MOBILE, Ala. – The record might say Nicholls State is 0-2 in 2010, but University of South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones believes his program can’t just rely on the numbers to pick up another victory.
The Jaguars — who opened the campaign with a 56-0 victory over Pikeville (Ky.) Sept. 4 — and Colonels will kick off at Ladd-Peebles Stadium at 4 p.m. Saturday. NSU is the first of four NCAA Football Championship Subdivision opponents for the Jags this fall, and one of two that will come to Mobile.
“Anytime you play a Division I-A school, they’re going to have more scholarships than an FCS school so the scores sound pretty bad,” Jones said. “But they played both teams tough early, and just wore out. The bottom line is I think those teams just had a lot more depth, and so toward the end of those games they got a little tired.
“They are a very good football team and we’ll find out what we’re about after this week and see where we are as a football program.”
“We know they got beat last weekend, but they got beat by Western Michigan who is a team of a high caliber,” added quarterback Myles Gibbon. “We know they’re good and will come in hard. They have some good athletes for sure, but we know what to expect because we’ve been watching them for two weeks now.”
Tickets for the game can be purchased online at www.usagameday.com, by calling the USA Athletic Ticket Office at (251) 461-1USA (1872) by noon on Friday or in person by visiting the Mitchell Center ticket office on campus between the hours of 10 a.m.-5 p.m. that afternoon. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the game at the stadium beginning at 10 a.m.
The stadium parking lot will open and tailgating will begin at 8 a.m., while stadium gates will be opened at 2 p.m. The Jaguar Prowl will start at the southeast end of Ladd-Peebles Stadium when the Jaguars arrive at 1:40 p.m.
Shuttles from the Bel Air Mall — with continuous service until 90 minutes after the completion of the game — are slated to start running at noon from the south parking lot behind Target and JC Penney, with the cost $2.50 for a round-trip ticket.
All fans are encouraged to wear white as the Jaguars will be in their white uniforms Saturday.
USA received a contribution from all facets of the game in extending its winning streak to eight in a row last time out — the offense rushed for 242 yards and passed for 220 more, the defense surrendered just 88 totals yards including three over the final 30 minutes and Jeremé Jones returned a punt 54 yards for score in the final quarter.
Myles Gibbon was 7-of-8 passing for 112 yards and C.J. Bennett completed 4-of-6 attempts for 93, with both quarterbacks tossing a touchdown pass, to help the program surpass 200 yards through the air for the second time ever. Bryant Lavender led Jaguar receivers with four catches 67 and Corey Waldon recorded 57 yards on three receptions.
The ground attack saw seven individuals rush for at least 20 yards and three reach the end zone. Ellis Hill’s 56-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run helped him lead the squad, while Brandon Ross scored twice on five carries and Johnny Lockett reached the end zone in his collegiate debut. Plus, T.J. Glover supplied a score as well after recording a 31-yard touchdown reception.
USA collected 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage, including four sacks, in holding an opponent under 100 yards of offense for the first time in school history. Ken Barefield and Enrique Williams shared team-high honors with six tackles apiece, while Cori Barnett and Jarred Williams were both credited with 1½ sacks. Bryson James returned an interception 22 yards for a score to extend the Jags advantage to 20-0 with nine-and-a-half minutes remaining in the opening half, and his pressure helped lead to a Michael Wilson interception after the break.
Both of the Colonels’ losses have come at the hands of NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision opponents — actually, this will be their third game in a row on the road after starting the year at San Diego State and Western Michigan. In fact, NSU was tied with the Broncos last weekend with less than five minutes to go in the second quarter, and trailed by a touchdown at the break before three WMU scores in a seven-minute span after the intermission broke open the contest.
Jesse Turner carried 15 times for 92 yards and a score last weekend, and is averaging 5.5 yards per carry through the first two games. LaQuintin Caston has added 58 yards on the ground and has completed 53.5 percent of his passes for another 207 yards as he leads the team in total offense. Kenyad Blair has a team-best seven receptions, and Joshua Warren leads the team with 57 yards including a four-yard touchdown catch in the WMU contest.
“Nicholls State will be the greatest competition we have faced thus far, so I think it’s going to be a challenge,” stated linebacker Enrique Williams. “But this is what we need as a program to see where we are and where we are going in the future.”
“Offensively, their quarterback and running back are very good football players who have a lot of speed,” Jones observed. “The quarterback definitely makes their offense go — he’s the guy. He’s a threat to pull it down and run with it at any point. He was an option quarterback last year, so he’s a very good athlete and does a good job.”
Both Tabbaris Hicks and Ed James recorded a double-digit tackle total last time out with 13 and 10 stops respectively, while Shawn Elrod posted two tackles for loss. And not only does cornerback Chika Madu rank third on the Colonels with 11 total stops, his 247 all-purpose yards as a return specialist lead the team in the category.
NSU, though, is giving up 507.5 yards per contest and has been outscored 96-14 to open the season.
“Defensively, they’re playing very sound football. When you look at them on film, there are really not any holes,” stated Jones. “They cover every gap, are coached very well and get to the right places. I’m very impressed with their special teams schemes.
“It’s very advanced and they really understand what’s going on, so for the first time since I’ve been here we haven’t found anything that’s just a hole. We’re definitely going to have to work for what we get.”
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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