Date: 8/15
Position: Tight Ends
Position Coach: Chad Huff
Returning Letterwinners (Key stats): Maaseiah Francis (11 games played, 5 rec, 48 yds, 2 TDs, 9.6 avg); Andrew Reinkemeyer (12 GP, 10 rec, 75 yds); Collier Smith (12 GP), Khameron Taylor (4 GP)
Letterwinners lost (Key stats): none
Newcomers (Yr., Previous school): Hunter Henson (R-Fr., Clanton [Ala.] Chilton County HS); Will Courtney (Fr., Mobile [Ala.] UMS-Wright Preparatory School)
Miscellaneous Notes
-The Jaguars return all four letterwinners at the position from last season.
-Reinkemeyer — who paced all USA tight ends in catches and yards a year ago — was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA in March while the Jags were in the middle of spring practice.
-He missed the spring campaign and has not yet participated in fall camp due to injury, but is expected to return this season.
-Smith has yet to catch pass in two seasons of competition with the program, but he did record receptions in two of three scrimmages in the spring; he is slated to play a key role on multiple special teams units as well.
-Francis' four touchdown catches make him the active leader on South's career record list as he also had a pair among his 18 receptions in 2016, his first season with the program.
-Both Taylor and Crosby made their collegiate debuts last fall in the Jaguars' 45-0 victory over Alabama A&M after sitting out the previous season as redshirts.
-In addition, Taylor — who has also spent time on the offensive line since coming to South — was part of the extra point/field goal unit on occasion a year ago.
-In his final season at the prep level, Crosby caught 30 balls for 750 yards and seven touchdowns.
-Henson was a three-year letterwinner in high school before sitting out last fall as a redshirt.
-Over the last four years, Courtney helped UMS-Wright go 46-9 overall including winning the state 4A championship his senior season.
-Three former Jaguar tight ends are currently active in National Football League training camps: Braedon Bowman (Los Angeles Chargers), Gerald Everett (Los Angeles Rams) and Wes Saxton (San Francisco 49ers).
Chad Huff
-On his expectations for the group this season: "My expectations of the group are the same as those for the football team, we want to be the best we can possibly be at our position to give our offense the best chance to be successful when called upon. Offensively, [assistant] coach [Kenny] Edenfield loves using tight ends and [head] Coach [Steve] Campbell likes utilizing one and two guys at the position and is counting on them to be physical. We need to meet the expectations that the offense is asking of us to be successful, be unselfish and play as a group."
-On the strengths of the individuals at tight end: "I have six guys in my room, they all bring something a little bit different to the table but they are all versatile. They have the ability to block in the box as well as get out into space and be a receiver. The guys love football and come to work every day, they take their job seriously and want to be really good. This is a fun group to coach, you don't have ask them for a lot of effort."
-On his expectations of Collier Smith and Maaseiah Francis to lead the unit: "I've told Collier and Maaseiah from day one that the underclassmen look up to the old heads and that they are going to follow so I expect the two to lead, and they have done a good job of that with the experience that they have. They've done a great job of being examples; you can talk about it, but it's another thing to go out there and do it and the two of them have done it all spring and summer — in the weight room, in the meeting room, they are leaders on and off the football field."
Maaseiah Francis
-On what the team's tight ends do well: "I feel that our tight ends are all leaders. We are asked to a lot and are versatile, we all can catch and block."
-On competition at the position: "Each day definitely counts, it's like the NFL because every day you have to bring it with 110 percent effort or you will take a step back. You have to make sure you mind your Ps and Qs because your spot could be taken at any time because the other guys can step up on any day."
-On how he believes he can help the team: "I'm a mismatch for linebackers and safeties, I feel that they shouldn't be able to guard me. I am a receiver type of tight end, my speed and my route running are my strengths, but I can also block in the box too so I can bring a lot to the table."
Collier Smith
-On the excitement of entering his senior season: "Obviously, I want to end on a good note personally. I know this team has been robbed of the success we should've had in previous years but with this Coach Campbell's first year I want to see us start off strong, which I think we can. I'm excited for Sept. 1 because I know that it is going to set up the rest of the season. I think we are going to come out strong and everybody is going to see a new South Alabama football team; even though a lot of us are the same players who have been here for multiple years — including me — I believe there is a huge difference in how we're going to come out on the field and play with a confidence that people haven't seen out of us yet."
-On what the group brings to the Jaguar offense: "If you look at us you will notice we are all leaders, I think as a group we have to do a lot of different things and we are capable of that. There is great competition but we all take care of each other. We want to make each other work hard and we want to push each other, but at the end of the day we're all really close and there is good unity among our group; Coach Huff has come in and made sure we are all on the same page. On the field we have to be able to block play after play just like an offensive lineman and then turn around and run fast and crisp with good body posture to be able to get out into space, then get square and low to hit a linebacker who is running full speed. We have a lot on our shoulders, but I think this group is capable of getting it all done."
-On what he does best, and did he see his current role after starting in college as a linebacker: "What I do best is what people have seen out of me in the past, which is having to create contact and get a push on the line of scrimmage in short-yardage situations. One of my strong points is running into a linebacker up the middle knowing the running back is behind me, knowing that my block is what makes or breaks the play fuels me to get it done. I didn't think I would be on the offensive side of the ball — I played defense my whole life — especially after starting my collegiate career at linebacker. My brother played tight end at Liberty, I always hated tight ends having to go against him all the time. But I've always been a guy who has changed positions and adapted, in high school I played safety, defensive line and linebacker so I am used to doing something new. When it comes down to it it is all football, just running around and hitting people trying to give good effort."
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