MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama head coach Joey Jones previewed the Jaguars’ Saturday game at Tennessee during his Monday press conference, calling the Volunteers a well-coached Southeastern Conference team coming off two games against top opponents. The team had its customary Monday off from practice.
“Tennessee is an SEC team that has played two really, really good opponents the last two weeks,” Jones said. “If you watch them on film you see how well-coached they are, how well they get after you on defense, how aggressive they are on the offensive line. What I see is a really good football team that has played two great teams in the last two weeks.”
Size the Biggest Concern
Asked about his biggest concern, Jones pointed to Tennessee’s physical size.
“Probably just sheer size, they are huge on the offensive line, and the defensive line may be even bigger on the inside,” Jones said. “They have big linebackers, they have done a great recruiting there. That will probably be the biggest thing you see.”
“They lose by 14 points to one of the top 20 teams in the country last week, a lot of teams are going to lose by 14 points to a team like that, or by more,” he said. “They have a real good football team, I’ve been impressed with their coaching. I watch film, I understand the guys are teaching technique, they are very well-coached in all phases. It’s going to be a great challenge for us, but one our kids are looking forward to.”
A More Mature Team
Jones said the Jaguars have matured since fall drills opened in August.
“We have matured, I think we’ve grown,” Jones said. “One thing that we have been harping on this whole time is that we have to get better fundamentally and get better at what we do. Our kids are doing that, they are going out and practicing hard, and I think they have gotten better. The thing I challenge my team with every week is that every team is going to have some weaknesses, our goal is by midseason to delete all of them.”
He cited Sunday’s practice as an example of senior leadership. “There were some seniors at the gate meeting guys as they walked in, talking about how we were going to have a great practice,” Jones said. “They kept saying it over and over again, and because of their leadership we had a great practice. That goes back to the leadership and maturity of our senior class.”
Jones said the offense, defense and special teams have come together as one unit. “The defense went out on the field after we fumbled last week and said, ‘Coach, we got it.’ They weren’t complaining. The offense went on the field after we gave up a touchdown and said, ‘We got it,’” Jones said. “That means you’re part of the team.”
Newcomers Making an Impact
Jones said the Jaguars have a number of new starters compared with last season, including a couple of receivers and the team’s top two running backs on offense and several players in the secondary on defense.
“You’re looking at probably nine or 10 guys who have made a big impact on our football team that are either junior-college transfers or transfers from other four-year schools,” Jones said. “That’s a part of recruiting, you recruit them to try and make yourself better and increase your talent at each position.”
Areas to Improve
Jones said he is pleased with where the program stands but identified two areas needing work.
“One is red zone defense, we are giving up too many points in the red zone, and vice versa, on offense, we are having to kick too many field goals,” he said. “Those are a couple of areas we can really improve on, that’s giving up points and getting points on offense.”
National Stage
Jones said playing Tennessee on television gives the program national exposure. “Being on a national stage, seeing the name South Alabama on TV for three hours, is great for us,” he said. “It’s something we are striving for, we want to be nationally known, and this is one step in that process.”
He added that the result depends on preparation, not the setting. “What matters is how good we are, how well we practice and how much we bring from the practice field to the game,” he said.
Jones also said he expects Jaguar fans to travel, noting that South Alabama fans have supported the team at Tulane, NC State and Mississippi State. “We may have 1,000 people compared to their 99,000, but they will be in full support of the Jaguars,” he said.
Players Weigh In
Linebacker Clifton Crews said the bye week helped the defense return to basics under defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer.
“Mentally, it kind of took us back to day one when we were in (preseason) camp. We tackled in practice much more than we usually do,” Crews said. “The bye week didn’t do anything but help us. We just looked at ourselves and didn’t really worry about the opposition.”
On Tennessee, Crews said, “Florida’s defensive line got after their offensive line pretty good. Tennessee turned the ball over a lot, but this is another SEC game. I think we can capitalize if we can rattle them and get them on their heels.”
Placekicker Aleem Sunanon said the team’s confidence has grown since the season opener. “We really struggled with confidence after week one. But as we got past it and got to week two, the confidence level just started rising,” Sunanon said. “Once we had that taste of winning in our mouths, that confidence just skyrocketed. We took that into the Western Kentucky game.”
Game Information
South Alabama and Tennessee kick off at 11:21 a.m. CDT Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. The game will be televised by the SEC Network, available locally on UTV44, and carried on radio by 105.5 FM WNSP in Mobile.
