Joey Jones Show Recap 2008-12-10
Coach Jones joined the program over the phone since he was just across the state line from Auburn in Columbus Georgia for recruiting. He left out early this morning and will return late tonight. Also Travis Toth joined Lee Shirvanian at Wings Sports Grill, he is the marketing director at USA.
First off Lee wanted to bring everyone up to date on recruiting. Coach Jones said that they are at the point where they can be more specific about what they are looking for such as defensive linemen, linebackers, getting another quarterback or so and they would be looking pretty well. They seem to be set with offensive linemen, running backs and wide receivers for now.
It was brought up that a letter was sent out by the SEC and SBC clarifying an NCAA rule that they had been back and forth on for some time now. The rule maybe was a bit fuzzy so they ruled that coaches could not attend the game or practice of the Alabama – Mississippi All-Star Game coming up soon. Even though they are in a contact period with recruits they cannot go to these events. A lot of good players have played in this game and it’s a huge honor for any high school player to be selected to play in this game.
When asked about the challenges the coaches have when it comes to preparing for this game coach Jones answered that the key was offense. Defensive schemes are easier to prepare and get the kids ready for, but offense is a huge key to get prepared. They will be bringing together kids that play in a multitude of different offensive schemes. Some may have played in the Wing-T, Veer, or Spread offenses so bringing them together and creating a cohesive offense that they can run together is a huge task. The key is to keep it simple so they can learn, understand and execute it over the course of a four day period.
The holidays is coming up and Travis Toth talked about an ad they are running in the Mobile Press-Register as gifts for that sports loving fan this holiday season. They have a choice of two sideline tickets ($75 for the season) or two endzone ($48 for the season). It will come with a certificate for the tickets and a USA Football T-Shirt. So if you know a USA sports fan, this would be a great holiday gift for them to open on Christmas day.
Coach Jones said they have set dates for spring football practice and when I talked to one of the team members last night he told me that it will start February 18th. So after the holidays, they will jump right back into the grind to get ready for South Alabama Football in the fall. When asked about something like an A-Day game, similar to what Alabama and Auburn have in the spring, coach Jones said that they would have something special for the last day of spring practice. He did not indicate if it would be a full on A-Day game like experience or if it would be a more low-key scrimmage but something will be planned and we will know about it on his radio show for certain.
Daniel McCarthy has been hired as directory of compliance so he will be working closely with the football program to make sure everything is done by the book and no rules are broken accidentally. The rule talked about earlier with the All-Star game was mentioned again and he expects that it may be changed in the future. Kids may be recognized at the game who may not have received a scholarship otherwise which is a huge benefit to the kids.
Recruiting trips will continue through December 20th and then they will pick back up on or around January 4th, Coach Jones could not remember the exact date since he was on the road recruiting. USA will be able to sign up to 30 kids in February but they could receive more than those in verbal commitments. Some may not qualify academically, but they are talking to a lot of interested kids that have good grades so that may not be a concern come signing time.
Lee Shirvanian then asked Coach Jones what his first roster could look like. Jones responded that they could have anywhere from 50-60 on scholarship this fall and about 20 of those would be Junior College transfers and the rest walk-ons. He expects them to be 120-130 players by the time they start next summer preparing for the fall schedule. He started recruiting Junior College kids fairly close to home but they are now recruiting them from Texas, California and other places to find the best players they can to fill the positions they need. So far this year, 17 kids have been signed to scholarships and they have 13 more they can sign this calendar year. They have been working on some and can announce them around the December 17th deadline hopefully.
Lee brought up an interesting thing, why don’t Junior Colleges in Alabama play football? Coach Jones and others agreed it would be great for kids in our state. The economy and money are probably the biggest factors.
Coach Jones is not close to releasing the schedule yet for next year. Many of the coaches he is talking to for contracts have been in the midst of their season so negotiations have been put on the back burner for the last few weeks. They will be getting back into that soon. Currently, even the players do not know who they may be playing and I know at least one of them is quite eager to know.
Going back to the rules talk, Lee Shirvanian stated that lately he has not hear much about football rules violations. Mr. McCarthy said that rules compliance for football is much harder than for basketball. Basketball has maybe from 7-10 players they have to monitor. Football they could have 120-130 as Coach Jones indicated on their roster, that they have to monitor and make sure no rules are being breached. Its really a whole team effort to get this done. USA has a group of faculty volunteers that help advise these players when they come to see the school and it really helps that they can talk to faculty from their potential chosen majors too.
