MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama returns from its open week to host Louisiana-Monroe in its homecoming game Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium, with the Jaguars leading the Sun Belt Conference West Division.
South Alabama (4-1, 1-0 Sun Belt) is the only West Division team without a conference loss. Its last outing was a win at Louisiana-Lafayette that ended a six-game losing streak against the Cajuns and was the Jaguars’ first win at Cajun Field. Diego Guajardo kicked the game-winning field goal.
Healing During the Open Week
Head coach Kane Wommack hopes the extra rest allows several injured players to return. On defense, the Jaguars hope to get back some or all of Quentin Wilfawn, Jamar Richardson, Wy’kevious Thomas, Dallas Gamble and Ed Smith. On offense, they hope to return PJ Mixon, Dontae Lucas, Adrein Strickland and Brandon Crum.
Tight end DJ Thomas-Jones, who collapsed on the sideline in Lafayette and was taken to a hospital, has reportedly passed every medical test so far. His clearance to return remains uncertain as testing continues.
ULM Rebuilt Its Staff
Louisiana-Monroe (2-4, 1-2 Sun Belt) is in its second season under head coach Terry Bowden, who went 4-8 (2-6 Sun Belt) last year. One of those wins was a 41-31 victory over South Alabama in Monroe.
Offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez left after last season to become head coach at Jacksonville State, and defensive coordinator Zac Alley joined him there. Bowden rehired Matt Kubik, who was ULM’s offensive coordinator from 2016 to 2019. During that stint the Warhawks averaged 444.9 yards and 30.7 points per game, and in 2019 ULM was one of five FBS teams to average at least 200 rushing yards and 250 passing yards per game. Kubik was offensive coordinator at Southern Miss in 2020 and at Columbia High School in Mississippi in 2021, helping it to a 14-1 record and a Class 4A state championship.
Bowden hired veteran defensive coordinator Vic Koenning, whose previous stops include Wyoming (as defensive coordinator and later head coach), Troy, Clemson, Kansas State, Illinois, North Carolina and West Virginia. Koenning’s 2011 Illinois defense ranked seventh nationally, allowing 291.8 yards per game.
Warhawks by the Numbers
ULM averages 20.3 points, 330.8 total yards, 187.3 passing yards and 143.5 rushing yards per game. Those figures include a 52-10 loss at Texas and a 63-7 loss at Alabama; excluding those games, the Warhawks average 26.2 points. They beat Nicholls 35-7 and upset Louisiana-Lafayette 21-17 with two fourth-quarter touchdowns, rolling up 419 yards. Last week they gained 424 yards against unbeaten Coastal Carolina and had chances to tie the game late.
Quarterback Chandler Rogers has completed 98 of 141 passes for 1,066 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, including 27 of 31 against Coastal Carolina. He has also rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Tyrone Howell has 15 catches for 261 yards, Alred Luke 15 for 217 and Jevin Frett 16 for 199, each with a touchdown. Tight end Zach Rasmussen has three touchdown catches. Malik Jackson leads the ground game with 292 yards and five touchdowns, and Andrew Henry has 222 yards and two scores.
The Warhawks have scored on 13 of 16 red zone trips, 12 with touchdowns, and have been sacked 14 times. Defensively, ULM allows 35.3 points and 390 yards per game. Linebacker Tristan Diggers leads with 31 tackles and three interceptions, Zach Woodard has 30 tackles and two sacks, and Quae Drake leads with six tackles for loss. Punter Devyn McCormick averages 43.3 yards.
Jaguars by the Numbers
South Alabama averages 35 points, 431.8 total yards, 276.4 passing yards and 155.4 rushing yards per game, and has converted 49.3 percent of third downs. Carter Bradley has completed 101 of 165 passes for 1,274 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. Caullin Lacy has 23 catches for 370 yards and two touchdowns, Jalen Wayne 26 for 364 yards and three touchdowns, and Devin Voisin 19 for 193 yards and a touchdown. La’Damian Webb has 463 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and true freshman Braylon McReynolds has 104 yards.
The defense allows 18.8 points, 298.8 total yards, 198.4 passing yards and 100.4 rushing yards per game, and opponents have converted 33.3 percent of third downs. Trey Kiser and Jaden Voisin lead with 25 tackles each, James Miller has 24, Kiser and CJ Rias have two sacks each, and Yam Banks leads with two interceptions. South Alabama forced five turnovers against Louisiana Tech, including two interceptions and a fumble recovery by Banks, and is plus-7 in turnover margin.
Guajardo is 7-for-7 on field goals with a long of 48 yards. Jack Brooks averages 42.6 yards per punt. Lacy averages 14.25 yards on eight punt returns, including a 57-yard touchdown against Louisiana Tech.
Last Year’s Meeting
In last season’s loss in Monroe, ULM held South Alabama to 89 rushing yards and intercepted Jake Bentley twice. Rogers completed 25 of 35 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns, including an 81-yard scoring pass that broke a 31-31 tie in the third quarter. It was the most passing yards and second-most points South Alabama allowed all season.
South Alabama hosts Troy, which has won the last four meetings, the following Thursday. Wins in both games would make the Jaguars bowl eligible for the first time since 2016 and for the fourth time in program history, after 2013, 2014 and 2016. South Alabama is a 17-point favorite.
