The last two seasons have been the most-successful in South Alabama football program history, including 17 combined victories and the school’s first-ever bowl win.
And yet, the Jaguars enter 2024 with relatively low expectations, at least from the outside. South Alabama was picked to finish fifth out of seven teams in the Sun Belt Conference West Division, in preseason voting by league coaches announced Monday.
During his appearance at Sun Belt Conference Media Days in New Orleans on Wednesday, head coach Major Applewhite said he’s not only not concerned with outside perception of his program, he’s totally dismissive of it.
“Honestly, I don’t pay much attention to polls — political polls, sports polls, any polls. I focus on these guys (players),” Applewhite said. “I do not care what they’re talking about or who’s voting. I care about these guys — day-to-day academics, weight room. Motivation comes every day knowing you have a job to do and you have people to serve. That’s the motivation; not from a place or if somebody thinks less of you.
“To be honest, I’ve felt like that my whole life as a competition. I’ve never been the frontrunner, so that doesn’t change. … We’ll go play the games and let all that stuff settle itself.”
Part of those “low expectations” are likely related to coaching turnover, with Applewhite taking over for Kane Wommack after the former South Alabama head man left in January to become Alabama’s defensive coordinator. Former Jaguars defensive coordinator Corey Batoon also left for the same job at Missouri.
In addition, South Alabama lost the school’s all-time leading passer (Carter Bradley) and rusher (La’Damian Webb) to graduate and four top veteran players to power conference schools via the transfer portal — wide receiver Caullin Lacy to Louisville, safety Yam Banks to Ole Miss, linebacker Khalil Jacobs to Missouri and cornerback Marquise Robinson to Arkansas. But such turnover is a fact of life in college football in 2024, especially at the Group of 5 level.
“I really don’t let (expectations) be a determining factor,” defensive lineman Wy’Kevious Thomas said. “If you let the what the media says take over and you’re trying to live up to expectations, it’s putting a lot more pressure on you. I’d rather just go out and playing the next game, play, next rep and focus on the thing that you’re gonna do right now instead of in the future.”
South Alabama opens the 2024 season at home Aug. 31 vs. North Texas.
A few other notes from South Alabama’s appearance at Sun Belt Media Days:
• Applewhite said quarterback competition will continue into fall camp, but that redshirt freshman Gio Lopez will be the “first on the field” when the Jaguars begin practice on July 31.
Lopez played in five games as a true freshman last year, and was Most Valuable Player of the 68 Ventures Bowl. He competed with former Utah State transfer Bishop Davenport and true freshman Jared Hollins in the spring.
“Gio has earned the right to go out there with the first offense,” Applewhite said. “No jobs are established until we get through the first (preseason) scrimmage, but somebody’s got to go out there first. … But after that, it’s like you and me every day — we’ve got to work to keep our jobs.”
South Alabama will head into the season with just three scholarship quarterbacks, but did add two experienced walk-ons over the summer in former Saraland standout Brett Nezat and Kentucky native Jacob Jones. Nezat spent one year at Arkansas State and three at West Florida, while Jones played last season at Grambling State (he transferred to South Alabama after family moved to the Mobile area).
• Many players at Sun Belt Media Days were asked about the recently released EA Sports College Football 25 video game, the first to feature real college players.
However, one of the Jaguars’ top players is not “in the game.” Defensive lineman Wy’Kevious Thomas, a four-year starter and arguably South Alabama’s best defensive player, was not included because he neglected to file the “opt in” paperwork on time.
“I’m not in the game,” Thomas said. “I did turn the paperwork in, but it was late. So, hopefully, they give me an update and get me in there.”
To be included in the game, players were required to sign a release that EA Sports could use their name, image and likeness. In exchange, they received $600 and a copy of the game.
• Applewhite confirmed that the Jaguars will continue the “No. 5 jersey” tradition brought back by Wommack in 2021. The coaching staff will choose a different player to wear No. 5 during practice and in the game each week.
The No. 5 jersey tradition was started by former coach Joey Jones in honor of the late Anthony Mostella, a running back on the first South Alabama team in 2009 who died in a motorcycle accident prior to his senior season. During Jones’ tenure, which ran through 2017, the 5 jersey was a season-long award.
• Applewhite also confirmed that cornerback Joshua Bledsoe and defensive lineman Bryston Dixon are no longer with the program. Bledsoe signed with the Jaguars in 2023 out of Lafayette High School but did not see any game action as a true freshman.
Dixon, a Leroy native, was set to transfer in from Georgia Tech this past spring, but was kept off the field for health reasons. He is expected to try and play at the junior-college level, Applewhite said.