MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama used its open week to give young players extended work Tuesday, closing a two-hour practice built around fundamentals and special teams with a scrimmage for reserves.
Players lower on the depth chart, who typically see few repetitions, got a chance to take snaps as the Jaguars evaluated them on film.
Jones Uses Off Week for Evaluation
“We had a good practice today,” head coach Joey Jones said. “We just worked on fundamentals and special teams games, and we worked on running the ball offensively and the same thing on defense. I thought we had a good day.”
Jones said the reserves ran about 20 to 24 plays in the closing scrimmage.
“An off week is the time to do that because you don’t have as much time during a game week,” Jones said. “So we got them out there, let them get some reps and got them on film.”
Schedule Ahead
South Alabama will practice again Wednesday before taking Thursday through Saturday off. The Jaguars will resume game-week preparation for Arkansas State on Sunday, with practices beginning Monday.
“We want to have another physical practice and then come back next week and get into game week,” Jones said. “We’ve installed some of the gameplan and we’re finishing that but we want to have just good, fundamental work. Anytime you’re successful, you get better fundamentally and that’s what we want to continue to work on.”
First Full Division I Schedule
South Alabama is 1-4 and has lost three consecutive games for the first time in program history. The Jaguars’ most recent game was a 31-10 loss to Troy in their Sun Belt Conference opener.
This season marks South Alabama’s first full Division I schedule. Eleven of the Jaguars’ opponents are full Football Bowl Subdivision members, and another is in transition to the FBS.
