South Alabama Sign 19 Student-Athletes On Early Signing Day
Head coach Steve Campbell and his staff announced that they signed 19 student-athletes to National Letter-of-Intent on Wednesday.
Eight of the 19 are junior college transfers with two years of eligibility remaining. Three of them have won a junior college national title and 13 of them are rated as three-star recruits.
The eight Ju-Co players, all of which are joining the team in January are: Dewayne Betts Jr. (Memphis, Tenn.), Hayden Burton (Bogue Chitto, Miss.), Zeke Chapman (Lake, Miss.), Chance Lovertich (Brandon, Miss.), Darrell Luter Jr. (Hattiesburg, Miss.), Jamie Sheriff (Terry, Miss.), CJ Thompson (Tulsa, Okla.) and Quentin Wilfawn (Oxford, Miss.).
The remaining 11 student-athletes have all completed their senior seasons at their respective high-schools: Yamarus Banks (Ridgeland, Miss.), Nae’Saan Dickerson (Ellenwood, Ga.), Latarius “Kado” Carr (Olive Branch, Miss.), Elijah Gainey (Flowery Branch, Ga.), Jacob Hopper (Boaz, Ala.), Carlos Johnson (Spanish Fort, Ala.), Caullin Lacy (Mobile, Ala.), Andrew McMillan (Long Beach, Miss.), Christian Sapp (Kiln, Miss.), Zyon Walker (Memphis, Tenn.) and Christian Wortham (Grenada, Miss.).
They will all enter with four years of eligibility and McMillan will join the team in the spring semester as an early graduate.
According to coach Campbell, they signed some players to give them immediate help at positions of need such as defensive line where they lost some guys to graduation. Additionally they added experience in the secondary.
The Jags expect to return three quarterbacks currently on the roster and they signed two. A ju-co player with championship experience at the high school and ju-co level for immediate help and a freshman to develop.
Yamarus Banks (CB, 5’11”, 200 lbs, Ridgeland HS, Ridgeland, MS) Rated a 2* athlete by 247sports.com and he recorded 52 tackles and four interceptions. He also caught 37 passes for 788 yards and three touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball.
Dewayne Betts Jr. (S, 6’2″, 200 lbs, Coahoma (MS) CC, Memphis, TN) rated a 2* ju-co recruit by 247sports.com, and the second-best prospect as an athlete in the country, as well as a 2* by Rivals.com. Had offers from Massachusetts and Liberty.
Hayden Burton (OL, 6’5″, 325, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Bogue Chitto, MS) rated a 3* ju-co prospect by both Rivals.com and 247sports.com. He was on the 2019 NJCAA national championship team for 2019. Had scholarship offers from Arkansas State, Louisiana-Monroe and Marshall. Was also recruited by Tulane, Ohio, and Liberty.
Latarius “Kado” Carr (LB, 5’10”, 225 lbs, Olive Branch, MS, Olive Branch HS) rated a 3* recruit by 247Sports.com and selected to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. In three years, he compiled 248 tackles, 37 for loss, as the school went 33-8 overall and made the playoffs each year.
Zeke Chapman (DL, 6′, 305 lbs, Pearl River CC, Lake, MS) A 3* rating by 247Sports.com and was ranked in the top-20 Ju-co defensive tackles. He was credited with 35 tackles and 6 for loss with a fumble recovery in his sophomore season. Was also recruited by Troy and Southern Miss.
Nae’Saan Dickerson (WR, 6’2″, 180 lbs, Hapeville Charter HS, Ellenwood, GA) rated 3* from 247Sports.com and 2* by Rivals.com. He and his team won the state championship as a sophomore. He had scholarship offers from Illinois, Boston College, Tulane, UNLV, Troy, Toledo, Kent State and Bowling Green. He was also recruited by Kentucky, Ball State and Liberty.
Elijah Gainey (QB, 6’3″, 215 lbs, Flowery Branch HS, Flower Branch, GA) A 3* rating by 247Sports.com and 2* by Rivals.com. He sat out his senior season with a knee injury after starting the previous two seasons. In 8 games he had 2,005 yards and 20 touchdowns. He had a scholarship offer from Troy and was recruited by Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.
Jacob Hopper (TE, 6’6″, 230 lbs, Sardis HS, Boaz, AL) rated a 3* recruit by 247Sports.com and a three year letterwinner and qualified for the state playoffs his senior season. He was recruited by Arkansas, Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic and Charlotte.
Carlos Johnson (DL, 6′, 310 lbs, Spanish Fort HS, Spanish Fort, AL) rated a 3* recruit by 247Sports and a 2* by Rivals.com. He was selected to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game after being a four-year letterwinner, four appearances in the state playoffs, and a 41-12 record over that stretch. Was offered a scholarship by Troy as well.