When asked about the sports dorms that the NCAA has gotten rid of, Coach Jones was outspoken about them. He likes the sports dorms for players so they are held responsible and are kept out of potentially bad situations. When he was a player at Alabama he knew that there were people there watching out for them. Kids are going to be kids, nothing has changed since he was in college. They do not need babysitting but they can sometimes use a big brother as a mentor.
Lee asked Coach Jones about how soon USA could have a senior in the Senior Bowl, which is held each year in Mobile, Alabama. Coach Jones was very optimistic and enthusiastic stating that it could be in the next few years. They are really bringing in good, talented players that could be selected. Its also a good recruiting tool to say that the Senior Bowl is located in Mobile and that they will definitely be looking at USA for potential players.
Travis Toth then mentioned that USA will be hosting our basketball rival, Western Kentucky on Thursday, December 18th and we need everyone we can get into the Mitchell Center to help kick off the Conference season with a big win over the Hilltoppers. They have been playing well and so has USA. So come out and join us for the game!
Jaguars Rally Leads To Overtime Win At Southern Mississippi
The Jaguars improved their record to 5-3 on the season with the overtime victory at Southern Miss. DeAndré Coleman made a layuup with 31 seconds left in the game on Tuesday to put the Jags on top for good. Coleman, in addition to putting USA in front for good, also was the his second double-double in a row. Ronald Douglas blocked a follow-up shot by Craig Craft which Domonic Tilford then made the rebound and was fouled to seal the game with two made free throws.
The Jags were lead by Domonic Tilford who scored 15 on the night. Both DeAndrae Ross and Ronald Douglas scored 13 while DeAndre Coleman came off of the bench to score 12 and collect 12 rebounds. Leading all scores was Jeremy Wise from USM with 7-20 fieldgoals, 4-11 from three and 10-13 free throws for a 28 point night.
USA was down by six points at halftime but came out in the second half with several quick scores to erase whittle that lead down to one point and taking the lead shortly thereafter.
USA lead 57-52 with 6:15 left in the game but USM came back to force overtime by hitting 3 three pointers in the final 3:30 of the game.
The Jags will take the court again on Sunday with an afternoon tip-off against Houston Baptist at the Mitchell Center at 2:05pm.
Go Jags!
Lady Jaguars Win Big Over Houston Baptist
The Lady Jags cruise to a big win over Houston Baptist 83-48 at the Mitchell Center. The Lady Jags improve their record to 6-1 on the season and they will begin a three game road swing starting on Saturday when they visit Southern.
The Jags rolled up the points with Shakira Nettles leading the way with 21, falling one point shy of her career high but hitting on a career best five three pointers. The only other Jag in double figures scoring was Vontrice Dennis.
USA shot 42% from the floor compared to Houston Baptists 37%. USA also out rebounded Houston Baptist 52-32.
Both teams came out cold with USA only making one of their first seven shots but by the 10:42 mark in the first half they held a 22-10 lead.
Joey Jones Show Recap 2008-12-02
Coach Jones was not on the show today, he is recruiting in his regions of New Orleans. However, Dameyune Craig filled in with Lee Shirvanian from Wings Sports Grill.
The first topic on the show was the buzz going around today about the job security of Coach Tubberville up at Auburn. Today marks the third day of meetings with the Athletic Director without any real press releases or vote of confidence in the Auburn coach. This has led to many people calling the WNSP radio station with rumors, unnamed sources and so forth stating that either Coach Tubberville was out or still in as coach of the Auburn Tigers in 2009. Unconfirmed reports of a 1pm news conference has circulating but at the time of writing, nothing has come out about it.
We are in the midst of recruiting season and that is exactly where Coach Jones is right now. One caller asked if USA was recruiting the quarterback from Leroy, who is playing in the state championship game later this week. Coach Craig would not say anything about it directly, but did affirm that USA coaches are busy recruiting the best quarterbacks in the area and the region to come play for the Jaguars.
Craig also made light that Alabama and Auburn are only recruiting about 5-8 players in Alabama this year. There is no immediate cause for that but that situation would give USA a prime opportunity to try to get some local talent that may be overlooked by those schools.
Another caller asked about receivers and quarterbacks that are on the team right now. Coach Craig said that they have two Division I receivers right now. One is a transfer from UAB that is pretty quick and they hope to have him cleared to play next fall. The other is a transfer from Southern Miss, also with good speed. The Jags currently have a quarterback from Louisiana and they are recruiting more at all positions.
When asked about what kind of responses potential players are giving USA coaches since USA is a new school starting a football program, Coach Craig recounted a question that was asked to the staff. One kid called up and asked how likely the program is to fold before he graduates. It was obviously not a question that came from the kid himself. It was something that other coaches hinted or dropped in his ear during the recruiting process. That’s part of it.
