South Alabama By The Numbers
Let’s look back as this weekend’s results for Sun Belt teams.
Troy was destroyed by Mississippi State 62-7 in Starkville. Western Kentucky rebounded with a 58-17 win over Morgan State. Louisiana-Lafayette defeated Akron 35-30 in Akron. Memphis defeated Arkansas State 31-7. Baylor took ULM out behind the woodshed with a 70-7 spanking. Former South Alabama defensive coordinator Bill Clark picked up a 32-26 win over Georgia State.
This week’s games for Sun Belt teams:
- South Alabama @ Tennessee 11:21am SEC Network
- Navy @ Western Kentucky 1pm ESPNews
- Troy @ Duke 2pm ESPN3
- Tulane @ ULM 6pm ESPN3
- Wyoming @ Texas State 6pm Longhorn Network
- Arkansas State @ Missouri 6:30pm CSS/CST
Current SBC Standings:
- South Alabama 2-1 (1-0 SBC)
- Arkansas State 2-2 (1-0 SBC)
- Texas State 2-1 (0-0 SBC)
- ULM 2-2 (0-0 SBC)
- ULL 1-2 (0-0 SBC)
- Georgia State 0-4 (0-0 SBC)
- Troy 2-2 (0-1 SBC)
- Western Kentucky 2-2 (0-1 SBC)
Here’s how South Alabama ranks:
- 3rd Down Conversion Pct: 77th Nationally, (5th SBC)
- 3rd Down Conversion Pct Defense: 91st, (6th)
- 4th Down Conversion pct: 94th, (4th)
- 4th Down Conversion pct Defense: 39th, (5th)
- Fewest Penalties Per Game: 89th, (6th)
- Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game: 86th, (6th)
- First Downs Defense: 40th, (2nd)
- First Downs Offense: 97th, (6th)
- Fumbles Lost: 35th, (2nd)
- Fumbles Recovered: 96th, (6th)
- Kickoff Return Defense: 15th, (3rd)
- Kickoff Returns: 17th, (1st)
- Net Punting: 69th, (3rd)
- Pass Sacks Allowed: 74th, (4th)
- Passes Had Intercepted: 55th, (3rd)
- Passes Intercepted: 35th, (3rd)
- Passing Offense: 59th, (3rd)
- Passing Yards Allowed: 92nd, (5th)
- Passing Yards Per Completion: 35th, (1st)
- Punt Return Defense: 24th, (1st)
- Punt Returns: 72nd, (4th)
- Red Zone Defense: 102nd, (7th)
- Red Zone Offense: 91st, (7th)
- Rushing Defense: 23rd, (2nd)
- Rushing Offense: 72nd, (4th)
- Scoring Defense: 79th, (2nd)
- Scoring Offense: 61st, (4th)
- Tackles for loss Allowed: 66th, (3rd)
- Team Pass Sacks: 25th, (1st)
- Team Passing Efficiency: 60th, (2nd)
- Team Passing Efficiency Defense: 65th, (3rd)
- Team Tackles For Loss: 56th, (5th)
- Time of Possession: 94th, (7th)
- Total Defense: 52nd, (1st)
- Total Offense: 65th, (5th)
- Turnover Margin: 68th, (4th)
- Turnovers Gained: 72nd, (4th)
- Turnovers Lost: 48th, (3rd)
University of Tennessee’s National Ranking
- 3rd Down Conversion Pct: 56th
- 3rd Down Conversion Pct Defense: 103rd
- 4th Down Conversion pct: 43rd
- 4th Down Conversion pct Defense: 105th
- Fewest Penalties Per Game: 2nd
- Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game: 3rd
- First Downs Defense: 88th
- First Downs Offense: 65th
- Fumbles Lost: 92nd
- Fumbles Recovered: 15th
- Kickoff Return Defense: 88th
- Kickoff Returns: 29th
- Net Punting: 95th
- Pass Sacks Allowed: 11th
- Passes Had Intercepted: 99th
- Passes Intercepted: 5th
- Passing Offense: 114th
- Passing Yards Allowed: 80th
- Passing Yards Per Completion: 105th
- Punt Return Defense: 80th
- Punt Returns: 56th
- Red Zone Defense: 30th
- Red Zone Offense: 63rd
- Rushing Defense: 75th
- Rushing Offense: 46th
- Scoring Defense: 73rd
- Scoring Offense: 59th
- Tackles for loss Allowed: 11th
- Team Pass Sacks: 77th
- Team Passing Efficiency: 100th
- Team Passing Efficiency Defense: 72nd
- Team Tackles For Loss: 56th
- Time of Possession: 84th
- Total Defense: 82nd
- Total Offense: 103rd
- Turnover Margin: 29th
- Turnovers Gained: 3rd
- Turnovers Lost: 103rd
Individuals Nationally Ranked:
- Ross Metheny – Completions Per Game 88th
- Ross Metheny – Passing Efficiency: 21st
- Ross Metheny – Passing Yards: 79th
- Ross Metheny – TDs: 66th
- Ross Metheny – Yards Per Game: 68th
