Date: 8/25
Position: Quarterbacks
Position Coach: Bryant Vincent
Returning Letterwinners (Key stats): Dallas Davis (11 games played, 198-of-349, 2,706 yds, 11 TDs, 12 INTs, 246.0 ypg); Cole Garvin (5 GP, 35-of-64, 463 yds, 4 TDs, 1 INT, 92.6 ypg)
Letterwinners lost (Key stats): none
Newcomers (Yr., Previous school): Cephus Johnson (Fr., Mobile ([Ala.] Davidson HS)
Miscellaneous Notes
-Last season Davis became the first Jaguar to lead the Sun Belt Conference in total offense — he accounted for 2,951 yards — since Ross Metheny in 2013.
-Davis set the school season record with 2,706 yards passing and an average of 246 per game as well.
-In South's first eight years of competition, quarterbacks posted 300 yards or more through the air in a game on three occasions — Davis accomplished that feat during the 2016 campaign with 300-plus yards against Nicholls (302), Louisiana-Monroe (307) and Idaho (320).
-Davis was named the first SBC Offensive Player of the Week after going 24-of-34 passing for 285 yards with two touchdowns, including the game-winner with less than a minute remaining in regulation, in a 21-20 come-from-behind victory at Mississippi State.
-Garvin earned the same honor one month later when he completed 16-of-21 passes for 242 yards and three scores in his collegiate debut while helping the Jags defeat No. 19 San Diego State.
-He had a 2-1 record in starts after leading USA past Presbyterian as well, marking the first time that multiple Jaguar quarterbacks earned two or more wins as a starter in the same year since 2010.
-While Orth has not played in a game in two seasons with the program, he was selected the most improved player at the position following the conclusion of spring practice.
-Johnson threw for 1,849 yards and had a 22-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio as a high school senior last fall — his only season as a full-time starter at the prep level — to be named honorable mention all-state.
Bryant Vincent
-On the difficulty he faced in naming a starting quarterback: "It was extremely difficult, but in this profession it's a problem that you enjoy having because that means you have multiple guys who can lead your offense and your team. All three of those guys are good, we've got three guys in Cole, Dallas and Evan who can play. It was an extremely tight race, they pushed and supported each other every day because they are high-character kids who are team guys. Each day was a battle, but a good battle; all they did was bring their level of play up through competition, they kept raising their bar daily. Competition brings out the best in people — either your rise up to it or fall, and all three guys rose to the occasion. It was a very competitive fall camp."
-On why Cole Garvin was selected as the starter heading into the season: "Throughout fall camp Cole just made great reads. We all make mistakes — and he had his mistakes early in camp — but if you look at the whole preseason he was very sharp and efficient, and he made great decisions with the ball; Cole completed 72 percent of his passes in fall camp. The last two weeks of camp he really got comfortable with everything we're doing and was making great decisions with the football in different situations."
-On the team's depth at the position: "I'm going on my 20th year of coaching, and my team hasn't made it through a season yet where the starter who played the first game made it to the last game. We expect our quarterbacks to be able to run the football to help our offense move the ball, and unfortunately we've had guys banged up and multiple guys have had to play. Dallas and Evan have to prepare daily as if they're the starter — that's something that we demand and expect — and since they were in position to have a shot at the job in the first place we know that's the type of people they are."
Dallas Davis
-On his approach entering the season: "I support Cole 100 percent, I'm going to be right there behind him and the team. I have to prepare like I'm the starter, keep studying film and coming to practice every day ready to work."
-On USA's quarterback depth: "All three of us can play, if something happens — which I hope it doesn't — and one of us has to go in we can run the offense and execute the game plan to get the ball to our go-to guys."
-On coming back from injury: "It is probably a good decision to not play me, I've been going through rehab and not saying anything but I had major surgery done and cut two months off my recovery time. I came back a little quick, but while practicing I've been getting better every week so who knows what will happen down the road."
Cole Garvin
-On his reaction to being named the starter: "I was really quiet when he [Coach Vincent] told me, I was taken back but gracious at the same time. Nothing is going to change, I'm going to come out here every day at practice pretending like I'm not the starter."
-On what he did well in preseason camp: "I was throwing the ball with a lot of confidence, I don't think I've thrown it with as much confidence as I have in this camp. I just trusted my arm and my decisions, that's what helped me play naturally."
-On how much last season's experience will help him going into the fall: "It helps a lot. If I hadn't played at all last year I don't know what I would be getting myself into going into Ole Miss. The three games last year really helped, I'm excited and ready to go."
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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—USA—
