Date: 8/14
Time: 9-11 a.m. (CDT)
Place: James A. and Frances H. Yance Football Practice Facility
Practice attire: Full pads
Offensive Player of the Day: Xavier Johnson, Sr., RB, Tampa, Fla.
-Offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent on Johnson: "Obviously, we all know the type of player and guy 'X' is from his time here over the past few years, but he continues to push himself at a high level and continues to push his teammates. He cares about this team and this program. He stands out every day. We've had two days off, it's hot and we're on the week three grind, but he just comes out every day and keeps bringing it."
Defensive Player of the Day: Zach Befort, Sr., DL, Wichita, Kan.
-Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack on Befort: "When you look over his complete body of work over the last two-and-a-half weeks, Zach Befort has done an unbelievable job for us and our program. Last year he was a first-year junior-college transfer and he came in and gave us significant reps, which is hard to do. Now in year two, he is executing and playing at such a high level; he does every single thing right in our defense both on and off the field, so I'm very proud of him."
Play of the Day: With the offense running 7-on-7 passing drills in the red zone, Darrell Songy stripped the ball from the receiver to prevent a completion just shy of the goal line.
Team period highlights: The first two team periods of the morning featured run and play-action pass plays, while the last saw the offense working from the shadow of its end zone.
Miscellaneous Notes
-During the second team period, Rocel McWilliams was credited with a sack and another tackle for loss, two of six plays made by the Jaguar defense behind the line of scrimmage.
-Starting at its own two-yard line in the final team period of the day, USA's offense picked up one first down after Xavier Johnson carried for back-to-back gains of six yards and another when Cole Garvin connected with Jahmmir Taylor on third-and-two.
-The second-team defense forced a three-and-out, however, on the next drive after Gus Nave broke up a pass on third-and-five.
-Garvin opened the skeleton passing drills period with a 20-yard touchdown toss to Jalen Wayne, while Dallas Davis added a score with a 10-yard completion to Malik Stanley and Evan Orth found Kawaan Baker in the end zone from 10 yards out.
-Baker led the Jags with three receptions in the period, with Stanley and Wayne supplying two catches apiece.
-The first of two specials teams periods during the practice included kickoff coverage, with the second focused on covering punts.
Head coach Joey Jones
-On his thoughts about the team heading into the third week of the preseason: "We still need some work, but I see some really good things. Defensively we are playing really, really well right now just because of the depth and type of players we have over there and the scheme; they are doing a great job coaching them. The offensive line has to pick it up a little bit — we knew that going in — but we have playmakers on the outside so if we can get the line going we're going to be pretty good on offense."
-On an area he wants to focus on this week: "I want to focus on mental toughness. We're out here in the heat, and I told them that we can't play with guys who are soft, we have to have tough guys to play the game. Obviously we are working on scheme and fundamentals and all of those things, but the biggest goal for this coming week is to come out tougher."
-On when the team will start to prepare for the first game of the season: "We'll start working on Ole Miss 10 days out, we are not working on anybody but us right now."
-On Dallas Davis: "He's pretty much where we want him to be, he's throwing the ball well and is getting more confidence in his arm. He is throwing the deep ball better, he is probably 95 percent right now."
Up next: The Jaguars will work out in the afternoon for the first time during preseason camp Tuesday when practice on campus begins at 3:45 p.m.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Jaguar Athletic Fund (JAF) Priority Fund, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to the Priority Fund directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/priorityfund
—USA—
