MOBILE, Ala. - The University of South Alabama football team will close out its inaugural campaign with a "White Out" when it plays at night for the first time this fall.
The Jaguars will debut their all-white uniforms as Huntingdon (Ala.) College visits Ladd-Peebles Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff, and fans are encouraged to wear their white USA gear to the contest.
The Jags (6-0) will be taking on a Huntingdon squad that enters its final regular-season contest with an 8-1 mark, which includes a six-game winning streak.
"When you look at Huntingdon you see a very good football team," stated USA head coach Joey Jones. "We may have played some other teams with better athletes, but this is by far the best team we've played. They're extremely well coached, and they do all the right things. We're really looking forward to Thursday night."
Both teams bring high-scoring offensive units into the contest, with the Jaguars averaging 47.7 points and 428.8 yards per game and the Hawks posting 41.4 points and 558 yards each outing. While the rushing numbers are similar - USA's 253 yards per contest on the ground are fewer than one per game more than Huntingdon - HC is throwing for over 300 yards as well.
In fact, the Hawks lead the NCAA Division III level in total offense. They are also sixth in scoring, 12th in rushing, 14th in passing and 15th in pass efficiency rating.
Brandon Ross leads the Jag attack with 450 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns, as he has scored in every game after reaching the end zone twice in last week's 64-12 win over Milford (N.Y.) Academy. Santuan McGee has run for 257 yards this fall, with Eli Smith supplying 206 yards and Anthony Mostella 157.
Alex Baronich has run for 1,073 yards and 15 scores for HC, as he is 18th in the Division III national rankings with 119.2 yards per game. Trevor Manuel (398) and Parker Roberts (338) have also combined to record nine touchdowns.
Courtney Smith has caught a team-leading 16 passes for 400 yards and five scores for the Jags, although 19 different players have caught at least one pass this fall. Myles Gibbon has thrown for 538 yards and six scores, while Brennan Sim is 19-of-24 passing for 336 yards with two touchdowns. In the last three outings, the latter has completed 17-of-19 (89.5%) of his attempts.
HC's Justin Ridgeway has accounted for nearly 3,000 yards in total offense to go along with 22 touchdowns. He's recorded 2,696 yards through the air while completing almost 55 percent of his passes, adding 264 yards on the ground. Cody Pearcy is the Hawks' leading receiver with 604 yards and five scores on 34 catches, with Steven Laye adding 24 receptions for 476 yards and five touchdowns as well. Eight Huntingdon wideouts have 10 or more catches this fall.
"Their quarterback is very athletic, he has a good arm and some size to him," Jones commented. "He rolls out of the pocket and throws the ball really well. One thing I notice about him is he makes plays when things seem to go awry - if the protection breaks down he will scramble and make a throw. That always scares you as a coach because you do everything right, things break down and you feel like you've got him, and then all of a sudden he makes a big play."
The Hawks will test a Jag defense that has surrendered just 188 yards per contest in the last two wins and is giving up an average of 233.5 yards per game on the season.
Clifton Crews posted a season-best seven tackles, including one for loss, returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown and also broke up another pass in last week's victory. He leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and is second with 22 total stops and six tackles for loss.
Justin Dunn paces USA with 36 tackles and 7.5 stops for loss. Charlie Higgenbotham also has 22 stops, with the trio of Zach Brownell, Anton Graphenreed and Enrique Williams chipping in with 21 each.
Keith Anthony has 68 tackles and Kaleb Futral has added 60 this fall for the Hawks, who are giving up 391.9 yards and 22.4 points per game. Anthony has eight of the team's 21 interceptions and has also broken up four other passes. D.J. Chappell leads the team with six tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
Michel Chapuseaux and Lamontis Gardner highlighted the Jaguars' special teams unit against Milford. Chapuseaux scored a career-best 12 points - increasing his season total to 41, which is second on the squad - after making both of his field-goal attempts while going 6-of-6 on PATs. Gardner ran back two kicks for 82 yards, helping USA collect a season-best 120 kickoff return yards. Scott Garber has had seven punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line while averaging 42.2 yards per kick this fall as well.
Cody Stepko, HC's placekicker, is second on the team in scoring with 65 points this year, as he has made 7-of-10 field goals and tacked on 44 extra points. Carl Sanders is averaging 35.9 yards per punt, with 10 of 30 kicks ending inside the 20-yard line, while Pearcy has collected 382 yards in returns.
After having multiple weeks to prepare for four of its six victories, and a full week prior to recording its other two wins, USA faces a shortened practice schedule with its first midweek game. Jones believes the Jaguars are ready for the change in preparation.
"It is different. We've cut back two days of preparation from the normal week-to-week cycle," he observed. "We came in on Sunday and worked, and the coaches have been here nonstop getting ready for this ballgame. The biggest thing is our coaching staff has to have time to put a game plan together, put it in a simple way for the kids to understand it, and we've done that."
The stadium parking lot will open and tailgating will begin at noon, while stadium gates will be opened at 4 p.m. The Jaguar Prowl will start at the northeast end of Ladd-Peebles Stadium when the Jaguars arrive at 3:40 p.m.
Shuttles from the Bel Air Mall - with continuous service until 90 minutes after the completion of the game - are slated to start running at 3 p.m. from the south parking lot behind Target and JC Penney. The cost is $2.50 for a round-trip ride. There will also be buses departing USA's campus at 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., with the service free for all students and $5 round trip for all other individuals.
Tickets for the game can be purchased online at www.usagameday.com, by calling the USA Athletic Ticket Office at (251) 461-1USA (1872) before 5 p.m. Wednesday or in person by visiting the Mitchell Center ticket office on campus by 5 p.m. Thursday. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the game at the stadium beginning at 2 p.m.
All individuals in attendance will be eligible to receive vouchers for free tickets to USA's basketball home opener, a doubleheader against Spring Hill that is set to tip off at 5:05 p.m. The Jaguar football team will be recognized at halftime of the men's contest.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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