MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama football wrapped up its final preseason scrimmage Friday with a shortened, limited-contact workout built around special teams and late-game situations, one week before the Jaguars play the first game in program history against Hargrave Military Academy.
After four weeks of physical practices, coach Joey Jones and his staff trimmed the session to about an hour and a half and reduced the contact. The final hour was devoted mainly to situational drills.
Injuries a Factor
Jones said several players are dealing with minor injuries, and their status will be clearer when the team returns to practice Monday.
“We’ve got a lot of kids banged up,” Jones said. “We’ve got some hamstrings we don’t know about and will find out Monday. Nobody is just out as far as the starters or second-teamers, but we’ve got guys that will be questionable this week and we’ll find out about them Monday.”
Special Teams and Two-Minute Work
The scrimmage covered nearly every special teams scenario, including kickoff coverage, kick returns, onside kicks, punt coverage, punt returns and punting from the team’s own end zone. The offense then worked on drives for game-winning scores against the clock.
- Starting at the 50-yard line with 18 seconds left, the first-team offense, led by quarterback Myles Gibbon, moved into field goal range on two quick completions to Courtney Smith on crossing routes. Michel Chapuseaux, Jordan Means and Lawson McGlon each attempted a kick from about 45 yards. Chapuseaux and Means missed wide, and McGlon made his.
- In a third-and-long drill from the 40 with 18 seconds left, Brennan Sim completed a 16-yard pass, and McGlon made a 41-yard field goal.
Red Zone and Goal Line
On third-and-goal from the 10, Gibbon’s pass fell incomplete and was nearly intercepted at the goal line. On fourth down he found Corey Waldon over the middle for a touchdown, and McGlon added the extra point.
In a fourth-down goal-line situation from the 2, Gibbon handed off to Brandon Ross on a draw, and Ross scored. Nick Owens then led a series starting from the 10. The offense reached about the 2 in two plays before Ryan Scott was stopped in the backfield to end the drill.
The scrimmage closed with one snap of prevent defense for the defensive backs, a play with the offense backed up at its own goal line in which the quarterback followed his linemen for short yardage, and a victory formation kneel-down. The players then gathered around Jones for his closing remarks.
Jones: ‘A Great Preseason Camp’
“It was a pure situational scrimmage, but it was one that I think you need to cover mentally before the week of a game,” Jones said. “Things like punting out of the end zone, taking a knee at the end of a game, prevent defense – all those odd situations you don’t work on as much, we saw those this week and will work on them again next week so that if they come up in a game we’re ready for those situations.”
He said the team had done some work against the scout team, with Monday set aside for Hargrave preparation. The staff also tried to simulate game conditions on the sideline and during warmups.
“We want to look good warming up, and we want to be organized on the sideline,” Jones said. “We’ll continue working on that next week so we’ll be as prepared as we can be when we get out there for a real game.”
Jones said the program is further along than he expected. “It’s been a great preseason camp, but we’re just ready to go out to Ladd Stadium and have a great time,” he said. “I think that we are a good bit ahead of where I thought we would be originally. The staff has done such a good job installing the offense, defense and special teams in a way that the players could learn.”
“I’m also happy with how the kids have responded to that – they’ve learned, and they’ve paid attention. They really have been a focused group,” Jones said. “Plus, looking back a year and a half ago, the athletes on the field are much better than what I thought they would be at this point.”
Game Week Ahead
The weekend marks the first time the Jaguars have had two consecutive days off since preseason practice began Aug. 4. Game-week preparation for Hargrave begins Monday, with the opener at Ladd-Peebles Stadium one week away.
“I’m ready for game week to get here, and I think the kids are too,” Jones said. “As coaches we like practices, but we’re a little different from the players. We are ready to prepare for an opponent, obviously beginning Monday we will be getting ready every day and every minute for Hargrave Academy.”
