MOBILE, Ala. – For those looking for consistency from the University of South Alabama football program this fall, there is one characteristic the Jaguars have displayed that has already caught the eye of sixth-year head coach Joey Jones.

If the Jags play during the season like they have practiced thus far, effort will not be an issue.

"We had some guys cramping out here today — it was real muggy — but I tell you, they are working hard; they are getting after it," Jones stated following Friday's two-hour practice at the fields on campus.  "Once we learn to play ourselves into shape — and there is nothing you can do in the offseason to be in 100 percent shape, when you don't have pads on — and if we can keep this pace up and finish a two-hour practice, the way we are practicing we are going to be a pretty good football team."

It was the second night in a row that USA took the field in just helmets and shorts, with the workout starting with 20 minutes going through a turnover circuit before individual drills began.  But it was another segment early in practice where Jones noticed a higher level of execution due to work put in by the student-athletes on a voluntary basis over the summer.

"I thought the execution early in practice with the quarterbacks throwing and receivers running routes and catching balls, you can tell they have worked this summer.  I'm real pleased with that," he observed.  "I think the timing of the passing game is at a good point right now, though obviously we will continue to work on it."

Defensively, the Jaguars have over a half-dozen newcomers in the secondary in camp who have not played at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level yet including cornerbacks Anthony Harris and Montell Garner, and safeties Steffon and Steven Fuller, Roman Buchanan and Devon Earl.  While it is not yet known what role they will have in the fall, with returning starters Darrius Morrow, Tyrell Pearson, Terrell Brigham and Charles Harris still in the program, they have made a visual difference on the field already.

"We've seen some pretty good athletes, some of them don't know exactly what we're doing defensively in the secondary, but there are some real athletic guys back there," said Jones.  "We see some promise, but it's going to take a little while for that to pan out."

Another area with a significant number of newcomers is running back; junior-college transfers Cris Dinham and Jay Jones, along with freshmen Kaleb Blanchard and Xavier Johnson, account for half the group taking part in preseason practice.  While they've been able to contribute in 7-on-7 passing drills already, Jones is waiting until later in camp to start making a determination of who will contribute most at the position during the year.

"They look good running around in shorts, so we'll see how they do when they put the pads on," he said of USA's running backs, which also include returning letterwinners Kendall Houston and Terrance Timmons.  "You can tell a lot about a running back and you can see his vision when the pads start popping."

Midway through the workout the team received a five-minute break, as practice resumed with skeleton passing drills before the first- and second- teams each ran nine plays as part of a 10-minute team period.

After working on punting during the first half of practice, the day concluded with 10 minutes focusing on kickoff coverage.

While Jones likes what he has witnessed on the field the first two days of preseason camp, he realizes that the Jaguars are far from a finished product.  "I feel like we are more athletic, and the guys understand how hard we have to work in this league to win," he commented.  "There is experience and leadership out here, but we have a long way to go as far as perfecting what we're doing."

The Jags will close out three straight days of workouts with a 6:30 p.m. practice on campus Saturday.  It will be the first time during preseason camp that the team will get to put on shoulder pads.

All USA football practices are closed to the general public.

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).

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