MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama head coach Joey Jones said Monday that the Jaguars improved dramatically in 2013 and that the challenge now is to make the same kind of jump next season, as he and two departing seniors looked back on the year at the team’s final press conference of the season.
Jones was joined by linebacker Bryson James and wide receiver Bryant Lavender to discuss Saturday’s 30-8 home win over Louisiana-Lafayette, which closed a 6-6 regular season, and the end of their careers.
‘We’re Starting to Build’ Tradition
Jones credited the senior class with putting the program together. “We improved drastically over last season,” he said. “The challenge now is to improve that much more next year.”
He said South Alabama is far from having the deep tradition of established programs but is building one through the way players and staff go about their work. “But can we improve? Heck yes we can improve,” Jones said.
Recruiting and a Two-Day Review
Jones said his attention has already shifted to the 2014 team, with recruiting the priority as the staff weighs position changes and roster needs. “The answers to a lot of that will be in recruiting,” he said.
He said he holds a two-day staff meeting each year to evaluate every part of the program, regardless of how the previous season went. Jones said he does not know what next year’s record will be, but that the program must raise its standard to become a conference champion.
Jones said he was disappointed in some respects but that the strong finish made the team feel better about a good season. He said South Alabama, in its first full year at the Division I level, came close to meeting both of its goals and achieved one of them. “It’s disappointing because you are so close to having a ring on these guys’ fingers,” he said. “But it’s a positive that we’re that close too.”
Lessons From Close Losses
Asked what he will remember most, Jones pointed to the way the team fought back during the season. He said it was difficult to address players on a Sunday after a one-point loss, and that while he showed no panic in front of the team, he was distraught at home at times.
Jones said he has preached lessons about fighting through adversity throughout his career but, having been on many winning teams as a player and coach, had rarely had to live them until this season.
Replacing a Large Senior Class
Asked about replacing 28 seniors, Jones said he has concerns at some positions but that the class laid groundwork for those that follow. He said South Alabama is beginning to have normal-sized senior classes for the first time, and that the departing players’ leadership and work ethic will continue to influence the underclassmen.
James: ‘Nothing but Red Dirt and Trees’
James, a Louisiana native, said the Louisiana-Lafayette game was personal because many of his high school teammates and classmates attend the school. “It was awesome being out there for the last time and getting a big win,” he said.
James said the team did not play as a unit early in the season but came together by the end. Recalling his arrival, he said, “There was nothing but red dirt and trees when we came in to the program.” He said he knew little about Mobile or South Alabama until Jones and then-assistant coach Kurt Crain recruited him with the chance to make history.
James said his most memorable moment was the strong finish after the team endured one-point losses that kept it from a likely bowl trip. He said it did not hit him that his career was ending until the seniors received their plaques on Senior Night, and that he plans to stay involved with the program.
Lavender: ‘We Took a Hit but Kept on Punching’
Lavender, a team captain, said a former high school teammate kicks for Louisiana-Lafayette, and that his final game meant a great deal because it was his last time wearing a South Alabama uniform. He noted the Jaguars beat a conference champion.
Lavender said a new team motto this season helped the Jaguars bounce back from losses. “It was like boxing – we took a hit but kept on punching,” he said.
He said he knew nothing about South Alabama before attending a camp where coaches offered him a scholarship. He said the early players arrived from everywhere and trained together through summer heat, and that the program improved every year. Lavender said South Alabama was competitive in every game this season except against Navy, and that the team became bowl eligible in its first full FBS season.
“We just wanted to fight and let everybody know that South Alabama isn’t going anywhere,” Lavender said. He said the founding players will return to tell future teams how the program started.