Caullin Lacy (WR, 5’10”, 175 lbs, Faith Academy, Mobile, AL) rated 3* by 247Sports.com and 2* by Rivals.com. He helped his team to back-to-back state playoff and a 17-6 record over the past two seasons.
Chance Lovertich (QB, 5’11”, 195 lbs, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Brandon, MS) Went 236-of-366 passing for 2,794 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was also recruited by Ole Miss and UAB.
Darrell Luter Jr (CB, 6′, 180 lbs, Pear River (MS) CC, Hattiesburg, MS) Rated a 2* recruit by 247Sports.com and was rated among the top 30 cornerbacks in the nation. Offered a scholarship by Houston and was also recruited by Southern Miss and Coastal Carolina.
Andrew McMillan (OL, 6’4″, Long Beach HS, Long Beach, MS) Rated a 3* recruit by 247Sports.com and the 5th best offensive tackle in the state of Mississippi.
Christian Sapp (OL, 6’2″, 310 lbs, Hancock HS, Kiln, MS) Rated a 2* recruit by 247Sports.com and considered in the top 10 guards in the state of Mississippi.
Jamie Sheriff (DL, 6’1″, 260 lbs, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Terry, MS) Rated a 3* prospect by 247Sports.com and among the top 20 strongside defensive ends in the state. He was offered a scholarship by North Texas and Toledo.
CJ Thompson (S, 6’1″, 195 lbs, Northeast Oklahoma A&M JC, Tulsa, OK) Rated a 3* recruit by 247Sports.com, the top Ju-co recruit in OK and the 13th rated safety in the country.
Zyon Walker (DL, 6′, 305 lbs, Whitehaven HS, Memphis, TN) rated a 2* recruit by both 247Sports.com and Rivals.com. In eight games in his senior season he recorded 27 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries. He was also recruited by Southern Miss.
Quentin Wilfawn (LB, 6’1″, 245 lbs, Northwest Mississippi CC, Oxford, MS) rated a 3* recruit by 247Sports.com and the 8th best inside linebacker. He was recruited by Memphis, Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, and Charlotte out of high school. Had offers from Georgia Southern, Louisiana-Monroe and Liberty out of ju-co.
Christian Wortham (WR, 6’1″, 185 lbs, Grenada HS, Grenada, MS) Was rated a 3* athlete by 247Sports.com and among the top 50 recruits. Rivals.com rated him a 2* recruit. He was recruited by Auburn, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Wake Forest. His father played at Alabama from 2000-2004 and played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2005.
National Signing Day 2019
As National Signing Day 2019 has finally arrived, the National Letter of Intents have come and head football coach Steve Campbell’s class has been announced. The Jags announced 26 new additions for the coming season, 10 of them junior college transfers, 15 high school student athletes, and one grey shirt.
Coach Campbell talked about the size and speed of the student-athletes that they signed this year. Not only did they have some holes to fill due to graduation, but also backfilling transfers. Punter Corliss Waitman, wide receiver Jordan McCray and David Gardner, offensive linemen Ryan Alexander, Rowan Godwin and Ben Becker, along with tight end Masseiah Francis are among nine Jags that entered into the transfer portal.
Here’s the full rundown:
- Tanner McGee is the lone grayshirt, he’s a 6’4″ 200lb quarterback from Randleman, NC who is a dual threat. He set a school record with 3,604 yards of total offense and 41 scores and was named the Randolph County Player of the Year his senior year.
- Conner Estes from Mississippi Gulf Coast CC is listed as a 6’5″ 325 lb right tackle. He originally signed with Louisiana Tech out of high school.
- Gi’Narious Johnson is from Pearl River CC and listed as a 6′ 285 lb defensive lineman. He is a two-time state weightlifting champion so he is strong.
- Kelvin Johnson from Independence (Kansas) CC is listed as a 6′ 210 lb linebacker. He was ranked the #4 JUCO linebacker in the nation. He has speed and will help fill Bull Barge’s shoes.
- Tyler Morton from HInds (MS) CC is a 6’4″ 205 lb quarterback. He was the top ranked dual-threat quarterback in JUCO and could very well be the starting quarterback week one of 2019.
- Devin Rockette from Northwest Mississippi CC is a 5’10” 175 lb cornerback that originally signed with USA but had to go the JUCO route. He got back on campus in January and is probably the current fastest player on the team.
- Patrick Rosette from Northeast Oklahoma A&M is a 6’1″ 190 lb rover/outside linebacker. He originally signed with Houston out of high school.
- Jacob Shoemaker from Mississippi Gulf Coast CC is a 6’4″ 340 lb offensive lineman. He was a second-team all-Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges South Division last year.
