2019 South Alabama Jaguars Football Preview

With only 10 returning starters, South Alabama might still be trending downward, looking for rock-bottom.

South Alabama’s only previous visit to Lincoln was the ultimate “let’s all feel better” balm to help soothe the sting of a Hail Mary upset by BYU the week before. The Huskers averaged 7.0 yards per carry on the ground and completed more than 68% of their passes in a 48-9 blowout victory in 2015. The next year, South Alabama did pull off a shocker to open the season, upsetting Mississippi State 21-20 enroute to a berth in the 2016 Arizona Bowl, where the Jaguars lost to the Air Force Academy.

After a 4-8 season in 2017, Steve Campbell replaced the program’s first head coach, Joey Jones… and promptly went 3-9 in his first season at South Alabama. What was weird, according to SB Nation analytics guru Bill Connelly, was that Campbell combined players and coaches that each had a passing background, and implemented a try-to-run-the-damn-ball offense. Note the “try” part, because despite trying, it wasn’t successful Whatever they were thinking, it just didn’t work in 2018.

It might have to in 2019. South Alabama needs to replace the top two quarterbacks as well as two of the top three receivers from last season. Leading rusher Tra Minter (5’9” 200 lbs.) returns for his senior season after rushing for 801 yards and six touchdowns last season, but for this to work, Minter will have to improve on his 4.4 yards per carry average. Junior college transfer Terrion Avery (5’9” 195 lbs.) and four redshirt freshmen round out the running back depth chart.