Date: 8/16
Time: 10:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. (CDT)
Place: Jaguar Training Center
Practice attire: Uppers (helmets and shoulder pads)
Featured Offensive Player of the Day: Cade Sutherland, Jr., WR, College Park, Ga.
-Offensive coordinator Major Applewhite on Sutherland: "The first thing that comes to mind with Cade is that he is very dependable. That's not to shortchange his athletic skills — he can run, he can catch and get open — but he is very dependable in terms of playing in multiple personnel groupings and being able to play inside or outside receiver. They are all great guys in that room, but I really just appreciate his personality and the way he shows up to work every day bleeds into that room."
Featured Defensive Player of the Day: Ke'Shun Brown, R-Fr., ILB, Montgomery, Ala.
-Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon on Brown: "Ke'Shun is an in-state kid who was a late addition to the roster, but he has come with a workmanlike attitude and has been a pleasure to be around. He spends as much time as he possibly can in the meeting room and in the film room. He is a pretty good processer, he has picked the scheme up quickly. He is starting to get to the point now where you are starting to see the athleticism come out because he's not processing and thinking as much. I'm looking forward to really good things from him because he's a young player who is going to be in our program for quite a while.
Play of the Day: Kareem Walker was able to hit the hole for a big run up the middle, but safety Keith Gallmon knocked the ball out and was able come up with the recovery for a turnover on the final play of the practice session. Also considered was a two-yard touchdown run by Walker earlier during the final team period in which he was hit a the two-yard line, but powered his way into the end zone.
Team period highlights: In the first of four team periods, South Alabama worked on the run game, while the second team period saw the two units focus on the perimeter game and against the blitz. The third 12-minute segment focused on different second, third and fourth down situations, while the Jaguars closed out the day with a 10-minute period working on the red zone.
Miscellaneous Notes
-Jaguar quarterbacks Jake Bentley and Desmond Trotter combined to go 23-for-33 during the four team periods.
-Both of A.J. DeShazor's tackles during the first team period came behind the line of scrimmage, while Jamall Hickbottom and Trey Kiser were credited with three apiece during the segment.
-In the second team period, Bentley and Trotter connected on six of their last seven passes. Trotter was responsible for the lone score during the period as he connected with Devin Voisin for a 36-yard score on the final play of the second set of downs.
-During the 7-on-7 skeleton drill, Bentley and Trotter opened the period by connecting on six of their first seven with tight end Jacob Hopper and wide receiver Jamel Thomas recording two receptions each during that span.
-The defensive unit also came up with a pair of interceptions and pass break ups, while Bentley and Trotter were both able to get their units into the end zone with touchdown passes to Walker and Parker Kahlert, respectively.
-During the third team period, 10 different receivers caught a pass and were led by Jalen Tolbert's three receptions.
-Senior outside linebacker Chris Henderson was credited with sacks on back-to-back plays during the third series of downs.
-Four kickers combined to hit seven of their nine field-goal attempts, highlighted by a 52-yarders from Diego Guajardo and Barrett Pickering.
-The Jaguar offense scored on their first three red zone possessions during the final team period of the day, while the defense forced a missed field goal and came up with a turnover on the final play of the day.
-South also conducted a pair of special teams periods with the first working on punt coverage and the second on kick off coverage.
-All practices are closed to the general public.
Head coach Kane Wommack
-On his thoughts of Saturday's scrimmage after reviewing the film: "I was really encouraged after watching the scrimmage. Sometimes its hard to tell the overall tempo, but we had guys playing really hard on both sides of the ball. It was exciting to see us do some things in the run game. I thought Kareem Walker stood out and did some really impressive things as a running back. He took care of the ball and ran physical. Credit also to our offensive line; they just keep getting better and better. Defensively, I thought we tackled pretty well for a first scrimmage. We did a good job of taking care of the football on offense. Usually in your first scrimmage, you have too many turnovers on offense and too many missed tackles on defense, but I thought that on both sides of the ball we did a good job in those two areas."
