Preview: South Alabama Hosts Georgia Southern For Thursday Night Matchup
Kickoff: Thursday October 14, 6:30 pm
Venue: Hancock Whitney Stadium Mobile, Alabama
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Sports Talk 99.5 fm, 96.1 fm The Rocket, iHeartRadio App
We saw another first from the South Alabama Jaguars on Saturday evening against Texas State. It was the first time under first year head coach Kane Wommack that the Jaguars faltered coming down the stretch.
Through the first four games the Jags (3-2, 0-2 SBC) have started slow but in each of them they rallied towards the final whistle. Three of them were wins and one was a loss.
While the Jags still opened slowly against the Bobcats, they took control and had a 17-7 lead at halftime.
They led 24-10 early in the fourth quarter.
Momentum shifted decisively into the Bobcats favor when a flea flicker attempt went awry. Running back Bryan Hill technically fumbled the ball away on the stats sheet, however his lateral intended for Jake Bentley was plucked out of the air by a Bobcat defender.
The Jags have quite a tough assignment this week.
They have to clear their minds, rest their bodies, and yet they still need to prepare to host Georgia Southern on Thursday night after that very physical game in San Marcos, Texas.
Georgia Southern
The Eagles (2-4, 1-2 SBC) dismissed head coach Chad Lunsford after a 28-20 loss to Louisiana in the fourth game of the season after starting the season 1-3. They then split the two games since then with a win over Arkansas State (59-33) and last Saturday a loss to Troy (27-24) on a very late field goal.
They fought back from a 24-3 deficit early in the third quarter to tie the game with 6:08 left in the game. Aided by an interception, Troy regained the lead with 1:46 left in the game. The Eagles had an opportunity tie or win the game, but quarterback Justin Tomlin threw his third interception near midfield with :32 left to seal the game.
They too have a short week but at least they have to travel to Mobile for the game.
Offense
As is normal for a Georgia Southern offense, they are a predominately running offense.
They average just under 381 yards of total offense per game. The running game accounts for an average of just over 253 yards per game and they pass for 127.5 yards per game on average.
However the script was flipped for the Eagles against Troy. Georgia Southern only managed to run for 82 yards against the Trojans but threw for 219 yards.
Georgia Southern scores an average of 24.8 points per game. They have only converted 27-of-86 3rd down attempts (31.4%) on the season. They have converted 9-of-17 4th down attempts (52.9%).
As a team they have thrown 5 interceptions and fumbled 7 times, but only lost 1 fumble to opponents.
In the red zone the Eagles have scored 14 times out of 16 trips. Of those 14 scores, 8 of them have been touchdowns.
Logan Wright leads the Eagles backfield with 66 carries for 481 yards and five touchdowns on the season. Gerald Green accounts for 342 yards on 48 carries with five touchdowns. Jalen White has ran 32 times for 210 yards and two touchdowns.
The Eagles have a bit of a two quarterback system going on. Justin Tomlin has carried the ball 50 times this season for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Passing he is 38-of-77 for 458 yards, no touchdowns but four interceptions. Cam Ransom is 25-of-49 for 242 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.
The Eagles only have three receivers with over 100 yards receiving so far on the season. Khaleb Hood leads the receiver corps with 22 catches, the only receiver in double digits, for 230 yards. Running back Logan Wright is next with 9 catches for 102 yards. Derwin Burgess Jr has four receptions for 101 yards.
Defense
GSU allows an average of 32.7 points per game.
They allow an average of 483 yards per game. However they only allow 144.2 yards rushing per game. But they allow 338.8 yards passing per game.
Their 3rd down defense is pretty strong with opponents converting 31-of-78 (39.7%) on 3rd down. Opponents have only attempted 9 4th down attempts and only converted 2 (22.2%).
Safety Anthony Wilson leads the defense with 34 total tackles, 19 of them solo, with two tackles-for-loss, one sack, three pass break ups and a forced fumble.
Safety Justin Birdsong is second with 32 total tackles, 18 of them solo, with 1.5 tackles for loss, .5 sack, and a pass break up.
Gardner-Webb opened the season with only 50 yards rushing against the Eagles defense, but they threw for 365 yards. The Eagles squeaked out a 30-25 win over the FCS opponent.
Their only other win was against Arkansas State when they held the Red Wolves to 81 yards rushing but allowed 453 yards passing in route to the 59-33 victory.
When Georgia Southern holds their opponents to under 100 yards rushing they are 2-0 this season. But when they allow over 100 yards, they are 0-4.
Against Louisiana they only allowed 129 rushing yards and lost the game 28-20. Against Troy they allowed 139 yards and lost 27-24.