When asked about recruits who have verbally committed to Auburn. If Coach Tubberville is relieved of his duties, how likely is it that they will still go there? Coach Craig said that some players commit to coaches or playing styles. Many commit to the school itself and they are not likey to change their commitment. USA is committed to football. Its very evident in the money being put into top notch facilities and the campus and that is a big reason how we will get good recruits.
Finally, when Lee Shirvanian asked Craig for his SEC Championship pick, he chose Florida over Alabama. I pick Alabama, not because I am an Alabama fan, but because I think Alabama matches up well with Florida. Coach Saban and Coach Steele are very good and devising defensive schemes to disrupt the other teams offense. Auburn has a pretty good defense and the Alabama offense did a good job early of breaking tendencies and keeping Auburn on their heels. Then when the Auburn offense failed to move the ball and give the defense a rest, Alabama’s offensive line just dominated their defense.
With Harvin possibly out it will take away a big offensive threat from Florida but don’t let tha fool you. They have some players and lots of speed. If it gets into a footrace, Florida has the advantage. But if its a smash mouth, dig into the trentches game it is Alabama’s advantage.
Go Jags! and Roll Tide!
Lady Jags Lose to George Washington But Bounce Back In Consolation Game
The Lady Jags struggled to find its offense on Friday against George Washington to lose their first game of the season 64-59. Shakira Nettles led the Jags with 16 points and was closely followed by Jessica Starling who scored 15 and Karina Sproal who scored 10.
GW outscored the Jags 34-14 on the inside and were held to 28% field goal percentage.
In the consolation game of the GW Thanksgiving Tournament, the Lady Jags took on Liberty and won 65-61. Liberty has been to 11 of the last 12 NCAA Tournament and marks a nice win against good opposition. Jessica Starling lead the way with 18 points, Shikira Nettles scored 16 and Sarda Peterson scored 11 to round out the players in double digits.
The first half was a close match but USA hit its stride in the second half with the closest point in the game being 47-46 with 7:56 left in the game. The jags pulled away from there to hold on to the win.
The Lady Jags (5-1) will play again on Tuesday against Houston Baptist at 7:05pm at the Mitchell Center.
Jags win Tournament Title
The South Alabama Jaguars beat Maine and UC Davis to win the USA Basketball Classic tournament title. The win over Maine snapped a two game losing streak by the Jags and the win over UC Davis lifted their season record to 4-3.
USA held a 40-20 halftime lead over Maine and led by double digits for the final 30 minutes of the game. Brandon Davis led the Jags in scoring with 18 while Domonic Tilford scored 15 and DeAndré Coleman scored 11 points coming off the bench to help win the game 71-59.
In the Jags win over UC Davis, DeAndré Coleman had his first double-double of the season by scoring a career-high 19 points and came down with 11 rebounds. Tilford scored 17 and Brandon Davis scored 11 and were named to the all-tournament team. Coleman also received the tournaments MVP award.
This 72-69 win marks the first tournament title for the Jags since 1991.
South Alabama will play next in Hattiesburg when they take on Southern Mississippi on Tueday with tip off scheduled fro 7pm.
Go Jags!
Jags Lose A Heartbreaker To Arkansas 79-77
After leading at halftime 45-55 the Jags lead for 14:57 second of the second half but gave it up for the most crucial 3 seconds of the game. Domonic Tilford came out in the first half with the hot hand and ends the game with 23 to lead the Jags in scoring. Brandon Davis scored 18 and LaShun Watson scored 10 to mark the only other Jags in double digits.
USA had a chance to push the lead out to three points with 19.6 seconds left but Daniel Hayles missed both shots leaving the door open for the Razorbacks last second shot. USA was 17-25 from the foul line for the night. While USA hit on a higher percentage of foul shots, 68% to 61%, if two more had fallen for USA the game would have been tied.
Arkansas shot 55% from the three-point arc, making 12 of 22. In all of the Jaguars losses, this has been a common theme. But combine that with sloppy play in the final minutes of the game and you will typically find the recipe for a loss.
Arkansas was lead by Courtney Fortson with 25 and closely trailed by Stefan Welsh who scored 24 on the night. The largest contributor from the bench was Rotnei Clark with 12, otherwise the rest of the players, both starters and from the bench, combined for a total of 18 points.
It was an emotional game with the return of Coach Pelphrey to the Mitchell Center for the first time since his departure for Arkansas. However, the crowd was unusually quiet since the USA Outlaws were not in attendence en mass as usual. Also for the Coors Classic, the students were not crowded together as per what is usual for a typical USA home game. This factor may have worked to Arkansas’ advantage since they had a young team playing a more experienced squad.
