MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama tight end Rush Hendricks and former Jaguar quarterback Ross Metheny were honored at the Sun Belt Conference Spring Banquet last week, and several football newcomers have reportedly arrived on campus.
Hendricks Named Postgraduate Scholar-Athlete
Hendricks was named the Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound tight end from Jay, Florida, earned his degree in exercise science earlier this month with a 4.00 grade-point average.
Last fall, Hendricks was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV first team. He has twice been named to the Sun Belt Commissioner’s List.
On the field, Hendricks ranked among the team leaders with six special teams tackles last season. Two of those came against Kent State in South Alabama’s homecoming win, a game in which he also caught a pass. He has earned three letters at tight end and on special teams since joining the program in 2010.
Hendricks will enroll in South Alabama’s physical therapy program this fall and has one season of eligibility remaining.
Metheny Selected to Leadership Team
Metheny was selected as a representative on the conference’s Leadership Team. He earned second-team All-Sun Belt honors last fall after quarterbacking South Alabama to a 6-6 overall record and a 4-3 mark in conference play in the program’s first season as a full member of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.
Metheny, a native of Stephens City, Virginia, ranked in the top 10 in the Sun Belt in total offense, passing yards per game, pass efficiency rating and rushing yards per game.
He earned a master’s degree in educational leadership with a 4.00 GPA earlier this month. Metheny was voted South Alabama’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year after both his second season with the Jaguars and his final season of eligibility.
Newcomers Arrive on Campus
A group of junior college transfers and an incoming freshman are reportedly now on campus for South Alabama football.
- Bryson Johnson, defensive tackle: listed at 6-4, 295 pounds with a 4.8-second 40-yard dash.
- Dondre Chanet, defensive tackle: listed at 6-2, 304 pounds.
- Caleb Butler, middle linebacker: listed at 6-3, 220 pounds with a 4.72-second 40-yard dash. His recruiting profile notes he also competed in wrestling.
- Claude Garrett, wide receiver: listed at 6-3, 215 pounds with a 4.40-second 40-yard dash.
- Chason Milner, outside linebacker from Spanish Fort: listed at 6-4, 220 pounds with a 4.75-second 40-yard dash and a 30-inch vertical jump.
Johnson and Chanet join a defensive line that lost several players who graduated after five years in the program. Garrett joins the deepest position group on the roster at wide receiver.
Milner missed all but three games of his senior season with torn ACL, MCL and meniscus ligaments in his right knee.
South Alabama, coached by Joey Jones, competes in the Sun Belt Conference and plays its home games at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