Special Teams
Anthony Beck averages just a hair under 45 yards per punt. His longest on the season is 60 yards and he has 12 downed inside the opponents 20 yard line.
Alex Raynor has converted 5-of-6 field goal attempts with a long of 42 yards. The one missed attempt was blocked. Raynor has 13 kickoffs with six touchbacks.
Freshman Britton Williams is 3-for-3 in field goal attempts with a long of 49 yards. Williams has handled 18 kickoffs with five touchbacks and two out of bounds.
South Alabama
The Jags have a laundry list of injured players that are in various stages of recovery from the game. Running back Kareem Walker, who has missed the last two games, should be able to return on Thursday. Running back Terrion Avery, wide receiver Caullin Lacy, offensive tackle Ja’Chai Baker, tight ends Trent Tyre and Lincoln Sefcik, and linebackers Chris Henderson, Shawn Jennings and Ke’Shun Brown are all trying to recover from being banged up against the Bobcats, but should be able to play.
Center James Jackson suffered an injury to this right knee and will not play on Thursday.
Add in A.J. DeShazor’s disqualification for targeting in the second half of the game in San Marcos, the Jags will be without him in the first half against Georgia Southern as well. With Jennings’ being banged up, that means Juco transfer Trey Kiser will likely see more action.
Offense
The Jags offensive line has been particularly hit by injuries, however Jackson’s injury is the most significant. This will be the sixth different starting offensive line configuration in six games. You’ll likely see Trey Simpson move over to play center with Josh McCulloch at left tackle, Hadon Merchant at left guard, Anterrious Gray at right guard and Antawn Lewis at right tackle.
After last weeks performance, Bryan Hill only managed to run for 17 net yards on 13 carries against the Bobcats. AJ Phillips was the Jags leading rusher with 19 carries for 72 yards and two touchdowns, his first career score as a Jaguar. Caullin Lacy ran four times for 23 yards.
The Jags have done a good job developing their run game so far this season. They entered the season with Walker and Avery as the top two backs. Now with the emergence of Hill and Phillips, the Jags have developed depth at a position that was lacking it somewhat.
But the running backs would not be having as much success if the offensive line had not continued to improve as well.
The run game success translated into play-action passing and increased vertical passing opportunities as seen against Louisiana two weeks ago.
Georgia Southern’s defense has been pretty good against the run but susceptible to the pass by allowing an average of 338.8 yards per game.
If the Jags run game can get some footing early then Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Wayne, Caullin Lacy, and Cade Sutherland should be able to find some success against the Eagles.
Defense
For the first time this season the Jags defense struggled coming down the stretch against Texas State. They allowed two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. Up until that point the Jags only allowed one touchdown all season in the fourth quarter
Though they were missing AJ DeShazor due to disqualification and had three linebackers banged up.
They allowed 399 yards of total offense, the most so far this season, and 212 yards rushing, also the most allowed so far this season.
Maybe one of their toughest assignments yet is coming to town.
Georgia Southern runs the triple-option, an offense that has given the Jags fits historically.
So much so the Jags have yet to notch a win against the Eagles.
The first five meetings between the two were decided by 22, 38, 15, 52, and 35 points. However the last two meetings were decided by a field goal in overtime in 2019 and a touchdown last season.
Head coach Kane Wommack said that he and defensive coordinator Corey Batoon’s defense had facets built in that would naturally help defend against the triple option.
Special Teams
Diego Guajardo made all of his extra points against Texas State and is now 13-of-15. He missed a 28 yard attempt attempt against the Bobcats but connected on a 35 yard attempt. He is now 5-of-7 on the season.
Jack Brooks averages 41.4 yards punt with 7 downed inside the opponents 20 yard line and no touchbacks.
Keys to the Game
Stopping the Run
Georgia Southern isn’t the traditional triple option team that they once were. But running the ball is still 100% their identity.
When they’ve been held to under 100 yards rushing this season they are 0-2. Over the last few years when their opponent out gains them on the ground, they have lost all 20-some-odd games.
The South Alabama defense has ranked very high in the nation in run defense. Coach Wommack said that their defensive scheme has elements to it that help to stop their type of rushing attack too.
Rushing Offense
Being a predominately run offense, the Eagles defense tends to be pretty good against the run themselves.
When they have been able to take away the run and force their opponents to be one dimensional with the pass, they have excelled.
However when the opponent has success on the ground, gets favorable down and distances, and can use play-action passing to their advantage their opponents have done well.
The Jags have tall, athletic receivers in Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Wayne. The Jags have an average height advantage over the defensive backs of 3 inches. Tolbert has shown that he is one of the best receivers in the Sun Belt and possibly in the nation too.
