MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama football coach Joey Jones said Monday that this week’s open date arrives at a good time, with 17 or 18 players being treated for various injuries after the Jaguars’ win at Appalachian State.
Jones was joined at the weekly press conference by offensive lineman Chris May and sophomore defensive back Roman Buchanan. South Alabama’s next game is the Oct. 18 homecoming matchup with Georgia State.
Rest and Fundamentals
“We do have some guys banged up — I think there are 17 or 18 in the training rooms with a variety of injuries — and although most of them would be okay it’s good that we have a little time to rest,” Jones said. “We get caught up in schemes so much during the season that sometimes you forget about fundamentals.”
He said the staff will begin the Georgia State game plan this week, but most practice time will be devoted to fundamentals and special teams. With the university on fall break, players will also have a couple of days to rest.
“I bet they are going to sleep in because we get them up 5:30-6 a.m. every morning,” Jones said.
Room to Improve
Jones said the team is better than it was early in the season but has not reached its potential.
“When you have games like that you tend to look at it through rose colored glasses but I don’t,” he said of the Appalachian State win. “We’re playing better, but by no means are we playing as good as we can play.”
He said the offense struggled with small details in early games against Mississippi State and Georgia Southern but has improved since players took ownership at each position.
“A great offense is about execution,” Jones said. “If you throw a five-yard pass you have to block, throw it and catch it — it’s fairly simple. But if one of those three things breaks down then the play is no good.”
May Credits Defense, Running Game
May said the defense has played exceptionally, particularly after linebacker Maleki Harris was lost for a half.
“Once you start running the ball and get downhill, it opens up some passing lanes,” May said. “When you have an athletic quarterback like Brandon Bridge who can pull it and get on the outside as well, that always helps.”
May acknowledged the offense struggled in its first two home games, including against Georgia Southern, and said road trips, including the long trip to Idaho, have built camaraderie. He said travel the past two weeks and a cold Saturday night game in Boone, N.C., made the open week welcome.
Buchanan: Eliminate Big Plays
Buchanan said the defense played well against the pass but must limit big plays when quarterbacks escape the pocket.
“We believe that what an offense gets on us, we allowed it they didn’t earn it — most of the time that is true,” Buchanan said. “If we can just eliminate the mental errors, we’ll be fine.”
Up Next
South Alabama hosts Georgia State for homecoming at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game will be streamed on ESPN3.
