Date: 8/13
Position: Wide receivers
Position Coach: Pete Bennett
Returning Letterwinners (Key stats): Jamarius Way (12 GP, 47 rec, 762 yds, 3 TDs, 16.2 avg, 63.5 ypg), Sam Harris (12 GP, 41 rec, 570 yds, 2 TDs, 13.9 avg, 47.5 ypg), Malik Stanley (10 GP, 27 rec, 324 yds, 3 TDs, 13.9 avg, 32.4 ypg), Jordan McCray (10 GP, 22 rec, 270 yds, 1 TD, 12.3 avg, 27.0 ypg), David Gardner (11 GP, 8 rec, 98 yds, 12.2 avg, 8.9 ypg), Kawaan Baker (10 GP, 7 rec, 102 yds, 1 TD, 14.6 avg, 10.2 ypg), Jahmmir Taylor (7 GP, rec, 4 yds, 12.8 avg, 51 avg, 7.3 ypg), Jalen Wayne (12 GP, 3 rec, 53 yds, 17.7 avg, 4.4 ypg)
Letterwinners lost (Key stats): Sa'Mory Collier (11 GP, 13 rec, 188 yds, 1 TD, 14.5 avg, 17.1 ypg)
Newcomers (Yr., Previous school): Jalen Tolbert (R-Fr., McGill-Toolen HS), Daven Flenord (R-Fr., Central Clay County HS), Logan Morgan (R-Fr., Spanish Fort HS), Cade Sutherland (R-Fr., Woodard Academy), Mo Edwards Jr. (Fr., Thompson HS), Tyrone Legette (Fr., John Curtis Christian HS)
Miscellaneous Notes
-South Alabama's top four receivers from the 2017 campaign came from the wide out unit. Those four players – Way, Harris, Stanley and McCray – combined to record 137 receptions, 1,926 yards and 9 touchdowns a year ago.
-Of the Jaguars' 15 touchdown receptions, 12 came from the position group.
-Last season, Way led the club in receptions (47), yards (762), yards per game (63.5) and all-purpose yards (799), and tied with Stanley for touchdown receptions with three en route to being voted second-team all-league.
-Way ranked seventh in the Sun Belt and among the top 75 in the country in receiving yards per game, and ended the campaign among the top 10 on the school season record list in catches (sixth), yards receiving (third), yards per reception (16.21, seventh) and 100-yard receiving games (two, tied for second).
-Way's 81-yard touchdown reception versus Louisiana, which was the longest pass play by the Jaguars in 2017.
-Coming into the 2018 season, Way has already been named to the Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List, while picking up preseason first-team all-Sun Belt Conference honors from Lindy's and Street & Smith's and second-team all-league honors from the SBC coaches and Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Publications.
-Harris set career highs in both receptions (41) and yards (570) and had single-game career highs with eight catches for 141 yards — both totals the most recorded by a Jaguar on the year — including his first career score in Homecoming win over ULM.
-Along with the talented group of veterans, South also returns four red-shirts and two true freshman for 2018. Among the group of red-shirts it Tolbert, who was having a solid fall camp before suffering a knee injury.
Pete Bennett
- On the depth and versatility of the wide receivers: "Every guy has his own skill set, but what really makes the entire group versatile is they can all run. Even our smaller receivers are still big and have good size. The size and speed that we have at wide receiver I feel will help us be competitive."
- On if the depth and versatility sets the expectations higher for the group: "Definitely. Talent-wise and with the skill set of a lot of the guys, there is a lot of upside for our group. I think we can really help our offense and the team be successful this season. There's no reason why this group can't be a big reason for the success of our team."
- On how the group as a whole has picked up the new offensive system: "I thought we did a good job of retaining all of the stuff that we went over and worked on in the spring. The guys also had a good summer and I've been impressed with the way we've been able to retain the information and then carry it over and execute it on the field these first few days of fall camp."
- On the main focus for the remainder of camp heading into the start of the season: "We need to continue to learn what to do, to execute and operate, play with a fast tempo and be consistent at making contested catches and finishing plays."
Jamarius Way
- On coming in and making the impact on offense that he did: "I really expected more out of myself last season. I had high expectation coming into last season and I was able to reach them."
- On what the preseason honors mean to him and how it motivates him: "I just want to first say that I'm thankful for them. They are a blessing and mean a lot to me. Playing this game when you're growing up, you want to be recognized as a good player. If I'm receiving those honors, I must be doing something right, and those honors will only push me to go harder."
- On who he has seen working hard in the group and ready to step up: "We have multiple guys. I feel that the entire group has made major strides during the offseason. We all just set the tone and do what we need to out there in order to get better. Our group is very versatile and that can help the offense. When one of us gets tired, we can throw someone else in there that is just as good. There is a lot of competition in the group and that makes the game more fun."
Malik Stanley
- On coming in and contributing last season after expecting to redshirt: "I just took it day-by-day, practiced hard and tried to be a leader for everybody around me. I just wanted to make plays for my team."
- On the expectations of himself and the group: "Our expectations are high. I'd like to see us play in the first Sun Belt Championship game. My personal goals are just for us to succeed as a team."
- On depth of the wide receiver unit: "We have a lot of depth at receiver and that's going to play a huge role for our offense. We are going to be able to have fresh legs and everyone has the capability to be one of 'The' guys. It can be a different one each game."
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