MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama head coach Joey Jones said Monday that a win over Louisiana-Lafayette in Saturday’s regular-season finale, which would lift the Jaguars to 6-6 and make them bowl eligible, would mark a successful first season at the Division I level.
Jones spoke at his weekly press conference after South Alabama’s road win at Georgia State, its second straight victory. The Jaguars host the Ragin’ Cajuns at 7 p.m. Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Senior Night.
Playing Well in All Three Phases
“For the last two weeks we have played extremely well in all three phases,” Jones said. “We just have to keep that up. We want to finish strong.”
He credited the offensive line for protecting the quarterback and said Ross Metheny is leading the Sun Belt Conference in total yards. Jones also cited receiver Shavarez Smith’s big plays and said the Jaguars have several players capable of making plays.
Scouting the Ragin’ Cajuns
Jones said Louisiana-Lafayette, which he noted has already secured a conference championship, has the biggest offensive line South Alabama has faced other than Tennessee and probably the best pair of running backs in the league. He praised the Cajuns for refining the same schemes throughout the season and balancing run and pass to keep defenses off balance.
Louisiana-Lafayette lost 31-28 to Louisiana-Monroe last weekend and lost its starting quarterback to injury. Jones said the backup is tall, athletic and able to throw, but that he does not expect the Cajuns to change their offense based on who plays quarterback.
“I think Lafayette is a step ahead talent-wise the way they are playing,” Jones said. “So we’re going to have to play at a higher level to beat them.”
Largest Senior Class to Be Honored
Jones said this year’s senior class is the largest in program history and includes many players who were present when the program began. “They have done a lot to start our program,” he said. “They care about our program, they understand what being a Jaguar is all about and they have done things the right way.”
He said the class has strong academics and character, and that the foundation it built will last for a long time.
Two Goals for a New Program
Jones said South Alabama entered the season with two goals: winning a conference championship and becoming bowl eligible. “If we win this ballgame and go to 6-6, I think we would have had a successful year in a lot of ways,” he said. “Could it have been a lot better? Heck yes. But there’s no doubt that doing that in our first year in Division I would be a great accomplishment.”
South Alabama and Louisiana-Lafayette kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