If they can establish that run game and use play-action to get some man-to-man coverage on the outside with either Wayne or Tolbert then they could have a field day with the Eagles secondary.
Offensive Line
The Jags offensive line is a banged and bruised up group right. They’ve been that way all season though.
They have yet to start the same five guys in the same five positions twice this season.
Trey Simpson is slated to move over to center while while James Jackson will miss the game with a right knee injury. Thankfully it doesn’t look too serious or season ending.
Left tackle Ja’Chai Baker missed some time last Saturday due to injury.
They’ll need to be ready to go come Thursday evening.
Prediction
South Alabama is only a few plays away from being 5-0. But they are also only a few plays away from being 1-4 as well.
As an article a couple weeks ago pointed out, the Jags have a run of four games that should be very winnable. The first was Texas State.
Next up is Georgia Southern.
This may not be a must-win game in order to keep hope alive to get bowl-eligible. But the difficulty increases week by week. The last three game will be against the three most difficult teams on the schedule. The game before that three-game stretch is at Troy. Need I say more?
The time to win is now.
Also, let’s get that first win against Georgia Southern. Having that big zero staring at you from the win column each and every year is really old.
The Jags are a 3 point favorite according to the different odds sites. I think the Jags win but I’m not sure if they will cover. It may be yet another nail biter decided late in the game.
Let’s get to 4-2 and a win closer to bowl eligibility.
Go Jags!
South Alabama Survives Alcorn State 28-21 To Stay Unbeaten
It wasn’t pretty. Actually it was downright ugly at times. But the Jags (3-0) held off Alcorn State (1-2) for a 28-21 win to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2010 and the first time as a FBS member.
The Jags needed two defensive stops late in the fourth quarter to preserve the win.
“That wasn’t nearly to our standard,” head coach Kane Wommack said after the game. “We had some things exposed during the first two weeks that we allowed to show up again. Every person in our building has to be relentless to get those things fixed. When you make a mistake in week one, it’s got to get corrected in week two and week three. The best teams in the country continue to get better, and that’s what we have to do in this bye week.”
Alcorn State used their passing game to move the ball against the Jaguar defense. With 10:09 left in the game, the Braves connected on a 27 yard pass to move into Jaguar territory. They got down to the 11 yard line before a holding penalty gave the Jaguar defense some breathing room. On 4th and 14 at the Jaguar 17, Alcorn State quarterback Felix Harper found a receiver on the left sideline. After securing the catch he made a move to the inside trying to gain the yardage needed to extend the drive, however his feet slipping just enough to allow Devin Rockette to make the stop at the 7 yard line.
The Jags took over possession with 5:36 left in the game but went three-and-out and giving up a yard to the Braves.
Jack Brooks’ punt went 46 yards and was fielded at the Braves 48 yard line, but Manny Jones found a crease in the coverage and managed to return it 23 yards to the Jaguar 29 yard line before he was forced out of bounds.
The Braves went back to the air to move the ball with a 17 yard pass completion to the right sideline before stepping out of bounds at the 12 yard line. On 2nd and 16, Harper had to scramble and made some Jaguar defenders miss but he could only manage 3 yards to the 15.
On 3rd and 13, Harper threw into the end zone for Juan Anthony but it was behind his target but Tre Young was in the perfect position to secure the interception and to preserve the win. Young almost brought the ball out of the end zone, and Alcorn State wisely used their final time out to challenge the ruling. However the officials did not see enough evidence to confirm or overturn the play so the call of a touchback, stood.
Kareem Walker rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. He scored on runs of 1, 13, and 35 yards.
Overall the Jags ran for 236 yards. Walk-on running back Bryan Hill added 51 yards on nine carries and a touchdown. He also showed some very determined running to convert a key 1st down.
The Alcorn State defense double teamed star receiver Jalen Tolbert to the point that he only caught two passes for 54 yards.
Jake Bentley went 14-of-25 for 158 yards and was pressured often in the game.
The Jags were playing behind an offensive line that had been shifted around. Starting right tackle Antawn Lewis was out due to illness and Trey Simpson was out due to injury. Anterrious Gray and Josh McCulloch made their first starts of the season at right guard and right tackle respectively. Kent Foster moved to left guard in place of regular starter Hadon Merchant.
The Jags had four turnovers, all fumbles, that Alcorn State turned into 14 points. Jalen Wayne and Jake Bentley had fumbles on offensive plays. Caullin Lacy mishandled a punt inside the 5 yard line that was recovered for a touchdown. Cade Sutherland, replacing Lacy as punt returner, also mishandled a punt late in the third quarter which led to the second touchdown from a turnover early in the fourth quarter.