- Jamel Thomas from Itawamba (MS) CC is a 6’1″ 175 lb. He led the NJCAA in yards receiving per game as he caught 59 passes for 934 yards and eight touchdowns.
- Nick Thompson from Holmes (MS) CC is a 6’4″ 275 lb tackle out of high school who will play tight end for coach Campbell to cause mismatches.
- Tre Young from East Central CC is a 5’11” 170 lb safety from McGill-Toolen. He was also recruited by Troy.
- Damean Bivins from Pace HS is a 6′ 235 lb running back with great size and speed. He was named the 6A Florida PLayer of the Year. He recorded 2,273 yards and 32 scores his senior year.
- Brandon Crum from Auburn (AL) HS is a 6’3″ 270 lb tight end. He is big and physical and will also cause mismatches.
- Brentt Cunningham from West Point (MS) HS is a 6’1″ 185 lb outside linebacker. He was part of the team that won three-consecutive state championships and was the captain of the defense with good speed.
- Dallas Gamble from Booneville (MS) HSis a 6′ 170 lb running back turned defensive back. He has the speed and instincts to play offense but will use his talents on defense for the Jags.
- John Gill from Pine Forest (FL) HS is a 6’4″ 310 lb offensive lineman. He was recruited by Maryland and Illinois.
- Jack Green from Brandon (MS) HS is a 6′ 265 lb offensive lineman. He starting coming to USA football camp when he was a young kid and will now play for the Jags.
- Brock Higdon from Pelham (AL) HSis a 6’7″ 215 lb defensive end. He is tall with good speed. He was also being recruited by Western Kentucky.
- Noah Karwacki from Vista PEAK (CO) Prep School is a 6’2″ 190 lb placekicker. He has a huge leg that put kickoffs through the end zone and onto the track. He also averaged 50.1 yards per punt.
- Ryan Melton from West Point (MS) HS is a 6′ 180 lb cornerback. He had 46 stops, 3 INTs in his senior year as 5A state champs.
- Bryson Nelson from Crestview (FL) HS is a 372 lb offensive lineman. He is huge. I mean huge.
- AJ Phillips from Chickasaw (AL) HS is a 5’11” 225 lb running back turned linebacker with speed and another player with offensive tendencies that will play defense.
- Dajon Richard from Patterson (LA) HS is a 5’10” 170 lb wide receiver. He’s put up 4.3 30-yard dash times. He’ll be a slot receiver and will be an option at kick and punt returns and will be used in some of the speed sweep plays.
- Wykevious Thomas from Riverdale (GA) HS is a 6’4″ 330 lb defensive lineman known for his size. He recorded 48 stops with 13 tackles for loss his senior season.
- Devin Voisin from Crestview (FL) HS is a 6′ 180 lb wide receiver who may also get some time returning kicks.
- Jaden Voisin, Devin’s twin brother, also from Crestview (FL) HS is a 6′ 185 lb safety. He posted over 700 yards receiving and recorded nine interceptions. Devin and Jaden will join their older brother who signed with USA and redshirted last year.
South Alabama Signs Small, But Talented 2017 Class
South Alabama completed their signing day with a social at Buffalo Wild Wings near the campus and the coaches all had smiles for good reason. Though small, this could be one of their best recruiting classes yet.
The common thread between all the signees was speed, talent, agility, and a true love for the Red, White and Blue.
Another commonality between most of the signees was the proximity to Mobile. Local schools such as Murphy, Davidson, McGill-Toolen, Fairhope, and Spanish Fort were represented by the end of the day to make this one of the most local-heavy classes since joining FBS football.
Two years ago it was huge news that Jalen Thompson stayed hope to play for USA rather than other Power-5 schools including SEC schools who were recruiting him. Now the Jags have done it again with Jalen Tolbert, a 6’3″ 185-pound wide receiver from McGill-Toolen, who turned down offers from Michigan State and Vanderbilt to play for USA as well.
Then Davyn Flenord, a 6’3″ 185-pound wide receiver out of Central Clay County who turned down scholarship offers from Toledo, Troy, UMass and Jacksonville State to play at USA as well.
But there are also examples of players like Cephus Johnson, a 6’4″ 200-pound quarterback from Davidson, who seemingly never waivered from South Alabama during the whole recruiting process.
Since the signing class will only be 11 players due to the blue-shirts from last season, this class will not rank high when compared to other Sun Belt schools. However the quality of player, and notably of character, could make this a real turning point in South Alabama’s future.
However, with everything, we can only speculate until they suit up and play on the field over the next 4-5 years.
