between a great team and an average team. We have to find ways to make those plays at the end of games, we’ve talked about that throughout the offseason, we don’t want to dwell on that because this is a new team, a different year, but we are talking about finishing. Our guys have done a great job, at today’s practice they finished well. We’re working on finishing every practice and every play.
“Last year we were a little thin with our depth at times, we were tired at the end of games. Although now we have more depth, that does factor into it, but it’s also just a mentality that we are going to finish this ballgame and we’re going to win it. I think that comes with time. Our program is growing, we went from not winning many games the year before to trying to learn how to win, and now we need to learn how to close out close games.”
Offensive coordinator Robert Matthews
Matthews talked about his expectations for the offense this season. “We expect to win every game we play, but it’s a process. We have to take care of one day at a time. You can’t look too far into the future. We have to take care of today, then we have to take care of tomorrow then Saturdays take care of themselves if we do what we’re supposed to do.
“I think the guys are really excited about the season. Their expectations are extremely high, and when your players are excited and enjoy playing the game and coming to practice every day working together then you have a chance. And we have that with this group. You have to play every game, no matter who you are playing, to the highest of your ability. If you don’t, anybody can beat anybody on any given Saturday.”
Talking about the offense’s progression so far this preseason camp. “The first week of camp has gone really well. Guys are competing, and that has been fun to watch. We have more depth at the wide receiver position, so it’s good to see those guys get out there competing for balls. We also have more depth at running back and more depth upfront, so it’s been fun to watch those guys get out there and really practice hard.”
He also talked about the experience returning on offense. “We do have a lot of talent. We have guys who can run and catch at wide receiver on the outside. We have Wes Saxton coming back, and he has a chance to have a really good year. I’m excited about our perimeter can be in throwing the football. We just have to have guys who go out and perform. The thing I told them today is as you get into days eight, nine and 10 at camp, guys get dinged up so the next guy has to step up and play. We’re not going to change who we are and what we do because one guy goes out.”
Matthews also talkeda bout Brandon Bridge and how he is a better quarterback from last season. “I think the game is slower for him with the experience he got last year, the continued reps he got in spring practice and the work he has put in in the film room and on the field this offseason. He understands the concepts and coverages better, and he has a lot more confidence in himself because of the hard work he has put in to it.
“From a physical-ability standpoint, Brandon has all the tools that you want. He has to understand that it’s not about everyone else. You just play within yourself, and I think he will do a really good job of that.”
Defensive coordinator Travis Pearson
Coach Pearson talked about the expectations for the defense this coming season and how the first week of camp has gone. “Our expectations are the same I guess as they are everywhere else in the United States, it’s to win. That’s our expectation coming into every year. We expect to come in and get better every year. We expect to come in and get better every day and that’s the way we take it, day by day. As far as camp, it’s going as expected. I think the kids are battling every day. Their energy’s at a high level right now, we just have to build off that.”
With several experienced defensive players, primarily in the front seven, who graduated after last season, pearson talked about replacing that talent. “We lost some key guys up front in Romelle Jones, Montavious Williams, Alex Page, Clifton Crews and Pat Moore, but we’ve got guys (returning) like Jesse Kelley, who started every game last season, and Jerome McClain. He’s another guy who played in every game last season.
“The roles are being filled really well. I think our guys understand that it’s a package deal. We just can’t rely on two guys to make this happen, they understand that. The leadership is quietly coming. In this business, if one (leader) hasn’t already jumped out to you, it’s going to take a little bit for them to jump out. But it’s quietly coming and I’m pleased with that.”
He also talked about what he wants the identity of the defense to be this season. “Fast and relentless. (I want them to) think fast, play fast and be relentless in our pursuit of that win. That’s what I want to be our identity.
“We want everyone to know that we’re coming out to play and that we’re going to play fast, especially with the tempo offenses are playing with now. The identity of this team is that we’re going to be fast and we’re going to be relentless. We’re going to build walls and do our very best to keep the deep balls to a minimum because we understand that’s what can get us beat. As long as they understand that, and keep everything in front of them and get it on the ground, we’ve got a shot to win.”
Pearson talked about what he sees as the mission of the defense this season. “We have several missions. I want to get better in the red zone. I want to get better in our goal line area. I think the Texas State, Troy, Arkansas State and Southern Utah games were learning tools for us, the kids never leave it. They understand that if you don’t finish it, those are the things that can happen. We walked out of those games with our heads held down when we were up.
