MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama opened fall camp Wednesday with its first full practice under first-year head coach Major Applewhite, who said afterward he was pleased with how much players retained from spring practice and summer workouts.
From Coordinator to Head Coach
Applewhite was promoted after the departure of Kane Wommack. He served as South Alabama’s offensive coordinator in each of Wommack’s three seasons.
Applewhite previously went 15-11 in two seasons as head coach at Houston. Between Houston and South Alabama, he was an analyst on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama, where he had earlier spent the 2007 season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He also spent five seasons at Texas under Mack Brown from 2008 through 2013, holding roles that included offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
Roster Work
Applewhite and his staff spent the offseason filling roster spots left by graduation and transfers. His hiring helped retain several players who had entered the transfer portal after Wommack’s departure was announced, and the staff also added players from the portal.
Coming Off First Bowl Win
South Alabama went 7-6 last season and won the 68 Ventures Bowl over Eastern Michigan, the program’s first bowl victory. The season included a 33-7 win at Oklahoma State. The Jaguars went 10-3 in 2022.
Sun Belt coaches picked South Alabama to finish fifth of seven teams in the West Division in the preseason poll, and eighth overall.
The 2024 Schedule
South Alabama’s schedule ranks as the third toughest in the Sun Belt, behind Old Dominion and Georgia Southern.
- The Jaguars open Saturday, Aug. 31, against North Texas at Hancock Whitney Stadium, with a 4 p.m. kickoff.
- Conference play begins in the fourth game at App State, the preseason favorite.
- The fifth game, the last of the non-conference schedule, is at LSU in Baton Rouge.
- Other conference road games include Arkansas State and Louisiana, and home games include Troy and Texas State.
Camp Timeline
Fall camp runs through Aug. 23, after which the Jaguars will move into a regular game-week schedule ahead of the opener.