Here is a brief summary on the players signed as released by USA Football:
- AJ DeShazor, 6′ 185-pound safety from Lake Gibson HS, Lakeland, Florida. A four-year starter and letterwinner in HS, received three stars from Rivals.com, Scout.com, ESPN.com, and 247Sports.com.
- Davyn Flenord, 6’3 185-pound wide receiver from Central Clay County HS, Lineville, Alabama. Earned three stars and is rated among the top 60 recruits in Alabama by 247Sports.com. Was selected second-team All-State by the ASWA as a senior.
- Kendric Haynes, 6′ 225-pound linebacker from Murphy HS, Mobile, Alabama. Selected All-State three times during his prep career. He finished with 412 total tackles and earned three stars from Rivals.com, Scout.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports.com.
- Cephus Johnson, 6’4″ 205-pound quarterback from Davidson HS, Mobile, Alabama. Rated a two star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com, and 247Sports.com and was chosen second-team All-Regions and honorable mention All-State as a Senior.
- Kenard King, 6′ 170-pound safety from Auburndale HS, Auburndale, Florida. Was credited with 82 total tackles, four interceptions, and four passes defended as a senior. Was rated three stars by 247Sports.com
- Gus Nave, 5’11” 175-pound cornerback from Kemper County HS, DeKalb, Mississippi. Ranked among the top 60 prospects in the state of Mississippi by 247Sports.com after helping lead KCHS win the state 3A title during his senior season.
- Zeke Powell, a 6’5″ 290-pound offensive lineman from Georgiana HS, Georgiana, Alabama. Rated a two star prospect by 247Sports and was named first-team All-State by the Alabama Sportswriters Association as a senior.
- Devin Rockette, a 5’10” 175-pound cornerback from Oxford HS, Oxford, Mississippi. He was rated a three star prospect by Rivals, Scout, ESPN and 247Sports.com. He earned a first-team all-state and all-regions honors his senior season.
- Malik Stanley, a 6’3″ 215-pound wide receiver from Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College. He was a first-team all-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference selection as a sophomore where he had 58 catches for 712 yards and six touchdowns.
- Jalen Tolbert, a 6’3″ 185-pound wide receiver from McGill-Toolen HS, Mobile, Alabama. He was named honorable mention all-region by the Mobile Press-Register/AL.com after his senior season where he had 37 catches for 696 yards and nine touchdowns.
- Finally last but not least, Tywun Walters, a 5’11” 215-pound running back from Northwest Mississippi Community College, who signed in December and is enrolled at USA. He ran for 1,000 yards and a team-leading 12 touchdowns to help his team to a 9-3 record and a #6 ranking in the final NJCAA poll.
National Signing Day 2016
The University of South Alabama held their National Signing Day this afternoon in the John Counts Room at the Mitchell Center. In addition to announcing the signees for the 2016 class, there was a big announcement from the from Jaguar Sports Properties and iHeartMedia.
The first announcement was by JSP and iHeartMedia concerning a new partnership between the two. Beginning April 2nd they will begin broadcasting on 99.5FM The Jag which will be a home for all sports and coaches shows in addition to a simulcast of The Uncle Henry show. Additionally they will be an affiliate of Fox Sports with shows by Rich Eisen (good stuff) and Colin Cowherd (groan).
The football broadcast will remain on Lite Mix 99.9, a 100,000 watt FM broadcast. While The Jag will only be a greater Mobile area broadcast (4,100 watts), it can be heard worldwide via the iHeartRadio app.
As for the signees, the Jags signed student-athletes that were committed to or recruited by schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma and West Virginia among others.
Riley Cole, 6’3″, 220-pound linebacker from Oneonta HS, Oneonta, Alabama. A three-star rating from all four national recruiting services and was considered the third-best outside linebacker in the state by Scout.com. He was committed to Alabama until, as reports surfaced that he was asked to grey shirt. Riley then signed with Alabama after decommitting. South Alabama’s relationship through the recruiting process landed Cole with the Jaguars.
Jalin Buie, 5’7″, 165-pound running back from Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. Buie was committed to Auburn before decommitting. He was also rated a three-star recruit by all four national recruiting services. He also ranked 12th nationally among all-purpose athletes by Rivals.com and 14th by 247sports.com. Jalin’s speed is fantastic, think J.D. McKissic from Arkansas State in the size and speed.
Chris Henderson, 6’4″ 232-pound defensive lineman from Lovejoy HS in Hampton Georgia. He was rated a three-star recruit by Scout.com and ESPN.com, he helped Lovejoy finish 4-1 in the region to qualify for the 6A playoffs as a senior. He recently decommitted from Indiana and also had offers from Louisville, Middle Tennessee State and Old Dominion.
Bobby Flott, 6’2″ 160-pound cornerback from Baker HS in Mobile, Alabama. Flott had interests from Alabama, Auburn and Oklahoma but he was a solid USA commit for some time. He adds some height in the secondary to go up against the tall receivers the Jags face.
