MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones announced Friday a pair of additions to the Jaguars' 2016 roster.

Rocel McWilliams (pronounced ROCK-sell) has transferred from Missouri, signed a grant-in-aid and enrolled in classes, while Jimmie Gipson III has decided to rejoin the program after initially departing following the conclusion of spring practice.  While Gipson III will be eligible in the fall for his final season at the collegiate level, McWilliams must sit out and will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2017 campaign.

A preseason all-Sun Belt Conference selection by multiple publications last summer, Gipson III was injured during offseason workouts and had to sit out in the fall.  As a junior in 2014, the Coldwater, Miss., resident was credited with 28 total stops, with 6½ of those behind the line of scrimmage including three sacks; he added a team-best seven quarterback pressures, broke up two passes and forced a fumble.  In his last appearance, Gipson III recorded a career-high eight tackles — matching another with 1½ stops for loss — in the Jags' first-ever postseason bowl appearance at the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl.

Prior to joining the program, Gipson III was a first-team National Junior College All-American at East Mississippi C.C.

McWilliams, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound defensive end from Pensacola, Fla., was at Mizzou for two seasons, including sitting out as a redshirt in 2014 while the Tigers went 11-3, won the Southeastern Conference East Division title — advancing to the league championship game — and defeated Minnesota in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.

He was a second-team all-state selection at West Florida Tech High, where he helped the Jaguars to back-to-back state 5A playoff appearances.  As a senior, McWilliams posted 73 stops including seven sacks to help the school to a 10-2 finish following a first-round victory in the state playoffs, while he recorded 34 tackles with three sacks his junior year.

South will open the 2016 season at Mississippi State on Saturday, Sept. 3, with the game scheduled to be broadcast live on the SEC Network at 11 a.m. (CDT).

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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