South Alabama football returned from a three-week layoff and played through a rainstorm to shut out Army Prep 56-0 on Saturday, piling up 500 yards of total offense while allowing 225.
The Jaguars remained unbeaten in their first season of football. They led 35-0 at halftime and added three touchdowns in the third quarter.
Gibbon Strikes Early
South Alabama scored 1:06 into the game. Facing third-and-5 on the opening series, freshman quarterback Myles Gibbon threw a wide receiver screen to Courtney Smith, who turned it into a 63-yard touchdown.
The Jaguar defense blocked a punt on Army Prep’s first possession, but South Alabama gave the ball back on a fumble. After another punt, Erling Riis returned it to the Black Knights’ 37-yard line, and the Jaguars needed six plays to score on Gibbon’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Corey Besteda on a slant with 6:16 left in the first quarter.
Following another Army Prep punt, South Alabama went 36 yards in four plays and 1:31. Brandon Ross scored on a 2-yard run, his second and final carry of the game, for the Jaguars’ third touchdown of the opening quarter.
Sim, Mostella Extend the Lead
Army Prep punted for a fourth consecutive time, and South Alabama drove 58 yards in four plays and 1:54. Brennan Sim replaced Gibbon at quarterback for the series and opened it with a 40-yard completion to Ralph Turner. Anthony Mostella finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run, putting the Jaguars ahead 28-0 with 13:00 left in the second quarter.
Army Prep answered with an 11-play, 46-yard drive but fumbled at the South Alabama 10. The Black Knights’ defense then forced a Jaguar punt that pinned Army Prep at its own 6-yard line, and Jerron Mitchell intercepted a pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown with eight minutes left before halftime, making it 35-0.
Scott Scores Twice After Halftime
South Alabama converted a fumble recovery into an 11-yard touchdown run by Ryan Scott with 12:50 left in the third quarter. After another Army Prep punt, Scott scored again on a 5-yard run for a 49-0 lead.
On Army Prep’s next play from scrimmage, Eddy Cabrera intercepted a pass. South Alabama then drove 61 yards in five plays, and Nick Owens threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Nick Brunson with 3:10 left in the third quarter for the final points.
Defense Turns Away Two Threats
Army Prep’s two scoring threats both came up empty. In the first quarter, the Black Knights completed a 66-yard pass, but on the next play Justin Dunn forced a fumble that Charlie Higgenbotham recovered at the South Alabama 10-yard line. Later, Army Prep reached the red zone before back-to-back sacks ended the possession.
Dunn, Logan Bennett and Brett Hancock led the defense with five tackles each, and seven Jaguars made three tackles apiece.
By the Numbers
Four South Alabama quarterbacks played. Gibbon completed 6 of 7 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns, Sim was 2-of-5 for 46 yards, and Owens was 2-of-2 for 23 yards and a touchdown. Gabe Graham also played but did not attempt a pass. As a group, the quarterbacks completed 10 of 14 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns.
Courtney Smith led the receivers with two catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. Brunson was the only other Jaguar with multiple receptions, catching two passes for 23 yards and a touchdown.
South Alabama ran the ball 44 times for more than 300 yards and four touchdowns, averaging about seven yards per carry. Eli Smith led all rushers with 94 yards on nine carries, including a long of 31. Scott ran eight times for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Jeremy Pacillo had 40 yards on seven carries, Mostella 40 yards on five carries and Santuan McGee 19 yards on five carries.
Jones: ‘They’re Buying In’
Head coach Joey Jones credited the extra preparation time.
“It was obviously a great effort. I thought we’d play well, but I didn’t know we’d play that well,” Jones said. “We had a lot of time to prepare, and that really made the difference today. That’s why we played as well as we did.”
Jones said he emphasized the team’s preparation after the game.
“It would’ve been easy for our kids to let up in practice, and easy for our coaches to let up in practice. The kids didn’t lose their focus, they knew that we had an opportunity to be extremely prepared and that’s what happened today,” he said. “What I learned about them is that they’re listening to what we’re saying, and they’re buying in. Just to see the looks in their eyes in the locker room after the game, you can see that things are starting to turn. You start to see the evolution of a team. We’ve certainly got a long way to go, but I think they’re starting to turn into a team and we’re only going to get better from there.”
Army Prep head coach Tom Simi said his team faced a difficult opponent.
“We played what is going to be a very good team in South Alabama today,” Simi said. “USA is a program that is just starting, but they have some good players on their team already and I’m sure they are going to rise quickly. Obviously, today was extremely challenging for our kids.”
Up Next
South Alabama has two weeks to prepare for Georgia Military College. That game is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11:30 a.m.
