South Alabama Adds Contact in Shells; Freshman T.J. Glover Breaks 25-Yard Run

MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama put on shells and added contact over the weekend, with freshman running back T.J. Glover breaking a 25-yard run and the defense controlling much of Monday’s team work as the Jaguars continued a stretch of nine straight days of preseason practice.

Sunday: First Contact

Sunday’s practice introduced hitting, though full tackling was not permitted; players made contact and held up rather than taking ball carriers to the ground.

After opening Friday’s practice with punt coverage, the Jaguars began Sunday with kickoff coverage before splitting into position drills. Quarterbacks and receivers worked on timing and routes, running backs on handoffs and blocking, and the linebackers, defensive linemen and defensive backs on fundamentals.

An inside drill followed, marking the first hitting of camp. Coaches rotated players in and out frequently to give newcomers repetitions.

“The only way you can find out about guys is by giving them reps,” head coach Joey Jones said. “I think we have some good young players who can build some depth for us at each position. Today, I felt like we got more people in practice, and we need to continue to do that.”

The offensive and defensive linemen then split off for individual technique work while the secondary, linebackers, receivers and running backs worked against one another in pass coverage drills.

Monday: Glover Flashes Speed

Monday’s practice, again in shells with limited hitting, opened and closed with special teams work on kickoff returns and kickoff coverage. In a 10-play 11-on-11 live period, Glover carried twice for about 30 yards, including a 25-yard run around left end.

“He’s fast and you notice it,” running backs coach Tommy Perry said. “We’re trying to make things work so we can get him the ball in space, because he is electric. He’s a freshman, so he has to learn what to do, but as a coach you get excited when you see that extra gear, because he definitely has that.”

The defense stopped three running plays for no gain, forced two incompletions and got an interception from redshirt freshman Eddy Cabrera in that period.

In a blitz pickup drill, Myles Gibbon opened with a 30-yard completion to freshman Bryant Lavender on a go route. Brennan Sim completed all three of his passes, to Jereme Jones and Courtney Smith.

Third-Down and Red Zone Work

In the first third-down drill, the offensive line and running backs worked on the run game against the defensive interior while quarterbacks and receivers faced the secondary. Anthony Taylor and Charlie Higgenbotham recorded sacks, and the defense also forced and recovered a fumble.

In a red zone period starting from the 20, Sim hit Courtney Smith for 9 yards, with Anton Graphenreed making the tackle one yard short of a first down. Houston broke a long run and C.J. Bennett completed a screen to Johnny Lockett for another big gain before the defense held on the next two plays.

The final 11-on-11 session went to the defense, which allowed two first downs in 10 plays and recorded three consecutive sacks. Jake Johnson was in on two of them, with Ben Giles and Ucambre Williams also credited. The offense’s first downs came on a slant from Sim to Courtney Smith and a quarterback draw by Raymond Cotton on the final play.

The offense fared better in third-down 7-on-7 work, converting about half its attempts. Bennett produced four first downs on four completions to four receivers, and Sim accounted for three. Taylor Noon and Bryant Lavender each caught two passes for first downs.

Jones: Team Fought Back

“It was a very good practice, though I thought we had a little lull in the middle to latter part for the first time,” Jones said. “That’s normal, and what I was proud of is that they fought back at the end of practice. We’re in the middle of nine straight days of practice, and that’s tough. They just have to get a little better every day, and so far we have improved.”

The Jaguars are scheduled to practice in full pads for the first time this preseason on Tuesday.