NEW ORLEANS ? The University of South Alabama football program made its official introduction to the Sun Belt Conference and the rest of the league media members Tuesday morning as both Director of Athletics Joe Gottfried and head coach Joey Jones addressed those in attendance at Day Two of the Annual Football Media Day event held at the New Orleans - Hilton.
Commissioner Wright Waters began the morning program with his state of the conference address, mentioning the successes of the league over the past season and how he likes the direction that the conference is headed. Commissioner Waters also announced that the Sun Belt has entered into two-year agreements with the St. Petersburg Bowl, the Papajohns.com Bowl and the PetroSun Independence Bowl. The agreements, which become effective immediately, call for bowl-eligible teams from the Sun Belt Conference to be the first available teams in these bowls should the contracted parties be unable to fulfill their requirements.
While the Sun Belt Conference champion will still play in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the St. Petersburg Bowl or the Papajohns.com Bowl will have second choice to select one of the Sun Belt’s bowl-eligible teams if the contracted parties are unable to fulfill their requirements. The agreement signed with the PetroSun Independence Bowl calls for that bowl game to receive the third choice to select one of the Sun Belt’s bowl eligible teams if the contracted parties are not able to fulfill their requirements. The Independence Bowl would also receive the second choice to select a Sun Belt bowl eligible team should the St. Petersburg Bowl or the Papajohns.com Bowl not have an opening.
Mark Meadows of the Papajohns.com Bowl and Paul Valteau of the R+L Carriers Bowl were also in attendance and addressed those at the event.
Following the state of the conference address and the bowl agreements announcement, Gottfried and Jones spoke and gave an update on the South Alabama football program. During Gottfried’s portion of the presentation, he discussed the timeline of how USA has arrived at the point they are at, while also mentioning planned renovations to Ladd-Pebbles Stadium, the funding of the program and the excitement within the community. Jones followed Gottfried by talking about his assembled coaching staff and the planned facilities for the program.
Former University of Miami (Fla.) Larry Coker was the concluding speaker.