-On what Kareem Walker has done to make his move on the depth chart: "Kareem has done a good job of learning what we do. When we block a five- or six-yard play, he's the type of guy who can get us 12. That to me is a huge difference of what you can do with a difference-making running back. We have a couple of guys that are starting to separate themselves, and I feel Kareem is one of those guys."
-On Jake Bentley's focus this week: "The important thing for Jake is to master the details of situational football. We spend a ton of time on situational football during our practices both on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, along with special teams, going through different scenarios. Occasionally, I will put the ball down in a certain spot during practice and give a scenario. Today, we had a scenario where we had it at the 36-yard line facing a third-and-eight situation. On fourth down, depending on what we get, do we punt the ball, do we kick a field goal or do we go for it on fourth down? What are we going to do as an offense in that situation? We want to have everybody on the same page on the sideline as it relates to personnel and who needs to be ready. All those things are the things I think Jake can use to take that next step. His experience shows up when we get in those situations."
-On the competition between the kickers: "Diego [Guajardo] has been really solid and so consistent throughout camp, so he's probably the guy right now, but we have players like Frankie Onate and Barrett Pickering who are both doing a heck of a job right now. We're really fortunate from a specialist standpoint. We invest a number of scholarships in those guys because I've seen how important that area of the game is. That's certainly something I've probably learned from [Indiana head coach] Tom Allen, who was a special teams coordinator before he became a defensive coordinator and head coach."
-On James Jackson at center: "James' footwork is just different compared to a lot of other offensive linemen. He's very big and physical at the point of attack and can climb to the second level when he needs to block a safety or linebacker. He has the footwork and the urgency to do those things. I've been really please with him. He's taking more snaps with the ones. I think a lot of those guys that we've brought in coupled with some of the guys that were already on this team are really starting to gel and do some really good things up front."
-On Jamal Brooks: "Jamal is a really instinctive linebacker. We play with a lot of vision in our defense – reading the quarterback's eyes and reacting to that. Jamal's a guy that naturally has a great feel and awareness of where receivers are and where the quarterback's eyes are going. He knows how to match routes. He's also a very physical presence in the run game. I'm really pleased with our linebacker corps right now. We're doing some good things with some impressive players."
Offensive coordinator Major Applewhite
-On his thoughts on Saturday's scrimmage after reviewing the film: "We had four explosive plays on about 36 plays out in the open field, which is slightly underneath our goal in terms of being explosive. But double those numbers, we're on pace, we're getting there. There're some obvious things that you do in a game plan week that tend to feature certain players, but in a scrimmage, you're working on things from your install. I was very pleased with some of the explosive plays we created, but the most pleasing thing is that the ones and twos played without a turnover.
"We constantly stress in our offense, the 'double positive' in terms of winning the turnover margin and winning the explosive play battle. And that gave us a chance on Saturday that I was pleased about. There's some other thing that we've got to work on, like our cadence, guys not lined up right, our overall tempo and administrative penalties, things that you can clean up in time. But for the most part, I was pleased about the fact that we were able to go out there and secure the ball, and create some explosives."
-On what he wants to see out of Jake Bentley moving forward: "The idea of operating. Sometimes that's an underrated attribute to a quarterback. The fact that he was able to get us into the right calls and plays at times are instrumental to our success. When you have guys open, you have to be able to hit them and there were some difficult third-down throws that he made. He also made some explosive throws. When you're able to scheme and get people open, you need to hit those. You don't need long foul balls. He was able to it on a couple of those type plays in the scrimmage, so I was very pleased with that."
-On the progression of Desmond Trotter and Tanner McGee: "Both of those guys are very intense and focused on the opportunity. Both of them were able to get a lot of reps during the scrimmage. Desmond went down on his first drive with a nine or 10-play drive that put us in the end zone. I was very pleased with the way he operated. I thought he did a great job. Tanner didn't get quite as many reps. There were some things out there that we need to continue to work on, but he's shown us some great signs as well. We're going to get him some more reps and work throughout the rest of fall camp."
