MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama head coach Joey Jones said Monday he has mixed emotions about the Jaguars’ 2011 football season, and that the program’s offseason work will center on discipline and leadership after a season-ending loss to Cal Poly on Saturday.
Jones and senior cornerback Anton Graphenreed met with reporters to review the Cal Poly game and the season as a whole.
Jones: ‘Mixed Emotions’ About the Season
“Looking back at the season, there are mixed emotions about it,” Jones said. “We did some good things, and we probably could have done some things better.”
Jones said the final game was the first time during his tenure that South Alabama had been beaten as decisively as it was by Cal Poly, which he described as a very good football team. He noted that the coaching staff had identified the North Carolina State, Kent State and Cal Poly games as the most difficult on the schedule before the season began.
Still, Jones called 2011 a good season overall and credited the senior class for its leadership. “Our seniors have done a good job of leading this team, and I am proud of those guys,” he said.
A Tougher Schedule Ahead
Jones told his players Monday morning that the 2012 schedule includes 13 games, 12 of them against Division I programs, as South Alabama continues its move up in competition.
He said the Cal Poly loss underscored the need to return to the fundamentals and toughness the team showed earlier in the program’s history. “That means getting after it and being extremely tough – tough mentally and physically,” Jones said. “That starts in the offseason, and we’re going to get that done.”
Jones said that winning frequently can lead a team to relax its attention to detail, and that the Jaguars had not been as precise as they were two seasons ago. He also pointed to turnovers as a problem in 2011. “We obviously had too many turnovers this year, and we can’t win ballgames with that,” he said. Offseason work is scheduled to begin next Monday.
Discipline First, Then Leadership
Asked to name the top priority for the offseason, Jones said discipline comes first. He attributed many of the team’s struggles this season to mistakes and lapses in discipline rather than a lack of ability.
The second priority, he said, is developing leaders among the players who will be seniors, juniors and sophomores next year. Jones said the staff will evaluate schemes as well, but that discipline and leadership concern him more than X’s and O’s.
Jones said he does not fully accept the idea that leaders are born rather than developed. He said the staff will set the expectation that players must lead, and will put them in situations to do so during offseason workouts. “I told them this morning that we have until next August to develop leadership and discipline,” he said.
Coaches Headed to the Weight Room
Jones announced one change to the offseason program: once the coaching staff returns from recruiting trips, assistant coaches will be in the weight room with players during workouts. He said head strength and conditioning coach Justin Schwind is already doing a good job, but that he wants the full staff involved. “That’s one thing I’m going to change,” Jones said.
Graphenreed Reflects on Final Season
Graphenreed, who has played his final collegiate game, said the season did not go as planned but that the program remains strong. He said many of the team’s problems were mental errors that can be corrected, and that the roster is young.
“There are a lot of people who have stepped up tremendously, and all they are going to do is keep getting better,” Graphenreed said. He said returning players will need to make a personal commitment to offseason work, and that he expects them to meet a tougher challenge next season.
Asked about his own future, Graphenreed said he plans to continue training, graduate and be prepared for whatever opportunity comes next. “I’m not going to just sit around and wait on anything,” he said.
South Alabama plays its home games at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile.