- Ross Metheny – Passing Yards Per Completion: 20th
- Ross Metheny – Points Responsible For: 49th
- Ross Metheny – Points Responsible For Per Game: 40th
- Ross Metheny – Scoring: 129th
- Ross Metheny – Total Offense: 57th
- Aleem Sunanon – Points Responsible For Per Game: 176th
- Aleem Sunanon – Field Goals Per Game: 18th
- Aleem Sunanon – Scoring: 63rd
- Terrell Brigham & Enrique Williams – Forced Fumbles: 51st
- Montell Garner – Fumbled Recovered: 44th
- Roman Buchanan & Alex Page – Interceptions: 57th
- T.J. Glover – Kickoff Returns: 17th
- T.J. Glover – Punt Returns: 60th
- Romelle Jones – Pass Sacks: 27th
- Alex Page – Pass Sacks: 49th
- Qudarius Ford – Passes Defended: 15th
- Qudarius Ford – Total Tackles: 62nd
- Terrance Timmons – Punt Return TDs: Terrance Timmons
- Wes Saxton – Receiving Yards: 143rd
- Wes Saxton – Receiving Yards Per Game: 104th
- Jereme Jones – Receptions Per Game: 119th
- Ross Metheny – Rushing TDs: 62nd
- Jay Jones – Rushing Yards: 124th
- Alex Page – Tackles For Loss: 22nd
- Enrique Williams – Total Tackles: 62nd
Jags Continue Preparation After Short Break
The South Alabama Jaguar football team returned to the practice field Sunday night as they began game week preparations for their trip to Knoxville, Tennessee. The players had Thursday through Saturday off.
South Alabama is in the middle of a tough three-game stretch for the Volunteers. They lost to #2 ranked Oregon in Eugene and lost to Florida in Gainesville on Saturday. After the Jags, they will host #9 ranked Georgia followed by #12 South Carolina. Could the Jags catch the Vols reeling from back-to-back losses while looking ahead to SEC eastern division foes Georgia and South Carolina?
The seniors challenged the underclassmen to be ready to return on Sunday and they were at the gates challenging them again to have a good practice after a few days off.
Head coach Joey Jones spoke about viewing the Tennessee game over the weekend. “(Tennessee) coach (Butch) Jones has done a great job, first of all,” Jones said to AL.com. “They are very well-coached and they play hard. I thought they went out against Florida and really played hard. You can tell, I know when I watch a team play what the coaches have done and they are well coached and they were getting after it. I’m very impressed with them in watching them play.”
“They’ve gotten better as the season has gone along. They’ve obviously played some really good teams. Florida is a top 10 team and has one of the best defensive fronts that I’ve seen in college football. They do a great job at Florida and Tennessee, from what I saw was, in the second half they never let up. You could tell the intensity level was there. They’re a very good football team.”
The Jaguars have been trying to prepare themselves for how loud some of these stadiums are going to be this season. But Neyland Stadium, with a capacity of over 100,000, is something that you just cannot prepare for how loud it can be. But the goal would be to strike early and quiet the crowd early.
Jones said that they have a number of loudspeakers turned up as loud as they can go. They practice every day with music and external noise. The last two weeks they have been playing “Rocky Top” on a regular basis as well.
The team will have Monday off as normal, then they return to the practice field on Tuesday to continue preparing for the Vols.
Saturday’s game will be available on the SEC Network, which is UTV44 in the Mobile area. Check your local listings elsewhere. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:21 AM.
Tune in early as the Joey Jones Show will be the lead-in to the SEC Network broadcast. THe Joey Jones Show airs on UTV44 at 10:30am.
Go Jags!
