MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama football coach Joey Jones said at the Jaguars’ weekly media day that his first-year team has the best chemistry of any he has coached, as undefeated South Alabama prepares to host Milford Academy in Saturday’s homecoming game.
Jones was joined at Monday’s press conference by quarterback Brennan Sim and defensive lineman Romelle Jones. South Alabama, 5-0, kicks off against Milford Academy at 4 p.m. Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Scouting Milford Academy
Jones said Milford shares some traits with recent South Alabama opponents but differs on its defensive front, where it places eight players in the box and plays man coverage on the outside. The Jaguars saw a similar approach from Georgia Military College.
Offensively, Milford uses multiple formations like most of South Alabama’s opponents, though not as many as Fork Union, which Jones said uses 42 different formations.
Jones said the Jaguars will continue to practice first team against first team. “I’ve learned over the course of this season that getting ready for the speed of the game by the way we practice with our ones against ones has really helped us,” he said.
Evaluating a Win Like a Loss
After last Saturday’s 64-6 win over Fork Union, Jones said he asked his staff to review the game critically.
“I talked to the coaches and told them we ought to evaluate as if we lost the game,” Jones said. “Normally when you lose a game you’re mad, you’re upset about something, and you overanalyze things. Let’s do that now, even though we won, because there are a lot of things our guys can do to get better fundamentally.”
Areas for Improvement
Jones again pointed to the passing game, particularly third-and-medium situations.
“We threw the ball deep very well last week, had some big plays down the field,” he said. “Where we struggle a little bit offensively is converting the third and four to eight types of plays, and we’ve got to get better at that.”
He said special teams assignments have been sound, with tackling the main concern, and that the defense has forced fewer turnovers in the last two games than it did in the first three.
Jones said the offensive line remains thin but that a couple of players have joined the rotation. He said the secondary, a preseason concern, has improved, singling out cornerback Jerron Mitchell. “Jerron Mitchell has really stepped up and had a great year at cornerback, and having Jerron there has really helped us,” he said.
Reflecting on the Inaugural Season
With 11 days left in South Alabama’s first football season, Jones said the year has gone fast.
“On a scale of one to 10 some years it may be an eight, some years it’s a seven, some years it’s a nine, and I think this year it’s a 10 as far as the team chemistry goes,” Jones said. “It’s been a very gratifying season from the standpoint of we didn’t look very good at all last spring. This fall we’re a totally different football team, it’s not even close.”
Sim and Romelle Jones
Sim said the quarterbacks have progressed and the coaches were more pleased with their play against Fork Union, but that the group still has work to do.
“The teams we’re playing have really talented players, it’s just tough to put a team together in one year,” Sim said. “Most of them have players who are one year removed from high school, and we’re a four-year program, so we’re going to have more chemistry. But these are really solid teams that we’re playing, so you can still get good feedback.”
Romelle Jones said the young defensive line is trying to improve each game and that defensive coordinator Bill Clark has pushed the group for more sacks. He said the defense’s goal each week is a shutout and that this week’s focus is limiting big plays.
“Our coaches preach perfection each practice, and to never let down in the game,” he said. “We prepare for every game the same way, no matter who we’re playing.”
Homecoming Events Friday
South Alabama will hold an open house at the new football fieldhouse from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by an hourlong alumni lawn party outside Alumni Hall and the homecoming parade at 6:30 p.m.
