South Alabama begins spring football practice on Thursday, its first of the Major Applewhite era.
The 45-year-old Applewhite takes over following the departure of Kane Wommack, who left after three seasons to become Alabama’s defensive coordinator. Applewhite was the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator under Wommack, who recorded the first back-to-back winning seasons in program history in 2022 and 2023.
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So as the Jaguars hit the field for the first time to begin a new era, here are 5 storylines to follow leading up to the April 20 Red-Blue spring game:
1. New ‘officer’ in command of Jaguars
Not a lot is expected to change with Applewhite moving up from offensive coordinator to head coach, at least not initially.
The Jaguars are obviously expected to run the same offense, with former tight ends coach Rob Ezell now serving as coordinator and playcaller. Former South Alabama linebackers coach Will Windham is now defensive coordinator, and again, the broad base of the 4-2-5 “Swarm D” the Jaguars ran under Wommack should remain largely the same.
Applewhite did bring in several new voices from outside, notably former Idaho head coach Paul Petrino as receivers coach, ex-NFL player Jonathan Bradley as defensive line coach and former Jackson State co-offensive coordinator Jason Onyebuaga as offensive line coach. Effrem Reed (formerly of Michigan State) is also in as running backs coach, while Cameron Cleminson (inside linebackers) and Kyle Skierski (tight ends) have been elevated from graduate assistant/analyst roles.
Teams tend to take on the personality of their head coach, and Applewhite is every bit as intense as Wommack, if not quite as vocal.
2. The Gio Lopez era begins at quarterback
Lopez was recruited out of James Clemens High School in the Huntsville area with the intention of making him the Jaguars’ quarterback of the future, and he will be given every opportunity to make the offense his own this spring following the departure of two-year starter Carter Bradley.
We saw glimpses of Lopez’s promise when Bradley was injured last year, notably in his MVP performance in the 68 Ventures Bowl. The athletic left-hander gives South Alabama a run-pass dynamic it has rarely had in the program’s 15-year history.
Sophomore Bishop Davenport (a Utah State transfer) and true freshman Jared Hollins are also around this spring, but Lopez goes into the spring as the frontrunner. If he shows he might not be ready, it’s possible the Jaguars will hit the transfer portal for an experienced quarterback after the spring.
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3. McReynolds, Pritchett ready to take on larger offensive roles
La’Damian Webb is arguably the greatest running back in South Alabama history, while Caullin Lacy enjoyed either the best- or second-best receiver season the program has ever seen in 2023. Both are gone — Webb out of eligibility and Lacy having transferred to Louisville.
Sophomore Braylon McReynolds steps in as the No. 1 running back, having been limited to five games by a broken collarbone in 2023. The versatile and reliable Mobile native will now be one of the offense’s focal points, though junior Kentrel Bullock should also get plenty of touches.
Former walk-on Jamaal Pritchett emerged as a serious receiving threat in 2023, and will take on an even bigger role with Lacy gone and senior Devin Voisin still recovering from knee surgery that cost him most of last season. Pritchett is undersized at 5-foot-9 and 172 pounds, but can really stretch the field and make tough catches in traffic.
4. Several newcomers set to make an impact
The Jaguars added seven four-year transfers, two junior-college transfers and four high school signees this spring, and several of them will get an opportunity to earn first- or second-team jobs this spring.
Liberty transfer Aakil Washington is expected to wind up atop the depth chart at Wolf (outside) linebacker, seeking to replace the pass-rushing production lost by the departed Quentin Wilfawn. Andrew Bench (Bowling Green) should be part of the Jaguars’ rotation at tight end, where they often utilize two in the game at any one time.
Lardarius Webb (Oklahoma State) will work at one of the safety positions, while Malachi Preciado (Purdue) will have a chance to compete at center. Junior-college transfer Jordan Scruggs at cornerback and Jalyn Durgan at defensive end should have a chance to contribute quickly.
The Jaguars must replace a four-year starter at kicker in Diego Guajardo, as well as two-year kickoff specialist Jacob Meeks. East Carolina transfer Laith Marjan will have a shot at both jobs in the spring, though that competition will likely extend into the fall after the arrival of freshman signee Davis Little.
5. Center, nickel safety among the key position battles
For the second straight year, the Jaguars must replace a highly respected senior center, as Reggie Smith exhausted his eligibility last season.
Preciado, guards Reed Buys and Kenton Jerido and walk-on Sam Williams are all expected to get center reps this spring. Former Mississippi State transfer Lucas Taylor, who missed all of 2023 for non-football medical reasons, could also be in the mix once he’s cleared medically.
The nickel safety — or “Husky” in the Jaguars’ parlance — is one of the key positions in the defense, with responsibilities both as a cover corner and a run-support safety. Yam Banks has filled that position the last three seasons, but transferred to Ole Miss over the offseason.
That’s left an open competition this spring, with former walk-on Christopher Wallace, sophomore Tremel States-Jones and a number of other veterans expected to get a look as well. Senior Brian Dillard, a cornerback last season, is one name to watch here.