The Jaguars of the University of South Alabama

USA was ineligible to be included in the statistical categories of any classified division of NCAA football, but this is a team with an explosive offense and a stingy defense. Granted, it was against less-than-stellar competition for the most part.

Here's a name to remember: C.J. Bennett

This kid will still be around when South Alabama is competing in the Sun Belt Conference in 2013. He only played in nine games in 2010 and had nearly 1,200 yards passing and nine touchdowns.

Another goodie to keep an eye on is freshman RB Kendall Houston. He participated in spring drills last year after committing to Arkansas State but found his way back to Mobile shortly afterwards. The kid averaged nearly 90 yards/game through 10 games and accounted for 10 of the Jags' 2010 touchdowns.

Bennett and Houston together were responsible for over 2,200 yards of the Jags' near 4,400 yards of total offense in 2010.

Sophomore LB Jake Johnson (transfer from Virginia Tech) is the sack machine for USA. A few others to watch are redshirt freshmen LB's Logan Bennett and Enrique Williams. These guys have plenty of time to make a big impact on the defensive end of South Alabama's game.

Coach Joey Jones really has his team headed in the right direction with a staff of very capable assistants. USA will have to replace Mitch Rodrigue, but this shouldn't be a big concern. Something else that USA has going for them that not many others in transition have been able to do is to bring aboard a good support of fans. South Alabama averaged over 18,000 in attendance in their seven home games which included Pikeville (KY), Kentucky Wesleyan, Missouri S&T, Henderson State, and Arkansas-Monticello. You gotta' believe that Mobile will come out even stronger to support their team against more FCS schools on the schedule in 2011.

Speaking of schedule, here's South Alabama's 2011 schedule:

09/01/2011 vs West Alabama
09/10/2011 vs Lamar
09/17/2011 at North Carolina State
09/24/2011 at Kent State
10/01/2011 vs UC-Davis
10/08/2011 at Texas-San Antonio
10/15/2011 vs Tennessee-Martin
10/22/2011 at Georgia State
10/29/2011 vs Edward Waters (Fla.)
11/05/2011 vs Henderson State
11/19/2011 vs Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo

NC State will obviously be the toughest game of the year for South Alabama, but a 10-1 season against this schedule is not out of the realm of possibility. If USA doesn't get their first win against an FBS in Week 3 at North Carolina State, then expect it to come the week after at Kent State. Second weekend in October presents an interesting match-up of the future Sun Belt against the future WAC.

Five of USA's 2011 opponents were featured in 2010 (all wins for the Jaguars: Lamar, UC-Davis, Georgia State, Edward Waters, and Henderson State)

NC State will get the full attention of the Jags; winning that game is a real possibility for South. Kent State of the MAC will fall to South.

The Jags are going to be a force in SBC football very quickly. I am looking forward to South playing SBC football.

Go SBC !!!

(01-13-2011 09:19 PM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  NC State will get the full attention of the Jags; winning that game is a real possibility for South. Kent State of the MAC will fall to South.

The Jags are going to be a force in SBC football very quickly. I am looking forward to South playing SBC football.

Go SBC !!!

Just like WKU was supposed to be a force in the Belt really quickly

(01-13-2011 09:47 PM)Cajunman02 Wrote:  

(01-13-2011 09:19 PM)ManzanoWolf Wrote:  NC State will get the full attention of the Jags; winning that game is a real possibility for South. Kent State of the MAC will fall to South.

The Jags are going to be a force in SBC football very quickly. I am looking forward to South playing SBC football.

Go SBC !!!

Just like WKU was supposed to be a force in the Belt really quickly

They said the same thing about Troy (also located in southern Alabama).

(01-13-2011 10:02 PM)TennesseeBoyintheRockies Wrote:  

(01-13-2011 09:47 PM)Cajunman02 Wrote:  [quote='ManzanoWolf' pid='6124582' dateline='1294971583']
NC State will get the full attention of the Jags; winning that game is a real possibility for South. Kent State of the MAC will fall to South.

The Jags are going to be a force in SBC football very quickly. I am looking forward to South playing SBC football.

Go SBC !!!

Just like WKU was supposed to be a force in the Belt really quickly

They said the same thing about Troy (also located in southern Alabama).

I was about to say that very same thing. Troy fit in rather quickly.


South Alabama won't be like WKU. They will quickly adjust.

I can't wait for the Troy/South rivalry! Saturdays at Ladd-Pebbles and at "The Vet" will be full of excitement! Oh and possibly sell out crowds!

My red, white, and blue glasses tell me USA has a chance in the NC State game, but my head tells me no. I'm hoping to keep the game close for at least a half, but I wouldn't be surprised at a BIG NC State victory. I do believe that USA has a decent chance in the Kent State game though.

(01-14-2011 09:24 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  My red, white, and blue glasses tell me USA has a chance in the NC State game, but my head tells me no. I'm hoping to keep the game close for at least a half, but I wouldn't be surprised at a BIG NC State victory. I do believe that USA has a decent chance in the Kent State game though.

What kind of athletes has USA been recruiting? Are they landing the 2*'s? I haven't seen them on the recruiting sites.

By the way, will you be eligible for the FCS post-season this coming year? Will be fun to watch. You won't beat the FBS schools but should keep pounding everyone else on your schedule.

(01-14-2011 09:24 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  My red, white, and blue glasses tell me USA has a chance in the NC State game, but my head tells me no. I'm hoping to keep the game close for at least a half, but I wouldn't be surprised at a BIG NC State victory. I do believe that USA has a decent chance in the Kent State game though.