USA Volleyball Unable To Participate This Weekend
The University of South Alabama Athletic Department announced that the women’s volleyball team, who were scheduled to compete this weekend at the Razorback Invitational hosted by Arkansas, will be unable to compete. They cited widespread injury and illness throughout the team as the reason.
There is no makeup date for any of the matches versus Arkansas, Saint Louis or Kansas State were planned at the time of release.
The Lady Jags are 5-5 on the season and will open up Sun Belt Conference play next weekend will host Arkansas-Little Rock on Friday at 7pm and Western Kentucky on Saturday at 5pm in Jag Gym.
We hope the lady Jaguars recover quickly and are ready to go by next weekend. Go Jags!
Jags Fare Well Statistically In Sun Belt Rankings
Defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer talks with the defense to make adjustments. The Jags rank second in the Sun Belt in total defense through three games.
Statistically the Jags stack up well in the Sun Belt through three games. They are fourth in scoring offense (31 points per game) behind Troy (44.7), Arkansas State (37.3) and Louisiana-Lafayette (37.9). They are fifth in scoring defense with a 28.3 points per game allowed behind Texas State (9.0 through 2 games), Lousiana-Monroe (21.0), Troy (25.0) and Arkansas State (27.7).
The Jags are fifth in total offense with an average of 404.7 yards per game. They trail behind Troy (547.3), Arkansas State (544.3), Western Kentucky (435.7) and Louisiana-Lafayette (421.3). Behind the Jags are Louisiana-Monroe (387.0), Georgia State (328.7) and Texas State (307.5).
South Alabama ranks in the bottom half of the Rushing offense totals in sixth place with 166.3 yards per game. They trail ASU (295.7), ULL (239.3), Troy (179.7), WKU (177.3) and ULM (171.3). Behind the Jags is Texas State (157.5) and Georgia State (79.3).
The Jags passing offense ranks fifth in the conference with an average of 238.3 yards per game. They rank behind Troy (367.7), WKU (258.3), Georgia State (249.3) and ASU (248.7). Behind the Jags are ULM (215.7), ULL (182.0) and Texas State (150.0 through two games).
The Jags are third in total defense allowing an average of 372.0 yards per game. They trail only Texas State (313.5 through two games) and Louisana-Monroe (330.3). Behind South is Troy (377.7), WKU (405.0), Arkansas State (418.3), ULL (427.0) and Georgia State (470.3).
They rank second in rushing defense with 108.0 yards per game allowed on average. They only trail TexasState (34.0 through two games). Behind the Jags are: Troy (116.7), ULM (138.0), ASU (141.0), ULL (194.0), WKU (200.0) and Georgia State (150.3).
USA ranks sixth in passing defense with 264.0 yards per game allowed. They trail ULM (192.3), WKU (205.0), GSU (220.0), ULL (233.0), and Troy (261.0).
The Jags also ranks second in the conference behind ULM in kickoff returns with an average of 27.4 yards per return. They are third in punt return average with 6.8 yards per return. They rank second in punting with a 37.1 average trailing only Troy who averages 40.7 yards per punt.
South Alabama is tied for first with four interceptions. They tied for second in sacks with 8 only trailing Troy who has 9.
The Jaguars held their final practice of the week prior to three days off for the players. Their open date will let them get some rest heal those normal bumps and bruises that occur throughout the season.
This is a great time for their bye week as South Alabama is preparing for Tennessee on September 28 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. But it will also give the coaches a chance to hit the road and do some recruiting after their back-to-back wins against Tulane and Western Kentucky.
The practices this week have been mostly focused on fundamentals but they have started implementing their gameplan for Tennessee to give them a headstart on next week.
Head coach Joey Jones does not know how the off time will impact the team, but did say this to AL.com, “They better come back ready to go because (we’ve got) Tennessee coming up and Troy and on down the line. We’ve got a bunch of good teams to play so we better be ready. And I think they will. We’ll find out Sunday though, so they better be ready. We’re going to get them ready.”
Wednesday’s practice lacked some enthusiasm Jones thought. He ranked it as only an above-average practice. They worked on only fundamentals on special teams. Tackling on defense. Though they do work on fundamentals all through the season, they are placing more emphasis on it and it consumed more of their practice time this week.
Jones said that most of their problems this season has stemmed from some sort of breakdown of fundamentals such as tackling. However, the Jags did a wonderful job tackling when they faced WKU last Saturday. They held their powerful running back in check all game.