Jared Stewart, a 5’10” 165-pound cornerback from Fultondale HS in Birmingham, Alabama. He was part of the varsity team since 8th grade. He was rated a two-star athlete from Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com and brother of ArDarius Stewart (Alabama). Stewart is recovering from a torn ACL and will not participate in spring drills but should be ready by fall camp. Stewart is already enrolled at USA.
Clay Burt, a 6’5″ 310-pound offensive lineman from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. He was an All-Southwest Junior College Football Conference honorable mention selection as a sophomore. He is able to play all three positions on the line: center, guard and tackle. His size and strength will be useful to replace Cameron Blankenship.
Sean Brown, a 6’3″ 285-pound offensive lineman from Pleasant Grove HS in Pleasant Grove, Alabama. Also a three-star rating from Scout.com and 247sports.com. He was the top-rated center in Alabama. He was listed as a defensive lineman by USA. Brown had offers from several schools including Arkansas State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Jacksonville State, Middle Tennessee State, Southern Miss and Troy.
Jay Woods, a 5’11” 180-pound cornerback from Pinson Valley HS in Pinson, Alabama. He was rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com with Scout also rating him the fourth-best cornerback in the state. He had a long list of offers from the likes of Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Army, Jacksonville State, Marshall, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Pitt, Southern Miss, UAB and Wake Forest among others. Woods is a dynamic player that can force fumbles, return kicks and cover well.
Jahmmir Taylor, a 5’11” 170-pound wide receiver from Hinds (MS) Community College with offers from Memphis, Middle Tennessee and Southern Miss.
Darrell Songy, a 6’1″ 225-pound outside linebacker who originally signed with Oregon State and played during the 2013 freshman season, but ended up going to Garden City CC where he racked up 68 total stops and 11.5 stops for loss.
D’Tavieus Taylor, a 6’5″ 280-pound offensive lineman from Pearl HS and Hinds (MS) CC. Taylor earned honorable mention National Junior College Athletic Association All-American and a first-team MACJC All-State and All-Region as a sophomore. He also had offers from Houston, Louisiana-Monroe, New Mexico State, North Texas and UT-San Antonio. He also had an official visit planned for West Virginia but he cancelled it when committed to USA.
Zac Crosby, a 6’4″ 210-pound tight end from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. He was rated a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com. He caught 30 passes for 750 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior. He also had offers from Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Middle Tennessee among others. The coaches believe he will be similar to a Wes Saxton and Gerald Everett type player for the Jags.
Nick Fields, a 6’1″ 275-pound defensive lineman from Dothan HS in Dothan, Alabama earned a two-star rating from Rivals.com and 247Sports.com. He was invited to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic after his senior season. He also had offers from Jacksonville State, Nevada and Alabama A&M. He was clocked as a 4.97 40-yard dash, a 5.0 shuttle and a 30″ vertical leap.
Diantae Thomas, a 5’11” 218-pound safety from Dothan HS by way of Butler (KS) CC. He primarily played on offense last season. He caught 23 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns in addition to 115 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. He brings an offensive mind to the defense where coaches think he will be a great fit.
Konnor Houston, a 6’4″ 225-pound linebacker from Army Prep. Houston posted 171 tackles and 15 hurries during his prep career helping Buford HS to three consecutive state titles. He actually signed back in December.
Taji Stewart, a 6’3″ 210-pound linebacker from Walton HS in Marietta, GA. He earned a two-star rating from Rivals.com and 247Sports.com after recording 79 tackles including six for a loss in HS.
Andrew Reinkemeyer, a 6’4″ 265-pound tight end from Butler (KS) CC. He recorded 15 catches for 173 yards and three touchdowns in 2014. He helped Butler CC go 8-3 and 15th in the final NJCAA rankings. He actually signed back in December. He will be a power blocker and will fill a necessary role on the offense.
Neiko Robinson, a 6′ 175-pound defensive back from Mississippi Gulf Coast CC. As a sophomore he recorded 44 total tackles and six pass breakups, the second-highest total on the team, and helped them to finish 8th in the final NJCAA poll.
Zach Befort, a 6’3″ 280-pound defensive lineman from Butler (KS) HS. He earned second-team All-Jayhawk Conference honors after 50 total tackles which included 8.5 of them for a loss. He signed back in December and had offers from Idaho, Louisiana-Monroe, Tulsa, Ball State and others.
Romello Riley, a 6’3″ 245-pound defensive end from Mississippi State Gulf Coast CC. He finished with 30 total tackles in nine games during his sophomore season, five of them for a loss and three sacks. He was also a December signee with offers from Arkansas State and Troy.
