MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama head coach Joey Jones described the uniforms the Jaguars will wear when the football program takes the field in 2009 and outlined plans for spring practice and the program’s first recruiting class during Wednesday’s edition of the Joey Jones Show.
Silver Helmets, Red Jerseys
Jones said players and coaches viewed several helmet designs and voted before settling on a silver helmet featuring the new Jaguar logo on the side, with a red facemask.
The South Alabama football uniform will include a solid red jersey with large numbers on the front and back and numbers on the sleeves. “Jaguars” may also appear across the top of the jersey front. The pants will be silver with red, white and blue stripes down the sides.
Jones said he would like to implement a helmet-sticker reward system similar to those used at Ohio State and Florida State, possibly using paw-print stickers.
Scheduling
Jones said the staff is close to finalizing the 2009 schedule. He added that South Alabama has also been in contact with several schools about future games, including LSU and Texas A&M.
Spring Practice Open to Public
Asked by host Lee Shirvanian whether practices would be open to fans, Jones said spring practice sessions will likely be held Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with scrimmages on Saturdays, and will be open to the public.
The workouts will be held at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Jones said the team could practice on the campus intramural fields, but those fields lack a dressing facility, while Ladd-Peebles officials will allow the team to keep its sleds and other practice equipment on site.
First Recruiting Class
South Alabama is assembling the first recruiting class in program history. Beginning Dec. 1, the coaching staff may visit with each prospect one time.
Jones said he and athletic director Joe Gottfried agreed that every assistant coach should be on the road from the first day to the last day permitted under NCAA rules. Each coach will be assigned a recruiting area, and Jones will travel to assist each assistant in his territory.
Jones said both school visits and home visits have advantages. At schools, coaches can meet with principals and teachers to check on a prospect’s academic progress, and other students see South Alabama’s presence. Home visits, he said, are where families make decisions.
On verbal commitments, Jones said assistant coaches call recruits weekly and gain a sense of each player’s commitment level through those conversations, though the staff occasionally has to regroup after a surprise.
Jones explained that the staff ranks prospects at each position on its list of needs and remains in contact with several players at a time, moving to the next player on the list if a top target signs elsewhere.
JV Games
Shirvanian raised the possibility of South Alabama playing junior varsity games. Jones said that could give reserve players experience, but noted that in his conversations with other schools, many do not play JV games and focus entirely on the varsity.
South Alabama’s football program, approved in December 2007, is scheduled to begin play in 2009 with home games at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
