MOBILE, Ala. – All season long, the University of South Alabama football program has known that the true test by which to measure its progress in its second season of competition would be a three-game stretch the second half of October.
After five double-digit victories — including a 45-6 win over Missouri S&T Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium — the Jaguars’ exam is about to begin. First up for USA will be a trip to Beaumont, Texas, to take on Lamar, with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
The Cardinals, who are competing in football for the first time since the 1989 campaign, improved to 3-3 with a 14-0 win over Langston (Okla.) on Saturday in the second of three straight home contests this month.
“When you turn the tape on and watch Lamar, what you see is a bunch of really good athletes,” USA head coach Joey Jones commented. “They have done a good job recruiting from the junior college ranks in Texas and all over. Their staff has done a good job of pulling in some immediate talent.”
Lamar returned to the field the opening weekend of the season and dropped a 30-27 decision at McNeese State, then the 11th-ranked team at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision level. The Cardinals came from behind to defeat Southeastern Louisiana — a team that just upset nationally ranked Texas State last weekend — on the road, 29-28, on Sept. 18, while their other two losses have come at the hands of No. 5 Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State, two of the three teams that are still undefeated in the Southland Conference (SLU is the other).
Andre Bevil leads an offense that is averaging 287.8 yards per game through the air, as he has completed 125-of-220 attempts for 1,707 yards and 13 scores. Leading receiver J.J. Hayes has caught 31 balls for 372 yards and five scores, while Marcus Jackson has added 27 receptions for 557 yards and has also reached the end zone on five occasions.
Jackson had touchdown catches of 47 and 58 yards in the Langston victory to account for all the scoring for the Cardinals.
“When you look at what they do offensively, they are a quick-strike, big-play team,” said Jones. “They have a really good quarterback who is very accurate, he can scramble around and make plays. And they have some great receivers who are tall and can run.
“Lamar really knows what it is doing scheme-wise, offensively. It looks like last week, they really tried to run the ball more, and did a very good job of that. I think it’s helped their football team from a balance standpoint.”
The Cards gained 147 yards rushing last week, nearly 100 more than their average per game (53.5 ypg).
They will test a Jaguar defense that has allowed only 197.2 yards per outing, including less than 140 through the air. Enrique Williams paces USA with 25 total tackles after he had a game-high eight stops in the S&T victory, which included a sack and forced fumble that Randon Carnathan scooped up and ran back eight yards for a score. Justin Dunn and Jake Johnson, fellow inside linebackers, have posted 21 and 18 stops, respectively, this fall, with the duo combining for 11 last weekend; the former was credited with a season-best two stops behind the line of scrimmage.
Michael Wilson has accounted for three of the Jags nine interceptions, while Jonathan Cameron has broken up a pair of passes as well.
Lamar opponents are averaging more than 410 total yards per contest, and the Jags enter play gaining 447.4 yards per outing. Kendall Houston, who has scored multiple touchdowns in three of his first five games, will lead the ground game, as he has gained 259 yards, scored a team-high six touchdowns and is averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Both Ellis Hill and Santuan McGee have gained more than 100 yards rushing too, as the unit looks to overcome the loss of Brandon Ross.
Courtney Smith has caught three passes in each of the last two games, and will enter play with team-leading totals of 10 receptions, 207 yards receiving and three touchdown catches. Bryant Lavender and Corey Waldon have seven receptions each, with both gaining 140 or more yards through the air. Three USA quarterbacks have combined to complete nearly 61 percent of their throws, with Brennan Sim pacing the group — he is 22-of-33 for 383 yards and four touchdowns on the season, leading the Jaguars in each category. C.J. Bennett has accounted for 292 yards through the air after posting a game-high 107 on 5-of-10 passing last weekend, while Myles Gibbon is 14-of-22 for 288 yards this fall.
Asim Hicks leads LU with 56 tackles and three sacks, with Jacody Coleman supplying a team-high 8½ stops for loss. Tim Hayter has two interceptions and recovered one fumble, and Coleman has recovered a pair of fumbles also.
“We’re excited about the game and going on the road,” Jones stated. “It looks like a great environment to be in after watching it on film, our kids are looking forward to that.”
“They are our best opponent so far. It’s going to be a big challenge, and everybody is getting ready and mentally preparing for it,” said tight end Paul Bennett. “It’s going to be a tough environment, so everyone just has to be on top of their game.”
Montavious Williams, a defensive lineman, added, “We’re going to go in there and play tough and physical like we always do. We just have to do what we have been coached to do, and hopefully we can come out of there with a win.”
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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