MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama head coach Joey Jones said Monday that a lack of depth and a rash of dropped passes hurt the Jaguars late in Saturday’s 38-24 loss at Louisiana-Monroe, and he cautioned that this week’s opponent, Florida International, is far better than its 1-8 record.
Jones was joined at the weekly press conference by wide receiver Jereme Jones and placekicker Michel Chapuseaux.
Even Into the Fourth Quarter
Jones said the game was tied 21-21 late in the third quarter, and that he felt good about how South Alabama was matching up with the top team in the Sun Belt Conference. Louisiana-Monroe then pulled away in the fourth quarter.
He said part of the reason was depth, with several South Alabama players on the field who had not received practice repetitions, while the Warhawks rotated many players. Jones said the offense is improving and the defense has been consistent, but special teams struggled, including weak kickoff coverage and a blocked punt just before halftime that affected field position.
Drops Doom Third Downs
South Alabama converted 3 of 13 third-down attempts, and Jones said the Jaguars dropped five passes on third down. “If we catch those five passes we’re 8-of-13 and everybody is smiling,” he said, adding that the problem was not the scheme but catching the ball.
Offense Taking Shape
Jones credited the offense’s recent improvement to two factors: players becoming more comfortable in a new system, and the decision to settle on Ross Metheny as the starting quarterback. He said Metheny has provided leadership and managed games well.
Jones noted that the offense has committed one turnover in the last three games, after South Alabama turned the ball over four times against Troy. “I don’t want to say that we have fixed it, but we have definitely gotten better with taking care of the football,” he said. He also singled out freshman offensive lineman Chris May for his play against Louisiana-Monroe.
FIU’s Record ‘Very Deceiving’
FIU was picked to win the Sun Belt in the preseason but enters Saturday’s game 1-8. Jones said the Golden Panthers lost several games while their quarterback was injured, and that since his return they have lost close games to Troy, Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.
Jones noted that Troy rallied from 16 points down in the fourth quarter to beat FIU, that Middle Tennessee won at the end of its game against the Golden Panthers, and that FIU trailed Western Kentucky 7-6 in the fourth quarter before losing 14-6. “When I look at them on film, I don’t see a 1-8 team at all,” he said.
Jereme Jones: ‘Never Be Satisfied’
Jereme Jones said the offense played reasonably well in the first half at Monroe but did not do enough in the second half. He said the offense may need to carry the team at times, as the defense did early in the season.
The receiver said the offense’s chemistry has improved since South Alabama moved away from a two-quarterback rotation and players have learned where Metheny likes to throw. He said the key against FIU is converting third downs and avoiding third-and-long situations.
Chapuseaux Seeks Better Kickoffs
Chapuseaux, the first South Alabama player to earn a Sun Belt weekly honor for special teams, has made six consecutive field goals. He said he needs to improve on kickoffs and that the coverage unit must pin opponents deeper.
“We’ve seen that we can hang with these guys,” Chapuseaux said of Sun Belt opponents. “It just comes down to execution and discipline.”
South Alabama hosts FIU on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