Jaguars Recruiting Effort Pays Off With Strong Signing Class
The 2015 South Alabama Jaguar Football Recruiting Class is a very good one. This could easily be the most talented recruiting class that Coach Jones and his staff has landed in the programs six years of existence.
The Jaguars class was ranked 3rd in the conference after a late addition bumped them up a spot. But that rating only includes the JUCO and High School student-athletes in the class, it does not include the UAB transfers. Head coach Joey Jones said at his signing day social that he has no doubt in his mind that USA has the best signing class in the conference overall.
Two things you will notice about this signing class: 1) the secondary players are tall with three of the five who signed are over six feet tall, and 2) great size.
Roy Albritton, 6’2″ 310-pound defensive lineman from Pensacola HS. He played in both the Max Emfinger All-American Bowl and the Pensacola Subway All-Star Game.
Dami Ayoola, 5’10” 200-pound running back from Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. via Arizona Western CC. He helped his team go 11-1 and finish 5th in the NJCAA poll.
De’Themeus “Bull” Barge, 5’9″ 220-pound linebacker from Colquitt County HS in Georgia. He was rated a three-star athlete from 247Sports.com. He helped his team go 15-0 en route to the state 6A championship.
Cameron Blankenship, 6’5″ 285-pound offensive lineman from Alexander City, AL via UAB. He was a three-year letterwinner for the Blazers and started all 11 games he appeared in as a sophomore at Dodge City CC in Kansas.
James Bynes, a 6’3″ 230-pound tight end from Miami, FL., by way of Dodge City CC. He caught 30 passes for 269 yards in all 11 games as a sophomore at Dodge City C.
Austin Chipoletti, 5’11” 190-pound quarterback from Jacksonville, FL. by way of UAB. Chipoletti completed 172-of-302 attempts for 1,650 yards and eight touchdowns with 142 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in 2013 for Weber State.
Cody Clements, 6’2″ 200-pound quarterback from Whittier, CA. via UAB. In his first and only season with the Blazers, Clements finished 4th in Conference USA in pass efficiency rating (145.6) as he wetn 183-of-275 for 2,227 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Tavon Cox, 6’3 195-pound linebacker from Kissimme, FL., Haines City HS. Cox was rated a three-star prospect by Scout.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports.com. He had 71 tackles and four sacks his senior season.
Lee Dufour, 6’4″ 285-pound offensive lineman from Saraland, AL. by way of UAB. Defour was going to redshirt his freshman season but played in the last three games of the season to help the Blazers earn bowl eligibility for the first time in 10 years.
Gerald Everett, 6’4″ 215-pound tight end from Decatur, GA. by way of UAB. He cause 17 passes for 292 yards in his only season with the Blazers. He started one game but saw action in all 12 games.
Sean Grayer, 6’2″ 240-pound defensive end/outside linebacker from Glay HS in Green Cove Springs, FL. He recorded 81 stops and fourced five fumbles in his senior season as he was selected to the first-team All-District and second-team All-State teams.
Kalen Jackson, 6’1″ 200-pound linebacker from Magee, MS. by way of UAB. Jackson started the first two games for the Blazers but suffered a season-ending injury. Against Troy he had five tackles and a fumble recovery.
Quinton Lane, 6’1″ 185-pound cornerback from Ackerman, MS. by way of Itawamba CC. He recorded 25 total tackles, 20 solo, with a team-high eight passes broken up as a sophomore.
Nigel Lawrence, 5’11” 175-pound defensive back from Smiths Stateion HS in Alabama. He was rated a three-star athlete by 247Sports.com and among the top 35 players in the state. He had 91 stops his senior year of school.
JarMarkus Sims, 6’1″ 210-pound safety from Dothan HS in Alabama. He was rated a three-star athlete by 247Sports and was rated as the second-best safety in the state of Alabama by ESPN.com. He was also selected First-Team All-State.
Troy Thingstad, 6’5″ 275-pound offensive lineman from St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile. He was rated a three-star athlete by Scout.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports.com. He was also named to the first-team All-State team as a senior after helping his team with the 5A state championship.
Jalen Thompson, a 6′ 170-pound cornerback from St. Paul’s Eposcopal School in Mobile. He was rated a three-star althlete by Rivals.com, Scout.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports.com. He was also rated the second-best cornerback in the state of Alabama by Scout and ESPN.
Tyree Turner, 6′ 265-pound defensive lineman from StockBridge GA. HS. He was selected to the All-Region team twice, including last season after helping his team to the semifinals of the 5A state playoffs and to an 11-3 record overall.
