Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the South Alabama Jaguars season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– South Alabama Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 3-9 overall, 2-6 in Sun Belt
Head Coach: Steve Campbell, 2nd year, 3-9
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SOUTH ALABAMA OFFENSE
– The first year of the offense was a struggle. The “power spread” is designed to move with a good pace, but without ignoring the running game. The Jaguars only have six starters returning after averaging just 355 yards and 24 points per game, scoring 17 points or fewer six times.
– The Jaguars have their quarterback going forward. There’s no other obvious choice with Evan Orth and Cole Garvin gone, but Cephus Johnson is more than ready to make the offense work after completing 7-of-19 passes for 120 yards and three scores with a pick. He’s 6-5 and 225 pounds and can move. As he goes, so goes the USA season.
– The running backs need the old guy to be the man. Senior Tra Minter led the team with 801 yards and six scores, and do-it-all receiver Kawaan Baker led the way with nine touchdowns and was second with 251 yards. After these two, it’s all about the freshmen – the depth needs a fall camp to emerge.
– The JUCO ranks will beef up the O line that struggled overall but was okay in pass protection. Three starting spots appear to be set, but JUCO transfer Jacob Shoemaker is pushing hard for the left tackle gig, and there will be a fight for the left guard job.
– 61-catch Jamarius Way is gone, and No. 2 guy Kawaan Baker returns after making 33 grabs for 494 yards and four scores – to go along with his ability to run, too. Malik Stanley is a 6-3, 220-pound physical receiver who’s back after missing most of last season, and sophomore Khameron Taylor is a promising tight end who’ll do far more after making five grabs.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SOUTH ALABAMA DEFENSE
– The defense that had a nightmare of a time against the run and allowed 449 yards and 39 points per game has to replace three of the top four tacklers and seven starters, but the talent is there on the line to do far, far more to get into then backfield.
Tyree Turner has the upside to be the Sun Belt’s best 3-technique defensive end, and Jordon Beaton and Sean Brown are veteran 300-pounders on the inside. There’s talent, depth and experience – there’s no excuse for this group to not be far, far better.
– Blame injuries for the problems in the linebacking corps last season. Riley Cole was coming off a strong freshman season, but got hurt early on and saw time in just four games. Roy Yancey got on the field once, and others were banged up, too. On the plus side, some young parts were thrown to the wolves, and now Nick Mobley is the team’s leading returning tackler after making 56 stops.
– The secondary could use help from more of a pass rush, and it has to start coming up with more picks and big plays. Leading tackler Nigel Lawrence is gone at one safety spot, but Tre Young is a good-looking JUCO transfer who’ll play a big role. Jalen Thompson is back at one corner after leading the team with three picks and coming up with 34 tackles, and DJ Daniels returns at one safety spot after coming up with 41 stops.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP SOUTH ALABAMA PLAYERS
Best South Alabama Offensive Player
WR Kawaan Baker, Jr.
Tra Minter is a good all-around option as the leading rusher, good receiver, and star kick returner, and Cephus Johnson have to rock at quarterback, but it’s Baker who’s the best all-around playmaker.
The 6-1, 210-pounder caught 33 passes for 494 yards and four scores, and ran 59 times for 251 yards and nine touchdowns. He’ll get the ball in his hands in a variety of ways again with the upside to be more of a gamebreaker.
2. QB Cephus Johnson, Soph.
3. RB/KR Tra Minter, Sr.
4. OT Troy Thingstad, Sr.
5. WR Malik Stanley, Sr.
Best South Alabama Defensive Player
DE Tyree Turner, Sr.
The 6-1, 285-pound veteran isn’t your normal defensive end, but he fits in the 3-4 alignment and is one of the Sun Belt’s best all-around linemen. He came up with 51 tackles with four sacks and ten tackles for loss, and now he should break out into a bigger star with several strong linemen to help take the heat off.
2. DT Jordon Beaton, Jr.
3. CB Jalen Thompson, Sr.
4. DT Sean Brown, Sr.
5. LB Nick Mobley, Soph.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The South Alabama Offense
Convert a third down try. The O needs an identity and something to rely on game-in-and-game-out. It starts with getting more from the passing game, doing a better job on first downs, and keeping the chains moving to control games.
Third down conversions have been a problem for the last several years for the program, and struggled to get to 35% last season to finish 109th in the country. The O got better at it as the season went on, but was under 30% six times.
Biggest Key To The South Alabama Defense
Stop giving up so many big pass plays. The defense was able to come up with 12 picks, but nine of them came in the first five games. There were problems over the last seven at slowing down passing attacks that tried to bomb deep, giving up a whopping 9.2 yards per attempt. Only four teams allowed more, and only pass defenses allowed teams to complete more than 64.7% of their passes.
Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Cephus Johnson, Soph.
The talent and upside are there, and now he’s getting his chance to shine with Evan Orth and Cole Garvin done after taking most of the reps last season.
The 6-5, 225-pound Johnson has the size, arm and mobility to be a signature star who can carry the offense and program. With no developed depth whatsoever behind him, it’s up to him to turn things around in Year Two under the new coaching staff.
Key Game To The South Alabama Season
at ULM, Sept. 28
It’s the Sun Belt opener, and it needs to be a tone-setting moment for the Jaguars. They got ULM at home over the last two years and split the games – getting rocked last season 38-10 – and now it could be a boom-or-bust moment. Lose, and that might be it for the Sun Belt season with Georgia Southern, at Troy, and Appalachian State to follow.
– South Alabama Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 South Alabama Fun Stats
– 1st Quarter Scoring: Opponents 109 – South Alabama 55
– Penalties: South Alabama 107 for 1002 yards – Opponents 73 for 681 yards
– Average Yards Per Pass: Opponents 9.2 – South Alabama 7.6
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. SOUTH ALABAMA WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
It wasn’t quite a rebuilding job last season, but it was a reboot under first year head coach Steve Campbell. This year, the little parts of the puzzle need to work better.
No team in college football committed more penalty yards. The defense was a doormat in the red zone, there were too many big pass plays allowed, too many fumbles, and too many sacks allowed by a line that should be a whole lot stronger.
But it’s not like the Jaguars were all that close to having a good season. Only one of the nine losses was by fewer than ten points, the offense fizzled way too often, and it was a struggle to get through the slate.
However, there’s hope.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 5
As long as Cephus Johnson comes up with a good season at quarterback, the rest of the parts should come together.
There’s experience up front, the skill guys are good, and the defensive front seven has the upside to be among the Sun Belt’s best if everyone can stay healthy.
USA won’t beat Nebraska, but can it get by Memphis at home?
The conference slate is an issue with Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Troy to deal with from the East, and with a road date at ULM.
Getting Louisiana and Arkansas State at home is a plus in the West, but those are still 50/50 games at best.
Expect an improvement and a better season, but also expect the Jaguars to come up just short of bowl eligibility.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
