MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama football coach Joey Jones said Tuesday that Fork Union Military Academy is very athletic on defense and will challenge the Jaguars’ offense when the teams meet Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, the start of a stretch of three games in 12 days.
Jones called in to the Joey Jones Show while traveling to Birmingham. Assistant coaches Crain, Dameyune Craig and Rodrigue joined host Lee Shirvanian at Baumhower’s Wings on Airport Boulevard. The coaches said the team held a productive practice Tuesday morning that ran from about 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Three Games in 12 Days
Jones said he believes his players will welcome the busy stretch, noting that coaches typically want more practice time while players want to play games.
Rodrigue said having a game at the end of a week of practice keeps players focused. Crain said open weeks help players recover from the bumps and bruises of the season, but he enjoys the work that goes into a game week, including building the scheme.
Halloween Game Promotions
A South Alabama marketing representative said the athletic department is encouraging tailgaters to decorate their areas for Halloween as part of a “Truck or Treat” event, in which children in costume can trick-or-treat from tailgate to tailgate. Children 12 and under who wear a costume or a favorite team’s shirt can buy $5 tickets to the game.
The Jaguars are scheduled to wear red jerseys and red pants for the Halloween matchup.
Special Teams and Recruiting
Crain said the Jaguars devote significant practice time to every phase of special teams, including situations such as knowing when to pick up a loose ball and when to stay away from it. He said that work has contributed to the team’s success this season. The coaches also credited Tommy Perry for his work with the special teams.
Asked whether many prospects resemble Alabama nose guard Terrence Cody, Rodrigue said such players exist for teams looking to stop the run, but that programs are increasingly recruiting speed. He said some schools recruit running backs and fullbacks to play linebacker because their vision for finding holes translates to filling them on defense.
Asked which position is hardest to recruit, Rodrigue said defensive line has been the most difficult for South Alabama so far. Crain said quarterback is the toughest, because once a program lands a good one, it is difficult to persuade another to commit.
South Alabama is playing its inaugural season of football under Jones.
Update: Game-Day Notes
Kickoff between South Alabama and Fork Union on Saturday, Oct. 31, is set for 4 p.m. at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Jones said the Jaguars practiced well during the week leading up to the game. “We really have had great practices,” Jones said. “The last three days of last week were tremendous, we came out this week ready to go, and the kids are practicing at a high level.”
South Alabama practiced in shells for nearly two hours on Monday, returned to full pads on Tuesday and Wednesday, and worked in helmets only during a Thursday session that lasted about an hour.
“It’s been a good practice schedule, they came to work every day and we’re executing very well too,” Jones said. He noted that a defensive concern was Fork Union’s use of many offensive formations, and that the staff worked to make sure the Jaguars adjusted to them correctly.
Jones has said in recent weeks that the Jaguars want a more balanced offense after relying heavily on the run through their first four games. Assistant coach Clark said that if the defense can pressure Fork Union’s quarterback, it can force mistakes and turnovers.
Update: Shortened Practice Week and Monday Media Day
During the open week before the Fork Union game, Jones and his staff cut practice to three days, finishing with a roughly two-hour session Wednesday morning instead of practicing Thursday. The early finish let assistant coaches go on recruiting trips Thursday and Friday. Those three days covered fundamentals by position, with the main emphasis on the passing game, including pass protection.
“We really dedicated these three days to ourselves,” Jones said. “We backed off and concentrated on fundamentals and just working hard – in other words, playing hard and playing fast. If you can do those things you have a chance to win every time out.”
“We want to be a Division I football program,” Jones said. “That means we have to take every opportunity we have to build a foundation for how we do things.”
At Monday’s media day, Jones said Fork Union’s defense includes four players who have signed with Temple. He said the Jaguars, who have no more open weeks this season, would need more urgency in practice, particularly during the week that follows their second Saturday game and leads into a Thursday game.
Jones said the Jaguars plan to throw the ball more against Fork Union. “We feel like we can run the football, and that’s something we can always hang our hat on, but we need to try to work on the throwing game,” he said. “We need to find out about our quarterbacks and receivers and what they can do for next year.”
He also said he wants the offense to start faster after slow beginnings in a couple of games.
Linebacker Enrique Williams, a Mobile native, said playing in his hometown has been rewarding. “A lot of my family and friends have been able to come to the games,” Williams said. “One of the main reasons I signed at South Alabama was to be one of the first people to play for a big university in my hometown.”