The Swarm D only managed the one takeaway, but it came at the perfect time to preserve the win.
The Jags out gained the Braves 394 to 297 yards. While the Jags defense only allowed 32 yards rushing, they were gashed for 265 yards through the air. Alcorn State only converted 3 of 15 3rd down attempts and possessed the ball for 32:00.
The Jags offense rushed for 236 yards and threw for 158 in the win. However they only converted 4 of 12 3rd down attempts and converted none of their three 4th down attempts in the game.
Jalen Wayne led the Jaguar receivers with four catches for 51 yards. Lincoln Sefcik and Terrion Avery both caught two passes each.
Felix Harper went 20-of-33 for 265 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Braves.
LeCharles Pringle and Juan Anthony caught six passes each for 73 and 45 yards respectively. CJ Bolar led all receivers with 128 yards on five catches.
“When you just do your job, and you have an urgency to do your job, good things happen,” Wommack said on what the Jags did differently early in the second half. “We ran the same runs in the second half that we had run in the first half, but we executed better and we operated better. Somehow, we’ve got to come out and do our job and start executing at a high level early. On top of that, when you put the ball on the ground four times, you’re going to give yourself a very difficult hole to crawl out of. We were fortunate enough to do that tonight.”
The Jags improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2010 and for the first time ever as a FBS program.
The Jags have scheduled Monday and Tuesday off on their bye week before getting back to work correcting the issues identified through the first three games of the season.
USA returns to action at home on Saturday, October 2nd with their conference opener against defending West Division Champions Louisiana-Lafayette in a White Out game.
All Jaguar fans are asked and encouraged to wear White.
Coach Wommack dressed in pregame warmups. 
Jamie Sheriff on the sidelines supporting his teammates. 
Jags make their entrance. 
Captains heading to midfield for coin toss. 
Trey Simpson on the sideline for the Jags. 
Head coach Kane Wommack taking selfies with students during the hour and a half lighting delay. 
Head coach Kane Wommack taking selfies with students during the hour and a half lighting delay. 
J’s up for the Alma Mater with the band. 
The Prowlers with their J’s up for the Alma Mater. 
Kareem Walker postgame. 
Gi’Narious Johnson postgame. 
Jaguar Offense Flounders In 30-3 Loss To Appalachian State
The South Alabama Jaguars dropped their sixth consecutive game of the season to #21 ranked Appalachian State 30-3 to fall to 1-7 (0-4 SBC) on the season. This was also the second consecutive homecoming loss for the Jags, dropping their record to 9-2 all-time in homecoming games.
When you think the offense has hit rock bottom and can only get better, the Jags only mustered 23 total yards of offense in the first half and didn’t cross the 50 yard line until the second half. They had 2 total yards on 19 plays in their first six possessions of the game with only one first down coming by way of a roughing the kicker penalty.
Their first offensive first down came in the final minute of the first half.
The Jags went into halftime with a 13-0 deficit.
Midway through the third quarter the Mountaineers added to their lead on a three yard touchdown run by Williams Jr. He set up the score with runs of 20 and 35 yards on the drive.
After going down 20-0 midway through the third quarter, the Jags coaching staff decided to pull Cephus Johnson in favor of Desmond Trotter after the Johnson-led offense only had 35 yards of offense on 29 snaps.
But Trotter’s first series culminated in a three-and-out leading to the Mountaineers adding a 46 yard field goal to take a 23-0 lead. Highlights of that drive were a 21 yard run by Jalen Virgil and a 29 yard keeper by quarterback Zac Thomas.
Opening the fourth quarter, the Jags had an opportunity to stave off a shutout but Frankie Onate’s 32 yard field goal was partially blocked.
Onate would prevent the shutout with a 37 yard field goal with 5:43 left in the game.
But App State wasn’t ready to go home, as Raykwon Anderson broke a 67 yard touchdown run with 4:48 left in the game to close out the scoring.
The Jags came up on the short end of the statistics too. Total offense they were out gained 139 to 445, rushing they were out gained 87 to 313, and passing they were out gained 52 to 132. ASU gained 21 first downs to the Jags 10. Jags held the ball for only 25:24 while ASU possessed it for 34:36. Both teams converted their only 4th down attempt.
USA only converted 1 (one) 3rd down attempt out of 15 tries. One, uno, ein. In whatever language you want to state it, it is still pathetic. App state converted 6 of 17.
Starting quarterback Cephus Johnson went 3 of 11 passing for 9 yards and sacked once. Desmond Trotter was 3 of 8 for 43 yards and was sacked twice.
