MOBILE, Ala. — Jordan Means connected on a 53-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, and the White team made the kick stand up for a 10-7 victory over the Red team in South Alabama’s spring football game at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
The annual Red-White Game, the second in the history of the Jaguars’ young football program, closed spring practice for head coach Joey Jones and his staff. Both defenses had their moments, and neither offense was able to sustain control for long stretches of the evening.
White Team Strikes First
Quarterback Myles Gibbon led the White offense on a 13-play, 70-yard march on the opening possession. The drive was kept alive near midfield when the White team elected to go for it on fourth-and-one, and Gibbon hit Paul Bennett for a 13-yard completion to move the chains.
Gibbon followed with a six-yard run, Santuan McGee added two carries for 13 yards, and Brandon Ross swept left for 17 yards to the 1-yard line. Gibbon finished the drive himself with a 1-yard plunge to give the White team a 7-0 lead.
The Red team answered with a 55-yard drive to the White 25, but the defense held on fourth-and-five to force a turnover on downs.
The White offense moved 69 yards in six plays on its next possession, with most of the yardage coming on a 52-yard pass from Gibbon to Courtney Smith on a post route. The drive stalled at the 1, however, when a fourth-down pass into the end zone fell incomplete.
Sim, Vail Connect for 73-Yard Score
Taking over at their own 1-yard line, the Red team went the length of the field behind quarterback Brennan Sim to tie the game with under three minutes remaining before halftime.
Sim converted a third down with a 14-yard completion to Donte Rome and then found Rome again for 16 yards. After Brandon Norton dropped Sim for an eight-yard sack, Sim faked an option run, drew the defensive back forward and threw to Kelly Vail on a post pattern. Vail turned the catch into a 73-yard touchdown that capped the 99-yard drive and made it 7-7.
Means’ Long Kick Decides It
Defense controlled the second half, which produced only one score.
Zach Brownell set up the decisive drive by intercepting a pass and returning it eight yards to the 38-yard line. Gibbon hit Courtney Smith to move the ball to midfield, and two plays later McGee broke a 12-yard run for a first down at the Red 34.
On third-and-10, Bennett caught a Gibbon pass in the right flat for 22 yards as the third quarter ended. The Red defense then responded with three straight plays that lost yardage, including consecutive sacks by Clifton Crews and Josh Chestang, pushing the ball back to the 36 and leaving the White team facing fourth-and-24.
Instead of punting, the White team sent out Means for a 53-yard attempt. The kick barely cleared the crossbar, and when the officials signaled it good, the White sideline celebrated a 10-7 lead. The drive, including the field goal, consumed 13 minutes and 52 seconds.
That left the Red team roughly 11 and a half minutes to respond, but the White defense did not allow a sustained drive the rest of the way.
Jones said the decision to attempt the field goal came while players were preparing to run a fourth-down play to try to gain yardage.
“That was great,” Jones said. “I was over there and they were ready to run a fourth-down play to try and at least gain some yardage. I reminded them the wind was behind them, though I wasn’t trying to be a head coach. Jordan has a good leg, I knew if he got it going straight he had it. It was a great kick.”
Statistical Leaders
Gibbon completed 8 of 9 passes for 131 yards for the White team. Smith caught four of those passes for 83 yards, Bennett had two receptions for 35 yards and Lamontis Gardner added two catches. McGee led the White rushing attack with 43 yards on 10 carries, and Ross ran five times for 33 yards.
Romelle Jones led the White defense with five tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Richard Courtney and Logan Bennett had four tackles each, and Bryson James added three. The White defense allowed 207 total yards.
For the Red team, Sim was 13 of 22 for 184 yards. Vail had four receptions for a game-high 94 yards, and Ralph Turner also caught four passes, for 39 yards. The Red offense managed 13 rushing yards on 14 attempts, with Eli Smith gaining 18 yards on six carries.
Ken Barefield led all players with nine tackles, two of them for loss. Michael Wilson added seven tackles, while Crews and Enrique Williams had four apiece. The Red defense gave up 219 total yards.
Jones: “A Good Way to End”
Jones watched from the field throughout the game and said the scrimmage provided a lighthearted finish to the spring.
“I think the kids had some fun out there,” Jones said. “It was a good-spirited night, they’ve been at each other the last couple of days and had a good time. It was a good way to end a long spring training.”
According to Romelle Jones, players on the two squads traded good-natured ribbing and text messages throughout the week leading up to the game. Gibbon said it felt like playing with an entirely new team, since each squad had only one practice to prepare.
Gwin Gift, Spring Awards Recognized
At halftime, Mobile businessman David Gwin and his wife, Lynn, were recognized for a $100,000 donation for a football sculpture. According to South Alabama President Gordon Moulton, the stainless steel sculpture will stand about 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide in the front circle at the entrance to the Jaguar Football Field House.
Jones and his staff also presented awards for spring practice. Most Improved honors went to:
- Quarterback: Brennan Sim
- Running back: Eli Smith
- Wide receiver: Bryant Lavender
- Tight end: Robby Stoner
- Offensive line: Levi Slaydon
- Defensive line: Kendell Bagnerise
- Inside linebacker: Brett Hancock
- Outside linebacker: Josh Chestang
- Defensive back: Michael Wilson
Corey Walden received special recognition on offense and Ken Barefield on defense. Charlie Higgenbotham earned the “I Like To Practice” award, and Sim also received the High Academic Honors award.
South Alabama, which began playing football in 2009, continues its move toward the Division I level. The Jaguars open the 2010 season on Saturday, Sept. 4, when Pikeville (Ky.) visits Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
