MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama resumed spring football practice after more than a week off for spring break, taking the field at 6 a.m. in breezy conditions and adding new offensive and defensive material to the foundation laid in the first five sessions.
Head coach Joey Jones said the Jaguars returned with intensity and retained what they had learned before the break.
Jones Pleased With Return
“It was good,” Jones said after practice. “I thought we had a great practice. The kids came back ready to go. They really retained a lot of the things they have learned the first five practices, which was good. We added some stuff offensively and defensively, so we made progress today.”
Jones said the staff kept the first five practices simple to emphasize fundamentals and make the material easier to retain. The team is now building on that base.
“We actually added things in today, which was good because obviously there are areas we need to work on,” Jones said. “The coaches have done a great job of presenting it in a progressive way where they could learn it, they are not just throwing things at the kids. The way the coaches are teaching has helped the players on the field.”
Emphasis on Fundamentals and Ball Control
Fundamentals and ball security have been a priority this spring. Several drills during the session focused specifically on holding onto the football, an issue for the team last season.
The wind affected some parts of the workout, which covered position and team drills across nearly every phase of the game. The coaching staff will review video to evaluate players and decide how repetitions will be distributed in the remaining spring practices and when fall camp opens in August.
Practice Breakdown
The session began with individual skill drills. The first-team offense then worked on screen plays followed by inside run drills, while wide receivers and defensive backs went through one-on-one drills.
A 7-on-7 skeleton passing period lasted about 15 minutes before the team moved into full-team work covering first-, second- and third-down situations.
Special Teams
Special teams work was spread across different segments of practice, with the Jaguars working on punts, punt returns and field goals. Scott Garber and Logan Gunn each had standout punts during the punting period.
With no assistant designated as special teams coach, Jones, Coach Vincent and several graduate assistants worked with players during the special teams segments.
Remaining Spring Schedule
South Alabama has nine practice sessions remaining, including the annual Red-Blue spring game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Saturday, April 6.
The Jaguars return to the field Thursday at 6 a.m., followed by a Saturday session at 9:45 a.m. that Jones said would be a scrimmage, and a Sunday practice at 3 p.m. on the on-campus practice fields. Two practices are planned next week ahead of another scrimmage on Saturday, March 30.
Update: Injury Report and Recruiting
Several Jaguars were cleared to return during the spring break week. Linebacker Bryson James, who had been held out with dehydration and a head laceration, received medical clearance for Tuesday’s practice. Linebacker Ridge James was cleared after passing concussion tests following an injury in the third practice of the spring, and defensive back Charles Harris was also cleared after a concussion.
Eddie Cabrera, who suffered a fractured fibula during spring practice, will miss the rest of spring drills but is expected to be healed in time for fall camp. Anthony Harris, Ucambre Williams, Shaun Artz and Randon Carnathan have missed every practice this spring, and most of them are not expected to participate in the remaining sessions as they recover from injuries.
While players were off for the break, Jones and his staff reviewed video from the first five practices and evaluated prospects for the 2014 recruiting class, extending several scholarship offers. The staff is seeking playmakers, a pair of offensive linemen, and defensive backs at safety, cornerback and nickel, along with players who can contribute on special teams.
“We had a good week evaluating our players,” Jones told AL.com. “Again, the whole thing about spring is to go through the whole spring and then evaluate them at that point. But certainly there are some guys who have caught our eye and are doing really well and moving away toward more playing time. That’s happened in the first five days and it will continue to happen for the remainder of spring.”
