MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama is three days from opening its 2013 football season, the fifth in program history and the first as a full member of the Football Bowl Subdivision, when it hosts Southern Utah on Thursday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Ready for a New Opponent
Jaguar coaches and players met with the media for the weekly press conference after about 26 preseason practices.
“We’re excited to finally go up against somebody other than ourselves,” starting quarterback Ross Metheny told AL.com. “We’ve been hitting each other for a long time. It’s crazy to think about how many hours and how much work we put in all year round all for 12 days in the fall. If you look at it that way, you have to really love the game.”
Qudarius Ford said the team expects a physical opponent.
“We’re excited about this Thursday. We’re excited about the challenge. We know Southern Utah is going to come in here and be ready to play. We know they play physical,” Ford said. “From last year to this year I’ve seen a big difference in the team chemistry and we’ll be ready to play ball on Thursday.”
Lessons From 2012
South Alabama finished 2-11 last season while playing a full Sun Belt Conference schedule even though it was not yet eligible for the league title, a step taken in preparation for this season.
“Going through last season has prepared us for this season, there’s no doubt about that,” head coach Joey Jones told AL.com. “I think experiences in life, there are certain ones you just have to go through to be great at anything and we went through a season last year where we decided to play Division I football while being a FCS team. It really helped us in the long run.”
Jones said this season brings new goals for the players.
“Our kids are excited. They’re excited about the possibilities that we can go to a bowl game and the possibility that we can win a conference championship, and we haven’t had that in the last four years,” he said. “Dangling that carrot out there certainly makes a difference in the motivation of our players.”
Senior Leadership
Jones said the roster includes 28 seniors.
“I know one thing, we’re a lot better football team than we were last year,” Jones said when asked for a prediction. “I can say that. How that translates into wins, I don’t know. But I know we’re better and our leadership is not necessarily better but we have more of it. We have 28 seniors. I see a difference in our ball team this year, I really do. I see a calmness and a confidence that we haven’t had.”
He said last season’s schedule, which included games against Arkansas State, Mississippi State and N.C. State, was a new experience for players and staff alike.
“Stepping into Division I last year, I think we were a little starry-eyed, and maybe as coaches we were. We just didn’t know what to expect,” Jones said. “This year, our kids have been through it, our coaches have been through it. We’re looking for big things. We have lofty goals and we’re always going to have those no matter where we are in our program.”
Home Openers
South Alabama is 3-1 in season openers at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Last season’s opener against Texas-San Antonio was scheduled for a Thursday night but was postponed to Saturday because of weather, and the Jaguars lost on a field goal. It is the only home opener the program has lost.
Thursday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a high of 93 degrees and a low of 67.