“We’ve got to learn to finish the game, we always talk about that. When you get tired and there’s a moment that you think you can’t make it, let those four games run through your mind. You are in total control of the feeling we have when we walk off that field. So, those things are definitely character builders. I thought those games brought our team closer. Those guys rallied behind those losses and we turned this thing around and started going the right direction.
“I think those four losses really helped us.”
Offensive lineman Ucambre Williams
Talking about the depth of the offensive line. “We have some younger guys who have stepped up, the depth is there. Last year we didn’t really have a lot of depth, but it has improved each year. Now we can really get some substitutions in there if you need a breather. We push each other at practice and help each other as well. But the depth has been good for the offensive line.”
Williams talked about Mississippi State, the Jaguars home opener this season. “We’re not thinking about that game. We have Kent State first. We got beat in our first game last year, so we are just going to take it one week at a time. We have to take care of business against Kent State, then we will focus on Mississippi State.”
He also talked about how the finishing last season helped the team in the offseason. The Jaguars won their final three games, including a 30-8 win over conference co-champion Louisiana-Lafayette. “We beat the conference champions, and it showed us that we can be number one in this conference. We just have to work a little bit harder than last year to achieve our goals.”
Wide Receiver Jake Howton
Howton talkeda bout the first week of preseason camp. “We have the potential to be very good on offense. We have a lot of veteran guys up front with three senior starters returning. And there is a ton of talent at receiver this year, and we have guys back in the backfield. And of course Brandon at quarterback, who brings a big-play element to our offense. But I believe we have the opportunity to be really good.”
He also talked about how finishing last season helped the team heading into this season. “We have a lot of high expectations. We finished strong last year, and felt like we were a really good football team over the last four or five games of the season. We have a lot of starters back and a lot of guys who have been here a long time and played who have to step up this year, myself included. We’re really looking forward to it.”
Defensive Lineman Jesse Kelley
Kelley talked about the expectations for the season and how the first week of camp has been. “Our expectations going into the season are pretty high. For myself, I want to win a championship and I want to win a bowl game.
“On the defensive line, we had a lot of growing pains after losing five or six seniors, but we have a great group of guys that coach (Brian) Turner brought in and we are just maturing each and every day. By September 6 when we play Kent State, I believe we will be ready to go.”
He also talked about how today’s offensive concepts have changed the way defenses play. “It’s been the same thing since back in the day. The teams are going to win the football game by establishing the run game. It’s my job, and our defensive linemen’s job, to stop the run first and wreak havoc on the quarterback, so our secondary guys can have some fun back there and take some picks and get the ball back to the offense so they can score.”
Kelley talked about the depth on the defensive line, one of the concerns coming into the season after the graduation of several defensive lineman last season. “We have lots of depth. We have a lot of new guys who are still trying to get their feet wet. We’re just going to have to keep harping on the fundamentals to them right now. The fundamentals aren’t where they should be right now, but day by day, our fundamentals are getting better. As I mentioned before, come next month, everything should be ready to go.”
Defensive Back Terrell Brigham
Brigham talked about the expectations for the upcoming season. “I feel like we have high expectations just like pretty much everybody around the country. We want to win the conference championship and then go to a bowl game. We have some experience back in the secondary with three seniors and a sophomore who got playing time last year. With that experience coming back, I feel we have high expectations.”
He also talked about the experience level of the secondary that has developed over the last couple of seasons. “I feel like the experience and exposure that we’ve received over the years has helped us learn more and apply more to the game. That’s really helped us out to where we can teach the young guys and show them how we play and do things here.”
South Alabama will hold an open scrimmage at St. Paul’s Episcopal School on Saturday at 9am. They begin their 2014 season in Kent, Ohio against Kent State on Saturday, September 6.
Jags Continue Preseason Camp And Hold Media Day Today
Practice four was held on Saturday, August 9 in shells.
Head coach Joey Jones thought the team worked very hard with good intensity. He acknowledged that there were a couple fights on the field, which is good that they have that intensity but bad in other ways. Overall he thought it was a good practice.
