MOBILE, Ala. — In football, few things matter more than a deep, versatile and physical group of running backs, and the South Alabama running backs believe they are that kind of group. The Jaguars’ three-man backfield of PJ Martin, Keenan Phillips and Trae’von Dunbar carried the offense in last week’s win over Ohio, and the trio is ready for its biggest test of the season Saturday at Kentucky.
Against the Bobcats, the three running backs combined for 248 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 45 carries as South Alabama held on for a 41-36 victory. Kickoff against the Wildcats at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, is set for 11:45 a.m. Saturday.
‘Three Tremendous Young Men’
Head coach Major Applewhite did not hesitate when asked about his running backs this week.
“Those are three tremendous young men,” Applewhite said.
Applewhite stressed how important it is to have a deep running back room, and he said he feels fortunate and blessed to coach players like Martin, Phillips and Dunbar. A rotation of three backs keeps legs fresh deep into games, gives the offense different styles to lean on and protects the team against the injuries that inevitably pile up at such a physical position.
That depth has become a defining trait of an offense that likes to run the ball and control the clock. South Alabama now ranks second in the Football Bowl Subdivision in time of possession, holding the ball for better than 36 minutes per game. Only Boise State, at 37 minutes, controls the ball more on average.
Different Paths, One Running Back Room
The three backs arrived in Mobile by different routes. Martin has spent his entire college career with the Jaguars. Phillips, who came from Georgia Military College, and Dunbar, who transferred from West Virginia, both joined South Alabama before the 2025 season.
That shared arrival is where the bond began. Phillips said the group made a point of spending time together away from the field.
“We’re getting together, hanging out, eating, calling each other, just building a relationship between one another,” Phillips said.
The relationship has grown a great deal since then, and the three have become each other’s biggest supporters. They say they stay motivated when someone else is making plays because they know their own chance is coming soon.
“It’s great just being in a room with guys that want to see you win,” Dunbar said.
The chemistry is easy to spot on game days. Whenever one of the three reaches the end zone, all three run to one another and jump together in a big group hug.
Phillips showed flashes a year ago during Applewhite’s second season, when South Alabama finished 4-8, including a 104-yard game on 13 carries against Coastal Carolina and a 75-yard, one-touchdown effort against Louisiana. Martin opened this season as the team’s leading rusher in each of the first two games, with 69 yards against Southeastern Louisiana and 73 yards at Tulane.
Phillips Earns Hornung Honor Roll Recognition
Phillips was the headliner against Ohio. He ran for a team-high 116 yards, caught two passes for 25 yards and added an 8-yard kickoff return. That all-around performance earned him a spot on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll.
The Paul Hornung Award, presented each year since 2010 by the Louisville Sports Commission, goes to the most versatile player in major college football. It is named for Louisville native Paul Hornung, the 1956 Heisman Trophy winner at Notre Dame who went on to star as a do-everything halfback and kicker for the Green Bay Packers and was named NFL MVP in 1961. The weekly honor roll recognizes players who contribute in multiple ways during a given game.
Even though Phillips leads the team in rushing yards, the Ohio game produced his first touchdown of the season, and it came as a relief.
“It felt relieving,” Phillips said. “I was seeing my boys score and I’m proud for them, but I was like, I got to get in the box sometime.”
Dunbar Makes Every Carry Count
Dunbar touched the ball only six times on the ground against Ohio, but he made the most of each opportunity, rushing for 52 yards and two touchdowns. On his first score, he showed off his power by running through an Ohio defender before racing the rest of the way for a 32-yard touchdown.
For a back in a three-man rotation, every snap is a chance to make an impression, and Dunbar said that is exactly how he approaches it.
“So every time I step on that field, I got to put my best effort,” Dunbar said. “I just got to do everything I can to show my talent.”
A ‘Black Belt’ Opponent in Lexington
South Alabama, now 2-1 after a 39-14 opening win over Southeastern Louisiana and a 28-24 loss at Tulane, will need to follow the Ohio performance with another strong showing against a team carrying plenty of momentum. Kentucky is coming off a 31-21 road win over then-No. 10 Texas A&M at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.
The Wildcats, in their first season under head coach Will Stein, scored 21 points in the third quarter at College Station and controlled the line of scrimmage against the Aggies, running the ball effectively and connecting on explosive plays. South Alabama defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said this week that Kentucky “pushed them around” in that game.
The Jaguars say they are not backing down. Martin put the challenge in martial arts terms.
“Sometimes you play against a yellow belt and sometimes you go up against those black belts,” Martin said. “It’s a black belt opponent this week, so anytime they let their guard down, we’re going to try to hit them for sure.”
For the running backs, the matchup will test more than toughness. Kentucky’s defense under coordinator Jay Bateman is known for mixing fronts and coverages and adding defenders to the box, which can take away running lanes before they develop. How well the Jaguars block and read those looks may decide whether the three-back rotation can keep the offense on schedule and extend South Alabama’s edge in time of possession.
The backs will be running behind a rebuilt offensive line. Several key linemen from recent Jaguar teams have moved on to other programs, including last year’s left tackle, now at UCLA, and the former starting center, now at Tulsa. Applewhite has said the new group has done well so far but called Saturday its biggest test yet.
Applewhite understands what the trip means. This is the third straight season South Alabama has played a Southeastern Conference opponent on the road. The Jaguars lost at LSU in 2024 and fell 31-15 at Auburn last season. South Alabama’s last win over a power-conference opponent came in 2023, a 33-7 victory at Oklahoma State.
“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime,” Applewhite said. “But this opportunity has a lifetime, you know. Offer expires Saturday at 3:45.”
More From Week 4
Applewhite shared several other notes as the Jaguars prepared for Kentucky:
- Hollins delivered in his first start. Applewhite said he was not surprised by junior quarterback Jared Hollins’ performance against Ohio in his first career start in place of the injured Bishop Davenport. Hollins, a local product from Semmes, completed 13 of 20 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown. Davenport, a fifth-year senior who started the first two games, missed the Ohio game with what Applewhite described as a minor injury, and the staff has said it plans to be cautious with his workload.
- No turnovers yet. South Alabama is one of six FBS teams that has not turned the ball over this season. The Jaguars have forced four takeaways, three interceptions and a fumble recovery.
- A breakout for Darby. Junior cornerback Damyrion “Dee” Darby had a breakout game against Ohio with four tackles, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup and his first career interception. Darby entered the season with just two career tackles and one pass breakup.
- Controlling the clock. South Alabama is second in the FBS in time of possession at better than 36 minutes per game, trailing only Boise State’s 37.
Those numbers tell a consistent story. An offense that protects the ball and grinds out long drives with a deep backfield keeps its defense fresh and limits an opponent’s chances, which is exactly the formula a Sun Belt team hopes to lean on when it visits an SEC stadium.
Game Information
- Matchup: South Alabama (2-1) at Kentucky
- Kickoff: 11:45 a.m. Central, Saturday, Sept. 26
- Site: Kroger Field, Lexington, Kentucky
- Last week: South Alabama beat Ohio 41-36; Kentucky won 31-21 at Texas A&M