The Other Side of the Wall: Southern

We’re getting a test run game for rivalry week. The Southern Jaguars are coming to visit us from the coast, and I hate them even though their college is 80 years older than that other one.

As far as the football team is concerned, the Jaguars are under new management. After leading them to five straight one-loss conference seasons, Dawson Odums handed over the keys to assistant Jason Rollins, who’s still working with an interim tag.

Anyone interesting on the coaching staff? Oh hey, there’s a familiar face. Glad to see he landed on his feet. Sincerely.

Now, our good buddy is working with some talent. All but one of the SWAC’s preseason first-team offensive linemen come from Southern, and that includes the tight end spot. Don’t worry though, the odd man out landed on the second team.

Jaguar running back Jerodd Sims, the SWAC’s preseason first-team running back, will line up behind them all. He rushed for 231 yards and four touchdowns last season in five games, second only to quarterback Ladarius Skelton (317, 4).

Interestingly, he will also be lining up behind Devon Benn, a second-team all-SWAC back who sat out last season. He rushed for 806 yards two years ago, and he’ll take back the RB1 title in his senior season.

The year he missed, his team averaged 211 rushing yards per game, and 11 different players ran with the ball all season. Computer, define running back by committee. Oh hey, there’s Pugh’s picture again.

Last year’s offense was very balanced, and under its new offensive coordinator, who worked with the Bucs just before Tom Brady got there, it will remain balanced—with a more pro-style look.

Skelton threw for more than 500 yards last year, as did his less versatile counterpart John Lampley. Together they averaged about as many yards passing per game as the team did rushing.

Catching those passes will be Marquis McClain, Tyler Kirkwood and Chandler Whitfield. The Jaguars have another weapon, though, the tight end I mentioned earlier: Ethan Howard.

The takeaway from all that is the Jaguars are balanced and most importantly, their talent lies in the trenches.

That goes for the defense as well. Jalen Ivy and Jordan Lewis are SWAC preseason first-teamers, but Lewis is also the preseason defensive player of the year. He picked up more than half the team’s sacks and sack yardage (10.5, 73) and led the team with 27 tackles, 15 for loss. Remember, they only played five games last year.

Perhaps most importantly, Lewis took home the Buck Buchanan Award last year, the defensive MVP award for the FCS level. Troy should know a thing or two about that award.

In the backfield, Chase Foster will be the player to watch. He had 20 tackles, 5 breakups and an interception. Another player to look for: Terence Dunlap. The former Trojan transferred out this summer, but he’s not listed on the roster yet.

Dunlap was academically ineligible last season, and the Advocate reports he hadn’t filled out the paperwork as of August 4.

Last year the Jags were the FCS’s number 26-ranked total defense, and the man behind the clipboard is NFL journeyman Lionel Washington. He was in charge for the past three years, and stuck around despite the shift.

As for the overall outlook, the highest ranking of note is CBS Sports putting them at No. 20. They tend to sit farther down in other polls, usually around the late 30s.

This is the first game if the year though, and if history is any indication, Troy should take care of business. The only downside is this may be the best FCS team the Trojans have faced since 2001 Florida A&M. That’s not saying a whole lot, but it is saying something.

The Trojans are looking to make their own massive statement, though. It’s win-or-bust, so expect Troy to beat up on the Jags.

As God intended.