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Football

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA FOOTBALL PRACTICE REPORT – 8/7

Date: 8/7
Time: 3:30-5:15 p.m. (CDT)
Place: James A. and Frances H. Yance Football Practice Facility
Practice attire: Shells (helmets and shoulder pads)

Offensive Players of the Day: running backs
-Offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield on the team's running backs: "I thought the running backs had the best day that they've had as a group.  They broke tackles and made plays in the passing game, so in my eyes all the running backs get player of the day."

Defensive Player of the Day: Chris Henderson, Sr., LB, Hampton, Ga.
-Defensive coordinator Greg Stewart on Henderson: "I thought Chris Henderson did some really good things today.  He came off the edge and really let it go.  He can really make stuff happen when he's able to come off the edge the way he did today.  He did a great job and helped our defense in a very positive way."

Play of the Day: As the quarterback rolled away from him immediately following the snap, Henderson was untouched as he made his way into the backfield to record a sack.

Team period highlights: There were two 10-minute periods in the second half of practice, with each including 16 snaps.

Miscellaneous Notes
-Henderson posted a pair of sacks in the final team period, with Jeremiah Littles and Brock Higdon adding one each.
-In that same period, A.J. DeShazor, Kelvin Johnson and Quentin Wilfawn were credited with tackles behind the line of scrimmage while Dallas Gamble broke up a pass.
-Carlos Davis recorded the longest run in either team period, making a quick cut to his right after reaching the edge for a 40-yard gain up the sideline; Terrion Avery was also able to break off a long gain on the ground after finding a hole created by the interior of the offensive line.
-Roy Yancey made a stop for loss while Tré Young supplied a pass defensed in the opening team period.
-A total of 15 individuals caught at least one pass in the second half of practice — which included 10 minutes of 7-on-7 passing in addition to the two team periods — with the trio of Kawaan Baker, Cade Sutherland and Jalen Wayne each hauling in four receptions.
-Jamel Thomas and Caullin Lacy had three catches apiece, and Jalen Tolbert and Tony Brown finished with multiple receptions as well.
-The duo of Desmond Trotter and Chance Lovertich combined to complete 17-of-20 pass attempts in 7-on-7 drills and were 26-of-31 on the day overall.
-The Jaguars worked on three different phases of special teams during the practice with periods focused on PAT/field goals, punt coverage and kickoff returns.
-In the middle of those three periods, Jack Brooks average better than 42.5 yards per kick.
-All practices are closed to the general public.

Head coach Steve Campbell
-On the day's workout: "I thought we had a really good first day [in shoulder pads], the retention from all the walkthroughs have definitely helped.  Offensively, the skeleton passing period was as good as we've had since I've been here; I thought we threw and caught well, not many balls hit the ground.  The offense did really well in the first team period, they came out and ran the ball well with a couple of explosive plays.  When we came back and focused on the drop-back [passing] game, the defensive line did a good job of getting pressure on the quarterback and the defense had the upper hand there.  There were some pluses on both sides of the ball."
-On Desmond Trotter and Jalen Tolbert: "I think it [Trotter's success at the end of last season] will have a big-time effect and has given him a lot of confidence; he played really well against a really good football team.  Jalen Tolbert did the same thing, he has a chance to take his game to the next level and be one of the top players in the league.  There was a lot of good stuff that happened that last week, the kids have continued to build off of it."
-On the schedule update announced Thursday: "If you go back over the history of college football and look at a schedule in the South, you would find Southern Miss, Tulane, UAB and Troy; that's about as traditional a Southern college football schedule that you could ask for.  We open up with three bowl teams who have long traditions, it's very exciting."

Senior LB Chris Henderson
-On his thoughts on how the third day of camp went: "We are looking good right now, we just have to keep getting better each and every day.  For our first day in pads though, I feel that we are ahead of where I thought we would be at this point."
-On the biggest progression for the defense: "I feel it's definitely in our pass rush.  We brought in Christian Bell from Wisconsin and he has really produced out there.  Over the summer we also moved Shawn [Jennings] to the 'Bandit' position and that has really helped our pass rush get better."
-On the team's young players up front: "So far those guys have moved well.  They attack things in practice every day, I'm proud of our young guys."

Junior WR Jalen Wayne
-On the first three days of camp: "After the first three days of camp, I feel that we are a much more competitive team than we were last season.  We are also a lot faster on both sides of the ball.  Everyone seems to be more confident having another year's experience."
-On what has helped the wide receiver group have such a good start to camp despite not having a traditional spring: "During the quarantine our group decided to still do what we needed to in order to improve.  We started a group chat amongst us to make sure that all of our group was still working on the things we needed to — like running and staying up on our bodies — so that when we did get back on the field we wouldn't miss a beat.  Everyone did their part and we are just reaping the benefits of that work."
-On the biggest improvement the offense has made since the end of last season: "I feel that the offensive line is more of a unit.  All of our big plays on offense generate from what they do.  They have looked great so far in camp.  We all seem to be more of a family and that has also really helped us."

Up next: USA ends the opening week of preseason camp with a two-hour workout in shells beginning Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the James A. and Frances H. Yance Football Practice Facility
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the South Circle, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics.  Contributions to South Circle directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give

—USA—
 
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