MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama offensive lineman Melvin Meggs, the team’s most experienced player up front, will miss the 2013 season with a torn ACL suffered during offseason workouts, head coach Joey Jones announced Monday.
Meggs, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound junior from Petal, Miss., had drawn preseason attention heading into the 2013 season.
Eligibility Situation
Meggs signed with South Alabama out of Petal High School when the Jaguars were unclassified by the NCAA. As a result, he was able to play in all five of his seasons with the program, including what would ordinarily have been a redshirt year. That means he cannot use 2013 as a redshirt season, but he will be able to return for his senior season in 2014.
Durable Starter in 2012
Meggs was one of two South Alabama offensive players to start all 13 games last season. He was on the field for all but 15 of the Jaguars’ 938 offensive snaps and allowed one sack. He was not flagged for holding or a false start all season.
He was credited with 76 knockdown blocks and graded at 90 percent or better in six of the 13 games, including a 94 percent grade against Middle Tennessee State.
Jones on the Loss
Jones said losing an experienced offensive player is a significant blow. He said Meggs’ surgery went well and that he is expected to be ready in six months.
Jones added that the Jaguars have more depth than at any point in the program’s short history, with much of it coming from the redshirt freshman class.
In addition, Clay Machen will miss about four weeks after surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He is expected to be ready when preseason camp begins this summer.
Kickoff Times Announced
The university announced late last week the kickoff times for South Alabama’s first three games of the 2013 season:
- Thursday, Aug. 29 — Southern Utah, 6:30 p.m. (season opener)
- Saturday, Sept. 7 — at Tulane in New Orleans, 2:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 14 — Western Kentucky, 6:30 p.m. (first Sun Belt Conference game)
No television arrangements were announced for the three games. Kickoff times for the remaining nine games on the 2013 schedule will be announced later.
