MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama opens its 2022 football season Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium against Nicholls State, beginning head coach Kane Wommack’s second season with a roster reshaped by transfers and newcomers.
Building on 2021
South Alabama went 5-7 last season, Wommack’s first, the program’s most wins since 2016. Several losses were close: the Jaguars lost to Louisiana-Lafayette and at Texas State by two points each, the latter in four overtimes, and to Troy by seven in a game in which quarterback Jake Bentley was injured on an illegal hit. South Alabama then lost the season finale to Coastal Carolina in overtime, with Bentley returning at less than full health, finishing one win short of bowl eligibility.
“Our best days are ahead of us,” Wommack has said.
Departures from last season include Jalen Tolbert, Bentley, Tre Young, Devin Rockette, Chris Henderson, Kareem Walker, Jamal Brooks, Shawn Jennings, Christian Bell and Ja’Chai Baker.
New Faces
Carter Bradley, a transfer from Toledo, was named the starting quarterback over Desmond Trotter. Bradley spent four seasons at Toledo; in 2021 he played in eight games, completing 77 of 130 passes for 972 yards and four touchdowns, including 18 of 28 for 221 yards and a touchdown in a three-point loss to No. 7 Notre Dame.
Tight end DaMarcus Thomas, cornerback Jalen Jordan and receiver Jamar Richardson transferred from Ole Miss. Offensive lineman Dontae Lucas came from Florida State, offensive lineman PJ Mixon from Jacksonville State and placekicker Jacob Meeks from Texas Tech. Inside linebacker James Miller rejoined Wommack from Indiana, and safety Marvin Martin transferred from Kansas State and will start in place of Keith Gallmon, who is out for the season after surgery for a torn pectoral muscle.
The running back room has been almost entirely remade. Terrion Avery and Bryan Hill are the only returners, joined by La’Damian Webb from Jones (Miss.) College, Omni Wells from Mississippi State and Marco Lee from Virginia Tech. Webb, who had been healing from injuries during spring and preseason camp, was named the starter. At Jones College he rushed 221 times for 1,399 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The first depth chart had several surprises. Jordan will start over CJ Thompson, who took most of the first-team repetitions in spring and preseason camp. Former walk-on Reggie Smith will start at right guard, and Anterrious Gray, last season’s starter at that position, is listed as the backup left guard. Diego Guajardo remains the placekicker, with Meeks handling kickoffs.
Jaguar Lineup
James Jackson, who started seven of the eight games he played last season, returns at center, with Trey Simpson, a starter in all 12 games last season at multiple line positions, behind him. Antawn Lewis starts at right tackle with Josh McCulloch as his backup. Mixon starts at left tackle and Lucas at left guard. True freshman Adrien Strickland is the backup left tackle. Three of the five starters weigh more than 300 pounds.
Tight end Lincoln Sefcik, who earned third-team All-Sun Belt honors last season, led the position group with 32 catches for 218 yards and five touchdowns. Brandon Crum, who caught nine passes for 95 yards and a touchdown last season, starts in the blocking tight end role.
The starting receivers are Jalen Wayne, Devin Voisin and Caullin Lacy in the slot. Wayne, a sixth-year senior and honorable mention All-Sun Belt pick last season, caught 53 passes for 630 yards and two touchdowns. Lacy started six of 11 games and caught 41 passes for 291 yards.
On defense, Jamie Sheriff returns from injury to start at Bandit end. Nose guard Wy’kevious Thomas started all 12 games last season, and Charles Coleman, who started nine games, starts at defensive tackle. CJ Rias starts at Wolf linebacker, Miller at Mike linebacker and Quentin Wilfawn at Stinger linebacker. In the secondary, Yam Banks starts at the Husky nickel spot, Richardson at field cornerback, Darrell Luter at boundary cornerback, Jordan at Rover and Martin at free safety.
Last season South Alabama averaged 24.9 points, 367.4 total yards, 256 passing yards and 111.4 rushing yards per game, and allowed 26.4 points and 354.7 yards per game. Guajardo and punter Jack Brooks return, and Lacy and true freshman Braylon McReynolds are listed as kick returners.
Nicholls State
South Alabama has hosted FCS Nicholls State three times and won all three, but the Colonels’ last visit to Mobile, in 2016, went to overtime before the Jaguars won 41-40 by stopping a two-point conversion attempt twice.
Nicholls went 6-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play last season, closing with a 45-42 win over No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana after a 27-24 loss at Louisiana-Lafayette. Head coach Tim Rebowe has led the Colonels to five consecutive winning seasons, a first in program history, and to three straight FCS playoff appearances from 2017 to 2019. In 2018 Nicholls beat Kansas for its first win over a Power Five program.
Senior running back Julien Gums, named to the Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award watch list, has more than 2,500 career rushing yards and 32 touchdowns. His 2021 season ended with an injury in the second game after he rushed for 139 yards on 19 carries against North Alabama and 105 yards on six carries in the first quarter against Houston Baptist. Colin Guggenheim rushed for 930 yards and 10 touchdowns on 145 carries last season, averaging 6.4 yards per carry, and set the school single-season record of 103.3 rushing yards per game.
Guggenheim, tight end Lee Negrotto, receiver K.J. Franklin, center Evan Roussel and placekicker Gavin Lasseigne were named to the preseason All-Southland Conference first team. Quarterback Kohen Granier, who started the final two games last season and completed 46 of 84 passes for 616 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions, and tackle Mark Barthelemy made the second team. Franklin ranks 10th in school history with 1,277 receiving yards. Lasseigne made 11 of 13 field goals and 46 of 47 extra points last season and is five extra points from the school record.
The Colonels averaged 33.4 points and 493.2 yards per game last season while allowing 28.6 points and 385.9 yards. Defensive lineman Perry Ganci, a preseason first-team all-conference pick, had 9.5 tackles for loss and six sacks last season. Linebacker Hayden Shaheen had 56 tackles, and defensive back Jordan Jackson returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown.
Line
South Alabama is a 10-point favorite. The Jaguars visit Central Michigan and UCLA in the following weeks.