Defensively Jones thought they played very aggressive and worked on finishing by trying to create turnovers. The defensive staff has been emphasizing that two or three turnovers a game will go a long way to helping your team to win.
Melvin Meggs was selected as the Offensive player of the Day. Offensive coordinator Robert Matthews explained that he is continuing to come back after he was sidelined last season with a knee injury. He progressed in the spring and has continued to improve since camp started. “I’m really happy to see the way he’s moving around, his physicality and the way he has fallen right back into it,” Matthews said.
Defensively, the Player of the Day was E.J. May. Defensive coordinator Travis Pearson thought he looked very good in 1-on-1 drills, 7-on-7 drills and during the team drills. “He’s getting better every day, he’s got a chance to be a really good player for us,” Pearson explained. “Today he did exactly what he was supposed to do and he was where he needed to be.”
Some highlights from the practice included Steven Fuller stripping a ball loose from a receiver and Montell Garner picking it out of midair in 7-on-7 drills. May also had an interception in 7-on-7 drills where he grabbed a ball over his shoulder at the goal line to save a touchdown. Garner had a big stop on third and five when he stopped Jake Howton for no gain after a completion.
Matt Floyd hit Tony Ray Parnell for a 50-yard completion in the final team drill of the day. He also completed a 20-yard pass to DeMarrion Buford-Hughes.
Xavier Johnson also had a good play when he broke through the offensive line near midfield and had one man to beat for a touchdown, however the play was called before he actually reached the end zone.
The offense also worked on their tempo. They had three periods of team drills, each lasting 15 minutes each. The first saw 24 snaps of the ball as they worked on second and long situations. The second they had 32 snaps where they worked on moving the ball while working on tempo. Then the final set they ran 26 more plays as they were working on moving the ball on first, second and third downs.
Practice five was held on Sunday, August 10 and was their first practice in full pads in the middle of the afternoon.
Coach Jones said the defense really picked up their game on Sunday. The offense ran the ball well against them on Saturday and they were not going to let that happen again. Jones also mentioned that he really likes the chemistry on the team, they care about each other and they really know how to practice.
Jones continued by stating that the team played with great tempo and were physical without being too physical. He wants to continue to stress that they need to be great fundamentally over the next two weeks of practice. “If we don’t block or tackle then it isn’t going to matter,” Jones said. “You have to keep pressing to be great fundamentally.”
He thought the team is doing really well with their pass rush, something that the team struggled with early last season. He didn’t single out anyone in particular, but he mentioned that some guys had some great blitzes and were able to get off their blocks well in order to get to the quarterback. Several would have been sacks. He also mentioned that the secondary is playing much better with good breaks on the ball and did not give us as many long passes as they did in previous practices.
However the area of improvement coach Jones singled out was trusting the call the coaches are making and to play fundamentally so they will be good in whatever the team does.
Jay Jones was singled out by the coaching staff as the Offensive player of the Day. Coach Matthews said that last seasons leading rusher has provided lots of leadership by the way he practices and how he carries himself. He broke some good runs, particularly noticeable on third downs. He converted a third-down play into a 50-yard touchdown during the team period.
Defensively Terrell Brigham was selected as the Player of the Day. Coach Pearson pointed to his consistent play from last season, through spring and now during preseason camp. “He’s consistent with his communication; his play is always consistently good,” Pearson explained. “He lines everyone up and makes all the calls. That guy is invaluable to me.”
Another running back made a big play on the day. Xavier Johnson, who broke a long run the previous practice, scored on a 34 yard touchdown run during the final team period as the offensive worked on third-down conversions.
Continuing on the previous days work, the defense intercepted a pass inside the 5 yard line during 7-on-7 drills, this time it was Margo Reed with the pick.
Hunter Vaughn threw a touchdown pass to Cameron Broadnax during the team session while working inside the red zone.
Practice six was held on Monday, August 11 and was their first two-a-day practice with the afternoon session focusing on special teams work.
Talking about the morning session, Coach Jones said he thought it was a good practice. He pointed to a number of offsides incidents that his team needs to work on as well as a couple of fumbles in the backfield that concerned him.
Reflecting back on the first six practices of camp, Jones said his team has been very attentive and they are listening to what the coaches are teaching them. They continue to get better at what they need to do.
