MOBILE, Ala. — The South Alabama defense allowed just one touchdown and two field goals outside of red-zone and goal-line drills in the Jaguars’ second preseason scrimmage Saturday morning at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, a sharp turnaround from the previous week’s scrimmage.
In the first preseason scrimmage a week earlier, the defense surrendered six touchdowns and nearly 400 yards. Saturday’s session came under clear skies after a week of weather that forced practices to be shortened or canceled.
Defensive Leaders
Justin Dunn led the defense with five tackles and was credited with an assist on a tackle behind the line of scrimmage. Chris Cooke, Clifton Crews, Bryson James, Matt Saucier and Enrique Williams each made four tackles, with Cooke and Williams each recording two tackles for loss.
Charlie Higgenbotham added three tackles. Josh Chestang made two tackles, both sacks of quarterback Myles Gibbon.
The defense forced two turnovers in the first half. Zach Rone recovered a fumble and Brett Hancock intercepted a pass. Williams also tackled running back Eli Smith in the end zone for a safety on the second team’s first snap.
Opening Drives
The scrimmage opened with the offense backed up at its own 2-yard line. The first-team offense picked up two first downs in four plays, one on a 6-yard run by Brandon Ross and another on a 21-yard completion from Gibbon to Kevin Helms along the left sideline.
After the safety, the second-team offense regrouped for two first downs. Brennan Sim completed an 11-yard pass to Corey Besteda and, three plays later, a 17-yard pass to Bryant Lavender.
Kicking Game
Michel Chapuseaux scored the offense’s first points with a 38-yard field goal. The drive was set up by a 35-yard completion from Gibbon to Ralph Turner.
On the next series, Gibbon converted a third-and-9 from the USA 41 with a 19-yard pass to Lemontis Gardner, but Chapuseaux’s 48-yard attempt hit the left upright and bounced away. Chapuseaux later made a 39-yard field goal during the red-zone period.
Lawson McGlon converted both of his extra-point attempts, and Jordan Means made one.
Defense Holds Inside The 15
The first-team offense moved inside the 15 on its next possession, but Chestang’s second sack helped force a fourth-and-4 from the 11. Gibbon ran a quarterback draw and was stopped a yard short by Anthony Taylor.
The second team reached the defense’s 38 on its second drive before Alex Tamariz sacked Nick Owens for an 8-yard loss on third down. Owens led the offense to the scrimmage’s first touchdown on his next series, a five-play, 50-yard drive capped by Smith’s 27-yard run off right tackle.
The third-team offense crossed midfield on its second possession, but the drive ended when Rone recovered a fumble.
After a short break, the defense kept the offense out of the end zone on the next two series. The scrimmage closed with goal-line drives from the 5-yard line. Ross scored on the first team’s first play, and Owens rolled left on third-and-goal from the 6 and found Nick Brunson in the corner of the end zone.
By The Numbers
Gibbon completed 8 of 13 passes for 105 yards and ran six times for 21 yards. Owens was 6 of 8 for 45 yards and a touchdown. Sim went 2 of 7 for 28 yards with an interception, and Gabe Graham was 3 of 4 for 28 yards. Each quarterback was sacked once, and the four combined to complete 19 of 32 passes for 206 yards.
Ross carried 10 times for 47 yards, Smith had four carries for 30 yards, and Anthony Mostella ran three times for 20 yards. The offense rushed 43 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns and totaled 310 yards.
Jones: Defense Braced In The Red Zone
Head coach Joey Jones praised the defense’s work near its own goal line. “Defensively, they did a great job of bracing themselves in the red zone. They bent between the 20-yard lines, but toughened up,” Jones said.
Jones said the offense must improve at finishing drives, noting that the team does not allow cut blocks in practice to protect its own players. “When you’re in the red zone, it’s hard to overcome a loss on first or second down, because the defense really has you where they want you,” he said.
He also said the defense needs to do a better job keeping opponents pinned deep. “One of my pet peeves is when we can’t keep teams pinned deep in their own territory,” Jones said. “If we have them on the 2-yard line, let’s keep them down there, make them punt and get the ball around the 50.”
Jones singled out his quarterbacks. “Nick had one of his better practices, he really did well this morning. I thought Myles had a good day too, he didn’t make any glaring mistakes that I saw,” Jones said. “He was real poised out there, and he’s not getting flustered running our offense, which I like to see from a young quarterback.”
Of Ross, Jones said: “Brandon was tough running the ball. He’s not in shape yet because he’s been out a good deal with an injury, so he is not totally ready for a ball game. But, he is very tough on the inside.”
Gibbon echoed his coach on the red zone. “We need to become more effective inside the red zone, because the most important part of an offense is being able to score when you get there,” he said. “We had some big plays, but when we get down the field we need to execute better.”
Getting Used To Ladd-Peebles
Jones said he was pleased with both sides of the ball and with improved organization on the sideline. “This was a real successful scrimmage,” he said.
South Alabama also held its spring scrimmage at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in April, and Jones said playing in the stadium was part of the purpose of Saturday’s session. “It’s not that they were tight, but you could sense a little difference,” he said. “That’s why we brought them out here. We’ll do it again one more time before the first game to get them used to these surroundings.”
Gibbon said the visit gave players a sense of game day in their new home stadium. “It felt good to finally come to where our home will be this fall and be in this atmosphere,” he said.
The Jaguars, preparing for the first season in program history, are off Sunday and return to practice Monday at 3:30 p.m.