I see Kent State as well.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

(01-14-2011 09:33 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(01-14-2011 09:24 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  My red, white, and blue glasses tell me USA has a chance in the NC State game, but my head tells me no. I'm hoping to keep the game close for at least a half, but I wouldn't be surprised at a BIG NC State victory. I do believe that USA has a decent chance in the Kent State game though.

What kind of athletes has USA been recruiting? Are they landing the 2*'s? I haven't seen them on the recruiting sites.

By the way, will you be eligible for the FCS post-season this coming year? Will be fun to watch. You won't beat the FBS schools but should keep pounding everyone else on your schedule.

We have our share of 2*, but off the top of my head we have
3* CJ Bennett
3* Maleki Harris
3* Jake Johnson (Virginia Tech transfer)
4* Raymond Cotton (Ole Miss transfer)
4* Demetre Baker (Georgia transfer)
5* Burton Scott (Alabama transfer) is in the fold

There might be other players that were/are rated higher than a 2*, but these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

(01-14-2011 09:33 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  [quote='SkullyMaroo' pid='6125772' dateline='1295015059']
My red, white, and blue glasses tell me USA has a chance in the NC State game, but my head tells me no. I'm hoping to keep the game close for at least a half, but I wouldn't be surprised at a BIG NC State victory. I do believe that USA has a decent chance in the Kent State game though.

What kind of athletes has USA been recruiting? Are they landing the 2*'s? I haven't seen them on the recruiting sites.

By the way, will you be eligible for the FCS post-season this coming year? Will be fun to watch. You won't beat the FBS schools but should keep pounding everyone else on your schedule.
[/quote

USA won't be eligible for the FCS postseason because the official transition to FBS begins in 2011 as well. The Jags will be classified FCS in terms of what level they count as an opponent, but that's all.
Our recruiting has been primarily two-star guys, with a few three-stars mixed in. We've been fortunate in FBS transfers and have several impact guys joining the team next week in that fashion.

(01-14-2011 10:36 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(01-14-2011 09:33 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(01-14-2011 09:24 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  My red, white, and blue glasses tell me USA has a chance in the NC State game, but my head tells me no. I'm hoping to keep the game close for at least a half, but I wouldn't be surprised at a BIG NC State victory. I do believe that USA has a decent chance in the Kent State game though.

What kind of athletes has USA been recruiting? Are they landing the 2*'s? I haven't seen them on the recruiting sites.

By the way, will you be eligible for the FCS post-season this coming year? Will be fun to watch. You won't beat the FBS schools but should keep pounding everyone else on your schedule.

We have our share of 2*, but off the top of my head we have
3* CJ Bennett
3* Maleki Harris
3* Jake Johnson (Virginia Tech transfer)
4* Raymond Cotton (Ole Miss transfer)
4* Demetre Baker (Georgia transfer)
5* Burton Scott (Alabama transfer) is in the fold

There might be other players that were/are rated higher than a 2*, but these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Damond Smith transferring in from Western Michigan was a three-star player and started at WMU.

(01-14-2011 09:48 AM)Green Menace Wrote:  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Yes, watching that same photo of an incomplete stadium makes me drowsy too.

(01-14-2011 10:41 AM)AtlantaJag Wrote:  

(01-14-2011 09:48 AM)Green Menace Wrote:  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Yes, watching that same photo of an incomplete stadium makes me drowsy too.

Rep points for this!

(01-14-2011 09:48 AM)Green Menace Wrote:  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I think it's safe to say that South Alabama will win more games in 2011 than North Texas. No offense, UNT is improving. I like your hire, and I like your plans on the new stadium.

But I also like South Alabama, and I think that's a program that will be going places. UAB could eventually wonder how they were the third FBS program from Alabama only to become the fifth most competitive. I have a theory on that one, but that's for another discussion.

(01-14-2011 06:09 PM)TennesseeBoyintheRockies Wrote:  

(01-14-2011 09:48 AM)Green Menace Wrote:  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I think it's safe to say that South Alabama will win more games in 2011 than North Texas. No offense, UNT is improving. I like your hire, and I like your plans on the new stadium.

But I also like South Alabama, and I think that's a program that will be going places. UAB could eventually wonder how they were the third FBS program from Alabama only to become the fifth most competitive. I have a theory on that one, but that's for another discussion.

I bet it involves it being UA's B program.

(01-14-2011 06:13 PM)Atlanta Trojan Wrote:  

(01-14-2011 06:09 PM)TennesseeBoyintheRockies Wrote:  

(01-14-2011 09:48 AM)Green Menace Wrote:  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I think it's safe to say that South Alabama will win more games in 2011 than North Texas. No offense, UNT is improving. I like your hire, and I like your plans on the new stadium.

But I also like South Alabama, and I think that's a program that will be going places. UAB could eventually wonder how they were the third FBS program from Alabama only to become the fifth most competitive. I have a theory on that one, but that's for another discussion.

I bet it involves it being UA's B program.

Spain Park and Hoover produce some of the best high school athletes in Alabama. Both are in the Birmingham area and most of these athletes do not want to spend their college life in a place where they spent their high school life. It's only natural that most of them would want to go elsewhere to play college ball.

(01-14-2011 06:23 PM)TennesseeBoyintheRockies Wrote:  Spain Park and Hoover produce some of the best high school athletes in Alabama. Both are in the Birmngham area and most of these athletes do not want to spend their college life in a place where they spent their high school life. It's only natural that most of them would want to go elsewhere to play college ball.

Not only that, UA's B is mainly just a medical school. I don't think every high school recruit wants to be a doctor.