Tra Minter led the Jaguar rushing attack with 94 yards on 23 attempts. Jared Wilson was next in line with 5 yards on three carries.
Six Jaguars caught a pass in the game, but no one caught more than one. Cade Sutherland’s catch went for 30 yards to lead the team.
App State’s Zac Thomas was 16 of 28 for 132 yards and a touchdown. Anderson carried the ball four times for 99 yards and a touchdown. Williams Jr carried the ball 11 times for 94 yards and the other Mountaineer touchdown. Thomas Hennigan caught six passes for 58 yards and the only passing touchdown for the Mountaineers.
“We didn’t get much going at all early, until the fourth quarter,” head coach Steve Campbell said after the game. “We’ve got to look at what we need to do… We’ve got to do much better, but Appalachian State is a good football team.”
When asked about making a quarterback change, Campbell would not commit to anything. “We’ll see,” he said. “We’ve definitely got to move the ball better. Desmond will have an opportunity.”
“We need to do something to try to move the football,” he concluded.
The Jags are assured of their sixth consecutive losing season and their third consecutive season without a bowl game.
Campbell and his team have an open date next Saturday and will return to action in two weeks on November 9th when they travel to Texas State, the team they defeated to end the 2018 season.
Over the next two weeks the Jags will have to go to the white board and figure out how to play better on offense in particular.
Jags Fall At #24 Nebraska 35-21
South Alabama traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska with upset on their mind and they put a decent scare into the #24 ranked Cornhuskers and Coach Scott Frost.
The Jags took the Cornhuskers to halftime trailing by one score at 14-7 after Jalen Thompson was able to partially block a late field goal attempt by Nebraska. But the Jags focus on the “middle eight” didn’t go exactly as they wanted. On a 3rd and 8 play, starting quarterback Cephus Johnson was locked into his receiver allowing Eric Lee Jr. to jump the route for a 58 yard pick six at the 13:11 mark.
The Jags would get the ball right back but would go three-and-out. The Jack Brooks punt would sail 49 yards to JD Spielman, who elluded the first tackler and then ran it back 76 yards for the second score in under two minutes.
USA attempted didn’t give up, they would answer with two touchdowns in third quarter themselves. The first was set up by a JD Speilman muffed punt where the Jags covered it at the Husker 13 yard line. Four plays later Johnson would find Davyn Flenord on a tunnel screen for a 9 yard touchdown.
The second score was set up by an interception by AJ DeShazor at the Jag 24 yard line. USA got into the red zone thanks to a nice wheel route by Tra Minter down the left sideline then drive was capped off by a 13 yard touchdown reception by Khameron Taylor.
The scoring was capped off on the first play of the fourth quarter where Cephus would be hit from his backside and having the ball jarred loose where Alex Davis would cover it up in the end zone with 14:53 left in the game.
From there, the Jags had a great opportunity to cut the lead back to one score after Dedrick Mills fumbled the ball which Devin Rockette recovered at the Nebraska 49 yard line.
After driving down to the 12 yard line, Johnson was looking for Kawaan baker around the two yard line, but ball was delivered behind him, Baker got his had on the ball tipping it up where Cam Taylor could pick it off and returned it 48 yards to the mid field stripe.
The Jags won the battle on the statistics sheet if you ignore the score. They had more total yards (314 – 276), passing yards (231 – 178), first downs (19 – 15), total plays (79 – 66), time of possession (34:13 – 25:47) while Nebraska out-gained the Jags on the ground (98 – 83).
Cephus Johnson went 19-of-34 for 231 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and he was sacked four times. Tylan Morton came in for play and threw an interception when Cephus had to come out due to losing his helmet on a play.
Receiving Kawaan Baker led the way with 59 yards on four catches, Cade Sutherland gained 53 on four catches and Tra Minter gained 47 on five catches.
On the ground, Minter led the way with 37 yards on 10 carries. Baker added 27 yards on five carries and Cephus had a net of 9 yards on 18 carries with the lone rushing touchdown.
The Jags defense held Adrian Martinez to 13-for-22 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns and one interception.
Rushing Dedrick Mills led the way with 45 yards on 15 carries. Washington added 39 yards on 6 carries after sitting out the first half. Martinez was held to 6 yards on 13 carries, with a big loss on a snap over his head though.
Receiving the Huskers Jack Stoll had three catches for 66 yards, Robinson added 33 yards on three catches and JD Spielman added 36 yards on two catches.
The Jags will open their home schedule with Jackson State on Saturday, September 7 with kickoff scheduled for 6pm at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.