South Alabama Football Adds Director of Operations as Recruiting Class Reaches 27 Commitments

MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama football has filled its director of football operations position, and the program’s first recruiting class has reached 27 verbal commitments out of 30 available spots, coach Joey Jones said on his weekly radio show.

Jones joined host Lee Shirvanian by phone Wednesday while he and his staff were on the road recruiting. The new director of football operations began work Monday.

Role of the Director of Football Operations

The position, previously vacant on Jones’ staff, handles administrative tasks for the head coach, assists the recruiting coordinator and helps organize and run the program’s summer football camps, among other duties. The goal is to have Jones and his assistants free to focus on coaching, while the associate athletic director oversees the program at a higher level.

Travis Toth, South Alabama’s associate athletic director for marketing and promotions, offered an example: when a local business wants Jones to appear at an event, the operations director can coordinate the coach’s schedule more quickly and efficiently, allowing Jones to stay focused on recruiting and game preparation.

Recruiting Calendar

The Jaguars’ staff is on the road during the recruiting period that followed the late-December dead period. Recruiting continues this week, followed by another dead period next week during the national football coaches convention, before resuming through the end of January.

Jones said this weekend is not an on-campus recruiting weekend, but the following three weekends will be. The first two are largely booked, with plans for the third still being finalized.

South Alabama has 27 of its 30 available spots filled with verbal commitments. Jones acknowledged that other schools continue to pursue the Jaguars’ commitments, just as South Alabama’s staff continues to recruit players leaning elsewhere.

Junior College Transfers Arrive

Ten junior college transfers who have joined the program went through orientation at South Alabama on Wednesday, with the operations director helping arrange their housing and dining needs.

The transfers begin classes Monday with the start of the spring semester. They will spend January in the program’s winter workout period of weightlifting and running before spring practice begins in February.

Open Practices and Redshirts

Jones has said previously that at least some practices and scrimmages will be open to the public. Details have not yet been settled, and the decision will rest with Jones.

No redshirt decisions will be made until after spring practice. The staff wants to evaluate how all players perform together in South Alabama’s system before deciding, regardless of how they performed at their previous schools.

South Alabama is building its football program from scratch and will play its first games in 2009, with home games at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Football season tickets are on sale through the South Alabama ticket office at 445-1USA.