MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama’s offense leaned on the passing game in the Jaguars’ first preseason scrimmage of 2012, with four quarterbacks combining to complete 27 of 39 passes for 280 yards Saturday at the Jaguar Practice Facility.
The offense scored four touchdowns and a field goal during the 90-minute session, and 17 different players caught at least one pass.
Bennett Opens With Scoring Drive
C.J. Bennett led the offense on an 11-play, 65-yard drive to open the scrimmage. On third-and-2, Bennett found Bryant Lavender for an 18-yard completion across midfield. Freshman Terrance Timmons followed with a 12-yard run, and after Bennett’s only incompletion of the drive, he connected with T.J. Glover for 24 yards. Demetre Baker finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Bennett went 4-for-5 on the opening drive and finished the day with 90 passing yards.
Transfer quarterback Ross Metheny directed the next possession into field goal range with completions of 13 yards to Wes Saxton and 15 yards to freshman Cameron Broadnax, but the drive stalled at the 32-yard line. Metheny finished with 106 passing yards.
Defense Settles In
After Metheny’s first drive, the defense did not allow the offense past the defense’s 45-yard line over the next four possessions. Before the midway break, Julien Valentin capped a 10-play, 65-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.
Metheny opened the second half of the scrimmage with three consecutive completions to move inside the 10-yard line, then threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Greg Hollinger.
Hollinger also set up the final touchdown, catching a 35-yard pass from Bennett. Kendall Houston followed with a 5-yard touchdown reception. Aleem Sunanon closed the scoring with a 43-yard field goal.
Individual Numbers
Hollinger led all receivers with 43 yards on two catches, and Broadnax caught three passes for 35 yards. Jereme Jones, Lavender and Saxton each had multiple receptions.
Baker and Timmons each ran for 26 yards, and the running backs combined for 124 rushing yards.
On defense, Jesse Kelley led all players with eight tackles. Ben Giles and Bryson James each had six tackles with the first team, Terrell Brigham and Phillip Press each made five, and Anthony Taylor added four, including 1.5 tackles for loss.
Jones: Special Teams Need Work
“Overall it was good,” head coach Joey Jones said. “The offense came out and made some plays today when they had to. Right now we’re beat up on defense, we held out three starters inside and some other guys are banged up, but I know that we are going to be really, really good. We have some great athletes over there, and once we get those guys back we’re going to be in great shape.”
Jones said the staff is using the scrimmage to sort out its depth chart and that he was not satisfied with the kicking units.
“What we are looking to do is find our depth chart, the guys who we are really going to give reps to. We’ll know more after watching film,” Jones said. “It was a good day overall, but I was a little disappointed in special teams. We have to practice better there. It’s almost like we came out here for an offensive and defensive scrimmage and we weren’t ready for special teams. We’ve got to change that, and that starts with me.”
The team took Sunday off. “We’re nine days into camp, the guys are pretty beat up right now. They need a day off, which will be good,” Jones said. “We’ve had a good physical week, they need some time off.”
The Jaguars returned to practice Monday morning to continue preparing for the 2012 season, their first in Sun Belt Conference football competition.
