MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama preseason camp moved into its final week Monday, when the Jaguars returned to the field for two-a-day practices following a Sunday off.
The day off came after seven practices in six days. Monday’s sessions began at 6:15 a.m. and resumed at 4:30 p.m.
Third Downs and a Two-Minute Score
The team also used the break to review Saturday’s Fan Day scrimmage. In that scrimmage, the first-team offense converted all six of its third-down situations and drove 35 yards in 30 seconds for a touchdown in one of its two-minute drills.
Quarterback C.J. Bennett completed third-down passes to Jereme Jones and Corey Waldon on the first two attempts and then scrambled for a third conversion. He later moved the chains again with completions to Jones, Taylor Noon and Anthony Ingram.
Bennett opened the two-minute drill with a 14-yard completion to Tyrome Bivins, who went out of bounds to stop the clock. After an incompletion, Bennett hit Waldon over the middle to move the ball to the 10-yard line and spiked the ball on the next snap. A touchdown pass to Jones in the back corner of the end zone was wiped out by a penalty that moved the offense back five yards. Bennett then threw 14 yards to Bivins, who stepped out at the 1-yard line, and finished the drive with a fade to Corey Besteda in the right corner of the end zone.
Against the second-team defense, quarterback Trey Fetner managed one first down in six third-down tries, picking it up on a scramble, and was sacked four times. A nine-yard completion from Fetner to Noon set up a 46-yard field goal by Jordan Means.
Jones: Rest Showed
Head coach Joey Jones said the day off was evident Monday.
“It was good — the legs came back a little bit, but I still think we are a little tired from camp,” Jones said. “But I thought they fought through it and had a good practice. The offensive line is getting better, they have really made some improvement over the last couple of days.”
Jones said the offense has improved after struggling against the defense early in camp. “It’s good to see them bounce back, though I’m sure the defense will bounce back tomorrow,” he said. “It’s good competition out there.”
Injuries a Concern
Jones said the number of minor injuries is his main concern. “We have a lot of people banged up right now,” he said. “It’s nothing major, but we have several of them with bumps and bruises; guys have been out three or four or five days, they’re missing practice.”
Depth Chart Decisions
South Alabama practices once Tuesday and holds its final two-a-day Thursday before the last scrimmage of preseason camp. Camp concludes Friday, and players have Saturday and Sunday off before classes begin Monday.
Jones said this week is critical for players trying to earn a place on the depth chart. “This is basically the last week they will have a chance — not that they won’t have a chance ever — but the bottom line is we are looking hard at this week to make decisions what to go into game week with,” he said.
The Jaguars are preparing for their third season of football.