Offensively, the Player of the Day was T.J. Glover. Coach Matthews pointed to Glover’s versatility for the team as he has played receiver and running back and continues to make big plays. “He had some big plays today, making really nice cutbacks for big gains; it was good to see him get loose with his speed,” Matthews explained.
Defensively it was Theo Rich who was selected at the Defensive player of the Day. Coach Pearson pointed to his consistency as a big factor in his play. “The kid is in shape, he has come in this year with a different attitude to be a player,” Pearson explained. “You’re talking about a 260-pound guy that can drop underneath and get his hands on balls. He’s been consistent throughout preseason camp, I’m thoroughly impressed with that kid.”
Hunter Vaughn connected with Nathan Sassaman for a 45-yard gain. Vaughn found him open in the left flat then Sassaman broke it down the left sideline for the big gain. Senior tight end Ryan Onkka caught three passes on the day as well.
Jay Jones continued to pay off on his hard work. He went up the middle and twice broke free for gains of 20 yards or more in the second of the three team sessions on the day.
Today head coach Joey Jones, the offensive and defensive coordinators and selected student-athletes will participate in the team’s annual preseason media day at the Football Field House.
Jags Add Another Commit For 2015
Nigel Lawrence gave his verbal commitment to the Jaguars on Sunday. Photo: rivals.com
Head coach Joey Jones and his staff hauled in another recruit on Sunday when Smiths Station High School student-athlete Nigel Lawrence announced he had chosen South Alabama to play football and baseball.
His recruiter talked to him last month and went over how he would be able to achieve his degree and how he would compete for playing time at safety immediately. This sat well with Lawrence and the three-star prospect selected the Jaguars over Georgia State, Western Kentucky, Cincinnati, Mercer, UAB and Troy.
Lawrence, a 6′ 178-pound prospect fell in love with the atmosphere on campus when he visited in July and plans to attend the Mississippi State game in September. He also wants to attent football games at a couple other schools as well, including Auburn. But Lawrence hit social media hard after making his commitment public. He touted the rise of the Jaguars team and how he wants to be part of making history at the University.
Football Gets Started With Preseason Camp
After a brief hiatus, we are back covering South Alabama football preseason camp.
The Jaguar football team reported to camp and held their first practice on Wednesday, August 6.
Head coach Joey Jones spoke after the team’s first practice and mentioned they had a few guys who were probably not in the shape they wanted, but that about 95% of the team came into camp in good shape. They need to improve quickly because “we can’t have any weak links on this team, everybody has to be in shape and ready to go” Jones said.
Jones said it was too early to analyze how Brandon Bridge looked, though he did state that he had a good summer and seems to be doing some good things through the first practice. He also talked about Wes Saxton earning national recognition in the preseason. Jones stated that he is a competitor and that he does not worry about him and that he will do well this season.
As for what coach Jones hopes to accomplish before the team is able to practice in full pads, he said they can work on the passing game. In their first practice they worked on two-minute drills and didn’t rush the quarterback since they were not wearing pads. They also working on the kicking game. In general, it was a teaching experience as they have lots of new student-athletes that need to learn their role on the team.
At the conclusion of the first practice, coach Jones announced that Jereme Jones was selected to wear the #5 jersey this season, honoring Anthony Mostella. Each season a member of the senior class is chosen to wear the number in honor of Mostella, who wore #5 in the Jaguars first season of football in 2009 but passed away the due to a motorcycle accident on June 13, 2010.
Jones, a four-year letterwinner, is the school’s all-time leading receiver with 121 catches for 1,317 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also enters the season with streak of 39 consecutive games with a catch.
After practice, Jones spoke about being chosen to wear the #5 jersey. “It’s a real great honor. I knew Mo [Anthony Mostella], we took a class together and getting to know him and the person he is I am really honored to be able to represent him by wearing his number.”
“I only knew him one semester, but he showed me where all my classes were and we started hanging out a little bit and I was able to get to know him better as the semester went on,” he continued. “The accident really hit me hard when it happened. He was a great person and fun to be around.”
In the first practice, Jereme Jones was selected as the Offensive player of the day as he hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bridge to cap off the first-teams 60-yard drive during a two-minute drill. Marvin Shinn earned honorable mention with an 18-yard catch one play before to convert a fourth-and-one and to set up Jones for the touchdown play.
Davin Hawkins earned defensive player of the day with several plays in key moments.