USA will have to shake off this loss quickly because they will take the court again on Friday when Maine, Tulane and UC Davis come to town for the USA Basketball Classic at the Mitchell Center. Tulane and UC Davis will play at 5pm and the Jags will play Maine 30 minutes after that game finishes. The Tournament will wrap up on Saturday with the consolation game starting at 5pm and the championship game (hopefully with USA playing) starting 30 minutes after it ends.
Go Jags!
Lady Jags Push Record To 4-0 With Win Over Mercer
The Lady Jags won 96-82 Monday night to run their record to 4-0 for the season. Six Jaguars scored in double digits: Jessica Starling with 19, Shaniece Brunner with 18, Karina Sproal with 13, Morriah Smith with 11 and both Cylenthia Kennon and Shakira Nettles both had 10.
The Lady Jags also set a new Mitchell Center record with 14 three-pointers and the most by USA since the previous school record of 16 at Troy in 2006. The 96 points scored is also a season best and two points shy of tying the record at the Mitchell Center.
USA shot 59% from the floor for the game and shot 71% in the second half.
Around the 15 minute mark in the first half, USA distanced themselves from Mercer with a 16-2 run over the course of five minutes and went into halftime with a 47-35 lead.
USA then started the second half with another run scoring 16-3 in the first four minutes and were up 65-40 with over 15 minutes to go.
The rest of the half saw some rough play by the Jags but Mercer could only get within 12 points down the stretch.
The Lady Jags will be in action again on Friday when they travel to Washington D.C. for the George Washington Thanksgiving Classic. They will open the tournament playing the host, George Washington Colonials at 4pm.
GO JAGS!
#3 Louisville Defeats Jags In Championship Game
Brandon Davis and Domonic Tilford scored 16 points each while Davis had a game best 12 rebounds in the loss. While Samardo Samuels scored 24 points with 9-10 shooting from the field, 6-7 shooting from the charity stripe, three assists and three blocks. Three other Cardinal starters scored in double digits in the win. But, it wasn’t until a 14-2 second half run midway through before Louisville broke the game open.
At halftime, the Jags were down 39-27 and had only committed four more turnovers than the Cardinals but committed 13 to the Cards two in the second half.
The Jags held the Cardinals to only 44% shooting and out rebounded them 41-38 for the game, but only shot 36% and commited 24 turnovers (12 of them were steals).
Coach Arrow was quoted saying, “You could be looking at this year’s national champions. Coach Pitino has assembled a group of guys where they can go 10 or 11 deep and not miss a beat.”
The Jag will play again when the Razorbacks of Arkansas, and former USA Coach John Pelphrey, visit the Mitchell Center for what is sure to be an emotionally charged game in the annual Coors Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 8pm and it will be broadcast regionally on Comcast Sports Southeast.
Go Jags! BLEED IT RED!
Jags Down Florida A&M To Advance In Tournament
South Alabama Senior Guard, Domonic Tilford, saw his first action of the season on Saturday against the Rattlers of Florida A&M at the Billy Minardi Classic in Louisville. In less than four minutes he scored 10 points and finished the game with 17 to lead the Jags in scoring. Three other Jags scored in double figures, DeAndré Coleman with 14 points, Brandon Davis 12 and Daniel Hayles 11. Additionally, Coleman and Charles Tabet came down with nine rebounds each.
The game saw several explosions of scoring from both teams. Tilford lead it off by hitting two three-pointers in less than a minute then added two more scores for his quick 10 points leading the Jags to a 14-3 lead. Then about half way through the first half, USA lead 22-13 then went on an 8-0 run in less than two minutes. With about 6 minutes left in the first half, the Jags had a 19 point lead then the Rattlers Brandon Bryant connected on two three-pointers in 33 seconds to cut the lead to 13. Coleman made a matching pair of threes to in the final minute of the first half to lead USA into the locker room with a 47-30 lead.
The Jags came out and scored the first 19 points of the second half in a six minute span. The Jags led by as much as 39 points at one point in the game and finishing with a 93-64 win.
The Rattlers shot 34% overall and were out rebounded by USA 57-27 while USA shot 54%, hit a season best 8 threes and had 22 assists on 36 field goals.
With this win, the Jags face the #3 team Louisville on Sunday in the Championship game.
This game was an improvement over last weeks loss to the Rebels, but clearly the Rattlers are not of the same caliber as Ole Miss. Improved rebounding and better outside defense are a must if the Jags want to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
Go Jags!