D.J. Vinson, 5’10” 180-pound running back from Pinson, AL. by way of UAB. He finished second on the team with 670 yards and nine touchdowns on 166 attempts last season. He also added 65 yards on 15 catches and a touchdown as well.
Rashaan Watson, 5’10” 180-pound cornerback from Pinellas Park HS in Largo, FL. He was a first-team All-District, All-County and All-Conference selection in 2014 after helping his team go 8-3 and qualifying for the 7A state playoffs.
Jeffrey Whatley, 6’1″ 265-pound defensive end from Dale County HS in Midland City AL. He was selected to the first-team All-State team his final two seasons and helped his team to the 3A state championship game as a senior with 105 total stops along the way.
Curtis Williams, 6’4″ 285-pound offensive lineman from Miami, FL. by way of ASA CC in New York. He was a second-team All-Northeast Football Conference selection in 2013 as he helped his team to a 7th place finish in the final NJCAA rankings.
Tyrone Williams, 6’2″ 200-pound wide receiver from Kiln, MS via Mississippi Gulf Coast CC. He was a first-team All-MACJC selection as a sophomore after leading his team with 46 catches for 812 yards and 12 touchdowns.
De’Arius Young, 6’7″ 310-pound offensive lineman from Cincinnati, OH by way of San Bernadino Valley, CA. CC. He was named to the first-team All-Region and All-Mountain Conference as a sophomore as his team averaged 413 yards and 36.2 points per game.
Alex “Speedy” Byers, 6’2″ 175-pound wide receiver from Antelope Valley College in California. He had 23 catches for 398 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. He also returned 14 kicks for 496 yards and three touchdowns. He has three years to play two at USA.
Welcome to #JagNation!
2015 National Signing Day is here
Today is National Signing Day. This is the first day that football recruits can finally officially sign their National Letter-Of-Intent to join football programs around the nation.
Recruiting a never-ending job. Most of the recruits were probably evaluated as many as two years ago or more. Through all that time coaches have kept tabs on them, offered them, talked to them, visited them and re-evaluated them time and time again to ensure they have targeted players to fill the needs of the team.
Similarly, recruits are looking at schools who have offered them to see if they feel like its a good fit for them. They have coaches, family and friends in their ear almost every day telling them where they should go or where they shouldn’t go. Which leads to some interesting National Signing Day’s.
Each year fans and coaches eagerly wait for signatures to come in from the recruits because, until that signature is in, who knows where recruits will actually sign.
There are writers and analysts who make their living just by analyzing recruiting. Whole websites have started based on recruiting. It’s become big business and cause for speculation. Diehard fans read recruiting analysis daily. Some send tweets to recruits endlessly congratulating them for choosing their school or villifying them for shunning their school for another school or a rival institution.
It can get quite sickening to see supposed grown-ups tweeting such things to teenagers to be honest.
While this list is not a guarantee as to who will sign with South Alabama, these are prospects who have verbally committed to the Jaguars. It’s always likely that some of them will suddenly choose to sign with someone else and be replaced with names not on this list who have done the same thing to another school.
Current players who have already signed LOI’s with the Jaguars:
- Dami Ayoola RB Arizona Western College
- James Bynes TE Dodge City CC
- Quinton Lane CB Itawamba CC
- Tyrone Williams WR Mississippi Gulf Coast CC.
This list of commits have given their verbals to South Alabama and seem to be fairly solid at some point.
- Jalen Thompson CB St. Paul’s Episcopal (Mobile, AL)
- Roy Albritton DT Pensacola FL.
- Ryan Alexander TE Holy Trinity (Hicksville, NY)
- Bull Barge OLB Colquitt Count GA.
- Zach Davis OT Lauderdale County AL.
- DeSean Grayer OLB Clay (Green Cove Springs, FL.)
- Nigel Lawrence S Smiths Station AL.
- Uvakeious McGhee WDE Jefferson Davis (Montgomery, AL.)
- Gavin Patterson K Bradley-Bourbannais (Bradley, IL.)
- Jervohnte Riles WR Jones County JC (Ellsville, MS.)
- JaMarkus Sims OLB Dothan AL.
- Nelson Santiago OT Oakleaf (Orange Park, FL.)
- Troy Thingstad OT St. Paul’s Episcopal (Mobile, AL.)
- Tyree Turner DT Stockbridge GA.
- Rashaan Watson CB Pinellas Park (Largo, FL.)
- Jerrery Whatley WDE Dale County Christian (Ozark, AL.)
- Curtis Williams OT ASA College (Brooklyn, NY)
Check back this evening for a recap of who signed with South Alabama and a review of the 2015 signing class.
Fourth JUCO signee announced
The University of South Alabama added one more junior college signee to its 2015 class when Arizona Western running back Dami Ayoola’s official paperwork arrived on Friday according to the University.