Mechell Daniel Named Volleyball Freshman Of The Week
Freshman Mechell Daniel was named Sun Belt Freshman of the Week on Monday, September 16. Photo by Brad Puckett | usajaguars.com
South Alabama Jaguar volleyball player Mechell Daniel was named the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Week on Monday. She is the second Jaguar to be honored this season as fellow freshman Jessica Lewis was named Freshman of the Week during the first week of the season.
Daniel helped the Jags go 2-1 in the Hampton Inn Bama Bash.
Jones Praises Fans, Jags Return To Practice Field
Head Coach Joey Jones speaks to his team after the conclusion of the Jaguars first practice of 2012 preseason camp.
During Monday’s press conference, head coach Joey Jones had this to say to the fans and students about Saturday’s game against Western Kentucky.
“I want to thank our fans, especially our students (for Saturday’s game),” Jones said. “Our student-section seemed to be as big as it has been in a while. They came out and supported us, and were really loud. Some of our coaches were talking on the sideline about how loud it was. We couldn’t even talk in the huddle during timeouts. It was such an electric feeling, and that’s the kind of environment we want to play in. Our fans created that, and we appreciate that. The game was big, obviously. It was one of those games where you hope you can hang around until the middle of the third quarter, and have a chance to win it in the fourth quarter and that’s exactly what happened. After we tied the game up with the two-point conversion, at that point I knew the game was on. Our kids had a lot of confidence. It’s a tribute to my (coaching) staff and players for what they have done.”
Ladd-Peebles Stadium was the loudest I have ever heard for a South Alabama football game. This is very encouraging, but as fans we cannot rest at that. We need to continue to be loud the whole game and make Mobile one of the most feared places to play in the Sun Belt Conference.
Coach Jones also said that the locker room was as fun as he has been in in a long time. They have been wanting to get a win over a good football team and he was proud of his team for that win.
He also said that the players are looking forward going to Tennessee to play in a 100,000-plus seat stadium. But to prepare for them, they are going to work on pure fundamentals during the bye week. He said, “If you look at every play in the game where we didn’t do well, there’s always a fundamental flaw. We have to learn to get better fundamentally, and this is a week you do that. You certainly start working on Tennessee and putting parts of the game plan in, but we have to come out of the next two days with two great practices from our players. If we do that and approach it that way, we can have a good week next week. But we have to get better fundamentally. We won the ballgame, but there are a lot of things we can get better at fundamentally and we have to continue to work on that.”
Concerning improvements from Tulane to Western Kentucky, Coach Jones pointed at tackling was much improved, especially against a running back that is hard to tackle. They improved their special teams work. Offensively the quarterbacks are making better decisions that are improving the offense. They have better balance.
He also mentioned the offensive line and how hard they have worked. He said, “It’s a position where you don’t get your picture in the paper very much or your name across the Jumbotron very often for making a good block. They just have to do it because they love it and this team. I’m so proud of those guys. They’re doing a really good job.”
Tuesday’s practice saw the Jags do exactly what coach Jones said he was going to do: work on fundamentals. They worked on tackling defensively and on special teams. He said that sometimes offensive players do not get a much tackling in practice so it’s good for them to work on it.
The Jags will practice again on Wednesday then the team will have three days off before returning to game-week preparation on Sunday.
They are not only working on fundamentals though. They are also putting in parts of the gameplan in this week so they will be ahead by Sunday.
The team is pretty healthy, excluding the players who are out for the season. Everyone should be ready to play by the time Tennessee time rolls around.
Non-AQ Top 10 Week Three
|
Non-AQ Top 10
|
|||
|
RK
|
TEAM
|
RECORD
|
PTS
|
|
1
|
Fresno State (3)
|
2-0
|
67
|
|
2
|
Northern
Illinois (3) |
2-0
|
65
|
|
3
|
Utah
State |
2-1
|
52
|
|
4
|
Brigham
Young (1) |
1-1
|
47
|
|
5
|
Boise
State (1) |
2-1
|
39
|
|
6
|
Navy
|
2-0
|
28
|
|
7
|
Ohio
|
2-1
|
28
|
|
8
|
Bowling
Green |
2-1
|
17
|
|
9
|
San
Jose State |
1-1
|
15
|
|
10
|
East
Carolina |
2-1
|
15
|
Others receiving votes: Boise State 17,
Western Kentucky 17, Texas State 12, Rice 9,
Tulsa 9, Arkansas State 5, Kent State 3,
Louisiana 2, Wyoming 1.
