University of South Alabama Athletics

Making his first career start in the Jaguars’ season opener against GWU, Xavier Johnson set career highs with 121 yards rushing and 177 all-purpose yards while scoring a pair of touchdowns to help lead USA to a 33-23 victory.  Both scores came in the second half, with the first — on a 56-yard reception in which he took a pass out of the backfield to the end zone — coming on the Jags’ initial snap after falling behind for the only time in the contest in the opening minutes of the third quarter, and the second clinching the game midway through the final period after a school-record 92-yard run.  The sophomore — who averaged more than 22 yards per touch — became the first Jaguar to score both a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game since Santuan McGee turned the trick on Nov. 12, 2009, in a 35-0 win over Huntingdon (Ala.) to cap the program’s inaugural season.