Practice two was held on Thursday, August 7 in hemets and shorts.
Coach Jones said that practice went a little bit better than the day before. The guys fought through and practiced at an energetic level with some new guys starting to pick up on their roles on the team. Jones also said that the coaching staff needs to continue to put things in progressively but that they cannot get too far ahead of themselves. They have to build on what they do well and keep working on things that they are not doing well yet.
Cameron Broadnax was selected as offensive player of the day as offensive coordinator Robert Matthews singling him out for his route running, ball catching and practicing hard. He also caught a 37-yard touchdown pass in the first drive during two-minute drills.
Maleki Harris was selected as defensive player of the day. Defensive coordinator Travis Pearson said that Harris has taken on more of a leadership role as he is more vocal and is doing everything at full speed. He is being a great example to the younger players on the team.
Davin Hawkins made the play of the day with a diving interception of a Brandon Bridge pass intended for Wes Saxton in 7-on-7 drills. He picked it out of the air with a full-extension dive.
Practice three was held on Friday, August 8 in shells (helmets and shoulder pads) and was the first morning practice.
Coach Jones said that they practiced late the night before and got up Friday morning for meetings at 6am. They had a few cramp up and others who were fatigued but they fought through it. Jones said they have to get mentally tougher to compete for a conference championship and they are working on that.
But Jones said that the team was coming together a little bit and that he is seeing the younger players starting to pick up on things. But they have to keep making progress in order to be ready for the season.
Joseph Scelfo was selected as the offensive player of the day. Coach Matthews said he had really good snaps and protected good. He was making good calls and that he did not see a lot of busted assignments along the offensive line during the blitz and team periods.
Jesse Kelley was selected as the defensive player of the day. Coach Pearson said that it was based on all three days of practice. Kelley is a 300-pounder who did not miss a single rep. He has come into camp ready to play and is making those plays. He’s also been a vocal and emotional leader on the team who leads by example with hard work, which is what they need to be able to win this fall.
Play of the day went to Brandon Bridge, who rolled right to escape pressure and found Jereme Jones for a 35-yard gain. He also connected with Braedon Bowman for a 45-yard touchdown to start the last team period of the day.
After practice Maleki Harris said that the first couple days of preseason camp are always the toughest as their bodies get used to the heat and the workouts. But the sports medicine staff continue to tell them to hydrate, use cold tubs, eat and sleep.
Harris also mentioned that the defense needs to work on stopping the run. They did an alright job on the first day, but he will not settle on being “alright.” He also said that they are giving up big plays. A championship defense does not do that and that is what they strive to be.
Phil Steele Updates 2014-2015 Bowl Projects
Phil Steele Publications updated their 2014-2015 Bowl Projections and currently project South Alabama to play in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. | twitter.com/godaddybowl
Phil Steele of Phil Steele Publications and his College Football Preview has updated their 2014-2015 Bowl Projections. They currently have three Sun Belt teams in bowl games.
In the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl they project Air Force and Louisiana-Lafayette, in the Raycom Camellia Bowl they project Central Michigan and Louisiana-Monroe and in the GoDaddy.com bowl they project Northern Illinois and South Alabama.
If USA were to go to the GoDaddy.com Bowl, they would have their postseason game held at their own home stadium and would be on January 4, 2015 and would be the final bowl game prior to the College Football Playoff Championship on January 12, 2015.
This is another historical moment in USA history. Heading into only their sixth season of football ever and only their second season of full FBS membership and bowl eligibility, they are being projected to be a bowl team. But don’t count your chickens before they hatch, they have 12 games this season before they can even look towards a potentional bowl game.
They cannot look ahead, they have to take each game on their own and if they take care of business each week, then selection for a bowl game will come on its own.
Jags Report For Preseason Camp In One Week
The South Alabama Jaguar football team is scheduled to report for preseason camp in just one short week.
They are scheduled to meet Tuesday evening August 5 then hit the practice field on Wednesday evening at 6:30pm for their first workout that is slated for two hours. That will be the first of four workouts, each scheduled for two hours, that will conclude with a 3pm workout on Sunday to wrap up their first week of camp.
The next week the Jags have two-a-day’s scheduled for Monday and Thursday with the morning session scheduled for 7:15AM and the afternoon session scheduled for 4:30PM. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday practices will be held from 7:15 to 9:40AM then the first fall scrimmage will be held on Saturday, August 16.
