Date: 8/15
Position: Running backs
Position Coach: Larry Warner

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats): Jalin Buie (2 games played, no rushing stats); Tra Minter (12 GP, 183-801 rush, 4.4 avg, 6 TD, 43 long)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats): Maurice Mayo (12 GP, 36-96 rush, 2.7 avg, 1 TD, 14 long); Deonta Moore (11 GP, 63-250 rush, 4.0 avg, 27 long); Tywun Walters (9 GP, 10-32 rush, 3.2 avg, 10 long)

Returning Redshirts/Squad Members (Yr., Hometown, Previous school): Tony Brown (R-Fr., Hurley [Miss.] East Central HS); Carlos Davis (R-Fr., Muscle Shoals [Ala.] HS); John Tank Miller (R-Fr., Panama City [Fla.] Mosley HS); Jared Wilson (R-Fr., Troy [Ala.] Charles Henderson HS)

Newcomers (Yr., Hometown, Previous school): Terrion Avery (Jr., Wiggins, Miss., Mississippi Gulf Coast CC); Damean Bivins (Fr., Pace [Fla.] HS)

Miscellaneous Notes
-Minter has been named second-team preseason All-America as an all-purpose back by The Sporting News, and is also on the preseason watch lists for both the Doak Walker and Paul Hornung Awards.
-In addition to being voted first-team preseason all-Sun Belt Conference as a return specialist, the senior has earned preseason all-league recognition from Athlon, Lindy's and Phil Steele Publications.
-Not only did Minter lead the team in rushing last fall, he was among the top 10 nationally with an average of 150.25 all-purpose yards per outing.
-In his last performance of 2018, Minter became the first individual in program history to record a 200-yard rushing game as the Jaguars defeated Coastal Carolina.
-Minter is the only member of the position group returning this season to have carried 10 or more times a year ago.
-Buie — the only other returning letterwinner in the group — has played in 12 games over the last two seasons, but has not carried the ball since gaining 19 yards on four attempts in a Sept. 16, 2017, victory over Alabama A&M.
-The trio of Davis, Miller and Wilson all appeared in multiple contests during the 2018 campaign but will enter the fall with four years of eligibility after the NCAA changed redshirting rules prior to last season.
-Brown was named the Gatorade state Player of the Year in Mississippi and was a USA Today second-team All-American in 2017.
-Avery rushed for 893 yards and 10 touchdowns at Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. last year before transferring to South prior to the start of the spring semester.
-The 6A Florida Player of the Year last fall, Bivins ended his prep career with 5,180 yards and 57 touchdowns rushing — both school records — in just three seasons.

Larry Warner
-On the strength of South's running backs: "It's togetherness and that they are all learning from each other.  Coming into last year they were learning a new system, now they have honed in on what we are trying to teach them.  They are picking that up and paying attention to details.  Each guy brings something different to the room, but you need to be great at what your strength is.  I think they are feeding off each other and that's going to be able to help the team."
-On his expectations for Tra Minter in the fall: "Tra needs to keep getting better on and off the field and be a leader for the young guys, there are some things he can polish up.  He has been working hard over the summer to improve those things before the season starts.  My expectation for Tra — and for all of our running backs — is to give all you've got to give this team a chance."
-On the team's depth at the position: "I think we have a lot of depth, but there are a few guys who still need to prove things because this is their first year.  We should be able to tell after the first game and as we get deeper into the season what we have, but going into the season my expectations are high.  All of them can run the football, but the biggest transition is learning to block, learning protections, running routes and knowing what type of defense we are facing."

Tra Minter
-On expectations for the team's running backs: "We have a lot of expectations, we hold each other to a high standard in the running back room.  Everybody in the room can run the ball, but all of us bring something different to the table; we have power backs and finesse backs.  We just have to keep focused and mentally prepared."
-On his goals going into his last season at the collegiate level: "My goal is to just lead these guys to a Sun Belt championship.  We want to win, we want to get our name out there and put South Alabama on the map."
-On handling preseason recognition: "I keep a level head and stay focused mentally.  I am just preparing for the season and blocking everything else out."

Jared Wilson
-On strength of the position group: "Overall, we have a lot of different styles; we've got fast backs, finesse backs and power backs.  We need to keep striving to be consistent."
-On what he learned while redshirting last fall: "Last year I was focused on just learning the plays.  Deonta Moore, a senior last year, knew more than everybody else in the room, and that's what I want to do.  There might be somebody faster than me or stronger than me, but if I know all the plays I can get on the field quicker."
-On his strength on the field: "I can get yards after contact."

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