MOBILE, Ala. – Spring practice got underway for the University of South Alabama football program with an hour-and-a-half workout at the fields on campus Wednesday before the sun ever had a chance to come up.
With a handful of individuals new to the program — both coaches and student-athletes — on the field for the first time in Jaguar gear, head coach Joey Jones treated it as an introductory session. “That’s really what it was,” he said. “The defense needed it, but since they pretty much understand what they’re doing, it was the offense that really needed it.”
“I thought the effort and attitude was extremely good,” Jones continued. “Now, offensively we probably made 400 mistakes, but that was to be expected; the deal from here is to keep chipping away at those. Their heads were swimming. We were calling formations and plays, and they were looking around trying to find out what they were supposed to do. We expected that.
“I’m really pleased with the effort and attitude they came out with today.”
The offense, which began the installation of the spread format, used the first 15-minute period following warming up to work on formations. The unit worked in position groups for 40 minutes, coming together the final 25 minutes of the session to run basic plays and work against a scout team.
Defensively, after opening with pursuit drills, the group worked with position coaches for 35 minutes on individual skills. There was a 10-minute period dedicated to formations, while the unit ended the session with a 15-minute period focused on blitzes. Other areas covered by the defense on the opening day of spring practice included fronts, stunts and coverages.
First-, second- and third-team units got work throughout the morning.
USA will waste little time returning to the field, with its second spring practice slated to begin at 6:30 a.m. Thursday. Even though the Jaguars will once again be in shorts, the format will be altered by Jones and the staff.
“It will be a little longer practice — probably over two hours tomorrow — and we'll get into more team situations, more 7-on-7 drills, more inside drills,” he explained. “Today we were just completely split, offense and defense. Tomorrow, we'll have some offense against the defense.”
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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