South Alabama opened fall camp Wednesday morning at Hancock Whitney Stadium, kicking off preparations for a season that begins Saturday, Sept. 5, against Southeastern Louisiana. The Jaguars, coming off a 4-8 finish a year ago and working with a retooled roster and coaching staff, are aiming to build on the momentum generated during summer organized team activities.
Head coach Major Applewhite, entering his third season leading the program and his sixth overall with South Alabama, said he liked what he saw from his team on the first day of pads-and-practice work. He credited the NCAA’s newer allowance for teams to practice together during the summer for getting the Jaguars further along than in past years at this point in the calendar.
“It’s so different from what a lot of us who are fans remember in terms of college football,” Applewhite said after Wednesday’s session. “These guys are practicing during the summer. There’s no more voluntary. So our group, it felt much more like practice 16 or 17 than it did practice one. A lot of good retention. The energy was good. The finish was good.”
Quarterback Battle Headlines Camp
Much of the attention in fall camp will center on the Jaguars’ quarterback room. Returning starter Bishop Davenport enters camp as the presumptive No. 1 option, but Applewhite said Davenport was pushed hard in the spring by Jared Hollins, a transfer and former Mary G. Montgomery standout. The competition remains open heading into the season.
“What we need our quarterbacks to do is very simple,” Applewhite said. “We need them to take care of the football. We need them, when there are throws that are to be made, we need them to make those throws. And then we all know you have to be able to make plays off schedule.” Applewhite noted the difficulty of evaluating quarterbacks in the summer without pads, a pass rush and a play clock, and said fall camp will give the staff its first real look at both passers in scrimmage situations. “In this league, you have to have two ready,” he said, pointing to a 2024 game against Louisiana in which South Alabama’s backup quarterback nearly rallied the team to victory.
The Jaguars also welcome a pair of notable newcomers at the position group: incoming freshman Taylor Jacobs Jr., son of former NFL player Taylor Jacobs, and Aaden Shamburger, a standout out of Spanish Fort.
Injuries, Open Competition Across the Roster
South Alabama’s defense, which lost significant depth to graduation and the transfer portal — particularly at linebacker — is another area the coaching staff will be evaluating closely throughout camp. Applewhite said every position on the roster, including all of special teams, remains an open competition heading into the season.
Several players are working back from injuries and will be limited or held out to open camp, including linebacker Caleb Dozier (foot), linebacker Tirrell Johnson (torn ACL), offensive line transfer Devon Waller of Coffeeville, Kan., Community College (broken leg) and wide receiver Anthony Eager (broken hand). Running back P.J. Martin, who missed all of spring practice with a back injury, returned to the field Wednesday but will continue to be closely monitored.
Applewhite said building familiarity among players and coaches remains a priority as the program continues to benefit from an earlier on-ramp for newcomers. “Familiarity is huge,” he said. “Everybody wants their players in January. So to be able to get junior college players, portal players, high school players to enter at the spring semester, it’s a six-month orientation as opposed to somebody being dropped off mid-summer or at the latest, the end of July.”
South Alabama is scheduled to practice Thursday, Friday and Saturday before taking Sunday off. The Jaguars’ first fall scrimmage is set for Saturday, Aug. 15, with a second scrimmage to follow Saturday, Aug. 22, ahead of the Sept. 5 season opener against Southeastern Louisiana at Hancock Whitney Stadium.