Ayoola, 5’10” 205-pound, three-star prospect, played his freshman season at the University of Illinois before transferring to Arizona Western. This season he carried the ball 109 times for 404 yards and caught 11 passes for 156 yards while finishing fifth on the team with 592 all-purpose yards.
Against New Mexico Military Institute he had a season-best 129 yards on 22 carries.
Ayoola is originally from Fort Lauderdale and St. Thomas Aquinas High School where he was ranked the 18th best tailback in the country by MaxPreps.com.
“Dami is a very good football player, he played as a true freshman at Illinois,” head coach Joey Jones said. “He’s a versatile running back. He can run the football, catch it and pass protect, and do all those things very well.”
Ayoola will join the Jaguars with two seasons of eligibility remaining.
He will help bolster a backfield that go very thin late in the season due to injuries and that will graduate two seniors after the bowl game on Saturday.
Jags sign 3 JUCO student-athletes; UAB QB Clements to enroll in January
Head coach Joey Jones announced Wednesday that three JUCO transfers will be joining the program this spring.
James Bynes, Quinton Lane and Tyrone Williams will all enroll at South Alabama in January and all three will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Bynes, a 6’3″ 215-pound tight end from Miami, FL., played last season at Dodge City (Kansas) Community College. In 11 games he caught 30 passes for 269 yards with a season-high eight catches for 54 yards against Butler (Kansas) C.C. which would place him in the top 15 in the final NJCAA rankings.
Lane, a 6’2″ 195-pound cornerback, led Itawamba (Mississippi) C.C. with eight passes broken up while collecing 25 total stops and a fumble recovery.
Williams, a 6’3″ 200-pound wide receiver was named first-team All-MACJC as a sophomore after leading MGCCC with 46 catches, 812 yards and 12 touchdowns as the Bulldogs finished 8-2 on the season and seventh in the final NJCAA poll. His touchdown total was good for 10th in the nation while he was also among the top 20 in both receiving yards and yards per catch. He went over 100 yards in three games last season with a season-high of 144 against Northeast Mississippi C.C. In 2012, as a freshman, he caught 34 passes for 437 yards and five touchdowns on a team that would finish sixth in the final NJCAA rankings.
Also, it was made official on Wednesday that former UAB quarterback Cody Clements will enroll at South Alabama in January to join the football team. He will be a senior with one season of eligibility remaining.
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Jaguars host two interesting guests for Mondays practice
South Alabama continues to prepare for thier first bowl appearance this Saturday in the Raycom Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. They had two interesting guests viewing practice on Monday morning.
Photos: usajaguars.com
Former Alabama head coach Ray Perkins was at the Jaguars practice facility but that was not the name that drew the most attention. It was UAB running back Jordan Howard who drew the most attention.
Howard, a 6’1″, 228-pound sophomore who rushed for 1,587 yards and 13 touchdowns this season for the Blazers, has been receiving lots of interest across the country after UAB announced it was shutting down the football program.
The Gardendale, AL native has drawn interest from schools such as Indiana, Notre Dame, Louisville, Vanderbilt among others.
South Alabama head coach Joey Jones hired former UAB offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent as the Jaguars new offensive coordinator. Howard averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 132.2 yards per game under Vincent’s direction of the offense.
South Alabama’s backfield was very thin by the end of the regular season. Jay Jones suffered a season-ending knee injury in the sixth game of the season and was the Jaguars leading rusher at that time with 393 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Kendall Houston stepped up finished the season with 659 yards rushing and a touchdown to lead the Jaguars in that category. Junior Terrance Timmons rushed for 382 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Xavier Johnson rushed for 417 yards and a touchdown, but missed playing time late in the season due to a shoulder injury.
Howard is expected to make a decision soon and if he chose South Alabama he would reunite with offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent as well as center Lee Dufour and quarterback Cody Clements who both announced they would be transferring to South Alabama from UAB.
Jaguars Pick Up Two More Verbal Commitments
The South Alabama coaching staff continued their hot streak of verbal commitments on Monday with two more.
Roy Albritton of Pensacola High School was spotted at one of their camps last week after he turned heads in the 40-yard dash. At 6’2″ 315-pounds he is a big guy who was timed at a 4.9 in the 40. Currently he is not rated by any of the recruiting services and does not have any other outstanding offers according to the sites either.
The ninth commitment overall and the eighth in the past week is Reid Rials of Satsuma. He is the son of Satsuma High School head coach Scott Rials.
Rials has played both quarterback and free safety in high school and may be recruited for wide receiver. He measures 6’1″ 181-pounds and was clocked at a 4.67 40 with a 34.6″ vertical leap. He has not been rated by the scouting services but he has offers from Southern Miss and Troy.