MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama head coach Joey Jones described Saturday’s 34-33 loss at Troy as “gut-wrenching” during his Monday press conference, but said the Jaguars are a far better team than a year ago as they prepare for a homecoming game against Kent State on Oct. 19.
Jones was joined by quarterback Brandon Bridge and linebacker Maleki Harris. South Alabama has an open date this weekend before hosting the Golden Flashes at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Lead Slips Away Late at Troy
South Alabama held a six-point lead with about 40 seconds remaining before Troy rallied to win.
“Any time you are up six points with 40 seconds left in the game, you feel pretty good about it,” Jones said. “We let it slip away, but we’re a lot better football team this year versus last year, it’s not even close.”
Jones said the team can learn from the result and must keep pursuing its goals. “Just because you have a setback and lose a close ballgame late in the game doesn’t mean you fold your tent,” he said.
A Season of Close Games
Jones said he predicted before the season that South Alabama would have to win many close games to have a successful year, though he did not expect the first five games to follow that pattern so consistently. He said playing in tight games will help the team mature and build confidence for the next time it is in that situation.
Although the Kent State game is a nonconference matchup, Jones said it is important because reaching a bowl game is one of the team’s goals. “It’s achievable for us if we do what we have to do,” he said.
Scouting Kent State
Jones recalled facing Kent State two years ago and singled out defensive lineman Roosevelt Nix. “He’s probably one of the quickest defensive linemen I have ever seen,” Jones said. He added that the Golden Flashes, who had a strong 2012 season, have built their program around defense.
Bridge said quarterbacks coach Bryant Vincent told him Kent State has a standout defensive lineman and an elite cornerback. Bridge described the Golden Flashes as a big, strong team and said South Alabama may be able to use its speed on the perimeter.
Bridge: Play Until the Clock Hits Zero
Bridge said the main lesson from Troy was that no game is over until time expires. “We have to keep playing until the clock says triple-zero,” he said.
He said South Alabama has not played a complete 60 minutes in its losses and pointed to the second quarter as a recurring problem. Bridge said the Jaguars tend to outscore opponents after halftime and need to bring that approach to every quarter. He also noted the importance of winning on homecoming.
Bridge said the team’s confidence has not suffered. South Alabama is 1-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, and Bridge said the players still have a conference title and a bowl victory as goals. “We’re not out of the race,” he said.
Harris on Second-Quarter Lapses
Harris said the defense often starts well before letting up in the second quarter. “We take our foot off the pedal and the other team is still going,” he said. “That’s where we have to mature as a team and keep pushing.”
South Alabama hosts Kent State for homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