-On what Kareem Walker brings to the offense: "He brings an ability to create some explosive plays. He's a good runner. He's got some size to help us out in pass protection, as well as the ability to catch the ball out of the back field. He just gives us some versatility."
Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon
- On Saturday's scrimmage: "I thought the attitude and effort were great. I was a little concerned about the heat index. The guys showed up and really played their tails off for over 100 snaps. That was really good in those conditions. I was really pleased with their attitude of the elements and attacking it, and the effort they played with was great. We can build off of that."
- On blending returners with newcomers: "High tides raise all ships. I think the guys have really embraced the competition. You see guys competing for the same job who are spending time in walkthroughs with each other getting the newcomers caught up, because they understand that the team is more important. That's been really awesome to see the blending of the veteran guys with the newcomers. It's been really good to see."
- On linebacker Jamal Brooks: "He is one of five guys who are just rolling in and trying to get as good a look as possible. He has played a lot of ball in different systems, so from that standpoint of Xs and Os and understanding – it's really just him learning our language and he has done a pretty good job of that. He is always in the building constantly watching tape. It says a lot about fifth-year seniors; they understand the urgency, and he certainly prepares that way."
Kareem Walker RB Senior
- On his progression during camp: "I am just taking it one day and one practice at a time. I'm not worrying about the next day, just trying to get better every day and be a better running back. Every day I come out and say I am going to get better at something, whether that is thinking fast or taking care of the ball. But I have something I want to work on every day to keep getting better."
- On getting an opportunity: "I love the (coaching) staff and everyone who recruited me here, and I am thankful to be here."
- On his 25-yard run in Saturday's scrimmage: "I think that was one of my favorite plays of the scrimmage, and not necessarily because I had a big play. When you think about your perfect world in football and what coaches want, that is how they draw it up; make an explosive play and then come back the next play and top it off to one of our receivers. That was my favorite drive of the scrimmage, because that is what the coaches preach to us every day."
- On learning the new offense: "I got here June 1. We were able to come out and do 7-on-7, but I think there is a difference when you have to come out and run it with pads and play at a fast tempo. It took me all summer, and I just had to get comfortable when camp started."
- On why he chose South Alabama: "Just Coach (Kane) Wommack and the things they're trying to do here. They are a young staff but they want to win. We are alike in our personalities. They are tough coaches and I am a tough player. I want to win and they want to win; we all have a common goal."
Jamal Brooks ILB Senior
-On his adjusting to the program: "In our room, we don't necessarily look at it as ones or twos, we look at it when your number gets called, we've been doing that since I got here. I feel like I'm adjusting pretty well. We have great coaches here, I just come here every day to work and try to do what they ask me to do."
-On why he wanted to transfer to South Alabama: "A couple of things that attracted me are that as a senior I am closer to home and the Senior Bowl is played here. If you are a guy who has aspirations of playing at the next level — I saw something that said the Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted at least one player from that game every year — why not go where that game is played where you'll have the most eyes on you there? We'll see what happens, I just put it in God's hands and will go play football, a game I love."
-On what he learned in the SEC that will help him at South: "The biggest thing in the SEC was the mental preparation. I've had a couple of coaches, but the first defensive coordinator I had had a saying, 'If you think you know, you don't know.' Once you think you've got it, you better study a little more. Somebody is always trying to scheme and figure out what you're doing, so the biggest thing is the mental preparation has to be that much better."
-On how the Jaguar defense performed in Saturday's scrimmage: "As a defense, I feel like we played with a lot of enthusiasm and we executed a lot of calls. We went out there and put some good things on tape, but obviously everything was not good; sometimes we have things that we have to work on. As a whole we played with a lot of heart and we executed a lot of good things so we need to watch the tape and figure out what we need to work on."
Up next: South Alabama will be back on the practice field Tuesday morning from 8:45-10:45 a.m.
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).
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