Troy head football coach Larry Blakeney criticized South Alabama’s start-up football program in comments published this week, objecting to the eligibility advantage the Jaguars gained from playing their first two seasons as an unclassified program and to the schedule they played during that period.
Blakeney’s remarks were reported by Adam Sparks of The Daily News Journal. South Alabama and Troy are scheduled to meet in football for the first time this fall, when the Trojans visit Mobile for the Jaguars’ first Sun Belt Conference football game.
Objection to Eligibility Rules
South Alabama played the 2009 and 2010 seasons as an unclassified program. Under that status, players recruited to the new program were able to play in all five of their years at the school, rather than having five years in which to play four seasons.
“I think it’s bullcrap, myself,” Blakeney said. “Anything that gives one school an advantage in recruiting like that should not be there. We’ve lost some players to them because of that. But the main thing is the game.”
Comments on the Jaguars’ Early Schedule
Blakeney also said South Alabama built its fan base by scheduling opponents it was able to beat in its first two seasons.
“It will be a rivalry in this state, and I expect (the stadium) will be full. They’ve done a great job of developing fans because they haven’t played anybody that they couldn’t beat for two years,” Blakeney said. “That made everybody happy. I thought that was brilliant.”
Background
South Alabama began playing football in 2009 under head coach Joey Jones, the program’s first head coach. The 2012 season will be the Jaguars’ fourth and their first as a full member of the Sun Belt in football. South Alabama plays its home games at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Blakeney has coached Troy since 1990. The Trojans went 3-9 in 2011.
The two schools are about 176 miles apart and recruit many of the same areas.