Sunday, August 17 the Jaguars will have an off day before resuming on Monday morning with five consecutive days of workouts prior to their second scrimmage on Saturday, August 23 at 9AM.
The last week of camp will begin with three consecutive days of practice and culimnate in their final scrimmage on Thursday, August 28. After which they will have two days off before going into in-season mode and practice for their first game of the season.
They will open their season on Saturday, September 6 at Kent State before returning home the next week, September 13 when they hold their home opener against Mississippi State at Ladd-Peebles Stadium
The school’s annual Fan Day will be held at the Mitchell Center on Sunday, August 24 beginning at 4pm.
Dodge City CC Wide Receiver Latest To Verbally Committ To Jaguars
William French of Dodge City Community College verbally committed to the Jaguars for the 2015 class. | photo: speedzonerecruits.wix.com
South Alabama received another verbal commitment on Monday, this time it was a wide receiver from Dodge City Community College.
William French, a 5’9″ 180-pound wide receiver, committed to join teammate and also a Jaguar commit James Bynes at South Alabama for the 2015 class. Last Season French caught 32 passes for 574 yards in 10 games while averaging 17.9 yards per catch and leading the team with four touchdown receptions.
French joins quite a group of verbal committments in St. Paul’s cornerback Jalen Thompson, offensive lineman Steven Clark, tight end Julian Allen, quarterback/wide receiver Reid Rials of Satusma, defensive end Anfernee Mullins, quarterback Aaron Johnson, tight end/offensive lineman Zach Davis, defensive tackle Roy Albritton, and juco cornerback Quinton Lane to name a few.
French is believed to be a Jereme Jones-like receiver. One who can block, catch a short pass, go deep or catch a short pass and turn it into a big gain. He can also make people miss.
In an interview with Alabama Media Group he said he was already going to choose South Alabama but his teammate Bynes “gave me more confidence” in his choice.
South Alabama opens fall football camp in about a week with their first game on Saturday, September 6 on the road against Kent State.
Go Jags!
USA Football Picks Up Defensive Verbal Commitment
Anfernee Mullins de-committed from Mississippi State and verbally committed to South Alabama. | Photo: espn.go.com
South Alabama picked up another big name recruit. Anfernee Mullins de-committed from Mississippi State and verbally committed to the Jaguars over the weekend.
Mullins, a 6’4″ 245-pound defensive end from Aliceville High School, decided that what mattered the most to him was playing time and he thought he could get the most from South Alabama. He feels that South Alabama is a better fit for him than Mississippi State.
“The way I was looking at it was how many players they were recruiting at my position,” Mullins told 247Sports. “It was going to be a lot for me to get on the field (at Mississippi State). South Alabama said I’m No. 1 on its recruiting board. I believe I have a chance of getting playing time if I go to South Alabama.”
“They are in a conference that sometimes gets overlooked, but they are still playing good football, and I like that,” he said. “It’s a small conference, but I believe they’ll give me a chance. It’d be harder for me to get a chance at Mississippi State than at South Alabama.”
Mullins said he committed to the Bulldogs in early June after a strong camp performance in Starkville, but was never publicly listed as a commit by any of the recruiting services. He then told MSU defensive coordinator Geoff Collins and defensive line coach David Turner this week that he intended to change his commitment to a different school.
Mullins has yet to visit Mobile and the USA campus, but he likes what he has seen online. The Jaguars thinks he will be a good fit at outside linebacker while other schools recruiting him have been recruiting him as a defensive end.
South Alabama’s defensive ends and linebackers coach Freddie Roach, was has been recruiting Mullins, sold him on the idea of South Alabama and outside linebacker through their frequent talks.
He is unranked by the major recruiting services and attended camps at MSU, Alabama and Auburn prior to his commitment to the Bulldogs.
Harris And May Represent Jaguars At 2014 SBC Media Day
The student-athletes who represented the school and their teammates were Maleki Harris and Chris May. Here is a sample of what they had to say at the 2014 Sun Belt Conference Media Day at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Harris was named to the preseason second-team All-Sun Belt Team by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. Last season he started 10 games but saw action in all 12 games. He finished fourth on the team with 63 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss. He led the team with seven pass breakups and with two fumble recoveries. He also recorded 2.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries and an interception.
