MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama football will open its first spring practice March 9 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, coach Joey Jones said Wednesday, with three scrimmages tentatively scheduled and open to the public.
Jones appeared on the Joey Jones Show at Wings Sports Grill on Airport Boulevard with strength and conditioning coach Justin Schwin. Brian Stross hosted in place of Lee Shirvanian, who was preparing to broadcast the South Alabama baseball team’s game against Southern Miss.
Practice Location Settled
Jones clarified where spring practice will be held. The staff had planned to hold most practices on campus because of players’ class schedules and the logistics of getting to and from Ladd-Peebles Stadium before the program’s field house is completed for summer and fall workouts.
After studying options for building or adapting a temporary locker room and shower facility on campus, the staff determined that doing so was not economically feasible. Spring practice will instead be held at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Schedule
Practices are set for 2:30 to 4:45 p.m. The first three practices will be closed to the public. Three scrimmages, open to the public at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, are tentatively scheduled for March 27, April 3 and April 10.
Strength and Conditioning
Under NCAA rules, the staff may work with players eight hours a week until spring practice begins, when the limit increases to 20 hours a week. Under the current schedule, players are in the weight room five days a week. During spring practice, weight room sessions drop to two days a week, with the remaining time spent on the field.
Each assistant coach oversees a specific area of the weight room while Schwin moves throughout the facility to ensure workouts are done correctly.
Building Athletes
Jones said he wants players developed as athletes rather than bulky players who cannot move. He said the program is not focused simply on strength and size but on speed and athleticism, and workouts can be adjusted for individual players based on what Jones wants each to improve.
The staff said training must cover strength, agility, hip speed and changing direction without neglecting any area. Weight training must progress carefully, from proper form and technique to heavier work, to avoid injuries. Players also should not lift at maximum capacity every session, which the staff said does not produce improvement and raises the risk of injury.
Nutrition Over Supplements
Asked about supplements and protein shakes, Jones said proper nutrition makes most supplements unnecessary and may work better. He said he tells players that a quick fix is probably not a good one, and that players who eat poorly will play poorly.
Broadcast Questions
A caller suggested that a televised coach’s show, like those at Troy and other schools, would be a valuable recruiting tool, and asked whether WNSP, which carries the Joey Jones Show, would become the flagship station for South Alabama athletics.
Jones said South Alabama has signed a contract with IMG, which will have significant input on such decisions. He said athletic director Joe Gottfried has discussed many possibilities, but no concrete plans have been set.
South Alabama begins its first football season this fall, with home games at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