Two Jags Named As Sun Belt Players Of The Week
The University of South Alabama Jaguar football team had two student-athletes honored as Sun Belt Player of the Week this week. The Jags defeated Western Kentucky 31-24 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium to open Sun Belt Conference play for both schools.
Tyrell Pearson and Aleem Sunanon were chosen as the SBC Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week by the conference office on Monday. This is both first time honors for both of them in their career.
Pearson, a 5’8″, 150 pound Greenville, South Carolina native, intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter while adding two tackles in his first appearance of the season. Pearson started his heroics in the final three minutes of the game with an interception returned 49 yards to set up the game-winning one-yard touchdown run by Trey Fetner. His second interception came in the end zone to preserve the Jaguar win as the Hilltoppers were facing 4th and 10 from the Jaguar 13-yard line.
Sunanon, a 5’7″ 185 pound redshirt freshman from Orlando, Florida, kicked a career best three field goals along with extra points to score in double-figures for the second consecutive week. He hit on kicks of 42, 43 and 27 in the game. The later attempt tied the game at 24 with over 12 minutes to go in the game.
South Alabama has this weekend off and will return to action when they travel to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, September 28.
USA vs Tennesse To Air On SEC Network Sept. 28
South Alabama’s next game against Tennessee in Knoxville will air live on the SEC TV network as announced by the Southeastern Conference on Monday. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Kickoff has been set at 11:21am CDT.
This is the second SEC team that the Jaguars have faced, last year they went to Starkville, Mississippi to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
South Alabama enters the game with a 2-1 record after wins over Tulane in New Orleans and against Western Kentucky in their Sun Belt Conference opener.
The Jags first two home games were broadcast on ESPN3 and the conference match-ups against Troy on October 5 and Louisiana-Monroe on November 23 are scheduled to air live on Comcast Sports South (CSS) as part of the Sun Belt Network package. The Jags game against Navy on November 16 is scheduled to air on CBS Sports Network as well.
In the Mobile area, you will be able to tune into the game on WJTC UTV-44, the same channel that airs the Joey Jones Show on Saturday mornings at 10:30am.
Jags Hit Practice Field On Sunday After Big Win
The South Alabama football team was back on the practice field on Sunday to begin preparation for their next opponent. Though, they will have extra time to prepare for them since they will have this weekend off.
The Jags hit the practice field in shorts and helmets as they began to prepare for their trip to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers on September 28. They will somewhat keep a normal schedule with Monday off then practices on Tuesday and Wednesday for practices in full pads but they will take Thursday, Friday and Saturday off before returning to normal game-week preparation again on Sunday.
The bye week could not come at a better time. After a loss in their first game of the season on a field goal as time expired followed by back-to-back emotional come from behind wins, their emotions are spent. But they also have the normal bumps and bruises that would normally occur through the third game of the season. Those with bumps and bruises didn’t practice on Sunday, they just ran.
One of those is Freshman safety Roman Buchanan who left the game early in the third quarter after he was injured making a tackle. At first, it was feared from the stands that he may have hit his head while making the tackle, but it was actually a chest contusion but he will be ready to return to the field by the time the team travels to Knoxville.
Tennessee is 2-1 on the season after opening season wins over Austin Peay 45-0 and Western Kentucky 52-20 helped by seven Hilltopper turnovers. Tennessee is in the midst of a two-game road trip that saw them travel to Eugene, Oregon where they lost 59-14 while giving up 666 total yards to the Ducks while gaining 312 yards themselves. This weekend they travel to Gainesville, Florida to face the Florida Gators in their SEC opener.
“Watching the film, the first thing that stood out was just how hard our players played,” head coach Joey Jones told AL.com. “They played with great effort. The next thing that stood out was, we talked to them before the game that this was like being in a heavyweight fight; they’re a heavyweight team and they’re going to hit you in the mouth and they’re going to hit you in the gut and you’ve got to turn around and hit them in the mouth and hit them in the gut.”
“That’s kind of the approach we took and the I think the longer that that game went that we hung in there – we were down 21-10 at halftime and we score a field goal to make it 21-13 and score again and go for two and tie it up – at that point our kids knew we were in the game. You saw a different look about them. So I’m thinking the whole time that if we can make some plays down the stretch we’re going to win the ball game, and we did.”