Harris, as a sophomore, also played in all 13 games and recorded 20 tackles while leading the team with two fumble recoveries and set a school game record when he recovered both of them in the same game against Hawaii.
May, a 6’5″ 290-pound native of Tuscumbia, Alabama, was selected as a First-Team All-Sun Belt player and was selected as a Second-Team All-Conference by both Phil Steele and College Sports Madness. He led the team last season with 65 knockdown blocks and was second on the team with an 87% grade overall after starting all 12 games for the Jaguars last season at right tackle. He allowed only one sack on 394 passing attempts by the Jaguars last season. He had a season-high nine knockdowns in the Jaguar win over Lousiana-Monroe.
As a redshirt freshman in 2012, he appeared in all 13 games and started the final seven at left tackle. He was named to the conference All-Freshman Team by the Sun Belt Conference beat writers and earned a coaches’ award on the offensive line three times to tie a season-record.
Chris May (Jr. Offensive lineman)
Speaking about his Sun Belt Conference Media Day: “It’s really cool. I was talking with Maleki (Harris) about how cool it is to not only be here, but to be here representing our team, university and city.”
Speaking about the offense’s greatest challenge this football season: “I think our main challenge will be to keep everyone on the same page. We have so many different athletes and so many people that can do so many different things that if we stay together and maintain great team chemistry then we can do some special things.”
Speaking about the cohesion among the offensive line: “We have some special players upfront. We get Melvin Meggs back who was a great player for us two years ago, but he suffered an injury and had to miss last season. Drew Dearman and Ucambre Williams, an All-SBC performer, and Joseph Scelfo will probably step up and play center for us this year. He has the potential to be really good too. Four of us that start on the line came in together in the same signing class. It’s been cool to see everyone mature and grow as players and men.”
Speaking about competing for the conference championship: “I felt like we were at that point last year. We obviously struggled a little late in some games, but we finished 6-6 and were bowl eligible. This year is a big year for us. We have a lot of returning starters on offense, and some guys who are building depth for us on defense. I feel like this is the year for us to not only compete for the Sun Belt (title), but to win the whole thing.”
Speaking about the team heading into this season: “Coach (Joey) Jones has really been hitting us hard with discipline and team-building exercises. We did a workout with some Navy Seals about midway through the summer. As long as we can have that team chemistry and can stay disciplined, I feel like we have the potential to have a great year.”
Maleki Harris (Sr. Linebacker)
Speaking about his role in the defense: “I definitely feel that I have more responsibility to lead the defense. When I first got here, I butted heads with some of the guys who were seniors last year. But they took me under their wing, and I think the coaches saw that and have put me in a position to be a leader. I feel a lot of responsibility for this season and how it goes, especially defensively. I feel like a lot of it is on me. If I can’t make the play, there may be something I can tell a teammate that they can use in certain situations. But I feel like there isn’t a play that I can’t make. At the end of the season when my career here is over, I want South Alabama to succeed. That’s part of being a leader. You have to lead, but you also have to prepare others to lead. When you have that, then you have a great program and that’s what we want at South Alabama.”
Speaking about the defense: “I feel like our weakness is experience, and the only way you can get experience is going through it. But our strength defensively is toughness. We are going to be a tough, hard-nosed defense because that’s how we are coached. It starts with our defensive coordinator Coach (Travis) Pearson. It is discipline and toughness, mental toughness to be more specific. That’s some of the points where we fell short last year. Those close games we lost came down to mental toughness. Now that we have been through that, I feel like we are ready for it.”
Speaking about the 2014 schedule ahead of them: “I see so much potential for a great year and the opportunity to get Mobile recognized for more than just the Senior Bowl. We want Mobile to be known as the home of South Alabama. We want to be nationally-known. We want that recognition but at the same time we are going to stay humble and keep working toward our goals.”
Speaking about what he learned by playing in the Sun Belt Conference last season: “It was tough, but it was fun. It can get a little crazy going on the road in the Sun Belt. But the team that wins on the road is the team that will come out on top. You have to do it. There is not a sport that you can succeed in if you don’t win on the road. It’s going to be a tough challenge, but I think we will be ready for it.”
