Date: 9/2
Position: Offensive line
Position Coach: Gordon Steele

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats): Wyatt Green (10 games played, 6 games started); Tyler Jernigan (10 GP, 6 GS); Josh McCulloch (1 GP); Hayden Merchant (7 GP, 5 GS); Braden Moody (6 GP, 3 GS); Trey Simpson (8 GP, 6 GS); Reggie Smith (8 GP)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats): Brian Ankerson (11 GP, 11 GS); Hayden Burton (8 GP, 4 GS); Conner Estes (8 GP, 7 GS); Jacob Shoemaker (8 GP, 7 GS)

Returning Redshirt/Squad Members: (Yr., Hometown, Previous school): Kent Foster (Jr., Dodge City [Kan.] CC); Reid Gavin (Fr., South Jones HS); John Gill (R-Fr., Pine Forest HS); Jack Green (Fr., Brandon HS); Max Smith (R-Fr., Logansville HS)

Newcomers (Yr., Previous school): JaChai Baker (Sr., Southeast Missouri); Anterrius Gray (Jr., North Texas); James Jackson (Jr., Mississippi State); Antawn Lewis (Jr., Louisiana Tech); Jack Myers (Fr., Spanish Fort HS); Kole Payne (Fr., Theodore HS); Justin Stevens (Fr., Michigan State); Adrein Strickland (Fr., Mosely HS); Sam Williams (Fr., Resurrection Catholic School)

Miscellaneous Notes
-Ankerson was the only Jaguar lineman to start and play in all 11 games last fall, finishing his career 119 pancake blocks, while being named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List each of the last two years. He made 35 consecutive starts to conclude his South Alabama career.
-Merchant was named fourth-team preseason all-SBC by Phil Steele Publications earlier this summer. He has started 27 of the 30 games in which he's appeared during his Jaguar career and graded out at 76 percent overall and 80 percent on assignments last fall, while being credited with 33 pancake blocks – the highest total among returning linemen.
-In addition to Merchant, Burton, W. Green, Jernigan, Moody and Simpson each made multiple starts along the line during the 2020 season.
-Simpson appeared in each of the team's last eight games, starting the final six, and posted an overall grade of 82 percent and an assignment grade of 87 percent on the season, finishing with 25 knockdown blocks.
-Jernigan and W. Green were each credited with 20 pancake blocks last season.
-J. Green played in two games and received a redshirt, while McCulloch played in one game.
-Of the nine newcomers along the offensive line, Baker, Gray, Jackson, Lewis, and Stevens each have collegiate experience.
-Baker played the last two seasons at Southeast Missouri, and started each of the Redhawks' first four contests in 2020-21 — making six appearances — after earning preseason all-Ohio Valley Conference honors prior to the start of the season.
-Gray started all 10 games at left guard in his only season at North Texas, earning honorable mention all-Conference USA accolades
-Lewis played his last two seasons at Louisiana Tech ad started five games at right tackle in 2020.
-A native of Moss Point, Miss., Jackson started 11 games a year ago at Mississippi State – his fourth season with the Bulldogs.

Gordon Steele
- On what the unit is capable of accomplishing this season: "I think this group is capable of accomplishing great things. They've been working really hard all summer and in camp, and they've really come together. We have a starting five and some other guys behind them that have come along as well. I think the sky's the limit for this group and we have to keep working to get better every day, and get ready for Southern Miss this week."
- On how the group's chemistry has blended: "When we recruited those guys, it was a very tedious process to make sure that those guys were good people. Everybody in that room is a good person. They all hang out together and they've really meshed well with each other."
- On where the group has improved the most since the start of fall camp: "I would say our mindset. Whether it's run or pass, we just want to be a nasty, physical group across the board."

Hadon Merchant
- On his development and what he feels he's improved on: "Overall, I feel that I've improved tremendously since last season. The first area that I'd say I've improved was my body by just shredding some extra weight that wasn't needed. I've gained strength during the offseason with Coach [Matt] Shadeed. Second, I would say that I've improved my football IQ. I have a better understanding of what's going on and know what to look for that gives hunts about what's coming."
- On how his expectations differ this fall: "We expect to have a good year up front. We've really grown together this offseason. Everybody seems to know what to do, how to do it and why we're doing it. We just have a better understanding of everything. There's no reason why we shouldn't be successful getting off the ball and improving. We want to be nasty in both the pass and run game. We can't play timid."
- On the chemistry the offensive line has built: "I'd say it's been tremendous. We've had people come in from a lot of different place and we welcomed them with open arms. While there's been competition, we've learned stuff from each other and seen stuff on film about what others do. It's been an awesome gel. We have three new guys starting on the line and we've blended completely. We're just ready to get the season started on Saturday."

James Jackson
- On learning the system and the calls and working his way up the depth chart: "I got here in June and we had summer workouts and meetings where I was able to learn things as we went. The other linemen also helped me with the playbook. I also got in better shape over the summer and just worked my way up throughout camp."
- On what he's done to put himself in position to start: "During the practices and the scrummages, the offense seemed to move better when I was out there, so I think that's what helped."
- On what he has taken away from his previous experiences: "I took a lot in from my time at Mississippi State. I was there with [Dan] Mullen, [Joe] Moorehead, and Coach [Mike] Leach. I learned stuff from each staff, but especially from the last one with it being an Air Raid type of offense. It helped me improve my pass blocking. I took stuff I learned there and brought it with me here."

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