Speaking about the team this season: “We want the Sun Belt championship. I feel like we are very talented across the board, and we may not have been able to say that at times in the past years. We are young, but this may be the most talented team to come through South Alabama. Talent-wise we won’t be lacking at any position.”
Sun Belt Media Day Rewind
The 2014 Sun Belt Media Day is in the books and the Conference is in a good position to make some noise this season. Especially South Alabama.
This big headlines for this season so far is the number of new quarterbacks taking the reigns for SBC schools when the fall schedule begins. Over half of the teams in the conference will be starting new quarterbacks. South Alabama is not the exception either. Ross Metheny played very well last season and, most notably, played very smart. He threw for over 1,300 yards as he helped lead the Jaguars to a 6-6 season and 4-3 conference record. Now it may be Brandon Bridge’s turn to help lead the Jaguars to a new level of success.
Bridge sits at the Number 1 quarterback after spring pratice but will have to continue to prove himself as the stable of returning quarterbacks will continue to fight for playing time. However they will also have to prove themselves against two new quarterbacks that will join the team this fall in HuCo transfer Hunter Vaughn and former South Florida quarterback Matt Floyd.
Only five Sun Belt schools have a returning starting quarterback and the biggest name is Louisiana-Lafayette’s Terrance Broadway. Broadway was voted the preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors. Along with him is Georgia State’s Ronnie Bell, Texas State’s Tyler Jones, Appalachian State’s Kameron Bryant and Georgia Southern’s part-time starter last season Kevin Ellison.
When Jaguar head coach Joey Jones arrived at the 2013 Sun Belt Media Day last summer, his team was picked to finish next-to-last in their first season as a full SBC and FBS member. After a season-opening loss to Southern Utah, the Jaguars regrouped and found their game. They finished the season with a three-game winning streak including a season-finale win over Sun Belt Conference Co-Champion Louisiana-Lafayette.
This season it toally different. Coach Jones’ team is picked to finish third in the conference. The potent Jaguar offense returns nine starters from last season. The two starters they lost were Metheny at Quarterback and Matt Calcagnini at center.
The story is a bit different on the defensive side of the ball as they are returning six starters, most of them in the defensive backfield.
But the conference acknoledged the talent that is on the Jaguar roster as nine student-athletes were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
The following was some of the things that Coach Jones had to say while speaking with the media in New Orleans.
Jones talking about whether he feels USA as good as any team in the conference. “I feel that we are starting to get closer in terms of talent. Two years ago we weren’t Division I quite yet and the talent wasn’t there. But last year was much closer and now we are probably getting to the point where we are comparable to the other teams in the league. But it all comes down to how you play, talent only does so much. you have to play well to win football games.”
Jones talking about quarterback Brandon Bridge: “I feel real good about Brandon. He is a great character young man, he works hard at his craft and he cares about it. He’s very talented, I expect big things out of him. He understands his role isn’t to be the biggest playmaker in the world, it’s to be the starting quarterback at South Alabama and win football games for us, that means taking what the defense is giving you. He’s done a great job this spring.”
Jones spoke about the expectations of being picked to finish third in the conference in the preseason poll: “The way we finished last year definitely helped going into this season. We realized if we play well and do our part we’ll have a chance. One thing I know about the Sun Belt Conference is there are a lot of good football teams and a lot of great coaches. You better be ready to play every week. You look not only at our games, a lot of one- and two-point decisions, but around the league and the other teams are going through the same thing.”
One of the most interesting questions for Jaguar fans is what it will take for USA to win the conference championship. Jones said, “The key in my opinion is we have to win close games, and we have to win on the road. Winning on the road is probably the biggest thing in this conference, most teams were .500 or below on the road last year. You have to find a way to win on the road in this conference to win the championship.”
Last season the Jaguars lost four games by two points or less, two of them by just one point. The Jaguars game against Tennesse was decided by just seven points and USA had a chance to tie or go ahead with under two minutes left in the game in the red zone.
Jones also spoke about the season-ending win over conference co-champion ULL and what it means as they head into the 2014 season. “Louisiana-Lafayette has been the team that everyone in our conference has looked at the last three or four years. Them and Arkansas State. To be able to have a chance to play well against them last year certainly helped our confidence going into this year. But this is a new year with different players and different coaches, we can’t look back, we have to keep looking forward.”